So last night for dinner we had fish. I like fish. However, I was not expecting to have an entire fish plopped on my plate. Yes, that's right. A whole friekin' fish just laying there on my plate, dead, and cooked. Poor fella. I thought I'd give it a try but after eating everything else I could on my plate, the fish still laid there untouched. I started to slice it open with my chopsticks but the thought of seeing the guts and brains of a fish right before putting it in my mouth just grossed me out. I couldn't do it. I started to feel my gag reflex come up from below. I stood up and said, "Can someone please take that fish off my plate?" Some of the other teachers laughed. "Poor Rebs. You'll get used to it," they said. "I don't think so." Anyhow, my goal each meal is to be willing to try something new. However, I still refuse to try the squid soup that smells like Dusty's feet. Not going to happen. I am however, getting used to the milk with the weird aftertaste. I hardly notice it anymore. So enough about food.
Last night we went to the bouldering gym. The Koreans seemed excited when we walked in. It's like they could't wait to get their hands on us. The only other female climber there was a Korean. She showed me a few problems. Then she became my personal trainer, pushing me to keep doing the same problem in repetition until I collapsed from exhaustion. Everytime I fell off the wall, she'd give me about 5 seconds to rest before making me get back on again. I loved it! Finally someone besides Dusty to push me. Our conversation was minimal but communicating was easy. The love of climbing was our common bond linking us together. We climbed together for over an hour and barely spoke a word the whole time. It was so much fun! The Koreans are amazing climbers. So graceful and light on their feet. They make every move look so effortless. They are poetic in their climbing whereas I'm like an elephant. Huge and loud and not coordinated at all. I try to muscle my way through all the holds. I rush to get finished so I can let my muscles relax. I need to morph myself into a graceful ballerina and learn to hold those tricky positions and relax my body and mind. I'm working on it and getting better but I have a long way to go. We decided we're going to Thailand for Lunar New Year in February. We have a week off of work. We just got our plane tickets yesterday. We're planning to go to Railay Beach. It's on one of the western islands and is close to Koh Phi Phi and Krabi. We're really excited. It's some of the best climbing in the world plus it's one of the most beautiful places in the world too. How much better can it get? So... we'll be training hard this winter to get ready.
Well, Dusty and I are off for a hike up the mountain. We have the day off and it's warm in sunny so we're going to take advantage.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Sunday, November 25, 2007
I Popped My Bubble
I no longer live my life inside a bubble. I have no bubble anymore. It popped when I moved to Seoul. And now I'm starting to see life from a new perspective. My eyes have been opened to the rest of the world... outside the comfort and security of my little bubble that I called home.
I don't really have a home anymore. When people ask me where home is, I stare blankly for a minute before saying, "I'm not sure". I guess right now my home is Seoul, South Korea. However I don't speak or read Korean and I stick out like a sore thumb. By the way, how does a sore thumb stick out anyway?
So now you might be wondering, "What is life like outside your bubble"? Well, let me tell you... so scary and uncomfortable yet so satisfying and fulfilling at the same time. Make sense? I know, no, not really, but that's how it feels.
I'm growing so much spiritually in my life right now. I'm starting to realize how much I've lived a life of privilege, wealth, and excess in a country that is so focused and obsessed with money and things of this world. Living in Amreica, it's so hard not to get sucked in. It's a pressure that has always pulled at me. I think as I grew up, money and things became my idols; things I couldn't live without. I didn't realize how addicted I was to that life until trying to live without it all.
Deep in my heart, the part where God resides, I desire the humble life. I truly want to purge myself from the burden of always feeling like I need more. I want so much to be satisfied and content with what God has given me. After all, it's so much more than most others in the world will ever know. It's just that my selfish desires always seem to get in the way. I mean, I loooove clothes. I love when I have something new to wear. It seriously brings me more happiness than almost anything else in this world. It's just that, after a few times wearing those new clothes, they lose their newness and I'm craving more new clothes. This gets expensive and is also unnecessary (though I often try to convince Dusty otherwise). My point is that the majority of people in the world need this money a million times more than I do. I've been very convicted of this since moving to Seoul and opening my eyes to the rest of the world.
I've been told before how blessed I am and though I knew it must be true, I could never grasp the full meaning. Now I'm starting to comprehend what I've been hungry to understand for so long. And while it's good to have that breakthrough, I am left with a difficult choice to make. With this new understanding, do I continue to live a life of excess or do I humble myself and learn to live a life of humility? It's constant battle in my head.
It's not that I feel I must be poor, but I truly do wish to live without the excess. So how do I overcome my addiction? Well, this is where God comes in. He is what sustains me. Everyday, it seems He calls me to humble myself in some way, to do with less, to open my eyes to those less fortunate. And everyday, I've been choosing to follow Him. With each decision, my faith in Him grows deeper. He's slowly molding me; I'm slowly letting Him. I'm finally letting go of control. I'm surrendering. He's in control now and He's using me. I can feel Him using me and it is the most amazing feeling. He's preparing my way and putting amazing opportunities in front of me.
I'm seeing the world outside my bubble for the first time. It's a world of pain and suffering; a world desperate for God. I want to show them who He is. I want to show them the love that He has shown me. I want them to know the peace and satisfaction that comes with knowing Him. I don't want to turn my back on the world anymore. I'm learning that joy doesn't exist in selfish greed and excess but in the freedom of simplicity and the opportunity to show others God's love.
I don't really have a home anymore. When people ask me where home is, I stare blankly for a minute before saying, "I'm not sure". I guess right now my home is Seoul, South Korea. However I don't speak or read Korean and I stick out like a sore thumb. By the way, how does a sore thumb stick out anyway?
So now you might be wondering, "What is life like outside your bubble"? Well, let me tell you... so scary and uncomfortable yet so satisfying and fulfilling at the same time. Make sense? I know, no, not really, but that's how it feels.
I'm growing so much spiritually in my life right now. I'm starting to realize how much I've lived a life of privilege, wealth, and excess in a country that is so focused and obsessed with money and things of this world. Living in Amreica, it's so hard not to get sucked in. It's a pressure that has always pulled at me. I think as I grew up, money and things became my idols; things I couldn't live without. I didn't realize how addicted I was to that life until trying to live without it all.
Deep in my heart, the part where God resides, I desire the humble life. I truly want to purge myself from the burden of always feeling like I need more. I want so much to be satisfied and content with what God has given me. After all, it's so much more than most others in the world will ever know. It's just that my selfish desires always seem to get in the way. I mean, I loooove clothes. I love when I have something new to wear. It seriously brings me more happiness than almost anything else in this world. It's just that, after a few times wearing those new clothes, they lose their newness and I'm craving more new clothes. This gets expensive and is also unnecessary (though I often try to convince Dusty otherwise). My point is that the majority of people in the world need this money a million times more than I do. I've been very convicted of this since moving to Seoul and opening my eyes to the rest of the world.
