Mission Trip: Day 2

Day 2: Prep and departure for Wang Chun.
The morning arrives and we have worship/quiet time and then breakfast. Today we will prepare our teaching materials for the Wangchun Love House Orphanage and travel there. Jae Young and I are going to teach the special needs group of kids. We prepare ABC flashcards with awesome illustrations by Jae Young and also some command flashcards. After finishing up, our group heads out for lunch at the local burger/fast food place and then return quickly to pack up and depart for the town of Wang Chun. It is a two hour bus ride through the countryside of north China and we pass by locals traveling in carts pulled by tiller tractor and cattle. Finally, we arrive at the hotel we are staying in, and unload our baggage quickly so that we can go out to the orphanage to meet the kids and have a look around. Pastor Jeon, who is the director/father at the orphanage, comes to take us out to the Love House in their van. It’s a small van made for about 10-12 people max but our entire 19 person group crowd in, the kids riding on the adults laps and everyone very close and personal with each other. Still, everyone sees fun and adventure in the ride instead of discomfort and hardship.
In ten minutes, we are at the orphanage. The kids are waiting out in the yard to meet us. We pile out and are immediately greeted with a chorus of “Annyong haseyo, annyong haseyo!” It’s a bit overwhelming at first to be surrounded by so many unfamiliar faces and hands, all smiling and wanting to grasp your hand and shake a “Waekukin’s” (foreigner’s) hand. Some of our crew start blowing up balloons to give to the kids as some of them have barely ever seen, let alone possessed them. I introduce myself to at least a dozen kids and adults in my poor smattering of Korean and am relieved that most can get the drift of my greetings. They tell me their names too, but of course with all the activity and adrenaline flowing through me, I forget most of them right after. A time of slightly awkward interaction follows, with the usual reciprocal getting to know each other conversations. We are shown the rooms we will be using the next day for class and then the pastor invites some of the teachers into his room to tell us about the orphanage and the kids who live here.
Pastor Jeon is the pastor of an underground church in Wangchun and recently took over the orphanage in 2007 from the pastor who was running it before. He is a man who is filled with the joy and love of Christ, constantly smiling and praising God for what has taken place at Wangchun Love House. He tells us that he and his wife, along with their children, used to live in Russia. They were part of a Russian-Korean community there, which his family had been in for 3 generations. He and his wife owned and operated an inn there when they received the call/invitation to go to China. They sold the inn and have used almost the entire proceeds to fund the orphanage and the senior citizen building (that is unfinished due to lack of funds to complete construction). He recounts his story simply, taking no pride in the great sacrifice he and his family have made. He is more eager to tell us of the children and what God has done in their lives.
He calls in the first, Kim Gil-Young, a small boy who looks his 9 years in body but older in his eyes. Pastor Jeon holds his hand gently as Gil-Young sits beside him, looking bashful. We are told that his mother is North Korean, who married a Chinese man who was mentally handicapped (we are told this is the case with many North Korean women because often their mother had been across the border 7 times before she was caught. He came to the orphanage 2 years ago and had been angry and moody at first. “When he came, he was angry and sometimes fought with the others. But not now. God’s love has changed him. He is full of passion and love for God. He wants to return to North Korea one day as a missionary and preach the gospel.” Pastor Jeon smiles broadly. He pats Gil-Young’s hand and hugs him, then tells him to fetch the next one, “your brother” to come to the room.
Next is Gi-Hong, a small boy of six, full of energy and an authority not to be taken lightly. Again, his mother is North Korean (as is the case with the rest of the kids we meet) and his paternal grandparents had been caring for him since the time she disappeared into North Korea. Even though he is young, Gi-Hong had ruled his grandparents like a tyrant. He was allowed to dictate everything and soon became a violent and dominating child. One day, he became angry at his grandmother and stabbed at her with a garden tool twice, striking once and drawing blood. After this, they knew they could no longer control him and appealed to Pastor Jeon for help. Once again, he holds the little boy’s hand and strokes it as he describes how “when Gi-Hong first came, he was violent and would fight all the time with anyone. He acted like a little tyrant and always wanted to be served and have his way. But not now. God’s love has changed him. Now he is gentle and doesn’t fight anymore. He helps his brothers and sisters and is always a good boy. He loves God and loves to pray.” We see again the same broad smile and hug, then the dispatch to fetch in the next child.
And so on it goes. I wish I could record everything as he introduces Seung-Kuk, a boy whose mother had risked crossing the border 11 times just to visit her son before she was finally caught. He had been melancholy and withdrawn in his first days at WLH. Hong-Ha, a girl who had found her handicapped father after he had committed suicide by hanging himself. She had cried every day and would not participate in anything during her first year at WLH. Yoon-Nan(sp?) a tomboyish girl who had stolen copiously and on numerous occasions in her beginning time. But the theme remains consistent throughout all the stories. “They were like this. But now they are not. God’s love has changed them. Now they are happy and love God. Now they play, and participate, and don’t steal anymore. Now they are full of love and joy.” He gives no credit to anyone else but God for the change. And rightly so, though I can’t help but wonder what would have become of these children had Pastor Jeon not been willing to be the conduit of God’s love and mercy into their lives.
After Pastor Jeon finishes the stories, it is time for dinner. We do not know this at the time, but the staff at WLH has prepared a special dinner in honor of our coming. Usually they eat very simple meals, with one or two side dishes and rice mixed with corn. But for us, they have prepared about 5 side dishes plus rice. We all eat together and then one by one, as the kids get up to leave, they give a little bow and say a Korean phrase that means “please eat a lot”. It’s so cute and sweet, I just want to hug them. When dinner is finished and everything is cleared away, Pastor Jeon tells everyone to gather round for formal introduction. Pastor Daniel then proceeds to introduce our team, but when he comes to me and I stand up to give my bow and “Nice to meet you”, he asks the kids in Korean, “who wants to shake the Migukin’s (American’s) hand?” Several eager hands are raised and I then shake each on in turn with a little bow thrown in. But then he asks “Who wants to kiss the Migukin?!” Little Gi-Hong raises his hand and when I bend down, he plants a big wet one on my cheek. It is a precious yet funny moment. Everyone laughs loudly. When we are finished, it’s time for us to head back to the hotel for the night. All the WLH people walk us out to the van where we hug and say dozens of good-byes. Even though, we know we’ll be back in the morning, it is still tough to leave. They wave to us till we can’t see them. As we ride towards the hotel, I am already thinking about tomorrow and looking forward to all we will do.

