Confessions of a Culture-Shocked Pansy

I'm going to take a break from continuity.  I promise I'll finish updating about Thailand when I have my computer back, but right now it's just another stress I don't want to think about.

I've been settled into my new/old home (What's up, Nashville?!) for about a week now.  I've got a great apartment to live in... at least until June, a car that I trust with my new niece (well... cousin's kid, but "1st cousin once removed" is too long), and I'm in the process of finding a job.  I have been Stateside for nearly a MONTH now... crazy, and I am officially experiencing "reverse culture shock."  As such, I'd like to present you with a list of things that I've noticed (good and bad):

1. Americans, in general, are a lot bigger than the rest of the people in the world... especially the people I met in Asia.  Sadly, I don't really mean taller here.  As a whole, we're an overweight people.  It's kind of overwhelming sometimes.  For example, I was sitting at the airport, and I kept feeling like a wall was walking toward me.  Yes, there are fewer people in our airports, but they're more dense.  It's a whole different kind of claustrophobia.
2. Driving is one of those things that you don't forget.  I've been rather nervous about this step, especially considering the accident I was in just before I moved to Korea, but I've now driven up and back down the East Coast, into the sunset, in the rain, at night, in the wind, and in decent conditions, and I've not hit anything.  To be honest, I'm a bit proud of myself.  Though I have noticed that when the niece is in the car, I drive about 20 mph / 30 kph below the speed limit.  I've been told that makes me a "pansy"; if that means my niece is more likely to be alive, I'll wear that title with pride.
3. People talk louder here.  They really do.  I know that's one of those things Americans get tired of hearing, but it's true.  It's a little on the obnoxious side.  I'll probably slide back into it sooner rather than later, though.  And then I'll be irritated with myself whenever I go back abroad.
4. I miss the language barrier. I walked into a coffee shop to have breakfast with a friend, and I could understand everything that everyone was saying.  I've so trained myself to listen for English that when I hear it now I can't tune it out.  Want to talk about things that are overwhelming?  Try that.  I also noticed that I so miss speaking in Korean that I was talking to myself in Korean last night.  I'm hoping that I can make some Korean friends here and solve that problem... Maybe they'll be willing to do a language exchange or something?
5. I like teaching. Sigh.  I mean, we knew that already.  I played "school" instead of "house" growing up.  Nevertheless, I think tutoring rather than teaching is a better direction for me.  I've applied for a couple of tutoring jobs to try and fill the gap that I'm sorely feeling in my life right now.
6. America is really very beautiful.  Like I said, I've been doing a lot of driving since I got back.  I hit Virginia the first week that the leaves were really changing (or so I was told), and it was breath-taking.  Even though I lived there for many years, I never really appreciated how pretty it is.  Seriously, of all the places I've been, no where else has done Fall like Virginia (and yes, I've been up to New England to see the leaves in the Fall.  Vermont doesn't even come close).
7. American food is ridiculously greasy and heavy.  I acknowledge the greasiness of Korean food, especially the "snacks," but American food is greasy in a different way, and I've already gotten sick off of it.  Granted, that's not totally the food's fault; I did allow myself some meat.  However, until I'm more used to it, I'm cooking almost all my own food.  Luckily, there's an Asian market very close to my apartment.  I'm going to go later this week (maybe even today?!) and see if I can get my hands on some kimchi and tteokboki.  (Yes.  I'm craving kimchi.  I don't want to talk about it.)
8. People say things that they think are kind that really just aren't.  I know people mean well.  At least, the people I'm thinking of do.  I'm trying to credit people for their intentions rather than their actions.  It's not always easy, though.  Please bear with me.
9. Americans really like guns.  Like.  Whoa.  Holy cow.  Was it always like this?
10. Americans really like nudity.  See above.
11. Gas prices are a lot cheaper than I was expecting them to be.  Seriously, aside from the way I felt when the man at Immigration welcomed me home, seeing gas below $3.00 (and not having it be a closed gas station) has excited me more than just about anything.
12. Speaking of which, Hearing the words "Welcome home." feels really good.  I can't explain it.  America has never felt like my home until now.  It's a really weird thing for me, and it's causing a lot of confusion in my life.
13. Reverse culture shock takes its toll on your self-esteem.  There's really not much that's more degrading than realizing you're not sure what to do in a social-setting in your home country.
14. Friends who understand are the best thing ever.  Those people who will just sit there with no expectations... who show up at your door with pizza in hand... who lay around and watch endless hours of movies even after you fall asleep... They're amazing.
15. It's easy for me to forget that Korea ever happened.  I'm back in the same town I was before I  went to Korea.  I'm doing a lot of the same things I did before I left.  The only thing that keeps reminding me that Korea happened is that I recognize far fewer people now than I did before.  It's really quite disorienting... to the point of nausea, actually.  It's kind of like that feeling that comes along with a strong medication: Everything's a little foggy... as if it could all be a hallucination.  It's rather unpleasant.
16. There are at least three different versions of Family Feud that air on a daily basis.  I think two of them may be in current syndication???  There is little that's going on that confuses me more than that does.
17. I constantly am afraid that people think I'm showing off when I read things in Korean.  I'm not.  I read things in Korean for two reasons. 1) It's the only way to get the information I'm looking for, and 2) What I'm reading is different and/or more interesting in Korean (like Harry Potter).  I'm not very good at it, and I probably can't translate it word-for-word for you or anything, but I'm getting the gist of it at least.  I'm not a poser.  I just adopted a second language that I really like and am trying to continue studying.
18. Eating out is expensive in America. And then you add TAX and a TIP... Actually...You have to tip in America.  That and non-included taxes.... gets me every time.  I miss being able to eat out for $5 a meal.  Kimbap Nara... come back to me!!!
19. Peppero Day and Veteran's Day are the same day.  How am I just now realizing this?
20. Last but not least (for now)... People decorate for holidays... specifically... Halloween??? I was at the airport just before Halloween, and decorations were EVERYWHERE.  I didn't realize that was a thing.  Or maybe I did and I just forgot.  I don't know... but it seems like a little much to me.
21. Edit: Bonus-American health insurance has nothing on Korean. I literally just started crying as I realized I can't afford a basic plan that would still bankrupt me if I went to the ER. I miss Korea. 

