Out of the Cave, into the Sunlight

For the entire week of midterms I felt almost like I was trapped inside a cave where all that existed was late nights, study, caffeine, and the looming shadows of tests. Little sleep was to be had even though I started studying at least a week in advance. I had five tests that week, so at least I was able to get through them all at once instead of having to wait two weeks for them to be over.

Although it was very stressful at times because I did not know what to expect from the tests, I actually enjoyed the challenge. It really reminded me how good it is to passionately pursue excellence in all areas of life. I think a healthy balance between busyness and idleness is needed of course--a balance which few of the Koreans here seem to have, but it was not so bad to be a bit too busy for a week. It also was encouraging to see how much I had learned from the start of the semester.

And as I mentioned earlier, there were so many small blessings throughout the week which made a huge difference. For instance, our Korean friends from orientation week made all of us new international students candy necklaces. They put our names in Korean on them then strung them up in a tree for us to find. It was really great!

I finished my tests Friday at about noon. Freedom! Although I still have no idea how well I did, I was very glad to be done. I gave it my best shot and leave the results up to God.

After finishing I decided it was time for rest so I took a nap. Friday afternoon I ended up baby-sitting for a conference. It was really refreshing to spend some time with energetic, cheerful children. We had a blast.

To further celebrate completing our first big tests here in Asia, a group of us got together on Sunday to go to a park for a picnic. The weather was chilly, the sky clear and bright--too perfect for words! There was a small zoo as part of the park, and a lot of steel sculptures and walking paths. We took a path up and down a few hills and through the woods and came to a beautiful park with a stunning view of the ocean. It was just the right time of day for pictures, a game of Frisbee and just enjoying a break from school. It really was like coming out of a cave and into the sunlight. 

Pictures can describe it better than my words, so here are some of the wonderful shots we all took that beautiful afternoon:

It was with reluctance that we left the park as the sun disappeared, though it was getting pretty cold. The bus back to school ended up being completely full, so we had to wait an extra hour or so. As we waited for a bus with available seats, we sat on the curb, ate some bread, and chatted together. It was a good day--a very good day. The perfect blessing after a crazy week. I am very blessed to get to spend these months in such a beautiful place with such fun people! I know I keep saying that, but I keep being reminded of it again and again. 

Thanks for reading!

Busan!

It has been a few weeks, but I thought I would talk about another fun trip I got to take at the beginning of this month. With the support of the Office of International Affairs, we new international students were able to take a day trip to the city of Busan with the Korean students who helped us throughout orientation. School had been keeping us so busy that we had not been able to really spend time together since that first week of orientation, so it was really nice to get to do something with the first friends I made here.

Early in the morning we piled onto a bus and set out. It was only about a two hour trip, and the majority of us slept almost the whole way. It was just before noon when we arrived at our destination.

Busan is one of the biggest cities in Korea and one of the most famous. It is the biggest port city in the country, and famous for events held there like the International Film Festival that was actually taking place while we were there. The city itself was not as intense as Seoul; at least not the parts of it we experienced, which I was grateful for.

To start with we went to a famous noodle place for lunch. The noodles were served cold--in fact, there was ice in the bowl! We also had some delicious dumplings.

After lunch we had dessert! We went to another famous place known for its Patbingsusu, an amazing shaved ice dish here in Korea. So we enjoyed a bowl of our own, full as we were from the noodles.

With our stomachs full, we all split into groups of three or so. With my roommate and a Korean friend we went out to see more of Busan. The streets were crowded with shoppers, sightseers, and volunteers who provided fun activities to do for the public. I got my hand painted.

We climbed many stairs in order to reach the top of a hill so that we could get a good view of the city. Busan, like Seoul, also has an observation tower. We did not ascend, but instead just enjoyed the breeze and the sights. I have to say, though, it was not much fun to walk up and then down all those stairs!

As the afternoon progressed we explored the markets and got to take in all of the many aromas of the street vendors. I bought a few souvenirs and did my best not to get lost in the crowds. Because of the international film festival, the city was more crowded than usual. There was one portion of the street that was similar to the sidewalk of Hollywood—imprinted and signed by actors who had been there for the film festival in the past. I thought that was neat.

We also tried some street food:

 Delicious.

The whole group reconvened to move on to our next activity—the aquarium! It was my first time to go to one. I had so much fun looking at the creatures God in all of His imagination formed. His creativity never ceases to astound me. I loved it.

My favorite part was definitely the jellyfish. Jellyfish are some of my favorite things, and this was my first time seeing them in person. They are so mysterious, graceful, and elegant. So beautiful.

Once we all had our fill of the underwater sights, we went out to Haeundae beach which was beautiful as the sun was setting and the city lights were flickering to life and reflecting on the waves.

After a few minutes on the beach we went to supper. We went to a place called Ashley’s Buffet which is all you can eat American cuisine. It was some of the fanciest American cuisine I had ever had. An incredibly good, incredibly filling meal.

