Chrismas Blessings

Well it has been a year almost exactly since I have made so many changes in my life. There was a lot of uncertainty, kicking, and screaming for and against all of these changes. What I know for certain is that everyone in my life made a major impact on me seeing this Christmas. No matter if it was harmful or helpful, I am here and I am grateful.
Now that I am straddling two lives, I am turning my observation skills on myself at this time. I have figured out that change, no matter how big or small, is scary but can sometimes end in great things. I know that being afraid of something doesn't always mean it will end in hurt. Sometimes if you can push through that fear it will lead to some great adventures.
I have also learned that the hardest person to face is yourself in the mirror everyday. Next to God, the only person you have to really answer to is the one you see in the mirror every day. Sometimes that can person can be the toughest judge to face. Sometimes I wish that my GSIS family could meet the person I was and often am when I am in Idaho. Other times I am glad they only know the person I am now. It's a pretty big gift to have this chance to redefine myself at this age. I don't think I would have been ready or appreciative of it earlier on. No matter what you think of me now, I am pretty darn happy and proud of the person I have become. I think I have stayed true to the person I want to now be. That is extremely liberating. It's also kind of scary.
No matter what, it is the people in both of my worlds that mean the most to me. I am very glad to be home for the holidays. I now really understand what that means and appreciate it. I love the traditions we still hold dear. Meeting with family, driving around town looking at Christmas lights, dad putting on Christmas music to subtly tell us to get up then turning it up louder and louder until we get out of bed. I love that. At the same time I am eager to get back to the new life I have started and the people that are there. I know that I am going to have to deal with changes as many people will be moving in and out of my life much more frequently. That will be hard as I tend to be possessive of these friendships. It will be an amazing learning lesson and one that I will not always enjoy. I value those who welcome me to Boise. I value their willingness to accept me for who I am now, good or bad. At the same time I value the new friends in Suwon. I am thankful that they open their hearts and are patient with me as I get used to this new life. It is my plan to keep checking in with myself and logging my adventures somewhere because they are all special. It's great to get up each morning and know some sort of adventure good or bad awaits you. You don't have to move 7000 miles away from home to find that though.
I just really want to say thanks to everybody. I am so humbled by those who come and go in my life nowadays. I know it is for some reason and I just want to enjoy each moment with the people who want to be a part of my life. So my thanks go to you. I just hope that no matter what  happens from this day forward, we all have some great adventure ahead of us. We all can be heroes for a day to somebody else. We all need to cut ourselves a break from time to time. And above all, we need to just stop and look and listen to the events of our lives. Do one nice thing for ourselves or another and just try to take back some of the ugliness in this world. It isn't always going to be sunshine and roses, but maybe we can eek out one more smile each day. Hey if I never planned on seeing this Christmas, I might as well take each day from here on out as the gift that it is. I hope you all can do the same. If I can help, just give me a shout.
Good luck to you all...

Winter Wear of SoKo

As I sit in the somewhat warm confines of the family home in Idaho, I felt a need to fire up my blog posts again. While I watch many Idaho folks walk around in t-shirts and even shorts in this 32 degree (0 degree Celsius) weather, I feel compelled to talk about the changes in my own winter wardrobe. Above you will see many of the items that I now have as part of my winter gear in Korea. You see, Korea seems to embrace the idea of playful yet functional winter wear. It is a way that you can express your inner child during the dreariest of months. I find it quite entertaining yet highly practical.
Although I have yet to "enjoy" the coldest months of January and February in the Land of the Morning Calm, I have already had a taste of what is to come on more than one occasion in December. If you look on any map you will see that South Korea is actually further north than Idaho, thus prone to some very cold and damp weather. I can now begin to understand the term bone chilling cold in an entirely new way.
With winds that can take your breath away, one must bundle up for the outdoor treks to school and to the shops on a daily basis. To help get through I have added some things to my own arsenal for warmth and convenience. So far all have been great purchases. You will see above the endless circular scarves that just wrap around your neck and ears. Accompany that with the Made in Korea lined hat with flaps that button up or down and a yarn ball that is easily locatable from space if needed.
There are also gloves and mittens of every kind imaginable. I have the more traditional junior fleece mittens complete with the yarn string attachment that can wrap around my neck for portability. Then you have the fancier bear mittens for days when you feel a little more intimidating. Of course I have gloves for those more sophisticated days but really, why be an adult when you don't have to.
I do have rabbit earmuffs of which I have yet to wear but my confidence was bolstered when seeing what looked to be a very well off business man sporting some white furry earmuffs with pride while getting into his very high end black sedan the other day in Suwon.
Of course you still see many well dressed ladies with high heels and skirts dashing from place to place and I am told they will maintain this look throughout the year. THOSE are the real risk takers in fashion I say. When high heels meet ice and move to marble or hard flooring and they still can walk or even run from place to place I give them mad props.
As for me I plan to be fully content in my Ugg boots, full on parka coat, hat, mittens, earmuffs, and whatever I need to make to work each day.
So for all my state side friends, go to your closet, find the most random winter gear you can think of to put together and head out the door in warmth and with pride. I guarantee you that someone in SoKo will out do you within five minutes. I can't wait to snap some photos of what walks in my door over the next several months. Should be quite a show.