And there you go.  Twenty confessions of a very culture-shocked pansy.

Do you have anything you'd like me to try while in my culture-shocked state?  Let me know in the comments or via any other means of communication you have for me, and I'll see what I can do.  And, of course, I'll write about it.

The Atomic Announcement

Okay; I promised you all a bit of an announcement, and here it is.

A couple of years ago, my friend Meret told me that she felt like she had two paths in front of her that she could take.  Both of these paths would shape her life in drastic ways, and both of these paths seemed to have the "okay" from G-d.  At the time, I didn't understand how that could be possible, but now I do.  I am being confronted with two paths, and I feel like G-d would be perfectly fine with my choice, no matter which one it was.

On one hand, I could easily see myself staying in Korea and becoming what we call a "lifer," meaning I turn this into my career and settle here.  I have a great school, co-teachers that I adore, a pet rabbit that I haven't killed, a young woman who I'm introducing to G-d, and some great friends.

On the other hand, I hear that Still Small Voice saying, "Or, you could Go to the land that I will show you."  There is peace and terror in this option at the same time.  There is peace in that I know this is G-d whispering in my ear, leading me to something He has designed me to be able to do.  There is terror in that He has not specified where or when as the alternative to a comfortable, secure life.  This is not like Abraham's day and age; I cannot buy a plane ticket to "the land I will show you."

And yet

I have chosen the second path (for now).

As of two weeks ago, I turned in my notice of my intention to resign from my position in Korea at the end of August.  I have yet to sign anything, so there is still some wiggle room on that, but I feel confident that, for now, this is the better of the two choices.

What this doesn't mean:

• This doesn't mean that I'm moving back to America.  I would be incredibly surprised if G-d led me there.
• This doesn't mean that I will for sure be resigning.  As I said, nothing's in stone yet.
• This doesn't mean that I won't come back to Korea after some time.  In fact, I hope to be able to return and teach here again in the future.

