I leave Korea in two days, so I decided to do a little touring today with Kelly and her family! It has been so fun to have Kel's family here the past few weeks because it has reminded me of the reasons I love Seoul! Seeing the city through a newcomers eyes helps remind me of what I loved about this city when I first got here. I love to see it through new eyes, it shows me all of things I have become used to that are all so different than my normal life at home.
Yesterday I met up with Kel and her family at the World Cup Stadium. In my entire year here I have not visited the place so I thought I needed to make a trip there to see the thing! It was very impressive. The gardens around the stadium were so amazing! Everything was very well done. We walked around for quite awhile then headed back to their hotel. Kel, Keelan and I went to another market in the area. It made me realize how much I will miss the shopping around here! Everything is so cheap and fun! GRR! =)
We hung out at the hotel last night and just kind of lounged.
This morning we woke up pretty early and headed out to a palace that is next door to the hotel. We watched the changing of the guard which was really cool. There was a table behind us for people to try on Hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) so we all ended up putting some on and taking a ton of pictures. It was really funny. A bunch of random people around starting snapping random pictures of us.
We were rushed out of the outfits because they had to pack up. As soon as we were finished we turned around and saw that there was a group of about 30 nuns gathered in front of the palace. All around us were groups of hundreds of police officers. We finally figured out, with the help of another foreigner, that the nuns and housewives were protesting the deaths of 5 men who had died as a result of police brutality. It was a really interesting protest. There were police buses all around the palace. When we looked closely we realized that the police buses were completely blocking the view of the protest. No one on the other side of the street could even see what was going on. Halfway through the protest the police cut down all the signs that explained what had gone on. The nuns and housewives were very peaceful and did not intend to have a violent protest. It was very interesting to watch.
After that we headed to the Korean War Museum. It was a REALLY interesting museum. It is one of the largest war museums in the world. It had so many examples of all the weapons, planes, missiles etc. that have been used in the various wars. It was such an enormous museum filled with so much history. I was very confused and overwhelmed because the conflicts date back to ancient times and there were so many details for each one. But it was very educational and I am really grateful that I got to go.
Overall it was a great last touristy day in Seoul! I really will miss this place a lot. I love how everyday there is always something new. I will miss the little surprises, even though sometimes they are so frustrating. They make life interesting and I will miss that. I am staying in Kelly's room for the last few days and it has the most beautiful view of the streets at night and it is great reminder that I have just lived in one of the biggest cities in the world for the past year! I didnt know if I could make it at the beginning but it has turned out to be a wonderful year full of unforgettable memories!

Kelly and I went to Itaewon to pick up our visas for Vietnam. We realized it was the Fourth of July and that we were in Itaewon so we decided to stop into the ALL American Diner. It was such a trip! There were American flags all over the place and license plates from all the states. The menu was hysterical with meatloaf, all day breakfast, buffalo wings with every possible sauce etc. Kel and I split a burger. I have to say its the best one I have had in a year! Delicious.. THEN we split a brownie. I have to say its the ONLY one I have had in a year. It was equally as delicious! Overall the Fourth was about as patriotic as I would have liked to get in Seoul!

Kelly and I ventured to Itaewon a week ago so that we could get our visas for our trip to Vietnam. We got to Xanadu (travel agency) and realized neither of us had brought copies of our passport photos! The lady that worked at Xanadu told us that we could go down the street to get them done, but that they were taking a lunch break so we couldnt come back until one. I start teaching at 2 so that wasnt going to work for me but we decided we would rush to get the photos taken and hopefully make it back in time before they took their break. So we ran down the street. The lady at Xanadu told us the place was right next to "Baskin Lobbins". We found it with no problem and ran in quickly to ask about getting our photos done. The man told us the "studio" was upstairs. So.. At home you get your passport photos done at Walgreens where they pull the little screen down in the middle of the store right in front of a shelf of chips, but in KOREA you go to the studio. There in front of us stood a professional photographer, with professional lighting, and one chair in the middle of the room. He told me to take my headband off and sit down. I was DEFINITELY not looking my best for these photos but I really didnt care about them that much. Anyways I sat down and the guy started to tug at my clothes and play with my hair. I gave him my best cheesiest smile and waited for the picture. He then looked at me with an angry face and said "NO OPEN MOUTH SMILE". EXCUSE ME! He finished my pictures, in between my laughs, and I ran downstairs to pay. It ended up costing 17,000 won for the pictures! We have gotten them done in photo booths before for 7,000 so there was NO way I was going to pay that much! So we told him to cancel our pictures and decided to start the search for a photo booth. There ended up being one two subway stops away and everything ended up totally fine. Kel stayed later since she doesnt have to teach until later and we got our VISAS! HOORAY! It was just so interesting that people actually go to professional studios to get their photos done for passports here. Everyone knows that your passport picture, drivers liscence etc. are going to be the worst possible picture ever. We all just have to get over that and move on! =) Overall a great morning of laughs!

