Part 2: "Oh The Places You'll Go!"

**If you are reading this and you haven’t read ‘Part 1’ stop, scroll down, and read below!** 

I have gotten to do some cool things lately! I’ve been busy pretty much every weekend… I’m not complaining though!

We went on another field trip together to Seoul/Incheon. This time we all had matching zip-up hoodies. And wouldn’t you know, it started raining the second we got out of the bus. It was dry the whole 2 hour bus ride there! So, they bought us all clear ponchos to wear! We were a sight! We went to a temple (again! ) and took pictures (which is the real reason we go, I think!!). We had a traditional Korean meal at a traditional Korean restaurant. Then we headed to the famous rock. But, by this time, it was pouring down and the wind was blowing like crazy! All 30+ of us climbed off the bus and ran to this rock. We posed, smiled, and snapped the picture! Then, we sprinted back to the bus! There was not a dry spot on me after that! Oh, but don’t worry, we got the picture! Our 3rd and final stop, was a viewing tower where we could see North Korea. It wasn’t a clear day obviously, so we didn’t really get to see it very well, but it was pretty intense! There was a room full of written prayers in hopes of reunification someday! It’s very interesting to see the dynamics between the North and South. After we left there, we boarded the bus to return home. The commute was supposed to be 1.5 hours each way. We were gone for 12 hours that day. We were off of the bus for a total of 3 hours max! Yep, that’s right, we spent a grand total of 9 hours on the bus! What a day, what a day!! A very memorable one!

Another day, Beth and I were feeling adventurous, so we decided to take a bus to Gongju, where there are these tombs from Kings. They were just discovered within the past 40 hears. It was a beautiful fall day! The trees were changing colors and it was so peaceful! One thing about Korea is you feel like you are constantly surrounded by people! But out there that afternoon was amazing! We went about 20 minutes without seeing another person… that NEVER happens! The tombs were pretty cool too! It was a nice, relaxing day! They also have a fortress wall that we will be checking out in the spring!

Pottery is very popular here in Korea. One Saturday morning we were supposed to go hiking, but it was raining. So we decided to go make pottery. We showed up at this pottery shop and asked if we could make pottery. This lady said yes, follow me. We all got into her car, (which was super tiny, we all could barely fit in it) and she took us to her private shop! Her father-in-law is a very famous potter! He has even traveled to the states to create pottery! She taught us how to make it! We each got to pick what we wanted. I decided to make a vase, but when I was finished, it ended up being a candy dish… imagine that! It was a fun experience! The pottery in her shop was beautiful!

We thought it would be fun to go to Seoul one night and do “night shopping.” Yes, it’s what it sounds like! We take the train up and go shopping throughout the night. I really enjoyed it! It was a little much for some people, but you know I loved it! I finished almost all of my shopping that night though. Shopping in Korea is definitely not as convenient as shopping in the states! Oh well, you get used to it and survive! This was one of the first cold nights and of course some of the shopping was outside! Brrr… 12 hours, one person lost and retrieved, 4 big shopping bags, and 10 exhausted foreigners later, we boarded the first train out of Seoul back to Cheonan at 5.45 am! I slept good that morning!

We made another trip to Seoul! This time it was one of the girl’s birthday. She wanted to go to the Science Museum. So, we found the stop and then eventually found the place! Yeah, a bit of a let down! I did learn that ‘Snipes’ exist though!! So, now I know what to look for when I go ‘Snipe Hunting’!!  We did find this really cool park though! It was in the prime season of fall, so the trees were gorgeous! We walked around and just took it all in! Then, we decided to try and find a Mexican restaurant b/c that is all she wanted for her birthday! We walked and walked, for a good hour and could not find this restaurant! Then, just as we were about to throw the towel in in defeat, we spotted this small sign ahead! Victory!! It was D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!! Well worth the hour long walk in my opinion! We had to take the last train back to Cheonan that night. It was packed and we had to buy standing room only tickets, which means we had to jam into the food car along with about 100 others! We came across some interesting characters! Many intoxicated individuals! Oh that was a long train ride home!

A group of us also decided to take a trip to the DMZ. This is the ‘Demilitarized Zone’ between North and South Korea! We signed up to take the tour! This was incredible! We went to the military base on the South Korea side. We had an American soldier join us and give us a tour of the fort! We went to the sight of the South Korea welcoming building. Right across from it was the North Korea welcoming building. In the middle was a row of 4 buildings where they meet. There are guards that are always facing North Korea and guards who face the South Korea building also. I learned a lot of interesting things on this tour! The relationship between the 2 is very stressed! It was a pretty intense situation to be in! There is a propaganda village, where North Korea sat up all of these buildings and would invite on loud speakers the South Koreans to come over and live in this village which is like Paradise they said! We also saw the tower that blocks all signals of communication from South Korea. It does not allow North Korea to hear any news other then what the government wants them to hear. It is so sad! They have no idea what is going on in the world! They are brainwashed from birth and don’t know any different! Please say a pray for the citizens of North Korea as you are reading this! Being an American, I have no idea what these people are experiencing! We weren’t allowed to take pictures directly of North Korea. We went to a viewing tower so we could actually see North Korea. However, there is a line where we can’t go in front of if we wanted to take pictures. They had telescopes for us to use, but the wind was bitter cold and the metal hurt b/c it was so cold. Then, as we were looking over at North Korea, it started snowing! It was very poetic in my opinion! A bitter, cold, dim day! We then went to these tunnels. South Korea has discovered 3 underground tunnels that lead from North Korea into South Korea. They all go to Seoul! When North Korea was questioned about this, they said it was for coal (they painted the tunnels black b/c they thought that would convince them they were using it for coal instead of planning an attack!) We got to walk through one of these tunnels! We walked down hill about 1/4 a mile… not bad on the way down. But, on the way up, that’s a different story!! A nice little work-out!

The whole experience was very surreal. You hear about North Korea all the time. But to actually see it and experience this made it real! Many Koreans will not go to the DMZ b/c they don’t think it’s safe! It is also just too sad for many of them! They say when they see it, it makes what is going on so real! Some of them have family who lives in North Korea and they won’t ever get to see them! There is still a hope though among many Koreans that someday they will be reunified!

So, as you can see, I’ve been pretty busy! I have been experiencing Korea!! I still have a few more entries until you are caught up! I’ll work on that again tomorrow!!

Part 1: My Life 5 Days A Week

Okay, Okay!! I know, I know, I have HORRIBLE with this the past couple of months! Time just gets away from me and before I knew it, weeks have passed by. I didn’t think the holiday season would be as busy over here, but somehow it has been! You will be happy to know that my New Year’s Resolution is to keep my blog up to date! 

Let’s see, I feel like a lot has happened since my last entry! I guess I’ll start with all my school stuff! November was a difficult month! My teacher was extremely stressed out (which I know we all get sometimes) and I felt like she took it all out on me and our students. She told me she didn’t like me and I wasn’t a good teacher! That was a very humbling experience! It got to the point where I had to talk to my director and ask to switch schools at semester. She called my teacher to tell her I would be switching and my teacher told her she didn’t want me to leave! (I thought it was weird b/c she started being very nice to me and apologized! Now I know why!!) I had been praying a lot about this and I knew the Lord was going to place me where I needed to be. My director asked if it was okay for me to stay at my school and I said yes. So, I’m staying, which is good b/c I love my students and the other teachers. (I did find out that my favorite teacher is moving! He’s one that I play volleyball with.)

The past few weeks have been a lot better! I know that the Lord is teaching me something through this relationship… just not quite sure what yet!  But seriously, I know the Lord’s hand is in this and on this situation and I’ve decided I don’t need to worry about it at all! Once I finally grasped that, it’s been a lot easier to deal with! Man, what is is with me and difficult bosses?!? Par for the course I guess… they’re all great learning experiences!

My students still bring a smile to my face though! They can be the sweetest kids ever! I had a boy in one of my classes crying and the girl who sets next to him wiped his tears for him! It was one of the most precious things I’ve seen! They can also be quite ornery though, too! I had one boy tell me, “Teacher, S-Line, nice-uh!” Now every time he sees me he says it b/c he knows it makes me laugh! I had a fourth grade boy come up to me before class and recite, from memory, a dialogue that was over 10 sentences long! He had a whole conversation with himself! He asked him the questions and then he answered them! I just had to laugh!

One afternoon, I looked my window and noticed that some of my 6th grade boys were outside playing baseball! I decided to take my camera out with me and check out what was going on! I honestly felt like I stepped into the Korean version of ‘Sandlot!’ These boys were crazy! Some of them were even wearing Chuck Taylors! They saw my camera, so they wanted me to take pictures of them! Of course I did… how could I resist those faces?!? I had a great conversation with one of my boys. He speaks such great English and I didn’t even know it! It was a lot of fun! I also have this one boy who reminds me of ‘Yeah Yeah’ from Sandlot. But instead of saying ‘yeah, yeah’ all the time he says ‘okay, okay!’ I still laugh every time I hear him!

It has also snowed here quite a bit the past week! So the morning after our first snow that actually stuck, I had one of my boys come in and ask me if they could have a snow fight during English class?!? I asked my Korean teacher and she said it was my choice. I asked her if it was okay though and she said yes! So, we went outside during the first class and had a snowball fight! The kids Loved it… as so did I! That is something we could never get away with in the states! But it sure was fun here!