What this does mean:

• This does mean that I'm hoping to visit the USA for a month or so.  This is very tentative, so please don't get too excited yet, but it is my hope to do a tour around the States and see all the people I've been missing for the past year and a half.
• This does mean that I am in a period of serious prayer and stepping out on the limb of faith.  I have no idea where I am to "Go," but I'm beginning to have some inklings as to where it's not.

What I need from you:

• I could very much use your prayers.  I need discretion and faith, a quiet heart and an open mind.
• Patience.  I know from being on your end of this conversation that all you probably want to do is ask me questions about what my plans are, because you're honestly interested.  Please don't right now; I don't have the answers you want yet.
• Suggestions.  If you know of a missionary opportunity anywhere in the world, I'd be interested in hearing about it.  Ideally, I'd like a position working with children at risk of being trafficked (in a warm country) and/or a non-tent maker missionary position.  Again, that's my ideal position as far as I know, but I know that G-d could have something else in mind that's completely out in left field, so I'm not tied to that idea.  So, if you know of something, please pass it on.

Thank you so much for being here for me this past year and a half.  I'm excited to see where this journey will take us next.

I'm getting the itch.

I'm getting the itch, and I get it about this time in every season of my life.  I just got comfortable with my second year in Korea.  I've got habits and patterns, and I'm feeling like I can handle pretty much whatever Korea throws at me (Note: That doesn't mean that I'd handle gracefully or well, that just means that I could handle it).  Therefore, my mind steadily wanders on to new adventures.  This always happens.  Two years and feeling confident about a place, and I want more, something new - The adventure of making new friends, maybe learning a new language, new challenges, and, most definitely, I'd like some new weather.

It doesn't really make sense why that would happen in my second year at a place.  The itch dulls over time, but it's always so strong in that second year in a place, when I'm putting the finishing touches on my newly improved comfort zone.  I've heard many sermons about how G-d calls us out of our comfort zones, and maybe that's what this is; maybe that's just really true.  But, I'm tempted to think that my comfort zone is starting to become leaving my comfort zone.  Is that possible?  I know it's a little paradoxical if read literally, so I ask you to read it with my intention in mind.

All this to say, I'm inching toward the moment when I'll have to make a decision about extending my contract in Korea.  It's certainly not here, but I can see pros and cons in each column.  I think, again think, I know the correct answer (that is, what G-d is leading me toward), but I'm not positive, and I could use some prayers on the subject.  At this point, advice is only going to confuse me, so, while I greatly appreciate your hearts and intentions, I ask you to redirect those simply to prayer.

There are so many options out there, and I'm incredibly excited to see where G-d leads me next (or has me stay, as the case may be).  Wherever it is, know that I love you all, I'm thinking of you all, and I'd always love to hear from you, email, comment, or snail mail!

Anne Nicole Royster 

SPECIAL DISTRICT OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 

Korea Nazarene University (Attn. Jenny Kim) 

#115 Faith Hall (Miteumgwan) 

456 Ssangyong-Dong Seobukgu Cheonan City Choongnam 

331 718 South Korea 

New School

Okay!  I promised, and I'm coming good: Photos of my new school!!!

My desk, with glimpses of the three other desks in my office. 

What I see when I walk in - there's a computer center to the right.

What I see while teaching (minus the students, of course).  It's very nice to look at.

There are so, so many good books and games!  I actually took more pictures of them, but I figured that you probably wouldn't be quite as excited by the close-ups as I am.  Refer to the picture above to get an idea of how many books there are. :)

I love that there's a bunch of English graphic novels.  The kids actually go in and grab them to read during their free time!

Okay, that's all for now.  I'll work on getting you some photos of kids, soon!

Middle School is going to be interesting

Today I taught both of my first real middle school lessons.  I'm not counting my introduction lesson, because... well... I'm not.  If these past few days have been any sort of indication, my schedule is going to be constantly in flux, which isn't as upsetting to me as it would have been a couple months ago.  My Monday classes seem to be lulling me into a false sense of security for the upcoming weeks.  They're great kids and mostly great students.  It's nice to have an easy Monday, but it makes for a hard lesson gauge.

