Laugh as much as you breathe, love as long as you live.

gifts

2010-12-11T21:44:00.007-06:00

She's hates me. She's hated me for 10 months. I'm not sure what I did, or what I said, or what reason she has, but it has been nasty. I've been told that I smile too much and that I'm obnoxiously happy all the time and I'm supposing that these would be the reasons for her disdain. Regardless, it has been uncomfortable. No... miserable. And I have my opinions of her too. They are not pretty opinions. They're pretty ugly opinions actually, thoughts that I don't think I'd like to make into words.

We'll come back to this situation a little later.

In my last post I asked you to recount the most amazing gift you'd ever received, and how that made you feel. Your answers were beautiful. I can resonate with some of the experiences listed. I also smile with joy at the ones too wonderfully unique for me to fully comprehend. Thank you for sharing them.

It's the season for gifts isn't it? People are shopping around frantically for the best deals. This evening while I was getting my nails done a grandmother came to buy this certain color of precise frosted blue nail polish for her 12 year old grand daughter. She was a little flustered that none of the colors were quite right. I smiled realizing how far we go sometimes for the perfect gift, even little gifts like nail polish :)

In all of this festive hulla-balloo, and given my conditions in life, I've been thinking a lot about gifts, mostly how I often feel so undeserving of them!

I'm 28 years old and sometimes I think I'm SO FAR away from where I should be at my age. It's a shameful feeling. I've had some amazing life experiences and I wouldn't trade them for all the money in the world (cliche, but true!) but in the end, here I am juggling my never-enough paycheck with insistent bills that I wish I could just ignore! And I'm still renting, budgeting things I never thought I could budget (like toilet paper), and in some moments fearing what's next. I just know that I could be so much more! I could be making so much more of a difference! People say that my parents are proud of me, but I can't help but think "Why?" I'm 28 years old and they are STILL coming to my rescue, often. I wonder if I'd have such generous love if the tables were turned. I certainly hope I would. I have the most amazing examples to learn from. Anyway, anyway... let me continue.

Recently, my parents gave me a gift. It was absolutely unexpected. And I am incredibly undeserving. I stood there to receive something, so huge, absurdly generous, and... well, how was I supposed to respond?

When someone gives you a gift, what do you do?

You take it.

It's a gift. Gift. NOUN. Something given voluntarily without payment in return, as to show favor toward someone, honor an occasion, or make a gesture of assistance; present.

So I took the gift, and spent the next several days with tear filled eyes thinking about the reality of my parent's kindness. It's absurd. Selflessness is so hard to comprehend! I just don't feel worthy of such generosity, and I also feel guilty in some way that there are so many people with deeper needs than my own. I realize that even though I don't feel like I deserve the gift, I know that I need it.

Well, I'm learning that the proper response to a gift is first gratitude, and then good stewardship. I'm still figuring out what that looks like.

I spoke with a friend recently who asked "Is there anything in life that is NOT a gift?" Good question. Well, if that's true, and if gratitude and good stewardship are the proper responses... then I think I need to have an attitude shift in a few areas of my life.

I am living now with an amazing gift, or really LOTS of amazing gifts and it is ever important for me to think about what good stewardship looks like. And just as I've been given these gifts, it's another gift altogether to learn how to pay them forward.

So we drew names for "Secret Santa" and out of a whole mix of names I drew HER NAME! Immediately I thought "Hell no! I can't buy her a Christmas present!" And then I heard this voice loud and clear and strong (in my heart at least), a voice that said "Oh yes you can, and you WILL".

And I thought about paying my gifts forward. Maybe I feel like she is undeserving, but I've been learning very vividly that we don't receive gifts because we deserve them. We receive gifts because we are loved. Pride aside, no... pride trashed, it is an honor to bless her for Christmas. And I will bless her with as much generosity as I can muster because we are alive because we are given the gift of life and I must learn that we survive by the gift of love...RECEIVED, AND GIVEN.

deserving

2010-11-23T21:42:00.003-06:00

This photo has absolutely no connection with what I'd like to write about.
This photo was taken at bedtime on my last night with Solomon. He was really sick. He was also 17 years old. I was thinking about him today and how much I miss him. That cat heard all my stories. He was my closest buddy through all the most critical formative years of my life. He heard about every boyfriend, every crush, every over-dramatic situation. He watched me grow up. Pets certainly are special gifts aren't they? I wonder if you remember a pet similar to my Solomon? Anyway, I thought I'd post this photo in honor of him today.

I've been aching to blog for a while now. I'm finally in a more stable place in life, in a place where I have things worth sharing. I'm growing again. I'd like to be more consistent with sharing my life and my photos with you. For all of you who have been begging for me to write... this is for you :) I cannot promise anything astounding. Living in Korea provided endless entertainment screaming to be shared! But those days are over and I'm not sure how many great stories I can pull from my 8:00-5:00 life at US Bancorp Fund Services. I'll try though, I'll try. Currently, my puppy is shredding a pair of underwear she pulled from the hamper and prancing around the room as if she's won the Canine Nobel Prize. I suppose I've got a story right there eh?

Now, I'm going to try something new, and I'm relying on YOU to help me! I'll fail without your help! I'm in the midst of writing on a certain topic and I'd like to ask you a question. Your answers may or may not help me write, and I may or may not share pieces of your thoughts in my next post. Feel free to be an anonymous commenter.

What's the most generous gift you've ever received and how did it make you feel?

delicious

2010-07-05T23:37:00.003-05:00

I just made this fantastic quinoa salad and I just HAVE to share it with you!
Quinoa (pronounced Keen Wah) seems to be a relatively unknown grain but it's just delicious and so easy to cook and it is SOOO good for you! Do a google search for "quinoa nutrition" and you'll learn heaps of great things about it!
But here, I'll just share the recipe:

1 cup uncooked quinoa
some quartered cherry or grape tomatoes
some zucchini diced up
some cucumber diced up
some red onion diced up

Dressing:
some cilantro chopped up
1 lime
2 tbsp olive oil
1-2 tbsp sugar

Boil 1 1/2 cup of water + 1 cup quinoa.
Once boiling, turn heat down to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
Then let it cool off.

(While quinoa is cooking...) Make the dressing. Zest the lime. Then juice the lime. Add olive oil, sugar, and cilantro. This makes just enough dressing to lightly coat the salad.

Pour dressing over all the chopped veggies. Then mix in the cooled quinoa.

YUM! It's light, refreshing, and really healthy! You can also add black beans!

If you try this, let me know what you think, or if you'd change anything!

a pinch of creativity

2010-06-19T11:05:00.003-05:00

"Enthusiasm is excitement

with inspiration,

motivation,

and a pinch of creativity.”

(just a quote i read somewhere)

I don't consider myself an artist, but I find an incredible sense of satisfaction in dreaming up ways to renew old things. My home is full of former rejects, things people threw on the curb, things that had no value or beauty left in them. My father trained me well :) to collect these possible gems, to see elaborate potential in them, to make and enjoy incredible things without spending a fortune.

I'm a bit obsessed with my most recent project.

Lacking counter space in my new place I needed some piece of furniture to work as my coffee and tea station. AND I'm on a budget which means the cheaper the better. And FREE is always a great option!

And late one night, driving down my alley, I found the perfect reject. Covered in grease and cobwebs and crawling with moths... I knew it was exactly what I needed.

After some painting and loving and imagining... Voila!

It's a fantastic addition to my kitchen!

And while I was photographing my renewed masterpiece, I snapped a few photos of my new apartment. Just a few... Maybe you can notice some of the other renewed rejects :)

new growth

2010-06-13T01:05:00.002-05:00

This is a season of growth. I'm learning how to be content with a life that is different than I had expected. (Not that this is an eternal place for me...but an unexpected season.) And I'm not just learning to be okay with it, I'm learning to be thrilled with how beautiful the ordinary can be! I'm finding ways to spice up the hum-drum routine of my lifestyle. And since I'm stationary for a while, I'm given the opportunity to practice the skills and habits that are important to me. I'm getting more involved, building stronger relationships, and just trying to be overall more intentional with the choices I make. Not always easy... but like I said, it's a season of growth.

Keeping with this theme of "growth" it's fitting that I planted my very first vegetable garden! Not without the help of my expert-gardening-relatives of course! But today I harvested my first 3 radishes. In the picture you will find only 2 radishes. That's because I pulled the first one out of the ground, brushed off the dirt, and ate it. Yummy and spicy!

But oh the things you learn from a garden! Let me bullet point a few things for you.

I can have the most excellent and strategic plan for planting the most elaborate garden but it is ultimately beyond my power to make anything grow. I have to trust and hope.
How amazing it is that huge and fruitful plants grow from just the tiniest seed!
Fighting against pests can be so tiring but I know it is important to protect the things that are valuable so the fight is worth it.
Eating fresh vegetables, especially those that I've watched grow from seed is so fulfilling and rewarding and exciting!

Well, enough about the garden for now. I've only harvested 3 radishes. I'll have more to write soon when I am swimming in zucchini and begging for recipes!

More to come. Thanks so much for reading!

This is my garden. It has grown so much already since I snapped this photo! It's about 4 x 20 and includes 3 kinds of tomatoes, 3 kinds of lettuce, radishes, carrots, beets, cucumbers, eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, butternut squash, corn, sweet potatoes, green beans, kidney beans, and nasturtium.

where has she been???

2010-06-09T21:33:00.002-05:00

If you haven't noticed already, I don't tend to live a lifestyle of permanency. I think I can admit that the words "long-term" kind of freak me out a little. I'm not sure that I have a full-blown fear of commitment, but I do think I'm afraid of dedicating myself to the wrong things, or maybe I'm just afraid of wasting my time on things that won't be fulfilling for me, or for others. I'm going to be 28 years old this summer, and as silly as this sounds (especially to my readers who are umm... more "mature" than I am) I feel like I'm running out of time to do all that I dream of doing. Or maybe I'm just running out of time to dream! At my age, people are supposed to be married, or starting their families or buying homes. By the standards of my culture, I should at least have chosen a career, and should have much more than my mere $1,000.00 invested in a 401k. But here I am, this aging oddball, who hasn't rested for more than 2 years in any location ever since high school graduation 10 years ago.

6 months ago I shared with you the great news of a new job, new apartment, and renewed life here in Milwaukee. I'm happy to report that all is going well, and perhaps even better than I had imagined. It took me a while to get used to the 8:00-5:00 lifestyle again. And it has been a humbling challenge to get re-accustomed to the cost of living here in America. Budgeting creatively has become a new hobby among other things. But I am here, and happy. And though I'm aching to travel again (and will soon) I think I'm content with the idea of sticking around for a while.

Shocking? (My dad thinks so.)

After filling my blog with adventurous stories and cultural exchange mishaps, and photos from places many people can only dream of going... it has been really difficult for me to keep blogging. How can I top my scuba diving experience on the Great Barrier Reef? Or my video of eating live octopus? Or the stories from my silly students? Seriously... my life is pretty mundane and it's hard to imagine anyone would care to read about me at all.

But then again, I do have a life worth sharing, don't I?

And you do too!

So, I'm back! I have some things to share with you, like recent projects, some photos of my new living space, and even some thoughts that have been stirring inside of me.

Here goes... stories from the life of a young-professional, post-adventurous travels, and still making her mark on this world.

Do I still have any readers? Leave a comment and let me know you're here!

who's its and what's its and why nots and WHAT'S UP?!!

2009-11-05T10:55:00.003-06:00

Well well, what have I been up to? Certainly not blogging!!!

The biggest news is that I've landed a job! And a great one at that! Beginning November 16th I'll be working as a Mutual Funds Specialist for USbancorp in downtown Milwaukee. I'm extremely excited about this new opportunity and definite adventure! I know I'm going to be challenged and I'm going to learn a lot. I feel undeservedly blessed to have been offered this job. I know people who have been searching for work for months and months, and this has all happened quite quickly for me. In fact, it took only 6 days from the time I submitted my application to the time I received the phone call with the offer. And from all that I've learned so far, I think I'm going to really love it!

In other news (the second biggest news!) I signed a lease for my new apartment! Mom and I spent the entire day yesterday scrubbing and cleaning previous tenants gross gunk off of everything :( but it looks and smells fantastically clean now and I'm painting tomorrow and moving in on Saturday and I will MOST DEFINITELY have pictures up soon. It's a charming little apartment in my favorite area of Milwaukee and walking distance to most of my friends and my church. It's also right on the bus line so my commute to work will be a cinch!

And now that I'm not spending every waking moment in front of a computer browsing job openings, or at Kinko's printing resumes, or re-wording my cover letters.... I've been letting my creative energy run wild. Grr...... haha.

Years ago, in my early teen years, the neighbors threw this little cabinet on the curb. For some reason I snatched it from its demise and ever since it has been one of my favorite pieces of furniture. I know it's nothing special, but I love it.
Well as you can see, (this is post-sanding) it needed some love. I told mom and dad that it needed to be "born again". So I spent some time out in dad's garage and well... you can see the results.

Now, if you're confused, it is SUPPOSED to look old still, but with a new charm. And after I took this photo I dusted it and polished it a bit more so bear that in mind. But I'm planning to use it for a TV stand in my new apartment. We'll see...

Finally, I thought I'd reminisce for a moment.

In mid-July I was watching the sun rise over Trinity Beach in Cairns, Australia with my treasure-of-a-friend Michelle. We were talking about life and future dreams. At that point, I didn't really know what life was going to look like post-travels. I was planning to return home in September and after that everything was one big uncertin cloud. But for some reason, sitting there on Trinity Beach I felt comfortable. I remember telling Michelle "I don't really know what I'm going to do with my life, but I really feel like God is going to guide me every step of the way and I'm just not worried."

Well Michelle had it in her mind to make a reminder for me, so that I'd keep that calm faith, so that I'd remember to trust God and believe that he truly is GOD! She scribbled in the sand for me. (see below) And for real, it has been a picture in my mind ever since!