I've been told before how blessed I am and though I knew it must be true, I could never grasp the full meaning. Now I'm starting to comprehend what I've been hungry to understand for so long. And while it's good to have that breakthrough, I am left with a difficult choice to make. With this new understanding, do I continue to live a life of excess or do I humble myself and learn to live a life of humility? It's constant battle in my head.
It's not that I feel I must be poor, but I truly do wish to live without the excess. So how do I overcome my addiction? Well, this is where God comes in. He is what sustains me. Everyday, it seems He calls me to humble myself in some way, to do with less, to open my eyes to those less fortunate. And everyday, I've been choosing to follow Him. With each decision, my faith in Him grows deeper. He's slowly molding me; I'm slowly letting Him. I'm finally letting go of control. I'm surrendering. He's in control now and He's using me. I can feel Him using me and it is the most amazing feeling. He's preparing my way and putting amazing opportunities in front of me.
I'm seeing the world outside my bubble for the first time. It's a world of pain and suffering; a world desperate for God. I want to show them who He is. I want to show them the love that He has shown me. I want them to know the peace and satisfaction that comes with knowing Him. I don't want to turn my back on the world anymore. I'm learning that joy doesn't exist in selfish greed and excess but in the freedom of simplicity and the opportunity to show others God's love.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
We just finished another week at SEV and it was a success. I'm tired of teaching, but pretty good physically. As the week goes by, the kids seem to know what they can get away with or just don't care because their behavior seems to worsen. I was so frustrated in my last class because my kids couldn't get the concept of pictionary. I would show a kid from each team the word and they would go and write it down. So then I told them that they had to draw a picture. They conversed in Korean and agreed on what I was trying to say, so I thought they understood. So when I gave them the next word, they drew a picture and then wrote the word. So finally I reverted to just drawing the picture myself and having the kids stand around and guess what it was. They did understand that, thankfully. And then it was time to go. You wouldn't think our job could be that hard, but man, it was frustrating.
We're working this weekend now too. So we only get Sunday off, and then another day during the week. I guess alot of the money they make is on the weekend, so we have all the way through December booked up for weekends. Rebs and I are both teaching the KB (Kukman Bank) kids. Their education is sponsored all the way through college by the bank, so we run special programs for them every other weekend. It's the more standard style of teaching, out of workbooks and such. If you've ever taken a foreign language class in middle or high school, you can relate to what we're doing. One thing that I've realized is how hard it had to be for my teacher at times when I was in school. I remember when I took German classes and how frustrating it must have been for my teacher when we didn't do our homework, or didn't put any effort into it. Here she was, investing her heart into her work for us, and of course we were the typical teenagers who took much of it for granted. Now I can relate because I'm on the other side of the mirror.
I can't explain how much we are looking forward to getting paid. I can't say that we are in wanting, but it will be very nice to have money again. If you didn't know, we don't get paid until December 7th, which is about a month and a half of being here with only the money we came with and a $400 stipend for the both of us. I don't think it would be a big deal if the apartment had been furnished already when we got here, but other than a hot plate, refrigerator, and a bed, we were without. So imagine when you moved into a new place, especially you first house, and all the extra unexpected expenses you had, like needing a trash can and a cutting knife, or a shoe rack. It's like completely starting over again.
I think the difficult thing for me is that I am somewhat of a frugal spender. It has been engrained in me since birth not to be wastful. Well, everything we buy here, we will most likely not be able to take back with us. It makes me think about what it will be like when I die. Leaving Korea will be much like dying. It's really good for living in the here and now. Whatever we get, we will only enjoy while we're here, and then we will either leave it here or spend just as much sending it home as we would to buy it new whenever we got home. I'm sure if I were by myself, I would be buying alot less stuff. But there is so much more to think about when you're married. If I want to stay up later and read while Rebs goes to bed, then my options are to either leave the light on in bed (which is fairly inconsiderate) or go into the other room and sit in a chair that isn't very comfortable...and my feet get cold. So I am left with the delimma of how comfortable I want to be and how frugal I want to be. If I am frugal, we may pay off a little more money on school loans. If we are more comfortable, it may just take longer to do it.
I think my fear (this is deep within my mind now) is that I develop tendencies over time. So if my tendency is to spend money, then I will do it more freely and think less about it. If I save, then I will always think to save. Here's an example. Rebs always buys my clothes for me because, she thinks, I don't like shopping for myself, that I don't like to spend money on myself. It's actually the other way around. I enjoy buying stuff for myself, but if I start, it's easy for me to get carried away and spend a lot more than I need to. So rather than trying to regulate myself, which I have always had to do, I opt to not shop at all.
One of the great things about Korea that I love is that they put their old stuff out on the curb for anyone to take. Like if you have an old dresser that you just replaced, then you put the old one outside on the weekend and someone will walk by and decide they need it in their house. We got two night tables this way just this last weekend. I went for a run and came back with a night stand. It's pretty antique-looking and very cool. When I saw that Rebs saw it and liked it, I went back to get the other one that matched it. Yah for free stuff! It makes me feel better about not wasting my money when we leave.
I'm such a cheapskate.
We're working this weekend now too. So we only get Sunday off, and then another day during the week. I guess alot of the money they make is on the weekend, so we have all the way through December booked up for weekends. Rebs and I are both teaching the KB (Kukman Bank) kids. Their education is sponsored all the way through college by the bank, so we run special programs for them every other weekend. It's the more standard style of teaching, out of workbooks and such. If you've ever taken a foreign language class in middle or high school, you can relate to what we're doing. One thing that I've realized is how hard it had to be for my teacher at times when I was in school. I remember when I took German classes and how frustrating it must have been for my teacher when we didn't do our homework, or didn't put any effort into it. Here she was, investing her heart into her work for us, and of course we were the typical teenagers who took much of it for granted. Now I can relate because I'm on the other side of the mirror.
I can't explain how much we are looking forward to getting paid. I can't say that we are in wanting, but it will be very nice to have money again. If you didn't know, we don't get paid until December 7th, which is about a month and a half of being here with only the money we came with and a $400 stipend for the both of us. I don't think it would be a big deal if the apartment had been furnished already when we got here, but other than a hot plate, refrigerator, and a bed, we were without. So imagine when you moved into a new place, especially you first house, and all the extra unexpected expenses you had, like needing a trash can and a cutting knife, or a shoe rack. It's like completely starting over again.
