O Holy (Korean) Night

Some days I forget where I am. I get caught up in grading, busied by schedules and meetings, and errands. Then I go to the corner store because I need to wash my clothes and I'm out of detergent. I end up leaving the store not quite sure if I've just bought detergent, fabric softener or toilet cleaner. Then I remember where I am. I was in a funk when I went into the store. When I left, I was out of the funk because I was laughing at my "soap" or whatever it was. I am thankful for this strange sense of humor I have been blessed with by God. I also think it's funny I am currently eating pb & j straight from the jar. YUM. Does God care about pb&j? I think so.

Next year I'm bringing more decorations. My candle, tree + 1 ornament, and angel are very nice, but Rosa has asked for at least a stocking next year. She's very disappointed in my Christmas spirit this year. I try to remind her it's not about presents and decorations; she just scoffs and me and returns to her very important apartment alley watch from the window.

I can't grade anymore. I am tired. I am homesick. I am way too white and pasty, even for Korea. I am still joyful. :) (see previous post) I am (trying to be) patient. I (try to) trust God's winterwonderful plan for me. I am storing up these things in my heart.

Long lay the world, in sin and error pining...if the world can wait a thousand years for a Savior, then I can wait a few for things I want too. :) I am joyful....

I'll be (missing) home for Christmas

My definition of 'home' has changed a bit since I've been in Korea. I find myself feeling at home in very odd places. We went to the nore-closet after Emily's birthday dinner. The nore-closet is like the norebang (karaoke room) but smaller. Its a closet where you pay around 50 cents to sing 2 songs. As you can see, it is amazing. There is nothing that says home more than being shoved in a closet with your friends and singing Ska8er Boi.

I had Thanksgiving dinner a few weeks ago at the Pinho's apartment with a bunch of other teachers. The Pinho's are a nice family who are always laughing. It was funny to look at my new "family" thanksgiving picture and see how different it was from the Bird family traditional picture. My TCIS family is significantly shorter. :)

Starbucks definitely makes me feel at home with a peppermint soy mocha. Yum. There are exactly 2 Starbucks in Taejon and I know how to ride the bus to both of them. I don't know where the post office is, where to find hooks to hang my Christmas lights, where Korean women over 5'6'' find jeans, but dang it, I know how to ride the bus to Starbucks.

Some of my students, like Heeju, definitely give me a sense of home because they remind me why I'm here. It feels like home because it HAS to. If it doesn't feel homey, I'm just another teacher here for a 2 year traveling opportunity. I don't want to be that teacher. I like Heeju because she is joyful all of the time. Even when she is tired or confused in class, she remains joyful. I want to be like that here - even when the coffee lady messes up my order because my Korean stinks, or when I am angry with a Korean but can't communicate it, or when I am so bogged down with work there isn't even a good place to start...JOYFUL.

I cried a few times this week. Sometimes it was for me because I felt sorry for myself for picking this job and choosing Bali over my family this Christmas. Sometimes it was for someone else like my brother who lost Josie, his sweet dog who he has loved for many years. I cried because I don't play with Rosa enough and yet need her so much. I cried because I couldn't be there for my brother. I cried because my mom misses me and I miss her. I cried because my stupid Vonage phone is broken and can't stay in any sort of loop, no matter how small, back home.

I wonder if Jesus cried this much. He traveled all over the place and had to leave His friends and family. He didn't have email or Skype. He had that Holy Spirit thing going on and the power to do miracles, but no email! How did He survive?! If Jesus can wander around without a cell phone, high speed internet access, or a facebook account and still remain joyful, then I think I can figure out a way to find 'home' here. :)

Nothing is Impossible

This is the motto of one of my newest friends in Korea. It is his dream to be the kick boxing champion of Korea. He trains at SungMMA gym (which means Star Mixed Martial Arts) with a man I know only as "Captain". It is also Captain's dream for 5 of his newer fighters to make it professionally. He considers anyone who trains in his gym to be family and treats them as such. I experienced this warm Korean way of life after giving in to my friend Lloyd's request that I go to a party at SungMMA to meet his friend who is (direct quote) 'an agressive, muscular Korean man who doesn't speak English.' Not to mention unattractive according to Lloyd.

'But why me?' I asked.
'Because you're exotic and I think you would put up with him,' replied Lloyd.
'Thank you?' I was a bit confused.

You can see how excited I was to go to this party.

But this week has taught me two things;
1. Trust Lloyd with a grain of salt. 2. Roll with the punches.

At the party, I was introduced to a handsome, very nice, muscular Korean man who spoke some English. Nice job Lloyd. Captain encouraged me and my friend Emily to come back the next day to train. We said we would. We did. As a result, I know how to choke Emily 3 different ways and wrap my legs around her head like an octopus. We had been suckered into a jujitsu class. Captain was more than happy to (loudly) speak English directions for us. Note: I am using 'English' very loosely. Every 26th word he spoke was English. Apparently, we were a hit because we showed up on the gym's web page the following day. Nothing says "Wow I'm cool!" like an over sized bright blue jujitsu outfit.

I liked the outfit so much, I went back the following day to get a kick boxing lesson. I showed up only to be informed the guys were leaving for an hour to go weigh in at another gym for their upcoming tournament. On my way out of the gym they yelled, "Where you go!? Come with us!" So I did. It took a minute for me to realize that I had hopped into a car of a Korean man I had just met with 2 other kick boxers that didn't speak English and we were on our way to who-knows-where to do who-knows-what.

On the ride to destination X, I found out more about the driver and didn't feel so bad for jumping into his car. I also found out first hand what is meant by 'weighing in.' The fighters have to make a certain weight to be in the most desirable weight class. This means you have a gym full of very hungry, strong, 90% naked Korean men waiting to get on a scale. Not only was I the only white person in the gym, I was the only woman. No one seemed to care I was there, maybe because they were so hungry. This country really needs to make up its mind about nudity. As Emily put it "If you're outside, you need a bronze shield of clothing, but if you're inside, being naked is just fine."

This is only the beginning of my kick boxing adventure.

Upon our return to SungMMA, I was given a personal lesson by Captain and his protege, Woo Hyun. Apparently, I have "Bery bery good porm! Powerpul punchee!" (very good form, powerful punch). YES!

Fast forward to Saturday morning. By 9:30 Emily and I were on our way to watch our first kick boxing competition starring 4 of SungMMA's fighters. Much to our surprise, the competition actually featured each of Korea and Japan's top 2 kick boxers. Of course, we made it on tv because we were the only foreign women in the building. The highlight of the afternoon was the warm up coat of Korea's champion: shiny with sequins, red tassels, and pink shorts. He lost, to a Japanese guy who showed up in an ugly t-shirt.

Captain took us out to dinner and pointed out that I was sitting next to the former heavyweight kick boxer champion of Korea from 2 years ago. Maybe I should have figured that out when he drove us to dinner in his Lexus.

After a long meal of broken English and Korean, Captain convinced a few of us there was really no way to end a great day, except to norebang (Korean karaoke). He was right. While singing the infamous Titanic theme song 'My Heart Will Go On,' upon the request of 4 Korean kick boxers, I once again realized that God's plan is so much greater than mine.

Unexpectedly, He gave me new friends who I am very grateful for (Dah Hae, a girlfriend of one of the fighters, is such a blessing!), a new work out (I WILL fit into that bikini before traveling to Bali!) and rest from thinking about work. It's easy to forget about the 7th day and the purpose of rest. I didn't even know I was in need of mental rest until this weekend. It's amazing how God can take a seemingly undesirable proposition from Lloyd and turn it into new friends, new experiences, and the opportunity for rest.