a few things...

I am back in the good ole U.S. of A.

I have about 5 drafts of blogs I started while I was in Korea but have not looked at since.  I plan to revisit those and publish them...sometime...soon [hopefully but it's probably more like eventually] as well as write a few re-entry and closing remarks. 

And [the real reason for this post]: I looked at my blog on a friend's computer today. The font that came up was Comic Sans. [WHAT?] If you are a Comic Sans hater and that's how Curl in Korea shows up on your computer, I'm sorry that's the case and thank you for continuing to read.

Jeju

"The Hawaii of Korea"

That's what all of my textbooks from Korean language school said about Jeju Island. When I saw that there was a marathon festival [marathon, half marathon, and 10K] there, I decided Este Momento. Although I do not believe that is quite what the song is talking about, I thought I should seize the moment and signed up for the 1/2 marathon.

I had been running much more in Korea than I did in the U.S. [except for that time I got sucked into running cross country so that I would be in shape enough to make the soccer team]. Anyway...I really enjoyed running to learn my way around, to explore Daejeon, to move, to relax [I never would have guessed that I would say that about running], to be outside, to reflect, and to pray.

So...I returned from the gathering in Indonesia early Wednesday morning, went to work Wednesday afternoon, woke up with a fever and no desire whatsoever to leave my bed Thursday, felt less bad on Friday, felt better on Saturday, and headed to Jeju. 

of course we would play 가위-바위-보 on the airplane!

Going through security, I realized my toiletries we packed neatly in a quart sized bag...in my bathroom...in Daejeon. I managed to pack my toothbrush, so what I really missed was deodorant and sunscreen. I know I could have found SPF 70+ without a problem, but deodorant is another story. Koreans don't really have the same need for deodorant as Westerners, so it is a little bit of a challenge to find. By the time I arrived, I was already exhausted and knew I had an early morning ahead of me, so I just checked into my hotel and went to sleep. Sunday, I ran the race with clean teeth but sunscreen and deodorant free. It was a nice course by the ocean and quite pleasant but then reeaaallllly long. 힘들어요.

two blind runners with guides [so cool!] - after race lunch: abalone rice porridge and kimchi [so Korean]

everyone warming up together - me [after a post race nap and lunch]

singlet at Cheonjiyeon Waterfall - Gimnyeong beach

Saeseom Island - garlic sunbathing - some nice people I ate dinner with

Thomas, Anna, and my Time for Young Disciples are frequently [or maybe desperately?] inspired by what is going on in our lives, so here is sort of what I talked about during my TYD  the next Sunday:

I really enjoy being prepared. I packed a lot of things [yes, probably too many] when I was heading to Korea last August and thought I prepared mentally and emotionally and whatnot. Upon arriving, I realized I did not feel prepared/equipped/qualified for a lot of things: teaching English, leading Bible studies, doing TYDs...I also felt just bad at other things [language school].

When I was a counselor in training at camp, the motto for CITs was "Learn by doing." During this year I have definitely learned by doing [and being, of course!], but I have realized something more important: no matter how prepared I am, what I am doing, where I am, what my challenges are, if things are going really well or really not so well, how good or bad I am at something, and even whether or not I am wearing deodorant - God is with me. Whether it is something just for fun, like a race, or something we tend to think of as more serious like...life - Immanuel: God with us

Also, my sunburn led to a lot of 'wows' from people here. Then when I started peeling, it became sort of a game for my students: "Who can collect the most of Anna 쌤's skin?" Are you grossed out? Sorry...I guess...but...it only shows that God uses our vulnerabilities and mistakes allow us to connect with each other in new ways.

Happy 4th of July

from Korea!

 We celebrated big...and went to McDonald's.

America.

 상하이 스파이스

and choco cones that resemble the Statue of Liberty torch [of course]

I hope your 4th is great! 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY U.S.A.

Indonesia

Every three years PC(USA) mission co-workers serving in Asia and the Pacific gather together to visit and learn and worship. Three years ago it was right here at Hannam University, but this year it happened to be in Bali, Indonesia! I know I know, Thomas, Anna, and I are not mission co-workers, but we signed up as Haejung 이모 and Uncle Simon children and...they let us go! It was a great event - I am so glad I got to be a part of it!

Being a YAV, I had only been exposed to one part of World Mission. By attending this gathering I was able to learn more about PC(USA) World Mission as a whole, hear about what God is doing in this part of the world, meet some really great people, experience a quite nice network of support, and remember just how awesome it is that we are part of the huge body of Christ! We also had some fun and of course, ate delicious food!

[side note: It was both refreshing and exhausting to spend a week around so many English speakers]  

 

where we spent most of our days*

 mission co-workers serving in Asia and the Pacific*

morning snack ^^ I had a chocolate avocado smoothie*

surfing!

annndddd we had a long layover in swanky [and HOT] Singapore on the way home!

Joy, one of Uncle Simon's Sunday school students when they lived there-ice cream sandwiches-old and new Singapore

*photo credits: Thanks you so much Erin Dunigan! 

