If They Didn't Hide the Draino, None of this Would Have Happened!

Today was a good day. I met with my pastor, made a new friend and spent a lot of time with old ones.

We ate, we shopped, we ate some more, we took a lot of pictures and we stayed out in the cold for WAY too long. But it was all fun!

Then, on my way home, I stopped by a Buy The Way store (a little corner shop that sells snacks, drinks and other odds and ends) to buy some juice. And, while I was in there, I decided to pick up something that would help my sink drain to unclog... because my sink is... clogged.

So, I asked one of the clerks in the store for help, because I couldn't find anything that looked like it would unclog my sink. No Draino.. no nothing!

And, what do you know.... pretty soon, I have the whole store, every clerk AND every customer trying to understand what I'm saying... no one could understand. The entire shop came to a standstill as I tried with my feeble Korean to explain what I needed... I had no words.

And, how is one supposed to gesture that you have a clogged drain?? I decided not to try... it just seemed pointless.

I don't think I've ever been so embarrassed in my life! Now, granted this was a really tiny store, but there are 5 people, clerks and customers standing around trying to figure out what I want. Finally, I just called on of my Korean American friends who speaks both languages and had her explain on the phone to the clerk what I wanted.

*Sigh* That was the best adventure I've had in a long time. When I first got here, it seemed like I used to have those kind of "experiences" every other day!

You'll be happy to know that they did indeed have some sort of liquid draino stuff... it's called Pokulin and it's AMAZING. It unclogged my sink in like... 4 seconds FLAT!

Go Pokulin! And go all those amazing and patient clerks and customers at the Buy The Way for hanging in there with me. And, go Cathy who, in the end, did all of the translating! What a fun night!

What adventures have you all been having lately? I think, these days, I'm going to have to go more out of my way in order to continue having them... that's ok (quinchanayo), I'm up for it!

Away

I'm hiding myself inside me
Where no one will find
And no one can see

There's a void, once filled with outwardness
I was once on the surface of myself

Aware of life
Enjoying your face

But now I'm deep inside me
Even I don't know where I go

Away

Even I don't know what to feel

Away -- just away

There shouldn't be this dull inside of me
Far away from the surface

Just away

UGGHHH!!!

I feel like crap!

Pretty sure my head's going to explode! I hate being sick!

.......

Mullets, Loogeys and BOOGERS

I've lived in South Korea for 6 months now. I've become so used to this culture that I can no longer blog about the crazy, random things I see because.... they're normal things now...

HOWEVER....

I saw a couple of DOOSEY'S yesterday!

I saw the WORST mullet I have ever seen in my life! You must know that all Koreans have naturally straight hair. So, if you ever see a Korean with wavy or curly hair, you know it's a perm. This guys hair was very tightly curled and dyed. And then there was the straight hair that just fell down the back....UUUGGGGHHH!!!! I have a picture, but it doesn't do him justice!

I'm sure he's a lovely fellow, just not much of a hair stylist!

THEN, on the subway (not on the platform, but on the subway car) there was an old man sitting, spitting out loogeys and -- brown stuff onto the floor between his legs. AGGHH!!! The puddle of goo on the floor between his feet was enough to turn my stomach! Then I saw his dentures in his hand.... his dentures.... there are no words!

Yeah, that was gross.

After I found a seat in a car FAR away from the gooey toothless spitter, I sat right across from a man who worked for nearly 5 whole minutes to find an elusive booger up his nose! After he finally found it, he examined it for a little while before he flicked it on the ground...

But that is not all my friends. OH no!

After all of those experiences and a few others, I finally decided to call it a day and head for home. Jess B. was going in the same direction so we decided to travel together. Now, we're standing together on a crowded subway chatting away, when I notice that she has a very small booger hanging out of her nose. Now, I want to emphasise that she and I were standing close together because the subway was crowded and her booger was really small...

SO, I tell her about it, and she gets it... it's not disgusting, she just had to scratch the outside of her nostril...

But then... looking me right in the eyes with a slight smirk on her face.... SHE WIPES THE BOOGER ON MY SLEEVE!!!!

...............

I couldn't believe she thought she was being subtle. IT WAS SO OBVIOUS!!!

I laughed so hard I cried. I asked her if she realized what she was doing and she said something along the lines of "Yes. I planned to do it, it was a deliberate action."

THANKS! Just glad it was a small booger!

Geez.

In other news, I'm going to Hong Kong for 6 days! Prayers for safety and smooth travel would be much appreciated!

I love you all!

Hil

I am at a crossroads in my life. Here I am, a 23 year old single, American woman living in South Korea, and this is what I've discovered.

Recently I had lunch and coffee with my co-teacher. Whenever I talk with her, I always find myself feeling like my life is too... "goody two shoes." I've never really lived. She's always telling me stories of her life. Her family, the people she's loved, the people who have loved her...

and I'm left feeling... shallow. Why is this? What does she have that I don't?