It's Turkey Time

It is officially Thanksgiving in Korea today but you wouldn't know it by the looks of things. Although that is to be expected, it is still very hard to adjust to when you have celebrated it every day of your life with family until this point.
They are making us a Thanksgiving dinner with turkey and mashed potatoes which is really a big deal here. No football, no leftovers, but I am sure it will be a memorable evening with staff and friends. It seems so very odd to be at school on this holiday, to have a "normal" day.
I do think much more of family and friends today and how I am thankful. I am thankful for this opportunity in Korea, even though things are bit of a struggle right now. I think I finally am starting to understand the feeling of being in the place and time where you are and being ok with just that.
It isn't an easy thing I promise you. But this journey is one that never stops. It is an ongoing process good and bad.
With all of the people I have met now I see more than ever the differences and similarities in who we are. Maybe we all don't share the same customs or traditions. It must be quite hard to understand why this is such a special time for US citizens if you aren't from there. On the flip side, I can't believe some of my new friends have never had a piece of pumpkin pie in their entire lives. So many differences.
But then I have experiences like last night when talking to one of my friends. We have the same saying in two different languages. As she was explaining it I knew what she was saying. This was in reference to our current school situation.
It was something along the lines of "if you have one person to steer the boat, all will go well. If you have too many people steering the boat, you will land on the mountain." A different way of saying "Too many chiefs and not enough indians." The most fascinating thing I am finding in this entire process is that I stop and just listen to the person next to me. We are really not so different. There are boundaries sure, but the core of who we are is there. It takes patience to listen to not only the words that are said but in watching how they are said or by whom. So those of you who think by my recent adventures that I have become some sort of social butterfly, fear not, I have become much more of a listener as well. I just have learned many new ways of being that listener, that watcher.
Definitely something to be thankful for in my book.

It's a Wonderful Life

Cast and Crew of GSIS "It's a Wonderful Life"

Watching this talented group of young folk put on a great production of one of my all time favorite movies was really thought provoking. So here then friends are some of my thoughts.

When you walk down the street with no fear that your person or your things will be taken from you...It's a Wonderful Life

When you can comfort a student without fear of a lawsuit...It's a Wonderful Life

When you see people give up their seat to the elderly or share that little extra space...It's a Wonderful Life

When you heart is full of thanks for friends and family near and far...It's a Wonderful Life

When you can be in absolute awe of something so practical yet you have never seen or thought of...It's a Wonderful Life

When a student says thank you and means it...It's a Wonderful Life

When a new friend asks if you are okay and doesn't take your "I'm fine" at face value...It's a Wonderful Life

When you go to bed and don't have to worry if your heat or electricity will be shut off...It's a Wonderful Life

When you get a note or package from home on your toughest days...It's a Wonderful Life

When you can write all of these things above and still have too many blessings to speak of It's a Wonderful Life

Lanterns aglow...

 Since 2009 Seoul has been showing displays of amazing lanterns along the Cheonggye Cheon Stream.
Our troupe of teachers set out to get there around 5:00 or a bit after since it gets dark quite early these days. So off we went with a map and a prayer of finding a stream somewhere in the middle of Seoul. (funny how these things are starting to sound so normal to my daily routine)
Well luckily we made it into the heart of Seoul and soon came upon a line. We could not even see the beginning of it but according my compass and the map we were in the right area. So what else do you do in Korea? Just get in line really. Hope that it is where you want to go. We sent two brave scouts ahead to check out if we were in the correct spot. After a bit of time, we finally heard back from our messengers via text that we were indeed in the right line.

When I asked why they weren't back yet, it was because they got distracted by a Starbucks along the route. Hey, at least we had some good drinks for the wait. I thought we would be there forever but the line moved faster than any of us could have expected. It was more of a stroll than a wait. Once we finally got through the maze of humanity we were treated to spectacular displays of light and art. These lanterns were on the water on what looked to be metal frameworks. Some must have been 8 to 10 feet tall. The detailing was beautiful. This year was a theme of Korea through time and a little bit of how it has been changed by other countries. Some breathed fire. Some came on and played music. Others just were beautiful by their simplicity. All had placards but the stream of people often moved faster than one could sit and read.

For the most part people were fairly accommodating and not too pushy by Korean standards but friends easily got swept up and down stream so to speak so sometimes you would visit with one and the next second they would be gone and one or two others would show up. By some miracle we all made it down what I would guess to be well over a mile of lanterns that could rival any float in the Rose Parade. The majority of us even made it to dinner afterward. These are the kinds of things you just have to experience when you travel. These festivals and customs shared with friends make a lifetime of memories. So my advice to you travelers out there is this. Don't try to change the place you are visiting to fit your idea of right and wrong. Embrace and accept the customs and cultures of where you are and enjoy things of beauty such as a night like this.

(many more pictures can be found on my face book page. way too many to put on the blog!)

Pepero Day!

So yet another unofficial holiday erupted at school on Friday. It is odd enough to not observe Veteran's Day for the first time in my life, much less have a very different holiday of sorts replace it in Korea.
It is known as Pepero Day. A strictly commercial event that has grown in success since 1983 if you believe what the box says. The date of observation is 11/11 because the candy looks like the number one. Of course this being the year of 11/11/11 it brought even more significance the holiday.
The best way to describe it is as a day where you give pepero to your sweetheart, a friend, or someone you appreciate or admire. That's all. (Good one candy companies) These boxes of pepero were flying off the shelves of any store you walked into. Some would by cases of the stuff. There are many sizes and varieties of pepero. For example I have what is called naked pepero which is a biscuit type stick filled with chocolate. I have almond chocolate covered pepero. I have Tonk and I have Flaky and a couple I left at school for the tough days I am sure will be ahead. The central point being almost all have chocolate in them. Who am I to argue with a holiday that involves chocolate? I mean seriously!
It was very kind of the kids to give me some. They munched on it endlessly and by the end of the day Friday I have never seen so many high schoolers hyped up on sugar! These kids are lightweights in the junkfood department and I don't envy the sugar crash they took at some point.
At least now I know why the veteran teachers I asked about pepero day mostly just smiled and nodded at me. You can't really explain it. You just have to witness and participate for yourself. Now that I know what it is, watch out friends next year! I will be a pepero giving machine! Don't get me started on the three different Valentine's Days...that's for February's blog.
So much for weight loss in Korea!

What is it like being a Christian in Korea?

