tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25878486861770002282024-03-20T17:42:11.302-07:00my life and times...in korea"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love"Carly Janellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00275757539910430849noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587848686177000228.post-85638087683453906092011-07-24T09:01:00.000-07:002011-07-24T09:20:15.331-07:00radiant.radiant. have you met someone who is truly radiant?<br /><div><br /></div><div>i have. these people seem other-wordly. because they are. they have been shaken, stripped down, healed, broken, humbled, and set free by Love. and that makes them radiant.</div><div><br /></div><div>those who have been touched, truly touched by Love himself can't help but be changed. </div><div><br /></div><div>i want to let His love infuse every part of me, and make me RADIANT. </div><div><br /></div><div>thank you Lord that I am enough, right now. That you love me first, and the love i have for you is SOooo teensy tiny and ridiculously inadequate but you accept it and it is sweet to you. even though I have nothing to give, you love me, in a way that NO one else can. wow. </div><div><br /></div><div>people who are in love glow. </div><div>are you in love with God? because He's so deeply in love with you. </div><div>He glows over you. </div>Carly Janellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00275757539910430849noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587848686177000228.post-82972607938102689982011-07-14T06:57:00.000-07:002011-07-14T07:37:37.335-07:00Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.thinking about prayer. feeling a bit distant. feeling a bit foggy. i need to be brought back to Him, to what is true, to what is real, to my only source of Life.<div><br /><div>John 15:7 </div><div>"If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will and it shall be done unto you."</div><div>James 5:16</div><div>"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective"</div><div><br /></div><div>here are some excerpts from <i>The Ministry of Intercessory Prayer</i>-- by Andrew Murray. loving it (thanks Jessica Lipe!!!)</div><div><br /></div><div>"the one great work the vinedresser has to do for the branch every year is prune it. other plans can for a time dispense with it and still bear fruit; the vine must have it.</div><div><br /></div><div>what does the vinedresser cut away with his pruning knife? he cuts the wood that the branch has produced--true, honest wood with the true vine nature in it. why must this be cut away? because it draws away from the strength and life of the vine and hinders the flow of the juice to the grape. the wood of the vine must decrease, that the fruit of the vine may increase. in obedience to the law of all nature, that death is the way to life, that gain comes through sacrifice, the rich and luxuriant growth of the wood must be cut off and cast away that the more abundant life may be seen in the cluster. </div><div><br /></div><div>in the same way, child of God, branch of the Heavenly Vine, there is in you that which appears perfectly innocent and legitimate but which saps away your interest and strength. it must be pruned and cleansed.</div><div><br /></div><div>it is only as our own will, our strength, our effort, our pleasure, are cut down--even where these appear perfectly natural and sinless--that the whole energies of our being are free and open to recieve the sap of the Heavenly Vine, the Holy Spirit. then we shall bear much fruit.</div><div><br /></div><div>cast yourself upon God to do in you what is impossible to man. count upon a divine cleansing to cut down and take away all that self-confidence and self-effort that has been the cause of your failure. the God who gave you His beloved Son to be your Vine, who made you His branch, will He not do his work to make you fruitful in every good work, in the work of prayer and intercession too? </div><div><br /></div><div>here is the life that can pray: a branch entirely given up to the Vine and its aims...a branch that is abiding in Christ and trusting and yielding to God for his cleansing, can bear much fruit."</div><div><br /></div><div>so solid, right? this is so bizarre and backwards to what the world says we should pursue. it says we can be our own gods...and it is certainly easier sometimes. but thankfully, God is constantly bringing me back to Him. i am so quick to forget him. to wander. but then he reminds me that the things that are pulling me from him, that seem more fulfilling, more tangible, more real, are like dull, pale and grey shadows when compared to Himself and his radiant light. </div><div><br /></div><div>have your way, Lord.</div></div>Carly Janellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00275757539910430849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587848686177000228.post-10707967958718600822011-06-21T07:50:00.001-07:002011-06-21T08:06:35.217-07:00we are a royal priesthood. do we really believe this?excerpts from Oswald Chambers i read today:<div><br /></div><div>"The continual grubbing on the inside to see whether we are what we ought to be generates a self-centered, morbid type of Christianity, not the robust, simple life of the child of God. launch out in reckless belief that the Redemption is complete, and then bother no more about yourself, but begin to do as Jesus Christ said--pray for the friend who comes to you at midnight, pray for the saints, pray for all men. pray on the realization that you are only perfect in Christ Jesus, not on this plea--"O Lord, I have done my best, please hear me." how long is it going to take God to free us from the morbid habit of thinking about ourselves? we must get sick unto death of ourselves, until there is no longer any surprise at anything God can tell us about ourselves. We cannot touch the depths of meanness in ourselves. there is only one place where we are right, and that is in Christ Jesus. When we are there, then we have to pour out for all we are worth in this ministry of the interior."</div><div><br /></div><div> i think he's onto something. when we really begin praying fervently and often, we start desiring what God desires. and if we can rest in the fact that he has already done it all and we just need to trust and rest as his children, then new life no longer seems a burden and all that space is freed up to pray and overflow into others!!! </div>Carly Janellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00275757539910430849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587848686177000228.post-66139300802079004332011-06-10T08:56:00.000-07:002011-06-10T09:38:34.785-07:00God gives gifts to those he loves!i have always looked at those Christians who seem to be constantly getting gifts from the Spirit and felt a bit gyped. i want to hear God's voice, audibly like some people do. i want to speak in a private, intimate language with Him that no one else can understand. i want to prophesy, and speak God's words to encourage and challenge others in really specific ways. i want to see people healed and be healed. i want to see the Spirit come with power in my life and in this world! the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in me! so i want my life to be marked and covered with his Power. why don't i experience these gifts regularly in my relationship with God? not only do i feel gyped and a bit inadequate, i feel like if all christians had these gifts, people would be flocking to Him like crazy! there would be a revival! so, why not God? why are some churches missing these? why do so many christians not receive these gifts? <div><br /></div><div>i have been thinking about this lately. longing for intimacy with God. longing to see the Spirit work evidently and powerfully in and through me.</div><div><br /></div><div>so here's what God showed me. he already is. his spirit is in me, and has changed me. i can rest in this truth, because I am his child. he answered me, he met me in a very real way, and he once again, showed me that he doesn't always work in ways that we want him to, or expect him too. last night as i was thinking about this, i wound up in 1 corinthians chapters 12, 13 and 14. here are some verses that totally hit me! </div><div><br /></div><div>12:4 " there are different kinds of gifts, but the same Lord"</div><div>12:7 "now to each one, a manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. to one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to anothe faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophesy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. all these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines." </div><div><br /></div><div>and after a bunch of talk in chapter 12 about how we are a body, made up of different parts with different functions, but all having the same Spirit, it goes on to say that we should eagerly desire the greater gifts. and in chapter 13:1 it says "and now i will show you the most excellent way." followed by an awesome description of LOVE. </div><div><br /></div><div>so that's what God showed me. his gifts are just that. gifts to us. because He loves us sooo deeply. the purpose of these gifts then, is to show us his Love and to make him known. so, then, our motive shouldn't be to have the gifts, but to make him known to everyone, because He's so good and to trust that he will equip and empower us to do this. and the greatest gift of all was himself. the truest expression of love...laying down His life for us though we were and continue to be SO undeserving.