I am sitting at school right now, thinking about how it has almost been a year since I moved to Korea. A year ago I was saying all of my goodbyes, and packing everything I could have possibly needed for a year! A year ago I was uncertain, debating whether or not I had made a good decision to move to Korea.
Now that I have lived here a year I can officially say I am grateful for this opportunity. Not only have I learned so much about myself but I have had the amazing chance to learn about another culture. There are still things that happen on a daily basis that are surprising, hilarious, frustrating and confusing and I am grateful for every one of those things!
I am a little nervous to return to the States because I have gotten used to all the little surprises here. There is always something new and that just wont be the same back at home. I am looking to try to find things to keep my life busy and interesting.
I am ready to leave, but I know I will miss it. This is the ultimate bittersweet departure because there are days when I cant wait to get out of here, and other days when I know I will miss my lifestyle here. I will take away all these memories and teachable moments and move on to the next adventure life throws my way! I am excited and scared at the same time for what is next.

A few weeks ago (May 23rd) Kelly and I set off to a templestay to learn more about Buddhism, which is such a huge part of Korean culture. I was so excited to get away from the business of city life.
We figured out the bus with little confusion. Our bus was so nice! We were talking about how they compare to other busses we have been on in other parts of the world and how NICE they are. The seats recline fully (always a plus), the bus is clean, and they seem safe! Not always common on busses worldwide! =)
When we arrived to the town we had to get on a city bus to get to the temple. We had NO idea where to go so we just kind of wandered around. Finally a little grandpa cab driver started talking to us and ended up somehow telling us where to get the bus. Luckily the temple we were going to stay at is a popular one because the bus driver also was able to tell us to stay on the bus through all the stops and finally tell us to get off when we arrived. We walked around a little bit and found the entrance to the temple. We were welcomed at the temple by blaring music!!! They were having a concert at the entrance of the temple. Apparently its a yearly event that just happened to be going on the same weekend we escaped for some quiet time. We watched for a minute while children karaoked to GEE GEE GEE.. Cant escape that song no matter where I go!
We got checked in, changed into our meditation clothes (super baggy pants and a vest), and started to study our manual about rituals at the temple.
Our temple stay group met up and started the weekend with an hour of yoga. The entire thing was done in Korean but we just followed along as best as we could. This is when we met our ANGEL for the weekend! There was another lady from the US at the templestay who brought a translator for the weekend. At first the granny looked SUPER angry that she was going to have to translate for us as well! She was SOOOO grumpy for the first little bit. Then after the yoga session she came up to us and told us that she would help us if we needed anything during the weekend! And she told us how happy she would be to help! =) Granny was our Godsend! Kelly and I have always wanted to talk to all of the grannys and grandpas we see in Seoul to learn more about how it was for them when they were growing up, but we have never really been able to communicate with them. This granny helped us so much in understanding. She openly shared all kinds of hilarious stories with us. She has traveled and experienced so much in her life and it was amazing to hear her perspectives on things.
After dinner we went to the bell ceremony that is performed three times a day. Each bell represents a different part of Earth. One bell is for all the spirits in hell, one is for the animals, and another is for the birds and fish. Each one represents a different thing. We each got to be apart of the bell ringing. The monk told us (through granny) that he would say a blessing as we rang the bell that whatever was in our hearts while we rang the bell would be sent to our families at home. I liked that thought!
After the bell ceremony we went to a tea ceremony/chat with the monk. It was really cool to be able to talk to him and hear his insights on life. Everything was said through translations so I feel like I lost a lot of the meaning behind things but it was still so neat. Basically he talked to us about choosing the way we view situations. He talked to us about negativity and dislike is inside of us, and if we choose to focus on that when we look at a situation then that is all we will be able to see. Those are the only thoughts we will be able to have.
He also talked to us about how we can only judge ourselves because we are not in their situations and will never fully be able to understand what anyone else is going through because it is not our experience. Situations can only be seen from our perspectives and we have no way of really knowing what others are really thinking or feeling.
We have to choose to focus on love and peace in order to have them in our hearts. He talked about how it is a daily decision to have these things in your heart and how you constantly have to work on it. You must work everyday at ridding your mind of evil and corrupt thoughts . It takes a concious effort everyday throughout the day to invite peace into your heart no matter what circumstances you are facing. We have the power to control our thoughts and choose what we focus on.
The ideas we get from others and the media are just one way of viewing a situation but they are not the only way to look at them. We have to train ourselves to remember that and think about it in order to put things into perspective.
Overall it was SO interesting and I gained a lot of insight into his thinking and views. He decided to be a monk after he got tired of all the competition in Seoul. But then he realized that everything in life has competition. He said it took him about twenty years to learn that and realize he could only compete with himself.
Bowing- lower yourself to humble yourself, lift up your hands to honor the teachings, bow out of respect, hands together to show two people or thoughts coming together as one

3am: Woke up at 3am to go to morning prayers. We did the bows while the monks did the prayers. Then we were told to go rest (at 4:30) until breakfast

5am: Breakfast with the monk: reflect on everyone who was a part of planting, harvesting, selling, or makign the food.
2) reflect on self, evil desires, worthiness of the food

There were four bowls that we had to undo in a certain way.. everything had a certain way it needed to be done. We were all served food, and were told we were only supposed to take what we knew we could eat. We had to eat every single thing we put in our bowl. I struggled a little with some of the food but I did it. At the end of the meal they pass around water and you take one piece of kimchi and clean all the bowls you just ate out of getting every piece of leftover rice or vegetables. Then at the end you drink the last bowl of water with all the little particles of food. Very interesting way to learn not to waste food!