People still seem to be mostly satisfied with how I'm teaching.  I had a difference of opinion about how to handle tardiness, but, in the process, learned that at least one of my co-teachers is marking my students on participation, and I think I saw another teacher doing that as well.  Over all, however, my discipline plan of class points leading up to a snack party and review bomb game seems to be working. All I have to do now is figure out when a kid is translating rather than chatting.  I've got to work out a signal for that or something.

Furthermore, I ran into the girl who took over my old school.  She had a bit of a rough day today, just normal settling in stuff, but it's hard, I know.  It made me glad I wasn't at that school anymore, but I'm sure my day is coming.  I bought her some of my favorite Korean snack, 호떡, and pointed out the good pharmacy.  Hopefully stuff will turn around quickly.

Tomorrow I'm planning to finish sorting out what I'll be doing for Chuseok.  I'm not going to write more about it, because I don't want to get my hopes up for anything, but it has potential to turn out great. :)

I'll write more soon.

<3

Day 1

I finished my fourth first day of middle school today.  I hated middle school the first time.  I went to three of them (thus this is my fourth first day), and you'd think I would have found one that I liked, but no.  None.  Zero.  Today, was different.

I love my classroom.  It's beautiful.  It's just eclectic enough for me to like it, but subdued enough to be a good learning environment.  I didn't get any photos today, because I was holding on for dear life.  When I settle into a routine, I'll be sure to take some pictures.

My students seem to be the same level of rowdy as my fifth and sixth graders were (thus far), but today I was much more willing to roll with it.  I feel like that may have been because I was definitely the head of my classroom.  The other teachers barely said anything, but it was beautiful and it flowed.  If discipline needed to happen, it did.  If stuff needed to be translated, it was.  If I needed to joke with someone beforehand, it happened.

And that's another thing.  So far, all of my co-teachers speak flowing, beautiful English.  I even explained my pajama dream to the woman who has the desk next to me, and she laughed!  She laughed hard!  She went so far as to say, "I guess you were very nervous!"  I didn't have to explain it any more than I would to a native speaker.  Furthermore, Sam, who sits across from me, is SO helpful.  He explains everything I have a question about (even when he ran into me on the way home and I was having a bit of trouble ordering dinner).  He doesn't know it, but he also made such a HUGE difference between this school and the last one: he closed today by saying, "You did a great job today."  Yes, my other co-teachers gave me positive feedback, but I had to ask for it.  This was out of the blue, and it was wonderful to hear.  Don't get me wrong, I am all for constructive criticism, but the balance goes a long way.  He also told me what I most wanted to hear: "The most important thing you can do is be friends with [the students]."  He took the pressure off and told me that I'm doing well.  What more could you ask for in an office mate?

My students even seem excited to see me!  I ran into a couple of them on my way home, and they gave the very classic "Oh!" that means "I recognize you and I wasn't expecting to see you!", and quite eagerly spoke English to me.  What strange, parallel universe am I in?

I'm not foolish enough to believe that this isn't tainted by the first day, rose-colored glasses, but I'm very happy with my decision to change schools, so far. :)

I start middle school today.

I dream last night that I showed up to school in my PJs and forgot where my office was. Half of that is true. Ahhhh!!! I'm getting more nervous by the minute. Prayers, please.

Edit:
My dream in detail:
I woke up to go to school, and I realized that I'd left all of my stuff in my other apartment, which happened to be in my old school.  My blanket was there (so I woke up cold), my clothes were there, my school supplies were there... So I knew I needed to go get them.  I decided to swing by my new school first to tell them why I was going to be late.  So I went in my PJs (sweat pants and a sports bra), but I couldn't find my office.  I spent several hours wandering the halls in said PJs, not finding it before I woke.  There's a good first impression.

I have never before been this homesick in my life.

Well, I was pretty beat up when I left Germany, but, I don't think that counts, as Germany isn't actually my home.

I know I don't want to stay Stateside or anything, but I really need to see my friends and family.

I prefer to keep this blog cheery, so I'm not going to continue on this train, but I could really use some prayers, please.  Thanks.

26 Days.

Lent: Not as basic as you'd think

***Don't forget to sign the petition (and this one too!) to save refugees from North Korea!***

Blessing #20 - Four walls and a roof over my head.

My kitchen - I'm loving not having to share it.

My sleeping area

Those boxes have now been reunited with their owner, that couch has taken their place, and a tiny table has been moved in.