After eating way too much, we all made our way slowly back to the beach where we explored together for a while. The wind was cool, but not cold, and the crash of the waves on the rocks accompanied our wanderings. I could have spent many more hours there. There is something about the sea at nighttime that I really love. It was very poetic scenery, and I would not mind returning there someday.

(Photo taken by a friend with a better camera)

We were all tired from all our sight-seeing by that point, and it was time to return to the bus. It was another sleepy trip back to school late at night, and we were all very grateful to go to bed after a really good trip. If you want to see more pictures, I uploaded them all to my Facebook as usual.

One thing the trip reminded me of was just how important it is to value all of these opportunities I am being given. Here I am in Korea with friends from all over the world making these special memories… it won’t last forever, and this season of my life will never be repeated. I was reminded to really cherish this season, and to treat every moment as having meaning. This attitude is also something I want to adopt when I go home. There is beauty everywhere, whether I am standing on a beach at night surrounded by people who speak dozens of languages—or whether I am walking beneath some Texan pine trees with lifelong friends.

I am very blessed to get to have these experiences. I am blessed to have any opportunities at all. This time in Korea has really opened up my eyes to so many of the good things that I can go home and enjoy—the blessings don’t stop once I leave Korea. I am so grateful to be here. I am learning far more outside of the classroom than I am inside of it.

Anyway, thanks for reading! With midterms taken care of, I should have more time to update you guys soon. If there is anything you want to hear about in particular, feel free to let me know.

Studying

It has been awhile since I updated this blog, for which I apologize. During our orientation week here at Handong, they warned us that we would become very busy. They weren't joking! Even though I am taking just five classes, as midterms stare me down from the upcoming week, I find myself with little spare time. The system here is different from what I am used to back home at school. At my university, midterms are much less important. We take many smaller tests to even out the weight of our final grade. Here, however, for the most part there are two big tests—midterm and final, and they are what determine most of your grade for a class.

For me, midterms begin Monday the 21^st. I am taking a study break to try and update you all on how the academic side of my semester is going before I get back to writing about the fun things I have been able to do.

There is only one class that I am really having difficulty with so far—Korean History. Although I do love history, there does come a point when it is taught in such a way that I dread going to class. This class is also two periods long. Although I only have to attend it once a week, it lasts for two and a half hours. And I am never exactly sure what I am learning, or what I should be learning. This is in part due to slightly poor English on the professor’s side, which I cannot blame him for. It is a good lesson in focus, diligence and disciplining myself to learn on my own if I cannot learn from the lecture.

My other courses are Church History, Understanding Literature, Korean 1, and Philosophy. Korean 1 is a difficult course for me, but I am getting over the major difficulties slowly but surely. This is the first time I have ever really formally taken a language learning class, so it is honestly a very useful experience. Also, the class itself can be very fun. We may all feel like little children again learning to read, write and pronounce words—but at least we are all together and laughing as a group.

I can write my name in Korean

My favorite class is Philosophy. It is a challenge for me, but in a good way. The professor’s English is very good, and he is incredibly brilliant. The goal of the class has really worked on me so far—getting me to think in new ways and learning to ask better questions than before. He also has a very sarcastic, dry sense of humor which makes the class even more interesting. 

Understanding Literature and Church History are both fine, and usually pretty interesting. My professor for Church History is my only native English speaking teacher. 

Because most of my classes fall on Tuesdays and Fridays, I get to spend the other weekdays studying and doing homework so that my weekends can be fairly free. I have also picked up a “part time job” helping out an American professor’s family with various tasks around the house that are hard for the wife to do while looking after 5 young children.

Besides school, other campus activities I do regularly include attending two different small groups. In one group we are studying a book by Dietrich Bonhoeffer called “The Cost of Discipleship.” I am really enjoying the discussions we have and the insights into theology from Bonhoeffer. The other small group is a Bible study for the book of Colossians, which is also very good.

What do I do besides study, sleep, and go to life group? Well, I eat meals with friends, go on long walks or runs, talk with my roommate, watch movies with people, and keep up with my family back home. To summarize, daily life here is really normal and the pace is just about perfect. Even though right now there is a lot of pressure for midterms, I am feeling up for the challenge. I can honestly report that I am learning a lot, both in the classroom and outside of it.

And there are so many small things that remind me I am blessed. For instance, some Handong students who visited my school as exchange students in the past put together little midterm care packages for us exchange students here.

So sweet! Another fun thing we did recently to break the tedium of school was have a pancake night. Not quite the same as at home, but tasty nonetheless—though the real fun was just hanging out with people.

Well, that is enough for now. I just wanted to update you all and remind you that I am actually here to study, and that those studies are going well. Thanks for reading! If you think about it, pray for my crazy midterm week.

Blessings!

Blessed

As many of you may know I recently celebrated my very first birthday away from home. My birthday is not terribly important to me when I am home, but this time I was worried that being gone would make it a very lonely day. It was also a milestone birthday; I left my teenage years behind once and for all. It was kind of a funny feeling—to know that there was now a difference in my life but not feeling it. I'm the just the same old awkward kid trying to stumble my way through life. Only, as I am discovering more and more, the grace of our Creator makes up a lot for my clumsiness.

