These Pictures Say It All!

Liuyan and I at dinner. She's on of my adult students and probably my favorite student! She just invited me to go out with her... I'm not sure what we're doing, but I'm excited to be meeting with her.


These are four of my adult students, Kim Ok-soon, Liuyan, me, Hay, and Kim Yun-hee. I like all of these ladies so much. Hay is so funny, she's so little, but she's a fiesty little one!



Ok... I was in a dance with some of my co-workers... notice how I'm going in the opposite direction as everyone else! I rock at dancing!



Here I seem to be doing the right thing... I had so much fun, but I definately look like the chubby kid in the back! *Sigh* Koreans are tiny!



The two guys in the dance were so funny! I was hoping they would stand out more than me seeing as they were wearing skirts..... sadly my RED hair is just unmissable in the back there!


I'm having a good time here. What's going on with you??

More to come later! MUCH love!

Hil

Random Sights...

* A young man stumbling along the sidewalk... bloody, scraped up and disoriented... I think he was hit by a car!

* Two adolescent girls having a HUGE FIGHT on the subway! I got involved in that one... I helped this guy shove one of the girls and her mother off the train to separate the two. Hair, buttons, shoes and random articles of clothing were all strewn on the ground after that! WHEW!

* Two crazy Korean men checking me and Leigh out while we waited for a subway car... one on each side of us. We laughed, tried not to look at the guys, and left.

* A subway car SO full that there was no possible way anyone else could fit in it... somehow 5 Koreans managed to squeeze in while Leigh and I stood and looked on in amazement! There were faces, literally shoved up against the windows... very comical until we dove in ourselves and realized that our hands had to find some place to rest... and it was normally right against the butt of the person in front of you... not to mention the many hands grabbing and pulling on your legs, coat, and... other areas! Leigh's' breath smelled nice, thank goodness!

* My adults students turn from just my students into my friends!

* My middle school students turn from just kids in my class to my kids in my class!

* Such wonderful generosity and kindness that I am speechless. I know I like to share the shocking and bizarre stories... but I can't express to you how wonderful so many people have made me feel here. The generosity and consideration is beyond anything that I'm accustomed to. I have been truly blessed. Thank you, God.

Thank you all for you love. I feel I am a very rich young woman in love and friendship. I don't know how to express my gratitude and appreciation, but know that I am both very grateful and appreciative! I love you!

Hil

Connections... It's All About the People!

I had one of the best days ever on Friday. I'm slowly beginning to realize that my co-workers really do care about me.... really. They're not just putting on a show.


The teacher who sits right next to me... In-ji... she stays late at school almost everyday. Really late and on Friday, I asked her how late she would be at school, fully expecting her to say that she wouldn't be there that late because it was a Friday and she had plans or something like that...



"In-ji. When are you going to leave school today?"
"Umm.. Maybe 9 0'clock."
"WHAT??"
"I KNOW! But, I very busy!"
"You're a nerd!"
"NO! I opposite of nerd!"
"No, you're a nerd! How do you say nerd in Korean?"

"Bumsing. I am no Bumsing."

"In-ji, you're a bumsing!"


At this point, when I called In-ji a bumsing, other teachers in the area popped their heads up and started laughing because they knew what I was talking about and agreed with me! Pretty soon, there were about six teachers standing around and they were all telling me how to say "I am a nerd, I am "cool", you are a nerd and you are "cool" in Korean." Then some of the other teachers were saying that they were "Nalari" (which is cool) or bumsing. It was so much fun to connect with them... many of the teachers didn't even speak English, but they understand a lot of what was being said.


Then, the cool music teacher whose desk is in my row, said something in Korean and looked down, as if she were pouting...

"She said, she is jealous of the English teachers."

"Why?"
"Because they can speak to you and spend time with you often."

My heart was full. Not that I like it when people are jealous, it's just great to know that the teachers think I am someone worth getting to know and invest in.

Also, there's an interesting... project that I'm working on with some of the other teachers... I'll just say that the dance parties that I had at Bethel (and we had some good ones!) were nothing compared to what's coming... more on that later!

Below are some pictures of me with some of the younger teachers at school who are working on the secret project with me. In-ji is the one with her hood up in one picture and on my right in the other... she is, most definitely, on of the neatest people I have ever met! And, she's so popular at school too... she's really not a nerd... she's Nalari!

Picture This....

Some of the bus drivers here must deal with suppressed rage. They must feel that they have to prove something to the world... or at least to other Korean drivers by being the WORST DRIVERS IN THE WORLD! I believe the bus driver who took me home today is one of those men.