After breakfast we went back to where we stayed for work time. We weeded in the garden together for about 30 minutes. The monks do work at the temple everyday while they are there.

Prayer bead making: 108 beads--> each bead represented a different hope or wish we had for our lives or friends. We were supposed to concentrate on these hopes and wishes while we strung the beads. Each time you put a bead on the string you have to do a full bow. You start standing then go to your knees, bow, then go down on the floor on your forehead, lift your hands, then bow again then string the bead then stand up again! 108 of these just about killed my knees! Needless to say by the end each bead represented patience!!! The grandma told us that she had met a 76 year old woman that goes every week and does 3000 bows!!!! That amazes me! It takes so much strength and patience to be able to do that!

We then had picture time with our monk and had to say goodbye to everyone! It was sad to say goodbye because I had learned so much from all of them and would have loved to stay and ask more questions! Overall it was an awesome learning experience!

Today was a bright and sunshiny morning, so I decided to head to the park to read and enjoy the weather before school. I got to the park and walked to the one and only park bench in the sun. It is always empty because Koreans tend to avoid the sun as much as possible. At any rate it always seems that there is a park bench reserved for me when I arrive at the park. =)

I was sitting on my bench reading and minding my own business when the school next door let out for recess and I was swarmed by masses of elementary school children playing. Being an avid fan of people watching I set down my book and watched the kids run around.

I started to think about how, as kids, we are so brave. It seems that we arent afraid of anything. (not always the truth in my worry-wart past) I wondered where we make the change from that to the cynical timid adult. As we learn more do we just learn to be more fearful of things going on around us? How can we learn more about the world without fearing it? Embracing life but still facing it and laughing off our fears. The kids were jumping around like they were invincible. Part of me was aching to jump up and grab them all and make them stop because they were worrying me to death, but another part of me wanted to join them and swing as high as I could, then jump off just to see how far I could push the limits.

After all of these thoughts passed I continued to read my book. The next time I looked up there was a little boy who seemed to be American or European playing on the playground. This does not happen often so i was a little shocked. I started to watch the interactions again. This kid ended up being quite the terror on the playground. He walked around like he owned the place. (no parents or babysitter in sight) I was in the process of wondering how he was planning on talking to the kids he was playing with when he opened his mouth and Korean flew out. This kid was probably 7 or 8 and was fluent. I was very impressed. He even had the perfect accent and tone and everything. Made me even more sure about my plan to teach my children another language when they are young.

Anyways this child ended up ruling the playground. He scared all the Korean children when they found out he knew Korean, then he started to hit and yell at them. Break time ended for the school kids so they all left him alone on the playground. This did not stop the little guy from continuing his reign of terror. He ran over to these businessmen who were sitting on a blanket in the shade and started talking to them about who knows what. The men thought it was hilarious he could speak to them, but the little boy grew bored and ran over to another group. This other group of people were sitting in this little hut thing where they had to take their shoes off. The little boy ran up, put on one of the guys shoes, and ran off with them.

The people started to laugh because they didnt know what else to do. I actually laughed a little bit. The kid ended up climbing inside the tube slide and hiding in there with the shoes. At this point I realized that I needed to leave because I did not want people to start to think that I was somehow connected to this kid and I wasnt doing anything to stop him. I quickly ducked out of the park without getting to see the resolution to the playground conflict.

All in all it was a very memorable morning in the park.

On our way home from work tonight we experienced road rage at its finest! The buses and cabs here pretty much do whatever they want. This is a problem when they are both on the road in full force at the same time. We got on the bus no problems and started our 10 minute ride home. All of a sudden the driver slams on the breaks. A cab had stopped in the middle of the road to pick someone up. Kel and Jody almost slammed into the poles in front of them. Thank goodness none of us were standing or else there would have been some pain involved for sure. A guy at the front of the bus almost ate it on the steps and threw his bags all over the place. No one was hurt but it was super startling.
The bus driver was irritated and kept driving. A few feet later the cab driver pulled off the road for some reason and our bus driver saw this as his opportunity for a stern talking to about road rules (as if they exist around here) He opened the doors to the bus and started yelling at the driver of the cab. No clue what they were saying obviously but I could he was not telling him to have a nice night.
The tension was rising in the bus, but without a response from the cab driver our driver called it good, shut his door and drove on. A few seconds later the cab driver sped past us on the wrong side of the road, cut right in front of our bus then slammed on its breaks again! Our bus driver was not even phased by this and swerved around him and kept driving without even slowing down. I sat in the back of the bus, mouth wide open thinking about what would have happened if that was at home.
This led us to a lengthy conversation about the crazy driving around here and some good nervous laughter thankful we survived the ride home. Good times

I like this song. As I face another year of uncertainty of what to do next this song reminds me that "all the answers and dreams will come to me in time." I find some hope and peace of mind in that! =)

The greenest trees you'll ever see
Are the ones in your mind.
And all the answers and the dreams
Will come to you in time.

Yeah, you are living life
The way you feel.

I know the world around you,
Everyone shares the sky.
You never see darkness,
You are the daylight.

Yeah, you are living life
The way you feel.

Go away with a smile.
Don't forget about your past.
Don't keep yourself from giving.
I am always watching you
Be yourself and stayin' true
'cause it makes me feel like life's worth living.