Mission trip: Day 1

“There is a lifetime of learning done in certain times of our lives. It is these experiences that shape us to be who we are and what we become”. Anonymous

There was a certain point in my recent mission trip when I told my friend Jae Young, “I feel like I came to teach and minister, but I am the one being taught and ministered to instead.” That was the feeling of the whole team when we reached the end of our week long journey. To have learned so much in such a short amount of time is a bit overwhelming and intimidating, but I remember the words of one of my professors in university. He told me regarding short-term mission trips “They will be so radically different experiences for you that you will feel overwhelmed by what you learn and what you want to do. Sometimes people feel so overwhelmed they end up doing nothing. Don’t let this be the case for you. Pick one or two things that you can do, and do them well. Acting on what you have seen and heard during the mission is just as important as the mission trip itself.”

So, one of the ways I am going about my action is to tell others about the experience so that they can learn and grow as well. I’ll divide the mission trip in one day blogs to make it easier for me to retell and hopefully simpler for everyone to follow.

Day 1: Departure and Arrival in Yeongil

The mission team meets at the extremely early hour of 2:30 am in order to leave Daegu at 3:00 and arrive at Seoul/Incheon Airport by 7:30. I have met the majority of the team at the preparation and prayer meetings that we had in the weeks before departure. Now, as I watch the young kids stumble around sleepily with their luggage, I have the feeling that I will be getting to know everyone on the team much better in the coming days. We gather in a circle to pray by the light of the bus headlights. Afterwards, it’s a scene of good-byes as kids bid parents farewell and the parents watch their children board a bus that’s bound for a slightly dangerous destination. The mission team consists of: Pastor Daniel Kim, a joyous Christian who spent 6 years pastoring in Canada and has a great sense of humor. Pastor Yoon, who joined the team at the last moment and is a great addition. Missionary Ji, a South Korean who lives in Canada and heads a mission society there-he will lead our trip. Four Korean teachers, three of whom are the moms of kids in our group. The kids, Jae Bek, Hyun Jung, Soung Ha, Yae Dam, Ju Eun, Da Eun, Hwan Ni, and Eun Hae. Richard and Renee, Korean Americans who attend the English service and have servants’ hearts. Jae Young, a girl who has spent the past 8 years in Canada and now attends university there majoring in art. She is a phenomenal person and will become a translator/roommate/great friend over the next few days. And myself of course. It is a team that comes from different backgrounds, cultures, and languages, but we all have one common goal. To share God’s love with those we come in contact with on this trip.

We settle in for the long bus ride to the airport. Most of the adults try to sleep but some of the kids are too excited. After a brief stop and breakfast on the bus, we arrive at Incheon Airport. Pastor Daniel assigns each one of the kids with an adult. We are to stay with them at all times while traveling, ensuring everyone’s safety and well-being. My partner is Ju Eun. She is a sweet 12 year old who is shy at first with me but quickly becomes a great traveling buddy. At the airport, it is quite the ordeal to get a group of this size all their tickets, luggage checked, etc. but we manage to get it all done and arrive with time to spare at the gate. The flight is short and uneventful. I am brimming with anticipation as we pass through customs and gather up our luggage.

Our guide is Pastor John, a South Korean who lived in Canada for a number of years but answered God’s call to serve in China. The city is Yeongil, a fairly large and bustling metropolis. It is situated about an hour and a half north of the North Korean border and is the base for many people who minister to North Korea. Our host in Yeongil is Pastor Jo, a South Korean woman who has ministered there nearly twenty years. With a group of 19, we are a bit stretched for space, but no one minds. Soon after we arrive, a delicious lunch is prepared for us.

It is healthy and vegetarian, perfect after traveling. Following lunch, we gather for a time of worship and prayer in preparation for the work we will do in the coming days. It is a wonderful time of hearts being made ready. We go out to see the downtown market area of the city and then have dinner at a Korean restaurant which has amazing food.

