Monthly Archives: April 2012

“I hope she changes her direction.”

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Last week a parent requested to have a meeting with me. I was thrown off, to say the least. We JUST had conferences, anything that needed to be said, could have been said then— right? I am normally not a curious person (I know some of you might find that hard to believe), but I kept spinning out all of the possibilities for this meeting. She was removing her daughter from the school and needed a letter of recommendation, her daughter is always sick and now had to be on special medication/attention watch, the mothers were talking and an issue came up (this happened to me a lot last year)… the list goes on.

The first thing the mom said when she sat down with me, “I should have mentioned this at conferences.” I smile and breath— okay, it can’t be that bad then.

Basically, there is a very bossy girl in my class, and the mothers of the other girls had been talking (I was right! Does this happen in schools in America too???) and they all realized that their daughters were all having problems with the same girl.

I can see it, but being at a small school, this is a very delicate situation. I left that meeting with a mission, to  help my students be problem-solvers. First I had a heart to heart with the bossy girl (who really is a bossy girl) and I explained to her the situation (she is very mature for her age) and I told her if she kept acting the way she did (controlling, manipulative, bossy— okay I didn’t say these words) she was going to lose her friends. I talked to my counselor, the school counselor, and she directed me on what to say before I sat down with bossy girl.

Today, I decided to have a heart to heart with the girl who was really feeling the pressure of bossy girl’s ways (she had been her friend the longest, and her mom was the one who came to talk to me). After we chatted for a while (about how things were going with bossy girl, and how she was trying to be a problem-solver, etc), this little girl looks up at me and says, “Yeah… I hope she changes her direction.”

Ummm… wow.

 

I always knew I was a Princess!

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I find it hilarious that on the very Tuesday I finally decide to write up a “Slice of Life” post (which Jee Young has been bugging me to do for over a year—oops), it mirrors two other posts (or… what do you call a three-way mirror?). Can you really blame us (Jee Young, Dyanne, and me) though? If you went to the Party Princess Cafe, and had the chance to be a princess for an evening, you know you would totally blog about it too!

It all started way back when Jee Young wrote up her “Bucket List”. Instead of writing down “skydiving” (which I am totally up for), or “hike up a mountain” (a very popular Korean past time, besides shopping), Jee Young discovered that you can go to a cafe in Seoul and rent dresses that you proceed to put on, and have a photo shoot in different created “scenes” for an hour. SHUT UP. What girl doesn’t want to be a princess? I will tell you, NO GIRL.

If you want more details of how to get to this cafe, and how much it costs, and blablabla, check out either Dyanne’s or Jee Young’s blogs (which have been linked above). Instead of more words, I am going to leave you with PICTURES. These are just a few of the gazillion we took. Oh my word it was so much fun (especially since we surprised my friend- who didn’t know we were going- for her birthday).

The slice of life challenge is hosted every Tuesday by Two Writing Teachers.

He offered his umbrella?!

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I have a tendency to leave my apartment unprepared for whatever weather may be awaiting me, as I rarely look out the window (I have been known to not be very observant) and hardly ever check the weather on that app (that I no longer have, haha). You would think that growing up in Michigan would have beat this bad habit out of me, since the weather there changes every thirty minutes. I leave my house in February with my winter jacket on and it is 80 degrees outside. I am driving in pure sunshine and all of a sudden it is pouring. The difference between Michigan and Korea, is that I drove everywhere in the former. If it was raining, I just darted to my car, or from my car to whatever house/building/store. I was unprepared, yes… but it wasn’t ever too bad.

In Korea, I walk and subway and bus everywhere. This weekend, my lack of concern for the weather… well, it gave me a story to say the least! I was on my way to graduate class with my dear friend Dyanne, whom I always count on to be prepared, and sure enough… she had a raincoat AND an umbrella. I went to open up her umbrella once we left the subway when the top part kept going and fell right off the handle. Completely broken.