The way you feel.

I've never minded where you're going,
I know that change is part of you.
I'm not gonna hide anymore, I'm gonna listen to myself
And maybe one day I can be real too.

Yeah, you living life.
Yeah you are, you are living life.
Don't you know that you are living life.
The way you feel.
And that is real.

I dont think I will ever get over the amount of work kids in Korea put into their education. I have been here almost nine and half months and still am surprised on a regular basis with their stories. Tonight I was joined on the bus by about 30 middle school students. I was just getting off of my 8 hour day of work at 10pm but I got to thinking. These kids had been at school since 8am and were just now heading home to do hours of homework.
Many of my 8-10 year old students tell me they stay up until 12-1 most nights finishing homework or practicing their English. I have had students write papers telling me that they have 3-4 extra workbooks for each subject that they are always working on that are not required by their schools. Students go to academies after school that specialize in different subjects. I had a few students that were going to as many as 8 different academies during the week. There are math,science, musical, sports, English, computer and various other subjects covered at academies.
It got me thinking about the sterotype I have heard many times that Asian students are always smarter. I have been thinkign about stereotypes lately, and realized that most stem from some form of percieved truth. The truth is these students are INCREADIBLY smart but they are also dedicated and hard-working. Their education is their job. It is their one focus in life right now. People fail to acknowledge how much work these kids put into what they are doing. I believe any child could reach this potential if they put in the effort. So many kids cut themselves short because they dont have the motivation to take their education seriously.

Education in the US is not held to the standard it should be. In some places education is a joke. When people choose a teaching career, others laugh at them because they wont be making any money. What does that say about the importance of education? On one hand you have schools with all the resources in the world, but students that dont take advantage of them. On the other hand you have schools barely able to stay open with kids that fear for their lives leaving their houses every morning, the kids that know they are going to have to give it everything they got to graduate. Where is the motivation? Where is the support?

I do not always agree 100% with the way the education system works here. It is hard for me to see kids so stressed out at such an early age. I do think though that these kids know what it means to be motivated, dedicated and work hard for what they acheive in their lives. That is a lesson we could all learn from.

In my first class on Tuesdays and Thursdays I only have one student. At first it was a little weird because I really enjoy having the students interact with eachother. Helen and I have gotten on a really good level on communicating and interacting now, so it has turned into one of my favorite classes.
She is one of the sweetest, funniest little girls out there. Today we were reviewing for her test, so I was going over different concepts we had learned in this unit. One of the lessons was on problems and solutions. Helen had no clue what a solution was so we started doing examples on the board. I started writing different problems on the board like Anna is tired, Helen is hungry etc. The last one we did was Our class was supposed to go on a field trip to the zoo, but it is raining, and I asked her what would be a solution. Helen sat there for a few moments deep in thought over a solution to this problem. She finally looked up at me and said PRAY! I loved that answer. I asked if she had any other solutions and she just said "no teacher praying is about the only thing you can do for that one"
Kids get it! They understand that in some situations all you can do is give it up to God and trust in His plan for your life. I know this was a silly little example about going to the zoo but it made me start to think about how even the smallest parts of our lives are already planned out for us. All we need to do is have faith and ask God for his guidance. God knows it all and is in control of it all. I am starting to stress about what I am going to do when I get back home, but I have faith that I will find what I am supposed to do, and things will work out.
I am thankful for MY little teacher today.

Today we had another adventure outside of Seoul. Kelly and I headed out to Suwon this morning. We got a little lost on the way but figured out the busses pretty quickly and eventually got there. Suwon is a city south of Seoul that is about 30-40 minutes away by bus. There is a wall in Suwon that is similar to the Great Wall on a smaller scale. The fortress was really neat. I really loved being able to compare it to the Great Wall. The wall was originally built around the city but now Suwon is bursting out around the old wall. It was very cool to see the parts of the wall in the middle of the current city. I loved it because it shows the building and modernizing of a place, while clinging to an important part of history and culture.
We had an interesting cultural moment during lunchtime. We came to a part of the wall where there was a small tower and I thought it be the perfect place for a picnic. We climbed the stairs and were the only ones hanging out inside the tower. I felt like we were in an abandoned castle. All of a sudden people came from everywhere and we were joined by fellow hikers and photographers. Most of them smiled at us, asked us where we were from, and asked us to take their picture. Very friendly and polite. Then this lady started staring at us. She started to shake her head at Kelly and I and we were so confused. All of a sudden she looked at us and said, "This is not a dining room, this is a very big part of Korean culture." We didnt know what to do and just sat there for a few minutes longer and she just kept starting with disaproval. Not ones to want to upset ANYONE EVER Kelly and I packed up our picninc and moved to another spot. We finished our picninc in paranoia we were going to offend someone else.
At the end of the hike there was a little gift shop, but outside the gift shop was a giant field. I looked over and realized they were doing archery! It was really funny to see because I remembered how big archery was during the Olympics for Koreans. There were tons of people lined up to give it their all at this archery field.
There was also a dragon car that took us back to the front part of the wall. Overall it was a great day. Suwon was a great little city. We had a lot of strangers come up and start talking to us. We looked really touristy today (backpacks, hiking boots etc.) so I wonder if that was why there was an all of a sudden wave of talking to us or if people in Suwon are more laid back and friendly. Either way it was refreshing but a little strange. We were eating dinner at a fast food place when a girl came up and said hi then just stared at us. She then sat down at our table and asked us where we were from and a few other questions. She was giggling nervously the whole time. Then she told us we were beautiful and walked away. Random fun times in Suwon.
Overall a great day!!! I will post pictures of the fortress soon!

