Fireworks

We sat in the rain for 2 hrs wating for the fireworks to start.  Then they lasted for 45mins.  WE WERE SOAKED!!!  But I have to say that it was the best fireworks display that I have ever seen.  They had rocket kites, spelled things with fireworks, had smiley face fireworks...and a waterfall of sparks off of the bridge.  The above is in the middle of the performance...it wan't even the finale.

 The subways were packed because this only happens once a year.  I was sorry to lose my patience but there is a fine line between cultural difference and rude.  And elbowing the American in the back 9 times is not a cultural thing.  :-/  Lets just say that things got a little pushy in the turnstyles.

PHOTOS!!!!!

 My apartment from the front door.  It is cozy but clean.  There is a lage hole in the wall where the register for the AC is in the cabnets.  I got 3 mosquito bites yesterday and desided to stuff the hole with Repel Wipes.  That ought to take care of that!

 My Kitchen.  The fridge is the tall white cabnet on the left beside the closet.  It smells like Kimchi and now my water tastes funny.  I think I will invest in a box of Baking Soda to handle that nonsence.  :-P

 The view from my window!  Amazing!  I love looking outside and the whole wall is like a window.  HAPPY DAY!

The dreaded space washer.  YEAH!

First Day of School

So today I followed Tori around.

Many of the girls would pass me in the hall and later on the streets and practice thier English, "HI NEW TEACHER..." or "HI CAROL..." (Caroline is too hard for them).  Anyway, then they would giggle and turn away with an awkward shyness.  They are so darn cute.  Their English level is very low though.  I am teaching at the equivelent of a vocational school...so the not-so-gifted attend.

Today I showed my co-worker the photo of my washer and asked them to translate the buttons.  OF COURSE NOTHING IS THAT EASY.  Every simple thing in Korea is an ordeal.  So...it ended up being a group of four surrounding my camera...jabbing away in Korean for 5 mins and then saying we don't know.  Then two of them took me back to my appartment and went upstairs with me...sat in front of the washer and figured it out.  BUT..no one who went with me could speak English that well.  SO...after some Sharades...we got it figured out.  YAY!!!

I met the Guest English teacher at the neighboring middle school.  She invited me to go to see the fireworks festival with her and her church friends tomorrow.  She says that she goes to a university church taught all in English.  I will see if I can get directions there from her tomorrow.  I am looking forward to it.

Blessings to all and Grace,
Caroline R.

BUSAN!!!!!

Ok...so yesterday all the folk going to Busan got on a bus.  This was a nice private bus with curtains and a television...haha.  We all arrived in Busan in the afternoon.

My two coordinators and the Guest English teacher that I am replacing were there.  Her name is Tori and I am so glad that she is here during my transition.  No one else gets that priveledge...it is just an error in the contract.  It is very good though because she has been a big help.

My appartment is teeny but AWESOME!!!!  It is one room so my bed is in the kitchen...but it is just me so it doesn't matter.  Photos to come.  I am at a local PC bang (or gaming room) so I can't load the photos yet...unless I find a way to...I was just lucky to find the PC Bang to be honest.  Ha ha!

My coordinators are awesome.  They are so informal which puts me at ease...I know that the culture is very formal and I bow to my elders and all.  They think I am funny because I am a westerner bowing to them.  :-)  Anyway, they have taken me shopping and footed the bill.  I was able to get a drying rack (for laundry) to put in my loft and paper towels...scrub brush...even toothpaste.  I went a little crazy when they told me that the school alotted a budget just for my first shopping trip.  AMAZING RIGHT!!!

I had the health exam today...and yes I did cry when they took blood...IT HURT SO BAD...I am such a sissy when it comes to needles.  And then no one spoke English so they were just dragging me from room to room doing tests...and they always grabbed my hurt arm...AHHH!  But they were really nice.  Then we went to the immigration office so I could register for my alien resident card.

I am shadowing Tori tomorrow to get an idea what my typical day will look like. So I have the rest of the day off.  First thing I did was throw in a load of laundry...easier said than done.  Imagine this:  A washer half the size of the American washer.  Mix all the buttons up.  Don't have pictures. Change button sizes.  And put it in Korean.  I just kept hitting buttons until it started.  I hope it don't kill my clothes...haha.  I will have to ask my co-teacher tomorrow what buttons to push.

Anyway, after throwing in laundry I searched for a PC Bang...and here I am.  I can't wait to show you guys photos.  But it will come in time (as will unpacking..haha).

Provision

Luke 12:28
"If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith!"

God has provided soooo much!  After my issues with not finding the right crowd at first, I prayed this morning. Coming to God should have been my first response but sometimes I forget.  ANYWAY, I prayed for guidance. And I prayed that God send me a single christian...more if necessary, to strengthen me.
Since then, I have been contacted by three people...all christians.

Anyway, I loved it.  The one girl and I headed out this evening after our nightly Korean Language class.  We went down to a market.  Saw stuff...played on the subway, bought icecream, and came back.  I loved that I found someone to go out with who didn't only have beer on the mind.  Drinking is a big part of the culture here and I am glad that I don't need to be caught up in it when God provides me with good people.

And now...by popular demand....PHOTOS!!!!

 The Institute is picture above and then some of the delicious food that we get to eat!  YUM YUM YUM!  I am addicted to rice now guys.  :-)

 

Now here is the subway.  A photo of the
train that I took from my hip.

Lastly...Floppy and I having green tea icecream.  :-)

Shock!!!

