I was sitting on campus waiting for my student to review something before I quizzed her, and I heard a tearful, "Oma! Oma!" behind me. "Oma" is Korean for "Mama". I saw a little Korean girl, maybe 2 or 3, desperately trying to open the glass door in vain as her mother popped outside, about 20 feet in the rain (all the time seeing the little girl) to her car. The girl began to cry thinking her mother would never come back. I took a couple of steps toward her and told her in Korea that it was okay, and her mom would come back quickly. She stopped crying. I went back to tutoring.
I miss where I left part of my heart.
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Monday, September 14, 2015
From Chopsticks to Forks
Dear
Friends,
I write with a heavy heart. My time in
Korea has come to an end—I am back in the United States, for now. Why? In
essence, the school broke the terms of my contract, and I left.
I’ll
admit, I’m frustrated. Confused. Fighting bitterness. Two and ½ weeks ago, I
stepped on a plane from South Korea to the United States and cried quietly on a
red eye flight in the middle seat. I don’t think anyone noticed; or if they
did, they didn’t say anything to me. My heart was aching because it had ripped
in half. Part of my heart was staying in Korea, and I can never get it back.
I don’t think I really want it back. I
love Korea. I love the people, the culture, their language—and most of all, my
precious students. Oh, how sweet they were! They brought more joy and purpose
into my life than I ever thought was possible. It always seemed at my low
points of a day, a student would smile at me and tell me that I was beautiful.
Or I would find an artistic drawing and note made for me by a thoughtful
student. Or a piece of candy or chocolate literally popped into my mouth from a
little one :D
Everyone has been asking me, will I go
back? I don’t know. I would like to at least visit. I am open to teaching
English in Korea again. This year? No. I’ve realized in this past 2 ½ weeks
that I need to stay in my homeland for
the next year and regroup. Will I step on a plane, boat, or dragon and go
wherever the Lord calls me, even if it means going abroad tomorrow? YES. But I
don’t think that’s the case right now.
I’m back in Lynchburg, tutoring away. Two
days ago, I signed a 10 month lease on a beautiful house. I’m home. And in this
season of life, I will wait for the next adventure.
Love,
Mary
Friday, May 29, 2015
Finding the New Normal
It's easy to become frustrated. You're running late to work, you spill your coffee, you can't find your keys--and then your car doesn't start. Imagine all of this AND you can't communicate even semi-fluently with anyone in your country.
Korean culture can be trying at times. There's so much I've had to change about my thinking and expectations--and some things I haven't quite changed yet, such as:
I don't like kimchi.
I can't deal very much with Korean spicy foods.
I know about 20 words/phrases in Korean.
My students remind me every day that I am single. ("Teacher, no husband, why?")
People stare, point, and talk about me (all in Korean).
There is no true Mexican food here.
There is no Chipotle here.
American pizza is hard to come by.
My students ask me why I am white. (I don't understand this one.)
My friends are getting married and having babies and I can't see them because I am here.
Pollution here totally sucks. (And makes me sick...;(
My friends asked me if I am fluent in Korean yet. (No...?)
I've learned to take a step back and see that it's not "Korean" culture. Or even "American" culture. People are people, no matter where in the world.
A baby's giggle.
A lover's glance.
Friends laughing over inside jokes.
The sheer joy of eating ice cream on a hot day.
A child crying when he doesn't see his mom in sight
Girls shopping for clothes.
A couple playing peek-a-boo with their little baby.
The frustration of missing the bus.
Boys playing soccer with all of their might.
The "clink" of a bat when it meets a baseball.
An exchanged smile, even when you don't speak the same language.
The "ahhhhhhhh" sound when one takes the first sip of coffee.
Being nervous to move to another country. (America to Korea AND Korea to America.)
Singing a worship song in your native tongue while others sing in their language.
And smiling biggest of all when you remember that every tribe, every nation, every tongue will one day sing and worship around the throne of God together.
It's easy to become frustrated and harder to see the beauty in culture. But the benefits seem to outweigh the hard work.
Korean culture can be trying at times. There's so much I've had to change about my thinking and expectations--and some things I haven't quite changed yet, such as:
I don't like kimchi.
I can't deal very much with Korean spicy foods.
I know about 20 words/phrases in Korean.
My students remind me every day that I am single. ("Teacher, no husband, why?")
People stare, point, and talk about me (all in Korean).