After class we had a birthday party to go to… it was raining even harder. As we walked from the subway station to the restaurant I was soaked through within two minutes. At one point we were standing at a cross walk, waiting for the little green walking man, when I saw this guy standing near us (foreigner) with a HUGE umbrella. Dyanne and I both smiled at him, hoping he would offer to share… when he decided to run across the street before the red hand disappeared! I thought this was a good idea at least, and ran too, only Dyanne didn’t. So, I was standing at the other side waiting for her when this other guy going in the opposite direction of me held out his umbrella and said in a voice full of sincere pity, “Do you need an umbrella?” Uh? Was he for real? This stranger was offering me his umbrella? “That’s okay!” I said and smiled. WHAT? AM I FOR REAL? I was refusing this guy’s umbrella? He looked at me with another large amount of pity, not understanding my refusal and said, “Uh… okay.” Then the green walking man showed up and he passed by Dyanne who said, “That was so nice of him!” And I was standing there like, “I know! Why did I say no???” It was at this point that I remembered I had my computer and camera in my backpack (which was getting soaked) and I mourned my refusal that much more.

(I even have a bunch of umbrellas just hanging up by my door!)

This stranger still made my day though. He offered to GIVE ME his umbrella. I obviously need to learn how to recieve. Next time (because, let’s face it, there probably will be a next time… today I walked out of my apartment in the rain, then headed straight back in, to get my umbrella) I am NOT going to refuse!

Affirmation is Powerful

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I started my blog to share my life with my family and friends back in Michigan, since I live thousands of miles away from them. But throughout this journey I have realized it is also an amazing journal, and a way for me to express my creativity through photography and words (I love stories!).

The following is a journal entry.

Dear New Philly Itaewon Welcoming Team,

Thank you for being inspiring, and creative. Thank you for helping me grow as a person, and as a son (yes, that may seem confusing to outside readers, what are you doing reading my journal anyway?!). Every single one of you encourages me to smile supernaturally, and welcome the crap out of people (okay… there has got to be a better expression).

Thank you for affirming me last Sunday. Just for my records I am writing your beautiful words here, so that I can come back to them over and over again, and remind myself of WHO I AM!

I am an ice cream cone, I have many flavors— and I am sweet! Did you know that my ice cream cone also doubles as a microphone? So I can sing out all my sweetness to the world, which I do ALL THE TIME.

I am a stamp, to give you more of a visual, this stamp is in the shape of a heart— and everyone I meet gets a stamp, I stamp the father’s heart. The verse that went along with this is Proverbs 31:20, She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.

I carry favor like a shield. I can be extremely vulnerable and genuine with people, with a lot of people… because of this favor.

I am a rock, rolling down a hill- I. Am. Unstoppable.                                                                      1 Corinthians 9:24-27: Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. No, Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

BRAVE. That’s me. Now think of the movie Braveheart. Now cover my face with dirt and picture me as Mel Gibson. I am a forerunner, I am brave. My love is genuine.            Romans 12:9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

I am a clean spring, that always brings fresh water. My smile is genuine.

I am fearless, I cannot fail. I have a resilience to be admired. D.C. Talk has a song about the Proverbs 30 woman and a line from it says, “A woman who fears the Lord, she aint playing.” I need to listen to that song!

Affirmation is Powerful.

let the countdown begin…

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I don’t ever have a specific number that I start counting down from before I head back to Michigan, therefore I decided to start today. AND GUESS WHAT?

Only 62 more days until I fly home. YIPPEEEEE!

I can’t wait to see my family and friends, and go to a bazillion weddings (including my seeester’s!), and tip a cow (kidding), and eat all the American food I want, and attend service at my home church (The Point), and visit Grand Haven (THE BEACH), and take my friend’s maternity pictures, and take my brother’s senior pictures, and visit Chicago (and New York!), and road trip to the U.P., and play with my niece and nephew, and see a movie in the theater without subtitles, and eat more food, and pet my dog (please stay alive Dustie Jack, you can do it), and go rock climbing with my brother, and eat more food.

I AM SERIOUSLY SO EXCITED.

coffee dates and chit chat

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I made Judy take a picture of my outfit because I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this shirt that I got in Thailand (only about five bucks, what-what). To me this is the ultimate teacher, colorful, JOY shirt. One of my student’s from last year stopped me in the hallway and said, “I really like your shirt.” Me too girl, me too.

AND IT HAS POCKETS.