Table Rock....Home Sweet Home

Answer to that question is different and hard to describe.
Being a Christian here is something you can talk openly about in some circles and stay quiet about in some other situations. Even when you are in a nondenominational Christian school. What I can say is that whatever those in Korea choose to believe, they believe with the whole of their heart and soul. I learn that more and more every day. Sunday church services here are what we would describe at home more as praise worship or early morning worship services. Most of the music is newer than the old hymns I know. Some are sung first in English and then in Korean. Sometimes there are all English services if you find the place and time.
The churches seem to be very active and at the same time transient. People come to most churches for fellowship and worship not for necessarily specific denominations although there are those around. Many of us our still looking for our "home" church as we settle here. Today though was a particularly memorable one for me with a peek at how many Koreans practice Christianity and it isn't even a Sunday.
As I have told many of you, our school has been severing ties with our sister school due primarily to financial issues and this has caused a great wave of changes in administration and school boards and board of trustees as well as PTA. Everyone is affected and your word and honor and pride are very big issues in this country. After 2 days of particularly tense meetings by all of the executive boards, a group of parents wanted to offer a time of prayer for teachers as well as themselves to come together and seek the right answers for the school moving forward. I felt that this was a good thing and I decided since I had the time today I would go because I do believe that coming together is the only way to solve some of these issues. I thought we would have a quick time of prayer and that would be it. I was so incorrect about that.
What I ended up with was a 90 minute glimpse into what it is to be a Korean Christian. The group consisted of 10 or 11 women and about 7 faculty members, 3 of which were administrators. Granted it is hard to take time out of your day to attend something because you don't want to be rude and leave.
First the leader of the prayer group gave us a song sheet, all in Korean but I am okay with that because it is the spirit of the music being shared that is important. She said that most of the meeting would be held in Korean and she apologized that she didn't have a translator at the time. No problem, just being in worship is all that matters right?
So we had several songs first which is very common. Then she would stand and ask for prayer on a certain issue and would translate it into English as best that she could and then all would bow their heads to pray. This is a type of praying I had never been in presence of. They pray with all they are. Incessant praying out loud, to keening to chanting, and many tears shed because of wanting for something so much. Bodies would rock back and forth and it would swell and then all of a sudden it would die back down. Another passage from the bible would be read. It would be related to the school situation in some way and the ritual would begin all over again. You cannot help but be moved when surrounded by that kind of atmosphere. It doesn't matter if you understand the language or not at that point. By then however, another teacher who could help translate had come in and did so. By that time I was the only waygookgin (foreigner) left in the room. How did that happen? It didn't matter. A King James Bible with Korean on one side and English on the other was shared and I read parts of the scripture with the others. Once the main "service" was over the ladies stayed to talk more about who knows what. All I know is I left after witnessing something I will never forget and am grateful I took part in.
Now it is my hope that it will help heal some wounds so that we can move forward with the ideals and mission of the school for the sake of the kids.  God had to have heard that service though. I don't know how he couldn't have.

This one is for the dogs....

Cone Head

Okay folks,
I know I have been absent from my blog for a bit and there are several reasons why. Tonight though is a story that I feel is quite unique to my time in Korea. This is a saga that has gone on for well over a week and I feel compelled to tell the story nearly in its entirety now that success has been achieved.
There were whispers of these things called dog cafes amongst many of our friends and several blogs. So four of us adventurers trekked out on Halloween weekend in search of this mysterious place called Bau House. So off we go. Bus to Seoul on a Friday night. (check) Look for an Italian restaurant right in front of us that is worthy of an entire other blog post. (check) Get on the Gagnam subway line...go 17 stops. (That is a lot of stops folks) Out to some university area I have never been to in the dark. Cool...looking for a dog cafe on the second floor of some random building...cool. 3 hours later not finding the cafe and having made an huge loop of a strange area... not quite as cool. Taking the bus home after midnight...not quite as cool. Not seeing any dogs in this mysterious dog cafe. SUPER not cool. Defeated
Chapter 2: Today
Step one go to church followed by the now routine Dos Tacos fix in Gagnam (check). Meet up with friends in the area where millions of people pass by (check). Two of us dare to trek out the 17 subway stops in search of this cafe again (check) and with new directions and daylight we have SUCCESS!

Sarah got all the calm ones

"Bubba"

Now to the explanation of what this is. First NO this is not a place where you eat dog. Come on people would I ever? I mean really! You cannot even buy human food in here. You go up three flights of stares into an open area set off by a pet gate. (first clue you are in the right place) When you walk through the gate you are greeted by some nice folks and lots of dogs of every shape and size. More varieties than in all of Korea. This is what you do. To be allowed to sit there for any amount of time you purchase a beverage. They have teas, coffees, milkshakes, everything. Then you are free to pet and socialize with all of the dogs around. You can even bring your own dog for a small fee per half hour. You can choose to buy a variety of healthy dog treats for your new friends from a display wall and just sit amongst canine companionship. I believe some are rescue dogs, some are dogs that are left by owners who are away, but all are clean and brushed and at various times different dogs come out to play so they don't get overwhelmed or overfed by everyone. I would say the only tough part was I didn't know any of there names so Sarah and I just made up names. Hence Cone Head in the picture above and Bubba who came and sat right next to me as soon as I got there. The place is really really clean as caretakers are constantly and I mean constantly walking around with mops and cleaning items of all sorts. I also watched very carefully how they handled any dogs that looked like they were going to have "words" with one another. They used very safe and humane ways of handling them and often one or the other would just be sent out of the play room for awhile so I, as a dog owner was very impressed. Now trust me when I tell you that I did NOT actively invite Cone Head to come sit on our table or others that jumped up in our booth. They do like the cookies and they like the attention and sometimes we had several gathered around us. It was just so good to have the unconditional love even for a little while. If you are not a dog fan, then sure it isn't a place for you to go. For me, I would totally go back and probably will. It is a popular place and for those of us who need a puppy "fix" it was so awesome. So I do want to say a big thanks to Sarah for getting me lost and found in this canine adventure. It was so so so worth it! Enjoy the photos here and on facebook.