I've had a few meltdown moments as my finances have been dwindling. I had some angry moments. (...moments where dad had to say "Hey watch your mouth!") And at times I've felt like all of my adventures and experiences have been nothing but a waste of time and money. But I'm human, and I have emotions, and sometimes it's just really hard to get past my own control of everything (see previous blog post). BUT I WILL SAY that this memory from Trinity Beach has indeed kept me thankful. I've been ever-reminded to thank God for all of his provision whether that be finances, food, a bed, a family, a church, or delightful french-pressed coffee. And I guess I just hope that someone else can read this and be encouraged. God is so faithful, he really really is. And I'm saying that now as I'm at the other end of the tunnel. But truly, honestly, I was saying it and believing it all the way through. Sometimes I felt a bit schizophrenic being frustrated and hopeful at the same time. But as a good teacher Greg Laughery always says "Life is all about tension".

So be encouraged. And thank you THANK YOU thank you for all of your prayers, your notes, your support, your time, for buying me breakfasts and coffee and making me dinners and for cleaning my apartment and for helping me afford security deposits and for letting me share my life with you. I'm a blessed blessed girl.

Stay tuned!

provision

2009-10-23T23:59:00.004-05:00

(surfer alongside China Walls in Hawaii 08/2009)

Wow, it's been so long since I've written. I've certainly been busy while also being bored out of my mind. Or at times I've been cripplingly frustrated, while also feeling quietly at peace. How does that even work??? I know... I must be crazy.

Let me capture for you the reality of my life at present.

I'm home in Zion, nesting with my incredible parents who are generous enough to support me and keep me encouraged to the best of their ability and energy. I am unemployed. I have decreasing finances. My best of friends live an hour's drive away. And I have this nagging craving for kimchi that is quite the challenge to settle! I've been home for 2 months now and I spend most of my days online searching for jobs, writing cover letters, sending off my shining resume, and taking the family dog for walks to ease my nerves. I've filled out 5,056,413 applications for employment and have eaten at least that many dark chocolate Reese's Peanut Butter cups. I've had moments of careless frolicking, and moments of writhing tears. Never a dull moment... never.

It's maddening when you don't have control over your life. I'm living with my parents, they are providing food for me, and often filling my fuel tank. Mom has been thinning her closet and giving me piles of her unwanted clothes. I spent this past week in Milwaukee but was depending a fair bit on inviting myself to people's homes so I could share in their dinners. In my job-search, I can't help but admit that "it's all about who you know" and I've been re-kindling any connection that might work towards my benefit. Plainly speaking, I can't really do anything on my own right now. Lame...

...or not.

The thing is, we're not really in control of our lives, ever, even when we think we are. Right?

I keep thinking to myself "I just need a job... and then I can afford to purchase this or that, and then I can move into an apartment, and then I can afford to eat out, or I can drive to Milwaukee without dreading the cost of gas, or then I can tithe out of a real salary..." I stress about all of this as if it matters most, like I can't be settled until I'm in control again. But since when is it all about me? And since when is it MY power and authority that controls anything that happens in my life? And would I really wish for that control if it could be mine? Heavens no!

During these insecure and monotonous moments, may I be ever aware of God's gentle and abundant provision for me. What a beautiful family I have! My mom prepared the most perfect bedroom for me, painted stylishly with some of my own furniture and everything. Mom has been giving me free roam of the kitchen and the funds to cook anything I crave. Dad has been meeting me at the gas station to fill my tank. My neighbors have been treating me to breakfasts. My friends have been welcoming me into their homes! Other friends have been helping me to find employment and giving me excellent references. My church is only an hour away (which is much better than 2, 3, or 5 hours right?). You see, I have it all, right in front of me, like thoughtful gifts of love. And this is just a season, which will pass like all seasons do. And when I do find a job, and when I'm more financially capable, and when I'm not so reliant on other people... I must remember that I'm still no more in control of my life.

God just provides in different ways. The important thing is that he provides.

whitsundays

2009-09-18T21:28:00.002-05:00

Hi Everyone. Let me fill you in again (briefly) on what's happening with my life.
I'm home, back in Zion, Illinois. Returning to life back in USA has been an adjustment, but I'm staying busy and enjoying almost every moment of it.
Since I was too busy to even think about blogging while I was traveling this summer, I'm updating my favorite memories in little pieces for you. So read back if you'd like and you can see other fun moments from my wanderings through Australia.
As always, thanks for reading! And leave a comment to let me know you stopped by!
Hugs and kisses!
April

Welcome to The Whitsunday Islands, one of the most beautiful places in the world! Captain Cook discovered these Islands back in 1770. I was thinking, how awesome it must have been to discover a place of such rich beauty! What a thing to write home about! Anyway, The Whitsundays are a group of 74 islands along the Queensland coast that make up part of the Great Barrier Reef. The coastal land is nothing special really and Nick and I found ourselves a bit bored. But words really can't describe the stunning beauty seen once you leave the shore and weave through the islands on the bluest water imaginable.

This is a photo shot from Airlie Beach looking out towards the islands.

And here are two people very excited about their vacation!

We boarded a boat called the Mantaray. It became our home for a day of snorkeling and beach bumming and whale watching. (We didn't get to see any whales though.)

This is the Skipper.

Probably the best part of the trip was our stop at Whitehaven Beach. I've never seen anything like it. It's the largest beach in the Whitsundays and it's about a 2 hour boat trip from the coast. I could have spent days there!

We had a little sand sculpture activity. Nick made a whale, and I made a smiling sunshine. You can pick the winner, post your opinion in the comments :)

Vacation...what a beautiful thing...

noosa and beyond

2009-09-13T11:44:00.003-05:00

Our second day on the road we stopped at Noosa Beach, a famous beach on the Sunshine Coast.
We mostly just relaxed, paid an ungodly amount of money to use the internet to let mom and dad know we were safe, and took ice cold showers in the beach house. Refreshing! We also had a nice picnic lunch on the beach which included something like turkey, avocado, brie sanwhiches on raisin bread. Delish!

We had fun watching the kids play.

And even more fun looking at interesting people like this guy!!! Hot!!!

And it gets better! He's got a bare-bottomed son and a little girl who just doesn't quite know how to react to the bare-bottom :-)

And the journey continued... Here are some images from the road.

And then one night I made spaghetti. I had a briliant idea to make garlic bread with English Muffins and butter/garlic. I wrapped them all up in foil and put them on the stove flame. And they were delightfully...ummm.... disgusting.

Let me just say that we ate like royalty on this trip, and only once did we eat at a restaurant. We shopped for groceries and dreamed up our own best camp food ideas and only on the rare occasion were we disappointed. And WOW did we save a lot of money!

meet Dave.

2009-09-08T14:56:00.003-05:00

Nick flew across the world and met me in Brisbane. We rented this snazzy little campervan and named it Dave. Dave was pretty great!

In Australia you drive forward on the left side of the road. Also, the steering wheel is on the right side of the car. This meant that we had to use our left hand to shift gears, and our right hand to work the turn signal, and really... everything was quite backwards! Driving with these changes wasn't as terrifying as I had imagined but it did take a little while to get used to tricky intersections or remembering who had the right-of-way in the round-a-bouts.

Anyway, our first night on the road consisted of just a few hours of driving before we started looking for a place to sleep. I hadn't made any reservations, and to be honest I didn't really know what to expect, or how far we'd drive, or what sorts of things we'd even see along the way. We just started driving. We made it to a small town called Yandina (middle of nowhere) and found a caravan park which was FULL. Figures! So we got back on the road in search of any place where we could rest.
Two seconds later we were pulled over by the police. What?!!! "Nick!!" I said nervously, "What did I do? Am I on the rights side of the road? Did I do something illegal? Was I speeding? Are the lights on?".... What the heck? But the officers were calm and polite and informed us that they were just performing random checks and they needed to test my breath for alcohol. That was a first experience for me. I had to breathe until the machine beeped and then everything was peachy-keen and we could take off again.
In our predicament, I figured I'd ask the officers if they knew of any place for use to sleep. They looked at us, said "You don't look very high maintenance" (not sure if that was a compliment)and then said, "Follow us!" They drove us to a little free roadside camping circle. It was like a rest area, only made for people to camp for the night. No power or water, and just a homely pit toilet, but perfect for us!

And there we camped out for the night.

In the morning we met our neighbor (don't remember her name) and her dog Bessie. Bessie was VERY excited to meet us. We learned that these little camping areas are quiet common along the highways (awesome for people on a budget!) and we learned a few more tips for road-tripping through Queensland. So strangely, I'm really thankful for getting pulled over on that first night of driving. Those police officer's set us up for an excellent driving adventure.

pieces of my vacation

2009-08-21T02:03:00.010-05:00

Hey there faithful readers!
Surprise surprise! I'm here to update again.

I'm enjoying what seems to be a never-ending vacation. I've been traveling since June 23, and every moment, every place has been perfectly perfect.
I told you all that I'd update along the way and I've done a very poor job of that. I just haven't wanted to set aside time to update my blog when I'm surrounded by wonderful friends, people whose company I am rarely able to enjoy.

Where have I been?

From Korea I flew to Melbourne, Australia. I posted a blog about that.
Then I flew to Sydney. I posted a blog about that as well.
Then I flew to Brisbane, met my brother, rented a camper and drove for 1o days up the Queensland coast.
I spent 2 weeks in Cairns and Port Douglas.
Then I returned to Sydney.
After 5 weeks in Australia I flew to Honolulu.
And now, I'm in Seattle.
Whew... I've covered a lot of ground!

I have heaps of photos and even more stories and memories. And I want to share them all with you! But instead of trying to put together a timeline presentation of the entire summer, I have decided to just share random memories and photos.

I'll post every few days and tell you a bit about a certain place or experience and I'll throw in some pictures.
So today I'll tell you about my first scuba dive!

Nick and I drove up the coast of Australia in a campervan. We had such a great time and couldn't have asked for better weather or scenery! We took two fantastic boat tours, the second one was in Cairns, Australia- a city right along the Great Barrier Reef.

We boarded an old lugger ship called the Falla. Though we were on a tour, it didn't feel like a tourist ship. It was more like going out on the water with a bunch of friends. The owner/skipper Doug Meyer was very welcoming and very eager to teach us about the reef and the coral and life at sea. Nick and I hadn't planned on scuba diving, but something changed our mind at the last minute. I think it was just the perfect setting, great people, perhaps some unexpected inspiration.

Now, I have always had a fear of the underwater world. I've always been paranoid of sharks and jellyfish and other such creatures. Somehow though, my fear disappeared as I was guided down below the ship. We saw all sorts of fish, big and small. Take the wonder of snorkeling and multiply it! The colors of the coral were unlike any color I've seen on land. The life, the way things mingle, the traffic of the fish, the movements of the plants, the sounds, the feelings... Going under the sea is like visiting a foreign country. But it was also like entering a sacred temple. It was perhaps the most beautiful place I've ever been. I didn't want to close my eyes. I didn't want to leave.

I don't have any photos from the dive, so I'm sorry I can't share any of the wonder with you. But an underwater camera, though pretty cool, just can't fully capture it. I did however take some pictures while we were on the ship. You can see the amazing color of the water, the cool ship, and hopefully you can imagine what it was like.

Sadly, 2 days after our tour the Falla sank. The ship accidentally hit the reef. No one was hurt, but my heart was really sad! That particular tour was impressive. Doug Meyer (owner/skipper) poured his heart into that ship and he was doing such a swell job. The good news is that the boat was repairable and I think it's already back and running tours.

Cheers to the Falla! And may her sails lead many more people to be inspired by the wonders below the waves!

umm, dear friends. i have an announcement to make. i'm staying here forever. thank you and goodbye.

2009-07-08T19:46:00.047-05:00

These days I'm hanging out with some fine folks in Dee Why. It's just a hop, skip and a jump away from downtown Sydney.
Days are filled with walks along the beaches, watching surfers master giant waves, gazing at dolphins swimming merrily, reading, thinking, eating fine chocolates and cheeses, and enjoying the rich company of friends.

Here's a look at Dee Why Beach.

One night last week we drove up to a place called Northhead for a fantastic view of the city by night. It was very dark, and very cold. But also very cool.

Brennan: What's cooler? My handstand? Or the view?

Kenton: Umm...Does it have to be either/or? Can it be both/and?

April: Speechless... too busy posing dramatically.

They killed me.

April: I....just....wait....THERE! I win! I crossed the line first!

Kenton: Ehh whatever, I let you win.

There's so much to see in Sydney. It seems like every time you turn a corner there's a different sort of style, a different view, a different adventure waiting to happen.

Here's some pictures from my visit to Darling Harbour. I visited the Charles Darwin exibit at the Martime Museum. It was really interesting. My favorite part was reading through some of his letters. He was a profound writer. I never knew that.

This is a pretty good view of the city skyline.

Here's the landmark Opera House.

Kenton and Mike under the Harbour Bridge.

I spent some time hanging out at Circular Quay before catching the ferry back to Manly. There's the Harbour Bridge with some ferries coming in.

On Tuesday Kenton took me to the Blue Mountains. If I were making a list of favorite places, the Blue Mountains would be on that list. I was in reflective awe all day as we hiked and explored. Those three rock formations in the next picture are called the Three Sisters.

And this morning, Kenton and I woke up extra early and walked down to the beach to catch the sunrise. We weren't expecting much because the sky seemed quite cloudy and grey. We were however, dazzled by what felt like a joyful awakening. Even the dolphins were out jumping as we took a walk along the cliffs.

I have had an unforgettable week in Sydney. I'm doubly blessed to be in a beautiful place and also to be with some of my favorite people. I've been spending lots of time in thought, and just trying to search my heart to grow more each day. I finished reading a book called "The Life of the Beloved" by Henri Nouwen. He talks about how much God loves us, but also how everything we do or think is a chance for us to say "Yes, God, I love you too." So as I eat these meals of goodness, and as I see the sky painted with fine artistry, and as I share thoughts and words and laughter with my friends...in all I do may I never forget my place in this world.

God is good. Truly, faithfully, good.