I have been trying to do something fun for my Christmas Lessons! Christmas is just not big over here. They celebrate it, but it’s not a month long celebration like it is for us! We made Christmas cards for each other! Man, I have some brilliantly artistic kids! I want them to make me a picture!!  I also taught them the 12 Days of Christmas—Shrek style! They loved it and it was so much fun to teach it!

I am so sad though, b/c I will not teach my 6th graders anymore! Most teachers don’t care too much for this age group, but I LOVE them! I will miss them so much when they go to Middle School! I guess I’ll just have to find a new group to love!

So, this is a short summary of what I’ve been up to at school! I’ll work on getting you up-to-date on everything else soon! Thanks for sharing this journey with me and listening to all of my crazy stories!!

Week in Review

It’s the end of another week. Fridays keep coming faster and faster. Is it really already the middle of October… where does time go?? There’s only 70 days until Christmas… have you started your shopping yet? I’m almost finished… does that surprise you?!? J

Well, this week was a laid back week for me. I didn’t have to plan any lessons. I gave a test the first 2 days and we watched movies the other 3 days. Let’s see, I have the first 30 minutes of Kung Fu Panda, Stuart Little, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The one I’ve actually seen all the way through is Stuart Little. The suspense is killing me… I’ve gotta finish them! For some reason I’ve been craving chocolate the past few days… Oh Wonka!

Thankfully school has been a lot less stressful lately. I actually enjoy getting up and going to work. It always helps when you like what you do! It doesn’t just feel like a “job” to me! I think it’s mostly b/c of my kids! They’re always entertaining!

One of my 6th grade boys does not speak English, well a lot of them don’t actually. But this boy always comes in to my room early to talk me. It doesn’t always go smoothly! He has leaned one statement that is golden and he uses it all the time—“I am a genius!” (Actually he says, “I am genius!” Which makes it even funnier in my opinion!) You’ve gotta give him credit for trying!

This week we played volleyball again. Man, I had the ad realization this week that I’m not as young as I once was! It’s been cooler here recently. Thy gym was a bit frigid when we started, so it was difficult to get warm. I was the only hitter on my team and we played games. I hit in 5 1/2 of those games. My shoulder was a bit sore after that. My knees were killing me too whenever I walked down the stairs. I was so stiff the next day! Sad, sad day… I’m getting old!

A few of my 6th grade boys came to watch b/c their teacher plays. It was too cute, they got so nervous when I tried to talk to them. It’s funny thought b/c normally, especially in class, he talks to me often. He has pretty good English too. I think he got nervous b/c there were other teachers around.

We finished up the games for the day. We got in a lot of games thorugh. It was real fun! “Talking smack” was at its finest too! After the game, I went to help take down the net like I do every week. One of the guys said, “No Becky, I will do this. In Korea men work. You are finished.” I tried again, but didn’t want to push the issue. He’s such a gentleman.

As I was leaving that day, I met up with the 2 boys who were watching us play. They asked if I was driving or taking the bus. I obviously said the bus and he said “Me too!” We started walking to the bus stop together. He told me to wait as he rain in to the convenient store. I knew my bus was coming soon, but I decided to wait b/c they were acrually speaking English to me. About the time we started walking again, I see the #12 bus fly by (which is my bus)! I ended up having to wait like 10 or 15 minutes for the next bus, but that’s okay! I was just proud of the boys for talking to me!

I got to attend this super fun conference this week on teaching TESOL (**Please note this statement if FULL of sarcasm even though you can’t hear me saying it!)!! I survived, got some good ideas, got to see all the other Native Speaking teachers and got a free meal (Korean meal, but that’s okay)… trying to look at the positives!

Overall, this has been a good week! The weather has been amazing. Well, except for Tuesday night when it poured a cold rain along with a thunderstorm! Those are fun every once in awhile though! It’s been sunny, cool, and gorgeous! I’m going hiking this weekend, so hopefully I have some pictures soon!!

The "Real" Korean Experience

I have had quite the “Korean Experience” recently! I’ve got to see a lot of Korean culture and experience some cool stuff!

On Friday I did not have to teach. My 6th graders were reviewing for a test, so English class was canceled for the day.

I asked my teacher on Thursday, “So do I need to come to school tomorrow?”
She said, “Oh, you get to sit in your classroom.”
I said, “Oh, I get to just sit there all day?”
And she said, “Yeah, you get a free day!”

Oh joy! So I prepared myself for a long day! I brought in a couple of TV series to watch and a few movies. I was determined not to sit on Facebook all day! My teacher came into my room that morning and said, “Becky, I have great news! I talked to my Principal and Vice Principal and they said we can go outside today (which means we can leave)!" Yeah, the day just got brighter at that point!

So, she took me to a traditional Korean Folk Village. We drove to Asan (which is a city about 20 minutes away) and spent the day at this village. They had examples of older Korean homes and showed what a village would have looked like. (This was an original village though.) It was beautiful scenery! It is surrounded by mountains. The sun was shining and it was a cool day… B-E-A-utiful! It was really cool to experience this with a Korean b/c she was able to explain stuff to me (which she absolutely loved to do!)

Then we met her husband at this traditional Korean restaurant in the village. We had this ball of corn and Korean pizza. Thankfully I liked the food. That could have been very bad if I didn’t! It was neat to be able to meet her husband. He didn’t speak English, but we figured it out with the help from my teacher. We ate outside under this gazebo type of things. It was quite the experience!

After the traditional village, she wanted to take me to this store with “big sizes.” A “big size” here in Korea is like a size 8. So, all foreigners are pretty much “big.” She picked out clothes for me to try on. Oh this was fun! I knew I wasn’t going to get anything, but I thought I’d humor her. She picked out some jeans with some “bling” on the back pocket. She said these were better then the ones I was wearing that day. Mine aren’t “bedazzled” enough I guess! Then she picked out 3 shirts for me to try on. A couple of them were okay, but too expensive. She asked me which I liked best and I said #1 or #3. She told me #1 looked like a University student or someone in there early 20’s would wear. She then said #3 looked more like a lady and what a teacher would wear! Ha! I just smiled and nodded. I chose to embrace the whole experience!
It was actually an amazing day! It was just what we needed! My teacher and I were having some issues, but now I think we are officially past them. It’s amazing what a little prayer can do! I feel a lot more comfortable and confident. She told the vice principal that I had been working hardly. (For some reason she can’t comprehend the different between ‘hard’ and ‘hardly.’ She thinks they’re the same. She always tells me I’m working hardly. I just have to laugh on the inside!) They decided I deserved time out! I wasn’t going to disagree with them! We really enjoyed our time together!

That was quite the ‘Korean Experience.’ But then I had the unique opportunity to attend a Korean wedding. One of the teachers from the school I teach at on Saturdays got married, so I went with my friend Heather to the wedding (this is her actual school.) We loaded a Greyhound Bus Saturday afternoon with other teachers from the school and headed to the wedding! In Korea, they get married at wedding halls. They are definitely different then weddings in America. Instead of giving gifts, you give money in an envelope (no card, you just write your name on the outside of the envelope). This is to help the couple with the costs of food and what not. When you arrive, you find the hall with the wedding you are attending in (there are more than one going on at a time). There are people standing outside and you give them the envelope. There was another wedding going on in the hall we were going to, so we had to wait for ours. There is a room off of the main room where the bride sits on a pedestal and lets her guests come in and take pictures with her. I was going to just take pictures for my friend, but the bride said, “No, no, you come and take the picture with us too!” So, I took a picture with a bride I had just met! Then, the videographer stuck the camera in my face and wanted me to say something to the couple! I froze; I don’t even know these people! So, I smiled and said, “Congratulations!” Yeah, that was a bit awkward!

After the pictures we went back out to the foyer to wait for the wedding. We began to panic though b/c we did not see anyone we knew, or at least anyone Heather knew b/c I didn’t know anyone! We just sort of stood there for a bit. Then one of her teachers came up to get us and told us to come and eat. See, there’s a banquet hall in this building and it’s just a big buffet. You get a ticket for food when you give them the envelope of money. Then you get to eat at the buffet. There were people in there eating from all sorts of weddings. You can eat any time you want. You can eat before the wedding, after the wedding, or even during the wedding! It’s an experience, remember?!? So, we ate and headed back upstairs for the wedding. When we make it up to the hall, she was already walking down the aisle. We slipped in the back and stood. This appears to be a very informal ceremony. People come and go as they please. People are talking through the whole thing. It isn’t the least bit romantic! They had a guy play the saxophone, which was pretty cool, and then they had some of her former students sing. They have many traditions that I tried to understand, but it was a bit difficult with the language barrier! They bow to both sets of parents and they cut a cake right there in the ceremony! They walk down the aisle and then they take group photos! The whole thing was such a cool thing to be a part of! I took pictures to try and allow others to see it. I hope it works!

We decided to venture to Seoul for the night. We were told about this “night shopping” in a market. We decided to check it out. We heard it does not open until after midnight! We found a market at about 10.30pm, but it was closed. We decided to find some place to sit and wait. We went to a restaurant and got a Coke, talked and waited for the market to open a midnight. We back at 12.15, but it was still closed. We were so confused. We found this hotel and asked if we could use the restroom. They said they did not have one. Then we asked if he knew where the market was. He said around the corner and it was open 24 hours! We were waiting on the wrong corner… story of my life! We found it though, that’s all that matters!
At about 2.30am, we decided to call it a night and head to the jimjubang! This is a communal place for people to sleep. It’s not the most ideal place to stay, but it’s super cheap… I’m trying to be more frugal! J We ended up sleeping on a tile floor. No mat, now towel, no blanket, just a tile floor with a small square ‘pillow.’ Let’s just say you don’t get the best sleep here! We decided to stay in Seoul Sunday morning and get breakfast! We went back to Butterfinger Pancakes… home of the best Breakfast in Korea!