</div><div><br /></div><div>his love is so sweet. it is so deep. it stretches to every corner of our beings. and because it is so good and so pure, it completely changes us when we believe and receive it. So God told me...don't worry about all those gifts. you are mine. and i will give you exactly what you need, when you need it. for now, know that you are mine, and you are deeply loved. my love is in YOU. that is enough. and when it is in you, you can't help but bubble and gush and spill it out wherever you go. </div>Carly Janellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00275757539910430849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587848686177000228.post-47491268945105781752011-05-30T09:28:00.000-07:002011-05-30T09:56:52.048-07:00these is good jams.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 12px; white-space: pre; "><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnkI9JOoBSg&feature=relmfu">Amos Lee: Windows Are Rolled Down</a> . new guy that my friends matt and kristin told me about! he is a mixture of a lotta sounds and styles. i like him!!!!</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Tahoma, serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Tahoma, serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Tahoma, serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; white-space: pre;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8q-T27DLFQc">Rend Collective Experiment: Exalt</a> awesome Irish band that sings songs that proclaim truth and sing about it joyfully and truthfully. they are creative, not lame, and OUT-LOUD Christians. i love that.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Tahoma, serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Tahoma, serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, serif; font-size: 12px; white-space: pre; "><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQhQ98a6oRU">Jeff Pianki: Hello Bones</a>. kinda have a big crush on this kid. :) he is from michigan and just really endearing and has so many great songs that are just perfect for a mellow eve at home with a book. :)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Tahoma, serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Tahoma, serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Tahoma, serif;font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; white-space: pre;">enjoy!!^^</span></span></div>Carly Janellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00275757539910430849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587848686177000228.post-87790357552997368722011-05-11T08:16:00.001-07:002011-05-13T21:38:49.939-07:00Rain.i fell asleep to the sound of rain. falling consistently, rythmically. the consistency is comforting. there is something so peaceful and wonderful about the sound of rain.<div><br /></div><div>i love the way rain smells. always a bit different, depending on where it is falling. it changes the air. the way it smells. the way it feels. the thickness. the temperature. when rain comes, it alters all that it touches. it turns everything just a bit brighter shade of green and lifts the heads of droopy, thirsty plants. i love rain! our world is amazing because it was imagined by the most perfect, creative, loving, thoughtful, deep, vibrant, pure God who's life and Spirit marks all that He gave life to. all that we see. (Romans 1:20-21.."for since the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse). i see traces of Him and sometimes i think to tell Him how he inspires me, but not always. i wanna be more mindful of Him always. when i see the intricate designs and deep colors of wildflowers. when i am touched by a soft, hopeful breeze that floats by. when i fall asleep to the heavy pounding and deep rumblings of a thunderstorm. i see traces of Him in all these things, but especially in the human life. our capacity for joy, love, relationships, pain. though anyone who watches the news or has has experienced life knows that amidst all of this beauty and goodness, there's a whole lot of brokenness, destruction and suffering. how could a truly good and loving God really be behind this, allowing all this to go on. and writing fluffy blogs about the beauty and serenity of rain may not convince those skeptics. i understand. there are a lot of mysteries about the way that God works- a very big one being that He is love, but this world is often everything that opposes love. but i do know that the fact that we have a desire for something better, a discontentment with our world's state is such evidence that we were made for something different. that there is something placed in each of us which cries out for more. for Him. </div><div><br /></div><div>another, more shallow thing i love and appreciate about rain is how there are so many different kinds of rain. it has different personalities. this rain that i felt asleep to was cold and strong. it reminded me of the rain in my hometown in Peru, nestled 10,000 feet up in the Andes. during rainy season, we would get these rains every day in the afternoon. often times it would be at its peak during our walk home from school. it was exhilarating to walk home on the muddy, dirt roads while chilly rain pounded down on my umbrella. sometimes we would put on our rain gear and go out and play in the puddles and small, rushing rivers that would form in the dirt road outside our house. the peruvians thought we were a bit (maybe a lot) crazy, going out into the rain intentionally. </div><div><br /></div><div>jungle rains were my favorite though. they were INCREDIBLE! the jungle (as we called it), or the peruvian amazon was one of my all time favorite places in the world, i think. we went once a year for our mission meetings and we'd stay on our mission base. we'd stay for a glorious two weeks, running around barefoot on the red clay paths, sitting in the shade of mango trees, encountering all kinds of plants and animals we didn't even know existed, and swimming light-heartedly in the pirhana-inhabited river (a branch off of the amazon). i think i'd still do it, though i'd probably have a lot more anxst in the process. :) i loved everything about it, especially the rain. when it rained... it would come in such powerful, terrential down poors. the jungle was hot and the air was thick and heavy. so the rains were warm, and tropical. perfect playing-in-the-rain conditions! all the red clay would turn into soft, sludgy mud, which just begged to be slid in, and slide we did. i hope to experience jungle rains again someday!</div><div><br /></div><div>i love that God wants to know us so badly. that he is a God of life, of intimacy and relationship and even of the drops of dew (job 38:28)</div><div><br /></div>Carly Janellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00275757539910430849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587848686177000228.post-67377170074950148082011-04-28T08:11:00.001-07:002011-04-28T08:38:15.222-07:00family meets korea!i spent this easter weekend with my aunt and uncle and two of my cousins. they came to visit my cousin who is living and teaching English in Busan. so i spent the weekend in Busan with them! so wonderful! it was a bit surreal being in korea with all of them. we had a delightful time, laughing, lounging, snacking on all the goodies they brought us from America, and introducing them to all the wonders of Korea! they had a very "Korean" first day, including a temple visit complete with lots of photos, and a sam gyeop sal dinner. we went to a jim jil bang on their second day that was DIVINE! i've been to a few, but this jim jil bang tops all the rest of them by far!!! seriously!!! it's the one at the world's biggest department store in busan. i could have spent all day in there. it has a really big sunroof type thing covering the main lounging area, and a million different places to lay down, nap, lounge, read. it is really aesthetically designed...lots of greenery, awesome outdoor footbaths with rocks to massage your feet as you walk, an outdoor spa (only for the women) and saunas of all different temperatures with supposed different health benefits. :) they even have a movie theater! they quite enjoyed their first jim jil bang experience and were not intimidated by the nakedness!!! <div><br /></div><div>they also observed early on that koreans tend to wear gloves a lot. so throughout the weekend we decided to kind of keep track of all the different kind of gloves we saw. we found that koreans have gloves for any and every sort of activity. here are some of the ones we observed: chesnut roasting gloves, exercise gloves, motorcycle delivery gloves, parking lot attendant gloves, cash register gloves, and many more i'm sure that are slipping my memory. we also went to a really pretty beach and went for a walk up a hill to a pagoda overlooking the ocean. and in korea, where there's a hill or park, there's outdoor workout equipment. it was a wonderful weekend. here's a video of them discovering korean workout equipment on this hilltop.^^ <div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div></div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyjnG0tOOUeuU1Wp5iN54s12gDT0S0-AVfiDBjdafx_TAsG0lmBxrjZs3GI60_mM-1U9QE7-hRfRV_hjv0Bew' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Carly Janellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00275757539910430849noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587848686177000228.post-41639975985724759692011-03-17T09:05:00.000-07:002011-03-21T06:40:54.423-07:00big decisions.<p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;">i'm still alive. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;">my name is still carly miller. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;">i still live in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">korea</st1:place></st1:country-region>. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;">i'm a terrible blogger. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Wingdings, serif;">:)</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;">anyways, i truly am sorry for not keeping up this blog better. i just wanted to write a quick update on life over here. i have been here over eight months now! it has been a great eight months. i'm so glad i came, to this strange country so far from my home, wherever that is. :) those of you who know me know that i am a bit confused in respects to this matter. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;">i didn't know what i was getting myself into when i came. i knew i needed money and wanted to travel. so i ended up here. at times, it has been uncomfortable. it has been lonely. it has been discouraging. it has provided me with opportunities to make plenty of blunders and mishaps (buses to wrong locations, strange hair dye jobs, etc.). it has been filled with delightful people who i've come to care for deeply. it has been SO MUCH FUN. it has been such a gift, financially. it has been full of awesome, God moments. it has been full of learning. it has been full of strange smells. it has been full of yummy, korean spicy food. it has been full of kids! it has been full. i am thankful.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;">eight months in, and i'm still really excited to be here.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;">seeing cute little socks on my middle school boys. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;">hearing "teacher-i-love-you's" from my students (only in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">korea</st1:place></st1:country-region>). <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;">seeing firsthand that kindergarteners are not always the sweet little thangs i thought they would be. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;">feeling deep love and connection with people i just met a few months ago. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;">finding a church that feels more like home than a church has felt in years. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;">having short, broken, silly conversations with taxi drivers in my terrible Korean.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;">these are things I have come to love about this place and my experience here.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;">i am realizing that i am far from being the person i want to be, but that i am right where i need to be. doing life with God. as we walk together, i stumble. i wander. i go too fast and wear myself out. i forget He is there. i look at my feet instead of looking at the breathe-taking scenery around me. i look at him. we have beautiful talks. he shows me things. i have moments of realization.i cling to him. i feel the stillness and security of being with a close friend. and each moment, He stays next to me. never leaving.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> i</span> am so confident He has been with me and continues to walk next to me, as i stumble along and find my way, here in k<st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">orea</st1:place></st1:country-region>.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black;">and so, i’ve decided to stay another year. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Wingdings, serif;">:)</span></span><span style="color:black;"> i prayed and thought and journaled and talked a lot with friends and people i love. i feel this is a good place for me now. it’s a bit scary to commit to another year. a year feels so long. but, i’m trusting in Him, and choosing not to worry. He has already proven himself faithful. and the scariest part is over…i’m already here. so start saving up so you can come see me!!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia;color:black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia;color:black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Carly Janellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00275757539910430849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587848686177000228.post-17890535007994042632010-12-01T16:45:00.000-08:002010-12-01T17:38:39.340-08:00some of my favorite girls.<div>Some of my girls were trying to teach me the dance to Miss A's "Good Girl, Bad Girl"-- a really popular song in this part of the world. Instead, there's just a whole lot of squealing and screaming. I just love them. :)</div><div><br /></div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw3jfRqikToBhBWThOo2kpkbr9Uc8h8S85QrvxyfA4WGLZcWmr3jwjAcaVCX1wlOxE6mEHSKhGze7MqBlzBzw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Carly Janellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00275757539910430849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587848686177000228.post-6478078806939392742010-11-02T08:11:00.000-07:002010-11-02T09:08:23.717-07:00a dream.So, I know we've all heard MLK's "I have a dream," but I stumbled across it and listened to it again and I was so inspired. It is so life-giving. So here it is. Listen to it again!<div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.mlkonline.net/video-i-have-a-dream-speech.html">"I Have a Dream"</a></div><div><br /></div><div><div>I've never really thought of it as a prayer before. But this time I did. That is exactly what prayer is, crying out with passion, with zeal, with hope. His prayer may have been before the whole country, but a prayer nonetheless. <div>It's so beautiful and courageous.<div>So full of truth and Love. Love that disarms and sheds light on the darkness. <div>Love that empowers us to stand when our legs tremble. </div><div>Love that pursues righteousness, freedom, and life. </div><div>Love that seeks to expose injustice and oppression. </div><div>Love that quenches parched lips and weary souls. </div><div>Love that heals. </div><div>Love that compells us to hope against all odds. </div><div>And to think, that the source of this Love is my Father, my Lord who gave it all for me. It helps put things in perspective for me, as I find myself worrying/thinking a lot about the future. I have been thinking about prayer lately, and how all too often my prayers are ramblings said in a half-conscious state at the end of the day, when all I can think of is SLEEP. I don't want to pray these kinds of prayers. I want to cry out- always wanting more of Him. I don't want to play it cool when things aren't as they should be. So, I'm trying to pray at times in the day when I'm more alert, for starters. And the more I'm praying, the more I'm seeing that prayer really does change me. So, for me, watching this again was like listening to a beautiful prayer. It gives me hope and excitement, knowing that I am a part of the same movement that this amazing man was a part of...Jesus' movement here on earth to restore and redeem all things. </div><div><br /></div><div>"No, No, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"><br /></span></span></div></div></div></div></div>Carly Janellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00275757539910430849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587848686177000228.post-88206033990275174012010-10-17T05:19:00.000-07:002010-10-17T07:07:12.248-07:00the list goes on...<div>some more things that only happen in korea. :)</div><div><br /></div><div>1. everything has some sort of health benefit or health detriment, according to Koreans. everything. </div><div>2. girls wear high heels all the time here. </div><div>3. ajuma's (old ladies) can be quite aggressive! I've been pushed and pulled by them..especially if i'm kind of in the way. Also, when people run into you here, its not followed by an "excuse me". Its not really considered rude here...</div><div>4. masks. People wear masks a lot here. Especially ajumas ( i love this word..) Some look like the masks people were wearing during the swine flu scare...others have more face coverage, and look more intense. Its funny to see people wearing them everday... </div><div>5. my students all wear cutesy, super colorful socks with strange images on them (even my middle school boys). From obama socks to hello kitty ones...theres a lot to chose from!</div><div>6. "Have you eaten" or "did you eat lunch" are frequently asked questions. It seemed strange to me at first...like, the answer was pretty much a given. Yeah..I did eat today :) My director told me that this stems from Korea's very recent emergence from poverty/being a developing country. Back when it was poorer, asking whether somebody had eaten expressed a lot of concern for how they were doing. Also, older people ask this more than younger people...which makes sense. There seems to be a pretty big generation gap here between this generation and the ones before, because life has changed so ridiculously fast here. </div><div>7. you can buy fried chicken and coke in a nifty all-in-one cup. The chicken is in a little bucket thingy that inserts into the cup and the coke is underneath. :) We were excited when we discovered this nifty snack.</div><div>8. patients from the hospitals roam around freely outside the hospital. Complete with hospital gowns and i.v.'s, they hang out and walk around, sit, smoke, and people watch in the area surrounding the hospital. Near my house there's a hospital along the main road, and it is still strange to see them all chilling on the side of the street</div><div>9. they make octopus bread here. I have yet to try it. Don't think I will. I have heard from friends though, that there are actual chunks of octopus in the bread. Yummm ;)</div><div>10. People give gifts all the time...especially food gifts. I get random things all the time from my coworkers, bosses, fruit vendors, and parents of my students. I've gotten are apples, tea bags, soap, toothpaste, coffee, rice cakes, pizza, grapes, sweet potato, chesnuts...to name a few. So nice. </div><div>11. man-purses. They're everywhere here.</div><div>12. great coffee shops in abundance here. Even though instant, sugary coffee is pretty much all you find at the stores (you can buy regular coffee but its quite pricey and the selection is really small!), there are great coffee shops all over the place. Oh, it is bliss. Lots of mom and pop places too...