Love you all. Sorry for the slow updates but you can see, I'm not exactly spending much time with my computer. I'm meeting my brother in 2 days and we'll begin our camping trip up the coast. Hooray!!!!

i love this city

2009-06-28T20:28:00.033-05:00

I LOVE MELBOURNE!!!

On Friday Aurelia and I went cycling around the city and she led me to the harbor and beach area. We sat at a lovely cafe on a long pier and drank exquisite espresso.
Then on Saturday we went hiking in what is called the Dandenong Ranges. It was lush and green and smelled of fresh earth and we saw a Kookaburra (but it didn't laugh).
Sunday Aurealia ran a half-marathan and I spent the morning watching fit runners and listening to stage music and cheering everyone on, and feeling inspired to excercize.

I have pictures of all of those days but I have limited internet access and the cafe here is very slooooowly uploading my photos. So below, please enjoy a bit of Melbourne through my eyes.

This is an astoundingly beautiful city, a mixture of all the things I love.
The architecture is vintage Victorian.
The espresso is top-of-the-line!
Public transport is rockin',
fresh markets boast a rainbow of fresh produce,
used book shops beckon you down intriguing alleys,
live music,
colors everywhere,
and the most friendly fun easy-going people you will ever meet.

I can't help but just fall instantly in love with it all!

Yep, it's all over the news here too!

The Queen Victoria Market could perhaps be my favorite place here.

I spent the afternoon/evening yesterday just wandering around the city. I walked an ungodly amount of kilometres just as happy as a clam. (hmm...a clam? whatever.) I'm filled with joy, so happy to be here, and excited to share at least these bits of it with you.

I sat for a while along the Yarra River. I enjoyed watching people, and also enjoyed a delicious pastry!

Yeah, pictures of me are rare these days. Much more amazing things to look at!

Peace y'all.

melbourne sky

2009-06-28T03:07:00.002-05:00

Melbourne is beautiful.

More to come later.

Love you!

and i'm off!

2009-06-23T17:14:00.002-05:00

Well Folks, the journey has begun.
I'm currently sitting in Hong Kong airport, biding time during my 11 hour layover. Usually layovers are draining and dreadful but Hong Kong just so happens to be #5 in the worlds most favored airports. And I can see why! It's carpeted, has wide open and very clean spaces, seats without armrests, free wireless internet, a shower room (for a small fee of course) and even classical music playing over the speakers. I was able to call my parents last night, catch up on some writing, read a bit in my book, take a nice long hot shower, and I'm just about to head for breakfast.
I'm excited to embark on this phase of my life. I leave behind hilarious and adorable students, incredible friends, late nights of karaoke, street food, laughable attempts at coolness, creative challenges, and so many things I just can't even list. But as I look ahead, I anticipate blessed moments with the loved ones from previous adventures. I'll spend the next few months in the company of people I love, people who will remind me of where I've been, and inspire me with possibilities.
To some of you, I say "See you later!" I pray that we can always remember the good in one another, the way we became family regardless of our differences, and especially in a strange foreign world.
To some of you at home, I thank you so much for supporting me this year! Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for your letters, your emails, for keeping me connected with home-life, with your families, with the growth of your children...
To those of you scattered around the world, "Cheers to you!" Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, live boldly, incredibly, joyously. I cherish the love that keeps us together.

To everyone, stay tuned for more. It's time for some fun! I'm so excited!

last week at work

2009-06-22T05:05:00.002-05:00

For my last week at work, we coworkers landed back at Sindong Dong for more ttukbokki and noraebang(karaoke). Had a lovely time. Enjoy the pictures below.

And now, welcome to the REAL family fun. These pictures really bring out the moments I'm going to miss.

After dinner we spent WAY TOO LONG in the noraebang. (Hey that rhymed!)
Stay tuned for a few video uploads. Youtube is not cooperating at the moment. But Michael...thanks for the entertainment! :-)

I really do love sindong dong.

***Any of you cdi folks who want these pictures, they are all on my flickr site which you can find by clicking on any of the pictures above. Love you all and miss you already!***

take me out to the ball game!

2009-06-15T10:14:00.002-05:00

I finally made it to a Korean baseball game!!!

I'd been anxious to go since baseball is one of Korea's most beloved sports. I didn't want to leave the country without being a part of something I'd heard so much about from my students.

And WOW am I glad I went!

It was by far the most fun and exciting baseball game I've ever attended!

This was kind of my farewell hurrah, compliments of a few of my coworkers.

Mia and me

Mia and Eura

Me and Leslie

Ami and me

We were cheering for the SK Wyverns.

Unfortunately, they lost. But that didn't stop us from cheering passionately!

We had the best cheerleading squad ever!

YES, there were cheerleaders at a baseball game!!!

This guy was so entertaining! I think I watched him more than I watched the game.

And they danced...

...sorry, lots of cheerleading pictures...

There were many funny moments during the game, reminding me that I was indeed in Korea.

The opposing team had a Hello Kitty mascot. It was pretty awesome!! :-)

During one break this guy was recognized for something (didn't really understand the Korean) but I'm pretty sure it had something to do with his dashing outfit!

Please notice the pink feather headband he's wearing along with this hot pink t-shirt! To his great joy he was givin a Hello Kitty doll!!!! Every man's dream!

During another time-out, they had a contest!--WHO HAS THE BIGGEST HEAD?

And of course no baseball game is complete without the Ajuma selling squid jerky! Forget the peanuts and cracker jack, let's just chew on a dried squid tentacle!

After the game we went to Ttukbokki Alley (pronounced duck-boke-key) and indulged in a delicious pot of goodness!

(before)

(after)

Yummy yum yummy yum YUM!

***The rest of the night was spent in the Noraebang (Karaoke) and I was just too caught up in singing and dancing to even think about my camera! You'll just have to imagine it.

To all of you girls who made this day a blast!!!! THANK YOU! You've made my time here so meaningful. I won't forget you.

Peace out!

ttukbokki alley

2009-06-13T10:58:00.001-05:00

Time for dinner~Korean style! Delicious food, delightful company!

so...i'm thinking about going back to school... haha...

2009-06-07T07:31:00.000-05:00

everland

2009-05-30T21:28:00.005-05:00

There's a swine-flu outbreak here in Korea. Classes have been cancelled for 10 days. It's been amazing! This week I'll return to teach for 2 1/2 weeks before I head off for my summer of travel :) So while we're supposed to be taking it easy and avoiding mass-public contact, Leslie and I used our better judgment and went to Everland!

Welcome to Everland!

Shopping for necessary accessories.

Taking apparantly "necessary" photos. Because that's the most amazing background ever right?!

I kind of want to wear these ears all the time!

AHHHHHH!!!!!!!

I thought I'd take you with me on the wild T-Express. Pretty awesome coaster!

There were all sorts of people and things to see at Everland.

Dad: "Do I look like an attraction?!"
Mom: "Hold on Dear, somewhere in this bag I will find your elephant ears. I know they're in here!:

Woman: " I wanted to wear the tiger ears! He always gets to wear the tiger ears. I'm so, *sigh* uninteresting..."

Haha, Okay, someone write a caption comment about this one. "________________"

Girls: "So really, we're tripping... but you can't tell can you?"

They had animals with attitude in the zoo!

And our favorite exhibit of the day..... You should have seen them. They were screaming, throwing diapers, pulling hair... Wow!

noraebang and some k-pop

2009-05-28T10:54:00.003-05:00

This week we enjoyed a pretty wild night at the Noraebang (Karaoke). I thought I'd post some pictures for you. Unfortunately, I'm the girl with the camera so there aren't any pictures of me. Not so disappointing I suppose...

Ready to rock the night away...

Some random guy insisted on being in the picture :-)

Excitement is stirring!

Kevin singing "Beautiful" by Christina Aquilera.

Some wild song...

Frank Sinatra's "My Way". Well done.

And honestly, perhaps the best rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody" that I've EVER heard.

...amazing!

WHILE ON THE SUBJECT OF MUSIC

I realized that I've deprived you all of the fantastic K-Pop that fills my every day. Here are two songs that are top hits these days. The first song is one that my students like to sing to me when they fail their tests. "Sorry sorry sorry sorry..." This is a band called Super Junior.

Girls Generation singing their ever so popular "Gee".

K-Pop. There's nothing like it! :-)

time away from work

2009-05-26T03:02:00.004-05:00

While out walking the other day, I met this little kitty. I giggled and giggled at his grooming job. Reading his face, I don't think he thought it was funny. But I just loved his little boots!

I spent a few hours sitting alone on this balcony writing letters. Surrounded by fresh flowers, a divine iced mocha, and processing my thoughts on paper...it was a lovely afternoon.

I've spent quite a lot of time along the Han River this week. Though this river is considered to be dirty and dingy, the city is putting forth a lot of effort to spark it up, planting gardens and making parks. I've enjoyed walking along the paths in the breeze of these summer nights.

And here's the Banpo Bridge. Really, it's there. You just have to look closely...

the helmet

2009-05-19T10:07:00.007-05:00

(CH in front of her break-time artwork.)

This is my student Christine.

I've been lucky enough to teach her for the majority of the year.
She is by far one of the most unique human beings I have ever known.
She is a tomboy, so much that the girls can't stand her and the boys think of her as a chum. When I yell "Boys!" Christine answers, "Yes?".
She adamantly insists that I call her "CH" (her initials) and she signs her name as "Black" on her test papers.
She NEVER does her homework, never passes her tests, sleeps during class, and when she's awake, she's drawing fine-detailed pictures of lizards and dragons and snakes.
She has a deep dry voice and a witty sense of humor and somehow I loathe her and adore her both at the same time.

Well, when I said she NEVER does her homework. I'm seriously not exaggerating. Week after week I scratch X's across her paper and write "F" by her name. She giggles.

Last week as the bell rang, I walked into class and there was CH sitting sharply at her desk wearing her bicycle helmet. I laughed at her.
During homework check, she proudly displayed before me her fully completed homework. I was stunned! She even got all the answers correct!
After praising her in front of the entire class, she impressed me even more by scoring an A+ on her review test.
I looked at her in shock and asked "What is going on???"
She said calmly, "Teacher, it's the helmet. It keeps my smarts in."

So I said "Fine. You need to wear that helmet every week."
She wore her lucky helmet through the entire 3 hour class. I've never seen her work so hard. She took incredible notes. She scored high on her in-class quiz. It was incredible! Every once in a while she'd taunt me and say "Teacher...I'm gonna take it off..." and she'd pull it off her head and I'd scream "NO!!!! Save your brain!!!" and she'd laugh.

Okay. So if that alone isn't a great story, it gets better.
CH walked into class today, once again wearing her helmet. The principal told her "Take off your helmet" and CH said seriously "No, my teacher told me I had to wear it."

Haha. So she did. All 3 hours. And again, she scored an A on her test.

It's a miracle helmet!

Teaching EHGLISH in Korea?

2009-05-18T02:36:00.001-05:00

lanterns and lanterns and lanterns and lanterns and dancing!

2009-04-27T03:48:00.007-05:00

Sunday was the Seoul Lotus Lantern Festival in honor of Buddha's Birthday. It was and amazing event, quite possibly the most amazing of the year! During the day there were all sorts of cultural affairs to enjoy. You could watch performances, make traditional crafts, eat street food...

Here's Kevin with his lantern.

An old woman came and gave these little heart things to us. Mine said something like "If you have a big heart, the world is yours." Aww...

This parade of people entered the park and performed some dances.

For most of the afternoon, we walked around and watched people and ate good street food. I really wanted one of these hats.
...no really.

One of my absolute favorite treats!

We met some new friends.

Then we visited the Buddhist Temple.

Then, there was an endless and fantastic and wonderful and "wow" parade!

Here are some videos of the parade. Beautiful!

Lanterns, and MORE lanterns, and MORE lanterns, and MORE lanterns...

Then we danced!
They kept the street closed and there was a big dance party.
Cultural music, circle dancing, cheering, chanting "Kang Kang Suwolae!!!"

SO SO SO much fun!
Mom, I expect my next birthday party to be like this okay?

black day for love

2009-04-14T09:55:00.007-05:00

Black Day, where lonely hearts ease their misery with noodles.

There's Valentine's Day-February 14th. That's when girls shower their men with flowers and chocolates.
There's White Day-March 14th. That's when it's the man's turn to express love through chocolates, flowers and gifts.
But then there's one more holiday for all those who are left out. Black Day. April 14th. Black Day is the day for those lonely souls to commiserate, to find some way to be special, to feel loved...and for some reason that love comes in a big bowl of black noodles. Ja Jang Myeong. Yum...

And what better way to end the holiday, than with a big bowl of ice cream?!!

extraordinary

2009-04-09T00:23:00.003-05:00

I stole this picture from someone, a friend. It was taken at L'Abri, a place I've been missing much these days. This picture has always been in my mind, exrtraordinary!

And keeping with my theme of "extraordinary" I thought I'd share some words with you. I'm re-reading a book that I love. It's called "Compelled To Write To You" By Christopher de Vinck and Elizabeth Mosbo.

The longer you live the better you will be able to understand your struggling inner nature, and you will be able to find an outlet for the power that it gives you. Some people write, some sing, some raise a family, some join law firms, others plant roses. How we express our sensual, spiritual, and intellectual selves defines who we are.

You will be dazzled for all of your life with possibilities...and most of those possibilities you will not be able to pursue simply because you cannot do all that you wish, travel everywhere, pursue all relationships, do different careers. You will find yourself involved with certain routines, certain relationships, certain careers; and if you are wise and open to God's vision, if you are graced, those routines and relationships and careers will be enough to sustain you and protect you from being too diffused and watered down in the spirit and in the body.

Something I know for sure: Whatever you decide to do with your life will involve a small death inside of you, a giving over to something that was not there before and a leaving behind of something that was once there. And when you do make a decision, you can't turn back. Of course you can change jobs, choices, etc. That is not what I mean. But once you select what is most significant in your life, you walk away from less significant things, which makes you stronger but also makes you less of a child.

You have to give up the ways of a child in order to return to purity of heart. Whatever your vocation eventually becomes, it will consume you. You have an obligation to live an extraordinary life. So be a doctor or a missionary or an architect or a social worker--it doesn't matter what you choose. It's obvious to me that you are surrounding yourself with options that contain many people, that you'll be doing something for many people.

