Monthly Archives: October 2010

the outfits

Posted on by

If you are an adjumma or ahjussi living in Korea and it is the weekend (or any day of the week really…) you are most likely doing one of three things:

Hiking

Biking

Golfing

Amongst these popular Korean pastimes I have noticed one MAIN THING they all have in common (besides ending in ING): the outfits. If you make the sad mistake of showing up to a mountain for a morning hike in your shorts and t-shirt while holding a water bottle that does not go with your get-up at all you can be sure that you will get stares/glares/looks of confusion as the Koreans think, “Where is this silly foreigner’s hiking outfit? Why doesn’t their shirt match their water bottle? Do they even have a color scheme?”

From head to toe Koreans dress for success in whatever activity they choose. From the helmets to the shoes, the clubs to the gloves, the backpack to the walking stick, Koreans show up prepared. They love outfits. They have style. They mean business.

I was thinking about this on my way home from work today because I saw several bikers (in full gear, obviously) and as I was admiring one man’s shiny (I like shiny things okay?) aeronautical looking helmet a thought popped into my head.

Koreans have the right idea. They pick an activity and commit, like really commit. They don’t just settle for the gloves when they head to the golf club, or wear the helmet and forego the biking shorts, or EVER leave home without their adjumma visor.

As a Christian my biggest activity is to walk with God, continue to practice my faith, and renew myself daily in understanding His love for me/ HOW MUCH He loves me (which I never will grasp fully but can still try!). When I leave the house do I always fully commit to this? Do I have my entire outfit set out and ready to put on? Where do I find this outfit? I think some of you know where I am going with this.

Yes. Koreans and their outfits reminded me of Ephesians 6, where it clearly describes what our outfit of choice should be. Helmet? Check. Shoes? Check. Belt? Check. Breastplate? (a bit harder to make stylish, but still a necessity) Check. Shield? (our outfits are serious, okay) Check. Sword? (no, not for Starcraft) Check.

Honestly, for maybe the first time I say: do as the koreans do! and I am NOT referring to spitting on the street (don’t do that). Put on your outfit, fully commit, wear those skin-tight biking body suits with pride.

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes with the gospel of peace. In addition to this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Ephesians 6:14-17

 

I borrowed/took this picture from Mary Charles's fb album as I am very, very sad to admit that after living here for over a year, I have yet to go hiking. I don't even want to say that aloud... That must be wrong...

 

i miss football

Posted on by

let me rephrase. I miss AMERICAN football. the confusion you may be experiencing is very logical. in soccer you hit a ball with your foot, almost the entire game, why wouldn’t we call it football? it’s how I grew up people, I can’t change it.

last night I traveled across the city to Seoul World Cup Stadium and had the honor and excitement of watching an international ‘friendly’ match of soccer (futbol, football, etc.) against Korea and Japan. no one scored which was kind of lame, but I got a free scarf and we ALL know how I feel about free things (in college as soon as FREE T-SHIRT was mentioned I would sign up to volunteer the event or conference without even asking what I had to do. my entire wardrobe for my university years: jeans and t-shirt).

World Cup Stadium is intense, I had never been there before. also, BEAST (we ALL know how I feel about K-Pop!) performed before the game. we found our seats in the middle of their last song but I saw them NONETHELESS and almost hyperventilated. The girls going wild and screaming and crying? Okay, so that’s not me (on the outside)…

 

something you might not see at a stadium in the states...

 

back to why I miss american football. I have never been the biggest sports fan. okay, I have never been a sports fan at all.  I think watching any type of game on t.v. is boooooring. but if there is one thing I grew up on and therefore spent my whole life becoming attached to, it is high school football (there really wasn’t a whole lot of other things to do in my village -literally the village of middleville, maybe it has grown into a town by now?). I don’t really place high school football in the ‘sports’ category… more like a must-need-fall-activity.

sitting there last night, watching these insanely fit men kick the ball around, I realized I know very, very little about soccer. I wanted to yell and cheer and call out ‘advice’ or encouragement, but my mind could only think of football terms. I don’t know what to say when they are not passing the ball down the field well, or need to have better defense, or should attack the ball more. at one point Korea made some good steals (uh… is that what they are called?) and I almost turned to jee young and said “awesome interception!” wait a minute… that’s not right.

it made me realize how much I miss friday night games, cheering in the stands with the marching band (yep, you read correctly, marching band geek = ME) and yelling things like “that was a face mask grab! face maaaaaask!!!” , “go for a field goal!” ,  “4th down and only 2 yards to go, they can do it!”, “yaaaaaa! sack the quarterback!” ,”HE WAS IN! HE WAS IN!” and obviously, “TOUCHDOWN!” I don’t really remember learning football terminology, it was just always a part of me.