</div><div>13. couple-wear. Couples dress matching. A lot. They even sell matching underwear sets. And you see lots of couples who are dressed almost completely alike...I couldn't do it. :)</div><div>14. korean women usually cover their mouths when they laugh...</div><div>15. almost 50% of korean women have had plastic surgery and almost 90% want to have something done (don't quote me on the stats...but this is what i read somewhere). sad!</div><div>16. badmitton is a really popular here. I see kids playing it at parks and on sidewalks...</div><div>17. there's outdoor workout equipment in most of the parks here...no need to go to the gym! I've people do some really strange exercises...usually the ajumas. </div><div>13. a lot of high school kids stay in school till 9 or 10 at night...crazy. I walk by them on my way home from work as they are just getting out of all their extra after-school classes.</div><div>14. lots of people are out and about late. Its fun. People are always eating in restaurants until late. Lots of night owls here, it seems!</div><div>16. "Dong shim." Literally translated, this means "poop needle." This is when you poke someone in the butt with your pointer fingers. and YES, my students have tried to do this to me. Its so bizarre and slightly terrifying knowing that they might do this at any minute...they think its hilarious.</div><div>17. they don't eat much meat here, at all. The meat they do eat is AMAZING. But, the average person eats it like once a week. Less meat, more veggies. Us Americans eat far too much meat...I think it'd be better for all parties involved if we ate it more sparingly. And they have so many veggies and side dishes in every meal. I enjoy all the veggies lots.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, just some more things that puzzle, confuse, amuse, betwix and even sometimes annoy. But, its things like these that make living here quite an adventure. </div><div><br /></div><div>These last couple weeks I've been missing home more. Being sick had something to do with it, i think. I had a pretty gnarly cold. It just sucks being sick when your alone, and don't have your family or friends near. The routine of my day to day life, especially during the week, has started to seem more dry lately. And a bit lonely...work, home, work, home. Weekends are great- lots of fun. I see lots of people, travel, go to church, etc. so I always feel refreshed after weekends. Initially I really liked the alone time that living alone gave me. And I still do to an extent..but, I'm realizing that I can only have so much time without people around. I miss my roomies. I miss being able to debrief at the end of each day, and talk about our days...what happened. What made us happy. What challenged us. What amused us. What made us sad. Cooking together. Bedtime prayers. And wrestling. And munching. And just doing life- regular, day to day life with people that you love. Nami, Kate, Chels- roomies, I think of you often :) So...too much time alone and I start feeling antsy and a little out of wack. Which is kinda how I've been feeling recently. It's not that I don't have friends (I do, I dooo!), just that its hard to see people during the week. This next weekend we have a church retreat coming up, so I'm excited to get away and just be with others to fellowship and worship God. Should be grand. Anyways, that's all for now, I think. much love. xoxo</div><div><br /></div>Carly Janellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00275757539910430849noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587848686177000228.post-69075140454267077562010-10-03T07:31:00.000-07:002010-10-04T09:42:50.947-07:00chuseok. mountains. banana bread. a few things that have blessed and baffled me lately.So it has been over a month since I last wrote. I fear that any faithful followers I may have had at one point, have probably abandoned whatever remaining allegiance to my blog they had left...due to inactivity. Sorry for being so inactive and absent lately. Needless to say, much has happened in the last month. So, I'll do my best to write about some of the most interesting and important things that have happened. :) <div><br /></div><div>I arrived here July 4. So tomorrow is the three month anniversary of "Carly moves to Korea day" for me!! Its starting to hit me that time is just zooming past me...seems like the weeks have flown by. Almost too quickly. I've already done 1/4 of my year contract. This is both exciting and sad for me. Exciting because its feeling more and more like home and its nice not to be the new girl anymore. :) Sad because I quite like it here, and the thought of it finishing too quickly is unwanted. Also, its hard thinking about next year, because I have no idea what's next for me. No idea. Whenever life is great, I have this sense of wanting to hold onto it...to clench my fists and not let go. To slow down time and somehow control it. To try to draw out the good moments...to make them last. The quick passing of time reminds me of our immortality. And how each moment can only happen once. Each experience is temporary. And our spectrum of control in life is so small, despite our illusions that we have so much, if not, complete control. Time is just one of those things that brings me back to the wonderful reality that God is the source and sustainer of all that is. My Jesus is all, and I am nothing. I've been reminded of this so much lately, in different ways. </div><div><br /></div><div>Whew. Sorry. I find myself ranting more than even I'm used to on this blog. :) But, it just bubbles out of me, and I have no idea if it makes sense written down, like it does in my head. I feel like this blog has been a good outlet for me, to share some of the ways that God has been good to me, since being here. He's answered prayers. Significant prayers. Ask me about it sometime and I'll give you more specifics! And He's given me so many opportunities that have been challenging and faith-growing, in unexpected ways. Recently, I found myself in one of these situations, when I sat by a canadian guy on the bus. Conversation turned from the usual things that are talked about when you meet another foreigner..." where do you teach? how long have you been here? etc." to faith and religion. He told me some of his thoughts about religion (some of them quite bizarre and disturbing). He also told me that he'd read the Bible three times. Umm, wow. I was floored. And wondered, "what would possess someone who doesn't believe that the Bible God's revelation to us to read it from over to cover?" I had been convicted pretty strongly, not too long before this conversation, about how reluctant I am to talk about my faith with others who have conflicting or different views. And how unprepared I often feel to express well why I hope in Jesus and the richness and color that knowing Him has added to my life. And, I felt pretty inadequate in this conversation...like all the words that came out were empty and unconvincing. I thought, Holy Spirit, "why don't you come through in those kinds of situations, when I really need you, and make Yourself sound good? I'm not doing a very good job of convincing" And afterwards, God showed me a few things. And totally answered my prayers. First of all, although disciplines, like reading the Bible completely, aren't necessary in our faith, they can help our witness. Also, he brought me back to the truth that walking with Him is all or nothing. Maybe I struggle because I don't practice talking about him. Maybe I struggle talking about Jesus because I'm clinging to my own desires and not clinging closely enough to him. Maybe I don't talk about Him because I'm not as close and intimate with Him as I would like to be. Maybe I struggle because I squelch the Spirits soft prods and nudges. Not that reading the Bible three times in any way brings one closer to God. Reading it will do you no good if the Holy Spirit isn't at work within you. But, I do have the Spirit in me. And I haven't read it. Not all of it. I thought a lot about that talk after the fact, and decided that this year I'm going to read the Bible. So, that is my current mission. I just finished week one of a "read-the-Bible-in-a-year" plan. And I'm pumped. Im already learning new things. I am really excited to be diving into the Bible. And mostly, excited to learn more about God. I love John 17:3. It says, "Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." I'm excited to know Him more. We'll see how I feel once I start Leviticus. :)</div><div><br /></div><div>Ok...moving on. So, mountains. Last week was Korean thanksgiving, which is called Chuseok. It is a really big holiday here. It consists of many of the same things as our thanksgiving holiday (minus football of course). They eat lots of food, travel long distances to be with family, etc. Chuseok originally began as a celebration of thanksgiving for the harvest. I'd say the most significant difference is that they practice ancestor worship on theres. It was strange to have so many students tell me that what they did for Chuseok was bow down to their ancestors. Its not a wierd or taboo thing here at all. I've heard that the older generations are much more into ancestor worship than the younger generations, but they still take part in it. Respect for elders and for family ties is so engrained in the culture and in the way that people think. I really respect this part of the culture. Its challenging to know how to respond to things like this. I think the best thing to do is pray. At least, thats a good place to start. Its interesting because it seems to be a much more spiritual culture (in that most people believe in a spiritual realm) than western cultures...but, it seems like a lot of people aren't really devout. Like Buddhism and ancestor worship tend to be more cultural than spiritual practices. Maybe. Just the way it seems to me. So it was interesting experiencing that. For the holiday, I went up to the northern part of Korea fairly close to the North Korean border. There's a national park up there that we heard was beautiful and there is a great hiking mountain on it. So, I went with a few friends for three days. We did a very long, steep hike that made our legs shake and our sweat glands come alive, but it was worth every bit! It was absolutely gorgeous. Reminded me a bit of Yosemite in CA, but was very unique and different from anything i've ever seen. There were some temples along the way (most mountains are covered with a plethora of buddhist temples)...and some shelters that you could stay in along the way. We tried to make it to the highest peak, which was only about 10 km...but we decided against it at the second highest peak, when we were just 1.5 km away. We knew we wouldn't be back by dark, and the hike was steep and slippery due to the misty, drizzly weather. It was steeper than we thought...a lot steeper! People thought we were crazy for trying to do it all in one day...apparently most people do the shelter thing when going all the way to the top. They also thought we were crazy, I'm sure, because we didn't have any of the right gear: hiking poles, hiking boots, visors, color coordinating jackets, pants and backpacks...etc. Koreans love their gear. But, we were glad we did it. :) Great to be with friends and get away. Great to see more of korea...which has so many beautiful places.