If only I could keep it this clean.  The bunny insisted on not using her just litter box, but also the areas surrounding it, soooo I put cardboard down... not that it helped anything.

Mi casa es su casa.  En realidad.

What not-so-basic thing are you most grateful for?

New things

Again, it's been a while.  I know.  I've had good reason, though.

I've started my TESOL class (which is my first graduate-level class) and moved up to the next level in my Korean class, so I've really had to step up my level of work.  I have two presentations in TESOL this week and one in Korean.  I'm not going to lie... I'm starting to get nervous.  On top of that, this past weekend, I moved into my new apartment.  The heat and hot water had been out in my old one for about a week, so I opted to push up my move-in date.  I'm so glad I did.  My apartment isn't much - a room, a bath, and a loft - but I am a big fan of it.  I don't have any good pictures of it, as I'm still unpacking and storing some boxes in it for its old occupant, a friend of mine, until she comes back for them in about a month.  I do, however, have a picture of my roommate, the occupant of the loft.  It's not a great one, but I think you'll get the gist:

Yup!  The same friend also left me her rabbit, Manila.  Manila's pretty easy-going, although she's a bit territorial right now.  I just need to out-alpha-rabbit her.  I think I can do it.  She needs a lot of attention, but we're working on the balance.  I'm enjoying having her around.  I think we're going to be great friends.

Tonight, I also began the first in my series of new initiatives to get together with my graduated 6th graders.  I want to be able to give them a break from the pressures they're about to face and show them that there's more to life than getting a perfect score.  I want to push the G-d aspect and that he's more important than making good money or gaining social status.  I'm not sure how I'm going to convey all of this, but, right now, I'll settle for an age-appropriate movie and some food that's good for your soul.  I hope you will join me in keeping these kids in prayer - yes, all of them, but especially these three: Emma, Irin (sounds like Irene), and Cleo.  I've given you their English names, not their Korean ones (yes, I finally learned them), because there are a lot of sick-os that use the Internet.  Their names are pretty common in the Korean world, but I'm not taking any chances.  Also, if you have any suggestions of fun things to do with middle school girls, let me know, because I can't always luck out and find a movie (Happy Feet 2) that I know I'll feel comfortable taking them to see.  I know... I can't believe that I'm volunteering to hang out with middle schoolers either.

Anyway, that's what I've been up to.  I've had some people re-connecting with me via Facebook, and I've really been enjoying that.  I'd be incredibly interested in knowing what's new with you too, so leave me a comment!

<3

Happy 2012!

Okay, I know I've been out of touch with all of you, but that's because MY FAMILY CAME TO VISIT ME!!! (And they don't like it when I advertise that they're not in their home for extended periods of time.)  So I promise to fill you in on the highlights... I may bombard you right now, or I may spread it out.  I'm really that indecisive right now, so I can't give you a more definite answer.

Until then, I'm going to give you this lovely video, highlighting 2011, proof that I survived the whole thing:

They gave me a fork.

I went to a workshop the other day that my city so nicely arranged for all of the Native English Teachers (NTs) on how to better flow with society and all-in-all be a better teacher.  I found myself resonating with my kids at the thought of being four hours in a lecture setting, but I tried my best to refrain from doing the exact things for which I scold my students.  (Side note: I thought that working in the food and retail industries gave me a better idea of how to respect people... good gracious!  That's nothing compared to teaching!)  But let me be honest, I feel so touched that these people went out of their ways to make our lives easier.  With the way America's economy is going, it's not like Korea will have any shortage of young people who are willing to come and teach in their schools.  Our bosses could very easily let us make our mistakes, fire us, replace us, and take themselves out to a rather extravagant dinner.  Instead, they brought in a speaker who was doing this for 30ish years before being stationed in Korea by the US Government to specifically work with NTs, and then our superintendent provided ALL of us with a gargantuan buffet dinner.  I'm beyond touched.