It was a long weekend, but a good weekend! To round out my cultural experience, I went to the ballet last night! I never knew I was such a fan! My friend got 2 free tickets and asked if I wanted to go. Of course I wanted to go! We showed up and quickly realized that it was free to everyone! The place was packed! They ran out of seats long before we got there! There were Koreans everywhere! Every free sitting or standing spot was taken. People were standing on the sides and in the back; they were sitting in the aisles and on each other’s laps! We managed to find 2 spots on the far stairs and we actually got to sit! It was a process to get there! People don’t move here. You have to push your way through, literally. They also push… hard! At one point I was standing on one stair and I was surrounded on all sides. This lady tried to come through and pushed me! I started falling backwards and almost took out a whole aisle! I hung on… barely!

The first part was more of a showcase and the second part was a traditional Korean ballet. They were so graceful and amazing to watch. I’ve never got caught up in anything like this before, but it was an incredible experience! We just sat on our stair and took it all in. It was very “Korean” but that’s what I loved about it!

After the ballet we walked outside and it was down pouring! Not just a little rain, a constant, cold rain! You have not experienced an entertaining rain, until you’ve experienced it with Koreans. They run and scream and put their hands over their heads to protect their hair… yeah like that’s going to help! We ran to the taxi stand and waited for about five minutes. We quickly realized that there were no taxis doming! We decided to head out to the main street to try and get one. By the time we finally got one flagged down, we were soaked and freezing! We were just thankful to finally get one! That would have been a rough walk home!So, I’ve definitely got my status quo on Korean culture for now! I love it! It makes me want to learn more and see more! They have so much to do here! Korea is known for their many festivals! Every city has their own festival! But unfortunately b/c of H1N1 (the swine flu) they’ve all been canceled! I was very disappointed to hear this all! Guess we’ll just have to find our own adventures now!!

Happy Cheseok!

It is officially fall here in Korea! The weather is amazing and the days are beautiful! The air is crisp and even has a slight chill to it at times. It reminds me of home more often then not. I’ve been starting my days off with a hot cup of tea! Mmm… have I told you I just LOVE fall?!?

Two weeks ago Korea celebrated Chuseok. This is their Thanksgiving. They spend time with family and give presents during this time. Most women don’t care too much for this holiday b/c they spend most of the time at their in-laws and are super busy b/c all they do is cook! (This is nothing like America… yeah right! J) This is one of the biggest holidays in Korea. I decided to make my teachers something instead of buying them something (imagine that, right?!?) I decided to try banana bread! Wow, I made 12 loaves of bread… it was crazy, but fun! They seemed to like it (that’s rally good b/c they usually don’t’ like ‘sweets.’) They give gifts like fruit, socks, or soaps & lotions. I got socks, songpyeon (traditional Korean rice cakes) and chestnuts!

I had a 3 day weekend and decided to take this time to rest! It was amazing… jut what I needed! Campus was dead b/c all the students were gone and it was so peaceful. A few of us made “Brinner” (breakfast for dinner) and had our own version of Chuseok dinner. We also had a BBQ with foreigners for those of us who were still around! Traffic on Thursday and Friday was terrible… I didn’t leave campus! But on Saturday it was like a ghost town! Everyone was celebrating Chuseok with their families. My Vice Principal brought me mandarins on Monday as a gift! It was a fun experience!

When I returned to school on Monday, I had a new schedule. I had to say goodbye to my 3rd graders! That was a sad day! They were so cute and sweet. Some of them wrote me notes and gave me candy! Thankfully I am on their hall, so I will still get to see them. In March, the next school year begins, so I will have them again in March as 4th graders. I started teaching 4th graders this week. I was anzious to get started! They are definitely crazier then my 3rd graders were, but I think they’ll be a fun group! I’m looking forward to teaching them!

I was going through picture cards with my student and I came across a picture of juice in a glass and I said, “What’s this?” and one of my boys says, “It’s wine!” What?!? Like I would show Elementary school kids wine and teach them what it was. Oh Korea!

I have more and more students coming in early or during their breaks to talk to me! It’s fun and so cute to hear them try to practice their English! They are brave souls! Sometimes I’ll give them a sticker or some candy for being brave and trying! The numbers usually increase the next day. J There are definitely a few students who speak better English then my teachers do. The other day my head teacher was trying to say something and se what saying it completely wrong. I looked over at one of the students who is pretty good at English and I could see his wheels turning and thinking “She’s not saying that correct.” He was very respectful though and said nothing!

I am still playing volleyball with the teachers. We play about every other week. This week was a lot of fun though. I was hitting outside and the guy on the other side of the net is about 6’3”. So, he had a pretty good block. There was one time where hime and another guy tried to bock me and I hit through the block. One of the teachers on my team (the PE teacher who I really like) started talking smack on them. He was giving them a hard time, in Korean of course, for not being able to block me! (I could totally understand what he was saying b/c of this body language and tone.) I had to laugh. Then the guy did block me and the teacher gave him a hard time for blocking a girl! He said to me after the block, “Oh, I’m sorry!” (He was serious!!!) Ha, I love that “smack talk” can be translated in any language! I’m so thankful that I have this opportunity to connect with the teachers AND do something that I love! God knew I needed this!

We recently found an American restaurant downtown. It’s pretty legit too. A little expensive, but it’s good! I had a real chicken sandwich! This may not sound like a big deal, but it is! Ask anyone who’s lived overseas for an extended period of time. And they will all say you treasure those small things, like a real American meal! It’s funny b/c the more I live in Korea, the more I don’t care too much for the food! I’ll survive, but I always welcome familiarity and comfort food! We also found this pizza shop, right by campus! They have real oven brick pizzas! It’s so good, I’d actually eat this pizza in America. The owner studied in Italy. We eat there about 1 time every week or two. It’s definitely the place I go to if I’m having a day where I miss home… it’s my comfort food!

I have really been enjoying my small group. We have been going through NOOMA videos and we’ve had some great discussions. This is a place to be challenged and encouraged! There are about 11 or 12 of us that meet and it’s really great! I’m so thankful for this group! IT’s amazing to me the types of relationships you can have when you connect spiritually with other believers. I encourage everyone to find a small group if you aren’t already a part of one. This is what we were created for—fellowship with others.

I also had the opportunity to get together with a lady from church. Her and her husband both went to MNU and they are from Kansas City. It was great to get together with someone from home and talk about life! She was very encouraging. It reminds me yet again what a small world this place truly is!

I definitely had a moment this week of “Is this really my life?” Yes, it is! I currently live half way around the world and I’m having a once in a lifetime opportunity! I have good days and I have bad days! But I’m growing and learning so much! There are days I wish I could sit and enjoy a football game on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. There are times I want to get in my car and just drive on the open road. There are definitely days I wish I could go to Chipotle and have a burrito bowl. And there are more days then not I wish I could just hang out with my nieces for the day! But I can’t and that’s okay! There are many things I’m able to do over here that I couldn’t do at home. Life isn’t always about convenience! It’s the things you have to work for that you treasure the most! I miss my family and friends terribly, but I’m having quite the adventure! I wouldn’t trade this time for anything!

I'm Choosing to Make Lemonade!

Man, time is just flying by here! The weeks and days are going my so fast! I have been here for over 4 months now! That is a 1/3 of the way there! I can’t believe it! Time just gets away from me here and before I know it, it’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve updated you! Sorry about that!

The weather here in Korea is definitely fall weather! It is starting to get cooler… which is a nice change! It is a lot less humid, so this makes for more pleasant days! The temperature is usually in the 70’s or 80’s. The weather here is actually very similar to the weather in Kansas. Usually when I talk to people at home, we are experiencing about the same! That’s nice… It’s like a little piece of home! J I must admit though, I miss getting ready for the fall. The smells aren’t quite the same here! They don’t have Halloween, so I haven’t seen pumpkins and I know there will be no pumpkin carving! I’m missing some of my favorites, like ‘pumpkin spice’ candles, caramel for my apples, Orange Oreos, and Pumpkin Shaped Reese’s Peanut Butter cups! Now those say ‘fall’ to me! There are definitely certain things that just aren’t home! Peanut butter and chocolate snacks together, just never caught on over here! So, you can’t find things like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups! It’s all about sacrifice… right?!? J

We are about to celebrate Chusok here I know Korea. This is their Thanksgiving. It is the biggest holiday in Korea. They spend this time with their families and eat very traditional meals. They also buy gifts for each other. It is similar to Christmas for us in that way. We get Friday off, so no complaints here! I’m anxious to experience this here! I think it has potential to be a lot of fun!

Let’s see, how have my students been entertaining recently?!? I feel like they are always doing something! I’ve been teaching more so I have a lot more interaction with my students inside of the classroom! I’m really glad about that! It helps my days and weeks go by a lot faster!

They just come up with the cutest things to say! One of my students asked me if I was married. She couldn’t quite figure out how to ask me in English, so she started singing the ‘Wedding March!’ It was so funny!

I have one 6th grade boy who always comes into class early and says, “I love you!” and then puts up a heart over his head! I always just laugh at him. But this week my head teacher said, “Do you really have those feelings?” (She said this in English and this boy does not speak English. I wasn’t quite sure where she was going with this!) She told me he doesn’t so he shouldn’t say it. Yeah, he still says it!