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, that was Chuseok. Lovely. Now for the banana bread. I have been missing baking and the eating of the baked goods, since being here. Since I am without an oven here, I decided to be creative and try the steaming method. I had heard from some other foreigners how to bake using a steamer on the stovetop, and so it wasn't really all that creative of me. I was just following in others' footsteps. I got a banana bread recipe from them, and it turned out scrumptious. It was even more moist than it is oven-style. It didn't taste quite right (due to differences in ingredients, like no vanilla, and funky butter i think)...but it still hit the spot. I ate most of it in less than two days. I also brought some to school, and shared the wonder of banana bread with my coworkers:) So, I am happy that I have now figured out how to steam things...and am excited to try more "baked" treats. Off to bed. Hope to write soon again. Much love. </div>Carly Janellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00275757539910430849noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587848686177000228.post-20184755186044382202010-08-23T20:01:00.000-07:002010-08-23T20:21:09.667-07:00Cheryl Lynn<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27jfbkEXN8gsKNudd8om8Db-bCRZh-Z0OC5WQYOzjvsTqu0o9wNVQg52MLYC1s8mJY1maVWDLmwpBHrawC9dfTOCIIlLz-cJpl9YaAAHQL62GeFTlKXR_V_TzqXf7CKgs6QlHjeMDZBo/s1600/02+-+February+-+Family+3+-+Rockford.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 210px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27jfbkEXN8gsKNudd8om8Db-bCRZh-Z0OC5WQYOzjvsTqu0o9wNVQg52MLYC1s8mJY1maVWDLmwpBHrawC9dfTOCIIlLz-cJpl9YaAAHQL62GeFTlKXR_V_TzqXf7CKgs6QlHjeMDZBo/s320/02+-+February+-+Family+3+-+Rockford.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508809552439628962" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">1998..the same year she died.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmCwgynHR0EqlacfdIvklQkopFwM0vkYAhGNdTT1sekdx77RmRb8dc7aUkZNEBYMuc-QrK6XTxQlAiLqelbh6HEwaQTVOtVlKtBoO5YcHhI0SweM3Z7GKotv5QBayx61GuDxOPF28wKfs/s320/10+-+October+-+Mom,+Kait,+Car,+and+Jon+-+Kait%27s+Birthday+-+Ro.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Today (well, yesterday in korea--today in the states) is the 12 year anniversary since my mom died. Hard to believe its been so long. I have been thinking a lot about her...and about all that has happened since she left this world. This summer as I was getting ready to move to Korea, I did a whole lot of packing and sorting and getting rid of. It was a very emotional process. As I rummaged through boxes I rummaged through my memories. Memories from different phases of life. Looking at pictures, old dolls, notes, memorabilia, souvenirs brought me back to places i hadn't thought about in a long time. I stumbled across some things of my moms. Wedding pictures. Notes. Cards. Her diary. The funeral program. Letters that people wrote us after she died. I was reminded that I will always miss her. Even after years and years go by. I will always remember her. I remember her laugh...she was kind of known for her laugh. It was LOUD. And full of joy! And she always found ways to laugh at things that others might find annoying or menacing. During one of her chemo sessions when she was completely bald, my little brother Jon (who was 7 at the time) said, "mom, you look like an alien. i'm sorry you look like that." She just laughed. I am sure she is still laughing in heaven...filled with more joy than she ever had in this life. I can't wait to meet her again. Life is but a breathe. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2A9lse1C1GVtNH7IVBXeK6MJ4LsvkBcNyiK0TdCnr_QQ9m6WJoMWaIxzQ1hawN8VGQoKadc11kXdx4qDkNmSVtP4_cXPAfZ7QNpeeBpTzt_8iKHndsyM0lo5nXbkfaRWyNhmLruoC6c/s320/10+-+October+-+Mom+and+Carly+-+Rockford.jpg" /></div>Carly Janellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00275757539910430849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587848686177000228.post-334383222506105552010-08-23T09:11:00.000-07:002010-08-23T09:12:54.818-07:00thankful.<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;color:black;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span>Alright, so first off, originally the the previous post and this post were one. But it got too long! So this is the second half! So, I need to apologize for the lack of updates. I have really been slacking...I think its a sign that things are starting to normalize. And feel less bizarre and foreign...and somehow less worth writing about. I know that’s not true...even the most ordinary things are worth writing about. Life, no matter how "ordinary" is a gift from our maker. I’ve been reminded recently that even the most ordinary experiences are meant to be spiritual, and therefore beautiful. Because so much of how we experience life has to do with our perspective…with how we approach each situation, each conversation, each moment.<span> </span>Each moment is an opportunity to know God deeper. To love him more fully. To learn. To grow. To love others. To bring healing. And ultimately to be Christ in a very dark and broken world. Gosh, how amazing. And also, what a calling. It reminds me of the verse in Ephesians (4:1) that says “I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” Wow. I’ve read that so many times, but lately I have been just amazed at how great and how difficult our calling is. As a person who knows Jesus and claims to be his follower, I am called to be his presence here in earth. To do what he would do. Say what he would say. I feel so inadequate. But thankfully, that’s ok. I’ve been reading Francis Chan’s book <i>Forgotten God</i> about the Holy Spirit, and he talks about how incredible it is that God gave us the gift of his Spirit. So that we could have God’s presence among us always, even after he left this earth. And his Spirit wants to empower us to do the impossible. To overcome our fear. To overcome our sin. To overcome whatever comes into our path. So, although I’m in <st1:country-region st="on">Korea</st1:country-region>, I’m finding that the things that have brought me the MOST joy are not things that I could only experience in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Korea</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Rather, they are moments where I get glimpses of God and glimpses of the vision that God has for me. But, being here has challenges me and brought about a lot of growth. I think being here on my own has really given God space to work. I’ve been hungering for him more and spending more time in prayer than I have in a long time. I’m really grateful.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;color:black;"><span></span><span></span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span>So now, for the <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">Korea</st1:country-region></st1:place> update. I've been here almost two months now. Does that sound as crazy to you as it does to me? Two months is barely enough time to fully get used to a completely new way of life. Or to understand a completely foreign and complex culture. Or to adjust to the absence of wonderful people in my life. Or to build deep, meaningful, pee-in-front-of-each- other, vulnerable kinds of friends. Kindreds. But, to build those kinds of roots takes time and hard work. And even with time, rich relationships like that don't just come along everyday. And I'm not expecting to feel that rooted here...probably even in a year. Although its not impossible.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;color:black;">But, I feel that now, I have some roots. They don't go super deep and they are pretty fragile...but they are there. I have begun to understand snippets of Korean culture. I have gotten to know people, and hear bits and pieces of their stories. I've laughed with my coworkers. I’ve gotten to know my students. I’ve seen some beautiful places. I’ve gotten used to some of the things that used to seem so strange (like live eels squirming around in little tubs of water at the outdoor markets). The guy who sells fruits and veggies near my apartment now recognizes me, and shouts a korean greeting to me when I walk by. I am no longer a complete stranger here. I have started to feel more "at home" here and am excited to continue to be rooted in this place. I am really loving my new home.