I think the difficult thing for me is that I am somewhat of a frugal spender. It has been engrained in me since birth not to be wastful. Well, everything we buy here, we will most likely not be able to take back with us. It makes me think about what it will be like when I die. Leaving Korea will be much like dying. It's really good for living in the here and now. Whatever we get, we will only enjoy while we're here, and then we will either leave it here or spend just as much sending it home as we would to buy it new whenever we got home. I'm sure if I were by myself, I would be buying alot less stuff. But there is so much more to think about when you're married. If I want to stay up later and read while Rebs goes to bed, then my options are to either leave the light on in bed (which is fairly inconsiderate) or go into the other room and sit in a chair that isn't very comfortable...and my feet get cold. So I am left with the delimma of how comfortable I want to be and how frugal I want to be. If I am frugal, we may pay off a little more money on school loans. If we are more comfortable, it may just take longer to do it.
I think my fear (this is deep within my mind now) is that I develop tendencies over time. So if my tendency is to spend money, then I will do it more freely and think less about it. If I save, then I will always think to save. Here's an example. Rebs always buys my clothes for me because, she thinks, I don't like shopping for myself, that I don't like to spend money on myself. It's actually the other way around. I enjoy buying stuff for myself, but if I start, it's easy for me to get carried away and spend a lot more than I need to. So rather than trying to regulate myself, which I have always had to do, I opt to not shop at all.
One of the great things about Korea that I love is that they put their old stuff out on the curb for anyone to take. Like if you have an old dresser that you just replaced, then you put the old one outside on the weekend and someone will walk by and decide they need it in their house. We got two night tables this way just this last weekend. I went for a run and came back with a night stand. It's pretty antique-looking and very cool. When I saw that Rebs saw it and liked it, I went back to get the other one that matched it. Yah for free stuff! It makes me feel better about not wasting my money when we leave.
I'm such a cheapskate.
Monday, November 19, 2007
ROCK CHALK!!!
ATTENTION:
Kansas is now 11-0 for the season in FOOTBALL! WHAT? FOOTBALL? Yes, that's right, football. We are now ranked No. 2 in the country in FOOTBALL! Crazy, Crazy, Crazy exciting. And we are gearing up for a big game against Missouri on Saturday. They are ranked No. 3 and are our biggest rival. Let me rephrase... this game is HUGE! Rock Chalk Jayhalk. Once a Jayhawk, always a Jayhawk. I'm so proud to be a Jayhawk. I love you, KU.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Brrrrr!!!
Just thought I'd let you all know, it's 21 degrees Faranheit outside right now and yes, it's only November 18th. Oh my gosh, we're going to freeze.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
I can't talk, but I can still write
It's official. I've lost my voice completely. I've been fighting this stubborn cold for over a week now. I'm finally starting to feel better but this morning I woke up with no voice. I had to take the day off of work. So much for that bonus we receive for perfect attendance. The good news is that I get to rest and catch up on e-mails (which I'm so behind on). And I'm not sure my e-mail is working because I haven't been receiving many replys lately. I hope it's just that everyone is keeping busy and hasn't had time to write back.
I'm starting to feel more at home here and now that I'm feeling better, I have more energy which is helping me feel better emotionally too. I think I'm on the way up. I really do think I'm going to love it here. Just the transition part with all the adjustments is what's difficult. But I think the hardest part is over. Last night we got to go see the musical, Footloose...the Korean version. It was extremely entertaining. A big group of us went after work. It was a University play and we got in free because one of the girls we work with was a senior in the theater department there last year and she got us all tickets. It was all in Korean but I could still follow mostly what was happening. Watching some of the Korean guys dressed up in jeans, suspenders, and a cowboy hat dancing was absolutely hilarious. But the acting, singing, and dancing was great quality.
Well, I must go eat some Kimchi and rice now.
Bye.
I'm starting to feel more at home here and now that I'm feeling better, I have more energy which is helping me feel better emotionally too. I think I'm on the way up. I really do think I'm going to love it here. Just the transition part with all the adjustments is what's difficult. But I think the hardest part is over. Last night we got to go see the musical, Footloose...the Korean version. It was extremely entertaining. A big group of us went after work. It was a University play and we got in free because one of the girls we work with was a senior in the theater department there last year and she got us all tickets. It was all in Korean but I could still follow mostly what was happening. Watching some of the Korean guys dressed up in jeans, suspenders, and a cowboy hat dancing was absolutely hilarious. But the acting, singing, and dancing was great quality.
Well, I must go eat some Kimchi and rice now.
Bye.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Writing and Resting
Dusty and I are taking a day of rest today. I think we've been needing it since we got here. I've been battling a nasty cold all week. Right now I'm drinking ginger tea with honey. It's supposed to be good for you. I think my cold has moved mostly to my chest and I've been coughing up a lot of crap, which is good because it means it's on its way out. All the changes have been such a shock to my system the past few weeks. My diet changed dramatically overnight and suddenly my body is forced to adjust. That, along with the time change, new surroundings, air pollution, change in weather, and new germs and bacteria has taken its toll on me physically. I've felt really tired all week and have been sleeping 9-12 hours a night. From talking to other teachers, what I'm going through is common. Most foreign teachers tell me they experienced one adjustment after another the first month they were here. Dusty's immune system seems to be holding up a little better, although he has been complaining of a sore throat which is how my cold started. But he's like He-Man or something. He never gets as sick or as tired as I do. He's like a 6 month old puppy and I'm like Legend. I try to keep up, but I'm getting old and I tire more quickly.
This week has also been an emotional struggle for me as well. I've felt somewhat lethargic and depressed at times. It's always difficult to pick up and move your life somewhere new. This time is different though. I'm faced with some new challenges. First, I've picked up and moved my life to a foreign country. Second, I did it with my husband rather than alone. I'm learning a lot about myself and Dusty through this process of transition. Dusty says it's like I have Borderline Personality Disorder. I want attention, yet I want to be left alone. I'm like a walking paradox. My mood can change in an instant. I can go from easygoing to irritable in minutes. I'm just so emotional. Luckily, Dusty is very patient with me.
Since moving to Seoul I have noticed a change in our marriage. Our highs feel really high and our lows feel really low. Our feelings and emotions are more intense. Our communication has broken down a few times since we've been here but we are both very stubborn and determined and we hate to be at odds. Because of this, we always find our way back to each other. There are so many things we are forced to renegotiate in our marriage which means we have to communicate about things more than we're used to. This takes a lot of time and patience. Luckily, we have a lot of time. If you pray, you could pray that God would give us more patience with each other... especially me. How we spend money, what activities we participate in, how much time we spend together, how much time we spend alone, how much time we spend together with others, how much time we spend separately with others are all new adjustments. The environment we live in is also a lot different than home. Many of the people in our lives have different values and beliefs. There is a lot of diversity here which is a good thing but different than what we're used to back home. It feels a little like college sometimes. Being married puts us in a minority population. Although most people here are around our age, there are only three other couples living here. Everyone else is single. Sometimes it feels like people automatically classify us as boring just because we're married. I hope we can crush that label. We very much want to have fun with everyone and build relationships with people from all walks of life.