I was looking at my Facebook account one day! (This is something I do often b/c I have so much free time!) One of my girls came in and said, “Oh, Facebook. I know that!” She hasn’t found me yet, which is quite surprising! I love that even in Korea, you can find Facebook!

My 6th grade boys are ornery, but they know exactly what to say to me! They will do something and then I will go to get on to them and then they will just smile at me! They have the cutest little smiles where their eyes twinkle. Yeah, I lose all of my power, b/c they just melt my heart! In one of my classes there are these 2 boys who are best friends. They are also very much the leaders in the class. Whatever they do, their classmates follow. So, one day they were coming in late and I met them in the hallway. I told them if they participated and listened in class, I’d have something for them after class. I gave them a ‘high-five’ to signify the fact that they got it and they were going to do it. Then one of the boys grabbed my hand and tried to walk into class that way! Oh boys… they never change… even half way around the world!

I also had one of my boys give me his phone number. He took my phone and typed in his number then called his phone so he’d have my number! If only older boys were that persistent! J (This is the same boy who wrote me the letter earlier in the year!) Then one day in class he was sitting with some girls and he was not paying attention in class. I had to tell their table a couple of times to get back on task. He came into my room during the next break and apologized to me for not listening. He said, “I’m sorry I was not listening and paying attention in class.” Of course I to tell him it was okay!

My 3rd graders are pretty cute, too! I am sad b/c this is my last week with them! I start 4th grade next week. They are just so funny. I pointed to a character in the book and I asked who this was. The class said ‘Joon,’ and I had to say no. So, one boy said, ‘July?’ I laughed out loud on that one! At least he was getting the months figured out!

For some reason, they don’t have screens here on their windows. They don’t like to run the air either. So, they have a whole wall of windows they open up everyday. Of course, if there are no screens, then things can fly in. For some reason last week wasps were really bad. We had one fly in during the middle of the class and the students freaked out! They started screaming and some tried to get under their tables! If they had coats on, they pulled their hoods up over their heads. The teacher turned the lights off and had them put their heads down! Like that’s going to make the wasp think that they weren’t there or something?!? So, we had to take about a 15 minute break until the wasp flew out! I had to hide my face with my paper so they wouldn’t see me laughing! There was one boy in one my classes who said while we were waiting, “Teacher, English please!” He didn’t want to just sit there, he wanted me to start teaching again! Finally, the teacher took a book and swatted it down when it landed! Now that was entertaining!

I also got to experience my first fire drill here at school! I’m in the middle of teaching and a voice comes over the loud speaker. My teacher told me they said there was going to be a fire drill. She then told me to keep teaching b/c we had about 10 or 15 minutes before it would go off. So, I start teaching again. Then she tells me to stop and they line the students up (no bell has rung yet!) I asked her if we needed to go and she said, “No, we will have a break time!” So, I went to my classroom, the bell rang and all of the students went outside. Well, as I’m sitting at my desk, I start to smell smoke! Now my first reaction was, what are the odds of a real fire happening during a drill?!? Then it hit me, I’m smelling smoke and I am still INSIDE the school! I hear the students outside so I run over to my windows and look outside! There is a fire… but it’s in a fire pit. They actually started a real fire for the drill. I’d like to see that happen in the states! I was relieved to know that it was really just a practice though!

There are times, many times actually, that I will be teaching in my books and find something misspelled or it will just be wrong. Usually it’s not a big deal and I can just move right past it and correct it as I go! But the other day I had to chuckle at one of them. I was showing the students flashcards that are magnets. We came across a picture of a zebra, but it was labeled as a horse! Thankfully, the students knew it as a zebra and not a horse… I would have been worried if it was the other way around!

I played volleyball again this past week. Man, I ‘m so glad I get to do this! It’s fun and I love getting to know the guys better. This is the reason I actually have a relationship with most of them! There’s this one older guy that I just love! He’s a setter, but for some reason we’re never on the same team! He’s a tricky little guy. But, he’s on of my biggest fans! He’s so fun! We also had some other fans there this week! My 5th and 6th grade boys that play basketball showed up at the gym. They came in like 1 or 2 at a time. They were so cute! They’d look at me and smile and wave. It was like they were shocked to see me playing. They started cheering for the team I was on! Then, they’d try to tell me something in Korean but I couldn’t understand them. So then they’d just start playing charades with me! I think I scored some major points with the 6th grade boys though, b/c the next 2 days they did great in class! It’s funny how different things can be for you inside the classroom when you can connect with the student outside of the classroom.

My teachers can tell me some funny things too. The other day after lunch, I went to one of the teacher’s rooms with a group. We were eating chestnuts (which I’m not too sure if I’m a fan of or not!) and they were asking me questions and we were talking. One of them told me that Korean guys like to marry teachers. They are a ‘hot commodities’ over here (those weren’t her exact words but that is definitely what she was meaning!!). I asked why and she told me b/c they get off of work earlier then other jobs, so they can come home and have dinner cooked and ready for the husband when he gets home! Are you kidding me?!? (And this is reason #92 why I could not marry a Korean!!) She was laughing when she said this, but it’s true! My, oh my!

My relationship with my teacher is a lot better now, too! My director called and talked to her. She told her if I wasn’t teaching then I’d have to change schools. She didn’t want to lose a native speaker, so now I teach! It’s fun and it helps the days go by a lot quicker! To be honest though, that was a huge growing time for me! I had to have a lot of “Becky—God time” during those weeks. It was tough. I wasn’t happy with my job, so that made for some rough weeks! Thankfully I had a few people here who would let me vent and then help me to move on. Those relationships are a lot closer now b/c of it! I’m just glad that’s behind me for now!

I’m finally starting to get into my groove here and boy does it feel good!

Adventure Around the Corner

I never know where the weekend will take me. We’re not much of planners, so usually most things are spontaneous! We did have a plan for my birthday weekend though (mostly b/c others planned it for me J)! I really wanted to go see a baseball game and we all know my addictions to Mexican food! I got both… great weekend!! My firents made me a great lunch and I even got to have cheese dip (this is a very rare occurrence)! They also made me a real cake… vanilla, exactly what I like! I have some great friends over here… very thoughtful!

After some amazing food and good laughs, we headed out to the ballpark. On the way there we found out we were going to see the worst team (that didn’t really effect me too much, b/c I’m from KC and we all know the Royals’ record)! When we arrived, we were trying to figure out what seats to buy. I decided to go up and try to figure it out on my own. The lady handed me 6 tickets, for FREE! We got to see a free baseball game… that mad it even better! Koreans are crazy about their games! I felt like I was at a soccer game. The fans were doing cheers and yelling the whole game! They started off down 0-9… rough road ahead I thought. Oh Korea, always surprising me! They came back and won it in the 9th inning with a 3-run homerun. It was quite the experience, but it was super fun! I felt a little piece of home there. Oh and the left fielder was a foreigner… we had to heckle him b/c we knew he could speak English. That was entertaining!

We ended the weekend by going to a Pub Quiz. You get a team of 4 together and you try to answer the most random questions. Now, I’m not usually much help on this subject, but I held my own. Our team ended up winning first place! And along with the bragging rights, we won 75,000 won (about $75). We decided that we are going to use our money to go the driving range here… that should be fun!

I also started working at another school 2 Saturdays a mouth. It is at the school where my friend works and they needed an extra teacher. It’s 2 less Saturdays a month I get to sleep in, but I’ll survive. I go and play games with about 16 students for 3 hours. It’s a rough life, but someone’s got to do it! J

There was one night I though North Korea was invading us. It was about 11.30pm and I had just gone to sleep. All of the sudden I wake up to the sound of planes overhead. The sound lasted for a good 2-3 minutes! My first thought was “Oh no, we’re being attacked!” I jumped out of bed and looked out my window… nothing. I went to the other side of the room and looked out my front door… nothing! I still have no idea what it was, but I’m safe and unharmed, so that’s all that matters!

We decided to be adventurous this past weekend and try Norrebong again! (This is karaoking Korean style!) We found this hole in the wall and decided to try it out! It was just 4 of us, which is a lot more fun! We rocked out to some Killers and the Beetles and many others in the between! When we left, I could barely talk… it killed my voice! I got my fill for a few months!

Korea is known for all of their different festivals. However, many have gotten canceled this fall b/c of the Swine Flu. This past weekend they had a food expo here in Cheonan. It reminded me of a fair back home. There were a lot of booths set up and you walk around. Some booths had free samples… of course those were my favorite booths! It was a fun experience, but very overwhelming all at the same time! My picture was in the booth for the Public Schools. It was funny seeing a white person on the board full of Koreans! I didn’t stick out or anything! I tasted some great things and some questionable things all at the same time! It’s an adventure!

I’ve also had the opportunity to start at the Children’s Home. This is a home for kids who do not have families. Some are orphans, but others are not. Sometimes their parents just can’t afford to have them, so they give them to the local home and then they see their children about once or twice a year. My heart feels for them. They are a great bunch of boys! We have 6 boys in our group. They are all boy that’s for sure, but so sweet! I volunteer there once a week so I’m looking forward to developing some great relationships with my boys!

It has been a refreshing week this past week! It was a good week! I also have a new post below. Make sure you check it out b/c I shared what God is doing in my life right now!

Life Learner

So I’ve said from the beginning, I want this blog to be a true representation of experience here. I want to share the amazing things I’m experiencing over here, but I also want to be able to be vulnerable and honest and say that life’s not always roses here for me. It’s been quite awhile since I’ve taken on this tone, but I think it’s important. I want to share my journey with you.