Someone remarks if we keep eating this well, we will all gain 5 pounds while we are here! Heading back to the pastor’s house, we gather again to worship and to hear a missionary from North Korea who has come to speak to us. His name is Brian Kim and he is a South Korean who was born in North Korean and whose father was shot by the soldiers before he was even born. He moved to America 25 years ago and just recently returned to the land of his original birth to begin a ministry there. His story is so amazing and inspiring. He and his wife have used almost their entire personal savings to fund the construction of a noodle factory in North Korea where they make corn noodles. 100% of their product is given away to the poor of North Korea. He does not receive any profit from his factory. He lives in the factory and pays his workers wages from his own pocket. It’s a ministry that sounds crazy to most and to others ineffective. But the sheer knowledge of his sacrificial work and lifestyle is to the North Koreans a sermon in and of itself. This was the gist of his message to us “I don’t preach. I don’t lead a church. But I teach with my lifestyle. And I offer my free corn noodles with God’s love. That’s what I know and what I have been called to do.” I talk with him afterwards and glean some tips for ways to minister in North Korea. It is an awesome and challenging encounter which I will never forget.

Later in the evening, the adults have a teachers’ meeting where Pastor Daniel outlines the next day’s plan for us. This will be the first of these meetings which we will continue to have every day. Then afterwards, we all head to bed quickly in order to be well rested for the next day, which starts at 6:00 am for us. I fall asleep reflecting on how much we’ve already experienced and how much we have yet to do and see and learn.

Going Home (i.e. Last post in Korea...at least for a while)

Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind. ~Seneca

Here I am at the end of my year here in Korea. I must say it has been quite the adventure. Learning a new language, a new culture, and absorbing all the intricacies of living in a country that is totally different while still being westernized as well. But it has been lots of fun, even with all the challenges, and I treasure the memories of this past year.

That being said, I am ready to be HOME!! As the time for departure grows nearer, I get more and more antsy. It's like being ravenous with hunger but having to wait until the dinner bell rings before you can eat the delicious meal that's been sitting in front of you for what seems like an eternity.

I do feel however, that even with all my eagerness and anticipation of home going, I will still be aware of my changed perception of familiar things. Things that to me were normal, given realities are now viewed more in the light of the actual realities that exist outside of the bubble of the United States. Mark Twain said this, "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime." I feel like living in another culture has exposed my narrow perspective and opened up some of the shutters of my mind. I wouldn't say I was prejudiced or bigoted before coming here but I do know I had a limited view on just how others lived outside the US. Granted, I had a great experience at HEART Training Institute learning about living conditions and challenges of Developing Countries but I have learned this past year that even with all that training, I had and still have, so much more to learn by actually removing myself from the confines of America and living in Korea.

These may seem silly but I'll give a couple of recent examples that illustrate what I'm trying to convey here. Today I was talking with my family on Skype and I mentioned that I couldn't wait to walk and roll in the grass. "Why would you want to do that?" they asked. I explained that in Korea, grass is a scarcity, especially in a big city like where I live. I went on to say, "There are no neighborhoods here with individual houses and lawns in front and back. Everything is apartments and shops; everything goes up, not out." And that is just hard for them to even conceptualize. And it might have been for me a year ago too if I had been told that before I came.

And yesterday, I watched my first World Cup game here-The Republic of Korea vs. Greece. Growing up in America, I never payed much mind to soccer games or the World Cup because, lets face it; aside from a devoted following, soccer does not attract the attention that American football, baseball, and basketball do. But stepping outside my American fishbowl made me realize, the rest of this world loves soccer (or futbol, football depending on where you're from)! I have never seen the level of audience participation and and united rooting for their team that Koreans displayed last night. Literally almost every television in the country was tuned in to the game and when a goal was scored, you could here the shouts of victory echoing all across the city of Daegu. I determined that I was going to educate myself about soccer and the World Cup and guess what? I have developed an eager interest now in previously uncharted territory for me, and I will be following the Korean team (and the USA team) faithfully.

I know those examples might seem inconsequential to some but to me they were fresh reminders yet again of the self-contained, exclusive worldview that many Americans have. Not that I am knocking America by any means; I am very eager to return. But now I sort of view it like people outside the US usually do. As a fairytale land where everything is larger than life in their proportions. I think of it as a haven to rejuvinate in. Just to drive home my point, I was looking at pictures of our backyard and garden on facebook the other day. I was at my academy, and some of my students wandered in and looked over my shoulder at the pictures. "Where teacher?" "Where is that?" they asked. "My house." I replied without taking my eyes off the screen. Then a few seconds later, I glanced at them and their faces were registering absolute shock and disbelief. "Your house teacher?" one repeated incredulously. "Yes, it really is my house" I said with a laugh. They stared at the pictures, taking in the playset, the volleyball net, the pool, the grass and trees. Then they walked away, shaking their heads as if they still couldn't fathom all that belonging to one family. I knew in that moment why so many people in the world believe that America is a land of paradise and that all the people who live there are as rich as kings.

All that being said, I AM ready to touch my feet again on the soil of "paradise". To drink in the sound of my parents and siblings voices and feel their arms around me in embrace. To be able to understand and communicate fully, at any venue, without feelings of frustration, inadequacy, or embarrassment.

"No matter how dreary and gray our homes are, we people of flesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country, be it ever so beautiful. There is no place like home." L. Frank Baum. I would have thought this quote to really true two years ago, but now, home for me is the beautiful country, the place of refuge. And I am blessed, so blessed, to be going there in a few short days.