Those of you who have written and asked, or just wondered how I'm doing these days... Well, this is a glance into my thoughts.

Love you!

very very thank you!

2009-04-05T05:21:00.003-05:00

This is HyoJin.

There's a bakery right across the street from my work. I visit daily for coffee and sometimes a sandwich. Sadly (or not so sadly) I've visited this bakery nearly ever week day since I arrived last June. They know me! And they like me :-)

When I walk past the window, the girls inside will wave at me. They are always feeding me samples, or trying to practice their English. Once, I saw HyoJin riding on the back of her boyfriend's motorcycle and they stopped to talk to me. She is a darling girl.

Friday was HyoJin's last day at work. She's moving to Busan which is far away from me. I'm really going to miss her smile. Kevin and I made some chocolates and I wrote her a note. She was so delighted! Now we've become buddies and she sends me sweet text messages. My favorite one so far has been "hi. very very thank you!!!"

The moral of this story is: Give a little love. It goes a long way.

here fishy fishy

2009-04-01T11:07:00.002-05:00

I went to the aquarium this week. It was great!

Dangerous...

...but pretty awesome!

Look at all the fish!!!!

And in the fridge too!

Haha, it's like the Redneck Aquarium :-)

Okay, really. This was my favorite fish. He's just so cute!

And my second favorite.

And this little guy is by far the most astounding! I forget what it's called but it is some sort of angel fish thingy. Look closely. It has little wings, and it looks like a little fairy! So cool!

I found Nemo.

And Dory.

And the evil jelly fish.

Jellyfish which are stunningly beautiful!

And I was saluted on my way out :-)

I barely made it out! I was pretty scared.

crappy crap crap

2009-03-22T23:48:00.002-05:00

I've been hit by a very intrusive bug.

It stole my voice, it's attacking my eyes, nose, throat, head...

This morning I walked across the street to the pharmacy and while I was explaining my symptoms like a game of charades, I started crying. It was pretty sad. She even gave me a hug.

a new treasure

2009-03-15T06:33:00.007-05:00

Ever have those weeks where things just seem off? Like you're just not totally in your groove? Well, this past week was quite funky for me. It was a struggle to find energy at the appropriate times, I was cranky with my students, the class material was boring, and the weather was weird. Even more, I felt like every bad social habit of the Korean culture was illuminated! Now, I'm not exactly proud of some American social habits, but seriously... Korean's could win a prize for frustrating social inappropriateness! For example, Koreans spit, ALL the time. You know that sound you make right before you're getting ready to hock a big loogie? Well if Korea had a national sound to add to their list of national flags, flowers, birds etc., the sound would be the "hocking loogie" sound. Walking down the sidewalk, everyone knows that you have to keep your eyes down to dodge piles of slimy saliva. In the States you dodge dog poo, or gum on the sidewalk. In Korea you dodge phlegm. Well, this week I was waiting for the bus and this old man standing beside me was prepping for a big spit and leaned over to spit onto the ground but the wind carried the slime and it landed right on my shoe! I was so disgusted!!! And the man didn't even apologize!

Also, Korean's push! I think there are just too many people in this country and the only way you can get anywhere is by pushing your way through the crowds. And that's fine, I can get used to that. But this week it seemed like people were pushing me around for no reason at all! One old grandma pushed me aside on the escalator just so she could stand one step in front of me. It's not like she made it to the top any faster!

By the end of the week, I just needed something fresh and inspiring. I read about this cool Design Cafe and figured it would be fun to find and a great place to sit and write. So I wandered around looking for it. I wandered for quite a while and was about to give up when I noticed this little tourism booth. I walked in and there was this sweet Japanese man sitting behind the counter. He was so lovely and was extremely helpful and when I thanked him for the directions he bowed and said "Oh, it was my pleasure!" It was such a precious little moment!
And then... and THEN I found the cafe! Oh my gosh, I think it is quite possibly my favorite cafe in the world! And maybe it's the coolest one in the world too! I fell in love.

aA Design Cafe, part of the aA Design Museum.

All the things I love about design, the things I've learned to appreciate and admire, the colors and trends that make my heart happy... this cafe was the total picture of it all!

I enjoyed an amazing fresh mozzarella and tomato focaccia panini. It was THE BEST sandwich I've had in Korea and it reminded me of Panera bread back home in the States.

Everything was kissed with design.

Those are the moments that redeem my cultural frustrations. I figure, I'm very blessed to be here and to be exposed to these differences. Not everything we discover in life is delightful (like loogie hocking Koreans) but I love being surprised by treasures.

a friend to man

2009-03-11T22:42:00.002-05:00

The House by the Side of the Road

Sam Walter Foss

THERE are hermit souls that live withdrawn

In the place of their self-content;

There are souls like stars, that dwell apart,

In a fellowless firmament;

There are pioneer souls that blaze the paths

Where highways never ran-

But let me live by the side of the road

And be a friend to man.

Let me live in a house by the side of the road

Where the race of men go by-

The men who are good and the men who are bad,

As good and as bad as I.

I would not sit in the scorner's seat

Nor hurl the cynic's ban-

Let me live in a house by the side of the road

And be a friend to man.

I see from my house by the side of the road

By the side of the highway of life,

The men who press with the ardor of hope,

The men who are faint with the strife,

But I turn not away from their smiles and tears,

Both parts of an infinite plan-

Let me live in a house by the side of the road

And be a friend to man.

I know there are brook-gladdened meadows ahead,

And mountains of wearisome height;

That the road passes on through the long afternoon

And stretches away to the night.

And still I rejoice when the travelers rejoice

And weep with the strangers that moan,

Nor live in my house by the side of the road

Like a man who dwells alone.

Let me live in my house by the side of the road,

Where the race of men go by-

They are good, they are bad, they are weak, they are strong,

Wise, foolish - so am I.

Then why should I sit in the scorner's seat,

Or hurl the cynic's ban?

Let me live in my house by the side of the road

And be a friend to man.

he who practices hospitality entertains god himself

2009-03-09T02:10:00.005-05:00

This weekend I had the extreme pleasure of hosting 2 CouchSurfers- Heather and Sherry. They are from Canada and are teaching English here in Korea, but they live several hours outside of Seoul. We spent less than 24 hours together but it sure was a joy to meet them and I am already making plans to visit them in Busan.
CouchSurfing, if you're not familiar with it, is a hospitality network. It's a way for people to travel affordably by staying with other CouchSurfers instead of in hotels and hostels. I might add that the benefits are more than just monetary. Staying with other people allows you to feel more connected. Meeting new people will always open your eyes to new things. And it's such a gift to be both on the giving and receiving side of hospitality. It's called "community" right? Such a beautiful thing!

We three girls shared some delightful conversation. We ate a very yummy American-style breakfast (I had peach pancakes!) and then we did some much needed clothes shopping. Good times!

I'm hosting again in 2 weeks and I am so excited! I also plan on CouchSurfing my way through most of Australia this summer. I'm so glad that I'm able to make hospitality part of my life no matter where I am. Check out the website! www.couchsurfing.com

When friends are at your hearthside met,

sweet courtesy has done its most

if you have made each guest forget

that he himself is not the host.

--Thomas Bailey Aldrich--

Let me live in my house by the side of the road, Where the race of men go by; They are good, they are bad; they are weak, they are strong, Wise, foolish,--so am I; Then why should I sit in the scorner's seat, Or hurl the cynic's ban? Let me live in my house by the side of the road, And be a friend to man.
--Sam Walter Foss "House by the Side of the Road"--

cham-chi kimbap

2009-02-28T07:54:00.001-06:00

Lunch today, lunch tomorrow, lunch a million times more.
I just can't get enough of it.

time is ticking... t-time is ticking ticking...

2009-02-24T22:33:00.003-06:00

(Roisin, Laura, ME)

8 months ago, I arrived here in Korea in an emotional frenzy. I was overwhelmed and even slightly appalled at this crazy culture. My training was humiliating, and my stomach was in knots with nerves. Wow, so much has changed!

Now it's time to start saying goodbye, or rather "see you later" to some of the most precious people. These people have walked with me through cultural chaos, and most importantly they have made my year here in Korea completely unforgettable.

The hardest part about being a traveling girl, is that every time you embark on something new, you're also saying goodbye to people you've grown to love. It's painful really.
But "Cheers!" to you girls! You are incredible and beautiful and strong and courageous and fun and you are bright and shining souls in this world. I really love you.

Laura.
Thank you for letting me sit and observe your Birdie Reading class that first day. You were such a calming resource, always willing to help me understand life and work at CDI.
I've loved hearing your stories, learning about your life, your interests, your fears... You've been such an inspiration!
Thanks for all you did as HI, for all the hard work and monotonous trainings you had to attend while we all slept in :-)
Thanks for listening to my own thoughts, for encouraging me, for being vulnerable and allowing me to learn from you.
I am so honored to know you, and excited to watch your life continue to impact this world.

Roisin.
Thank you for being such a fun and interesting and engaging friend. Your contagious laughter is more beautiful than you realize.
I will never forget our all-night Dongdaemun shopping extravaganza and our shopping hang-over feast at the top floor of the complex :-) Wasn't that the first time we had kimchi fried rice with CHEESE!? And we ate all the burnt crispy rice? Haha.
Thank you for being such an encouraging coworker, for always being willing to help and to explain things, and to offer your own ideas and advice. You've really helped me to be a better teacher.
Most importantly I've appreciated and fully enjoyed the times we were able to hang out and talk. Thank you for sharing your life with me, for being so honest and caring. And thank you for listening to my thoughts and fears and joys.
I'm going to miss you like crazy, but at least you're still here for a few more weeks.

For everyone else who is reading this...for those of you who don't have the privilege of knowing these two lovely ladies...

I posted this for a reason. Cherish your friends. Learn about the people around you. Learn FROM the people around you. Never forget how we are all connected.

kidsters

2009-02-18T19:25:00.003-06:00

She meant to write "April CRAZY" but she had a little trouble there.
Haha, she was so proud of herself!

my friends, of all sizes

2009-02-17T22:47:00.006-06:00

You're probably tired of seeing these funny little faces. Sorry. But these are some of my friends.
These are the kids who smile at me, play tricks on me, work hard for me, and remind me that Korea is a beautiful place.
These are the kids who sat through long boring lectures on The History of Denim, The Naming of the Species, The Theories of Afterlife, The Evolution of Pond Life, etc.
These are special students. And this was our last class together :-(

This is Daniel. We call him Dr. Daniel. He was the only boy in this class of crazy girls. But he held his own. What a sport!

night lights!

2009-02-15T07:47:00.005-06:00

I've been here for 8 months now, and this crazy wild city has become a home to me. In my comfort, I so quickly forget how foreign it really is!
Tonight I wandered around Myeongdng, taking pictures of the night lights, the people, and all the excitement. While this is normal stuff to me now, it isn't to you, and I thought maybe you'd like to see more of Seoul and the places where I spend much of my time.

Myeongdong is for super-shoppers. They have just about anything you could be looking for from name-brand clothing to knock-off underwear. You can spend hundreds of dollars in the stores, or just pocket change on the street. Honestly, it is an overwhelming place at times.

I don't shop very often, but I like to visit Myeongdong for the coffee shops and the food. Sometimes I meet friends there, sometimes I just wander, and sometimes I sit in a coffee shop and read or write for hours. My most recent exciting discovery is a bakery called Bread Talk where you can get fresh, warm, real blueberry muffins. They are delightful, and a rarity!

I also want you to know that I took lots of pictures tonight and not one picture of myself and my hair looked really great tonight! So yeah, I just thought I'd mention that.

Enjoy Myeongdong!

See anything you're desperately needing or wanting? Let me know :-)

my achy breaky body

2009-02-09T01:18:00.006-06:00

I went snowboarding this weekend. I bruised my butt. I'll let you use your own imagination to think about how that feels.

I also am aching in these places:

head
neck
shoulders
elbows
wrists
hands
fingers
stomach
thighs
knees
shins
feet

But I'm feeling great! Haha! Really!

I was also happy to discover that I'm no longer considered a Level 1 Snowboarder. I've now made it to about Level 3.

Still loving life. Thanks for reading!

always something new to learn

2009-02-05T22:11:00.002-06:00

Well friends, I'm back. I mean, I'm still alive.
I know my blog has been pretty boring lately.
I survived through a month of teaching intensive classes. It was a difficult month and I was exhausted in every way possible. I worked really hard. But I'm finally feeling refreshed and re-inspired.
I'm glad to have time again. I need time... time for ME, time for adventure, time for learning new things and time for exploring this city.

So what am I doing with my free time these days?

I'm learing Tae Kwon Do!

And I'm LOVING it!

things about april

2009-01-29T21:11:00.002-06:00

I was challenged to write down 25 things about myself. It was indeed a challenge! It took me longer than I'd like to admit. So here, I thought I'd share the list with you.

1. Last October I ate dog soup and my friend told me that my own pets would never forgive me.

2. I was going to be a radio broadcaster and even had a job at a radio station but I got bored with "Organizational Communication" classes in college and switched my emphasis to Philosophy and Religion. The decision was dramatic and life changing.

3. My first job was working at Six Flags Great America and I hated it so much that I walked out and told my boss to "bite me". Because of this, I am on the rehire black list at Six Flags.

4. I was a baton twirler for 11 years.

5. I played the drums for quite a while.

6. When we were young, my sister and I had 4 pet rabbits. We secretly mated them and ended up with 13!

7. I speak Spanish pretty well in my head, but not with my mouth. I'm working on it though.

8. When I was little I got in trouble at school for showing all my friends my really cool underwear!

9. I had to repeat Kindergarten.

10. My mom told me that the REASON I had to repeat Kindergarten was that Mrs. McLaughlin needed a helper. And I believed it.