Food Hogs Surveying Tables

Let sleeping dogs lay...wherever

Blessings to all of you my friends.

Not so stranger danger

This little one was quite the delight today after church. It seems that in Korea it is the adults that tend to be more wary of foreigners than the children are. Children here are just themselves. They do stare and point and are just so very curious about all things. When you say "Ani" which is hi or anything like that, often their eyes will widen and they freeze in their tracks or they run back to mom or dad.
Not so with this little one. There were three of us today waiting for the subway and she would run over to us and just look up and stare. She'd wave as we waved and then run back to mom for a minute. After a moment of eye contact with the parents we knew it would be okay to say hi.
Once she plucked up the courage again she came over and waved and as she was returning to the safety of mom and dad she looked over her shoulder and said "hel-lo". So she is learning English.....
Once on the subway she was the delight of our short tour. She would still come over and stare and mom and dad encouraged her to come over to us. The older Koreans on the bus were at first unsure of our intentions but then they all were enjoying the scene that was unfolding. Finally she came up to Kim and patted her leg a couple of times. I think just to see if we were real. That's when we taught her how to high five to the chuckles of the entire subway car. She playfully bounded back to mom and dad apparently satisfied with her adventure with foreigners.
See Korea, we aren't all bad. . . take a chance and look at us through childlike wonder. We just want to belong too.

Starting a new tradition...

Yesterday, marked the first pep assembly in the history of GSIS. Honestly it was quite an amazing thing to see. At home we don't think much of it because we all know what an pep assembly is. Imagine introducing the concept to an academically focused school in an academically focused country and you can imagine the potential for total self destruction.
Athletics are just not the prominent domain for most students. "Popular" students are the ones known for their outstanding work in the classroom and in service to the school. It is just so different.
But true to form, the students filed into the gym. We have between 300-400 students in the high school I would say, which is a very large group all things considered.
This was of course after we had to redirect most of them from going to the auditorium since that is where all other assemblies have been held to this point.
Then came the passing out of the thunder sticks. Not my idea, give a kid a weapon...and of course they beating each other on the head, but then again some of the teachers were whacking back so it was fair. As they filed in, chants for the local soccer team rose up because that is the only thing they could relate this event to.
Luckily our student leaders did an awesome job with explaining when the thunder sticks were appropriate and when they were not. They also explained the meaning behind a pep assembly.
Then it was our turn....the first time playing through the fight song. True to form the 59 members of the band did a fantastic job, not only playing out but dealing with the unexpected need to pay more than once. It is never "by the book" in an assembly. The greatest thing was to watch how these staunch academic students transformed into being kids within an hour. It never got out of control, but they just had fun. By the end of the assembly they were singing as many of the words to the fight song as they knew with pride. It was great to see them come together as one group in support of their school.
I know many of them stayed to watch the volleyball last night that never would before because they wanted to cheer on their school in a different way.
To be a part of the start of something like that is pretty humbling and amazing. I don't know where it will lead eventually but at least this one event was fun, primarily because the kids enjoyed it. NO I am not starting marching band. NO I am not starting pep band, but I do support these kids who work so hard and one day I hope they learn to trust in me as well. I have to keep earning that trust, but this was one big step towards making that happen.

The Watchman Is Well

Greetings,
As you can see, "my" tree is doing quite well in his fall transformation. Most days I am reminded to pick my head up and take a good look at him but I will admit there were a few days last week where I didn't. Parent conferences are different yet the same here. You are on pins and needles always hoping not to get yelled at for one thing or another. Differences include sometimes having a translator, watching parents verbally chastise their children in front of you, usually in Korean, and having parents thank you for your help and for doing a good job as a teacher.
Between that and finishing grading, I am sure I spent more time at school each day than I did at home. I wonder what all my tree saw in that time. He has sure been changing fast. I seem to like him best when he is catching the morning sun as I walk to school. If he can stand straight and tall, then so shall I.
As if my week was not full enough, I had quite the weekend going as well. Friday was spent celebrating a new colleagues birthday and going to Noraebang for the first time. It is kind of like karaoke except you have private rooms for just your group and for those of you who are inquisitive, I did sing, more than once.
Saturday was spent on the Seoul Walking Tour. I could dedicate an entire blog to that but shall spare you all of the details. Suffice it to say, THAT was not a walk. THAT was a hike up a good sized mountain with 4000 other people wearing race numbers with balloons tied to them.

After that climb, which was admittedly gorgeous, I spent Sunday visiting a new church and then meeting up with several of our school staff to watch the Rugby World Cup. New Zealand vs. France. New Zealand hasn't won the cup since 1987 and it has been France that has beaten them at every turn. On this night however it was a thrilling one point win in the last few minutes and all of my colleagues Kiwi's or not, had a fabulous time celebrating the win! How fun it was to be in that environment and watch some really die hard fans route for their country and a victory. I also now know much more about the game and about some really great coworkers. It makes me want to go to New Zealand all the more.

 So as glad as I am that my Watchman tree is doing so well. I think he needs to tell me to enjoy my time with new friends because time goes by so fast, but also to rest a little every now and again. Thank you my Watchman for that reminder today.

Little Boy Down...

I can't say I have pictures to share with you today so a story will have to do.
Today was one of those missing home days. No real reason I can figure either. Rest assured I am very happy and blessed to be where I am, sometimes I guess you just miss home that's all.
I managed to get through my first conference requiring a translator well. Again, I was much more nervous and frightened than the parent. I was also brought a nice little cake in thanks for taking time to meet with the parent. Talk about a different way of being treated! I don't expect all of these conferences to go this way, but wow. Then I see my high school principal substituting for the choir teacher, who was out ill. I should have known by these events alone that today was going to be a little different.

