New Year, New COUNTRY!

The New Year always brings thoughts of changes, resolutions, and new things... This year, 2011 will bring Tim and me to a new country, a new culture, and new teaching jobs!  We're moving to Egypt at the end of January!!

Since September, we've been applying for International School jobs and praying that the right opportunity would open up for us.  We were hoping for a job that would start in the fall, so we were surprised to receive an offer to start in January!  Everything happened really fast, and we definitely feel like God had His hand in it all.  Angie and Norris (Tim's sister and brother-in-law) are in their 3rd year of teaching in Egypt at the American International School in Egypt.  They recommended us for a few jobs that opened up in the middle of the school year because of some maternity leaves (including Angie's!!).  Soon after they gave our resumes to their school, we were offered the jobs!  For the rest of the school year, Tim will be a full time sub, and then starting in the fall, he'll be teaching 3rd grade!  I will be teaching Elementary Music, and I could not be more excited!  I have so many ideas already!  We'll sign 2.5 year contracts, so we'll finally be able to settle in to a place for awhile.  Also, with these jobs comes lots of vacation time, so we're excited to come home in the summer and travel during the year.  I've already started planning some trips!  We're excited to have jobs that provide such great opportunities, and we're VERY excited to be close to Angie and Norris!!  We are so grateful to them for getting us these jobs, and we can't wait to hang out with them in Egypt!  They're not only family, but really great friends, so I know we'll have a lot of fun!  Plus, we're excited that we'll be there for the birth of their baby!  There are so many great things to look forward to!  I know Egypt will be vastly different from Korea, and I know there are things that will be hard.  But I'm already prepared to love it, and to take the hard things in stride.  We're so so thankful that God has provided!

While we're really looking forward to starting our time in Egypt, it breaks our hearts to leave Korea.  It's a strange feeling to be so excited and so sad at the same time.  Korea has become a home to us, and we LOVE the country, the people, our students, our church, our friends... Being in Korea has helped us learn more about ourselves and each other, and we have grown so much.  We've been able to travel all around Korea, and also in China, Japan, and Taiwan.  We've met so many amazing people who we've been able to learn from.  We've gotten involved in a church that we love and will miss immensely.  We've had awesome students who have made teaching so much fun.  So many great things have happened here!  Telling our boss that we would have to end our contracts was one of the most difficult things I have ever done.  But she was really understanding, saying that she didn't want to lose us, but that she didn't want to hold us back from another opportunity either.  Her response was another answer to prayer, and confirmation that we were doing the right thing.  Now starts the month of packing and saying goodbye.  We've always savored Korea and felt grateful to be here, so there are no regrets in that area.  And I really feel like we'll be back someday, so it's not goodbye forever.  But it is a goodbye, and those are never fun.  We'll be living it up in Korea for one more month, and then starts a new adventure! We're excited to see what 2011 holds for us!!

Reason to Rejoice

The Christmas season this year was a beautiful one for Tim and me.  We listened to lots of Christmas music and watched more than our share of Christmas movies.  We did a Christmas play at church and did fun Christmas activities with our students at school.  We decorated our apartment with homemade snowflakes, lights, garland, and a tree, and were pleasantly surprised when the area under our tree was filled with gifts from family and friends from home.  We spent great times with friends, and even went Christmas caroling around Seoul!  As we prepared for Christmas and fulfilled our traditions, I kept thinking of a phrase from "O Holy Night" that I love: "The weary world rejoices."  I am so thankful for the fun things that we get to do at Christmas time, but even more than that, I am thankful that we have a reason to rejoice!  That phrase brings to my mind a picture of a dark, cold world gradually being swept over by this overwhelming light.  I'm so thankful that God gave us that gift of light through Jesus, who brought hope into a hopeless world.  I am also thankful that He gave us family, friends, traditions, music, and celebrations so that we can rejoice in that gift together!  Here are a few snapshots of our pre-Christmas festivities!