I think the answer is pain. She's known poverty, depravity, confinment, sickness and loss. She has so much love, so much hope in other people and she's been disappointed. She's had a lot of pain, a lot of hardships in her life and, she's come out stronger on the other end.

Now, I know this isn't uncommon. Many people have experienced these things... even people I'm related to... even I have experienced these things to a certain degree...but for some reason, her stories always strike me. Her journey's are always interesting to me and her pain is always so real to me. Why?

I think it's because I see in her a restlessness that I feel in myself. She is so restless, so... caged. And, in her I see the same determination and fragility that dwells within me. I more than see it; I feel it.

Up until now, I've really thought that it was so strange that I would connect so well with a 46 year old Korean woman. But, people are the same... we are the same. I think the only difference is, I have hope in my life; I have the answer. She's still searching for the solution and, I think that's why it's so frightening to me to see how similar we are despite my having the solution...

We are the same.

Students and... Monkeys

It was my last day of teaching. For some reason, the school decided to keep all of the fire hydrants in the entire school in my room. And, because of this, they wanted me to travel around to the students classrooms for the week. I am one of the only teachers in the school that has her own classroom. All of the other teachers travel while the students stay in their own homeroom classroom. It's sort of like what we're used to in the States, except backwords. The teachers travel and the students have their own classroom!

Yeah, weird, I know!

So I was traveling around to my students classrooms and, as I was standing in the classroom, waiting for all of my students to arrive, I felt a little... tap, tap, tap on my shoulder.

I turned around and, as I did, one of my students (a rather outgoing boy) gave me a big hug. It was so funny because, as he hugged me, he looked over at his friends and gave this big dopey smile/silent laugh communicating; "Haa! Look what I'm getting away with!!!" to his friends.

Oh, the mind of a Korean middle school boy! I just think it's hilarious that he thought giving me a hug was so "rebellious" or "daring." So funny!

In other news, I just went on a retreat with my church! It was a great time to connect with God and some people at church. We had a great time in prayer, fellowship, hiking, and.... other stuff!

In the video, Trevor and Pastor Bill are the two guys standing as the base and Nate is the crazy guy climbing all over them! It was a fun retreat!

Flowers in Spring

I had a great day on Friday.... interesting though because it started off a little rough!

When I was getting ready in the morning, I forgot to switch the shower nozzle back to the sink setting after I showered. SOOOO, when I went to brush my teeth, I SOAKED my right arm with cold water from the shower!

This was my reaction:
"AARRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!! Hahahahahaaa!!!"

I was too lazy to change, so I went to school with a wet sleeve. It dried.... eventually...

At school, I got to see Inji again!! I haven't seen her since the middle of December and I REALLY missed her! She is such a blessing in my life! What a bright character she is! She's like a shining beacon of light walking around in human form! Seriously, everyone loves her! She's just so bright! After a while, I had to leave my seat because too many people were coming over to give her hugs and I was feeling claustrophobic!

Then, after a while, Kong and I went to the bank. We were there FOREVER! But, it was fun! She and I really enjoy talking together. It's so weird that I would connect really well with a 46 year old Korean woman... but I do. We just click! After the bank, we went out to lunch together and she told me some stories about when she was dating her husband. She's so funny. She's so restless and feels so caged. All her life, it seems she's been struggling against something... parents, poverty, husband, babies, there's always something keeping her from what she wants. *Sigh* I wish she could see how blessed she really is, but she wants more out of life. I think she just wants to really live! She needs Jesus!

When we got back to school, I found a bouquet of flowers on my desk! I was so impressed, because so many homeroom teachers were getting flowers from their students and gifts from their students, but I never expected to get anything! The flowers were from a teacher that I see everyday, but I never talk to. We always kind of smile shyly at each other whenever we see each other, but we've never talked before! Such a surprise!

Then, a male teacher that I've talked to a few times came over to my desk. He told me that he was leaving the school... it was his 5th year (every 5 years teachers rotate schools) and he wanted to say goodbye to me. He said that I've gotten thinner since I've been in Korea and he wishes me goodluck for the rest of my time here...

Wow.... I really didn't know what to say!

I managed to mutter out a thank you for the weight "compliment" and also wished him good luck at his next school. Inji said she thinks he's in love with me! She's so dumb!

Then, as Inji was leaving, she told me that she wanted to go to a spa with me... a naked spa! Now, doing this is fairly normal in Korea. Most Koreans have no problem getting naked in front of each other at spa's and so her request wasn't that strange...

I tried to explain to her that my body is "disgusting" but she wouldn't accept that. She patted my stomach and said "No! So cute! Like your face! I want to see!" Oh my goodness! I love Koreans, but I do NOT want to show my body off to them! Especially if I'll ever see them again afterwords!

But then, just before she left, she gave me a bouquet of flowers and a little note!
The note reads:

"Hil,

It is my heart!
I wanna send this flower to you with spring!
Someday in Feb. let's meet soon with Jungah.

I missed you very much!

Love,
Inji"

*Sigh* She is so good... God is so good! I am so blessed!