That being said, I have an amusing anecdote for you:

Upon arriving at the dinner, I put my things down, and grabbed my plate, spoon, and... ... FORK.  At first I was confused by its presence in my life, then I got a little excited.  A FORK!  I could see the possibilities of eating with speed and dignity.  So I got my food and returned to my table, where the first thing I did was drop the thing from not holding it correctly.  As if that wasn't bad enough, I seem to have forgotten that lesson that my mom so painstakingly drilled into me: how to eat noodles with a fork.  Alas!  I could not get them from my bowl to my mouth.  I'm choosing to blame it on the fact that the dish in question was a very Korean dish, complete with soup, so the noodles themselves preferred chopsticks, which appeared shortly thereafter, much to my delight.  And then, the sad but true fact unfurled: It is now easier for me to eat with chopsticks than with a fork.

And here I was, thinking that was a myth.  Sounds like I've got a little bit of KDS (and, admittedly, a hard time swallowing fan death) going on myself... (I've been reading up on what The Korean and The Expat have to say on that little problem.)  I have, however, found the perfect solution to this problem, but you'll have to click on the title of this post to find out what it is.  :P

Finally, as per the request of Ms. Malcolm, I'm leaving you with some more cultural media, which just so happens to be entirely related to this post, as it is a clip of a local student who came to our workshop to play the Tanso (also written as Danso, because the ㄷ letter in Korean actually falls between D and T).  Once again, I am thoroughly impressed by the willingness of these students to give up their valuable study time to come and preform for us.  I hope you enjoy as much as I did!

Wait a second! I'm in KOREA!

Recently, I've fallen into a routine... I'm pretty much used to life here now.  I have a pattern... I can predict certain things... Not EVERYONE who can speak English HAS to be my best friend...

I found myself thinking today, "Yeah, this is pretty normal."  Then I though, "Wait a second!  I'm in KOREA!"  Isn't it funny how quickly we can take amazing things for granted?  I do mean we, when I say that... And just to prove I'm not alone in that, keep reading:


When was the last time you thought about how truly amazing a baby is?... that from a single act of love (passion) this little person came into being.

When was the last time you sat and watched the uniformity and productivity of a single ant colony?

When was the last time you truly stopped to register that people outside yourself have lives and thoughts to which you will never be fully privy? 


Really, when you stop and truly try to fathom these things, I guarantee your head will start to hurt.


Here I am, in Korea, surrounded by people who don't even think in the same logic as I do, AND I THINK THIS IS NORMAL??!! Sooooo... I'm taking full advantage of where I am, and have filled my schedule with all sorts of fun cultural things.  (The reason you care about this is because it means that you will be receiving a bunch of really cool pictures soon.  Trust me, I know what's on the schedule... I know the coolness that is coming.)

What does this mean for you?  Well... maybe you should stop and think about what you think is normal... Is it really?

Love you!

Rewrite

A couple years ago, a certain Dr. Nathan Kerr (Click his name for a classic Nate Kerr sermon on the Kingdom of G-d.) asked me to write an essay about what Jesus means to me.  Frustrated, I stared at a blank page for several days.  My ideas about Him teetered between heretical and apathetic.  As I explained to Nate (This is a sermon on Jesus' Sermon on the Mount), I had never given much thought to Jesus Himself, past that He was G-d made flesh, come to die for our sins.  I'd always focused on G-d the Father instead.  Ultimately, I settled on this thesis:

For me, Yeshua is Immanuel; He is G-d with us.  He is G-d the Father choosing to meet His children where they are, in their ignorance, and spend His eternity with them.  

It was good; it was touching; it earned me an A.  Mission accomplished. 

However, being in Korea has made me rethink that thesis a bit.  In fact, this weekend it has been one of the core ideas on my mind.  I went so far as to consider rewriting the whole paper and sending it to the overworked Dr. Kerr (Really, click his name... This time you'll read his words his book, Christ, History, and Apocalyptic), but then I decided that he didn't need to be regrading the papers of an alum... he's got plenty of his own current students' papers to deal with, I'm sure.   (Instead, I will send him the link to this post, and pretend like that's not overwhelming either... haha.)