As I progressed through my day, locking myself out of my office 4 different times, I just got to a point where I wanted to leave school, come back, and try again another day. That's when it happened. One of those moments that reminded me why I am here. It had nothing to do with any of my students. Instead it was a little first grade boy named Nathan. I looked down our tiled hallway right before orchestra, and there were a cluster of little ones surrounding one child. My first thought was who kicked who and how did this little fight start and then I saw it was more than that. The Korean teaching assistant was coming back to check on Nathan and I came up the hall to see if I could help. I could see the assistant's eyes, the panic mode of what do I do with this one little boy while 20 other 1st graders wait on me. We have all seen that look before. After I reassured her that his leg was not broken, serious folks, I offered to take him to the nurses office to get some ice on his knee because no doubt he was hurting.
Once I waded through his 4 little friends who were not going to leave their buddy behind, Nathan put his hand in mine and bravely, and very slowly we limped to the nurses office. He would not be carried. Mind you the nurses office is on the second floor of the building clear across the complex from my music area. Limp slowly, dry tears, and trust your hand in the hand of a total stranger. Quite a boy that Nathan.
I just wonder what he was thinking that entire time we walked. Here is this person I don't know and she is taking me to the nurse and I am not sure what else to do... who can say. Some of the looks from the elementary teachers I know who saw me with this little soldier were priceless. I just shook my head quietly and said "not my kid." We must have made quite a picture but carry on we did.
I may not see much of Nathan anymore, but darn him! He is the reason I am here doing what I do. Holding a hand out to help a child. Perhaps our paths will cross again someday but I am pretty impressed with how brave he was to trust in the unknown and how his young friends were not going to leave his side.
We all get our bumps and bruises in this life. Some you just don't see. I just hope I can dry my tears when they fall and keep limping along on the hard days just like Nathan. In no time I will be back up and running with my friends too.

Korea in the Fall

Well it is a balmy 8 degrees Celsius out side. (46 degrees for us westerners) and it is definitely chilly with more moisture in the air.

Today was a pretty typical Monday. I have all my grades turned in and already have a parent wanting to meet with me about her son. Time moves fast and it will be my first conference with a translator so this could be..."interesting." The colors are changing swiftly now and I best keep my camera on me at all times to capture some of the colors. I bought my first real shawl today as well.
About a week ago I thought that these women around here sure were into their scarves and shawls. NOW I get the hint. It is very cold when you walk through certain areas of the building, even for me, so now I have a new accessory to shop for. (Like I need another one)
Later this week I will have my first Korean parent teacher conferences. Post Traumatic Teaching Disorder is what my self diagnosis is when it comes to these conferences. For so many years there was always at least one parent that just had it out for you, if any show at all. I am told that on Thursday many will drive from work in Seoul which is about 45 minutes to an hour away for a conference and we will be at it from 1:00 when the kids go home until 8:30 that night. The conferences will continue again on Friday all day but because of traffic issues I guess not as many come in. It remains to be seen as I am new and have so many students.
If I survive all of that I will be taking a walking tour around Seoul on Saturday morning. Some of the pictures look more like a hike so I am not sure what I signed up for. The web site is all in Korean so we will just call it another adventure on my to do list. Sometimes it is best not to know beforehand anyway. Happy Trails my friends...

When Koreans say Hola.

Emily likes On the Border!

My apologies to all for being absent from blogging for a significant amount of time. There is a season here that I have never before experienced. It is called grading season. It is a time when all opportunities for any sort of life outside of assessments, rubrics, questions, and comments are nil.
You really do not know if you are coming or going but I think after a good 7 days in a row, I might be done. Now all I have to do is survive conferences this week. Oh boy..the fun never ends.
When we do muster the energy to get together we find things to do like go to the Icheon Ceramic Festival which was neat. It reminded me of Art in the Park a little bit. Of course I parted with some of my hard earned wages there. How could I not for the sake of art and artisans? The weather was nice as was the group of people that went. It is definitely fall here now and the colors change so fast.
Today being Sunday, I spent all day at school working and opted to join some friends in Seoul for dinner. They have an On the Border here now and it tastes a lot like the one at home and it was a really nice change. We weren't the only foreigners in there either which was different for a change.
On the way in the door though we were greeted in Korean, English, and Spanish. So for this tired teacher I was really confused what to say when. Hearing Hola in Korea is not something I was expecting ever. But if the food tastes that good and the company is that nice, you can say hello and goodbye any way that you want! As you can tell, our youngest member enjoyed it as well.
So I will close this blog for now but I will be up and running pretty much daily again. Thanks again to all of you who have gone through this journey with me. So many stories to come, just from the last week alone.

Peechburg?

Greetings!
A little vignette to tell you of this evening before I turn in for the night. Sometimes I think things of this nature can only happen in Korea. I am sure there are other examples but, really.

 Last night, three compadres and I were going about our task of picking up a piece of framed artwork, deciding what to make for dinner, and getting together to watch the Amazing Race, recently downloaded from itunes. At 6PM after a long day at school, this was indeed an epic quest.
Let's just gloss over the fact that it was getting a bit late. And perhaps we can gloss over the fact that I was ruthlessly bludgeoned in the head with glass door to the bakery which solicited sympathy from even Korean passersby Somehow we made it to the apartments with a giant canvas painting from Bali, three exhausted teachers, and some Cheesy Enchilada Hamburger Helper from the import store. (By the way I highly recommend that one, it was good!)
After our night of adventures in television, we all shuffled into the the elevator for the ride down to our separate buildings. A few floors into our decent, we met up with a kind looking gentleman, and a younger lady. They got in without looking too startled at finding an elevator full of four white women. The gentleman just kind of stared at us for a minute. We all bowed to him as is custom and then he turned and bowed to each one of us and grinned. (Oh did we have a character on our hands) He pointed to who we found out to be his daughter and he said Peechburg? Peechburg? and we looked at his daughter when he said she is English. I'm sorry that was the most Korean looking English person I have ever seen and she kind of rolled her eyes at her father and turned to us and that is when I noticed she was wearing a Pittsburgh Steelers shirt. One of my compadres is originally from Pittsburgh area and exclaimed "Oh, I am from Pittsburgh." Then the gentleman laughed a cackly laugh of delight. Peechburg=Pittsburgh and we understood. He clasped his hands together and said PEECHBURG! Fooball? and then launched into a whole bunch of Korean that I just nodded, said neh (which is yes here), and smiled. Mind you this all happened in a 10 floor ride down an elevator. Come to find out that my friend from the Pittsburgh area lives in the same building as this kind gentleman and his daughter and son in law studied at Harvard and he is an avid Steelers fan. As he cackled on his way with his daughter to take out his recycling, I just had to shake my head and smile.   Every once in awhile you meet some really nice an fun people. And a proud parent is always a proud parent, no doubt about that one. I can only hope some day I get to see a Steelers game with him around. Now wouldn't that be entertaining?