I cannot wait to see all your faces again. Until then, 안영!!!

Supermom?

There are many titles my mom has been given by people when I tell them how many kids we have in my family (14) or how we were/are all homeschooled or how the last four are adopted special needs girls. "Wow, she must be superwoman or something!" one of my friends exclaims. "Holy cow, she's like a saint!" another declares. "She must be crazy!" mutters one while shaking their head.

Superwoman, saint, or madwoman? "What would you call your mom?" you might be asking. It's simple. I call her mom. Well, mommy when I was little and mother if I'm trying to get her attention. Growing up, I never considered what my mom did to be out of the ordinary or somehow supernatural. She never exhibited any superpowers (at least to my knowledge) and she did lose her cool at times (sorry mom, I don't think canonization is in your future). She occasionally toyed with the realm of quackery and wackiness, but not to the point that I would call her completely insane (just kidding!). When you are surrounded by the craziness and fun that is the life of a large family for your entire childhood, I have learned in my years away from home that your standards of normalcy become slightly skewed. Thus, I never looked at my mom from the perspective that others outside our family see her. But since I've been away and have shared stories of my family and our life, I've come to see things in a whole new light.

"Your mom is amazing! I would love to meet her! She inspires me...like to have a big family and stuff. I don't know if I could do it, but it would be so cool to have a bunch of kids that would grow up to tell stories about me like you do. You are so lucky!" These are just snippets from some of the conversations that I've had over the past two years with various people about my mom and my family. And as I listened to people talk about how just hearing about my mom inspires and excites them, I thought "I AM extremely blessed and I AM very fortunate to have the family and the parents that I have. I have LIVED with and been TAUGHT by this woman that all these other people are proclaiming enviousness of me for." You know the song "You don't know what you got till it's gone"? Well, that song is not true for me. I know what I have and it's not gone. Nor will it ever be.

I have a godly heritage in a committed mother who burped me, changed me, rocked me, and bathed me. A mom who fed me, dressed me, taught me, and spanked me. A mom who held me, kissed me, and cried with me. A mom who rebuked me, encouraged me, trained me, and read to me. Most of all, a mom who loved me and raised me in God's word to be the woman I am today. And she continues to send her love and support across the ocean that separates us now. And continues to do all of the things she did for me to all my younger siblings, day after day. Every Mother's Day for as long as I can remember, my dad always reads the 31st chapter of Proverbs aloud to us and tells us that "To me, this is your mom. One day, all of you kids will hopefully rise up and bless her."

Well, Mom, this is me rising up and blessing you for your years of service to me and our family. To me, and I am sure to all the rest of our family, your worth is far above rubies and diamonds. I can't be there to give you a gift so I'll give you something that the Bible says gives parents the greatest joy. The knowledge that I walk in the truth because of your example and sacrifice. I love you so very much and I wish you the best Mother's Day ever.

These are a few of my favorite things (and least)

Hello again! Well, I feel sort of proud of myself for getting another post out so soon. I find that sharing is lots of fun but takes lots of time too. However, as I am getting closer to the anniversary of my first year here, I wanted to share some of my favorite things about Korea and also some of the least favorites. We'll start with favorites.

Favorites:
Korean Food!!
As much as I love Italian food and mushroom chicken spaghetti, I have to confess that my affinity for eating pasta continuously has shrunk. Used to, when there was lots of leftovers from lasagna or spaghetti, I'd have it for 3 days straight and savor each bite every time. But living in Korea has done something to me. After my second night of eating leftover spaghetti, I realized I was craving Korean food...or more specifically, RICE! I was coming home from the gym and I just had to stop and eat at a Korean place because I couldn't hardly stand the thought of going another day without rice. What is happening to me?! I keep thinking about all the things I want to eat when I get back to the states but this recent revelation makes me wonder if I won't be craving Korean food a few days into my visit. Well, I guess the upside to all this is that it will be a good reason to look forward to coming back.

Korean People!!
Going from a society that is built on individualism and diversity to a homogeneous and generally uniform culture makes for quite a change that Americans go through when they step onto Korean soil. However, I've enjoyed observing the more collective Koreans interact with each other. In my opinion, they better Americans in the areas of respect, service, and loyalty. I also find that children here actually behave like children instead of little adults, which is often the case in westernized countries. Most of all, I enjoy sights like the one I saw recently in the supermarket. I separately observed two boys with their mothers and each boys was linked arm in arm with their mom, chatting away and exhibiting a closeness which I would never see from two almost teen-aged boys in America. From what I can tell, Koreans have a healthy filial respect and a deep bond with their parents that westerners could take a lesson from.

Korean Nature!
When you live surrounded by fantastic scenery and mountains, its hard not to be sucked into the nature addicted lifestyle modeled by many Koreans. Some go hiking every week-end and there are always scads of people at the parks. Their national parks and trails are also maintained very well so there is really nothing to hinder one from fully enjoying all that nature has to offer.

Korean Open Markets!!
These are some of the best places to find bargains for things and they are also always buzzing with activity and color. I like to just people watch when I go sometimes. Koreans who go on a regular basis know all the best stalls to buy from (when there are 30 stalls in a row all selling the same thing, I still don't know how they can discern this). Also colorful and bustling, but less entertaining is the shopping district where pretty much anything of fashion and popularity can be found.