Living in Korea has gotten me thinking a lot about how the Gentiles must have felt, all the way up until the time of Christ.  In a lot of ways, Korean culture and Jewish culture are very similar.  They're both based in Eastern traditions, so I'm sure it was bound to happen; I just didn't think about it until I was immersed in it.  One of the most prominent commonalities is their views on a non-member of their heritage.  They could be "fully" accepting toward that person, but, in the end, that person was still an outsider.  The opinion of the national would always hold more weight.  The national would always take priority.  The outsider would never be expected to fit in, never be expected to understand.  It's not even necessarily a malicious act (although I'm sure there are some people who do mean it that way... people are people.), it's just the culture.

That being said, in spite of best intentions, there are some really lonely days for your resident outsider.  I've lately been using those days to try to understand Gentile culture though, and I've got to say, it's made me appreciate Jesus a lot more.  I feel like I'm coming to understand the heart of G-d better too.  Like any good Sunday School student, I can tell you that G-d sent Jesus to die because He loves all people and wants all people to be with Him, but having an experience like this is making it so much more tangible.

I'm really not sure that I can explain it better than that, but I would encourage you to think about the Gentiles and Waygooks the next time you're feeling on the outside of a group or event... maybe then, you will come to appreciate Jesus a little more too.

This is a picture off of Facebook of a group of us on a recent trip to Seoul.  The first comment was from a Korean student: "Wow!!  Waygooks!  Cool!"  Like I said, it's not really an attempt toward malicious alienation... it just happens. haha

Love you! 

It's unavoidable...

It's pretty much as unavoidable as Darth Vader being Luke's father: My name is "Anna" while I'm here.  Somehow, they got that one into their heads, and, even though I've corrected it, it still gets written that way in every paper introducing me.  I sang a solo in church this morning (on request), and this is how I was introduced:

Hopefully, you can see that.  My name is near the bottom.  Anyway, all day when I introduced myself, I was corrected.  So.  I'm Anna.  Great.

Anyway... this is a picture of the couple I flew over with - Lisa and Cameron.  We'll be joined by another couple tomorrow.

 Annnnd, this is a picture of me enjoying really yummy Korean food.  Koreans LOVE taking photos, so, unfortunately, I had a bunch of water in my mouth when this was taken.  Fortunately, I still managed to look cute.

 Finally, I saw this in the mall the other day.  It made me really happy, especially since it was moved to cover all the Yankees gear:

So there you go... this is a quickie, but I think it's still a goodie.  Enjoy, and leave me comments with what you want to know about!

안녕하세요?

Ahhhh... culture, culture, culture! There's a lot of it here, and definitely a lot to learn. So far, I've realized that Koreans love English (whether or not that extends to its speakers, I have yet to decide), but they all take the opportunity to exercise whatever level of English that they have. I cannot tell you how many times complete strangers have said hello to me on the street... but that's also part of culture. Whenever I see, well... anyone, really, I'm supposed to give my "안녕하세요?" and bow. I don't mind, really... it's kind of fun to see them smile at my attempt to use Korean. (I impressed my employers with a "반갑습니다," today. They were almost as excited as I was.

Everything here is very much a hierarchy. For example, of the three Koreans with whom I work most closely (Jenny, Terry, and Jeff), Jeff is the newest to the program, so when we go out to eat, he is always the one who has to go ask for more things at a restaurant or take the annoying jobs (like taking us on a tour of the city), and he happily does so. (I don't know if all Koreans are content in this system, because Jeff is just a generally happy guy, but I get the impression that they're okay with it.) Anyone who is of a higher position than you is to be shown extreme respect and addressed by their title. For example, I will be "Teacher Anne" (if I'm lucky... somehow, they got it into their heads that I'm Anna... which worries me, because most of their English is learned from movies and pop culture...), and my principal will be "Principal [whoever]" or "Dr. [whoever]." You don't call someone of a higher respect level by their first name... ever. (Think of manners in the Deep South.) Eye contact goes with this too... You're not to make eye contact with someone of a higher respect level, or else you'll be seen as confrontational... You're more of to aim for the chin or neck, which is just as well, as I'd prefer to be attempting to read lips when I'm working with non-native-speakers, anyway.