This is the cast of our church Christmas play!  The kids did an amazing job!

Wonderful friends and chocolate fondue- a great combo!

 No oven?  No problem!  We made these cookies on the stove top!

The Christmas tree in City Hall- one of our Christmas caroling stops.

Our cute little Christmas tree!  Thank you to our fam and friends for the amazing gifts!!

May the rejoicing and celebrating continue into the New Year!

Thanksgiving through the years

I love Thanksgiving!  Every Thanksgiving is special, but I've had a few outstanding Thanksgivings through the years that really stand out in my mind...

Thanksgiving ten years ago was very memorable because it was my first trip to New York City!  I was a sophomore in high school, and our Concert Choir traveled there to sing in Carnegie Hall.  I completely fell in love with the city on that trip, and I kept thinking, "I have to live here someday!"  It was a magical Thanksgiving.

Another very memorable and magical Thanksgiving was six years ago when I met Tim for the first time.  I was in New York City again, and I was there to sing with the Bethel Choir in Carnegie Hall (sound familiar?)  Tim was also in the choir, but as an alumni because he had already graduated.  We give credit to Angie and Norris for setting us up!  On Thanksgiving, we watched the Thanksgiving Day Parade together, and then we had our first date with Angie and Norris on Thanksgiving night.  We ate at a really ritzy and expensive Italian restaurant, and Tim paid for me even though he hardly knew me!  A few days later, he took me out for a surprise date to Little Italy!  It was a very special Thanksgiving, and the foundation of our relationship.

Last year, Tim and I spent Thanksgiving in Korea.  It was the first major holiday that we celebrated without our family.  It was sad that we couldn't be home, but we were well taken care of.  Edie and Jack (strong leaders in our church) invited us to their family Thanksgiving, and it was such a special time of sharing (and eating!) together.  Everything about that day had so much meaning, from the poems and scripture that were read, to the songs that were sung.  Tim and I knew that we had found something special.

This year, our Thanksgiving was equally as memorable.  First, we went to our pastor's house for Thanksgiving dinner with the young adults of our church.  We have such a unique and diverse group, and it was fun to be with lots of our friends.  After that, we went to another Thanksgiving celebration at Edie and Jack's house.  It was their family celebration, and it was so nice of them to extend the invitation to us (two years in a row).  We met some new people, talked, shared, and ate delicious food.  Again, everything was so meaningful, and I felt as if I needed to savor every moment.

This Thanksgiving, I was (and still am) so thankful for the many things in life that are worth savoring.  I am thankful for our friends here and the amazing church community that we have.  I am thankful for my students who make me laugh and lift my spirits every day.  I am thankful for my family, and I can't wait to be able to spend the holidays with them again!  And of course, I am thankful for Timothy.  Being in Korea together has strengthened us, and I love every second of every adventure we have had.  I love that we can sing together and lead worship together.  I love that he makes me laugh literally ALL THE TIME, and it never gets old.  I love that we have the assurance that God will provide for us in our next step, wherever and whenever that will be.  There are so many things to be thankful for!

"Gratitude for the gifts of all the living and unloving, gratitude which is the greatest gift, quietest of all, passes to me through the trees." -Wendell Berry

North and South

The tension between North and South Korea has always been a present reality here.  Before we came to Korea, we were really worried about these tensions, but after arriving, we soon saw that the South Koreans viewed all the threats and talk from the North as "same ol', same ol."  Until recently.  In March, 46 sailors died when North Korea attacked a naval ship in disputed territory.  The North vehemently denied that they were responsible, much like a child would do, but the proof was there.  Even with the proof, South Korea handled the situation very carefully, as they always have.  Dealing with the North is like a strategic walk on eggshells because of the North's potential to act irrationally.  So, the sinking of the ship was a big deal and a very sad situation, but nothing more came of it.  The South didn't fight back, but warned the North that those kinds of things would not be tolerated.