Ok, now for the least favorites:

Being so far away!
Sometimes the homesickness can really get to me. I've been told that I write/express all positive things and feelings about my time here and don't share any of my struggles. So here it is. I really miss home sometimes. There have been times where I've questioned what I'm doing here and if it's really worth it. There have been times that buying the ticket to the next flight out was shockingly tempting. The only thing that has kept me going and kept me here is the firm belief that this is where God wants me and this is where He has brought me. If I didn't have that to cling to, I'd have run home long ago.

Language/Communication!
Don't misunderstand. I love the Korean language and I am working on learning it. It's just the difficulties you run across at times when you need/want something can be frustrating when you are still at a toddler level of a language (and at times are treated almost like such). I would love to fluently be able to express myself, and hopefully one day I will but for now, the broken sentences and frequent use of hand motions continue to be my main method of communication.

Squid/Octopus!
The one area of Korean cuisine that I genuinely do not enjoy. I have told some of my Korean friends this, and they just can't believe that a person could not like squid or octopus. The rubbery texture and smell is just too much for me though. I can't be faulted for lack of trying though as I have given them several chances. Just not for me!

Well, there you have it. Of course, I also love my new church family and being a part of the Dongshin Church body. And all my new friends that I've made too. And just a lot of little things about living here. But I'll keep it at that.

Hoping everyone is well and blessed.

Well, I am trying

I have stated before that I am trying to redeem my poor blogging habits and make it a more frequent occurrence so here is my second blog in the space of two weeks...whoa, is that really possible? Yes indeed, I am actually updating again! Not that anything I have to update about is very interesting or important, but anyhow.

So, I have gotten back into the swing of things after my exciting trip to Seoul a few weekends ago. My, but I was sore from the marathon, though I think my cramps probably made the post-marathon soreness worse. Just the sight of stairs (going up or down) made me cringe and running across the street the next day wasn't an option for me when I needed to cross in a hurry. But it was still worth it and I have since recovered and returned to running.

I have been playing with my newest "baby" since the moment I got home. Her official name is Philomela, which in the Greek means Friend of Song. And she indeed is my friend in song. We have been making some sweet (ok, and not so sweet) music together. I am trying to improve my picking skills and testing out riffs for different songs. I want to bring her back with me when I visit but I have no hard case for her and traveling with a carry-on guitar is not a good activity. I am definitely bring one of my girls back with me though. Can't go a month without playing...and I don't have the luxury of rightys who are able to borrow or pick up any guitar and play.

And speaking of travel, that brings me to my next topic; my visit home! Hooray! Only a little over two months to go and I will be able to see and physically be with the ones I love. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here in Korea and everything I have been able to do and see and experience, but I have also missed all my friends and family immensely as well. And also, I do miss some of the little things that I took for granted back in the states. Like going into the grocery store and being able to find what you're looking for by glancing at the aisle signs instead of scouring the aisles trying to make out the Korean characters (I am half blind because I don't wear glasses and I need them). Or hopping in the car and driving to your destination instead of planning out how you can get there by subway, bus, or walking. Or simply being able to eat things like Chick-Fil-A or Panera Bread (my two favorites) and being offered the plethera of choices that are so lacking here (e.g. smoothies here come in 3-4 flavors, with only one offered for each smoothie, NO MIXING; whereas I used to go into Jamba Juice and order a blended smoothie of about 7-8 different flavors and they wouldn't bat an eye.) Not knocking Korean food AT ALL...it is absolutely fabulous. But when one grows up with their palate adjusted to certain things, its hard to change the cravings you get sometimes. SO, anyways, I am looking forward to the day when I can see all of most of your faces again!<-- (I was proofreading this and I came across this bizarrely written sentence. I decided to leave it as is because its evidence of what living in a non-English speaking country can do to grammar skills.)

And to wrap up this blog entry, I'll recount the most recent events and upcoming ones. Earlier this evening, all of the teachers at my school went together to eat at a Korean restaurant. The dish we ate is called Shabu-Shabu (of Japanese origin) and it is simply delicious. I could eat it every day I think. It's thin strips of pork and beef that you grill or stick into a boiling pot of broth and cook, along with lots of yummy vegetables that you cook in the broth as well. You can wrap the cooked veggies and meat in a wafer like rice cake that you soak in broth too. After you are done with the meat and veggies, they bring out homemade rice noodles and boil them up, and after that, they bring out a mixture of rice, egg, and some flavorful things (not sure) and make a sticky porridge for you. It is my favorite part of the whole meal. I ate so much and am still simply stuffed. Tomorrow, I am going to my Korean lesson in the morning and then heading up help clean the room where we have our English service. We'll start at 1:00 and hopefully knock everything out fairly quickly. There was also a promise of a pizza and chicken break/lunch (yum!). Then, Sunday, we will have our Easter service. I am singing backing vocals in worship without playing any intrument for the first time (strange for me but exciting too). So, it will be another full week-end and then comes the work week after that. Gentlemen, start your engines!

Well, I suppose that's it for now. I have been working on my plan for my next year here in recent weeks. It looks like I may have settled on a university to attend and am trusting that God works out all the little kinks elsewhere. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, I am planning to attend a Korean Language Institute year long course starting in the fall semester. I have visited Keimyung University recently, and their program seemed to be the most advantageous for my situation. Please pray that God opens or closes the way so that I can get clear direction.