I know I use the statement ‘God is teaching me so much while I’m over here,’ but I feel like I’m not always as specific as I’d like to be. I think its b/c for me to share what God is teaching me is to admit that I fall short in many areas. I know this is something we all know, but to put yourself out there and share with others, can be a tough thing to do. Which, I feel this is all ironic, b/c I’ve always thought I was a pretty open and honest person and being vulnerable doesn’t scare me away. I’m learning though, there are differences. I am completely okay with being honest about my feelings… I’m not scared of them. I can embrace them. Many people think I wear my heart on my sleeve… I would try to debate that, but there’s no use, it’s the truth. If I am frustrated, you will know. If I’m excited, you will know. If I’m loving life or hating life, you will be able to read me.

But, I’m beginning to realize that when it comes to admitting my short comings, I’m not always the first to raise my hand and share openly. I feel like I am a good listener, so it’s always been easier for me to focus the conversation on others. Sometimes I feel like I know more then I’d like, but that’s okay… I enjoy this role that I play in others lives. It’s funny that I’ve only been in Korea for 4 months (which means I’ve only known these people for 4 months) and I’ve already fallen into that role here! Don’t get me wrong, I love it. I love relationships and I love hearing about people’s stories and I love helping people. I think many times people forget they have things to offer the world. I love helping them discover that again. But again, it’s easy for me to give my attention to others and not own up to my own baggage.

So, where is this all coming from you might be asking yourself… I mean this is supposed to be about my adventures in Korea, right?!? Well, it is. One of the main reasons I came to Korea was b/c I knew that God needed to mold me and He needed to chip away at things in my life. I know myself and in America it is very easy for me to get distracted and just go through my everyday life without thinking. It was a rut I was stuck in and I wanted to get out of.

I think God is beginning to shake me up a little. He is showing me that this thought of who I was is not really who I am at all. I’m not saying I’m going through some type of identity crisis or anything, but I am saying that God is working in my life. He is showing me areas where I can grow. He is showing me my areas of strengths. I’m not going to lie, it’s tough to go through, but I know there is a light at the end of the tunnel through all of this!

Okay, this is me being in a very vulnerable state right now. Before I came to Korea, I thought I was a pretty giving person. However, God is showing me that at times I can be very selfish. There are many times when I think of my self before others. There are many times that I am disgusted by my actions or my thoughts. When you move to another country, you quickly can figure out what your short comings are. I know God is challenging me in this area. He continually gives me situations where I have to choose to either think of myself or think of others. I am not saying I always choose the right thing, but I can say that God is faithful and He is teaching me to love others the way He does. He is putting difficult people into my life b/c I need to learn to love the unlovable. I feel this is what He has called us all to do! I am convicted often of this. This is where ‘wearing my heart on my sleeve’ can get me into trouble sometimes. But God’s grace that He extends to me is a gentle reminder daily that I in return need to offer grace to others. Grace is not something we earn or deserve, it’s a gift.

I’ve also been reminded (b/c this is not the first time I’ve realized this) that without being connected to a church body, I feel disconnected in every other area of my life. This is something I have many conversations with God about. It is not in my character for me to jump in and start doing things if I don’t know people. I’m more then welcome to help if I am asked; in fact, I truly long to be asked. God is teaching me though that it is my responsibility to get involved and to use my talents. He did not give them to me to be wasted or to be horded for myself. Again, this is a learning process and I’m working up the courage to do this. I have started a small group though and God is using those individuals to help us all be connected on a deeper spiritual level.

My experience here is not quite like I was expecting. I tried to come in with no expectations, but that’s almost impossible to do. Without knowing it, I had a picture in my head about what it was going to be like. I thought I would come to Korea and fall in love with the people and this place. I thought I would beam with passion. But honestly, that has not been my experience thus far. Don’t hear me wrong, I am enjoying my experience. I like it here a lot! I am so glad I am doing this and I know without a doubt this is exactly where God wants me to be. It is difficult sometimes though b/c I am not passionate about this place. I have had to work through this and allow myself to be okay with not being passionate about it. Sometimes we do things that we don’t absolutely love and that is perfectly okay. There is nothing wrong with me and there is nothing wrong with Korea. I know this is not where I want to be for the rest of my life, but for now it’s good. This is where I find my inner conflict though. I need to remember that I need to bloom where I am planted. I need to be content with where God has me now. I am learning things here that I would not be doing if I was at home. I really like Korea, but I don’t love it and that’s okay. I can’t compare my experience with another’s and expect it to be the same… I would be cheating myself out of MY adventure!

Through this, I’m reminded and I’m experiencing first hand what it means to be the Body of Christ. We all can’t be the mouth and we all can’t be the hands. Some of us need to be the feet and others need to be the ears. It’s easy to start comparing ourselves to others. Be careful though, that’s a dangerous game to play. That is something I have been doing more recently. I think it is more difficult over here, b/c there aren’t a lot of people like me (meaning Americas! J) It is very easy to compare our teaching abilities, or the fact that some of us have more relationships with Koreans than others, or who knows more Korean than who, or insert any other thing you can think of here. This can be a very slippery slope. This is definitely one of those things that are difficult to not do and it’s a constant battle everyday. However, I must remind myself that I found freedom in the Lord. I am free to be me b/c of Him. This thought alone comforts my fears.

I would have to say the biggest thing I’ve learned thus far though is to not to stress as much as I have in the past. If I have something come up, I take it to the Lord. There is a certain peace about this. Sure, it’s easy to say, but not always as easy to follow. Again, I’m still learning and there are times I don’t go to Him first. Those tend to be some difficult moments for me, b/c I try to do it on my own. I can breathe easier though after I give it to Him and trust that I don’t have to worry about it anymore. Philippians 4:5-7 has helped me to sustain this: 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

So, this is me being vulnerable. This is me wearing my heart on my sleeve. And this is me, sharing with you, what God is doing in my life. I find great comfort in knowing that I can share with you what God is doing in my life. It’s an adventure, but I wouldn’t have it any other way! Thanks for all of your prayers and encouragement! Even though I love to visit Islands, I don’t ever want to become one!

Routine Back In Swing

And just like that, I’ve been back in school for 2 weeks. It has been an interesting 2 weeks, that’s for sure! I was so excited to get back to see my kiddos! I went 6 weeks without seeing them, I missed them! They sure can be ornery , but they’re so cute when they do it!

But, if I had to be honest, I’d have to say the last 2 weeks have been the toughest thus far. My head teacher and I have been clashing. Korean education is very different! Therefore, my teacher and I have disagreed on things. I think my biggest frustration is the fact that I’m not teaching in her class, at all! On Thursdays and Fridays I sit in my classroom b/c she ways she has to teach alone. The students have a very important test coming up in October so she has to prepare them for it! I’m not going to go into all of the details, but if you’d help me pray for the situation, it’d be greatly appreciated!

I am choosing to have good days though! There are bright spots throughout my day and I need to focus on them! My students give me material to share with you all the time! J Here are a few of my favorite happenings over the past couple of weeks!

One day, I had 3 6th graders who came into my classroom during every break they had. The boy speaks pretty good English, so he translates for the girls. They were telling me and asking me all sorts of things. They pointed to my eyes and said “Oh, big eyes teacher.” And then told me my nose was high. They asked if I had my face fixed?!? (Meaning—have I had plastic surgery?) In Korea, their eyes are obviously not wide; so many people have surgery and have their top layer of skin removed on their eyelids. This is very common for actors and models, but many teachers here say they’ve seen their high school and middle school students have the procedure done. They also don’t have a bridge in their noses for the most part. Some people have reconstructive surgery to get bridges put in. So, b/c I did not look like them and b/c it’s common in their culture to have those tings done, they asked if I’ve had my ‘face fixed’! I chuckled a little and said no. They smiled and said, “Oh, very beautiful, teacher.” They want to look more westernized. That concept is so interesting to me, b/c I think Koreans are beautiful! I guess the grass is always greener on the other side!

Korean are very blunt when it comes to comments about your physical appearance. Sometimes it can hurt your feelings, but other times it can make your day! I told you I’ve been sick for the past few weeks. I haven’t had much of an appetite so I haven’t been eating a lot. And, if you’re not eating, you’re obviously going to lose weight. My first week back I had a group of my 6th grade boys, 6th Grade Boys, come up to me and say, “Teacher, you (point to me), small (put hands in a ‘smaller’ gesture).” 6th Grade BOYS said this! Yeah, they’re my favorites now! J

My teacher decided to let her 6th graders out of class 5-10 minutes early on Friday. I had no idea she was doing this. So, I had a group of 6th graders come in and act like crazy kids for a bit. It was funny though b/c the boys started arm wrestling with each other. Then, one boy came up to me and ask if he could arm wrestle me. Of course I said yes! He was good and he beat me. Then another boy wanted to try. He wasn’t quite so lucky. Come on, I couldn’t let them all beat me!

Of course my teachers can help me with stories too! We can do the most random things when I am with them. One of the first days back, my teacher came in and asked if I like grapes. Of course I do. So we went down to the ‘teacher’s room,’ which is also the Vice Principal’s office and sat and ate grapes with about 8-10 other teachers. They talked in Korean and were laughing and having a great time. I sat there and smiled. This is definitely one of the those times I wished there were subtitles so I could understand what they were saying. Something appeared to be hilarious! It was a fun afternoon though. This was definitely one of those ‘I’m in Korea?!?!’ moments!