There is no true Mexican food here.
There is no Chipotle here.
American pizza is hard to come by.
My students ask me why I am white. (I don't understand this one.)
My friends are getting married and having babies and I can't see them because I am here.
Pollution here totally sucks. (And makes me sick...;(
My friends asked me if I am fluent in Korean yet. (No...?)
I've learned to take a step back and see that it's not "Korean" culture. Or even "American" culture. People are people, no matter where in the world.
A baby's giggle.
A lover's glance.
Friends laughing over inside jokes.
The sheer joy of eating ice cream on a hot day.
A child crying when he doesn't see his mom in sight
Girls shopping for clothes.
A couple playing peek-a-boo with their little baby.
The frustration of missing the bus.
Boys playing soccer with all of their might.
The "clink" of a bat when it meets a baseball.
An exchanged smile, even when you don't speak the same language.
The "ahhhhhhhh" sound when one takes the first sip of coffee.
Being nervous to move to another country. (America to Korea AND Korea to America.)
Singing a worship song in your native tongue while others sing in their language.
And smiling biggest of all when you remember that every tribe, every nation, every tongue will one day sing and worship around the throne of God together.
It's easy to become frustrated and harder to see the beauty in culture. But the benefits seem to outweigh the hard work.
Monday, March 30, 2015
That Conversion Rate
Hi! Or, Annyeonghaseyo!! I'm currently sitting here in a bubble tea cafe:
Yes, you read that right. It's a cafe where they sell all types of sugary tea with aloe or pearl "bubbles" in the bottom of the drink that you suck through the straw and chew. So addicting!
So in South Korea, the currency is won. The exchange rate right now works out to about 1,000 won=$1.00. (More accurately, it's about $0.95=1,000, but yeah. You get the idea.) So, the first bill you see below is about $5, then $10, then $1. Their bills jump from 10,000 to 50,000, so no "$20" bill in Korea.
Jeez! Some things are so expensive...like shaving cream. The 16,500 one is about $16! and the 7,400 is about $7! AND THESE ARE THE TRIAL/TRAVEL 2oz SIZEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!! :O
Tea, especially herbal tea, isn't cheap here either. Below you see small-sized boxes for $6-$8 each! Since I took this picture, the cheapest I've found is a box for about $4.
In the mornings, I teach middle and high school. In the afternoon, I teach 2 class periods for 4 elementary aged boys. Below they are split into two teams earnestly seeking to win the coveted cow stickers. (They are literally stickers in the shapes of cows...they love them haha.) I think this video captures their sweetness and their love and affection for one another. Yes, I do teach English class, but they are speaking in Korean. They often listen and respond in English, but talk to each other in Korean about the activity. Oh well.
And this is how my washing machine lets me know that it is done! Isn't it so much cuter than an obnoxious buzzer??
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
One Month Later...
Friends!
Family! I can’t believe it’s been ONE MONTH today since I’ve been here.
Obviously I’m the worst blogger ever…but I’ve been busy! I’m now in the midst
of the third week of classes and feeling right in the swing of things. Most of
you are probably somewhere on the East Coast reading this, or not too far away.
Isn’t it amazing how I can be almost 6,000 away and communicate with you?
Where to begin? My 14 hour+ flight was long, boring, and thankfully—uneventful.
I arrived and had no problem getting through customs and was greeted at the
gate by my boss and two new co-teachers (a married couple from Liberty). I had
hardly slept or ate at all on the plane (the food was delightful…;), and was
famished and tired. We ate in the airport Korean style and it was delicious. We
drove to the restaurant which my boss also owns, and I was greeted
enthusiastically by several former and current students of the school. When I
saw all of them I must admit I teared up in gratitude and also sheer exhaustion.
This is it. This is now home.
Next we visited my apartment and dropped my luggage off there. It’s so
cute! It fits me perfectly. We then visited “emart” (think=Walmart) and I got
some essentials. I had a short orientation of the curriculum and school that
night, and I fell asleep, extremely jetlagged, at 3am. The rest of the week was
really chill because school was out and it was the New Year.
Dave and Christina, my co-teachers, were especially helpful in showing
me around and how to get to certain places. We did some shopping and exploring
that week, and the next week was Bible camp! The camp went great and it was
moving to see the students’ worship and prayers. The Word of God was read out
loud in English and Korean. (I helped read out loud in English.)