Blue Light Special

Well friends, another Monday has come and gone here in Korea. It was National Foundation Day. Usually you can tell it is some sort of holiday when you see the Korean flag out along all the lampposts. I did have the sense to find out what it was. It celebrates the founding of the Korean Peninsula by Dangun in 2333BC. Talk about a national holiday! Most things were closed today due to that, except of course our school. Breaks of the biz being international and all.

So down to the main point of this blog. Shopping at Home Plus yesterday. As most of you know from previous writings, Things at Home Plus or E Mart aren't where they would normally be by any sort of American logic so you just always go in planning to spend a little time looking for what you need and finding a lot of what you don't need. Such was the case yesterday evening. When I finally acquired the few things I was looking for, I was headed down to the grocery section on the first floor. Two things jumped out at me down there.

In this first picture you can kind of see a row of massage chairs. Right next to the vegetable and fruit aisle. Because as all of us know, sometime you just really need a massage when buying some bananas and the like. I know I do. I also seemed to notice that many more men would sit here than women. I think of it as the enhanced version of where husbands go to sit while their wives shop. Could be a big hit in the states.

In this second picture there was a huge crowd around the apple produce area. I could not figure out why people were four deep for apples. From what I could tell they weren't any different from the ones we usually see at the market every week or have at school. I was pretty sure that they were on sale because of the color of the sign above them but even at that rate..IT'S APPLES! I decided to stay my distance because even the poor stock boys were getting trampled in the commotion and I don't even want to tell you about the poor little demo girl with slices of apples to taste. I really hope she just made it out alive. After going to school today I was able to find out from our wonderful Korean teacher that this was in essence a Blue Light Special. Oh the days of K-Mart Blue Light Specials! Never would we have seen the likes of one as crazy as this but they bring back fond memories. It is obvious to me now more than ever though that Koreans love their bargains. I am too scared to think what they would do if it were something really cool like a TV or even chocolate chip cookies. There could be injuries and hospitalizations for something like that. Well at least now I have another Korean mystery solved. Bring on tomorrow!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

I can't help but wonder as I head into my third month here what kind of changes people will see when I visit the states. It has been such a short time really, my time here but I know that some changes have definitely begun. Sadly, Korea is not the place to go for amazing weight loss and dietary changes, but I do eat better than I once did. I still have stressors every day and the newness of everything is tiring but in a different way than that which I came from. As I have slowly gotten used to the routine of daily life here, I wonder how hard it will be to switch back for a few weeks or will it be rather easy?
I still feel like me inside, but I am being colored by all of these experiences for better or for worse.
I wonder what little habits I might do. I bet I get very used to taking my shoes off when I go into any home. Most likely I will nod to any cashier or waiter for awhile. I wonder what it will feel like to to drive for the first time in 4 months. I wonder what it will be like to hear others speak mostly English. To see mostly white people again. To once again use nature's landmarks to get around verses trying to find my way through a maze of buildings.
I will probably want to recycle everything into three or for specific piles. I will be happy to be amongst it again but I will be curious to note any differences. My views of people and the world have been changed in so many ways already. What will it feel like to go back into what I have known for over 30 years?
Slowly I think more on the fact that changes are just that, changes. Some good and some bad but it is what you do with those that makes a difference. How you handle them, what you take from them. Everything and everyone around us is in a constant state of change. How can we not be effected by it all.  In the end it is amazing how much we ignore the changes around us to give us a sense of so called normal. I am starting to wonder what is so wrong with peeking outside the box every once in awhile and seeing what is out there. It might hurt but sometimes it can heal and lead to better things.
Just some thoughts...

Umbrella Brigade

After quite a bit of time without a good rainstorm, we had a drenching this past week. Being from Idaho tends to make you show little interest in things called umbrellas until you come to a place like Korea. Now I not only have one umbrella but two. Various sizes depending on the storm. This week was a big umbrella day.
What I came to notice, as is often the case here, is that the true personalities of Koreans come out in their accessories which include umbrellas. Many times you see friends or just acquaintances sharing time underneath one of these colorful devices. There is quite an area in each department store that is dedicated to these items. I know that there will be days when I am caught out and about without my shield from the epic downpour that is Korean showers, but for now I am happy to say that I have been safe from harm. Now if they only sold galoshes in my size I would have it made!

When the kids don't have their umbrellas 

they make the shape of one over their heads

with their hands. I am not really sure how 

effective it is but it is cute. 

 I also cannot wait to see what they do when the winter months come. It could be a whole new kind of adventure watching them drive in snow as well as the walk to work. I guess I better start bracing for it now as the weather is turning cooler. Never know when that first flake will fall.

Moving Day!

Not for me,  at least not yet I hope. That is the tricky thing about living in rented apartments. Sometimes the landlords want to sell out to somebody else. That can mean you can go or you can stay according to what they do. So from time to time you just have to remind yourself that the place you call home now might not be home for long.
Just the other day I watched what looked like a window washing contraption rocketing and I use that word for reason up and down outside a building. I wasn't sure what it was and it looked like something I did not want to be a part of. I am all for a little adventure and have been on my fair share of roller coasters, but this had trouble written all over it. The other night I saw it again outside another building. Now I know its purpose.