By that grace, I was allowed to have a really wonderful first birthday abroad. So many people showed so much kindness to me. The people here really are incredible! My friends here even conspired to give me a lovely little surprise birthday party, cake and all. That was a first. Also, one thing I really liked was getting to share my birthday with two other friends, so it was a birthday trio.

Although I did miss my family, I felt like I was part of a family here as well. In the end it was a very good birthday, and a good reminder of how blessed I am with the people I know. So grateful for the grace of God which allows these blessings to illuminate my life!

As a note, the Koreans count age differently. When you are born they say you are already one year old. So technically, by Korean reckoning, I am actually twenty-one. Aha! I get to celebrate my twenty-first birthday twice.

Okay, so hopefully I can write more blog posts soon about actual school and life here at Handong. I will also be writing about another day trip I took to Busan. I promise I am actually working hard at school—which is probably why you never hear about that. Anyway, thanks for reading!

Final Time in Seoul

Saturday, September 21^st

For our fourth and final full day in Seoul my group planned to meet up with two more Korean friends from school. So once more we hopped onto the now familiar subway system to the appointed place of meeting. It turns out that some wires got crossed which meant we ended up in different places, but after awhile we all managed to get to the right place. It was good to see those friends again because they have been so busy since school started, which makes it difficult to spend time with them.

We headed back to Insadong for a delicious lunch of bibimbap, a Korean dish of rice, vegetables, and various other tasty ingredients.

After filling our stomachs we headed out to fill up on all the sights of the day. We explored a side market in Insadong we had not yet seen, and then we took a bus to a very famous part of Seoul—Gangnam. Many people know about this place because of a famous song, but in Korea it is known as the center of very expensive shopping, high-end businesses and offices, English academies and many hospitals specializing in plastic surgery. Basically, it is a very high end area of Seoul for rich people.

We split up once more and I went along with just my two Korean friends. All the shopping was far out of our price range, so instead we browsed book stores. At that point I was so overwhelmed after the days spent amongst crowds that sticking my nose into a book for awhile was a welcome relief. We decided to move on from Gangnam after the book stores, and my friends ended up taking me to Sinsa-dong. Once there we took a walk down Garosu-gil, which is a tree-lined street, like a boulevard. As usual, there was a lot of shopping and cafes that one could enjoy, though the focus on this area was a bit more artistic and low-key than the other places in Seoul we had been.

At that point every muscle in my legs and feet felt like they were about to snap or burn away, so we decided to take refuge in a coffee shop. We found chairs and ordered some coffee, and had a good time resting and chatting while watching the life of the street below. I think that all of the walking, standing, going up and down stairs, and the lack of rest during the week was what killed my legs, though thankfully it was nothing that time did not heal.

We finished our coffee and caught a bus to meet up with the rest of our group back in the crazy shopping center of Myeong-dong. After just a little while of walking around my legs began to hurt again, so I found a Starbucks on the fourth floor of a building to wait in while the others finished shopping. I tried an espresso frappucino and a mixed bean cake—both were delicious and are treats not found in American Starbucks.

After reconvening, we found supper in another out of the way Korean restaurant. We had to take off our shoes and kneel at one of the super low tables. We ordered a meal where you fry your own meat on a griddle/burner placed in the middle of the table, and then you wrap the meat in lettuce and dip it in sauces. Very tasty.

To end our final day, we took a trip back to a different area of Han river to watch a fountain show that happens at certain times of the night. What they do is shoot water in large quantities from beneath the bridge and shine lights through the spray so that it looks like the water is rainbow coloured. I wish my camera could capture it better, but it was fun to watch and another calm end to a crazy day.

It took forty minutes to return to our guest house on the subways, and we had to do four transfers. Also, a vending machine ate my money and gave me no drink. Just a few more things that made the trip memorable! We all slept as much as possible that night so that we would be ready for our trip back to Pohang the next day.

The morning came and found us packing and checking out of Mr. Kim's Friends guest house. We took one last trip on the trains to arrive at the meeting point for the Handong buses, and then enjoyed an hour or so of quiet in a coffee shop before leaving Seoul. I used that chance to get some homework done.

Also, so you know, in some places in Korea the buzzers they give you to let you know your order is ready have screens on them. Screens, playing commercials, just in case you get bored while you wait. Wow.

I admit, I was very glad to be off my feet and headed back to campus. I enjoyed Seoul and getting to experience so much culture and so many new things, but in the end I am happiest amongst trees, hills, and fields under a giant blue sky. It was also a good trip for getting to know the other international students better and being able to make good memories with them.

As we drove up the hill to the entrance of Handong, I almost had the sense of coming... home. One thing my Chuseok trip accomplished was helping me to realize how much I appreciate the atmosphere here at Handong. I felt much more fond of school and all the things here once I returned. It was a very good realization to have.

To wrap up, it was a good trip, though tiring. My main souvenirs were the good memories, pictures, and many sore muscles. Thanks for reading! Chuseok vacation series is now officially over, so I will be moving on to more current events soon.