In closing, I'll share a funny story (or two) about various cultural and language occurrences. The other day, I went to the track and ran some laps for speed work on it. A group of Korean runners were doing their workouts at the same time and we finished up around the same time. As I was preparing to leave, a woman came up to me and began to speak rapidly to me in Korean. It was rather dark (funfact; Koreans don't light up their tracks or outdoor courts and fields. They just run and play b-ball or soccer in the semi dark) and I don't think she realized at first that I was a "Waykukin" -foreigner. Then, when she got a good look at me, she asked if I spoke Hangul. My response "chunun, hangul mal chogum"-I only speak a little Korean. She then gestured to her son and began telling him to speak to me in English. He shyly said hello and how are you and then I asked "irum muyeyo?"-what's your name? He responded in Korean and his mother chided him "not in Korean, in English!" It was so funny because I was trying to respond in Korean and she kept urging him to speak English! So, after a few moments of awkwardly stumbling around in the linguistics dept., we said good-bye and then she said to me "Pighting!"-which literally means cheer up or keep it up! It was a fun incident. Then, today, I was offered cola by one of my co-teachers. I accepted and she proceeded to pour me a drink. When she poured it, I automatically touched my left hand under my right elbow and she saw it and laughed. I laughed too and thought to myself, is it possible that some of these habits will stick with me for life? Later on this evening, she was sitting beside me at the meal and I heard her tell the others teachers in Korean about what I had done. I turned to her and asked if she just said what I thought. She laughed and said yes and then said to the other teachers "she understood!" Whereupon, they all laughed and then one of them said to me, "you are just so cute!" referring I think to my pitiful attempts to adapt culturally and linguistically. It's funny because even though I am still woefully western in speaking and mannerisms, I noticed a marked difference between the two new ENT teachers who just arrived and myself. I helped them shop the other day and we were getting assistance from a worker in the store. At the end of the exchange, I bowed and said "Kamsahamnida" like I had been doing it all my life. Its weird how the things that you adopt here quickly become like second nature.

Time to cut it off. I have to get some rest for tomorrow.

Until next time, Gruss Gott.

Annyong haseyo!

I have come to the conclusion that I am a terrible blogger. Many of you are probably thinking "We're way ahead of you there buddy". It's just that when I think about writing a post, I chicken out when I consider all the time I'll spend typing and editing. "So write more often and the posts won't have to be so long" you say. This is very true and something I WILL work on in the future. For now though, I offer my humble apologies yet AGAIN, and hope that you find it in your hearts to forgive and have hope for me.

So, where to begin? I suppose I could start with the latest news and works backwards from there. Alright, here goes.

Last weekend, I traveled up to Seoul to participate in the Seoul International Marathon. I hadn't been to Seoul yet, so I left on Friday night in order to get in a full day of sightseeing on Saturday before the marathon on Sunday. Seoul is a very nice city and bustles with activity all day long. I stayed at a hostel in Hongdae district and traveled by subway to get around most of the time. The subways there are VERY crowded to say the least, and I spent quite a bit on tickets there as I didn't have a pass card. I went to several districts, one of particular note called Insa-Dong, where they have a whole street devoted to souvenirs, crafts, and traditional tea houses. I didn't buy anything there as I arrived before all the shops opened.

Near Insa-Dong street, I discovered a huge indoor music market. It was like having about 20 music stores combined into one giant mall. For a music lover like myself, its like being in a candy shop. I did a lot of "eye shopping" as the Koreans say, and then as I was looking over some guitars in a window, I was asked by the shop keeper in English (excellent, btw) if he could help me. I explained I was just looking and then told him I was left handed and I knew they probably didn't have anything like that. He said slowly "Well, actually, I do have a left handed model for this guitar" pointing to a all black electric Ibanez. Now, I've been longing to own an electric guitar, mainly for the purpose of playing it in worship. After talking through its qualities, he fetched in the lefty from storage and plugged it in for me to play. It was like magic. I played through some stuff and checked out all the various tones and distortions, and like that, I was hooked. But I didn't want to commit right away so I asked him if I could come back after a while. "Of course" he said, and then proceeded to make a package deal for me. The guitar, a 15w amp, soft carry case, cables, extra strings, picks, and an instructional CD all for 300,000 won. Which in American dollars is less than 300. Excited beyond words, I left and headed to a PC bang and checked out what the net had to say about this guitar. Every review I read had positive things to say and the owners were all pleased with its performance. And the price was even better; in the states I would have been paying nearly twice as much for what he had offered to me. So, armed with this information, I went back and boldly took the plunge on buying my first electric guitar. Now, this was not in my plans at all but I believe there was a reason I went into that store and met that certain man. I truly am blessed beyond words.