I would almost be willing to go back to my old high school some fall friday in the future to be back in that atmosphere and actually know what is going on in the game/a game. almost.

 

the ladies are sporting the FREE scarfs we were given before entering the stadium, SWEET. also, a well balanced dinner.

 

kiddie quotes

Posted on by

“Ms. Welton, you look like a teenager,” 5th  grader. I smiled and thanked her, thinking this was AWESOME, I would rather stay looking too young for my age than looking older than I really am.  right? yes.

the following two are much appreciated considering I  wear my glasses. at school. every day.

“Ms. Welton, you look better without your glasses,” one of my 2nd graders.

“Ms. Welton, you are more beautiful when you don’t wear your glasses,” 11th grader.

My favorite:

“Ms. Welton, when are you going to get married?” one of my 2nd graders.

hugs

Posted on by

A friend of mine from college recently tagged me in a picture on facebook of her little girl wearing a onesie that I bought two years ago for her little boy (she loves it that much she saved it, sweet!) that says: “I (insert heart here) Hugs”.

I remember when I bought it I thought, “I wish I could buy this onesie in my size!” Not, “I wish I had a t-shirt with this on it” no no no, only the onesie for me would do. Of course, that has nothing to do with my story.

This past Sunday I had a chat with a friend on the subway (side fact: long subway rides in Korea would be so much more conducive to deep conversations if I wasn’t constantly worried about getting “shhed” or stared glared at for speaking English) about that very same topic: I LOVE HUGS.

I have started to keep a Writer’s Notebook just like my students to show them their teacher is a writer too. Today while my kiddies were in Music and/or Korean class I took out my pencil to write, and the first thing that popped in my head: hugs. This is what I wrote:

Hugs. There is something about them. When your arms are around someone it is like you are holding onto something much more than a person. You are holding onto life, love, and compassion. I hug to feel refreshed, rejuvenated, and to let people know I am here for them. After a really good hug I feel like I could tackle World Hunger and find a way to create World Peace!

I love to get them. I love to give them. If I ever give you crap (sidenote: I obviously wouldn’t read that word aloud to my students if I happen to share from my notebook) about giving me a one-armed-hug, or a pat-on-the-back-while-holding-your-body-semi-close-to-me-hug… well, it is only because I live and breathe and survive off of hugs (slight exaggerating, I obviously live and breathe and survive because of God, and my love for him. obviously).

I am trying to be more understanding of people who are not as into hugs as I am. It is hard. I am working on it. I never like to give a hug halfway. If I am in a rush and give a halfer (just came up with that little nickname for a sloppy hug) I feel bad afterwards, actually I feel guilty. Haha, odd.

I remember coming home after living abroad for five months and one of my sisters came up to me and said: “Give me a hug!” I looked at her confused, she hated it when people touched her (which made me very, very sad).  ”No really… I like them now,” she smiled holding out her arms. It was probably the best present she could have ever given me in the ENTIRE WORLD.

And there you have it. I like hugs. I might hug you one day. You never know.

two of my guy friends sharing a fantastic hug during eric's going away party. magical.

one step closer

Posted on by

After my short hiatus from taekwondo (due to my transition from teaching in the public schools to teaching at an international school) I was finally able to test for my green belt this week!

Even though this was now my third belt test, I was incredibly nervous this time around. When you test for your belt the most important thing you have to know are your forms. For green belt I had to do form 2 (there are 8, not including the black belt forms that you learn when going from first degree black belt to second degree, etc) and I wasn’t really worried about it. I was biting my nails over all the other stuff. You have to do different kicks and blocks and sometimes even spar (fight) and I was so nervous I was going to blank on what an ax kick was, or what the difference is between a side kick and a round house kick…?

Thankfully I got through it and even impressed myself when I did a jump side kick to break three boards. (I also had to break a board doing a side hand punch that I can’t remember the technical name for…)

So now I have my GREEN BELT! One step closer to that all mighty black belt. Just got to get through purple, blue, brown, and red!

don't be intimidated, 8 year olds can still kick me in the head (he was VERY GOOD at sparring and almost has his black belt okay?).

There you have it. How cool will I be when I have children and they find out their mom has her black belt in taekwondo? These are the dreams I have… haha.