The
first week of classes was an exciting one: filled with meeting lots of new
faces, adjusting to the school schedule, and balancing 6 different classes each
day. I must confess that adjusting to Korean culture has been difficult for me.
Praise God the Gospel transcends culture and language! He has been breaking me
of some idols…but every time He breaks me He puts more joy into my life. It’s
often as simple as conversing with a friendly Korean in their broken English,
or seeing a beautiful Korean baby look into my eyes. A dear friend sent me this
video and I have made it my prayer:
My
phone plan allows me unlimited texting internationally but NO phone calls
($1.00 a minute! Eeek!). Skype me instead: mary.graves999
Holla at your girl! :D
Please pray for:
- · The church’s upcoming retreat
- · The students/teachers/student workers
- · Our school’s health—some of us are sick or nearly sick! L
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
One Week More
I’m currently sitting in my favorite
coffee shop in Lynchburg (shout out to Bean Tree Café!) sipping an Americano. I
have a million and one things to do before I leave in one week. YES—one week
from today. It’s seriously getting real. Lynchburg has been my home for the
better part of almost four years now. From dorms to a house to now, an
apartment, I love this city. I’m sad to leave, but excited for the next
chapter in my life.
Last night I found out that my apartment
is in the building right next to the school where I will be teaching. It’s a
one-bedroom, all to myself, and it’s on Café Street. So the street is literally
lined with coffee shops. My personal mission is to visit every single one of
them and find the best one J
I’m close to the capital, Seoul, and I can get there easily by metro. The
shopping is apparently FANTASTIC in South Korea and that is something (as a
girl…) I’m looking forward to.
Like I’ve said before, I’ll be teaching
English in a K-12 Christian academy. When I arrive, I’ll find out what classes
I will be teaching. I’ll be teaching English with a wonderful couple from here
in Lynchburg (we’re hopefully flying out on the same day to South Korea)! They
are super sweet and I’m blessed that we’re stepping out in faith, together, and
in some ways, the same boat. None of us have ever been to South Korea but we
have a burden for the people and the kids we’ll be teaching there.
I would say the top two questions that I
have been asked in regards to my trip are:
“Are you excited?”
“Are you nervous?”
Yes. The answer is a whole-hearty yes.
I’m excited that I’m going to a country
and experiencing a new culture. I feel so privileged for the opportunity to be
fully immersed in a new language that I can learn. I can’t wait to meet South
Korean people in their country and learn about their culture, history, and
mannerisms.
I’m nervous (TERRIFIED) that I’m going
to a country where I currently only know how to say “hello” in the language. I’m
scared that I won’t be understood or understand other people. I’m afraid of
racism and stereotypes. I’m nervous to try foods where I don’t quite know the
ingredients of the dish.
But more than these feelings, I have a
peace. I know that this is where God is calling me for this season (or, as
several of my good friends have told me: that they don’t think I’ll come back
;) The peace of God is greater than my feelings. And that is my comfort and
hope.
P.S. I leave the country one week from
today, but I’m leaving Lynchburg on Saturday. If you would like to meet up one
last time, shoot me a text or a fb message and let’s see if we can’t get together
before I head out!
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Goodbye, Lynchburg--hello South Korea!!
Well, I’m going to South Korea! Yup—you heard right! It’s true and I can
hardly believe it myself. I’ll be teaching at an international Christian
academy for grades K-12. It’s in the city of Anyang, which is relatively close
to Seoul, the capital. I’ll be flying out on February 10th(ish). I’ll
be in an apartment with another teacher at the school. I’m extremely excited
and nervous about this opportunity and can’t wait to be there.
I’m SO open to hear any tips/tricks/words to say to Korean! Please,
please, please refer me to any teachers that you know in South Korea or give me
advice about teaching overseas. I’m getting my passport (hopefully) the same
day this Tuesday (1/27). If you would say a prayer that would go through
smoothly I would really appreciate it!
I’ll update y’all soon with some more details (I know you are all dying
to know…;)
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
An Exciting Announcement Coming Soon...
Hello Family & Friends!
I started this blog because I soon will announce an exciting journey for me. Please stay tuned and listen in on this adventure I'm about to begin.
In Christ,
Mary
I started this blog because I soon will announce an exciting journey for me. Please stay tuned and listen in on this adventure I'm about to begin.
In Christ,
Mary
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