The next day was the marathon. It started at 8:00 am so I was up at five and there by six. It was freezing cold with a chilly wind but like the crazy people they are, most of the marathoners had stripped down to shorts and t-shirt by the time the race started (I fell into this crazy catagory). I was assigned to section E, the last section to be positioned in the corralling area. My number was 54138 so I'm guessing there were over 54,000 people registered to run. We had to stand there and wait while the announcer guy kept talking away, giving an inspirational speech I suppose, and cheer at the appropriate times. Finally we got started and it was a little tricky to run at first with so many people all around jostling for position and trying to set their paces. After things settled down and everyone spread out and was running comfortably, I felt much better. For the first 20 miles, things went very well. I was on pace to finish at 4:10, maybe a little under. And then, CRAMPS. I began to cramp up in my hamstrings very bad and before long, I was considering dropping out of the race. But, I pushed away the thought and kept doggedly limping along, telling myself I had not entered my first marathon just to quit. On and on it seemed to go, and those six miles felt like they had turned into another 20. Every step was like someone stabbing a knife into the back of my thighs and I sometimes just wanted to scream from the pain. But FINALLY, we entered the last 2 km and I saw the Olympic Stadium in sight and the thought of getting to that finish line gave me the extra boost I needed. As I entered the stadium, a feeling like none I've had before hit me. Rounding the track, and bearing down the homestretch, my legs pumping with adrenaline, I thought "I've done it-I've just run 26.2 miles. Further than I ever have in my life. And I didn't quit." Then, across the finish line, with the time of 4:52 flashing at me. It was so incredible. Was it the time I was hoping for? Did the race go as I expected? No and no but I finished and that's what counts in the end. Some may ask "Why would you suffer that amount of pain? Is it really worth all that torment?" Well, when you have the medal hanging around your neck that reads "Marathon Finisher", you tell me how you feel then. I felt pretty darn good.

Well, in other, older news, teaching is still going well and I am enjoying interacting with all the kids. My two Native Speaking co-teachers have ended their contracts recently so we have two new teachers in, a couple named Joe and Jessica. They are nice.

Spring is coming, slowly but surely. We have a phenomenon here called Yellow Dust days during spring. It is when a strong wind blows down yellow dust from China all the way to Korea and turns the air a yellowish tint. I experienced my first time of it when I was in Seoul and I have to say, it is a very odd sight. Other than yellow dust, spring in Korea is known for its myriads of flower and tree blossoms. They say the scenery in the mountains can't be beat in the spring time. I can't wait to hit the hiking trails!

My involvement with Dongshin Church continues to grow. I can't tell you how thankful I am to God for providing this body here. We are having communion this Sunday so I am looking forward to that.

Well, I guess that is all for now. Hopefully there will not be such a long time between posts next time. Until then, be blessed.

A Review of Korean Culture

Hello everyone! Annyong Haseyo? (literally translates: Peaceful Are?)
I sincerely apologize for being so remiss in keeping up this blog. I'm sure most of you were thinking I was never going to update again. I won't give any excuses; I have been neglectful and it was inconsiderate of me. So please accept my sincerest Choesong hamnida!

I don't think I've really touched on all of the Korean cultural idiosyncrasies so we will go on a journey together through the cultural jungle of South Korea. Grab your kimchi and rice for the ride and let's go!

First stop, the area of personal hygiene and other related things. In Korea, I have found that having a shower or tub is not really the norm for most people. It is slowly becoming a staple item to have in a newer high rise apt. but in all of the smaller apts and houses, it's just you, the tiled four walls of the bathroom and a hose with a spray nozzle attached. Which you must hold with one hand while you scrub with the other. This arrangement, along with short hot water life span, make for a very quick and un-relaxing shower. I call it my dash and rinse.
Additionally, in Korea, it is not the custom to flush toilet paper down the toilet. Rather, everyone puts their used paper in the wastebasket. It took me awhile to get adjusted to this but now it's become second nature. The smell generated by this unusual practice however, is not one that I have quite got used to. It is very bad in a public restroom frequented by lots of people. Oh, and did I mention that in most of the public restrooms the stalls do not contain toilet paper? Yes indeed! There is a big common roll out by the sinks and everyone grabs their little supply before heading in. Of course, when you are a clueless foreigner fresh in from the land of ubiquitous T.P., this can make for a humourous (though not at the time) and slightly humiliating experience when you have finished your business and realize you have nothing to work with (oh yes, it did happen). Thankfully, I learned my lesson very quickly and thoroughly. Also, squatty potties are predominant in public transportation places like the subway, bus station, and train station. With flush handles that you can operate by foot. My first thought upon using one? I feel like I'm at HEART again!

On we go, grinding to a halt at the next stop of personal conduct, etc. In Korea, it is considered polite to accept things given with two hands or the left hand placed under the right elbow and vice versa for giving. Also, adding in a little head bow is considered good manners too. If I were to reach out with one hand like I do in America, the giver or receiver might feel that I am being impolite or insulting or simply didn't have any decent manners. So, because of being involved in Taekwondo in the States, I picked up this habit almost immediately and will likely continue it just because it does seem to show much more respect to the people with whom you are dealing. It is also considered polite to take off one's shoes when entering a person's house or traditional eating places. The entries of houses are even built slightly lower so that you can remove your shoes quickly on the step. I have house shoes I wear inside my apt. and also bathroom shoes (because as you might guess, the bathroom is not the driest place sometimes).
Another form of politeness in Korea that may seem a little strange is that when offered something (such as if I offer some of my snack to a co-worker), the polite response is to decline. A Korean may do this 2-3 times before accepting but if the other person does not continue to offer, THEY are considered rude! I have broken this custom many times and still forget on occasion. It is so ingrained in me that if a person says no, they don't want it and if something is offered to me, I feel it impolite saying no. It's a tough habit to break and the other is a hard one to make.
Let's see, one last thing. It's ok to bump people; hard! I have become a regular user of the subway here and if there's one thing I've learned, it's don't be shy about physical contact. Korean cities and transportation are always very crowded and therefore the people can be very aggressive in order to secure a seat or just a spot. In getting on and off the bus and subway, it is usually a little crazy, because Koreans don't wait until everyone has gotten off. Nope, they push their way in as the outgoing crowd is coming out, creating quite the traffic jam. I've been in a subway car before that was so crowded that I couldn't even lift my arm to scratch my nose (if I had wanted to). My first instinct upon bumping people in my rush to transfer subway lines is to say sorry, but I realized after almost being bulldozed by a woman on the sidewalk and offered no words of apology or even a single backward glance that in Korea, its every man for himself. So, now I shove onto the subway with the best of 'em and ride the rails with a peaceful heart.