At this point, I think we're trying to figure out where we fit in and who we want to get to know better. Lots of people here like to go out and get trashed. Dusty and I are open to going out and having a drink or two and being social with people but we really have no desire to get wasted. I lived that lifestyle in college and it's not that satisfying, not to mention it's very expensive. Our goal living here is to pay off student loans, not to live a life of excess. It's so hard to live in the world but not be of the world. There is that temptation to try and keep up with everyone just to fit in better. So we find ourselves needing to set boundaries with drinking and going out which is something we've never really had to negotiate before in our relationship. Luckily, there are several people here who aren't into the "party scene" so we have other options of ways to spend our time hanging out with people.
As for me, sometimes I wish I wasn't so shy when I first meet people. I'm always so self-conscious and worried about what others think of me. I can't relax. I watch Dusty meet new people and he seems so at ease. He's like the social butterfly, and I'm like the wall decoration. I feel so awkward. I like to hide in the corner and wait for people to come to me. My mom says I've always been that way and that I can come off as snobby. I know that's how I get judged sometimes but I don't mean to come off that way. I just don't like making meaningless small talk, which is how initial conversations usually are with people you first meet. I tend to sit back and watch others and figure out who I have things in common with. Then, very deliberately I pick my friends. I think this is something inherent in my personality. I've been this way since preschool. Not sure if it's good or bad but it's the way I am and I accept it about myself. The problem with it is, it takes me a long time to make friends. The good side is, I make good, close friends and usually keep them forever. But right now, I'm still a new face in a new place which means I'm still a little uncomfortable and have not figured out who my friends are yet. Luckily, I have my best friend here with me when I feel lonely. It's just that he's made a million friends by now and I'm still feeling alone. I guess that's just one way God created us different. I look forward to the days when I have ease and comfort in relationships with other friends here.
Praises:
- That I am starting to get over my cold and that I have today to rest.
- That God has provided us with others here who share in our beliefs.
Prayers:
- Fellowship with other Believers.
- That God would show us how to love each and every person that comes into our life, no matter their lifestyle or beliefs.
- That God would strengthen our marriage by giving us patience with one another and reminding us to be quick to listen, slow to speak.
- That in our weakness and vulnerability, our faith in God would be strengthened.
This week has also been an emotional struggle for me as well. I've felt somewhat lethargic and depressed at times. It's always difficult to pick up and move your life somewhere new. This time is different though. I'm faced with some new challenges. First, I've picked up and moved my life to a foreign country. Second, I did it with my husband rather than alone. I'm learning a lot about myself and Dusty through this process of transition. Dusty says it's like I have Borderline Personality Disorder. I want attention, yet I want to be left alone. I'm like a walking paradox. My mood can change in an instant. I can go from easygoing to irritable in minutes. I'm just so emotional. Luckily, Dusty is very patient with me.
Since moving to Seoul I have noticed a change in our marriage. Our highs feel really high and our lows feel really low. Our feelings and emotions are more intense. Our communication has broken down a few times since we've been here but we are both very stubborn and determined and we hate to be at odds. Because of this, we always find our way back to each other. There are so many things we are forced to renegotiate in our marriage which means we have to communicate about things more than we're used to. This takes a lot of time and patience. Luckily, we have a lot of time. If you pray, you could pray that God would give us more patience with each other... especially me. How we spend money, what activities we participate in, how much time we spend together, how much time we spend alone, how much time we spend together with others, how much time we spend separately with others are all new adjustments. The environment we live in is also a lot different than home. Many of the people in our lives have different values and beliefs. There is a lot of diversity here which is a good thing but different than what we're used to back home. It feels a little like college sometimes. Being married puts us in a minority population. Although most people here are around our age, there are only three other couples living here. Everyone else is single. Sometimes it feels like people automatically classify us as boring just because we're married. I hope we can crush that label. We very much want to have fun with everyone and build relationships with people from all walks of life.
At this point, I think we're trying to figure out where we fit in and who we want to get to know better. Lots of people here like to go out and get trashed. Dusty and I are open to going out and having a drink or two and being social with people but we really have no desire to get wasted. I lived that lifestyle in college and it's not that satisfying, not to mention it's very expensive. Our goal living here is to pay off student loans, not to live a life of excess. It's so hard to live in the world but not be of the world. There is that temptation to try and keep up with everyone just to fit in better. So we find ourselves needing to set boundaries with drinking and going out which is something we've never really had to negotiate before in our relationship. Luckily, there are several people here who aren't into the "party scene" so we have other options of ways to spend our time hanging out with people.
As for me, sometimes I wish I wasn't so shy when I first meet people. I'm always so self-conscious and worried about what others think of me. I can't relax. I watch Dusty meet new people and he seems so at ease. He's like the social butterfly, and I'm like the wall decoration. I feel so awkward. I like to hide in the corner and wait for people to come to me. My mom says I've always been that way and that I can come off as snobby. I know that's how I get judged sometimes but I don't mean to come off that way. I just don't like making meaningless small talk, which is how initial conversations usually are with people you first meet. I tend to sit back and watch others and figure out who I have things in common with. Then, very deliberately I pick my friends. I think this is something inherent in my personality. I've been this way since preschool. Not sure if it's good or bad but it's the way I am and I accept it about myself. The problem with it is, it takes me a long time to make friends. The good side is, I make good, close friends and usually keep them forever. But right now, I'm still a new face in a new place which means I'm still a little uncomfortable and have not figured out who my friends are yet. Luckily, I have my best friend here with me when I feel lonely. It's just that he's made a million friends by now and I'm still feeling alone. I guess that's just one way God created us different. I look forward to the days when I have ease and comfort in relationships with other friends here.
Praises:
- That I am starting to get over my cold and that I have today to rest.
- That God has provided us with others here who share in our beliefs.
Prayers:
- Fellowship with other Believers.
- That God would show us how to love each and every person that comes into our life, no matter their lifestyle or beliefs.
- That God would strengthen our marriage by giving us patience with one another and reminding us to be quick to listen, slow to speak.
- That in our weakness and vulnerability, our faith in God would be strengthened.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Something Familiar
So last night we got to go climbing for the first time in Korea. It was indoors, but right now we'll take what we can get. We found the place about a week ago on a website called http://www.koreaontherocks.com. the site is nice because it has gyms, local areas, gear for sale, pretty much anything you need for climbing in korea. So anyway, we went in to climb, unsure of what we were going to encounter besides the owner who speaks a little bit of English. To our surprise, he wasn't there, while there were about 5 or 6 Koreans bouldering. We timidly asked them if they spoke English and luckily there was one girl who did. It wasn't ideal by any means, but decent enough for her to tell us that the owner was at a meeting of some sort and would be back later. We hadn't paid our membership fee yet, but they said it should be fine to pay him later.