Family Time

In April my mom and aunt paid Asia [and me] a visit.

We started in Seoul and saw typical touristy things and neighborhoods: Gyeongbokgung [Palace], Insadong, Myeongdong, Seoul Tower, Namdemun Market, Itaewon, Nanta [sort of like the show Stomp], and the DMZ. We also ate very well!

Korea!

 the DMZ with tourists on the North Korean side

Then we rode the train to Daejeon, and I got to show them where I live and eat and work and shop.  We ate on food street, visited Eunhengdong and the bus terminal, took a campus tour with Reverend 최, washed dishes at 새나루, drank hot chocolate and got free soap at Natural Dew [a cute little coffee shop that just closed ㅠㅠ], taekwondoed, shopped at Costco, made bulgogi, checked out the world's largest department store in Busan, worshiped at University Church, had 샤브샤브, celebrated Haejung 이모's birthday with bing su at Deli Roti, enjoyed dinner with a teacher from Korean language school [which ended with an invitation to her wedding-whoop whoop!], and watched The Hunger Games!

I put them to work...

 

After about a week in Korea, we went to Japan and met up with my cousins. We stayed in Osaka and toured around Kyoto, Nara, Kurama, Hiroshima, and Miyajima. I really enjoy the food [not surprising] and thought noticing the similarities and differences between the country that has been my home for the past [at the time] 8 months and its neighbor was quite fascinating.

tea ceremony

an awesome market in Kyoto

It was quite fun being a tour guide in Korea, where I know my way around and what's going on [for the most part], and a tourist in Japan, where I got to experience new things and try new food; but the best part was just being with my family. I am also very happy that my mom and aunt got to meet and spend time with the family I have become a part of in Korea.

[cheesy last couple of sentences, I know]

It's been a while...

It was not my intention to blog through the alphabet and then go over two months without a single post. I am so very sorry! This week my plan is to catch you up on my past two months in Korea [and elsewhere]. I hope you enjoy!

Z

ZAMBONI

잼보니

[jaem-bo-ni]

I have been ice skating twice since I've been in Korea. The first time was with the college group from church and the second with 한국어학당 [Korean Language School]. I really enjoy skating and had so much fun!

 

[Sadly, the second time ended in a not so fun way...Anna was plowed into and over by a well intending classmate and ended up with a fractured wrist. Eeekkk! It healed quite well, and we may or may not be trying to work another trip to the skating rink into our schedule.] 

Y

YOGURT

Okay...actually, drinkable yogurt - sometimes it comes taped to milk jugs, we have it for dessert at work, and the bank gives them out!

X

XYLOPHONE

just jammin' at 삼성지역아동센터 

[my children's center]

W

WATER DISPENSER - WEIRD FISH

This snazzy thing lives in our kitchen. It is a water filter that dispenses both cold and hot water. It is quite convenient, and they can be found everywhere: homes, restaurants, school buildings, community centers, etc...

Uncle Simon suggested this weird fish be part of my 'W' blog, so here it is! It was part of my lunch yesterday [apparently after spending some time in a blender]. Yum?

V

VULNERABILITY

This year I have watched quite a few TED Talks. TED stands for technology, entertainment, design and "is a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading." I have watched talks about everything from education to running to heart disease to food to introverts to energy and even a prank by Improv Everywhere, but I wanted to share with you one by Brené Brown called The Power of Vulnerability.

I think the word vulnerable has always brought to mind an image of Achilles' heel rather than an opportunity to connect and live. I have begun to think of it differently. 

"There can be no vulnerability without risk; there can be no community without vulnerability; there can be no peace, and ultimately no life, without community."

-M. Scott Peck

U

UNRESOLVED PROBLEM?

solution:

가위, 바위, 보

[g/ka-wi, ba-wi, bo]

scissors, rock, paper

가위

 

바위

 

 보

Yes, it is pretty much the same as rock, paper, scissors in the United States but played much more frequently and a variety of ways [in a big group, with a song, etc...].

T

TAEKWONDO

Last semester Mr. Hong, a University Church member, invited us to his taekwondo 장 to learn some moves while experiencing a part of Korean culture. We started out going every Friday, but around Christmas he asked if we would like to start coming 3 times a week during the next year...OF COURSE!

We were the tallest students in the class, yet started, like everyone does, at the bottom of the totem pole, with white belts:

안녕하세요

Since then, we have moved up to green with a blue stripe and have a test in two weeks, where we will hopefully upgrade to blue with a brown stripe. The colors go white, yellow, green, blue, brown, red, and...BLACK!

For each test we usually have to do a form, a few kicks, some fitness activities, and break a board. There are 8 태극 forms which are sort of like choreographed fighting dances and remind me just how bad I am at remembering dances...Maybe it's okay because I really enjoy the kicking!

 기합

Nicknames continue at taekwondo: glasses master, laughing master, uni, bear & lemur [quite a dynamic duo], lil mama, lil nugget, Harry Potter, and lady master. 