11. I love step aerobics classes.

12. I currently LOVE my job.

13. I am a TERRIBLE liar. It took me a long time to accept that, but my life has been a lot easier since.

14. It is really hard for me to be mean and stern. After yelling at or disciplining my students I often cry.

15. I sing all the time. I also like to dance. I'm terrible at both.

16. My favorite nicknames are Heypril and Shmaypril.

17. I have the coolest family on the planet. (I can't say "coolest in the universe" because according to one of my students, the people on Mars are really amazing. Who knew??!!)

18. My dad taught me how to break pointless rules with passion. He also taught me how to change a tire on my car. I'm good at doing both of those things.

19. One of my favorite hobbies is writing letters to all my friends around the world. As a result, I receive lots of letters from all over the world.

20. I hate doing laundry. Sometimes I buy new underwear just so I can postpone doing the laundry.

21. When I was in Italy I was forcefully kissed by a very ugly and hairy man named Luigi.

22. I love cooking with lentils.

23. I over-think everything and sometimes even spend time thinking about why I might be over-thinking everything.

24. People fascinate me. Even people who annoy me are fascinating to me.

25. I believe that love can change the world.

drawing

2009-01-10T21:02:00.007-06:00

We're reading "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in class this term. It's the kid's version of course. But it's a great story and I've been doing lots of drawing to illustrate the story.
I'm impressed with myself, but my students...not so much.
This picture actually made me laugh so hard that I was crying. The guys at the top are supposed to be fairies :-) Haha, I'm telling you, I'm an artist!

feeling the love

2009-01-06T08:02:00.007-06:00

I've been subbing for a coworker this past week.
It was actually a great joy because the majority of the students were in a previous class of mine, and they were my favorite kids!
They are fun kids, really clever, and most of them are smart and quite driven.
They work hard without threats, and they are making such great progress in their English.

But anyway, I posted these pictures for a better reason than to tell you how smart they are. They actually gave me a really hard time this week and said some of the funniest things.

"Teacher, if evil was a 10, I think you are 11."

"I think if you make me read today, you will be die."
(I always laugh when they say "you will be die")

"Teacher you have the face of an angel,
but you have the mind of a devil."
"Oh, and you're ugly."

"Teacher, I think you look like a hot dog today!"

"Teacher, I'm going to say words that are opposite of you: nice, kind, pretty, funny..."

And my favorite:
It's test time, and in the focused silence, a student bursts out with a loud chuckle.
I said "What's so funny?"
And she says "Haha, teacher, I think it's funny that you wear a black shirt with brown pants."

So I know that these are all really mean words but to me they are actually very endearing. These kids work really hard for me. They love me. They bring me presents, they hang on me during breaks, they tell me funny stories, and some of them even tell me about their problems. This week they were teaching me a bit of Korean language. These are the kids who have brought Korea into my heart. These are the kids who make me want to never leave this country. These are the kids who make me think that I've found a life-long career.

I wish you could meet them.

202 Days

2009-01-03T03:13:00.002-06:00

Dear Blog Readers,

I'm so tired right now. I'm sitting in a coffee shop, staring at a turtle mocha--a turtle mocha that I'd really like to drink but that would require arm movement and coordination with my hands and mouth and that takes so much effort. If only you could have just watched me try nearly a dozen times to spell "turtle mocha", it's a wonder I'm teacher of English!

I'm teaching double-time this month. This isn't something to complain about, but it certainly takes a toll on my energy. And while I'm trying my best to keep my enthusiasm while I teach, and to keep my lectures animated, my students told me on Friday "April Teacher, you're very...very...umm... not funny this week" (which is their way of saying "You're crabby!")

So it's Saturday evening and I'm dangerously comfortable in this big leather chair. I've been sitting here for 45 minutes trying to write something worth your time, but I'm sorry...I've got nothing. So here's a picture of me, right now, here... barely.
I'm here. And I'm doing well, and I'm still in love with my God, and I'm still enjoying every single breathtaking, invigorating, inspiring, chaotic, overwhelming, challenging, and exhausting moment of being here.

b.f.f. in korea

2008-12-21T06:02:00.002-06:00

A b.f.f. from Australia came to visit me this past week. Our friendship was born in the mountains of Switzerland 3 years ago and like many L'Abri friends, he is a friend for life.

What is it that makes someone a friend for life?

This is a question I asked myself with eyes full of tears as I said goodbye to him and boarded the bus to work. Why do I love him so much? Why is his friendship so meaningful that it changes who I am? What is it that sets this friendship apart from so many others?

It must be Christ.

As I cherish the special people in my life, I realize just how much the Lord uses people to express his love to me. In other words, we---that means YOU, are all connected. We matter to God, and we matter to each other. And I think when we finally understand what (or who) it is that we live for, we will also understand how much we together can represent the purpose of God.

Maybe that's an awful deep thought for a silly little post about my friend's visit. But think about it will you?

And while you're thinking about it, enjoy these fun pictures.

Kenton, you are Christ to me,

we are Christ together to others,

and you teach me to love God

and others with more intention and joy.

Thank you for who you are in this world.

And thanks for visiting.

And just a little reminder-

If you do your homework and study hard...

next time you won't get an F- - - - - in my class.

Okay? Okay.

have yourself a merry little christmas now

2008-12-14T06:00:00.003-06:00

I've downloaded 11 different versions of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and I've listened to the playlist 4 times now. I think my favorites are Sarah Groves, Diana Krall, Coldplay, and James Taylor.

And in my quiet evening home, I just finished making:

YUM!

i said i'd never do it...

2008-12-07T09:28:00.004-06:00

Culture shock is to be expected when you travel a lot. Sometimes differences are small and just make you smile. Other times you can't help but be baffled that people can live so differently from what you think is normal.
For the most part, I've really tried to dive in to life in Seoul. I'm trying to learn pieces of their language, I'm trying to live with their styles of dress, their habits of liesure, and even their styles of food. And while trying to be as open-minded as possible, there are still some things early to which I firmly stated "NO FREAKING WAY!!!"

...until today.

Today I joined most of my coworkers for a night at the fish market, featuring Sannakji, i.e. live octopus. Sannakji is a sort of delicacy here in Korea. You choose your prey, and then they chop it into little pieces and put it on a platter for you. The pieces are still squirming on the plate. Even though chopped up, the octopus (or nakji) squirms for hours and the suction cups are still active. You are warned to chew well because the suction cups can stick to your throat and make you choke and die. No problem!

But wait, let me take you to Noryangjin Fish Market.

Here you choose your fish. They pull it out of the tank and kill it right in front of you.

It's not very often you get to watch dinner killed right in front of you. I almost felt the need to thank it before watching the guy knock it's brains out.

Then we watched as this guy prepared the fish. (i.e. slice, skin, chop, filet...get all the guts out...)

This woman helped us choose the perfect crab.

...and some other things.

After everything was chosen and purchased, we made our way to the restaurant. And this is where I bring you to some dinner entertainment videos.
Here is a picture of the Sannakji (octopus).

It really was squirming around. Check out this video!

My dad used to tease us when we were kids. He would eat gross sea creatures and pretend that they were squirming down his throat and inside his stomach. This was like a nightmare version of those memories.

And here...what I swore I'd NEVER do...

Since the pieces are still sort of alive, you have to shock them in soy sauce and wasabi. That's what's in the little dish in front of me.
And when it's inside your mouth, the suction cups try to stick to your teeth, and to the insides of your cheek.
It's a weird feeling, and all in all, I felt like I was eating a worm.
(enjoy the video!)

I'll have you know I was nervous about this all day.
I was distracted and anxious and at the dinner table I was even shaking.

Okay, so the rest of the fish, the parts that we didn't eat, were dumped into this pot which we called "Fish Head Soup" because the head and the tail were floating around simmering in the brothy goodness.

And here's a nice overhead view of the market. It's a great place, full of color, excitement, and new adventures for foreigners like me :-)

'tis the season!

2008-12-02T07:22:00.015-06:00

I think every day should be 'Tis the Season.
I think we'd smile more often.

Below you will find various pictures of recent moments that have made me smile.

It snowed while I was home. As you can see, I was working really hard to help my mom scrape off the car.

I can't even find the right words to describe the Thanksgiving feast. I had 3 meals of leftovers before I had to come back to Korea.

I brought home a can of beondegi. That's 'silkworm larvae' and it's a favorite snack here in Korea. And Jen, my friend, was brave enough to taste it. I'm really proud of her!

Here's a picture of beondegi. Yum! right?

I don't think she liked it.

I was sad to leave home so soon. I would have liked some more time to relax, visit, take walks, and be with my family.

But there was a brilliant sunrise right as the airplane was taking off.

Here's a picture from the runway.

Today I was wandering around E-dae with a friend and I found this great little shop.

I decorated my apartment.

I lit some candles.

And I made my first batch of Christmas goodness.

What are you smiling about these days?

giving thanks, and laughing

2008-11-27T11:31:00.006-06:00

Thankful. As I write, I'm sitting in cozy pajamas, watching the Macy's parade, drinking coffee, eating cinnamon rolls, sausage biscuits, and enjoying the company of my family. It's nice to be home.

I've had a fun week with friends, too much shopping, and GREAT food! So my post today is mixed with fun and reasons to be thankful.

I give thanks for friends with whom I can laugh and act...well... "normal".

I'm thankful for home, even homes made of gingerbread and frosting.

I'm thankful for reasons to work together with all people in the world.

I'm thankful for Kermit the Frog (random I know...but he's singing on TV right now).

I'm thankful for creativity and how everyone works together to add color and beauty to this world.

I'm thankful for things that last, like love and memories and laughter.

And I'm thankful for chances to try again, and the fact that God is good even when I feel like I'm falling apart.

And I thankful that my life is held together by something stronger than frosting.
I'm thankful that beauty in life is found in our being and living and dreaming, rather than our decorated selfs.

And I'm thankful for...so much more!

this entry is rated PG-13 for language...sorry, just couldn't filter it out

2008-11-20T19:17:00.007-06:00

Okay, who am I kidding? I haven't even left Korea and I'm already blogging about my trip home. So that statement in my last post "don't hold your breath for updates this week"...whatever....

I got a whoppin' 2 1/2 hours of sleep last night. I just couldn't rest. I felt like I was forgetting something and then once I finally forced myself into bed I was afraid I'd sleep through my alarm. Just when I was finally into a good dream, I had to wake up.

I trekked to the bus stop while it was still dark outside. I had to stand there for about 20 minutes before the bus arrived. When it did, a cranky old Korean man got off and shoved me aside and grabbed my bag and slung it under the bus. "Well....good morning to you too Mr. Cranky Pants! Gamsahamnida!"

I only know one swear word in Korean and I heard the bus driver use it more than 15 times. Let me reenact it for you.

I'm dozing off... HONK! HONK!--"Shit!" And April wakes up again.

5 minutes later... HONK! --"Shit!"---HONK! And again, there goes my nap.

Seconds later... HONK! HONK! "Shit, Shit, Shit!"

My bus driver was not a happy camper. Maybe he ate some bad kimchi or something.

But I was also not quite a happy camper. My stomach was churning with hunger and I was imagining golden cups of coffee...hoping that I'd find a little coffee cafe once I passed through security. To my angst, I could only find duty free shops.

And then....

Ta-da!!!

I love you Incheon International Airport!

I also thought this was a peculiar combination for a duty free shop. But hey, something for everyone I guess!

Okay, off to Tokyo!

give me another week or so...

2008-11-20T11:00:00.002-06:00

It's 2 a.m. I've spent the past few hours packing and organizing. Of course I'm also listening to Christmas music, washing some dishes, cleaning up my apartment, and chatting online...

I'm catching a bus in a few hours which will take me to the airport. From there I go to Japan, then to Houston, then to Milwaukee...and I'll be greeted by my darling parents.

If you're lucky, I may post a quick thing or two while I'm home but don't hold your breath. Until next time, enjoy the season, bundle up, and be thankful!

Love, April

lately

2008-11-17T08:43:00.004-06:00

--I suffered through Hand Foot and Mouth Disease (not to be confused with Hoof and Mouth Disease). It was hideously terrible and miserable and gross. I had blistery hives all over my hands and feet, in between my toes, up my legs, and my tongue was covered in blister uclers. One of my tongue blisters was the size of a dime. When my boss found out I was sick she said "There's a numbing mouth spray you can get at the pharmacy, but it's for babies." I said in a whining voice "I'm a baby..." I couldn't eat anything solid or spicy or citric without my eyes filling with tears. I couldn't talk because my tongue would rub against my teeth. And to make things worse, I still had to teach all my little kids all week which required lots of energy and screaming. So...I'm fully recovered thanks to time, rest, and lots of love and prayers from people.

--It's the last week of term. My students are restless and they don't care about anything. You should see their test scores, they are embarrassing.

--I'm going home this Friday! I'm so excited to see my family and to be home for Thanksgiving. Tonight in my class I asked my students "What kinds of authentic Korean treats should I bring home to my family?" One boy said "Teacher take me! I'm authentically Korean!" It was funny.

--That's all for now. Just wanted to update you quickly.

ninja ajoomma

2008-11-10T09:19:00.002-06:00

I went to the sauna today to get a massage. This sauna was a little more hometown-ish which meant that I was definitely going to be the only white person, and I knew for sure that there'd be no English writing anywhere, nor anyone who could really speak my language. But I figured I was up for the challenge.

I entered the sauna, naked and proud of the fact that I knew what I was doing, and all the eyes in the room turned towards me. In my head I said "These people are thinking one of two things:
1) Oh my god look at that foreigner with her funny looking white body!!!
2) Oh my, she's like a goddess...so beautiful..."

Haha...I'm sure they were thinking the second thought :-)

So anyway, after my ritual scrubbing, some soaking, some looking around to get my bearings...I approached the scrubbing corner to ask the "ajoomma's" for a massage. "Ajoomma" is what they call the old ladies here in Korea. It's kind of like saying "Grandma or Old Miss". There were about 6 of them, old, pudgy, soft skin, and wearing these black netted bra and underwear sets...almost like lingerie only more like a work uniform if you can imagine that.
So I used a few charades, and asked for a massage which in Korean is called "Massajee" so that's pretty easy. She didn't speak a lick of English. But she grinned at me and motioned for me to hop up on her table.