After that tension died down, it seemed like things would stay calm.  We hadn't heard much from North Korea, except that Kim Jong Un (Kim Jong Il's son) would be officially be taking over for his father after he died.  And with Kim Jong Il's recent health problems, we knew that could be in the near future.  Until that time, it seems that Kim Jong Il is flaunting his power and trying to leave his mark in a big way.  Hence the North Korean attack of Yeongpyeong Island on November 23rd.  It was definitely unsettling to read the reports as they came in that day and see the horrendous pictures of an island in flames.  The situation was tragic for the 4 people who died and the 20 people who were injured.  North Korea's response is to say that the South started it by practicing and preparing for a possible war.  What else can they be expected to do when they have an irrational neighbor to the North?

The situation is serious, but the threat level here is still low.  We know that South Korea really doesn't want a war, which is why they are not taking as strong of a stand as many South Koreans would like them to.  Since the Korean War 57 years ago, South Korea has prospered.  They have built an amazing country for themselves with thriving, world-wide businesses like Samsung, LG, Kia, and Hyundai.  They have built an amazing mass-transit system, thousands of apartments buildings, and restored countless historical sites after the war.  They have their own music and movie industry, and a competitive education system.  Everything that Tim and I experience today in Korea is a result of the Korean work-ethic.  They have worked HARD for this country, and they are proud of it.  And we are proud to live here among, truly some of the most beautiful and friendly people in the world.  Going to war would be devastating for South Korea because they've worked so hard to be where they are today.  So we know that they don't want war, and we don't either!  We are praying for peace!

Three days before the attack on Yeongpyeong Island, Tim and I and some of our friends went on a tour of the DMZ (de-militarized zone between North and South Korea).  It was really eye-opening to see in person all of the things that we have heard and read about.  I could almost tangibly feel the oppression in the air.  It broke my heart to look into a country in which there are so many oppressed, broken, and starving people.  I couldn't help but think of the people who know nothing about the outside world, and those who do know about the outside world, but have to pretend that they don't.  It's hard to believe that just beyond the border, there are people living in concentration camps and being persecuted for their beliefs.  Those things seem so completely foreign to me, and yet they're happening.  My heart breaks for the families who were torn apart during the war, and who are still separated.  The stories are heart-wrenching and tragic.  As we spent the day learning about the conflict between North and South Korea, I felt so thankful for my own freedoms and safety, and couldn't help but believe that someday peace will be restored between the two Koreas.

This is the table where North and South Korea have meetings.  One side of the table is in South Korea, and the other side is in North Korea.

Here we are on the other side of the table... in North Korea!

Tim with a South Korean soldier. We were warned that if we tried to stand or walk behind him, extreme force would be used!

A North Korean soldier is looking at us through binoculars.

Behind Tim is an area that North and South Korea "share".  The blue buildings belong to South Korea and  the gray buildings belong to North Korea.

In this area, there were North Koreans watching us from all directions.

The three soldiers that are seen here are South Korean soldiers.  They literally stand like this all day staring at the North Korean soldiers on the other side.  Notice that two of the soldiers have half of their bodies blocked by the building for safety.

  

In the distance, you can see what is called Propaganda Village in North Korea.  The tall pole that you see is actually the tallest flag in the world at 525 feet.  It was built in response to the flag put up in South Korea's Freedom Village which is located inside the DMZ.  The North Koreans wanted to show their power and strength, so after South Korea's flag was put up, they put up a ridiculously tall one here.  The flag itself is 595 pounds and has to be taken down when it rains, or it will rip in half.  No one actually lives in this village here.  There are houses and apartments set up that are empty and purely for show.  Loud speakers from this village used to broadcast propaganda into South Korea for 6-8 hours a day to try to get people to come live in the North.  It truly lives up to its nickname, "Propaganda" Village. 