Things get lost in translation a lot here. I know this isn’t what my teacher was meaning, but this is what she said. I told you we disagreed on a few things. Well, we had a pretty heated discussion. Later in the week we were talking and she said, “From the first day we met until last week I like you. But then after that, I don’t like you.” Wow, again I now that’s not exactly what she meant, but that’s what she said!

But all was right after the next day. I was walking into school one morning and there were about 4 teachers standing outside taking temperatures of the students b/c of the ‘swine flu’ scare. One teacher, who I don’t even know that well said, “Oh Becky” and then came at me with this big smile. She grabbed me and hugged me, she hugged me! It made my day!

My teachers do surprise me quite often. One day in the afternoon, I wasn’t feeling well so I thought I’d go to the nurse. There were about 6 other teachers when I went in. I told her I wasn’t feeling well, so she had me lay down. One of the teachers sitting there, which is one of the guys I play volleyball with, asked me why I didn’t go talk to the principal. He told me I should tell him I’m not feeling well, so I could go home. I told him it was okay and I could just stay here. He asked me why I didn’t want to go and talk to the principal. I told him I was scared to tell my principal that. He laughed and said, “Me too! I’m scared!” Oh that gave me confidence to talk to him! My principal did let me go home though, so I was very appreciative!

I’m reminded often that life is all about the ups and downs. Life is about the journey and your experiences, not the destination! I’m trying to remember this as I go through my days! I’m having the experience of a life time! God is good and He’s teaching me stuff daily! I know He is molding me and chipping away at me all at the same time. It’s a good place to be!

Sunday Funday!

Weekends are always fun here. It’s time to relax and enjoy some time with my fellow Americans! Don’t get me wrong we experience a lot Korean culture, we just do it together!

Video games are pretty huge over here in Korea. They have this one game called Starcraft. We have this game in America, but it came out in like the early 90’s. The graphics are hilarious… so old school! They eat it up though! They have these tournaments where they set up game systems and have games televised. So, of course we had to go! This was an experience! These players are really famous and have a huge fan base! We were on TV multiple times. We even heard them talking about us… on National TV! I must admit, I was bored! Probably won’t do it again, but it was worth the experience! This is like the thing to do in Korea though!

We also found this restaurant called Butterfinger Pancakes. Oh my word… this was fabulous! They had real breakfast!! (Remember we don’t get there here!) There were 8 of us and we ended up spending 120,00\, which is like $120 (roughly) on breakfast… worth it!! Oh I’m definitely coming back to this place! It was greatness! I’m telling you, it’s the little things in life! J

We also went to the beach again! We rented a beach house and about 20 of us Americans headed out and stayed the night! It was so much fun! I’m usually not a big group person, but it was a great time had by all! We had a cookout with real hamburgers and cupcakes to celebrate our friend’s birthday! We had fireworks and played games until late! It reminded me of all of those past retreats I’ve been on! Fun times, fun times! I’m sad to say that I’ve probably had my last ‘sun’ for the season though!

I got some sad news too! I was planning on going to Tokyo for Chusak (which is Korea’s Thanksgiving). We had our tickets bought and everything. There were 2 groups going though b/c of our schedules. I found out that the person I was going with had his days off switched. Therefore he couldn’t go on Thursday anymore. I may be adventurous, but I’m not stupid! I’m not heading to Tokyo by myself for a night! So, I had to cancel my trip! I’m way bummed, but that’s how it goes sometimes. It should be neat though to stay here and experience a Korean Thanksgiving! I’m sure I will experience all sorts of new things!!

I also had the unique opportunity to spend my birthday in Korea! Now this was an experience. Honestly, it just didn’t feel like birthday! Technically I had a birthday for 1 & 1/2 days! I do have great friends over here though to help me celebrate it! My friends took me to pizza for dinner and then we watched a movie together. It was a very chill evening, but it was a good night! This weekend I get Mexican food and a baseball game… 2 of my favorite things! I figured since why not double the amount of my actual birthday and have 3 days instead of the normal 1 & 1/2?!? Gotta embrace where I am! I'm thankful that my friends treated this day American Style instead of Korean Style though! In Korea, you pick up the tab on your birthday! I think I would choose not to celebrate it! Either that or I'd make a lot of friends so I could go out all of the time!

I love all of the new adventures I am able to experience! I’m so thankful that I get the opportunity to do the things I do! I am truly blessed and I try not to take it for granted! Oh the life!!

Almost There

After 2 long weeks in the class, I had 1 more week of English Camp before school started. Now, typically all the other teachers had English Camp for their actual students... not me, that’d be too easy! My teacher insisted we have English Camp for my teachers’ class. This takes a lot of planning on my part… but I guess that’s what I get paid for! (I’m not complaining by the way! J)

It was actually a nice transition, b/c I still had half a day off. I got to leave school at noon everyday… not a bad gig! I do love my teachers in my class, so it was fun! A couple highlights from the week:

We made Apple Crisp together. I found a recipe online for individual crisps that you make in the microwave… perfect! I didn’t have time to try it out before I had them do it… I know, I know, bad teacher! So I just crossed my fingers and hoped for the best! We practice our listening skills. I tell them what to put in and they have to follow my directions. Well, at least that is the intentions. It ended up being 2 people measuring out the amounts for everyone… kind of defeated the purpose, but we rolled with it! After we mixed it, each person had to put theirs in the microwave for 2 minutes, so it took a little bit. The first couple people who tried it had interesting faces! I asked them if they liked it and they said it was okay. I told them it was okay if they didn’t like it. Then one lady was like, yeah, I don’t like it. The more that came out of the microwave, the more people were saying they really didn’t like it! I played it cool, but on the inside I was freaking out a bit! I thought I got the recipe messed up. I was kicking myself for being irresponsible and not making one first to try it out! The 2 guys in my class didn’t let me down though! One said it was really good and he likes to try foods from different cultures. I put my bowl in the microwave and just hoped it would turn out! I pulled it out for the moment of truth. I tasted it and I actually thought it was pretty good! It obviously wasn’t the best b/c it was in the microwave, not the oven, but the topping was great! It just reminded me yet again how different we are! They are not big ‘sweets’ people. Their idea of desserts is fruit and coffee. I had to chuckle to myself as we cleaned up! Some of them just threw it away b/c they didn’t like it! How many desserts get thrown away in America… uh, maybe that is our problem! J

I also taught them the Cha Cha Slide. It was straight comedy! Some of them have got moves! When they did the ‘cha cha’ part they were moving it! I’m sure if someone would have walked in on us they would have wondered what was going on! Koreans doing a line dance… priceless!

I also forgot to tell you a few things from a couple of weeks ago that I thought were pretty cool. The first week of English Camp, I got the unique opportunity to see the Eclipse. I honestly had no idea that it was coming. We were doing a morning free talk and one of the teachers told me about it. We took a break in the middle of class to go and see it! It was really neat and I’m so glad I got to experience it. The last eclipse I remember seeing was in 6th grade. I remember making little window things so we could look up at the sun and not have it hurt us! I found out later that day, that the eclipse was only in Asia… who knew?!? I’ll add to the list of cool experiences I’ve had in Korea!

I also think it’s interesting that I get a lot of the news headings from people’s Facebook statuses. I found out that Michael Jackson passed away, the Taco Bell dog is no longer with us, and the scores of most major sporting events! Facebook is taking over the world!! (Oh and if you have FB and we are not friends, look me up! I have all of my pictures posted on there!) Who knew that Facebook would be come the next news source?!?

I also found out that I am not moving off campus and into my own apartment until after January. They told me I’d be moving in August and then told me they miscounted and they didn’t need my apartment after all. Then I was told I could move into this girl’s apartment when her contract was over. Then I found out that she extended her contract, so now I won’t be moving until January! Yeah, I was bummed, but I figured no need to stress about it… nothing I can do about it now! So, I’m sitting tight in my on-campus room and trying to make the best of it!

My time off was officially over and I had to get ready for my normal schedule to start again. It’s so sad to say, but I was ready for routine. I love having time off, but sometimes you just need that stability! Oh, I must be getting old… I’m not losing my adventurous spirit though!!

Who Knew?!?

After I returned from the Philippines, I had to start to start classes. For 2 weeks I was morphed back into a student. We had TESOL training and I was back in the classroom, but on the other side! I was quickly reminded, I do not like sitting in the classroom from 9-3! My brain was on overload! I know the certificate will be very beneficial when I return to the states… I had to keep reminding myself of that!

One day, the teacher taught part of the lesson in Korean. Oh man, was I lost!?! I felt so uncomfortable… I hated it! One of the other teachers who came with me doesn’t really know Korean either. We just kept looking at each other and shrugging our shoulders as the rest of the teachers knew exactly what she was saying! I got a glimpse into how some of my students fell during English class—No Fun!! I have tried to be more conscience of this when I am teaching, but it is difficult when I don’t know Korean and they don’t know English! I have a few translators in each class though! J It’s fun to have students translate for each other… they love it!

I learned a lot of great things, but I was definitely ready to be finished with that! We have 2 more weeks to take during winter vacation and then I will have my certificate! I’m not really sure if it will do a lot, but here’s hoping for the best!!