I had a great coffee date last week with my girl Judy:

I like her a lot.

And tonight I had dessert with my great friend, Moon. And we bought nail polish. I love friendship, and fellowship… and being a girl (except for when you have the chance of having the most embarrassing, traumatizing, and horrific moment that has to deal with your time of the month… but that is rare, and that is a different story for another day…)

As it is– I posted twice today, whoops!

joy comes in the morning

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Last night, I went to bed with a pounding headache, praying that I would fall asleep quickly. This morning I woke up with a worship song stuck in my head (we sang it during service at church yesterday), and I felt pure joy. I didn’t realize until close to lunch time that I STILL have a headache. But it didn’t matter.

On my walk to school this morning I kept thinking about all the things I was grateful for. From big things (my life, my family, my job) to small things (I was looking at my nails thinking about how happy I am that I no longer bite them, and because of that I have decent cuticles!!!), and of course the warm weather created a song of gladness in my heart.  It was crazy. Really, I am really happy.

Who’s with me?!

I am happy, and my head still hurts. I am rejoicing through my pain.

Unconnected: Day 5

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Officially, it has been a week since I left my phone in a Thai taxi (the real life story is much more dramatic, as is any story I say!).  5 days since I have been back to my real life though, and not on vacation. Not having a smart phone has caused me to have a lot more thinking time, a lot more “me” time.

I have to make actual lists of things to do and remember, on paper (instead of in my notes app). I have to listen to podcasts at home on my computer instead of on the subway. I have no communication with anyone who speaks English while I am traveling. I make plans to meet people and they actually have to show up on time or make me worry because there is no way to contact me. I don’t know when the bus is coming, so I have to become more chill and go with the flow… I have to learn how to wait, again.

I finally did get a phone though. My good friend just happened to have a “pay as you go” phone lying around in his classroom. So here it is!

Ain’t she a beaut?!

To be honest, I can’t even figure out how to save numbers in it yet, and every time I send a text I am yelling at people because I don’t know how to change it from all CAPS. I feel like I am back in the stone age…

The worst thing about losing my phone? Not being able to play DrawSomething… I was getting really good at that game (okay… that might not be the WORST thing).

The things I’ve seen… in the places I’ve been (Bangkok).

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Since I am incredibly blessed to be able to travel so much, I have decided to start doing a blog post with a simple list of things I remember about the places I have been. Starting now.

Things I noticed in Bangkok:

  • Dogs
  • A whole lot of Italian food (maybe it was just the area of my hotel, but it was like I was in little Italy)
  • Fruit stands everywhere
  • Clean subways, with an annoying life-saving bell to warn you when the doors are about to close
  • Traffic, insane traffic
  • Smog
  • High buns (as in a hairstyle, as in buns on top of ladies heads, as in I loved it)
  • Food was cheap!
  • Seoul has a coffee shop on every corner, Bangkok has a massage spa on every corner.
  • Blue, red, pink, forest green, lime green, mustard yellow, sunset orange, white AND pink, green AND yellow (and other colors I am sure I forgot) taxis… it was sweet, like they didn’t want any of the colors to feel left out. Who said a taxi had to be just yellow anyway? Not the Thais!

Noted. Black belt skills ready.

Try, and try again! (Also, memories of Thailand)

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Well, I have given a couple half-hearted attempts… I left it on a KTX train. It ended up in a small town two hours south of Seoul, but I got it back. I left it on a coffee table outside the movie theater in Nowon, some kind soul turned it into the ticket counter, and I had it back within an hour.

But I finally did it! I managed to leave my iphone in the very capable hands of a Thai taxi driver, and since Thailand is NOT Korea, for some odd reason the taxi driver didn’t try everything in his power to get my phone back to me. Sad, sad news.

On another note, I decided to capture my trip to Thailand with pictures AND video. Now, I used the same lens, because I don’t have a nice filming lens (YET), so the quality could definitely be a whole lot better… but it is a start.

I am not sure why the video won’t embed, but click on the link (I promise it’s worth it!):

Thailand, 2012

I will leave you with some of my favorite snapshots that I took during the trip:

I especially love this last picture, because I honestly think I look like I am twelve… LOVE IT!