pictures--> http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2185672&id=19707094&l=9eacfec43b

I have had an amazing last couple of days. I can honestly say I feel so full of life right now, and am happier than I have been in awhile. I love spring! I guess I love winter too because the harshness of the cold makes me appreciate my warm sunny weather even more. The cherry blossoms around Seoul are in full bloom and are absolutely gorgeous! I have had a lot of fun going around taking pictures lately of the trees. Photography is something I would like to study sometime in the near future. Being able to grasp something beautiful and share it with others has become an intrest of mine lately. I am in no way artistic but I love beautiful things, and I think it might be my way to capture them.
Saturday I went with Kelly and Ruby (a new dear friend I met here) to an orphanage that was about 2 hours away by bus. I was so excited about going because it truly is my passion to help other people and I havent really felt like I have done a whole lot of that since I have been here. We got to the bus station and fought our way to the crowds. Thank goodness we had Ruby (she is my hero and has been studying and speaks Korean so well) who helped us buy our tickets and read signs around the station. We got settled on the bus and set on on the trip. I

It is amazing to me how different rural Korea is from Seoul. We got off the bus and it reminded me a lot of Africa with definite Korean twists. There were still cell phone stores and make-up places, but I was comforted by the slower pace and simplicity. We wandered around taking pictures of the city for a little bit then found the orphanage. It was a really nice place and they were super welcoming. We got introduced to some of the kids and immediately started to play. The kids were great. I had a great time watching them all interact. By nature I enjoy peoples interactions, and I especially enjoyed thinking back to my college courses and comparing these children to what I learned. That being said, I did not sit and analyze the entire time. =) A few more volunteers showed up after a bit and told us we were taking all the kids to the river to play. This had me terrified because I did not see a way we were going to be able to keep up with all of these children but they made it happen.

We played in the river for quite awhile and it made me so happy. I loved playing with the kids and seeing their beautiful smiles. Melted my heart for sure. The kids were extremely tough, which I am sure they have had to be with the lives they have been dealt. At the same time they had some of the sweetest spirits. They welcomed us with open arms.

It was frustrating to me not to be able to communicate with them. I am kicking myself for not learning more Korean at this point. I have been lazy and have not put in the effort and now I wish with everything in me that I could talk with them. I am happy that smiles and hugs are understood in any language. Overall it was a wonderful day that filled my heart with gladness.

Today was Easter Sunday and I met a friend to go to church this morning. I havent really been going since I got here but being there today was a breath of fresh air. I have needed the fellowship. After church we met two other friends for an Indian food lunch. Indian food has become one of my favorite kinds. I love the mixtures of spices and flavors. It wsa a great hour of talking and laughing among friends, and made me so grateful for the real true friendships I have in my life.

We spent the afternoon at a cherry blossom festival in a part of town I have really never been to. There were so many people everywhere! There are places to rent bicycles and roller blades and Korean people definitely take advantage of both. Everywhere I looked there were people zooming around!
Another funny part of this culture is the picture taking. We were laughing so hard because there was really nothing to the festival but in Korea people can remain entertained for HOURS simply taking pictures of themselves and friends. In the US people would not have stuck around for even 10 minutes. So funny to me.

As we were walking down the street I came across a tree with shoes and a granny visor at the base. All the grannys wear visors around here to block their faces from the sun. I looked up into the tree and to my surprise granny was just hanging out barefoot in the tree. The funny part was no one was around taking her picture or anything! I love moments like that, that make me laugh! =)

I had what I would consider the perfect day today! Kelly and I were in Bundang because Ruby had a housewarming party at her new apartment, so we just spent the night to save us the subway ride back. We woke up late and lounged around talking and laughing all morning. Then we decided we were going to chance that there were still tickets to the John Legend concert that was in Seoul today! We have been researching him a lot and he is such an amazing guy! He is so passionate about a lot of the stuff that I care abotu and its awesome to see! Anyways we went and had Indian food before we left Bundang. It was SO good. I have decided Indian is one of my favorite kinds of food. I love it so much so spicy and delicious. Anyways the guys kept bringing us different complimentary dishes for us to try. It was amazing and I will definitely be visiting them again!
After we finished we rushed onto the subway to try to get to Olympic Park by 3 because that was when they were starting to sell tickets. We got there and they still had a lot of tickets left so we just went for it. It was a beautiful day in the park and there were lots of people out riding bikes and playing basketball. I will for sure have to go back there when it gets sunnier!
The concert was amazing. I went with two of my best friends here and we had a blast. We made a lot of jokes about how in love we are with John! He really is an amazing singer and pianist! There was one song about slow dancing and he brought a girl on stage (I was only a little bit jealous) to dance with him. It was hilarious because she did the typical Korean bobbing dance and was so embarassed. It was really entertaining.
After the concert we were standing around and saw a giant crowd waiting by some of the doors. It ended up being where John Legend and his band were going to come out. The band members were all hanging out and talking to people. Then Ruby called me over to where she was standing away from the crowd. She had been standing on top of the step when a security guard started talking to her. She thought she was in trouble but he then told her that John Legend was in a room signing autographs. Kelly, Ruby and I were the only three people around and it was slightly stalkerish! Really funny times though! He was eating KFC and sitting signing autographs in a room by himself. Potentially the craziest I have ever been involving a celebrity! Great moments with great friends! =)