My 아파트 is a pretty good example of Korean culture, from what I've been able to tell. It's small, of course, but things its previous owners decided they didn't need have been left here (apparently my bed frame is included in that list... not all the teachers have one). Mostly, it's about functionality, with lots of tape residue all over the walls, but that tape is also evidence of another part of Korean culture: a love for hanging "cute" things all over the wall (all the 3M hooks were some of the things left by previous owners). Also, Jenny, Terry, and Jeff, made sure to leave me a shelf full of essentials, so I wouldn't have to worry about finding these things in stores while I'm still jet lagged. Some of those things have been dispersed through my apartment (for example, the blow dryer they left me has been moved, box and all, into the bathroom, in the hopes that I will convince myself to learn to use it), but I was so grateful to them for this that I almost started to cry when I saw them. I was also left a pair of house shoes, and shower shoes, that are most helpful... which brings me to the shower itself. Like I said before, Koreans are big into functionality over aesthetics, so prepare yourself...
...
...
...
Ready? Here we go:
Yup... no shower curtain. The whole floor is made of a waterproof plastic tile, so it is just expected to go everywhere. It's always been dry by morning, so I assume the system works. It's really not too bad... it just is taking some getting used to.

Okay, I think that's probably enough information overload for you today. (Trust me, though, this doesn't even begin to touch the overload I'm currently feeling... but I think this is a good overload.) I want to reiterate that I love it here... almost as much as I love you all. Have a good rest of the day! And, seeing as I see the rest of the day before you do, I can tell you that it only goes uphill throughout the day. ;)

<3

Home Sweet Home

I made it to Korea! But what is slightly more shocking is that I already love it. Unfortunately, you're going to have to deal with the brief version here, but I hope that as I get more adjusted to the time zone, I will not be as tired throughout the day.

The flight from Dulles to San Francisco was my first flight on Virgin Air, and let me say, that airline definitely has its own style. The plane looked like it wanted to be a club, and the people on my flight acted like they wanted to be in one. Also, I was entirely surrounded by bratty, shrieking children. Luckily, I had popped two chewable Dramamine and slept the whole flight. All in all, I think I'm going to avoid that airline whenever possible, but not as much as I try to avoid Delta. Southwest is definitely still firmly locked in as my favorite.

The flight to Korea was looooooooooong, but I had two amusing guys sitting in my row, and few children anywhere within ear shot, so that definitely made the whole thing better. I flew Singapore Air for that flight, and with every bit of me that would recommend against Virgin Air and Delta, I would highly recommend Singapore Air. Everything I would have expected of first class, from good food, to decently roomy leg areas, to hot towels, was there. But don't worry... I saw first class, there's is still a definite distinguishing factor (for those of you who saw Inception, just know that they actually make first class cabins that look like that). I would also recommend choosing one of the special meals; it means you get served first.

At the airport in Korea, I began the course of action that has ultimately led me to agree with the rest of the world in their thoughts that Americans are stupid. Cameron, Lisa, and I met one of our bosses, Terry, who led us and our carts of luggage onto a moving sidewalk. Unfortunately, none of us thought about how to steer the incredibly heavy carts off the sidewalk. As a result, we all fell on top of each other, somehow managing to not catch anyone underneath a cart. Terry, was, sadly, less than impressed. We couldn't stop laughing about it, though.

Today, I blew up a power strip, because I didn't have a voltage converter (although I thought I did). I really thought I was going to catch the whole building on fire. Luckily, the only damage was to the strip.

Speaking of the building, this is the view from my porch:My whole back wall is a sliding glass door. I absolutely love it. My bosses were also really sweet and left each of us some essentials. I almost cried when I saw it, but I didn't want to freak Terry out any more than the nasty cut on my hand already had (one of my old suitcases bit it on the flight over, as predicted. Its brokenness broke me too. I'm fine). Terry does not like blood.

We bought a sort of charge card today. We know for sure it can be used for public transportation, but we're thinking that if we load enough money onto it, it can be used like any normal charge card. They're really cool, though, and the best way for me to try to explain it is with this photo. Yes, that Hello Kitty charm in my hand is my card. I love it. You charge it like any other metro/subway pass card... mine just happens to look pretty freaking sweet.

Also, I've been assigned to an elementary school, and I couldn't be more thrilled... unless you count the fact that I have yet to try a Korean food I don't like... or that my bosses are impressed with my Korean... let's just leave it at this: I'm really excited to be here. :)