So we bouldered for a little while like normal. It's a one room gym with a few negative inclines and holds everywhere. Eventually the lady whom we'd spoken with earlier came over and we could tell she was wanting to have a conversation with us but didn't know how to start. So we started talking, mainly Rebs. Our conversation was limited and we basically said all the Korean we knew, which was about 5 or 6 phrases and then we were stuck so I went and got our phrase book. But even after that, the conversation was shotty.
The whole experience was good in my eyes. It was good that we were there, first of all, because I can see it being very easy to live in this bubble that is our English village, only going out with English friends or to get groceries. This is a way for us to get involved with the Korean culture. I would hate to come back to the United States and have someone ask me, "What's Korea like?" and all I could tell them was about what a big city looks like, but nothing about their culture. I want to immerse myself while I'm here, and I'm pretty sure Rebecca feels the same way. So by going to the climbing gym, it gives us an opportunity to get to know some of the Koreans.
The second good thing about our experience is that we struggled with the language barrier. It has been very easy to waste my free time lately, choosing to watch a TV show online or check my email, but being in the middle of a room surrounded by people who you cannot understand is the greatest motivator for me to learn the Korean language. I don't know how easy it is going to be, but I hate not being able to understand what other people are saying. Maybe it's the little brother syndrome coming back to haunt me, where my sister would talk in pig latin or whisper in her friends ears, look at me, and then laugh as if they had said something about me. This wasn't that bad, but still very frustrating. I can imagine each time we come back being able to speak a little more and more. It will be interesting to see how much of the language I can learn in the course of a year. I found out yesterday that the cost of Korean classes for 6 months is about $1000, so I think if we do learn Korean, it will be through some of the teachers here at SEV who are Korean.
So anyway, the climbing experience was good. It was great to have something that was familiar to us in such a foreign world. And there is a closeness, an openness among climbers that seems to be worldwide. Even though we didn't speak much Korean and they didn't speak much English, we still sat and watched each other climb, laughing and whatnot. When you don't have the priveledge of language communication, you tend to revert to body language. So I found myself generally understanding what the conversations were about without even understanding a word they were saying.
On a separate note, (I'm not sure if Rebs already wrote about this) we went to the Catacombs meeting last night. We were a little unsure of what it was going to be like, even though I had been there once the last time I was here two years ago. The place was as I remembered it, a small, one room art gallery that was no larger than 15 square feet in size. I was shocked when the leader of it, Tim said he recognized me. Kendall Witt and I had come only one time, but he remembered my face. That was very comforting. I still don't have a label for the group because I don't know if they even label themselves. It was basically many believers in Christ getting together to talk about what was going on in their lives as well as the world around us. What I mean about this is that some of them are involved with the defectors from North Korea. But as for specific details, I am unsure. They are activists which I love because it is very different than what I am used to.
The meeting was much less focused on the self as much as the world. In America, my experience was often that we would get to talking about ourselves alot. The tone at the Catacombs meeting was more about how we can be an active part in what God is doing in the world. For example, there are two "naturalized" Koreans, which means they are North Koreans who have attained South Korean citizenship, who have been imprisoned in China for assisting defetors (which is illegal in China). This is an offense toward the South because as South Korean citizens, they are supposed to have different rights in China. To make a long story short, they are being treated as North Koreans, and there are stories of the Chinese government throwing away S.K. passports and just turning them back over to the North. They would most likely be executed if this happened. There have been several demonstrations for these prisoners because the ministry of foreign affairs kept information of their whereabouts from the public, which they cannot do. I think several of the people at Catacombs were going to the demonstration that I think took place yesterday. But that is just an example of what's going on.
This feels more real than anything I have ever experienced. I just love how hands on the people are with their faith. It's not about me anymore. I'm looking forward to going back.
-----dusty--<><--
Monday, November 5, 2007
Catacombs
UPDATE:
Dusty and I went to a meeting yesterday about ways to get involved with North Korean refugees. We are going to start attending a meeting each week on Tuesday evenings at 7pm called catacombs. It's a way for us to make some contacts, learn about what is really going on in North Korea from personal testimonies, and start finding out about ways to develop relationships with the refugees and how we can help the people still living in North Korea. We're very excited about it and will keep you posted on what we learn and how it goes.
We weren't even really looking yet for ways to get involved because we're still getting settled into life in Korea and our jobs at the English Village. Yesterday we went to church with a friend we work with and they happened to be holding a meeting after their service. Dusty and I jumped at the opportunity. The church was a little too charismatic for our taste but the meeting was great. God has really blessed us with the opportunity to start getting involved now. It's amazing how He just plopped it in our lap without us even really seeking it.
I officially have a cold now. I woke up with a sore throat this morning and it has been getting progressively worse throughout the day. I think all the changes have taken it's toll on my system. I'll just drink lots of Korean tea and sleep lots and hopefully be better soon. Today was our first day to teach our own classes. Dusty taught medical (hospital) and I taught theater. It is so easy and lots of fun. I mostly teach theater class this week. However, tomorrow Dusty and I both get to teach a hiking class. I'm also observing fire fighting and digital photo class so I'll be prepared to teach those too. Our schedule is always different everyday and every week so we don't get bored. Today, I think I worked a total of 4 hours. Can't beat that. So far, I really like my job here.
We thank you for all your prayers. God is really working in our lives. He seems so BIG right now. He has blessed us so much with so many opportunities. Our jobs, fellowship with the people we work with, and the the opportunity to get involved with the refugees are all answered prayers. We love you all and miss you. You are never far from our hearts.
If any of you are interested in talking with us, you can download a program on your computer for free called Skype. It's kind of like instant messenger only you can talk like you're talking on the phone. It's also free to talk, which is awesome. We talked to Emily and Adriel the other day and it was just like talking on speaker phone. Pretty awesome. Dusty said it was pretty easy to set up. If any of you get it, send me your username and that way we can give you a buzz sometime.
Later
------- <>< ------- Rebs
Dusty and I went to a meeting yesterday about ways to get involved with North Korean refugees. We are going to start attending a meeting each week on Tuesday evenings at 7pm called catacombs. It's a way for us to make some contacts, learn about what is really going on in North Korea from personal testimonies, and start finding out about ways to develop relationships with the refugees and how we can help the people still living in North Korea. We're very excited about it and will keep you posted on what we learn and how it goes.
We weren't even really looking yet for ways to get involved because we're still getting settled into life in Korea and our jobs at the English Village. Yesterday we went to church with a friend we work with and they happened to be holding a meeting after their service. Dusty and I jumped at the opportunity. The church was a little too charismatic for our taste but the meeting was great. God has really blessed us with the opportunity to start getting involved now. It's amazing how He just plopped it in our lap without us even really seeking it.