First she scrubbed my entire body for about 40 minutes. It felt like she was using a Scotch-Brite scouring pad and when she was finished it looked as if she had scrubbed an entire layer of skin off of me. Unbelievable really! It's gross, but amazing. So then she rinsed me off and was about ready to begin the massage. I turned my head and saw that she was doing lunges and stretching her legs. Then she cracked her knuckles. Then she started doing push-ups against the table. I thought "what the heck???"

And then she hopped up on the table and started walking up and down my body from my feet to my shoulders. She was digging her toes into me so hard that I started to whimper. No mercy!!! After a minute she looked down at me and asked "a po? a po?" which sort of means "okay? okay?" I just grinned painfully and put two thumbs up.

She had her body so contorted I was amazed. She used her feet, her knees, her elbows, and she hopped up and down off of that table quite a few times. And that was just the beginning.

She coated my face with some sort of thick honey smelling paste, and put cucumbers on my eyes, and wrapped my face and head in a cool towel. Then she worked on all the muscles on the front of my body. I was curling my toes in pain. I had my arms down on the side of the table and I was gripping onto the table legs with great strength but I couldn't say anything because my mouth was covered in thick masking paste and wrapped in a towel. It was like torture, only I knew it was good for me. Oh gosh, I kept praying..."Jesus keep me alive!"

I think entire massage lasted about 90 minutes. It was a big ordeal with lots of flipping over so she could take care ever freaking joint in my body. She pulled my arms and stretched them in yoga contortionist poses. I wanted to say "umm...Ajoomma...that's about as far as my arm will go in that direction..." but I kept my mouth shut.

Finally, she was finished. She removed the sticky slime from my face, lifted me up, smiled at me, and then I turned and saw about 15 other Korean women surrounding me. They all walked over to watch my massage. It was awkward, but amusing, and I'm kind of getting used to the fact that people stare at me. Maybe they saw me writhing in pain. Maybe they were impressed that I had embarked on this adventure in the first place. Maybe the ajoomma was being tough on me on purpose just to get some laughs out of it. Whatever the reason, I walked away with pride like I had just conquered some dare deviling feat. I walked to the showers and rinsed off and realized that indeed she had loosened up my muscles and I felt a million times better though I'm quite sore now. I've been drinking water as if I'm attached to the water fountain. I know that's important after a massage but I already have some bruises on my arms and armpits.

I think it will be awhile before I have the courage to request another "massajee".

from daddy

2008-11-05T07:44:00.004-06:00

CARE PACKAGES

Who doesn't love surprise boxes from home?

But this is no ordinary care package. This box is the "cheesiest", most deluxe box of goodness (and random and funny)...I almost can't help but to indulge until I make myself sick... but I won't.

Kraft Mac & Cheese
Deli Fresh Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Deli Fresh Swiss Cheese
Cheese & Cracker snack packs
Beef
Pumpkin scented lotion and shower soap
Hand sanitizer
Magna-Doodle Pro
Smiling snowmen
Glittery pine cones

My dad is the coolest!!!

return to paradise!

2008-11-03T20:09:00.005-06:00

In September I spent the weekend up north in a place called Seoraksan. You might remember my posts with pictures and stories about watching the sunrise with my new German friend, my celebrity photo-shoot on the mountain, and being adopted by the hiking group and nick-named "Chicago!"... Here are the links back to those posts:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

This past weekend, I returned to Seorak Mountain and this time I brought Jane with me. It was a perfect weekend to escape the busy city.
Seorak Mountain is known to have the best autumn colors. We were not disappointed!

But wait...I'm getting ahead of myself...

We arrived on Saturday night and took a nice walk along the fish market pier. It's a bustling place on a Saturday night. We watched as people chose their perfect fish from the tanks, and then the salespeople would take it out of the water, slam it with a metal baseball bat, and then they'd prepare it for cooking. It's not the most delightful scene to watch...

But the atmosphere as a whole is really fun. I wish I enjoyed seafood. They were roasting clams right over the grill, and some of the other plates of food looked intriguing.

We watched this woman gut a few fish for eating. She's not kidding around with that knife! Her movements were quick and perfect, like a perfected art!

Jane and I thought about choosing this fish for our dinner! What do you think? Doesn't he look yummy!???

Next morning we woke at 6:00 to watch the sunrise over the East Sea.
Neither Jane nor I are morning people so it was not so easy to get our butts in gear and to the beach on time.

But it's oh so worth it!

It was actually the most curious sunrise I've ever seen. The sky lightened into morning, but the sun rose as this single little neon dot. It looked fake at times, like someone had painted a dot on a screen backdrop. Perhaps it was the smog that muted the brightness, but you could stare at the sun as it rose.

It was so calming.

After eating some oatmeal and drinking french-pressed coffee at the hostel, we packed our picnic lunch and embarked on our journey into the park.
We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day. It was awesome!

Jane has heard all of my stories about people's kindness to me. She laughs at my stories of becoming famous, and about people adopting me on the mountains. We were only about 20 minutes into the hike when we stopped at this camp for a quick drink of water. A woman approached me and said "Excuse me...these men over here think you're very beautiful..." Ha! It was funny! I looked over at a table of old men drinking soju and grinning at me. I think Korea is the best place in the world for my self esteem!

This time I enjoyed taking pictures of random people. While the hiking is amazing, I also really enjoy watching the Koreans in their own little world. They are often dressed to kill in their pristine hiking gear. I am convinced that they iron their hiking clothes before they wear them. And they carry every fancy gadget imaginable from tin cups to collapsible tables, picnic mats, and walking sticks. They are serious hikers!

There was quite a bit of smog which was frustrating, but the views were still breathtaking.

And we made it to the top of Ulsanbawi Rock!

Check out my hair!!! Ya know, I try so hard to get a style like this for every day but it never cooperates. Too bad, cuz it's pretty babe-a-licious isn't it?

These people also made it to the top. I couldn't resist taking their picture. They were so funny!

The best family photo ever! Look at the lady with big black hair and bug-eyed sunglasses. Hot mama!

It was windy and cold at the top.

We packed an awesome picnic lunch. Jane made some rice thingy's, and we had clementines, hard boiled eggs, cherry tomatos, and bacon-lettuce wraps. We sat up at the top and relaxed with our lunch before heading down the mountain.

And again...another fantastic hairstyle for April!

...and down we go!

There was a goat! I was so excited! This is the first wildlife I've seen in Korea!

...still going down...

And now for the grand finale of color!

Tired bodies, exhausted bodies, ready-to-be-back-in-Seoul bodies...Jane and I watched the sunset on the Sea, finished our picnic for dinner, and rested while waiting for our bus.

I enjoyed watching these two girls play.

And this concludes our weekend getaway!

eat cake

2008-10-29T21:34:00.002-05:00

When the world is against you...just eat cake...chocolate cake!

It's been a rough week, but Jane and I funneled our frustrations into devouring half of this cake in one sitting. Feeling much better now!

my mama...

2008-10-27T10:23:00.004-05:00

This babe...

...started blogging!!!

And she has some pretty great things to say. (she's full of wisdom!)

You should definitely check it out!

And leave her lots of nice, loving, and welcoming comments!

MamaLeah's Recipes for the Good Life

i can't back away from a challenge

2008-10-24T22:12:00.004-05:00

Last night was a difficult night for me. Friday night's class is my biggest weekly challenge. The students are lazy, careless, and they are often caught cheating. Last night I caught 3 girls cheating on the review test. For the rest of the class, no one was paying attention, no one would listen...no one cared.
I slammed my book down. I told them they were wasting my time. I told them I put hours and hours of work into preparing class lecture and if they didn't want to learn then they could just leave the room. They sat expressionless.

Really though...I'm not mad at them. It's not even their fault. The textbook is horrendous. They are young students, not mature enough for a college level textbook. The material I am given for teaching makes me an immediate failure before I even try. But no matter how I complain, rant, rebel...in the end, I still have to teach this. So it's a challenge. How can I make this boring, difficult, repulsive subject matter even the slightest bit appealing to grade 4, 5, and 6? How can I keep their attention for 3 hours and see improvement in their second language reading comprehension? How? I'm realizing these days just how much I love challenges. At the same time, I'm realizing how much pressure I let myself bear.

It's the weekend now. Today I'm going shopping and I'm going to watch the Cirque du Soleil. I'm not letting myself be stressed by the work week. This is my time. I'm not "April Teacher" on the weekends.

So to help lift my spirits, I am posting pictures of my favorite students. These students remind me why I love my job. They remind me that I am indeed changing the world one little bright amazing student at a time.

God bless these kids!

You have to notice the succession of these pictures.
First: Okay kids, smile for the camera!

Then: April Teacher makes a really funny noise!
Notice the girls on the left looking at me, "April Teacher WHAT was that?"
And the girl on the bottom left is laughing so hard.
And the boy on the far right is laughing too.
And the girl behind me with her hands over her mouth in shock:)

Finally: Oh okay, we know how to be goofy!

These kids are my sunshine here. They are amazing.

boshintang

2008-10-21T09:33:00.003-05:00

I am a moderately picky eater. But I suppose I'd have to alter that statement depending on where I am eating. In America, I don't eat seafood, and I don't eat mushrooms. In Korea, I don't eat bugs, or live octopus, or dried squid jerky, or spongy fish cakes, or other questionable food items.

But...I did eat dog!

Yes, I did.

But it was only because Brad dared me!
And usually I'm not up for those sorts of challenges, but I wanted to do whatever I could to ensure Brad and Lynn an ideal Korean adventure. And...well, there is no way I'm eating some of the other things they serve here. This is about as adventurous as I'll go.

My friend Jane did some research and found a reputable place for our adventure. We found our way (after getting a little lost) to this basement restaurant in Nowon. The smell walking in was potent and I thought right away that this was going to be an interesting experience. I'm not sure I can even explain the smell. It was sort of sour, but like stew, and not a smell I'd ever associate with food.

We three sat around the table a little nervous for our dinner. Lynn is a vegetarian so she just laughed at us (supportively of course) and thought of really bad jokes in her head.

Boshintang is what the soup is called. It arrived bubbling hot. Brad and I ate, sort of. It was pretty gross. The meat itself was dark and stringy much like roast beef. It didn't really taste like beef though. It tasted...well...sorry, but "doggy". Like, if you close your eyes and think of your dog and how it smells when it's wet, and combine that smell with the smell of dog food, and mix that with a little ginger and garlic...that's sort of how it tasted.

We did our best to eat enough to respect the restaurant but it was a difficult task. In between laughter, I'd shove another spoonful in my mouth. The worst part about the soup were the chunks of "mysterious blubbery possible body part" things. Brad tried to eat one but couldn't get it down his throat. We were guessing it was part of the heart, or liver, or something else.
I asked a student the next day "Jimmy, what do they put in this soup?" He told me that sometimes they take the intestine, clean it out, and stuff it with potatoes, and then cook it in the stew. Woof!....I mean Bark... I mean, Barf!!!!

Well, it was an experience, and one I will remember with laughter, and one I'm so glad I was able to share with fun people. Thanks Brad for your daring suggestion. And thanks Lynn for your support.

(the owner/cook in the front. her daughter is in the back middle.)

Before we left, the owner/cook wanted to take a picture with us. She was so delighted to have us visit. I don't think they get many foreign customers. She asked us to leave a note to hang on the wall. Brad did a swell job on this artistic masterpiece!

My favorite words of the night...

"Honey, wait, there's a dog hair in your soup!"

"Oh, gross, I just burped up some dogmeat..."

After dinner, we went to a little Korean place and ate some normal and yummy Korean food. Lynn tried bibimbop, and I had some mandu. I love mandu.

North and South

2008-10-15T09:01:00.006-05:00

I had the opportunity (which I consider a privilege) to visit the Korean DMZ (Demilitarized Zone)--the North and South Korean border.

I don't know much about Korean war history, and the little I do understand, I've learned since being here. I've learned that in 1953, during the Korean War, the North and South called a cease fire. After this, each side pulled their troops back and created a buffer zone (2.5 miles thick), in a line that stretches across the peninsula and divides the North from the South. Inside that line, is called the DMZ. (See the picture above. The thick pink line is the DMZ, dividing the two sides.)

I learned that the DMZ is the most heavily armed border in the world.

While the DMZ line is 2.5 miles thick, I was able to visit an area called the Panmunjeom, which is the only area where the two sides connect. This area is called the Joint Security Area (JSA) and is where all their meetings and negotiations are held.

I don't mean to bore you with historical details but I figured that since I was posting a bazillion pictures, I'd try to help you understand them.

Here is a picture of my tour ticket. It was fun being "Mr. April" for the day.

The first stop was to see the Freedom Bridge (or in Korean-English--the Freedom Bridgee).

This is a major connecting line between the sides and after the cease fire, it brought many people back home to freedom.

Many Koreans visit this bridge to pray for their loved ones in North Korea. There are memorials and ribbons and prayers written all over. I was told that during the Korean Thanksgiving holiday, this area is packed with people praying and weeping for their friends and family from whom they are separated. It seems to be the most tangible way for them to connect with the other side. It has been since 1953, or longer, since they have been together.

For me, I was particularly moved by watching the older men. They came in their wheelchairs and sat gazing painfully across the land. I imagined these men walking that same bridge more than 50 years ago. I imagined these men being held as prisoners in North Korea, and being given that chance to return home...walking that bridge to freedom. I also imagined some of them as North Koreans, privileged to be free here in South Korea, but longing sadly for their families living in the terrible conditions of the North. Either story is mixed with joy and tears.

I think any moment in history is best learned by looking into the eyes of those who experienced it. For me, watching these men was more meaningful than anything else on the tour.

We were brought to Camp Boniface for a quick briefing/history before we were taken into the JSA. This is also where I signed my name taking responsibility for my own possible death. That was sort of freaky.

This is our tour bus, and a few quick pictures.

And here I am, standing with North Korea behind me.

We had to walk in a single file line. We were not allowed to point in any direction because the North Korean guards might mistake us for pointing a gun.

We were told when and where we could take pictures.