I also got sick over those 2 weeks. I must have contracted something while I was in the Philippines, and it hit me hard! I didn’t eat a regular size meal or more then 2 times a day for at least 3 weeks! It was rough. I went to the doctor, but nothing was confirmed so I was just put on medicine. I had to go and see her 3 times in the period of 2 weeks. The second time I went, she took blood. This was an experience! The next few lines are a bit graphic, so be advised… no, just kidding! It was a bit scary though. So, the nurse leads me into this room that is about the size of a closet… and not those walk-in closets that everyone has these days! I sit down and the nurse pulls out a needle. She doesn’t put gloves on, she just grabs the syringe and starts looking for a good vein. She sticks the needle in and draws the blood. Then she takes the needle out and grabs the tubes to put it in. But, she doesn’t have enough hands, so she sets the syringe of blood down on the table where I am sitting. She opens the tubes and then squirts the blood into 2 different tubes. Then she tosses the needle into a trashcan. NOT a biohazard container, just a normal trashcan and then tells me to go out to the receptionist. The receptionist sees that I am finished with the piece of cotton I was using to stop the bleeding. So she grabs it from me, let me remind you there is fresh blood on this, and throws it away in her trash! Seriously… that is how they do things here?!? That would have never passed health code in the states… oh wait, most stuff wouldn’t here! That’s the beauty of living in Asia! They freak out about the swine flu and put on masks, but blood is no big deal to them! What?!?

Oh, and H1N1 is huge over here right now! There have been outbreaks all over Korea. I had one friend who had 15 confirmed cases at her school. They closed her school for 1 whole week. They had teachers standing at the front door with masks on and each child had to get their temperature taken before they could enter the school. If they had a temperature, they had to go straight to the hospital. Thankfully, no students had to be sent home from my school. I think the Middle Schools were hit the hardest for some reason. I have never seen so many masks in one place before! I’m not sure if it’s like that in the states or not, but some of them have designs and animals faces on them! They are quite comical! They had recommended on the news that they cancel all schools in Korea for one week. That never happened! Which, I was actually happy about! We would have had to go to school an extra week in December if we would have got out! No bueno!! This process is definitely a culture experience though! Oh Korea!!

**I’m still not feeling 100% yet. I would appreciate it if you would keep me in your prayers! Thanks!

And I'm Back In The Game...

Wow, I’m back. This may take a few days to get caught up. I know I have been MIA for about a month. It was my vacation, and I was out of my routine… that does it to me every time! Sorry for the delay, but it should make you that much more excited to catch up! Okay, I’m going to take us back to the end of July. My mom and sister visited me for a week and then I headed off to a little version of Paradise for a week!

Monday morning had come too soon! It was such a bittersweet day! My mom and sister had to return to the states, but I got to leave for the Philippines. It was a lot more difficult then I thought to say goodbye this time! I know I won't see them for 10 months and that really started to set in! I think the first 2 months were easier b/c I knew I’d be seeing them at the end of July! But now I really don't have anything like that to look forward to!

So the Philippines... yeah it was pretty amazing! It’s like no place I’ve ever seen before! I would describe it as a little piece of paradise! The beaches were white and the water was blue! Beautiful can not even begin to describe it! It was probably one of the best vacas I’ve ever had! Every morning we would wake up and have a REAL breakfast (in Korea, they eat rice and kimchi mostly for breakfast)! I had scrambled eggs, bacon, toast and fresh fruit every morning for breakfast. We went to a different restaurant everyday though so we mixed it up a bit! J Then, we would go and get an hour long massage on the beach. It cost us about $6 for each massage! And, it was one of the best I’ve ever had! I had the same lady everyday! One day, we started our massages and about half way through I started getting wet. We realized that it was raining… not just raining, but a hurricane I think! It was intense, but the ladies just kept massaging us! They didn’t want us to get cheated on our time. Those last 30 minutes were not enjoyable! When they finished we started running back to our room (which was less then a 5 minute walk from the beach!!) but we were instantly soaked! So, we decided to slow down and enjoy a nice walk in the rain! It was so much fun! After we had our massages each day, we would go and play in the surf b/c it was high-tide. The waves got huge… I got knocked down a few times… but worth it! We went snorkeling one day and I had fish swim right up to me and eat bread out of my hand! We went snorkeling in caves and right in the middle of the ocean! We walked on the beach, watched the sunset, and enjoyed the sun! We found this little outside bar and hung out and listened to live music every night! I would definitely go back in a heartbeat! One day, after snorkeling, we decided to walk back to the beach where we were staying. We didn't think it was that far, but we ended up walking for about an hour! It was so sweet though b/c we really got to see Boracay! We saw the way people lived everyday. It is not this glamorous life for the locals! It was an interesting culture experience!

2 weeks of vacation was great, but I was ready to get back home! All of that travel wore me out! It was very relaxing though and it was exactly what I needed! It was so weird thinking I’d be coming back from vacation and return to Korea. It actually felt like home when I returned... I’m not sure how much I liked that though! I guess I’m still trying to adjust here! The honeymoon stage is over now and reality has set in that this is my life for the next 9.5 months! It’s still hard to believe sometimes!

Picture Perfect Moments

When I return home I will work on uploading some pictures on here from the last month!  I know I've been horrible at that, but I will post some soon! :) 

We Are Famiy... I've Got My Mom and My Sister With Me.

This has been an adventurous week that’s for sure!  My mom and sister have been in town and we’ve been exploring Korea.  I went into Seoul last Thursday to pick them up.  It was so great to see them!  It’s a bit different though; it’s like 2 worlds colliding!  I love having them here though!  I took them to “Kim Bop,” which is a restaurant I frequent often!  They weren’t huge fans.  I tried to explain that it’s like fast food… compare it to McDonald’s or something like that—cheap and convenient!  They got to meet my friends that I usually hang out with all of the time.  Now they know whom I’m talking about!  They were exhausted, so we called it an early night.

The next day they came to school with me.  We rode the bus like I do everyday.  They experienced a crowded bus that morning!  After lunch with my teachers I took them downtown to Yawoori.  They hit the wall at about 4pm and jetlag took over!  They fought through it and we decided to go to the salon.  I was told about this stuff called “Magic” that makes your hair straight.  So, Mendy and I decided to try it.  It was a process!  Most of the hairdressers didn’t want to help us b/c they get nervous b/c we’re foreigners.  We finally got a couple brave souls!  It’s awesome, they brought us snacks and drinks the whole time.  We also got to watch a movie and we received an amazing hand massage.  Mendy got very nervous—I was a bit worried for her!  It turned out great though and I love the magic!

We did a lot of hiking!  I’m not sure they quite believed me when I said we walked a lot here!  We went to see the big sitting Buddha and had to hike up the hill to see it.  We went to Independence Hall (the Korean Memorial of all the different independences they’ve experienced) and we had to walk over this long bridge to get there.  Then we hiked the Hwaseong fortress wall in Suwon and walked through the market afterwards.  We visited Seoul and traced all over different parts of the city.  Then we went to Busan and had some great beach time!  But of course we did a lot of walking there too!  They had some amazing parks you could walk through.  I think it was all worth it!  You might want to ask them though, they may have seen it differently!

One question they get asked a lot is if they like the food.  They both say they do, but I remind them that I have edited everything for them and have only taken them to places I know they’d like!  They haven’t truly experienced Korean food b/c they haven’t had to eat food they could barely stomach! J  They have enjoyed “Rotiboys” which are fabulous!  It’s this sweet bread with butter and sugar in it that all melts together… Fabulous!

We met my teacher friend one night for dinner, too.  She took us to this place with boiled chicken in soy sauce.  It also had these noodles that are a personal fave!  At the end they made us fried rice and put Kimchi in it.  This is the only way to eat Kimchi in my opinion! J  It was great for them to be able to meet my friend.  She’s one of my favorite Koreans!

They also were able to go to church with me.  They met more Koreans and more of the native speakers.  People were so open and welcoming to them!  After church we went to Norrebong (which is karaoke) this truly is an experience!  They didn’t join in, but they were entertained.  Then Mendy experienced “Dr. Fish.”  She did a lot better then I expected!  She enjoyed it!  I’m not a huge fan though.  Not something I do often.  I got a picture that was priceless though of her!

It’s been so comforting to have them here!  I think it’s good that m 2 worlds have collided.  Now I see them as 1 world and I think this is beneficial!  They are both my life here and now, together.  Having them here has made it a lot more real that I am in Korea though!!  I’ve definitely had a few more “I live in Korea” moments than normal!  It’s going to be tough when we part ways on Monday, (say an extra prayer for my mom’s sake!!) but I’m ready to see how my journey continues!

I’m learning so much while I’m over here.  One day I might just write a book about the things God is teaching me and how He’s stretching me!  Not anytime soon though! J  This adventure is exactly what I need right now in my life!  I’m always up for more visitors anytime!  I have an extra place to crash!  The invitation is officially extended!

**I’m heading to the Philippines for the next week.  I’ll fill you in on all the details when I return! J

That was one LONG week!

This week was “English Camp.”  All of the other Native Speaker Teachers had class for their students.  Oh, not me though, I had it for my teachers.  I had to come up with 15 hours worth of content to teach.  I asked them what they wanted and they gave me no direction.  Honestly, it was a bit stressful trying to get it all together.  I had no idea where to start.  So, of course I spent all day Sunday planning—nothing like waiting until the last minutes… what can I say, I love the pressure?!?  I decided to have a basic plan and then change the details everyday.