Trekking onward, we come to the food court stop. Just what you've been waiting for. I hope you are ready to eat rice, rice, and more rice! Of course, I love rice so I'm not complaining but in all seriousness, I have rice everyday; literally. Rice is the staple of all Korean meals. It is their equivalent to bread though we don't have it at every meal as they do. It is so engrained in their culture that when greeting you with the query of whether you've eaten, they ask "Bab moko uyo?" which literally means, "Have you eaten rice?" Rice means food here, so to many of the older generation, the fact that the young people eat at the western restaurants which serve no rice with the meal seems appalling. I have adopted this philosophy in that I will sometimes eat a bowl of rice with a sandwich because it just seems to fill me better. An interesting thing to note is that if you are finished with your rice before you finish your side dishes, that means you are finished with the meal. So, in restaurants, I always see people consuming their bab as the last dish. along with the spicy tofu stew usually served with bab.
Another staple of Korean meals is the ever present Kimchi. Made of cabbage, spices, red pepper paste, and other sundry items which I don't know, this fermented dish is a perennial fixture on the Korean table. It can be super salty or spicy depending on the maker and as a general rule I really like it and will eat a few pieces whenever I go out to eat.
Eating at a traditional Korean restaurant is a lot of fun, especially galbi places. Galbi is Korean barbeque complete with a bowl of marinated meat (to be cut up with scissors, not a knife), turning tongs, and a grill that's built into the table. There are myriads of side dishes and everyone just sticks their chopsticks in and grabs what they want. Double dipping with your chopsticks and spoon may sound unsanitary to some, but in Korea, everyone shares side and main dishes without qualm. Coming from a large family, this sharing has a familiar feel to it and can be strangely comforting. Pouring drinks for people is also customary and Koreans usually consider it polite not to pour their own drink but wait for someone else to. However, its becoming more culturally accepted to pour one's own glass too.
I cannot leave this area before mentioning the pizza. I love me some American pizza with thick cheeses, meaty toppings, and golden crust but I gotta say, I am in love with the Korean pizza too. There are two reasons. One, the corn; the CORN! I love corn on pizza! If this sounds weird and slightly disturbing, I assure you, I thought so too. But man, once you've had it, you don't want to look back. The sweet combined with the salty flavor=excellence! Two, green tea crust. Again, sounds weird and slightly disturbing but it is really good and also good for the health as well. When I eat the green tea crust pizza, I feel less guilty. So, if you're ever in the neighborhood, swing by and I'll treat you to one of the best pizza's you've ever had.

And now to the last stop of the day, miscellaneous info. I'll list it so it's easy to follow.

1. It is not uncommon to walk by a Korean hospital and see a bunch of patients lounging around the entrance or even walking down the sidewalk, wheeling their IV with them. In my observation, Koreans seem to be much less uptight in regards to what patients can and cannot do.
2. Koreans make a sharp intake of breath (a hissing like sound) when they are thinking or considering what to say. It can sound like they are alarmed or upset by what you've just said but as I discovered, they're just making a "HMMM" sound by sucking air through their teeth.
3. Korean service, in general, is much better than American service. Whether it be in a shop, a restaurant, or a bank, the people who are helping you are truly there to serve. Service is always prompt and done with an air of quiet respectfulness that I find really refreshing.
4. Pointing with one finger is considered rude. When pointing out something or choosing a person, gesture with an open hand or both hands.
5. Koreans often try to speak English to be accomodating in stores, so I have often asked a question or ordered in Korean and been answered in English. A strangely ironic situation I find.

Well, I hope you enjoyed our little trip today. I'll just close by sharing a cultural story that my worship leader (Korean) shared at the worship team dinner on Sunday.

A Korean man was visiting London, England and had stopped into a bar to have a few drinks. After a time, he began to have a heated debate with an Englishman he had met there. Possessing the fiercely aggressive nature of Koreans, the man was very upset and a little worse the wear for liquor. He and the Englishman came out of the bar and shouted a few more minutes before turning to storm off in opposite directions. The Korean man, still being very upset, turned around to shout again at the other man. He wanted to say what Koreans do when they are angry and making a threat; "You take care and watch out for your body because you never know what I'll do". Not knowing quite how to convey this in English, he blurted out loudly "YOU TAKE CARE!" The Englishman was very surprised at this and began to think, "Gosh this Korean guy is really being great about this whole thing and he's even telling me to take care! I've got to show the same level of dignity and respect." So he turned and bellowed back to the Korean man "THANK YOU VERY MUCH!"