I officially have a cold now. I woke up with a sore throat this morning and it has been getting progressively worse throughout the day. I think all the changes have taken it's toll on my system. I'll just drink lots of Korean tea and sleep lots and hopefully be better soon. Today was our first day to teach our own classes. Dusty taught medical (hospital) and I taught theater. It is so easy and lots of fun. I mostly teach theater class this week. However, tomorrow Dusty and I both get to teach a hiking class. I'm also observing fire fighting and digital photo class so I'll be prepared to teach those too. Our schedule is always different everyday and every week so we don't get bored. Today, I think I worked a total of 4 hours. Can't beat that. So far, I really like my job here.
We thank you for all your prayers. God is really working in our lives. He seems so BIG right now. He has blessed us so much with so many opportunities. Our jobs, fellowship with the people we work with, and the the opportunity to get involved with the refugees are all answered prayers. We love you all and miss you. You are never far from our hearts.
If any of you are interested in talking with us, you can download a program on your computer for free called Skype. It's kind of like instant messenger only you can talk like you're talking on the phone. It's also free to talk, which is awesome. We talked to Emily and Adriel the other day and it was just like talking on speaker phone. Pretty awesome. Dusty said it was pretty easy to set up. If any of you get it, send me your username and that way we can give you a buzz sometime.
Later
------- <>< ------- Rebs
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Randomness... maybe more than you want to know
I miss good milk.
I'm trying to get used to the milk here. It has a weird smell and aftertaste.
I'm tired of Korean food. A lot of it is very spicy.
I eat a lot of rice and drink a lot of water.
Don't drink the water unless it is bottled or filtered.
We have filtered water here on campus.
Don't worry, I'm not starving.
I never realized until we moved here how much food is a comfort for me.
My tastebuds don't like a lot of the new flavors I'm trying. "Come on tastebuds, live a little."
My stomach doesn't always agree with what I've eaten.
Today, I had diarrhea.
We were walking around town and I had to find a restroom, pronto... twice.
I feel better now.
I'm getting better at using chopsticks.
I don't like squid... especially for breakfast.
Half the time, I don't know what I'm eating.
I love the mountains in my backyard.
I'm looking forward to traveling the world.
There is an English teacher here who is my age that has been to 40+ countries.
Korean people have a different smell to them.
The Korean kids stay here at the village Mon-Fri.
They start to stink around Thursday. They wear the same clothes and don't shower regularly even though we tell them to.
Last night, Dusty and I worked the evening shift and participated in graduation with the kids.
We danced with the kids to YMCA and several other songs.
It was fun. I laughed a lot.
I can't believe we get paid to do what we do.
The kids all cry at the end of the graduation ceremony when it's time to say goodbye.
We don't get paid until Dec. 7th, which means we'll be poor for awhile longer.
I'm tired of being poor.
However, I'm reminded that poor is a relative term and there are people living not far from here who would give anything to have what I have.
I feel weak today.
I desire to be satisfied with what God gives me each day.
I struggle with that. I always seem to want more.
Tomorrow I'm going to church with Dusty and a girl from South Africa that we work with.
Her name is Lauren. She is African American and has a cool accent.
I've noticed I'm starting to pronounce some of my words differently. The mix of accents and languages does that I guess. I really enunciate.
Today we went exploring and found the subway station nearest us. We also found McDonalds, Starbucks, Pizza Hut, KFC, TGI Fridays, and Outback Steakhouse.
But don't be fooled, nothing tastes the same.
It's all about a 20 minute walk from us.
Today at the store, I literally spent ten minutes staring at the products in the cleaning aisle trying to figure out what was laundry detergent and what was fabric softener.
We really need to do laundry.
Everything is written in Korean, which I can't read.
They play dance music at the grocery store and yell things over the intercom.
I started to cry on the way home.
Dusty held my hand until we got home.
When we got home, he let me cry more and just listened.
He didn't try to fix it. He knows better by now.
I love my husband.
I'm more attached to material possessions than I thought.
I don't like that.
I feel a little broken today. But it's okay, God is the strongest when I'm broken.
I think I needed to cry.
It felt good to cry.
I feel better now.
I've had an overwhelming desire to feel in control of something, anything.
I don't have control over much right now. Guess I'll have to trust God more and get closer to Him.
I wish we had more money to fix up our apartment, make it cozy, and get organized.
We'll have to wait another month or so to do that.
Tonight we made a budget for the next month.
I miss Legend and my family and friends.
They don't have clothes dryers here. You have to hang dry everything.
We bought a clothes drying rack last week.
Tomorrow I will do laundry.
I welcome any food that tastes familiar.
I look forward to breakfast every morning because it is the only "Western" food we get all day.
I stuff my face at breakfast.
I think I might lose weight while living here.
I'm not upset about that.
I wish I spoke more Korean.
I understand more Korean than I think.
I hope to learn a lot more while I'm here.
I thank God everyday for giving me Dusty. He's such an amazing husband and he loves me so much; even when I feel like I'm unlovable.
I like the people I work with.
I'm slowly making friends.
Writing this is therapeutic for me.
It feels good to purge my thoughts and feelings by writing.
I work with a girl named Kristina who has a cousin who was on the soccer team at JBU who is friends with Natalie Wall.
Kristina's husband is Ben.
They remind me of Ben and Beth West.
They are both Believers in Christ and big into world missions.
I like them.
It's a small world after all.
So far, I like my job a lot.
Did I mention how much I miss Legend... and milk?
That is all for now.
Goodnight.
I'm trying to get used to the milk here. It has a weird smell and aftertaste.
I'm tired of Korean food. A lot of it is very spicy.
I eat a lot of rice and drink a lot of water.
Don't drink the water unless it is bottled or filtered.
We have filtered water here on campus.
Don't worry, I'm not starving.
I never realized until we moved here how much food is a comfort for me.
My tastebuds don't like a lot of the new flavors I'm trying. "Come on tastebuds, live a little."
My stomach doesn't always agree with what I've eaten.
Today, I had diarrhea.
We were walking around town and I had to find a restroom, pronto... twice.
I feel better now.
I'm getting better at using chopsticks.
I don't like squid... especially for breakfast.
Half the time, I don't know what I'm eating.
I love the mountains in my backyard.
I'm looking forward to traveling the world.
There is an English teacher here who is my age that has been to 40+ countries.
Korean people have a different smell to them.
The Korean kids stay here at the village Mon-Fri.
They start to stink around Thursday. They wear the same clothes and don't shower regularly even though we tell them to.
Last night, Dusty and I worked the evening shift and participated in graduation with the kids.
