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!!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
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!!
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!!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
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!
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!
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