I am smiling in this picture and the smile almost seems out of place.

But notice my fancy shmancy guest badge! Maybe that's why I'm smiling. Who doesn't like wearing a badge?

This is the JSA-the Joint Security Area. As I told you before, this is where all negotiations happen. There's a strange feel to the place. Everything is in perfect order, perfectly manicured. There is no sign of any life, except for the stiff guards watching in every direction.

This white building belongs to the North. There is one guard standing at the entrance. He watches everything. When we walked around, he stood with binoculars the entire time.

Here's a close up of that North Korean guard.

Like I said, they watching EVERYTHING.

There were quite a few South Korean Soldiers. They call them ROK Soldiers. ROK stands for Republic of Korea.

Then we were taken into the main negotiation room. Not much to see. Just two more guards, and a conference table.

And here I am again smiling. I really shouldn't have smiled in this picture. I look so dumb.

North Korea is on the left, South Korea is on the right. So if you look carefully, you'll see that I'm actually standing in North Korea! WooHoo!!!! I can check one more country off of my list!

Off in the distance you can see North Korea's "Peace Village" which South Koreans call "Propaganda Village". It was a city constructed only to give the image that they were thriving and successful. It was like a theater set, fake, and empty. With binoculars, people noticed that there was no glass in the windows, and no one lived there. Now, I guess a small population lives there.

They have the tallest flagpole in the world.

First, South Korea put up a flag pole. The North wanted to seem bigger and better so they put up their own flag, but made it taller and bigger than the South.

Then the South started blaring propaganda over loud speakers across the border. So the North responded by blaring their own propaganda.

It all seems so childish, like when you were younger and would draw the line across the car seat and say to your siblings "This is the line, don't cross it!" and then you'd whine "Mom...she's looking at me!!!!"

In 2004, by mutual agreement, they stopped blaring the propaganda over loudspeakers.

I saw many things but had restricted photography opportunities. But some things are just better experienced than recorded.

It really was an honor to peek into this country's history, and to gain a slightly stronger understanding of the struggles they are facing. It makes me pray for peace for them, and hope for their reunification. And it makes my heart ache for the people who have been separated from their loved ones.

Thanks for reading, and for looking at my pictures.

weekend with the winklers--hiking in the hills, singing, and a sandrich stop

2008-10-12T09:38:00.024-05:00

Korean English (aka Konglish) always makes me smile.

Brad and Lynn, some friends from back home, stopped through Seoul on their 4 month Asia trip. It was such a special weekend. Rather than being a tour-guide, I was able to enjoy some new things myself, and it was a great treat to have company for a change.

We started the weekend with a hillside walk in a Shamanist community called Inwangsan.

We watched some ceremonial dancing.

Dancing, chanting, and drumming is the Shamanist's way of invoking the spirits.

There was also a sacrifice buffet. I'm not sure what you'd actually call it. It was quite a spread! Notice the pig carcass. Supposedly the spirits/gods get hungry too. So you want to keep them fed and happy.

Further along the path were some intriguing rocks. They call them the Dali Rocks because they look like a Salvador Dali painting. Women come to these rocks to pray for a son. I didn't do any praying here :)

We met this guy Sam (from London). He's the guy sitting on top of the big rock. He was quite a friendly guy and ended up spending the rest of the afternoon with Brad and Lynn. I had to go to work. It's always so cool to meet other foreigners. There is a special bond between travelers, even though you are only acquinted for short moments.

And here we are (Lynn, Me, Brad) on the top of some hill.

After work, we went to Noraebang (Kareoke) with a few of my work friends.

We had heaps of fun!

Ami, singing her heart out. What's great is that she sings joyfully pretty much anywhere she is...I love that about her.

And this concludes Part 1 of my weekend with the Winklers.

Check back for some more great pictures and stories.

Note: Some of these pictures were taken by Brad. It was nice to have 2 cameras this weekend because I could relax and let someone else take a few of the pictures. So...great credit to Brad! Also, check their blog for pictures and stories of their big trip, which will include their stop here in Seoul.

who's your daddy?

2008-10-08T11:56:00.005-05:00

Every week, my "Interactive Listening and Speaking" students have to
create a skit based upon a certain scenario. It's different every week. The students spend a good chunk of class minutes creatively writing the story and then casting the characters and practicing their lines. I really hype up this part of class and lately the students have even been incorporating costume changes and props. We have a good time. While of course I have to grade their speaking fluency and their vocabulary, their main objective is to make me laugh. They know this, and they work very hard at that.

This week the story goes like this: Suzanne is grounded because she charged up a horrendous cell phone bill. Her father is very angry. And while she is grounded, she gets invited to her best friend's birthday party. She really really wants to go, so she tries to persuade her father to change his mind. What happens?

I teach this class 3 times each week so all together this week, I watched about 12 groups perform their skits. Each one was clever, and unique. But they all included one disturbing element- a very distant, unkind, and physically abusive father character. Of course the scenario introduces a father who is upset, and of course the students are going to exaggerate this character for the sake of comedy, but I was alarmed at the consistency of this father-image. The students acted him out as if it was normal, as if they were just imitating their own fathers and their own experiences.
One group made a whip, and had the father use it to discipline his daughter. Another group had the father slap the daughter across the face calling her stupid. One father said "Get out of my face, I am ashamed to be known as your father." A different father said "You stupid stupid girl". Another father was the silent distant type. This actor portrayed a father who ignored his daughter. He sat in his chair, read the newspaper, and told his child to leave him alone. And yet another father called his daughter a bastard child.

You can look in any culture and find careless fathers, I don't deny that. But it is admitted here that Korean fathers can be dominating and distant family figures. And when I shared my reactions to some Korean friends, they didn't seem to think my student's acting was so abnormal. It's just the way things are.

My heart is troubled by this. I am troubled by the fact that these hardworking, darling students don't have the tenderness or attentiveness of an understanding father. The relationships just aren't there. The fathers are busy working, the students are sent to school, then to academy, and many students attend school on Saturdays as well. When is there even time for family bonding?

This afternoon the contrast was made even more evident to me. I received a surprise package in the mail from my own father. It was a big envelope stuffed with beef jerky. No note, no card...just an envelope stuffed with beef jerky. It made me laugh, and it made me feel special, and I knew in that moment that my dad wanted to be a part of my life here, even though I'm so very far away.
That's how it's always been. My dad has always been on the sidelines of my life. Every pathetic losing high school soccer game, every baton twirling competition, every parade, every academic achievement, parent conferences...dad has always been there. My dad's the guy who always makes things happen. We dream it, dad builds it. He even built me and my sister a portable dressing room (made from PVC pipes and plastic shower curtains) for our endless baton competitions. And when my dad becomes aware of my interests, he'll do anything to help me find connections. I smile when I think of all the cool job fairs I have attended, the news broadcasting job shadowing I've done, or the interviews I've attended thanks to my dad.
And while I'm mentioning things, I can't NOT mention the countless number of times my dad has rescued me (and my car) from the side of the road, sometimes miles and miles away from home. And heck, he's even been known to rescue my friends.
Once, after I had moved into my first apartment, my dad snuck into my apartment while I was working and stocked my fridge, freezer, and cabinets with groceries.

My dad is a selfless man, full of generosity, humor, skills, and love. My dad's active interest in us (his kids) reminds me daily that I am blessed with a father that is truly exceptional.

And forgive me if I've exhausted you with bragging details and examples, but perhaps you can understand how disturbed I am by the father figures portrayed by my students? Again, I understand that the acting is just that...acting...but if you could have just been there, you'd have seen it too. These kids gave me pictures of their fathers. Even if you strip away the extremely abusive images, they are so far away from the father I know. I'm really proud to have a dad with a big heart.

another little goodie

2008-10-05T09:43:00.002-05:00

F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

I've really missed my wasted time watching Friends.
Now, I can stream every episode! Hooray!
I love the way they make me laugh. I just love them. Like my own friends.
I just love these little goodies :-)

sg wannabe lalala...

2008-10-05T07:50:00.002-05:00

(I didn't have my camera with me so I had to use my cell phone. I took this picture more for proof than anything else)

This evening I was walking along the Cheonggyecheong and I noticed that they had a stage set up and they were doing a sound check. To my surprise, I was just in time for an SG Wannabe concert!
I've heard their music over the radio, in every shopping center, grocery store, and yes...noraebang (kareoke) but it was really exciting to see them live!
Below you can hear the most popular song, and my favorite "Lalala".

PICTURES

2008-09-29T09:27:00.003-05:00

I just posted a BAZILLION pictures from my weekend. You can find them below, mingled with stories of my time away.
You will be reading them in backwards order, 3-2-1. Sorry. I guess I could change that, but it doesn't really matter.

Enjoy!

Hiking in Mt. Seoraksan National Park------Vacation Part 3

2008-09-29T08:10:00.012-05:00

After sunrise on Sunday, I hiked for the rest of the day. Mount Seoraksan National Park is supposedly one of the most beautiful areas in South Korea. If I had to compare with places I've been, I'd say it was a mixture of the Pacific Northwest and the Swiss Alps.

In the center of the park there is a gigantic (I mean HUGE) statue of the Buddha. You can pay your respects/worship/etc. I have to say I was filled with curiosity and fascination but mostly I felt disturbed. It's one thing to study other religions, but watching people bow down before a giant statue was awkward. It's hard to explain...

This woman was adding a candle to the shrine.

And then she spent some time bowing.

Another shrine garden.

There was another shrine nearby. In the entrace were statues of The Four Heavenly Kings. Each of the kings is a guardian god watching over the 4 cardinal directions of the world. They are quite comical looking. People bowed to these 4 gods as they walked through the entrance.

And inside the garden was this other shrine of the Buddha. More offerings were made, more bowing, more worshipping.

So then I decided to hike. As a warm up, I took a short 2 km hike to what's called Biryong Falls. It was an easy hike and the morning air was crisp.

Not the most impressive waterfall, but still it was nice.

So then I decided to hike the Ulsanbawi Rock trail. It said 4 km and I figured that would be a nice hike. Besides, the scenery was just gorgeous and I had no other plans than to spend the day in the mountains.

I think it was one of the (if not THE) hardest hike I've ever done. The last 2 km's were stairs--stairs that went straight up! I got pretty far up before I realized I hadn't taken any pictures. So here's one of me at the 2 km mark. I'm just getting ready to take the stairs. I'm already pretty wiped out.

And so I began again.

Looking down. But I'm still not even close to the top yet.

But I made it. This hike was a great achievement. I really wanted to give up.

But here's the view from the top.

I found a nice spot to sit and rest and I pulled out my PB&J sandwich and banana. And then I made some friends.

This man wanted to take his picture with me.

And then I became famous on the mountain. It was a chain reaction. People lined up to take pictures with me. I was like a celebrity. I am not joking, I took pictures with about 50 Koreans. One after another they just lined up and had pictures with me.

After the picture session was finished, these kind folks insisted that I sit and share in their picnic. They were a fun bunch of people but none of them spoke English so we used a lot of motions and then just laughed at each other. I drank about 3 different kinds of whiskey and ate some food that was really gross but I pretended that I liked it.

A friend recently told me about a Korean saying that says "No one is a stranger on the mountain". That has really proven true for me, nearly every time I've gone hiking.

Picnic food.

Picnic people.

And then we started hiking down.

Down was really hard too!

But beautiful.

My new friends couldn't speak any English. And they didn't ever ask me my name. I managed to tell them that I was from Chicago. And that...became my name.
When we were hiking down, I was at the front of the group. At one point they all wanted to rest for a minute but I didn't realize it. Suddently I heard people shouting "CHICAGO STOP!!!! HEY CHICAGO!!!! STOP!!!!!" And I turned around and laughed at them.

Here they are catching up to me.

And here's another picture with some of the ladies.

So I finished the hike and my body was quivering. It was 4:30pm. I had been hiking since 9:30am. I caught the bus back to the hostel and I melted into my bed and slept for 4 hours. I didn't move at all. And even now I'm still in pain. But it feels so good.

Sunrise In Sokcho. Morning Moments At The Sea With A Fellow Traveler----------Seoraksan/Sokcho Part 2

2008-09-29T07:22:00.007-05:00

When I got back to the hostel that first night, the guy at the front desk nervously asked me if I would be okay with a male roommate. Usually I prefer being in girls-only rooms. And that's pretty standard for hostels. But for some reason I felt okay about it. (I can see all of my "mothers" at home gasping and getting ready to write me scolding emails about safety...I know...I know...)

So I said "fine."

And that's when I met Daniel. He was a very lovely guy from Germany. We started talking right away, sharing details, sharing stories. He's here in Korea on a forestry internship. He was a wonderful roommate and it was so nice to have some good English conversation. We made plans to wake up early the next morning and share a cab to the sea to watch the sunrise.

I don't rememer the last time I watched the sunrise. I don't fare well with mornings ya know. But being there on the beach, in a beautiful place, with good company... it was pure joy.

I took about 50 pictures. The light changed every few minutes and it just kept getting better and better!

My camera fights hard to work in the dark.

It was a very gentle sunrise. Not the most awe-inspiring, but it was calm and good for the soul.

But wait...

It continued to change, transforming into more glory. It was like a song for the eyes. It was beautiful.

There was a small group of people having mass on the beach. It was Sunday morning after all.
I didn't modify these pictures at all. Isn't it cool how the light is streaming from the priest to the heavens?

And here's a picture of me with Daniel. Yup, great picture huh? I kind of cherish it though. He was in and out of my life in less than 24 hours. I'll easily forget his face, but it's hard to forget special moments with fellow travelers. I guess that's one of the coolest things about traveling alone.

A friend Jon Troast recently recorded a song called "Joy". I sang the song all morning.

Joy. Joy helps me to sing.
When it feels like I'm all alone. Somewhere in the night, joy picks up the song.

And my voice my rings out, singing "hallelujah for the morning".
And my voice rings out singing "hallelujah".
Well I don't know when this night will end,
but when it does I'm going to be singing.

It's a constant choice to say "I will rejoice". Even when the tears are falling.