We danced with the kids to YMCA and several other songs.
It was fun. I laughed a lot.
I can't believe we get paid to do what we do.
The kids all cry at the end of the graduation ceremony when it's time to say goodbye.
We don't get paid until Dec. 7th, which means we'll be poor for awhile longer.
I'm tired of being poor.
However, I'm reminded that poor is a relative term and there are people living not far from here who would give anything to have what I have.
I feel weak today.
I desire to be satisfied with what God gives me each day.
I struggle with that. I always seem to want more.
Tomorrow I'm going to church with Dusty and a girl from South Africa that we work with.
Her name is Lauren. She is African American and has a cool accent.
I've noticed I'm starting to pronounce some of my words differently. The mix of accents and languages does that I guess. I really enunciate.
Today we went exploring and found the subway station nearest us. We also found McDonalds, Starbucks, Pizza Hut, KFC, TGI Fridays, and Outback Steakhouse.
But don't be fooled, nothing tastes the same.
It's all about a 20 minute walk from us.
Today at the store, I literally spent ten minutes staring at the products in the cleaning aisle trying to figure out what was laundry detergent and what was fabric softener.
We really need to do laundry.
Everything is written in Korean, which I can't read.
They play dance music at the grocery store and yell things over the intercom.
I started to cry on the way home.
Dusty held my hand until we got home.
When we got home, he let me cry more and just listened.
He didn't try to fix it. He knows better by now.
I love my husband.
I'm more attached to material possessions than I thought.
I don't like that.
I feel a little broken today. But it's okay, God is the strongest when I'm broken.
I think I needed to cry.
It felt good to cry.
I feel better now.
I've had an overwhelming desire to feel in control of something, anything.
I don't have control over much right now. Guess I'll have to trust God more and get closer to Him.
I wish we had more money to fix up our apartment, make it cozy, and get organized.
We'll have to wait another month or so to do that.
Tonight we made a budget for the next month.
I miss Legend and my family and friends.
They don't have clothes dryers here. You have to hang dry everything.
We bought a clothes drying rack last week.
Tomorrow I will do laundry.
I welcome any food that tastes familiar.
I look forward to breakfast every morning because it is the only "Western" food we get all day.
I stuff my face at breakfast.
I think I might lose weight while living here.
I'm not upset about that.
I wish I spoke more Korean.
I understand more Korean than I think.
I hope to learn a lot more while I'm here.
I thank God everyday for giving me Dusty. He's such an amazing husband and he loves me so much; even when I feel like I'm unlovable.
I like the people I work with.
I'm slowly making friends.
Writing this is therapeutic for me.
It feels good to purge my thoughts and feelings by writing.
I work with a girl named Kristina who has a cousin who was on the soccer team at JBU who is friends with Natalie Wall.
Kristina's husband is Ben.
They remind me of Ben and Beth West.
They are both Believers in Christ and big into world missions.
I like them.
It's a small world after all.
So far, I like my job a lot.
Did I mention how much I miss Legend... and milk?
That is all for now.
Goodnight.
Forever Korea
We are getting settled in. I think I'm getting a little tired of settling in. My tendencies are to enjoy routine and dependablility, and to this point, we haven't had much of either. Actually, it hasn't been all that chaotic. I think it's just because I'm not used to it. I don't feel comfortable yet, so I am a little restless. Although, yesterday I went running in the morning because we didn't work until after lunch. I decided that it was going to be an adventure. Anywhere I went was going to be a new experience for me. This was good because one good way for me to feel comfortable is to not feel lost. In other words, to be familiar with my surroundings.
I ended up running for almost 45 minutes, with a couple hiking breaks where I walked up the hills, found that it wasn't where I wanted to be going, turned around, and then ran down the mountainside. It was alot of fun. Even though it was only about 55 degrees, I was sweating pretty hard. I ran through several neighborhoods until I got back to a main street I recognized and took it home. I think this may become a regular tradition of mine.
One thing about the Koreans that anyone should know is that they are all about their "well being". This interprets as living healthy lifestyles. They eat stuff that stinks. When you walk past many of the small restaraunts, there is a distinct fishy smell that whafts in the air. Maybe you get used to it after a while. I also know that they dry minnows and then grind them into powder to make "fish broth" as the base of many of their soups. Mmm,mmm fish broth soup. But aside from the stinky food, their well being is pretty impressive. On the side of the mountain, carved out onto flat spots, they have many work out stations with anything that you would see in a 1970s weight gym: hoola hoops, bench press with free weights, decline bench for situps, pull-up bars. The ironic thing is that most of the younger people are working. So, for example, when we went hiking, we were probably the youngest people on the mountain. All along our journey, we saw Korean grandparents at the weight stations and hiking on the trail, most of them no younger than 55. On occasion, we would see someone moving very slowly, and as we approached we noticed a man dragging one limb. When we talked with our fellow teachers, they explained that sometimes the elder Koreans have strokes, but they still don't let that keep them from going up the mountain. Talk about tenacity. When I think about America, I see the elderly maybe walking around their block, not up a mountain normally. But in Korea, it is a way of life. Something to aspire to when I get old.
I ended up running for almost 45 minutes, with a couple hiking breaks where I walked up the hills, found that it wasn't where I wanted to be going, turned around, and then ran down the mountainside. It was alot of fun. Even though it was only about 55 degrees, I was sweating pretty hard. I ran through several neighborhoods until I got back to a main street I recognized and took it home. I think this may become a regular tradition of mine.
One thing about the Koreans that anyone should know is that they are all about their "well being". This interprets as living healthy lifestyles. They eat stuff that stinks. When you walk past many of the small restaraunts, there is a distinct fishy smell that whafts in the air. Maybe you get used to it after a while. I also know that they dry minnows and then grind them into powder to make "fish broth" as the base of many of their soups. Mmm,mmm fish broth soup. But aside from the stinky food, their well being is pretty impressive. On the side of the mountain, carved out onto flat spots, they have many work out stations with anything that you would see in a 1970s weight gym: hoola hoops, bench press with free weights, decline bench for situps, pull-up bars. The ironic thing is that most of the younger people are working. So, for example, when we went hiking, we were probably the youngest people on the mountain. All along our journey, we saw Korean grandparents at the weight stations and hiking on the trail, most of them no younger than 55. On occasion, we would see someone moving very slowly, and as we approached we noticed a man dragging one limb. When we talked with our fellow teachers, they explained that sometimes the elder Koreans have strokes, but they still don't let that keep them from going up the mountain. Talk about tenacity. When I think about America, I see the elderly maybe walking around their block, not up a mountain normally. But in Korea, it is a way of life. Something to aspire to when I get old.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
I think I may finally be adjusting to the time change over here. Last night was my first night of good sleep. All the other nights since I've been here I woke up around 3am and was wide awake. It takes quite awhile for your body to adjust. Everyone here says it takes a good 2 weeks to finally feel rested and normal again. I've had a headache the past few days and have been feeling really tired despite my 9+ hours of sleep each night.