As I was getting ready this morning I heard a knock on my door. Usually when I hear those knocks I try to be as quiet as I can so no one thinks I am in here. It is sad to say that sometimes I just want to avoid the miscommunication or saying no to a complete stranger offering who knows what. Today I was feeling brave so I opened my door. In front of me stood a lady with a basket of what looked like medical or cleaning supplies. I quickly discovered they were probably for cleaning. The lady waltzed in my room with a yellow bottle of mysterious liquid and started spraying all of my drains. I stood at my door confused and embarassed at the state of my bathroom and kitchen area. She squirted around for a few minutes rambling away in Korean then handed me a clipboard to sign. No clue what just happened and I am pretty sure I would never have a similar situation stateside! =)

I got to work today and went to fill up my water like I always do in the "library" when I noticed that all of my co-workers were sitting in the library watching something very intensely. I then noticed that they were watching the big baseball game between Japan and Korea. I really dont have much of an idea what the game was for I think the World Championship or something (clearly I dont follow baseball that closely). Everyone was so tense in the office. The students hadnt arrived yet and everyone was huddled around the TV. Kelly had to ask our boss for a copy of a refrenece sheet for a student and went to ask him while he was watching the game and he didnt even look at her but replied "How do you say, yes but after the game." This was totally out of character and it was hilarious!
Korea ended up losing to Japan which was a huge deal, bigger than Korea losing to any other team because Korea and Japan have this huge rivalry going about everything. If I ever mention Japan to any of my kids they start talking about how much they dont like it. They never have reasons to back it up, they are just taught that they dont like this country. The tension goes back to all the invasions by the Japanese in Korea. The reasoning makes sense as much as any tension caused by years of war ever could but the kids just know what they hear. Hate is perpetuated.

On a lighter note my kids have been really funny lately. I have a couple little boys in one of my classes that seem to be a tad bit smitten with me. They are all about 7 or 8 years old and are so funny. They can be a handful at times but then they always find a way to make me laugh. This one little one will stop mid-sentence stare at me for a few minutes then say "Teacher, I love you." then he puckers up and asks for a kiss. Oh my! I am glad in this eduacation system I am not likely to get fired because of this but I still never have a clue how to respond to that! I just politely tell him thank you and keep on teaching. So cute!

Another funny lesson happened the other day when I was teaching about all the different kinds of homes. The story we read talked about apartments, house, houseboat, and a trailer. So after we read about each one I asked my students which one they would like to live in the most. All of my students live in apartments and most seemed ok sticking with that option. Their justification for it was that apartments are MUCH BIGGER than houses. I am not sure how they came to that conclusion but what works in their minds works for me! Then a few kids decided they wanted to live in a trailer. After a few decided that they ALL decided they wanted to live in trailers. I thought it was really funny. No one wanted a hosue they ALL wanted trailers. They associated trailers with what they call camping cars here. I suppose they are kind of similar and I had no idea how to explain the difference so I let them dream of the day they would live in a trailer. The houseboat was not a popular option. Oh well....

Another month has come and gone. Time is flying by and I am trying to continue to take it all in, take deep breaths, and reflect. I really have learned a lot while being here. I have learned to appreciate little things, things that I might not have taken the time to appreciate before.

I took advantage of the weather the other day and walked to work. On the way to work I realized that enjoying the litle things like the sun on my face is what I should be focusing on everyday.
Grumbling and complaints surround us all. I feel like we all focus so much on what we dont have, what others have that we want, etc. that we dont stop and appreciate the things that we DO have!!! Its time to be greatful for those things and stop the negative thoughts! So I am working on re-arranging those thoughts in my mind.

I learned an important lesson on first impressions today. Kelly and I were sitting at Paris Baguette (coffee shop) in between Jelly School and normal school when this elderly man walked up and started talking to us. I was really taken aback at first because most of the time we are stared at, then quickly ignored because most people cant really communicate with us. This man came up and started talking to me in English. I could barely understand him with his broken English and think he was just asking how long I have been in Korea and various other small talk. I did not feel as if I was in any danger, but did feel a little uncomfortable with the whole situation. He came back a little bit later and I thought he asked if he could sit with us. I politely told him we were about to leave and he just kept smiling at us. A few minutes later he came back with two pasteries, put them down on our table and told us to have a good day. I was so touched by this. A random act of kindness goes a long way. Bless that little man's heart for reminding me how important it is to be kind to others, even if you dont know them.

So many lessons to be learned here. Korea has not been the easiest to live in at times. Big aspects of this culture go against what I focus on in my life, and it makes it hard to be surrounded by it all the time. I am however, a foreigner here, so I have to accept that I am not going to agree with and understand everything. I am ok with that. I believe in everything there is something to learn, and I am trying to pick apart what I am learning in order to figure out what I take away from here in a few months when I head home. It will be interesting to read these old posts when I get home and realize how clear it should have been right now! I love how journals work that way, how they can continue to teach you new lessons everytime you read them over.

