Mincho Yoo Shik Lee
Mincho Yoo Shik Lee: 42 Years of Life as an Immigrant
Poet Mincho Yoo Shik Lee
It was July 28, 1974, in Seoul, Korea, and it was hot, humid and uncomfortable, as summers there often are. My friends kept telling me not to go to Canada, saying your Country needs you. But our family of 3 including my daughter who was not yet even 2 years old, had decided to take the courageous step to immigrate to Canada. As legislated by the Korean government, we were allowed to take just 600 USD with us. At that time, immigration was only possible by invitation through relatives. Fortunately, I had a brother-in-law who was a professor at the University of Calgary. And he was able to sponsor me and my family. My plan was to study for 3 years and then return to Korea. After landing in a new and foreign country, I talked with him and found out that it was virtually impossible to pursue my dreams of further study in Canada.
I had to make a very serious decision. Because after I paid my first month rent and utilities and bought groceries, all I had left was $80 to support my family, and another baby that (was) on the way. I realized that my desire to study had to be put on hold. Very limited English language skills or experience working in foreign companies, I had very limited means to earn money, but with the help of a high school friend, I found work as a labourer. I worked night shifts in steel companies, cabinet factories etc… to make ends meet.
Then just 2 weeks into working at the Dominion Steel Company, the man working right next to me died instantly in an industrial accident. As you can imagine, it was an extremely frightening experience, and I began to rethink how I should support my family.
I recalled then, what I had told my students in the university business classes I had taught in Korea as a part time lecturer:
There are 3 routes to economic success:
1) to get involved in politics
2) if that is not possible, get into import/export
3) if neither of those are not possible, get into real estate
It was the perfect time for me to apply what I had taught my students. And so I embarked on a journey from door to door salesman to owner of a health food store to owner of a bottle depot and then a rural super market to land and commercial property owner. I also got involved in import and export. At that time, ginseng roots were known to mostly to Chinese, with very little exposure in Canada, but with the help of the very kind and pioneering spirited President of the Sinpoong Pharmaceutical Company in Korea, I was able to import a variety of ginseng products into Canada. And I am proud to say that I introduced ginseng products to the country.
By this time, I had accumulated some wealth, and I began to get involved in real estate. As a property owner, I have dealt with many commercial and residential tenants. There were a lot of ups and downs, with extremely challenging moments, but also fond memories with people from all different walks of life, which still make me smile today.
As the time for retirement approached, I began to sell my properties one by one and focused on investing in land. When I feel the need to recharge and rejuvenate myself, I take a drive to look at the lands I own, and I have many mixed feelings going through me like a moving panorama. They remind me of the years of struggle I endured to buy those lands, but I am also filled with a great sense of accomplishment.
I am thankful to my home country Korea, and to my second home, Canada, for giving me the opportunities to explore a new chapter in my life. Despite many suffocating incidents and challenges, I can stand before the lands I worked so hard to own. I have tears of gratitude flowing down, especially because of the support both my wife and my children have given me throughout the years.
Politically, during those years, I was involved in the Korean community in regionally, nationally and globally. I began as the President of the Korean Association in Calgary, and then became the Chairman and President of the Federation of Korean Associations in Canada and finally the Vice President of the Overseas Federation of Korean Associations.
As an immigrant, I always felt an internal longing for home, that something was missing and I wanted to express my appreciations, joys, disappointments, frustrations and even anger in a productive way. So I started to write poems and to date have published 7 books of poems and essays. My desire was to encourage fellow immigrants to enrich their life through writing, and a few of us got together to form a Calgary Korean writing club, of which I have served as President for the last 6 years.
When one of my old University Professors, Dr. Kim Dong Gee visited me in Calgary many years ago, he gave me the pen name “Mincho,” which means ” the grass endures ongoing challenges and getting up again and again”. The reason he gave me that pen name was that he wanted to encourage me to rise up like wild grass under trying situations and to never give up when he saw me struggle to adjust to a new life. I count myself lucky to have such a caring person as my professor and our relationship as teacher and student continues. It has been almost 50 years!
Ten years ago, I established the “Mincho Literacy Award” program for all Koreans abroad. The purpose for the award is to encourage koreans abroad like me all over the world to have better and enriching life through writings and to carry on korean culture from generation to generation. Every year, a committee made up of well known scholars selects one winner and awards a prize and scholarship. Winners of the Mincho Literacy Award have come from all over the world, including China, USA, Germany, Korea, Russia, Brazil, Mongolia and Canada. This year is the 10th year of the award program, and the winner will be announced on Aug 15. it will be held in my second hometown, Calgary.
Now that I am in the twilight years of my life, I can reflect on the successful life I have lived as immigrant with pride. My only wish now is to live a fulfilling life with whatever time is left for me.
Please read the attached Korean version which has a much more detailed description of my life as Immigrant.