Moments

Yesterday I went to band practice with some of my co-workers (I'm playing the bass guitar in our school festival....shhh) and ended up being the only one who practiced.

I've never played the bass guitar before, but Songsook taught me how and has been a fabulous teacher. Normally, all the band members practice and I kind of blend in with all of the instruments, but yesterday, it was just me.

Songsook and Misook and a Pak Junsoon were all there, standing around me as I played, singing along. We went over the song about six or seven times and as I played, Songsook teacher (she's the band leader and a music teacher) tapped the beat out on my back.

The last practice run went really well; all of the teachers sang and I played with only minor mistakes. They were standing very near me, all of the teachers surrounding me in a small circle and after finishing, there was a moment when we all kind of looked at each other, smiling and felt warm and close.

Do you ever have those moments? Moments when you feel very warm and close? Moments where you almost can't look each other in the face cause you know you'll be blushing and they'll be beaming and you can feel the affection coming from everyone and no one's speaking and you don't want to leave because you don't want to leave the warmth. You don't want to leave being close...

But, then the spell breaks and you rush away, saying something silly, trying to hide the color on your cheeks.

I love those 'warm' moments. Moments where you share the same air as someone else; moments when there is silence and joy. Moments when the most natural thing is to hug and grab hands or just lean on each other; moments when you can't remember if you've ever felt more content than right then.

I've had a lot of those moments lately. I think some people here have discovered my how to break into my heart...

Four Months till Three Dimensions

Two of my hooks fell down off my wall and my scarves are all everywhere.

My rug is pink. Light pink...*sigh*

I have to keep my rice cooker on my trash can because I don't have enough room on my counter top for it.

I have about four shirts on each hanger.

I'm missing two pillow cases...

There are scuffs on my walls and dust bunnies under my bed. There are deep grooves cut in my chair (from previous owners, I believe) and my desk looks like a grenade went off on it.

My apartment is a messy, dilapidated, tiny, little box... but it's my messy box.

I'm beginning to wonder how I'm ever going to move all of my belongings from here to home. I have a feeling I'll be leaving a lot of stuff...

But, it's just stuff.

Not much new has been going on in my life here. The biggest and most interesting change has been my new co-teacher, Jin. Having her in my life makes everything different.

Also, I've resigned from the worship team. No biggie.

Now, I'm sitting in my apartment, thinking about how big my life has gotten since coming to Korea and wondering how big my life can be when I return to the U.S. My hope and prayer is that my life can be only more full and that I can be only more fulfilling to the people who's life I am in there. After all, my life here can be so one dimensional... and despite that, I've had a full life here. I hope I can be a real person again when I return to the states. A real person with real responsibilities and goals and hopes and loves.

I think I'm ready. Four months, baby and I'm ready!

Accomplishment

We have bad days sometimes. We all have frustrating 'moments' and unfortunate 'episodes'.

This weekend was one of those 'moments' for me.

First of all, I went on a hike of death with Nate, Ruda and Sharon on Friday along with about 8,000 other Koreans who decided to go hiking that day too. I would just like to ask... who thinks climbing about 38 million stairs up to the top of a mountain is a good way to spend the day??? Sign me up for the next opportunity to make my heart feel like it's going to explode every 4 seconds and then, make my legs feel like they're going to shake off my body!

It was terribly... challenging.

So, of course, my body hated me on Saturday. My legs were constantly reminding me that I had grossly abused them the day before and they were not about to do anything for me that concerned stairs.

NOTHING!

So, I was moving slowly, but it was Ruda's birthday party out in Ilsan and I was supposed to bring vegetables. I was also supposed to bring my guitar and meet a couple of girls who didn't know the way. I was having trouble connecting with one girl... we were on the same subway platform, but far away from each other. When the subway came, I texted her to get on, but then was having trouble making it on myself.

Just as the doors were closing, I managed to get my foot stuck in the subway door while the rest of my body was stuck in the glass doors that separate the rails from the platform. I managed to pull my foot out, but my sandal got stuck in the doors of the subway. And, because I was carrying my guitar on my back, because I was sore from the mountain of death, I was slow in bending down to retrieve my sandal.

Yes, my sandal fell down the crack onto the railings. MY SANDAL FELL DOWN ONTO THE SUBWAY RAILS!!!!!

"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"

All these ajuma's were trying to help me, but what could they do, really? I just lost my shoe. I JUST LOST MY SHOE!!!

I'm standing there with my guitar on my back, a bunch of vegetables and one shoe.

Fortunately, there was a little mall in that subway so I was able to go and buy some new shoes. Then, we made our way to Ilsan and had a nice little party (I spilled dip right on the front of my shirt). Then I went to worship practice (missed a motorcycle ride with Cory because of my impatience DARN IT!) and then took an hour taxi home with Michael, Angela and David (this taxi ride normally takes half an hour).

Rough. It was a rough.

Here are some photos of the hike of death!

Despite it all; accomplishment. Amen.

NERDOM

I didn't have any classes today.

It was kind of nice. Kind of boring, but kind of nice. I took in my external hard drive and watched a movie.

It was nice.