Participating in taekwondo has led to a few enjoyable things outside of class too: 

We went to a an exhibition at Kyung Hee University [the #1 taekwondo school in Korea] where watched an awesome performance by the students, ate lunch, wandered around the campus, and then learned a few new tricks.    

I have been able to bond [though Konglish and laughter] with one of the teachers from my center when she occasionally takes me from work to class.

We started eating and Englishing [that probably removes all confidence you once had in my English teaching abilities...] with Mr. Hong's wife and son.

twinzies with lady master!

Thomas went on a bike ride with fellow taekwondoers!

[pictures arriving soon] 

 

I have also created a list of things not to eat before taekwondo: anchovies, kim, dinner with Reverend 최...

Those foods aside, it has been an excellent experience to make new friends, spend time with a few youth group members, and practice 태권도. I am so thankful that Mr. Hong invited us!   

rocking our yellow belts

 removing a splinter #totalmasterhongmove

S

SWEET POTATOES

Korean sweet potatoes are white on the inside! In the fall we visited 2 youth group members' house, ate lunch, and picked sweet potatoes. It was a very nice time!

 sweet potatoes

 working hard!

 so many for everyone to take home!

lunch [not pictured: chips and salsa - yum!]

 

and of course 'V' for victory

R

RAMEN

decisions, decisions, decisions...

Q

QUOTE

At YAV orientation, the leader of my small group gave each of us a note card with this Pablo Picasso quote:

"I am always doing that which I cannot do, 

in order that I may learn how to do it." 

That has definitely been a big part of my year as a YAV. From teaching English to learning Korean to doing Time for Young Disciples to figuring out my way around to helping at 새나루 to leading Bible study with the hurdle of the language barrier, I am learning.

P

PRAYER

"Prayer leads you to see new paths and to hear new melodies in the air. Prayer is the breath of your life which gives you freedom to go and stay where you wish and to find the many signs which point out the way to a new land. Praying is not simply some necessary compartment in the daily schedule of a Christian or a source of support in time of need, nor is it restricted to Sunday morning or as a frame to surround mealtime. Praying is living."

-Henri Nouwen, With Open Hands 

O

OCTOPUS

Coming to Korean I never thought I would eat so much octopus, but it is quite popular!

[I can't find my camera at the moment, so pic via]

N

NAMES

The typical Korean name set up is three syllables. The first is family name, usually followed by two given names. I'm for it. Sometimes siblings or even cousins all have the same second or third syllable, in addition to the first. Two of my students are sisters; the older sister's name is 윤미, and the younger sister's name is 윤미정. Some names can be directly translated to English, and it is more difficult to understand the meanings of others because of their Chinese roots.    

Haejung 이모 gave us Korean names:

Thomas
박믿음 - Park Mid Eum - Faith Park


Anna
박소망 - Park So Mang - Hope Park


Anna Curl
박사랑 - Park Sa Rang - Love Park

name gourds in Jeonju

I really enjoy knowing people's names and calling them by name, but that isn't the Korean way. It is very impolite to call people older than you by their name unless it is their family name followed by their title. Most of the time though, just their title is used: teacher, director, pastor, elder, mom, older sister, older brother...

This has led me [or really Thomas, Anna, and me] to have descriptive names for people and occasionally make up English names for them: the nice lady/Beth, the classy lady, happy camper, smiley guy, kim cutter, spunky/Ellen [because of her resemblance to the character in Mary Poppins], hipster, kitchen lady, nice new teacher, head honcho, Boston hat, Lorelai Gilmore, man teacher, glasses girl, and loud girl...just to name a few.

M

MAD GAB

Many times I think that my life is quite similar to a game of Mad Gab.

  
I feel like I'm playing when I [try to] speak Korean, when I am talking with my students, and...when I read signs. While I am trying to figure out what the Korean means, I realize that it sounds more like English:

sometimes it's because it is a brand or store with an English name:

spam --> 스팸 --> seu-paem

at

costco wholesale --> 코스트코 홀세일--> ko-seu-teu-ko hol-se-il

and sometimes it's because the English word and the Korean word are almost the same [tomato and internet] and sometimes it's totally random [chicken, style, sky...]


It also seems like the titles of English movies are usually just translated into Hangul [Korean letters] rather than actually translated into Korean. Most of the time it's pretty easy to figure out, but last night I went to see 존카터 with my children's center. Having not seen any previews for quite some time, I didn't realize that jon-ka-teo was actually John Carter until the movie started. I knew it was from the U.S. because the Disney logo, but I never would have guessed the title was a name! Also, it was quite funny when the martians [is that the right word?] were talking toward the beginning and there were both Korean and English subtitles.

[Listening to Korean is an entirely different story...it's more like a word search.]

L

LIBRARY

The English conversation group at Ansan Library started up again. I am excited to get to know the new folks! I also spent some time searching for English books and checked out Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Whoop whoop.

 

LOVE

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 

Colossians 3:12-14

K

KIMBAP

Kim is dried laver seaweed, bap is rice, and kimbap is a classic Korean snack.

 

[pic via]