I am missing the days when I could sit down with a friend and have a good deep conversation about life. Its been a struggle here to meet people, and then an even bigger stuggle to get to know them. I am a person that loves to know the little details of people's lives. What makes them tick? What are they passionate about? Where are they headed next? I met up with a friend, who was with a big group of people the other night, and really started to notice the extent of the miscomunication. We arrived at the restaurant and were introduced to everyone in Korean. My friend told this entire table things about me and I still have NO clue what he said. I trusted that he didnt say anything embarassing, but as I stood there staring at everyone nodding and smiling I wished I could be the one to tell them about myself. I miss having my own voice. I proceeded to have conversations with several people at the table and realized they all go to an English school and saw me as a great way to practice. I really didnt mind listening and talking with them, but in a way I felt like I was their teacher not a potential friend. They were shy and timid not wanting to make mistakes around me. I was reminded of French or Spanish class and how scared I was to mess up, I hated thinking that was how they felt with me. I wanted to tell them that I just wanted to know more about them, that I just wanted to hang out and have fun. It is difficult and frustrating to not be able to get past: What do you like about Seoul? How long have you lived here? What are you doing here? Oh you teach English? I love English, but I am not so good.. I need some depth!!!

People here are also constantly appologizing about the fact they dont speak English well. I think this is ridiculous. I am the one who should be appologizing for knowing such a little amount of Korean. People who speak English have the luxury of being as lazy as they want when learning another language. I can get by here not learning any of the language, (not always the easiest) but people from other countries HAVE to know English if they are going to travel at all. I have really learned this through my past few vacations. Everywhere we went signs were in English, hostel owners spoke English, there were English tours, guides. If I only spoke Russian or French I would have not been able to understand a single thing. We dont realize how convienent and fortunate it is to know English.

I was very excited about my trip to Beijing. After my other travels, I was a little less nervous thinking about the prospect of Beijing. Our flight was set up,visas in order, hostel booked, and a copy of Lonely Planet- Beijing was purchased for the journey. Having basically just gotten back from the other trip I was still in traveler mode. I didnt go to Beijing with many expectations. I had spoken to friends, and friends of friends who had been there to make sure I knew the MAIN sights to see, but other than that I went with my giant suitcase and an open mind.
We arrived in Beijing mid-afternoon, which was already a great start in comparison to the EARLY mornings of the other trip. We were told by our hostel owner to take a taxi from the airport because they are easier to figure out, and fairly cheap. There were tons of taxis, but we all had so much stuff we were sure we were not going to fit into one taxi. Then along came a van taxi. This seemed like a great idea at the time. We attempted to negotiate how much more expensive the cab would be, but due to an extreme lack of communication, the conversation was short. We decided to go in the van anyways, and figured it would be at most 3 times the cab ride. Lesson #1: When traveling ASSUME nothing!!! Needless to say we got ripped off. There was absolutely nothing we could do about the situation, so we chalked it up as a great life lesson and got on with our adventure.

Our hostel was located in a local Hutong. This was explained to me as one of the old neighborhoods of Beijing. Apparently many of the Hutongs have been torn down in an attempt to modernize the city, but there are still some around. The Hutong was a series of alleyways with doors that all looked the same. After a few minutes we arrived at our hostel to find out SURPRISE we are in a big room with a bunch of people. We booked a 6 person room and there was originally only supposed to be one other person with us, but when we arrived we were in a 10 person room with a bunch of people. This was just a tinge unsettling to some of the group so we decided to ask about switching rooms. The people at the hostel were SO accomadating and moved us right away! We ended up at another hostel, as pretty much the only guests in a room with just the four of us. Ended up working out perfectly.

We arrived in Beijing on Chinese New Year's Eve. The owners of the hostel invited us to their OTHER hostel for the traditional dumpling making event. We had nothing else on our agenda so we headed over. The hostel was beautiful. It was brand new and the decorations were unbelievable. The ladies were so friendly and welcomed us to join in the making of the dumplings. I failed miserably at constructing the little guys, but it was a great experience. It was freezing cold in the room so we were bundled from head to toe. The dumplings turned out to be delicious. We were joined at dinner by people from Canada, England, Scotland, Wales, Australia and China. It was quite the mixture of people and cultures. During the dinner our hostel owner Bobby told us that each table should prepare a song for everyone else. I was terrified! I hate singing or performing in front of anyone. Finally our table decided that my friend Michele would sing for us because she has an AMAZING voice. Whew! I lucked out on that one. The performances were really great. The guy from Scotland sang opera, Michele sang soul, and Bobby's wife sang a Chinese New Year song. It was a great way to start of the trip to China.