I had my adult class tonight. My students have decided that I am a nerd or, directly translated, an "ideal student".

I think "ideal student" gives the word "nerd" a much better connotation.... don't you? However, I don't know if I can agree with being an ideal student. I think the word "nerd" more capitulates who and what I am...

NERD!!!!

Who says that?!?!?!!

IF YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND, I'M THE FIRST IN LINE! HONEY, I'M STILL FREE; TAKE A CHANCE ON ME!

I love that song! And, Julie Walters is just about the funniest actress I have seen in a LONG time!

"If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown, Honey I'm still free, take a chance on me!"

So, it's days like today that make me think this:

"I could do this for a long while. Longer than just another 6 months." This being the whole living in Seoul and teaching English thing.

The bulk of my day is spent at school and therefore, my feelings about Seoul and my life in Korea often come from how I feel about my life at school. Often times my life at school is not very pleasant. My school like often makes me think this:

"I WANT TO GO HOME NOW!"

But, not today. I really liked my lesson today. I was teaching prepositions and adjectives, which feels like really teaching English, so I really liked it. Also today, it was my after school activities that really made me like Korea. It's the little things sometimes.

After school on Mondays and Wednesdays, starting today, I'm teaching an adult class. The class starts at 7 and finishes at 9. So, after school today, I went to the little Kimbap place that I always go to and ordered Kimchi mandu to go (which is what I normally do) for my dinner. The lady who normally takes my order wasn't there, but her husband was there and her mother was there cooking as well. They all know me pretty well cause I go in there all the time, so it's no big deal, I just go in, order my mandu to go, get it, pay and then leave.

Well, today, I only had 1 dollar on me so I was going to pay with my card. But, when I went to pay, the guy said they didn't have a "card option" (of course all of these conversations are carried out in Korean). And, I was like... "Uhh.. I only have one dollar..."

So, just as I was about to leave my kimchi mandu and run out the door to find more cash, the guy was like "Don't worry about it. Just give me that dollar and then pay the rest tomorrow."

SERIOUSLY! I have a tab at this place now! How sweet is that!!!!

Then, I went to my adult class and it was great! I have some of my old students and they were so happy that I was back! I was thrilled to see them too! Old friends are so great!

Then, I came home and went on a run and found out that there's a new little grocery store right next to me! It's like a little tiny Kroger, right next to my house! They sell cereal and fruit! They sell fabric softener. They sell octopus and squid! It's so great! I'm so happy they're there! The people working there were so friendly too!

I got some cereal, fruit, crackers and fabric softener. Yay!

Then, I went back to my little kimbap place and paid off my tab. This time, the lady who normally talks to me was there and her husband was out. When I gave her the money, she was confused and thought I wanted more food; but with my stellar Korean speaking abilities, I was able to make her understand that I was just paying what I already owed!

"Kimchi mandu [I pointed to the money I had just given her] upsighyo."

If you were there and you spoke a little Korean you would understand this to mean:

"I already had some of your delicious Kimchi mandu, but could only pay a dollar for it. So here's the rest of your money. Thank you so much, you guys are so great!"

Or

"Kimchi mandu [point finger to indicate the money] I don't have."

At any rate, that was all solved and we all left happy. Or, I ran out before they could give me any money back. Yeah...

Anyways... now I'm home and full of fruit and good feelings!

Hope you are all full of good things too!


Love, prayers, good things,


Hil

Muuido

So, Muuido was fun.

Here are some pictures of our exploits. For more, check out my facebook!

Ruda thought we were falling.... but we weren't.

Nate found a good place to jump off into the water! TWISING JUMP!!

That's a flip... I think!

Waahhh!!!

Pretty cool...

Chusok and other Things

FINALLY, it's the weekend!

And, Happy Chusok (Korean Thanksgiving)!!!!!

I have a four day weekend coming up so some friends and I will be heading to Muuido, a small Island off the West coast of Korea. I think this will be the last opportunity for all of us to enjoy the sun and the water before hunkering down for the long Winter.

School has been going so well since my new co-teachers have joined my team. I love having Changok back. Almost nothing has changed. She's still the same, independent, intelligent, quirky, warm woman I knew before she left. I told her today that's she's a weird Korean, but that's why I like her so much.

Not sure how she felt about that, but it's really the truth. She's a weirdo!


Last year (wow, I can't believe I just said last year...) after Chusok, our school had a festival. A kind of fun, game day that we had at this big park. There was a talent show and this was when I participated in the "Tell Me" dance along with some of the other teachers.

This year, I have been asked to play the base guitar for two songs in this little band made up of some cool, cool teachers. Do I know how to play the base guitar..... no, but how hard can it be, right?? Right???

I mean, there's only 4 strings... and you just pluck them.... how hard could it be???


Now, I'd like to end this post with a question.... and I would really like some responses to this question to hear your thoughts.

Why is it when some people are so accomplished, so gorgeous, so likable and so eager to please, they are often so lonely?

In case you're wondering, I'm not referring to myself... I'm not many of those things... it's just a question.

I'd love your thoughts!

Love, Prayers and All Good Things,

Hil