</span></span></p>Carly Janellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00275757539910430849noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587848686177000228.post-19354511684206877292010-08-23T05:55:00.000-07:002010-08-23T09:11:21.232-07:00what i've been up to<div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> H</span>ere’s a quick summary of what I’ve been up to lately. Still teaching (obviously), and really, really enjoying it. I still have much to learn, but I feel a lot more comfortable teaching. The kids are really adorable..mostly. I love being and working with kids everyday. They are so uninhibited. And always keep me on my toes! Its never boring, that’s for sure.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I look forward<span class="apple-style-span"><span style=" ;font-family:Georgia;color:black;"> to getting to know them better. I had a week long vacation at the end of July, and I went to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Seoul</st1:place></st1:city> to visit my friend Ana from high school. It was so good to be with her and to have a break. Not like I had been here long enough to merit a vacation, but hey, I had to so I made sure that I enjoyed it. </span><span style="color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Wingdings, serif;">:) </span></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;color:black;">We visited a lot of historical sites and saw some beautiful architecture. We went to an amusement park called “S<st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">eoul</st1:place></st1:city> Land” and had a blast riding the miniature and slightly sketchy rides. Apparently its one of the oldest parks in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">korea</st1:place></st1:country-region>, so i<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;color:black;">t reminded me a little of peruvian fairs…a few notches above those. We talked and ate some delicious food and successfully got ourselves from a to b on the crazy <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">seoul</st1:place></st1:city> subway system. The next weekend, I was able to visit my cousin, Erik, who lives and also teaches English in Busan. Busan is the second biggest city in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Korea</st1:place></st1:country-region> on the coast. He's going on his second year here, so he is pretty connected in Busan. It was fun to meet his friends and just to be with family! We went</span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGA-AHK5nZHcCbW9fBoM1ybss5_S8R1oGoqAEHOVd9gs72luyODGGcTr6ig80hsOXKUQg3qkL0dRGzV2QlJtgp7LsLwOrIXJrpNEnVCWQYMcvBh34n4Krlu4b1vClcCQ-PcP-N6_o1fvA/s200/P1000993.JPG" /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style=" ;font-family:Georgia;color:black;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;color:black;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;color:black;">to the most cro<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;color:black;">wded bea<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;color:black;">ch I<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;color:black;">’ve ever been to…where people wore life vests in waste deep water. And life guards blew their whistles when people <span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;color:black;">got too near the rope which prevented people from going past waste-deep.</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Georgia;color:black;"> I made friends with a shop keeper near my house, who has really taken me under her wing. She is single and older and a christian…and speaks great English. She lived in New Zeeland for seven years. I pop in her shop a lot to chat, and we eat dinner together sometimes. Among other things, I went to a baseball game last weekend with some friends from the church I’ve been attending. It was my first baseball game ever. Kind of ironic. :) Daegu’s team won with flying colors…so that was a lot of fun. I also got a visit from a friend who went to Calvin with me, Gina, who recently moved to a city right outside of Daegu. She stayed with me this past weekend with me. It was wonderful and so refreshing! I’m thankful God has placed her nearby! I have found some really wonderful people here, and I am excited to continue building new relationships. Oh, almost forgot to mention that this weekend I had my first experience with Korean karaoke…called noreabang. It was wonderful. Why haven't we adopted this in the states? you get your own private room with comfy couches, microphones, a big screen and even a bathroom (though ours was only for men. not very female friendly!). I’m also learning some Korean…and can now successfully read most things. I still have no idea what they say, but hey, it’s a step. Will write more later. much love!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style=" ;font-family:Georgia;color:black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style=" ;font-family:Georgia;color:black;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p></div>Carly Janellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00275757539910430849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587848686177000228.post-60961631433401348072010-07-24T08:38:00.001-07:002010-07-24T09:01:24.650-07:00grubs & soju. korean specialities.<div style="text-align: center;">We went out for some drinks and a bite to eat one night after work. This is Carrie, another teacher at my school. She is lovely!</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHGItJna9iNctQXstj66Ywdv-3wdQvtBDLodxZpg8j0lw5oqbvbsgayPmwWzlbXH3xr378OnourxMO0XauEsvNgrWTqqSw2yQcnJdqZX3GG4yfzwxkVrcgRGQkli8gx9KPXNjrvdlmObk/s1600/P1000671.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHGItJna9iNctQXstj66Ywdv-3wdQvtBDLodxZpg8j0lw5oqbvbsgayPmwWzlbXH3xr378OnourxMO0XauEsvNgrWTqqSw2yQcnJdqZX3GG4yfzwxkVrcgRGQkli8gx9KPXNjrvdlmObk/s320/P1000671.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497500321089297586" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Joey and Stella, the directors of my Hogwan. They introduced me to bandegi...which are silk worm cacoons. They also introduced me to soju (a very strong liquor which tastes very much like rubbing alcohol!) I'm told its an acquired taste. yuck! </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_zlLQm6YhuHwWhyvy5sDgbj89ZDEHIT9lH_rkADgkiuAJj3HpsB3fnTUDIZ6EO-pfmOzlP-yUNJVBkhBNGykKymOYklDDeA5D__DJ3JbuXeL_yaJlyN4K_jOtt_vdxaL5Sl1lE2OatVE/s1600/P1000673.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_zlLQm6YhuHwWhyvy5sDgbj89ZDEHIT9lH_rkADgkiuAJj3HpsB3fnTUDIZ6EO-pfmOzlP-yUNJVBkhBNGykKymOYklDDeA5D__DJ3JbuXeL_yaJlyN4K_jOtt_vdxaL5Sl1lE2OatVE/s320/P1000673.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497500310853740274" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Here they are. yummmmm. They actually have a really good flavor. I might venture to eat them again, but for now, one was enough! </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Wyw2VOuPI1wtOG7YZpZLLiIRwl-awUNFSj-XaECZS74MEH-64i0z5QzbC67w929WYtw7WMbYx1M0LlefxZ_gM-wo2RqmASBYOjRpdfQTDL1poDkh1cTlSiLGi4oalk-6Bv9egI0WYZU/s1600/P1000672.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Wyw2VOuPI1wtOG7YZpZLLiIRwl-awUNFSj-XaECZS74MEH-64i0z5QzbC67w929WYtw7WMbYx1M0LlefxZ_gM-wo2RqmASBYOjRpdfQTDL1poDkh1cTlSiLGi4oalk-6Bv9egI0WYZU/s320/P1000672.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497500298786229506" /></a><br /><div><br /></div>Carly Janellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00275757539910430849noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587848686177000228.post-56740667185267955422010-07-24T08:01:00.000-07:002010-07-24T08:37:30.168-07:00week 3. teaching. living. learning.<p class="MsoNormal">Week 3 in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Korea</st1:place></st1:country-region>!!! I’ve now been here for about two and a half weeks. It is starting to feel a bit more permanent here, but still kind of dream-like. I don’t think I’ve fully accepted that this is my new home. I think part of what makes it hard is that I started “normal life” (working a full time job, living in an apartment, buying groceries) so quickly, but still feel really disconnected in many ways. I don’t really have a community here yet…and I’m missing my people back home!! The language barrier is quite difficult as well. Its hard even going to a restaurant by myself…what on earth do I order? I rule out places that don’t have pictures! I have met people, made some friends (Korean and American), but still mostly feel that I’m on my own here. During the week, I don’t see too many people other than my coworkers and students. The quite time has been nice in some ways. I’ve done a lot of reading. Read <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Princess Bride</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Left to Tell</i> and am reading <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Radical Reformission. </i>I’ve also been praying a lot and have had time to think about things that were easier to shove aside when life was fuller with friendships, events, socializing, and school. When life was more comfortable, some of the harder, deeper things in my life were easier to ignore. Things like doubts, convictions, questions, things I don’t understand, dreams, hopes…etc. And I’m thankful for time to meditate. To question. To work out my faith with fear and trembling. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>There are days, like thursday, where teaching is hard. Ugh. And frustrating. Sometimes it’s the kids. They are a handful…and drive me nuts (not always…they are really cute and wonderful and great plenty of the time)! But other times its me. I feel that I have so much to learn as a teacher. Still figuring out how to teach well. Its so frustrating and discouraging when the kids seem bored/unenthused/bouncing off the walls/totally disengaged (you get the picture). I just wanna make sure that I’m doing the best I can to make class interesting. One of my worst fears is being boring. I remember what it was like to have boring teachers! So I’m trying really hard to explain the material, teach it well, and do it in a way that is engaging. And even fun. I think that good teachers can make learning something that is life-giving and inspiring. I remember teachers like that. But right now I’m still at the “just keep total chaos from breaking out and get through the material” stage. <span style="font-family:Wingdings;mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-hansi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-char-type:symbol; mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings"><span style="mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings">J</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>I also feel like I’d enjoy it more if I felt more prepared, and I had more tools under my belt. I’m amazed at all the little games that Carrie, one of my coworkers, busts out. She has a game for everything! And the kids love them. The problem is, I don’t know many games. Hangman. I can do that! Where do you learn those though??! Do teachers just have a knack for knowing a bazillion children’s games? The kiddos are teaching me some of their favorites, and I’m picking some up from other teachers. But, games aside, I feel that I’m learning more about myself…the good, bad and the ugly. I realize that I can get way too worried and down and overwhelmed and perfectionistic. Especially when you get little to no feedback..and I think that happens a lot in teaching. So, I’ve been praying that I’d keep learning how to do this whole teaching thing. And living in another country by myself thing. And how to trust in God, who has empowered us to do more than we can imagine. Even when we’re unsure. Especially when we’re unsure.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>More than anything, my heart goes out to these kids. They are on summer vacation right now, yet still have incredibly packed days, going from one hogwan to the next, to English camp, to tae-kwon-do, piano. It goes on. One kid was falling asleep today in my class. And I called him out on it a couple of times, but just felt like I was doing a bad job of teaching. After class he told me that he woke up at 6 am this morning and had had a really long day. Poor guy. So, although discouraging for me at times, I’m reminded that these kids have a <st1:place st="on">LOT</st1:place> on their plates. And English is just one more thing, for many of them. They’d probably much rather be off playing in the dirt and roaming their neighborhood with pals. Also, these kids are under serious pressure. So, although some days its hard, I am excited to learn more about this country and the people here. To learn about teaching. To learn more about who I am, what I’m good at, what I’m terrible at, what gets me excited, what I feel passionate about, etc. And mostly excited to learn more about my role in helping bring about God’s kingdom…err…shalom (thank you <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Calvin</st1:placename> <st1:placename st="on">College</st1:placename></st1:place> for permanently engraving this word into me). I’m more and more overwhelmed that God wants us…me… to take part in the process of healing, redeeming and bringing life and justice. I am every bit the same as the rest of creation…broken, twisted, hurting, sinful and desperately in need of God’s grace and renewal. His mercies are new every morning. Thankyou Lord. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span></p>Carly Janellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00275757539910430849noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587848686177000228.post-54027765945519743532010-07-09T18:10:00.000-07:002010-07-09T18:34:33.082-07:00my journey across the pacific.<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd5Qns0XJN3Iy-wropg3FDdAWeCEwJHms2AYqKX7aWY7fRGyqIhL_jvCf6UnEwWXQ6qcTiEK8UCuqwmGHwWolSlO4TcjXhnzpvEmLFWbcBp84jnUpWG96Re3iTvti247ZHSUGEIS1030k/s1600/P1000591.JPG"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxUYbSSp4dlqBn_RA2uvBO4q5YH9ft-oBTzvxTHmvZDdLUl0KxSG9K2eLEdOcMAYIEG0BHU90eygrv7IyeBfgL7lU9zpXspp0jSgr6tocLykejrtJOFQWj7p51aq0SHe-JiaFDeoaZqzc/s1600/P1000568.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxUYbSSp4dlqBn_RA2uvBO4q5YH9ft-oBTzvxTHmvZDdLUl0KxSG9K2eLEdOcMAYIEG0BHU90eygrv7IyeBfgL7lU9zpXspp0jSgr6tocLykejrtJOFQWj7p51aq0SHe-JiaFDeoaZqzc/s320/P1000568.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492083702703666962" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal">Anyo Haseo!! That’s how you say hello in Korean (and happens to be one of the few Korean words in my vocab…although I’m learning new words everyday!). Well it is now Saturday morning here in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Korea</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Hard to believe I’ve already been here nearly a week! It has been jam packed with so much…I feel that I have so much to write about already.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">My trip here was incredibly long. I left <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Rockford</st1:place></st1:city>, at 3 AM on Saturday (July 3) with my two very large bags and headed out to the airport. My parents had already planned a trip to <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Virginia</st1:place></st1:state> to visit my dad’s family, and because my trip was delayed week, they weren’t able to be at the airport when I left. Ben and I drove off at that ungodly hour and got <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:city> in plenty of time for my 7 AM flight. One of my bags was nearly 10 lbs. overweight. Oops! Being a light packer has never been a strength of mine. I managed to do some rearranging and it worked out just fine. <span style="font-family:Wingdings;mso-ascii-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings;">J</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I flew to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">San Francisco</st1:place></st1:city> first, had a short layover there, made some quick phone calls to say last minute goodbyes, and boarded the plane. Destination…<st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Seoul</st1:city>, <st1:country-region st="on">Korea</st1:country-region></st1:place>. It finally started sinking in (a little late, huh?) when I boarded that last plane, that I was really leaving. And I was going far. All the way across the <st1:place st="on">Pacific Ocean</st1:place>. Oh my. I sat next to a guy that I was convinced was some sort of secret agent. He looked the part. When asked what he did, he replied with a vague “I work for the government…department of defense.” Suspicious, don’t you think?! Anyways, he grew up in <st1:country-region st="on">Korea</st1:country-region> because his dad was in the military, and we had some friendly chit-chat about life in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Korea</st1:place></st1:country-region>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Unfortunately, I was in the emergency exit row- so the only view I had was of the wing. Dangit. But on my next flight I got to see a bit of the Korean countryside, and the brightly colored rooftops when we landed. My travel agent decided to have me switch airports in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Seoul</st1:place></st1:city>. They told me not to worry, it was really very simple to get from one to the other! After I went through customs, got my bags, searched for the shuttle bus to the other airport, arrived at the other airport, and got in line, I only had 5 minutes till my flight left!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So I missed it! I then attempted to use a pay phone to call my recruiter (who hooked me up with my current job). Amidst this process of looking for a phone, and trying to communicate with people who kept telling me different things and pointing in different directions, I had a small meltdown. A few tears were shed. And then I was fine. =)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I made it safely to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Pusan</st1:place></st1:city> (a large port city about an hour away from where I’m living). My last leg of the trip was an hour bus ride to Daegu (my city), where I was pleasantly surprised to meet a fellow American! She is also a teacher here, and we exchanged numbers. She is going to show me around Daegu later today.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd5Qns0XJN3Iy-wropg3FDdAWeCEwJHms2AYqKX7aWY7fRGyqIhL_jvCf6UnEwWXQ6qcTiEK8UCuqwmGHwWolSlO4TcjXhnzpvEmLFWbcBp84jnUpWG96Re3iTvti247ZHSUGEIS1030k/s320/P1000591.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492083706236949362" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">My first week here was a whirlwind. I got to my apartment on Sunday night and started teaching Monday morning! After a 20+ hour trip, I went to bed at midnight and woke up at 5 AM thanks to the jetlag. I got out of bed around 9 am and had myself some cornflakes and coffee in a French press. My director filled my fridge with random food items…such as cornflakes, milk, tomatoes, bread and peanut butter! I journaled, read my Bible, talked with God and felt an incredible peace about being here. Thankyou Lord! I knew that was from Him, because the previous day I had felt very anxious. My directors (Stella and Joey) were wonderful from the very beginning. They and their three adorable kids met me at the bus station. They are both very wonderful. And I am thankful!