This is the memorial site of the 1976 Axe murders.  At this place, South Korean and U.S. soldiers were in the process of trimming a tree that obstructed their view of another South Korean command post, when North Korean soldiers brutally attacked them with axes and clubs.  Two Americans, Captain Bonifas and Lt. Barrett died in these attacks, and many were injured.  A few days later, in response to these attacks, US and Korean forces held Operation Paul Bunyan, in which they removed the whole tree that had caused the problem.  This time, though, helicopters and planes flew overhead and a huge military force on the ground monitored the situation so that there would be no problems.

This is the Bridge of No Return.  After the Korean War, the Prisoners of War were brought here.  They had to decide whether to stay in the country of their captivity, or cross over to the other country.  Once they made their decision, they couldn't go back, hence the name.

The next part of our tour was to the Third Infiltration Tunnel (also called the Third Tunnel of Aggression).  It is one of four tunnels found that have been built by North Koreans to try to stage a surprise attack on South Korea.  There are believed to be at least 10 more tunnels of this kind.  When questioned about these tunnels, North Korea denies that they were the ones to make them.  They even went so far as to spread coal on part of one of the walls so that they could say they were coal mining.  However, South Korea can tell without a doubt that the direction of the digging was from the North.  Below is a picture of all of the security camera shots in and around the tunnel.  No cameras were allowed inside the tunnels for security reasons.  

This is Dorasan Train Station, my favorite part of the DMZ tour.  It is a station that was meant to connect North and South Korea, but right now is unused.  No trains run to or from this station, but hopefully someday they will, when South Korea and North Korea are reunited.  Until that day, it is a wonderful symbol of belief, optimism, and hope for the future.

It says, "Not the last station from the South, but the first station toward the North."

Someday!

To Pyeongyang.

Being at this station was a great way to end the tour because it left me feeling optimistic and hopeful, despite all the sad and negative things we had learned about that day.  I do believe that there will be peace in Korea someday, but not without prayer and God's hand in the situation.

My 26th Birthday

My 26th birthday was two weekends ago.  I still can't believe that I'm 26!  I read a story with my class a while ago about how, at any age, you're not simply that age, but also all of the ages that lead up to that age.  So I am 26 now, but I am also 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and so on, depending on the circumstance.  I think that's true.  When I feel like crying about something silly, I'm 4.  When I feel like jumping and dancing around in excitement, I'm 7.  When I feel like being rebellious, I'm 16.  Also, I'm learning that age doesn't have much to do with anything, but it's how you feel and what you've experienced that matters.  And right now in my life,  I'm so happy here in Korea, and excited to see what this next year will bring!

To celebrate my 26th, Tim and I had a full weekend of activities.  It started on Saturday with Tim making me a delicious omlette for breakfast.  He also gave me perfume and wrote me a poem!  Such a sweet husband! :)

Then we headed to the 63 Building, a big tourist attraction in Seoul that we hadn't been to before.  It's the tallest building in Seoul and has lots of fun things to do inside.  We went to the aquarium, the IMAX theater, and the art gallery on the 60th floor, which is supposedly the highest art gallery in the world.  The views of Seoul from the top were great!  We had such a fun Saturday!

The 63 Building.  Three stories underground, 60 stories above ground.

Reflection of us.

A real penguin at the aquarium.  At first I thought it was fake because it just stood there like a statue!

Under the Sea

IMAX theater fun!  We learned all about dinosaurs.

At the top.

Winding roads and lots of traffic.

My new sparkly TOMS from my fam!  I love them!!

Sunday was my actual birthday.  We went to church and then had shabu-shabu (Chinese stew) with our friends for lunch.  Yummy!

 
After lunch, we hit up a Board Game Room, which is pure Korean genius.  Basically, it's this place with huge tables and hundreds of board games.  You "order" your board game from a menu, and they bring it to you to play.  You can also get food and snacks there, as well as dress up with a mask or wig (which of course I opted to do).  We stayed for 2 hours playing a Korean game called Halli Galli and also The Game of Life (in Korean).  Thankfully we had a Korean with us to translate! :)  Tim brought a cake to the game room too, so I could make a wish on some candles.  The cake was the best I have had in Korea so far!