Hey guys.  I am still in orientation.  I am having a little culture shock.  Well two forms of it really.  The first of it is the most serious.  I am stuck in basically 2 buildings with about 200 English speakers from around the world.  All over really, from South Africa, UK, Canada, US, everywhere and they range in age from 22-60yrs old.  Anyway, I am pretty sure that all but one person I have met so far, drinks and swears like a sailor.  I am not saying that I jugde them, don't like them, or that I think they are bad people.  I just am going to need some adjusting from my little world of Southern Baptist University.  I suppose for the first time in my life I am really in the world.  Even before in my travels, I was very sheltered...the people I travelled with were Christian and I expected a difference in culture from those I was visiting.  This trip however blind-sided me.  I never thought to prepare myself to culture shock among the travels.  I am really seeking my role here and becoming mildly discouraged.  I mainly just want to get away from this orientation and go to my city and settle down into my new life.  I am in Limbo now it feels.

The second culture shock is very minor.  I mean little Korean things like blowing your nose in public being taboo, repecting the elders to the extreme (bowing), or strange toilets and such.  But the Koreans are much more accomidating so it is not so hard.

Though I did have one run-in with a toilet.  There it was, western style seating (yes!!!!!) but maybe about 8 buttons all in Hangul.  I figured that I would find the flushing one before I did any business...just in case I did somehing stupid. (good idea!).  So I stand slighty to the side of it and hit a few buttons.  At first nothing happened.  Then it made a noise, a little nozzle popped out of the back, and started shooting a pretty intense stream of water against the stall door.  I was pressed up against the wall going...OH MY GOSH!!!!  Trying not to get sprayed.  I finally figured out how to turn it off...which was not the same button as on (which would have made life easier).  I left the stall with the decent sized puddle in search for a "dumber" toilet.

Anyway, Jet Lag is still pretty intense and it takes a lot out of me.  Also, I spent 17 dollars on an international phone card that I can't figure out how to use.  BOOO!!!  We will see what happens.  I just need a lot of prayers and encouragement to find my way here.  I left ALL my friends and family.  I have no one here.  And it has been difficult to build good relationships here...especially in such a short time.  There are a lot of walls built up around people and it is hard to find sincerity.  I think it is because everyone is so new to each other.  We are all busy trying to simulaneously advertise ourselves to find new friends while defending our hearts against these strangers.

I love you guys and miss you!
~Caroline

Hanguel

OK!!!  I clicked enough buttons that I finally hit the right one.  All the websites are in Hanguel...that is written Korean.

So I am in the Incheon Airport.  I found a machine that allows you to put money in it and then connects you the the internet.  NEAT!  It is incredibly hard to type on so I appologize for any errors.   At least it is not coming out like this anymore. ㅊ걋초됴.  Ha ha!  I had to ask a stranger how to make the keys english.  Wasted my first 50 cents on that one.  It is 6:30 am here and I don't meet my contact until 2:00pm.  SOOOO.....

My plane leaving NC was late so I had to run to my connection in LAX.  OMG!  I was so sweaty and winded but I made it.  My checked bags however did not. They claim to have it all sorted out tonight...but I had no address or phone number to give them. I have them my the EPIK coordinators number and hope that she will sort it al out...haha.

Other then constantly feeling lost with a dumb look on my face...I am good.  :-)  Didn't sleep much but I am good for now.  Thanks guys for reading.

I will head to orientation and get back on the net as soon as I can.
Blessings,
Caroline

Oh Goodness!

So, to start with...I have been uber blessed!  My friend from GWU paid for me to come visit her and all my friends at school.  She has paid for my meals and driven me places.  I am very honored to have such a great friend.

While visiting my Alma Mater I have seen quite a few people I didn't expect to.   It has been great.  I ended up doing some work with my old boss for old times sake.  She asked when I was leaving for Korea and I replied, "Wednesday".  She said, "Like this Wednesday?...2 days from now?"  "Oh Goodness, it is only 2 days isn't it?"  Well, as you can imagine, I had a little freak out after that.  It has been so easy to push Korea out of my mind as something in the future...but now to steal a quote, "...time is racing toward us...".

I caught a pretty nasty cold on the way here.  I figure I got it up north because I was a little out of it when I was saying goodbye to Mom in the airport.  She cried....her baby is going to be across the world.  I don't want her to worry though.  But as for this cold, I have runny nose and stuffy nose...how do you get both at the same time....well, it is a science thing and it happens...just take my word for it.  Then I had a throaty thing and now uncontrollable sneezing.  I am so stuffed that I can't taste much at all.  I hope it gets better.  I don't want to get deported upon my arrival for having CZARS or something... :-P

Last thing I will tell you is that Delta Airlines never ceases to disappoint me.  They broke one of my bags and is making it so difficult to get help.  I can't continue with this bag to Korea because it is in no shape to travel.  I have to dip into my saved money and purchase a new one.  I will be trying Goodwill first.  Then I need to re-pack the bag and hope it is still the same weight (it was 49lbs and the limit is 50lbs).

Love you guys and will write again with a ton to say from South Korea.
~Caroline R.

Seven Days and Counting

The title of this blog translates from Korean to "Hello" in the formal sense.
I suppose I am saying "Hello" to a new chapter in my life.

In seven days I will be on a plane to South Korea.  I have no idea about details.  I don't know what my apartment will look like, I don't know what age group I will be teaching, I don't know when my official contract start date is, I don't know when I will be coming home, I don't know much at all.

Normally that would bug me to death.  Three months ago I was a control-freak planner.  But, I went to India on a mission trip and realized that I have always put God's power in a box.  I realized that when I did all the planning and "controlling" that I was limiting God because I was telling Him that I did not trust Him.  Well...India is not a place you can plan for....and I grew a lot.

Long story short.  I am trusting God..and I don't need to know the details.  He has provided funds, clothing, documents, and people.  And if He provided before the trip, you better bet He will provide during.

Anyway.  Pray for me, friends.  This is the start of an epic adventure.
Annyeonghaseyo Korea!