Good Weather Means No Blogging

so most of you know that rebs and i like to do things in the outdoors. and just like in the states, korea's springtime weather is excellent for just about any outdoor activity. so for the past month and then some, we've been going climbing almost every weekend. here are some pics and updates.

the top picture is us standing in front of our favorite crag so far, called ganhyun (like canyon with a g). next is a photo of rebs climbing her first ever finished multi-pitch route. i was really proud of her and i'm sure she's glad to be finished with it because i know it was a bit scary for her... and she knew that i really wanted for her to be able to do it. but i have bad news. these will be some of the last pictures you will see of us in korea for a while because i mindlessly left our digital camera on the train on our way back. i've been kicking myself many times since then.

i've been reading the paper a lot since we stopped getting the bbc world chanel on our tv. i've been amazed at all the stories i'm reading about the u.s. economy. gas at $4 a gallon seems very unfathomable, but is become very much a reality. the way my mind works usually is i see a problem and try to fix. so even though rising gas prices doesn't affect us while we're here because we always take the public transportation, it will when we come home. and then what? i know fayetteville is building a paved pathway for runners and bikers throughout the city. so maybe i'll just be riding my bike everywhere. i also looked up running your car on water, basically using a converter to extract the hydrogen from water. according to internet sources, this is one form of a hybrid these days. and there's also talk of a guy who can run his car entirely on water, and he's supposedly in communication with a major american car company. http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=6Rb_rDkwGnU check it out for yourself. but it is fox news, so i'm not so sure. :) hopefully by the time we come back there will be something figured out. i'm curious to hear your stories about how oil prices are affecting you.

i'mgoing to have to be done for now because rebs is starting to study for her n.c.e. exam to become a counselor when we return to the states, and she needs the computer for that. so i'll say goodbye, though i have much more to talk about.

Basking

So, what is a girl to do on a random day off when her husband has to work? Well, today I'm getting caught up on some rest as my body continues to adjust to the time change. I woke up at 6am again this morning and can't bring myself to take a nap. It's way too nice of a day to be indoors. So... here I am back in the woods, laying on our hammock, enjoying the warm spring breeze with sounds of birds chirping and flies buzzing, while writing my thoughts on our laptop. I can hear the voices of Korean kids in the distance as they play ultimate frisbee just up the hill. It's a good day. In fact, it's a good week.

I was so excited to come home from the States. Doesn't that sound weird? Come home from the States? But yes, I'm afraid Korea has become my home. At least for the time being. My heart is at rest, my soul finds joy, and I feel alive. It was great to be in America and be reminded of how amazing my friends and family are there. I am blessed to have so many people who love and support me. Though as much as I loved being home, visiting with my family, eating familiar food, sleeping in a soft bed, enjoying the comforts I haven't had for the past six months, I felt this longing to return to my “home”. Oh, how I missed my husband and couldn't wait to jump into his arms and snuggle up to him at night. How I missed the dear friends that I've made and the adorable kids that I teach each day. How I missed my daily life: the morning runs through the woods, hearing the Buddhist monks chant in the distance, laughing with my Korean friends at the climbing gym, climbing, sharing meals with my friends, telling of our diverse lives and experiences, eating sushi, and teaching my students how to speak English and loving on them each day.

Getting away from my daily routine always helps give me more perspective on my life. After returning home to Korea I think I'm realizing, perhaps this is the happiest and most content I've been in my life. I feel, in this far eastern land, I have finally found balance. It's an art I have never been able to master. And I know that as my life ebbs and flows, that balance will come and go. But it's nice to enjoy it while it lasts and bask in God's creation on my day off. The end.