</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Monday I had a few hours to sit with the other teachers on staff (all Korean, all so great!). They gave me a quick briefing on what to do. I am teaching classes ranging from kindergarten through 8<sup>th</sup> grade, with a wide range of English abilities. On M, W, and F I teach about 8 classes that are 40 min. each. On T, TH I only teach four. So I have some down time/prep time, which is very nice. Some students have great English, while others don’t really seem to understand much of anything that I’m saying! It is hard to see them get really frustrated and discouraged because they don’t understand. It can be a bit difficult. But it is motivating me to learn Korean! This whole week I felt pretty unprepared. Everyday I had a different schedule with different classes. So there is much to learn! Sigh. But I made it through, and I think that the hardest week is over! And I am happy to be here. Continued prayers would be much appreciated!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Below: One of the diretor's kids...Cathy & I in front of the world cup stadium </p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglAtN8AbUmw3y6pDEHiDXyDHizgEEsOBCDGbZVJM6NrlafOFNnzKZ5sJlhgIBzpG_Tn9vSvXSmogBaBP94Q2ZBqrFrxYujI6iTW2LEj4HLaM2trVf2YjrNfbq0u9vWC50JcuBveyavOr4/s1600/P1000614.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglAtN8AbUmw3y6pDEHiDXyDHizgEEsOBCDGbZVJM6NrlafOFNnzKZ5sJlhgIBzpG_Tn9vSvXSmogBaBP94Q2ZBqrFrxYujI6iTW2LEj4HLaM2trVf2YjrNfbq0u9vWC50JcuBveyavOr4/s320/P1000614.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492083725085311570" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijwD0d4oYPZE1UDw-XlsrTsIuO_P1LyUT7pZ8y7K8BCkPJaspPAZZScaZEPDWmmZDoCKYs9-QHtYutQsTBZcWQZpO410B3KnSG9wrIFChI3UNFMAwRmQ9bEAGXY2EG7iop55NOWOhP7mA/s1600/P1000611.JPG"></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijwD0d4oYPZE1UDw-XlsrTsIuO_P1LyUT7pZ8y7K8BCkPJaspPAZZScaZEPDWmmZDoCKYs9-QHtYutQsTBZcWQZpO410B3KnSG9wrIFChI3UNFMAwRmQ9bEAGXY2EG7iop55NOWOhP7mA/s1600/P1000611.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijwD0d4oYPZE1UDw-XlsrTsIuO_P1LyUT7pZ8y7K8BCkPJaspPAZZScaZEPDWmmZDoCKYs9-QHtYutQsTBZcWQZpO410B3KnSG9wrIFChI3UNFMAwRmQ9bEAGXY2EG7iop55NOWOhP7mA/s320/P1000611.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492083716313225394" style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;">My new classroom.</div><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Some of my highlights have been:</p> <ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1"> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">Taking the subway downtown with my director, Stella. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">Trying kim chi (the spicy cabbage stuff…its delicious!)</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">Window shopping</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">Seeing women power walking along “exercise trails”…people are really into that here!</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">The street vendors (remind me of <st1:place st="on">South America</st1:place>)</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">learning about “Korean time”, which is much more compatible with me than American time! (anyone who knows me will know what this means;)</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list .5in">Students with English names (they pick them) such as “King”, “<st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Texas</st1:place></st1:state>” and “Dude.” </li></ol>Carly Janellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00275757539910430849noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587848686177000228.post-16713638370507884642010-07-08T17:31:00.000-07:002010-07-08T18:52:46.970-07:00only in Korea...some things I've noticed<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div><div>*note, this is probably full of ste<span><span></span></span>reotypes, as most of my conclusions are based off of one (or a very limited number of experiences!) read with a grain of salt.</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5DB-QtkgbAGcZe4sfgDhzXWONQmNr_DD9Ph6iZLIq5b65AUfMXd3SL8CYy5_TE86Xvizlp-rKoHldVcp2CSf19omisFIEcpQKMcmR5pjMdRpo0vWw0mH1usE3HoOILkRU0DtrbTyKR8c/s320/P1000590.JPG" /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPNOMADSr3VOsyY4mYpK3Bl7H5pgZPIIxSwr3RbkK3PxjtWspT5dOM63dHZEacUPbcrU6a4SlWQOrfU9RUUKiBT6N7dVYRYEJqjCaiSxfR5D-AdGeaTUPuzZkag6CPFOGxZKAjtQLjSA/s320/P1000605.JPG" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>1. strange english messages on apparel/signs (pretty much anything that has english on it tends to be kind of bizarre).<div>2. colorful rooftops. (it looks really cool from above...next time you fly over korea look out your window!)</div><div>3. when you are in large groups of people, it is strangely quiet.</div><div>4. korean soap opera's (called dramas) are JUST like telenovalas.</div><div>5. "warning high heels" message before getting on escalators (brilliant..why don't we warn heel-wearing girls of the danger that likely awaits them?)</div><div>6. everyone here is so trendyand petite!</div><div>7. they drive on the same side of the road.</div><div>8. whatever you do, don't cross the yellow line at the subway station. you will be yelled at!</div><div>9. koreans are very welcoming.</div><div>10. no ovens! (at least in my apartment)</div><div>11. my life will be much easier if I learn korean</div><div>12. karaoke bars are all the rage.</div><div>13. there is a small mountain that people climb up for exercise right in the city ...with an outdoor gym at the top of it! </div><div>14. when koreans offer you something (food, a gift) just say thankyou!</div><div>15. kim pap shops are the place to go for food. </div><div>16. kim chi is quite good!</div><div>17. koreans are big into sharing things (food, etc.)</div><div>18. the korean alphabet is called hangul. the vowel symbols were formed after heaven, ground and people, while the consonant symbols were formed after voice organs (like lips, throat and tongue). it sounds confusing, but it actually makes sense when you see the symbols!</div><div>19. the world cup stadium is awesome!</div><div>20. Christians hand out free stuff all the time (while going for a walk with my director, they handed us hand wipes and free iced coffee!). i was informed by another foreigner that this is normal.</div><div>21. korean kids are adorable.</div><div>22. capris amongst korean guys are very popular.</div><div>23. heated toilet seats. (also brilliant!)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizuroc2UGv2snA7_w8aBW3FpJyufp1m79Uj8MVi_lnExrB9wt2Yu0HFElLcLkBw5S1wLr5r1HG1DXUt9uLU05g-XteGwu8ybQbaWZnLENCcLFxOnIioIanodRF-ro3-_uVVU8ZCQW58ZM/s320/P1000585.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491710539050330978" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div><br /></div><div> Thats all for now. I'm sure i'll had more to this list later!</div><div><br /></div></div>Carly Janellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00275757539910430849noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587848686177000228.post-10754074423329084742010-06-25T12:22:00.000-07:002010-06-25T12:59:26.107-07:00first blog everMy dear friends. <div><br /></div><div>If you are reading this, it is because you are one of the people that I love, a lot :) I'm making this blog for you, and you alone. I want to be as up close and personal as possible on this thing...and I think by keeping it smallish, I will be able to do that more easily.<br /><div><br /></div><div>This is my first blog ever. Woohoo! It was much easier than expected to set this thing up, and for that I am grateful. I'm very much lacking in internet/technology savy-ness (word?), but so far, I think I've got the hang of this blog thing. My goal is to use this blog, first of all to process all that I am experiencing. Second of all, it is to help keep me connected to you, though I will be half way around the world. That is the thing that i am most sad/nervous about, is leaving everyone that I love so dearly behind. Hence, the blog. Hopefully it will serve its purpose well. I guess that is up to me, huh? I will do my best to write in here at least fairly regularly. Fingers crossed. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, for right now, I continue to be in limbo, while I wait for my journey to Korea. I'm living at home in Rockford, Illinois with my family, and am enjoying it immensely! I have been doing a lot of sorting, tossing (greatly reducing the amt. of belongings that I own, which feels great), sleeping, world cup watching, weeding (which happens to be incredibly difficult. Or maybe its not, i'm just in BAD shape! Walking has been a challenge as a result ) and spending time with family and friends. This past weekend we had a garage sale, and I was recruited to help man that. It was a lot of work, but really successful and fun too! </div><div><br /></div><div>The original plan was to leave for S. Korea today, June 25. However, due to how fast this whole process has been with me graduating only a month ago (we couldn't start the visa process until after I had proof that I had graduated) combined with some visa complications, my departure date has been postponed to July 3. Which gives me a little more time to get things ready on this end. And that is nice! The problem is that because I am arriving a week later than anticipated, the guy that I am replacing who was supposed to give me a brief (3 day) training will already be back in England. So, now I will arrive Sunday night and begin teaching monday morning! Who needs training anyways? I'm trying to see this as an adventure and not be too thrown off by the complications/delays. I'm sure I could use prayer for my initial adjustment there...and that I will be coherent for my students!</div><div><br /></div><div>Ok. Well, that's all for now. I am excited about this new blog! I want to hear from you all too! Please write/leave comments/facebook post or message me. I want to know about your lives too. </div><div><br /></div><div>much love, </div><div><br /></div><div>Carly</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Carly Janellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00275757539910430849noreply@blogger.com3