I started with a warm-up everyday.  I felt like an Elementary School Teacher (I know I am one, but this was supposed to be for adults!)  We started with a “morning circle” where I taught them a new greeting.  My first rule was every answers had to be different.  This is sometimes difficult for them.  My second rule was “fine thank you and you?” is not an okay answer.  That is the only answer they know and it drives me crazy!  I have this one guy who goes on and on and gives this long explanation every time.  It’s so cute b/c he knows how to ramble in English… who would’ve thought?  I also teach them 5 idioms a day.  This can get very interesting.  Have you ever tried to explain,  “a blessing in disguise” or “a gut feeling” in simple English words or phrases?  Not as easy as it looks!  You get some interesting answers when you try to ask what they mean!  There were a few times I had to hold my chuckle in!

The second part of class was always the content.  The first day I tried to play this game called “Guilty,” where they had to write an alibi with a partner.  Yeah, FAIL!!  They didn’t quite get the concept, but they enjoyed their version!  I had a song day where I had them practice listening.  This was fun. I played “Somewhere Over the Rainbow, What a Wonderful World” and “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz.  As they were listening, they automatically started moving their bodies to the beat.  One day we cooked.  I read them the directions from the recipe and they and they had to listen.  This turned out better then I thought.  One of them said during the ‘morning circle’ that she was so excited to cook that she couldn’t sleep the night before!  Talk about pressure to perform!  One of the guys in my class said he knew today was going to be a great day b/c the night before he dreamt in English.  He said there was a girl who was talking to him but he couldn’t see her face.  Then he said, “It might have been Becky,” and then gave me this big smile.  He’s the flirt in class!

I thought it would be fun and a good idea to watch an episode of “Friends.”  That was interesting.  First, you have to find an episode that is appropriate!  Yeah, good luck with that one!  I found the one where Rachel and Monica challenge Chandler and Joey to a game to see who knows each other better.  Innocent enough, I thought!  Yeah, it’s also the one where Phoebe becomes a surrogate mother for Frank and Alice.  Try explaining that one to Koreans!  Then they asked me what ‘sperm’ was.  I felt like I was having a Sex Ed Class instead of an English Class.  That story line wasn’t even the major one either!  Oh that was an interesting class.  I now understand how parents must feel when their kids pick out the smallest detail from a show that is the most inappropriate and ask all of these questions!  I asked them how much they understood and they said, oh about 15%.  Wow, I think I missed the mark on that one too!  It’s okay though they enjoyed it!

We always ended the day with a game.  Who doesn’t like games, right?  I started off with ‘Catch Phrase.’  I had to make adjustments very quickly!  We just took turn trying to describe a word and everyone guessed.  There would be times that the word would be too hard, so they they’d just put it back in the box and choose another.  They decided to make their own rules!  We played the ‘Name Game’ and they loved it…  again with a variation though.  They got to write down any word they wanted.  They also said part of the word and thought that was okay.  Like one of the words was ‘homework’ and he said, “it’s something you do at home.”  They still didn’t get it! J  ‘Apples to Apples’ was very interesting.  It took awhile, but they caught on.  They eventually started to try to sell their answers by saying, “Oh yeah, that one is ‘famous’ (or whatever adjective we were on).”  It was quite comical.  We played ‘Upset the Fruit Basket, (and I totally thought of you Brady)!  They had no shame in stealing someone’s seat either.  They’d push the other teachers (including me) out of the seat so they could get there.  My favorite day though, was the ‘Music Day.’  I had them karaoke and it was amazing!  My favorite little old guy (the one who rambles in English) picked out his own song, not one of mine on the list.  He said, “Do you know ‘You Raise Me Up’?”  I asked him if it was the one by Josh Grobin and he said yeah.  I told him I could get it and he said he could sing it right then.  I asked him if he wanted me to get the words and said, “Okay, okay,” which means yes.  (They say this a lot!)  I asked who wanted to go first and he said that he wanted to.  Oh my, I was not prepared for the next thing that happened!  He came up to my desk, which is right in front of the TV.  When the song started, he belted out at the top of his lungs “You raise me up to more then I can be.”  I wasn’t quite sure if he was being serious or not.  At first I started to chuckle a little but then I realized he was singing from deep with in.  He was about a beat or two ahead of Josh though, so all his words were right before they were supposed to be.  When he finished, the class erupted with applause!  It was so great… it made my heart happy!

Let’s see, a few other random things about the week.  We were talking about where we would be in 5 years.  It was a question I asked them for a warm-up question.  One of the guys started telling me about this girl from America.  She came to Korea to teach and she loved this place so much, she eventually came back as a US Ambassador.  He told me he thinks I will do this some day.  He thinks I should stay in Korea.  I’m not sure how to put my feelings into words from that moment.  I’m not planning on being here in 5 years, but for a split moment I thought, “What if…?”  Let’s just say that’s a bit overwhelming!  Only the Lord knows!  (Don’t worry though!!)  They did ask me where I think I’d be though.  I said hmm and had to think for a moment.  I said I hope that I’m teaching and maybe going back to school.  I also said I hope that I’m married and this opened a can of worms!  They started asking me tons of questions!  They asked if I had anyone at home and if I was open to a Korean?  I said he had to speak English and they said I could teach him!  Ha… Oh Koreans!!  So that was a fun conversation!

I also was talking to one of the guys about golfing.  He asked if I golfed and I told him yes and I really liked driving ranges.  Those are interesting over here, too!  They don’t have enough room to have a vide open field for you to drive the ball, so they have these platforms stacked like 5 levels high!  Then you hit at a big green net.  The net is only about 75 feet in front of you… I’d do well on these! J  I told him I liked to go to the driving range when I was frustrated, b/c it helped me relieve stress.  He didn’t know what frustrated meant.  This was yet another great ‘learning moment.’  I have those a lot when I’m talking! J

On the last day of English Camp, my mom and my sister, Mendy were in town.  It was so neat to have them meet my teachers.  One of the teachers said she was so excited to meet them, she couldn’t sleep the night before!  (I decided I needed to stop telling them things so they can sleep!)  They brought each of us a gift!  It was so sweet of them.  They got my mom 2 figurines of Koreans and they said it was a bride and groom.  Then they got my sister and I make-up bags that were made in Korea.  They made us this special Korean drink too.  It had rice at the bottom and it was very sweet.  My teacher gave it to me first to see if I’d like it.  She said if I did, then she’d give it to them to try, but if I didn’t then she wouldn’t give it to them.  It was okay, but I wanted them to taste it so I said okay they could try it.  They liked it more than me!  They loved talking to them.  They asked Mendy all about schools in America.  And on of the guys thought it was okay to flirt with my mom.  He told her she was sing in Korea and he was single in Cheonan.  I told him no!  It was comedy!  They also took us to lunch.  My favorite meal—Kalbi!  Mmm, mmm good!  They experienced a true Korean meal by taking off their shoes and sitting on the ground.  It’s also very popular to toast a drink at a meal.  They wanted to serve us Soju, which is their version of Vodka in a shot form.  I told them no Soju for us, so my teacher got us ‘Cider’ (which is Sprite).  We all toasted drinks.  Such a fun experience! 

Overall, the week went well.  I’m glad it’s over but I have one more left, though.  I think I bonded a lot more with my teachers and they are more open to speaking English with me.  They understand my humor a bit more now, I think!

Oh and I forgot to share with you about my experience last week.  We have this board that meets about once a month.  I’m not sure exactly who they are or what they do (b/c no one can explain it to me in English), but I do know they are important!  On Tuesday afternoon one of my English teachers came in and asked if I was going to play volleyball today?  (We play on Wednesdays usually, never Tuesdays.)  I told her I didn’t have my clothes and I was really busy getting ready for English Camp.  She said, “Oh, the teachers wanted to play volleyball with Becky.”  So of course that meant I had to!  I decided to go down and check it out.  I was wearing jeans with a linen jacket and a tank top on under it.  (Remember I can’t wear a tank top by itself here b/c it’s scandalous!)  I also just had on flats, not really athletic footwear.  I sat down at first and my principal was like come on, you play.  So, I went out there and played.  The people who were playing were the “important people,” not just my usual teachers.  Then ire ally felt like I had to play!  They were all in their sporty little outfits.  I decided to laugh and roll with it… I’m in Korea!  My jacket button got caught in the net once and I almost bit it b/c my shoe stuck to the ground, but other then that, all good!  I went back to serve towards the end and my principal (who doesn’t speak any English remember) made the motion for me to take off my jacket.  I shook my head no and showed him my shoulders.  I didn’t know what else to do!  It was an experience!

Then I found out at 4:55pm, as I was packing up to go home, that all the teachers were going to dinner and I was going with them!  I had plans, but I had to cancel them.  We rented out this restaurant and all ate together.  There are 3 days a year that are the ‘hottest days’ and on these days you eat this special dish.  It’s a whole chicken in broth and it’s stuffed with rice.  That’s what we ate.  It was good.  Then one of the important guys stopped me and tried asking me a question.  I’m not exactly sure what he was trying to ask, but my best guess was 1 of 2 things.  He was either trying to get me to write a poem for him or write a famous poem out for him!  I played the ignorant card for a while and then I had to sit down… so I dodged that bullet!  J  That evening was quite an experience!

And now I’m out of school for 4 weeks.  This week my mom and Mendy are here and we are traveling throughout Korea.  Next week I’m heading to the Philippine and then I have 2 weeks of TESOL training… 2 weeks of classes, no bueno!  Then I teach English Camp for 1 more week and then it’s September and I start my normal schedule again.  The first week in October is Chu Sok, which is their Thanksgiving and we have a 4-day weekend.  Four of us are heading to Tokyo for the weekend!  I have a feeling the next couple of months will fly by!  I’m trying to hang on and enjoy the ride!