So these past few weeks I have been staying busy with work and traveling. I went to a music street festival, it was pretty cool the bars were packed with foreigners and acoustic music and cheap drinks. I got to go to a River for the weekend, BBQ, beer pong and soju drinking games with a couple coworkers and a Korean teacher and her Korean friends. It was a fun weekend and It was really beautiful. I have never been on a speedboat or tubing or anything cool like that. So I got to do that and just be out of the city and enjoying some good food and good times.
So I have seen many different things, people and places in my short amount of time here. I think that I am blessed to have been surrounded by such great and fun people. I am also pretty fortunate that I live in a city that has somewhat of a foreign population, a lot of military and teachers in the area. So when I go downtown and walk through the market not everyone is Korean (not that it’s a bad thing, but at times an overwhelming thing). I miss seeing a variety of people, all shapes, sizes and colors. Here it can be pretty repetitive, but thankfully there are 10 foreign teachers at my school alone, so that really helps break it up. Coming from LA--where everyone is so different to here can at times transmit a sort of culture shock for me.
The hardest part to get used to here is all the staring. These people stare at you like you are an alien, it’s pretty crazy. Now, if I were back home I would say something to them, but here they wouldn't understand or they would think I am the rudest person that they have ever met. I know I am tall, tan, crazy hair and not skinny--facts I will openly state, but sometimes they stare at me like "Do you know what you look like?" why yes, yes I do haha. It doesn't hurt my feelings, it’s just annoying. I have come to a point especially if they are people my age that when they stare at me I stare right back and they don't really like that, for the most part. Haha
But being here right now is honestly exactly where I am supposed to be. Yeah I miss my family and friends back home, but I know they love me and are always there for me, holding on to that thought and the faith that I have in Jesus helps me through the days or moments of doubt of myself and my decision I have made. The letters, emails, Skype phone sessions or just even little mentions on Face book—mean more to me now than ever before SO thank you friends for the moments of encouragement and love!
Peace and Love :)
"The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart."- Elizabeth Foley
ps. I finally got my alien card, so I am no longer an illegal citizen haha and I even got a phone (a pretty cool one at that!)
Monday, June 6, 2011
only in korea.
So there are some things here that I have never seen anywhere else--some acts of kindness, some rude and some just downright strange!
-So the kind: that they treat their elderly with so much kindness and respect (as far as I have seen). For example: we are on a crowded subway or bus and an old woman comes on, a younger person will get up and offer them their seats. Its pretty kind, something I would never expect because for the most part they are rude.
-They are very impatient people, like I was on a crowded subway and when getting up from my subway seat to get off people just saw me motioning to get my stuff and they rushed to sit down, didn't even give me a chance to stand up that was so irritating I was like excuse me, can you give me a second to get up and they just kept pushing so I just stood my ground for a second so they couldn't sit haha. That's what they get for being impatient haha.
-Strange: 1. the other day I was walking home from the Market (downtown) and I saw a little kid walking his pet which I thought was his dog but I was wrong, he had his cat on a leash. Never in my life have I seen that one haha.
2. Okay so you know how you can buy fruit from people out of their vans or trucks especially in where we used to live in La Puente...normally it’s the best oranges or fruit. Well they have that here but as they are driving through your neighborhood they are announcing it over an intercom thing. The first time I heard it, I thought we were under attack or something no joke. I don't speak Korean, so how was I supposed to know he was saying fresh fruit haha Man, and you cannot escape those guys! I guess only in Korea.
-So the kind: that they treat their elderly with so much kindness and respect (as far as I have seen). For example: we are on a crowded subway or bus and an old woman comes on, a younger person will get up and offer them their seats. Its pretty kind, something I would never expect because for the most part they are rude.
-They are very impatient people, like I was on a crowded subway and when getting up from my subway seat to get off people just saw me motioning to get my stuff and they rushed to sit down, didn't even give me a chance to stand up that was so irritating I was like excuse me, can you give me a second to get up and they just kept pushing so I just stood my ground for a second so they couldn't sit haha. That's what they get for being impatient haha.
-Strange: 1. the other day I was walking home from the Market (downtown) and I saw a little kid walking his pet which I thought was his dog but I was wrong, he had his cat on a leash. Never in my life have I seen that one haha.
2. Okay so you know how you can buy fruit from people out of their vans or trucks especially in where we used to live in La Puente...normally it’s the best oranges or fruit. Well they have that here but as they are driving through your neighborhood they are announcing it over an intercom thing. The first time I heard it, I thought we were under attack or something no joke. I don't speak Korean, so how was I supposed to know he was saying fresh fruit haha Man, and you cannot escape those guys! I guess only in Korea.
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