Imagine, if you will, a city bus; handles hanging down from the ceiling, seats along the sides... a spacious isle... can you see the inside of a city bus? Now picture me, hanging on to two handles with all of my might while my feet fly up towards the windshield because the crazy bus driver alternately stomps on the break and gas. I kid you not, I nearly flew today! There was definitely at least one point in the ride where I was horizontal.

I mean, the guys only got about 100 yards to cover before he's going to have to break, but do you think he's going to just mosey up to the stop??? HECK NO! I think it was his goal to see how many people he could get to fall down... or to see how close he could get to the car in front of him before he SMASHED on the breaks!

I kept looking up at his face to see if there was any remorse or feeling.. or human spark in this man's eyes... I could only see a dull void. I would have tried to feel bad for him if I didn't have to concentrate so hard on staying on my feet during the bus ride... it was really bad folks... really bad!

On the up side... I survived. And, I can't wait to go out and try again. Oh, I also just joined a gym. It's right across the street from me and the people who work there seem super nice. I met a guy there who speaks English really well. His name is June, and he's really nice and helpful! I just wish I could hear better.. and I wish I looked a little better after I work out... you know trying to flirt with a boy while sweating and disgusting doesn't always do much for you! JK!

Love you, miss you, praying for you!

Hil

I'm Really Starting to Like it Here!

I realized today that I'm really starting to like it here... it's more than just having good experiences and adventures... I feel content, I feel comfortable.

I'm slightly worried about coming back home. I almost feel as if I've moved away from the English language... it's English only in theory. I speak some sort of Konglish that helps me to be understood by my students and Koreans in general. When I come back to the States I'm afraid that I won't be able to understand anything... "THAT"S TOO MUCH ENGLISH AT ONCE! TALK SLOWER PLEASE!" Because of course speaking loudly helps people understand you!

And, what if I get a teaching job (which I really hope I do)... I think I'm going to have to re-learn how to teach. I'm not going to be used to my students understanding what I'm saying!

I had a fun day today. I gave out Oreos to the students who had the most participation points in each class. I think my point was made about participation and how much I value it. Nothing speaks louder than cookies! During lunch, I ate with some of my co-teachers. One co-teacher and I had already had a class together and I asked her if she thought the students enjoyed the Oreos... she said a little bashfully, "Oh yes! I like the Oreos."

Soooo... after lunch, on my way to share my Oreos with my co-teacher, (her name is Yu Mi-kyun and she's the best co-teacher I have) I suddenly became surrounded by a bunch of "hungry" girls who "like cookies!" It's funny how their English becomes so much better when I have food. I almost had to run away, they were like leeches...

I like to play a game with my upper level students. I have all of the students put their heads down and shut their eyes. Then one by one (the students are in groups so, one by one in each group) the students are to look up and read a word I've written on the board. After each person in the group has a word, I say "Go!" and they all have to put their individual words together to make a sentence. Once the team thinks they have the sentence in the correct order (word order) they raise their hands (or more realistically, scream and yell for me to come over) and they have to say the sentence out loud in the correct order. If they are the first team to do this, each person on the team gets a participation point (and after today's Oreos... they all really wanted participation points!)!

Today, during the game, when it was all quiet and they were waiting for their words... a boy in a seat right next to where I was standing farted really loudly! I couldn't stop laughing. Also, today I was having students complete a worksheet. One of the answers on the worksheet was "Shirt." Now, some of the students have trouble spelling... one boy today misspelled shirt... I'll let you figure that one out. I laughed at that one too, but couldn't explain to anyone why I was chuckling.

Well, that's all for today... more adventures to come. I'd love to hear more from all of you. Receiving emails from you is like getting a little hug! Keep 'em coming!

Hil

My Co-Workers Stay at School Until 8 in the Evening

My New Nickname... "Crazy Korean Man Magnet!"

For some reason, I always get the crazy men coming up to me, wanting to be... friendly. My theory is that most Koreans have never seen anyone as strange looking as me, but that's up for debate.

The milk here smells like corn and tastes like... bad. I think it's probably octopus milk or something like that. Or corn milk.. they make everything out of corn and rice here.. I wouldn't be surprised!

I'm continually thankful, God continues to bless me with relationships and opportunities to build on my faith. I am so unaware and take advantage of God's good grace and love in my life. This week was a rough one for me, but it became clear to me that I really am in the center of God's will. So many people rose up to show me that I am loved, valued and thought well of. I have found that, being in the center of God's will is the safest place to be and it's only by my very human and base thoughts and actions that lead me to fall away from what is good and right. Thank you, God, for your protection, love and grace. Where would I be without it!

I love you all. And I miss you. Please keep in touch through email and prayers.

In HIM who knows all things.