My weekend in Sokcho/Seoraksan--------Part 1

2008-09-29T06:49:00.006-05:00

It is nearly October. I've been here in Seoul for 3 1/2 months. So much time, and yet it seems like no time at all. The autumn season has just arrived. We've had less than a week of pleasant cool air. I'm cherishing every moment of it.

This weekend I escaped from the city. I've been aching to get away. Finally on Saturday morning I boarded a bus to Sokcho.

My agenda: relax. hike. explore. take pictures. read a book. be quiet.

I did all of those things, and more. I wandered wherever seemed nice. I sat in random places to read my book. I took many pictures. I met great people.

So now, let me tell you about my trip.

Sokcho is about 4 hours North and East of Seoul. It is a fishing town set on the East Sea.
I arrived on Saturday afternoon. I checked into the hostel, and then I headed out to explore.

I first explored the fish market. It was very busy with live music and crowds of people. I walked around curiously, stopping often to figure out what exactly I was looking at. I have always loved fish towns, port towns, any sort of sea-side communities. I think they are just lovely. They are colorful, busy, fishy, and rugged. I hate seafood. I gag when I taste it. Sometimes I wish I could get over my seafood repulsion. I do love fish, but here in Korea, I just don't even know what to expect so I avoid it altogether.

Here's a picture of all the fishing boats gathered in.

People walk from stall to stall buying fresh fish or sea creatures. Some places cook it for you, some places wrap it to go.

I loved watching this guy hang his squid to dry. Dried squid is a big thing here.

It's fun to watch people choose their fish. But it's kinda sad/gross when you
watch them pull it out of the water and knock it dead with a baseball bat.

The sun was setting. I was feeling refreshed. (and hungry, but I needed to keep looking
for something non-fish-seafood-ish).

kimchi, kimchi, it is good for you and me

2008-09-25T11:12:00.003-05:00

This week in my listening and speaking classes, the students had to make up a tv commercial about kimchi. They spent a good 1/2 hour letting their creative juices flow, and then they had to stand up in front of the class and act it out. They all know that the main objective is to MAKE APRIL TEACHER LAUGH. That's really all I ask :-)

And they usually succeed.

Helen and Sara got a little aggressive.

No wait...their cool... (haha, these two girls are constant entertainment)

These girls worked very seriously.

These girls included the Queen of England and a little dancing in their commercial.

And In-Chang hid behind this paper.

Yes, they did make me laugh.

pizza school

2008-09-25T11:02:00.002-05:00

One fun thing about being a foreigner in Seoul, is that people remember you. I'm a person of habit. Once I find things I like, I frequent them. Two things in which I frequently induldge, are Paris Baguette (a lovely bakery/cafe) and the Pizza School.

Pizza School just opened downstairs from my apartment. For just 5,000 won (about 5 bucks) I can get a whole pizza, and my favorite is the sweet potato pizza! It comes complete with honey mustard, corn, a tangy red sauce, and of course sweet potatos! I know it sounds weird...but really, it's lovely.

I was their first American customer and possibly still their only American customer. They know me by name. Well sort of. My name to them is "Sweet Potato!!!" I often walk past the door and wave to the ladies inside and they holler out "Sweet Potato!!!" And really, I don't even have to tell them my order when I walk inside. They just get right to work in the kitchen.

The picture below is from a few nights ago. I was waiting for my pizza and enjoying the drunken company of some funny men. They kept calling me "Beautiful" which sounded more like "bootiful" and I'm pretty sure that's the only English word they know.

students

2008-09-23T10:58:00.004-05:00

Students.

They are such a joy.

Will they ever know how much I adore them?

I give them English. That is the gift I have to offer. English.

They give me smiles. They give me laughter. They give me bad attitudes, behavior problems, bad test scores...

I love them to pieces. Every single one of them.
More than they will ever know.

God bless them. God bless them.

in the mail last week

2008-09-23T10:43:00.006-05:00

Last week I received mail every day! THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!

Taylor (age 6) from Arizona sent me a postcard. It says:
Dear April-My Favrit color is Pink I cant Belileve you are a techer From Taylor

Taylor, sometimes I can't believe I'm a teacher either.

And when my sister asked me what I wanted for my birthday, I sarcastically wrote "a boyfriend".

Well, she found/made me a boyfriend! Isn't he handsome? Dreamy?

I'm so in love!

Thanks everyone for the mail. I hope you can understand how much it means to me. For real!

dinner time...what should I eat?

2008-09-21T08:44:00.002-05:00

Tonight I went out for dinner.

I did NOT eat this.

This is beondegi (boiled silkworm larvae). It smells as terrible as it looks and I hear it tastes like bugs...hmm, really?

I didn't eat here either.

Or here.

This lady is selling dried squid. I ate it once wrapped around a peanut. It was gross. But I tried it!

Donuts are not good for dinner, so I passed this guy up as well.

And this guy is selling roasted chestnuts which are yummy, but not dinner food.

I DID get a fine taste of these sweet guys, but I needed something a little more substantial. But they sang me a song :-)

And I decided to visit my favorite little ramyeon restaurant. I had tofu ramyeon. Yum!

Here's the menu.

People leave little post-it's on the walls. They say something like "hey...nice noodles!"

So there you go. I thought I'd give you a little sampling of the foods of Seoul.
Seoul(Soul)food!

pictures and words

2008-09-20T07:27:00.005-05:00

i love my job!

Ami does too.

This is the man who disciplines my students. He is hiding his evil eyes.

I went to the sauna again last night. This time I had company.

(The downfall of asking people to take your picture, is that you often get really terrible photos.)

And finally, I made a really great pot of curry rice. It has been feeding me all week.

(I realize now that I'm looking at this picture, that curry rice is not the most delicious looking food. But hopefully you can get past the awful color and texture and imagine it to be delightful.)

an effort towards responsibility

2008-09-17T22:55:00.002-05:00

The last 24 hours have been extremely productive!

I've been lazy lately. My work hours cater to sleeping in--something at which I am very skilled. But when I wake up at noon, shower, and beautify myself, it is time then to head to school for teaching which ties me up until 10:30. And then day after day I live in a "sleep, work, watch movies, sleep, work, play online, sleep..." routine.

So. I'm making an effort to keep myself disciplined.

Last night after work I walked to the grocery store. It's a lovely walk along the river which includes crossing on stepping stones (my favorite part). I lugged everything home in my backpack and got lots of smiles along the way.
This morning I cooked a big pot of curry and brown rice. It is yummy, and it is healthy, or healthier than some other things I've been eating.
...like Sweet Potato Pizza!
Which leads me to my next story. There is a new pizza place on the first floor of my apartment building. It's called Pizza School. Convenient! For $5.00 I can get an entire pizza. They opened just 2 weeks ago and the lady was thrilled that I was her very first American customer. I ordered my Sweet Potato Pizza and she continued to ask me questions like "Is Korean pizza different than American pizza?"
So last night on my way home I passed by the window of the Pizza School and I waved at the woman. She shouted "Sweet Potato Pizza!!!" and everyone looked at me. She laughed. I said "Tomorrow :-)" So I guess I have a new name here. Just call me "SPP" haha.

So this morning I have finished my cooking, I finished prepping for my reading class, I wrote a letter, I paid a bill, and hey...I even posted this blog, and I'm just about ready to head for school. Let's hope I can keep up this productivity. I really think time-management is more than a skill, but a responsibility.

holiday weekends are divine

2008-09-15T10:27:00.005-05:00

This weekend was a big Korean holiday called Chuseok. It's the Korean Thanksgiving. People travel back to their hometowns and spend the holiday with their families. Not only did most businesses close down, but the streets were empty and quiet and almost eerie.
For me, I enjoyed a 3 day weekend of rest and absolutely no agenda. It was lovely.

I spent my entire Sunday at the sauna (called Jimjilbang). Jimjilbangs are big public bathhouses made into a sort of resort. It's a big thing here in Korea and I have decided to go on a weekly basis.

As a side note: When you travel and experience different cultures, you sometimes discover practices that are so extremely healthy and beneficial and you think "Why is this exclusive to one culture? Why doesn't the entire world get this?"

Actually, many foreigners are repulsed by the sauna. A combination of being naked communally, and making exfoliation a group effort somehow makes most of my American friends a little squeamish. I'm not sure why, but I find it enjoyable, relaxing, and rewarding.

But let me tell you about the Jimjilbang. You enter, put your shoes in a locker, and you're given a cute little uniform and some towels. You make your way to the appropriate gender's locker room and you are immediately surrounded by a massive crowd of naked people...in my case, women.

Every insecurity you have about your body is instantly forgotten. I mean, there were women with hair in the strangest places, big bodies, little bodies, uneven breasts, saggy butts, and then there were the Asian supermodels of course. And you just sort of fit in, in your own natural way.

I will admit, I had a few awkward moments being the only white girl, wandering around obviously a little confused about the flow of events. But I got over it, shortly after I walked into the wrong room...a room that generally requires clothing.

The sauna area is a giant bathhouse filled with a million tempting options. There are baths of ginseng water, natural sea water, salt water, cold water, hot water, intense pressured jets, and foot spas, and walking spas...and more. The best part was the initial exfoliation. You get these exfoliating cloths and some good body soap and rub the heck out of your body. But Korean women are very helpful. They don't like to see you left alone to scrub. I mean...how are you going to reach the middle of your back? I was surrounded by women helping me to get the best scrub and after wincing in pain a few times...I ended up so sqeaky clean it was astounding. I'm serious, my skin was squeaky! You can actually pay about $10 to lay on a bed and have an older lady scrub your entire body for you. From what I hear, it's worth the expense.

So after a few hours in the baths, I spent some time in the sauna rooms. There are so many options. I did accidentally sit down without using a towel and I scalded my butt cheeks. Lesson learned.

Then there is the common area of the Jimjilbang, where everyone meets. That's when you get to sport your cute uniform. You can get something to eat, enjoy the rooftop garden, rest on the floor, check your email, read a book, enjoy the ice room, get a manicure, or go swimming outside in the pool. I spent the rest of my afternoon wandering, reading a book, and taking a nap.

I'm sorry, but I didn't take any pictures for you...hopefully you can understand why. But in conclusion, the Korean sauna is a brilliant habit. It is one I shall cherish during my time here, and one that I will miss when I'm gone.

On to other things...

Did you know that McDonalds delivers?

And while I'm posting pictures, here are a few more things I see every day (or at least quite often). I finally took the time to capture them for you.

This is a building near my work. I'm pretty sure it's a home. I don't know what the grafiti says but I intend to find out.

The two business on the bottom "Family Mart" and "Paris Baguette" are two of my FAVORITES here in Seoul.

I make regular visits to the post office.

This is the intersection near my work.

I saw this van every day for a while. Now it's gone. I miss seeing it.

Yongsan Station is where I often see movies. There is a great sauna near Yongsan Station.

Inside Yongsan Station.

I don't even rememer where this was. But I thought I'd include it in this post.

my mother...

2008-09-10T21:14:00.005-05:00

My mother got her motorcycle license,
AND THEN SHE BOUGHT A MOTORCYCLE!

My brother put strobe lights in the grill of his truck.

My dad...well I'm not sure about him yet.

This is all going to prove how much my family needs me. Look at them!! They all go crazy when I leave.

That's it. I think I need to go back home. It's obvious that my family needs to consult me before making major decisions.

So watch out Illinois drivers! And mom...we need to work out a dress code. I can't have you embarrassing me. No leather fringe, no leather mini-skirts, NO MINI-SKIRTS at all, no excessive biker paraphernalia. And if you get a tattoo, it must be smaller than the palm of your hand, and hidden under clothing. And what else?...oh well, we will make up the rules as we go.

do-over PLEASE!!!!

2008-09-05T06:21:00.001-05:00

If relationships are defined by quality time, my toilet and I would be lovers.

Today was a terrible day.

I woke up this morning feeling nauseous and dizzy. I figured it had something to do with the night before and all screaming I did and the exhausting boredom of teaching the history of HIV/AIDS to a bunch of middle schoolers. That's definitely enough to cause some sort of ache.

So I forced myself through a hot shower, through some water, through some coffee, through some crackers...and my body just continued to shut down. I felt like I wanted to die. I wanted my mom.

Afternoon came and I called the school, dreading their reaction to my news. "I'm sorry. I'm sick. I'm vomiting every 15 minutes. I'm not in a condition to teach."

Desperate, they begged me. "Please get better...I hope you get better before classes." As if I have some sort of healing powers of my own. God??? Do you hear this?? Start your magic.

A few hours later my boss knocked on my apartment door. Oh no. "WTF?" is what I said.

But to my surprise, my boss was tender and caring. She took one look at me and realized I wasn't lying. I was sick. She rubbed my back, walked me across the street to the clinic, took care of all my papers, did her best at translating, and she even had the honor of sitting with me while I puked up a storm. Her kindness was the next best thing to having my mother nearby.

Korean medicine is different than what I'm used to. And I'm not exactly used to American medicine anyway. Normally I'd drug myself with something from the bathroom cabinet and sleep things off. The whole experience today was quite awkward. It was even more awkward when I had to drop my pants for them to give me a shot in my butt cheek. I bet my boss never expected to see that side of me!
I spent 3 1/2 hours lying down with an IV stuck into me. From what I understand, my Korean BBQ meal last night didn't quite agree with me. And from all my time making out with the toilet, I was dehydrated. Oh nice.

So now I'm home. Various people covered my classes for me. To them I am so grateful. It's no easy task to teach an unknown class at the last minute. But I guess love can do lots of things that are hard.

they like me!!!

2008-08-26T22:25:00.004-05:00

This last week has been filled with encouragement. As the new term starts and my classroom is filled with new faces, I'm noticing how much I have changed and developed as a teacher even after only 2 months of teaching. I've also received some helpful feedback from parents, students, and school staff. It helps to know what I'm doing well, where I need to work harder, and how much my students like me. I know that being likable isn't the main focus, but it makes me feel better! Above and below are pictures of two notes I received this week.
My students are so darling.

If you click on the note, it should get big enough for you to read it. (I hope!)