Sunday, November 27, 2011

Fighting

When you are "making it", "hanging in there", "rolling with the punches", or just plain "moving forward"...the Koreans simply say, "FIGHTING!!!"

So, right now I am fighting.  Trying to re-group after a busy weekend hosting folks from Incheon.  The one who was staying with me came in on Friday, so I had to rush back after making sweet potatoes for the Thanksgiving dinner and meet her.  Then, we hit the sack.  Saturday consisted of coffee and pasteries, stationary shopping, hiking, the spa, sushi, icecream then sleep.  Sunday was more coffee, church, Thanksgiving dinner, bookstore, drop her off at the station, and sleep for me.  I even slept through dinner.  My body said, "NO MORE"

It was to my suprise when I woke up this morning and still wanted sleep.  My head is in a kinda fog and I probably won't get the dishes done or the floor swept tonight.  I am just Fighting through this monday with the hopes that I soon have internet in my apt.

On a less crazy note.  I just finished the book "The Hunger Games"  SOOOO GOOD!!!!  May end up buying the second book online because I don't think the bookstore here has it in English.

Still trying to make Winter Break plans.  I would like to know what I am doing before break begins.  :-P

Hope Everyone is Well.
~Caroline

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Good Times

First of all Nana is awake, she knows her family, she moves her limbs, and her speech is not slurred.  PRAISE GOD!  Thanks for all the prayers.  Please keep the family in your prayers.  My hope is that she will be home for Christmas.  The doctor says no...but he has been proven wrong before.  Let's see God get her home for the Holidays.

This was my first weekend at the orphanage.  We just got to love on the kids...they all needed attention...hugs..and play time.  I will be going back in a few weeks.  We are having a HUGE Christmas party for them.  Anyway, the kids were precious!  Here are some photos to prove it.


Also, I went to Swing Dancing.  BEST IDEA EVER.  I wasn't very good becaus it was my fist time swing dancing...but people were helpful..and I think I may get good at it with practice.  I hope to go back in a few saturdays.  They will even have lessons in December.

Sunday I went to chuch, then we all went out to lunch.  I had Indian food which really made me miss India.  It was sooo good.  This was probably the happiest my stomach has been in Korea.  :-)



Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Attitude

I had a moment yesterday when I freaked out a little.  I huffed and puffed when the internet kept freezing on my school computer.  Then I had to stop and write down a little note to God.

"Father God,
      My Patience is being tested.  But is comes from an improper attitude...as if I deserve something...  I think that I need fast internet.  When having the thing at all is a blessing in itself.  Sorry for my attitude!!!  Please help me change it.
     ~CR."

I wish I could say that made me feel better about the slow internet...but it didn't.  Ha ha.  It did however give me something to think about.

And today, I spent 2.5 hours in a cell phone store with my co-teacher...and left without a cell phone.  I guess it is my prayer or something...but I don't mind not having the phone so much.  I know that when I need one, God will provide it.  And until then...oh well.

Also, He has provided once again.  Just as money was running into the double digits and I wondered how I would make it till payday...My settlement fee just went through in the bank.  I now have not only enough for food..but some spending cash for thoses "necessities" like a Korean Dictionary or Workbook, and a new pair of leggings to save me from this cold winter.

As for my Grandmother,  she had been in surgery for 14 hours and had a mini-stroke on the table.  The doctor said that she shouldn't have lived and really couldn't figure out how she did. Which makes me even more thankful for your prayers.  She is in an induced coma now and will be slowly brought out of it to assess the damage to her brain.  Please pray that by some miracle that she has little to no permanent damage.  I would love for her to be able to recgonize the family and chat with them for Thanksgiving.  The doctor says no...but he has already been suprised once...THANK GOD!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Update

Soooo...just an update. I haven't said anything for a while so I will just kinda throw it all out there.

1). I got an email from my mom this morning saying that my grandmother suddenly had a stroke and was in surgery.  So prayers are welcomed.

2).  I am excited to start working more with my church.  I just signed up for the childrens ministries and will be going to work at an orphanage twice a month.  They say that the kids just don't get enough one on one time with people and they all really need love.  I was told to be ready for lots of Hugs.....OH I AM SO READY!

3). I am reminded how blessed I am.  My main co-teacher today told me, "You are lucky to be here."  I said...yes I am! I love it here!  She said, "You were not teacher chosen for this school.  Actually is was a boy named Jack.  But the Vice Priciple asked that we switch it with a girl since this is an all girl's school.  Your name was picked randomly off the list because you are a girl."  WOW!   I am blessed not only to be in Busan, but to be at my school.  Which is a walk in the park compared to the school she said I was originally placed in. (An all boys middle school).  THANK YOU LORD!!!!!

My co-teacher is an athiest...but she said to me..."God took care of you."

4).  Afterschool class has been cancelled for the next 2 weeks.  Which is good, because it gives me time to catch up with lesson planning and to get home at a decent time.  :-)  I only work 8:00am to 4:40pm now.  :-)

Thank you all or your prayers.  I will let you know how things go.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Alesha

Here's photos...just for you love!!!!  :-)


 Thinking of you and the girls when I snapped this photo....I believe the Caption will be: "Get your butts over here for some Pho...I am buying!"
 The aforementioned Bookstore... :-)
 Wandering around the neighborhood neighboring my neighborhood.  :-P
The Beach that I visited this morning.  Lot's of paths to take behind me...but this is city-side.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Free Time

I have some time to myself!  Yay!
I had a half day off today and all day off tomorrow thanks to the Korean verson of the SAT's.  They take this test sooooo seriously.

So today I wandered around a place that I had never been before.  Snapped some photos, found a boostore with a foreign section, bought a book in English, thought of Alesha when I passed a Vietnamese restuarant named "The Pho", then sat in a gelato shop with yummy chocolate gelato and read some of my new book.

I don't know what I will do tomorrow with my day.  Most likely go to this park near the beach that I heard about.  It has good walking trails on the ocean side.  I will be alone, but I will be careful (MOM...it's all good.  :-)

As for my afterschool class.  I got them Apples to Apples and hopefully they will enjoy it.  I thought it might be good English practice.  Also bought a couple simple books that I can read to them.  Not sure how that will go.  In the middle of class yesterday, one of my students asked, "Can we learn more Pop songs?".  I said...sure!  So, for Monday I am planning maybe a music monday, and I can teach them a good song.  Many of them like Maroon 5.  Ha ha.

Let me know if you have a good song in mind, teaching language, American culture, and with a decent music video.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Getting Lost


So as you see in the video...hiking was quite an adventure but it was just what I needed.  I was having a hard time lately with classes.  Teaching so many students with so little help for such a long time.  And many kids don't care to learn, let alone be respectful.

So, I am glad to have gone hiking.  Went to church again this weekend and hope to make a good church family.  It will take time though.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

First Day of School

OH MY GOSH!!!  SOOOO HARD!!!
To be a good teacher, you need time management, you need to be an entertainer, you need to have 3 back-up plans, and (according to my co-teachers) you need to be older.

So...first day of school...very hard.  I taught 5 classes today and only 2 I would call a success!


For the most part, the girls are very sweet.  I am blessed but I am tired.  I need better working conditions in regard to lesson planning.  The tech guys returned my computer to me saying that I would not be able to connect to the internet at school.  So....I am working at the PC Bang, saving the stuff on the zip disk, putting it on my comp, and presenting to the class.  I am looking forward to getting a school computer lent to me...but as usual this is be taking some time...everything takes more time in Korea.