This is how you move in Korea. This ladder/platform moves baskets and small boxes of items down from your balcony to the waiting truck. Most are small boxes and that may be because larger ones are hard to find? Also most of the time, new occupants will throw out brand new desks and tables and beds and anything from the previous owners because they don't want that energy in their home. It makes dumpster diving really fun and they actually usually encourage it just so something doesn't go to waste. Many times our apartment guards will set nicer things apart so people can look through items and take what they need or want. Some of the guards are nicer than others, but if it has a yellow sticker on it it is free game.
I see why they use this method because the halls and elevators are quite narrow and small. I keep my eye out for items that may be of use in my apartment but nothing comes to mind as yet. I don't want the space cluttered but I do want it to start feeling a little more homey. Many suggested plants but I kill every one I ever get so I will have to find some other ways to decorate. That in itself could be an entire new adventure.

Framed and Yogie-o buttons

Just a couple of quick thoughts for you today my friends. First, HALLELUJAH Monday is over this week.
Second, I had a couple of new experiences at the end of my day that you might be interested in. The first quest involved getting two of the pictures I have taken during my travels enlarged and framed as I have absolutely nothing on the walls of my apartment and one can only handle so much white to stare at. So for a total of $50 in won, I was able to get two pictures enlarged and framed while I waited. Sometimes it is a very good thing to be in Korea as these would have set me back much more money if I had them done in the states and I think this might be a fun new tradition to have some of my own pictures on the wall. The one of the dancer from my time in Singapore seemed to really catch the eye of the owner of the picture frame store. He was explaining how I ended up getting that shot. First he was surprised that I took it. (So was I quite frankly) He then told me that to get that motion I moved the camera at the exact same time and in the same direction as the the dancer which is how I got the flag work to rotate like that. Who knew? But I can totally see myself doing something like that, not necessarily on purpose but in this case it was in my favor that it worked out.

 This next little item is a Yogie-o button. I am sure it has an official name but I call it that because of what it does. You see them in some of the restaurants around town. We found this one in a new burger joint we found called Mr. Big. Yogie or Yogie-o quite literally means Here in Korean. So if you want the the taxi to drop you off, you usually say Yogie-o to mean stop here. This is also how you call for a waiter or waitress. They usually do not just come and ask you your order or give you a check. You have to call them and you do that by saying Yogie or Yogie-o. This button replaces that whole thing. You just press it and someone will come to your table. Kind of a nice little feature and of course, most tend to be musical in some way. The only trick is where they put it on the table. Sometimes it is hiding behind the napkins or someplace like that. Other times it is right on the corner of a table. Right where you tend to rest your arms, which my friend Amy found out. Then you end up calling the poor guy up the stairs for no real reason. But it is at least a lesson for most of you in how to dine out. If you ever want your order taken or you want to leave and pay the bill just shout out Yogie-o.

A Saturday Off in Korea

It is still a curious feeling to have a day "off" during my week. I still haven't quite figured that out. When we do get to the weekend here though, we tend to make the most of it. It also seems that most Koreans also have the same idea in mind. Yesterday we decided to travel to Taejeon again to seek out the famous "jewelry lady". I am happy to report that the weather was MUCH nicer than it was before. So four of us set out to our first plan, the bus. We found out quickly though that we would have waited a good 90 minutes to get the bus so we changed tactics to the train system. The train system is fantastic here, except everyone seems to know that secret as well. When we got to the station we could choose standing room only or just bag our plans so we went with standing room only even if it was over an hour ride. Well as you can see we found "seats" anyway and made the best of it. I must say it was fun to watch people walk between cars and see four white people sitting there. Not many could keep a good poker face on that one.

 The train porters were quite nice and let us sit in between stops and it was a different perspective on a lot of the country side. Once we reached Taejeon, we went in search of a few friends at our sister school at TCIS and then off to a local coffee chain for a quick drink and a bit to eat. There are a lot of little coffee shops all over Korea and you soon learn the favorite spots to be. From there we did seek out and find the elusive Jewelry lady. Moving through Taejeon must be the very closest thing I might ever feel to being famous. They simply do not see foreigners of any sort really. It is not considered rude to flat out stare at foreigners either. For most we are nothing more than a curiosity. Many just want to know where we are from if the speak any English at all. Those who find out that we are teachers all assume that we teach the English language and it does surprise some that we teach in a variety of subjects. It is the younger ones that find us the most interesting. With my friend Kim especially, they are quick to play peek-a-boo or laugh and giggle which in turn makes their families laugh and breaks down some of the barriers between our cultures. But I digress..


We did find the jewelry lady after a bit of walking
She makes some beautiful hand beaded work in all forms. She does about every type of jewelry you can imagine but she has various types of "chimes" and chandeliers and lamp covers of all colors. She is also quite a painter and it is easy to see that she takes pride in her work. I am surprised she consented to a picture being taken by Amy but considering our purchase I think she was okay with it. Most do not like to have pictures taken so I feel this is pretty special. I really enjoyed "talking" to an actual artisan. I like watching them work as well. I prefer to buy things from them because I know where and how it was made. It was a great trip overall and it may have been a full day but it was fun and hopefully fun for my travel companions. There is so much I still have to see and do, but getting out of town, even if it is just an hour away does help to refresh the mind and soul a little bit. These days every little bit really counts. Thanks Amy for introducing me to the elusive Jewelry Lady.

The randomness of my random life...