Doly, Collin, and Luke playing Life.

The whole group

Making a wish.

After the game room, we went to a lantern festival that was happening in downtown Seoul.  It was beautiful to see all the artistic and colorful lanterns lining the stream.  I loved it!

Tim and Luke

As if all that celebrating wasn't enough, this past weekend, we had a big birthday party for the four of us from our Sunday School class that had November birthdays: Doly, Matt, Luke, and me.  Edie had us over to her house, and we ate pizza, Mexican soup, and brownie sundaes.  It was delish!  We had such a fun time talking and hanging out with each other.  I felt so blessed to be there, surrounded by so many amazing people.  

I am so thankful for all the people I was able to celebrate with, and also those that called or sent messages or packages.  Being away from home is hard, but I can't help but feel blessed by those that are here and those that are not here.  I feel the love from all over the world.

Off to the Races!

This past weekend, Tim and I went with a group of our friends to the Seoul horse races!  I'm telling you, Korea has EVERYTHING!  It was a blast!  The racing stadium was in a suburb of Seoul where there are races every weekend of the year.  On Saturdays, there are usually about 11 races per day.  At the stadium, there are 5 levels, all with an outside and inside section.  Outside is where you sit and watch the races.  Inside is where you can get food, watch the races on the TV screens, and most importantly, place your bets!  We bought an informational book that told all about the horses and their stats, so we used that to help us choose who to put our money on.  (I chose horses with low odds and cool names.)  The actual betting process was all automated.  We put money on a ticket at the beginning, and then used that ticket as our money supply.  To place a bet, all we had to do was put our ticket and betting card into a machine, and it subtracted the amount of the bet from our money supply.  After each race, we could put our receipt and ticket back into the machine, and it would tell us how much money we had won.  Don't worry, we didn't place any big bets!  Any bet over 1,000 won (1 dollar) per horse was risky business. :)  There were different kinds of bets that could be placed.  You could guess the winner or choose a horse that you thought would place (1st, 2nd, or 3rd).  The more hardcore betters could place bets on which two horses would come in 1st and 2nd.  We definitely saw some hardcore betters.  Men dressed in suits, smoking, and cheering loudly as the horses raced to the finish line.  We were happy that we didn't have any significant bets on those horses because that would have been stressful!  For us, it was just a fun way to spend the afternoon. :)

A Pirate and a Ladybug Celebrate Halloween!

I love Halloween!  It's a great excuse to dress up in a crazy costume and eat lots of candy!  This year, Tim dressed up as a pirate and I dressed up as a ladybug.  We wore our costumes to school, and the kids loved it!  Some of them dressed up too, and we had fun eating candy and making masks.  After school, I wore my costume around town and got all sorts of strange looks! :)  The pictures below are of my favorite class of teenagers!  I have them every Tuesday and Thursday for three hours and I adore them.  They are all so crazy, talkative, dramatic, hilarious, and smart!  As you can imagine, we had lots of fun celebrating Halloween!

Our costumes!

They made me wait outside after break time so that they could turn off the lights and prepare to scare me! 

AH!

This is Candy.  I need to devote an entire blog post just to her.  She is CRAZY, but also so sweet and caring.  She makes me laugh so hard every day.  For instance, she eats dog biscuits for snacks and says they are delicious.  She often smells me during class.  And she always tries to beat me to saying "Bless you" when someone sneezes.  She is awesome!  But that's just the tip of the iceberg!

HA!  Typical.

Justin.  Though you can't see his face.

Ann and Courtney.  So smart and creative!

This is Cherry.  She's super smart and has a big personality!  She's also an amazing pianist and has so many goals for her life.  

Arrr!  This pirate had come to steal my markers!

Jack-o-lanterns