I'm loving our job. We've just been observing classes this week. Next week we'll get to teach on our own. But the classes are easy to teach. Living here reminds me of college life minus the homework plus we're getting paid lots to be here. All the native English speaking teachers live on campus in dorm/apartment style housing. It's kind of like the TV show, "The Real World".
Everyone here is awesome and amazing. I already feel like we're making what will become deep friendships with people. What is so cool is that they live all over the world so when we come home, we'll have people to go visit all over. Already we have made some crazy connections. We work with a couple that is big into world missions and another from South Africa who is a believer as well. Everyone is so gracious. One girl, Kristina knows my old swim coach from college and her cousin is on the soccer team at JBU. It's such a small world. God has blessed us so much already with the people here. I feel like we are such a good fit for this place. We all have such different backgrounds and life experiences. Most everyone has traveled to various parts of the world. I feel like such a novice traveler. It's fun hearing about where everyone has been. I'm looking forward to seeing the world. I think our first vacation will be to Thailand. Who knows where after that. The world is starting to feel smaller to me. It's so liberating to be able to go to the other side of the world and figure out another culture/language. I'm learning more Korean everyday.
I love living here so far. Everyday I wake up and feel like I'm LIVING my life. I'm not just going through the motions. My life has a purpose and I'm getting to explore another country and love people from all parts of the world with all different beliefs. I feel ALIVE. And I'm falling in love with my husban all over again. I don't know what it is, but I'm seeing him with new eyes. Maybe it's that we're both getting to exprience such and amazing adventure together. We're getting such good "eyeball to eyeball" time and having fun exploring. We seem to have so much free time. Yesterday, Dusty and I set out alone to run some errands. We took our first trip to the grocery store which was definitely a different experience. The Korean diet is soooo different. I'm definitely missing American food but I'm branching out. Tonight for dinner I had soup, tofu, kimchi, and rice. I'm acquiring a taste for things. I eat lots for breakfast every morning as it's the only "Western" meal we get here.
We also ventured out to find a climbing gym yesterday. We got a little lost. We stopped and asked some Korean high school boys if they could help us. They laughed and looked at our map. We were really lost. They walked with us a mile in the opposite direction they were going to get us to where we were going. The whole way, one of the boys practiced his English with us. Between his broken English and our broken Korean, we had a good converstaion. I can't get over how hospitable the Korean people are here. They are so eager to help. If I ever get lost, I know someone will help me. So, we found the climbing gym. I think we'll probably join.
Today, Dusty and I are working the evening shift which means we had the morning until 1:30pm to ourselves. We decided to take the hike up the mountain that is literally at our backdoor. It took us about 1 1/2 hours to get the the top and it was quite a steep hike but it was worth it. What a beautiful day. Sunny, probably about 50 degrees or so. The leaves are changing and are beautiful and vibrant right now. We bumped into a couple of other English teachers. At the top we sat in the sun on a rock for awhile overlooking all of Seoul. I can't comprehend the vastness of this city of 12 million people. It's huge and seems to go on forever. We took lots of pictures. I will try to get them uploaded on here soon. I just have to figure out how to do it.
Better go. We've got evening activity with the kids tonight. I love my job. I love my life. I love my God and I praise Him for this amazing world and this amazing life.
----- <>< ------- Rebs
I'm loving our job. We've just been observing classes this week. Next week we'll get to teach on our own. But the classes are easy to teach. Living here reminds me of college life minus the homework plus we're getting paid lots to be here. All the native English speaking teachers live on campus in dorm/apartment style housing. It's kind of like the TV show, "The Real World".
Everyone here is awesome and amazing. I already feel like we're making what will become deep friendships with people. What is so cool is that they live all over the world so when we come home, we'll have people to go visit all over. Already we have made some crazy connections. We work with a couple that is big into world missions and another from South Africa who is a believer as well. Everyone is so gracious. One girl, Kristina knows my old swim coach from college and her cousin is on the soccer team at JBU. It's such a small world. God has blessed us so much already with the people here. I feel like we are such a good fit for this place. We all have such different backgrounds and life experiences. Most everyone has traveled to various parts of the world. I feel like such a novice traveler. It's fun hearing about where everyone has been. I'm looking forward to seeing the world. I think our first vacation will be to Thailand. Who knows where after that. The world is starting to feel smaller to me. It's so liberating to be able to go to the other side of the world and figure out another culture/language. I'm learning more Korean everyday.
I love living here so far. Everyday I wake up and feel like I'm LIVING my life. I'm not just going through the motions. My life has a purpose and I'm getting to explore another country and love people from all parts of the world with all different beliefs. I feel ALIVE. And I'm falling in love with my husban all over again. I don't know what it is, but I'm seeing him with new eyes. Maybe it's that we're both getting to exprience such and amazing adventure together. We're getting such good "eyeball to eyeball" time and having fun exploring. We seem to have so much free time. Yesterday, Dusty and I set out alone to run some errands. We took our first trip to the grocery store which was definitely a different experience. The Korean diet is soooo different. I'm definitely missing American food but I'm branching out. Tonight for dinner I had soup, tofu, kimchi, and rice. I'm acquiring a taste for things. I eat lots for breakfast every morning as it's the only "Western" meal we get here.
We also ventured out to find a climbing gym yesterday. We got a little lost. We stopped and asked some Korean high school boys if they could help us. They laughed and looked at our map. We were really lost. They walked with us a mile in the opposite direction they were going to get us to where we were going. The whole way, one of the boys practiced his English with us. Between his broken English and our broken Korean, we had a good converstaion. I can't get over how hospitable the Korean people are here. They are so eager to help. If I ever get lost, I know someone will help me. So, we found the climbing gym. I think we'll probably join.
Today, Dusty and I are working the evening shift which means we had the morning until 1:30pm to ourselves. We decided to take the hike up the mountain that is literally at our backdoor. It took us about 1 1/2 hours to get the the top and it was quite a steep hike but it was worth it. What a beautiful day. Sunny, probably about 50 degrees or so. The leaves are changing and are beautiful and vibrant right now. We bumped into a couple of other English teachers. At the top we sat in the sun on a rock for awhile overlooking all of Seoul. I can't comprehend the vastness of this city of 12 million people. It's huge and seems to go on forever. We took lots of pictures. I will try to get them uploaded on here soon. I just have to figure out how to do it.
Better go. We've got evening activity with the kids tonight. I love my job. I love my life. I love my God and I praise Him for this amazing world and this amazing life.
----- <>< ------- Rebs
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