No pictures or epic words of wisdom today my friends. Just wanted to share some things that have gone through my mind today. No, I am not losing my sanity, anymore than was already gone to begin with.
First I thought I would just mention one of our smaller vans not only plays Fur Elise when it backs up, the driver has a horn in it now that plays the whinnying of horses and the woody woodpecker laugh. I am serious. I was not the only school member to witness this either. It made us all pause for a minute before crossing the street. It might be hard to capture the sound of this elusive musical van but I shall try my best.
Next on the list..a  phone. Yes friends and family I have an iPhone. Let us not discuss the fact that all of the instructions are in KOREAN. Not that this wasn't an expected issue. Still it is rather frustrating all the same.  Now there is rampant discussion amongst many of us on how to use this that and the other. The first issue is how to get the phone to make everything appear in English so we can even begin to understand the workings of the phone. Some of my colleagues are acting like Christmas has come early and are frantically trying to figure it all out now. I will be getting it figured out over the next few days and once I do I will happily share the information. I am still in the "how to turn off and on phase." It's a new and fun thing to have but it is just not top priority tonight.
Today I had three classes give presentations for me on musical composers and pieces and describe the historical context in which they were written. I cannot describe how amazed I was at not just one or two presentations but several of them. Just absolutely astounding in their quality for grade 9 especially. It makes me wonder if I can keep my expectations high enough?
Tonight I helped adjudicate some of the 11th and 12th grade students at their fall recital. For those of you in the music know this is what was played.... Flute Quantz Concerto in G Major, Piano Chopin Scherzo No. 3 Op 39, Clarinet Weber Concertino in E-flat Major, Piano Chopin Scherzo No. 1 in b minor. To say that this is college level is kind of an understatement. It is the end of September and this is what these students prepared to this point. Again...amazing. So I put in a good 12 hour day just physically at school.  A little bleary eyed now I still am amazed at it all. Still it was a nice walk home after dark with a colleague. Winding my way through the apartment complex that I am learning now. I always like to walk by this one particular guard stand at night. There are usually two yellow kittens and the mama kitten I would imagine. They are usually close by the shack. It isn't uncommon to find cats in and around the area but these three are usually out every evening I walk by. Tonight I discovered why. Under the shadow of darkness there is a tiny bag of cat food out. I cannot say who it is that left this treat for the kittens. All I know is that I am not the only one who enjoys seeing them around. Funny little place I am living in now. Sometimes it puts a smile on my face.

Well now I can cross that one off....

 So you know that set of stairs I was thinking about in a previous post?
Well today was the day to find out where they go. At first I was just waiting to get yelled at for being in the wrong place. I don't know who was going to yell at me but I figured it would happen. From the photo perspective as wall as in real life these stairs look like they lead to nowhere. That I found out is quite the opposite as you will see. I found it the pathway to finding a piece of home. It may not have sounded like it or smelled like it but for a split second it felt like it. Walking a dirt path with pine needles underfoot. Hearing the fluttering of the doves as they fly over. I just felt like it was reminding me that where I am from and where I am are not so very far apart. They blend quite nicely.

 I did come to find out why the path was there. Interspersed with all of the trees, there are vegetable garden plots that are carefully tended to. I don't know who does the work but you can tell it is done with love. After a good ways in I came literally to a decision. Do I continue on the path or take the hint to step back and return the way I came? I mean my Momma didn't raise no fool. She did, however, raise a curious child who just had to go and look around the next corner.

I am really glad I did because I got to see the biggest garden yet and a new special place that I know I can go to when I want to feel a little bit closer to home while I am here in Korea.
Sorry Mom if I made you worry, but I was expected for a dinner this evening anyway and somebody would have come looking for me if I didn't show. Next time I think I might actually have a phone with me!
Find your special place today friends. Wherever it may be.

Homesickness Blues

I can see why they call this a sickness. Not fair really in how fast it can sneak up on you and how it can really make you heart sick and physically sick. It is just a sadness for me. I guess it comes in different forms for everyone. It is my hope that it abates as quickly as it sets in. There is so much to be done. No time for being tired or down and out. At the same time isn't it reasonable to expect to "crash" a little when I haven't had such large doses of happiness like I have in so long? I can only hope it balances out in some form soon. So today I was trying to find ways to start pulling myself back up and keep going. I think it important to give myself an evening to have a bit of wallow but tomorrow is coming quite soon.
So I decided to look around just my walk to school and took a few pics of things I wonder about. We all have adventures sitting in our own backyards that we need to conquer.
For example:

 This is a sitting area of some sort that is hiding behind the gates to the local high school. I haven't ever seen it in use. I wonder if the students even use it but it seems as though it has been there for some time now. I wonder what it has seen and how much trouble I would get in if I wanted to take a closer look.

These are some stairs I pass every single day on the way to school. They go up the hillside by the school but I don't know where. It could be a hiking trail or gardens or a home or nothing at all. It seems tame enough for me to investigate one of these days. The point being, how many times do we walk right by stuff like this and never even wonder much less think to explore?







And finally when all else fails, leave it to kindergarteners to at least put a smile on my face as they do their first song of the day. I think they like learning about loud and soft music and the movements, don't you? Here is hoping that tomorrow has a little less longing for home and a maybe two smiles on my face instead of just one.

Bali the Finale

So as I am writing what I feel will be the final chapter on my Balinese adventure I am thinking about what was the most important thing I am taking away from this adventure? What is the most memorable thing? Honestly it is the people. It was wonderful taking in all of the beauty that the island life has to offer. I will seriously consider going back because there was so much to see. But the people. The people in my traveling group and the people of the island are what I will remember most.

But isn't that how it should always be? Enjoying the people you are with and around. I know that isn't always easy (lady who cut in front of me at the Kuala Lampur airport and her friends who were polite enough to stay behind me). Honestly when you think about it all the best memories in life usually include some other person. Someone you may barely know or someone you feel as though you have known all your life. We come in so many sizes, shapes, and colors. Our backgrounds are uniquely our own. For me, especially in the past year, I look at all the people I have met and realize that even for a brief second they are making a difference in my life. Some will be for many years to come and not even realize it. So yes, the beaches were beautiful. The sunrise was epic. But the people. The people made all the difference in the world!
So wherever you are and whatever you do today, you are effecting those around you. Try with all your heart, to make it a positive effect. You never know what might come of it in the end.