After the meal and performances we had our first encounter with the new year fireworks. Little did I know that fireworks began on New Year's Eve and did not stop the entire week we were there. Now these were not the pretty big breath-taking fireworks. No these were loud, booming, gunshot/bomb sounding fireworks. There were no rules, or any kind of order when it came to lighting off these fireworks. Fireworks exploded from under power lines, in alleyways where unexpected pedestrians got quite a surprise, in the middle of the road, etc. We never quite got over the fireworks the entire time we were there. Every morning around 7 the madness started and continued throughout the day until the craziness really started again at night! We had several close calls in the alleys, where one would go off right after we had walked by. Apparently the tradition of the really loud fireworks comes from the belief that all the noise scares away evil spirits. The louder the fireworks the fewer evil spirits for the next year. Beijing should be evil spirit free in 2009. It was definitly fun to experience this tradition. Everywhere we went there was debris from the festivities the night before.
After the fireworks show at our hostel the guys we met invited us for a night out. We had nothing else going on so we decided to go. It ended up being a great night. A few of them had been teaching in Beijing for the past year and others have been traveling around Southeast Asia for the last few months. I loved hearing their stories, and sharing my experiences. One really cool part was talking with them about Obama. They actually brought it up, and talked to us about how much they support him, as well as their countries. They were so positive about it and saw it as such a big step for the States. I was really inspired by that, because I really believe that the US image around the world needs a big boost and it seems at least fot the moment it has gotten that. It was just cool to see guys my age from around the world interested about those kind of issues. It also really showed me how much our politics affect the world!
Monday: We went to a Temple fair for New Years day. It was more people than I have ever seen. Everyone had crazy hats and masks on. I am not really sure what the Temple Fair even was. There were carnival games, stores selling random souvenirs, and karaeoke. It was cool to walk around and see the different activities. We were starving at the end of the fair and decided to try a Chinese restaurant. I felt like I was in Korea again because the menu was all in Chinese and no one spoke English at all. So we tried some noodles and more dumplings and then ate more when we got back to the hostel. Great dinner at both places.

Tuesday: We visited Tianamen Square and the Forbidden City today. It was really cool to read about all the buildings and what they were used for. They were both HUGE. So much history. I cant even imagine the events that took place and the history that went on inside those walls. it was really cool to walk through and see the old palaces, gardens, etc. We took lots of good pictures. After that we got on a bus, not really sure where we were going but attempting to head to the Temple of Heaven. We eventually got there, right as it closed. But we ended up getting back on the bus and found a really cool area to eat dinner.
After dinner we wandered outside and found the biggest "street meat" market I have ever seen. This market took the cake for most bizzare things to eat. We passed all kinds of bugs, lizards, sea horses, random pieces of multiple animals, sea urchins, star fish etc. It was quite the assortment of street meat and made for some great pictures. I have to say I am thankful I had already eaten and couldnt possibly imaging trying any of it. I am just not brave when it comes to food.
The street meat market was close to a bunch of late night markets. We were really tired but checked out a few really quick. They ended up being really cheap and we all bought some fun goodies.

Wednesday: GREAT WALL OF CHINA!
We picked up at 6:45 and headed off to tackle THE wall. I was so excited. It had been freezing the entire time we were in Beijing, so I was wearing so many layers. I had on 3 pairs of tights, jeans, and sweats then three shirts, sweatshirt, and my jacket! I was like the kid on a Christmas Story, I could barely move. The bus ride to our starting location was about 2-3 hrs so we all got a nice little nap. I stayed up for some of it and got to see some of the more rural cities in China. There were some bigger cities, but mostly little towns tucked here and there. I love traveling across countries because the landscape, towns and people change so much from point A to point B. It has always fascinated me.
We arrived at our starting location and began our journey. After about 5 minutes of walking we were joined by a group of about 8 local farmers. Our guide explained to us that in the winter the local farmers have no income, so they follow tourists on the wall hoping to sell souvenirs. These ladies hiked with us for about an hour, what dedication! They helped us along the way, told us history, and took our pictures. After about an hour they started trying to make the sales. We all ended up buying stuff but they were all things I really wanted so I didnt really care.
The wall was amazing. The part we hiked is not very toursity, so we ran into maybe 10 other people during our 5 hour hike. The part of the wall we climbed was renovated in very few parts so it was very broken down and jagged all along the way. This made for quite a vigorus climb. There were parts that were so straight up or down, we had to stop just to stare and ponder how we would make it up that! I am unable to describe in words the magnitude of the Great Wall. I cannot imagine the work, sweat, and tears that was put into this wonder of the world. It was an experience that I will not soon forget. Absolutely breathtaking!

Thursday: Today we went to Summer Palace. There are so many palaces and neat places in Beijing. I love how a lot of the buildings still have the traditional architecture. I think that is something that is lacking in Seoul. Seoul is so modernized, I feel it has lost a lot of its history. Anyways the palace was beautiful, there were a lot of performances and things to see. The entire lake at the palace was frozen over but people were all over it walking around. It was actually a really funny part about our trip because every time we found a frozen lake, river, pond etc. there were people running all over it. It could not be safe but they were all having a blast!
After wandering around the palace for a few hours we headed to the Olympic Stadium. It was REALLY cool to see. There were still so many people there to see it. There were a lot of cool pictures and monuments from last summer. It was neat to see becasue it was all still so new.
That night we went to a place called Hou Hai for dinner. Again there was a frozen lake with so many people out playing on it. They were on these weird metal bike looking things racing all over the ice. We had no clue what in the world was going on but we got quite a laugh out of the whole deal. We found a Vietnamese restaurant for dinner. It was so good. I ordered coconut beef. When my food arrived at the table it an ENTIRE coconut with beef inside it. Then they lit the thing on fire to keep my food hot. It was so cool. I have become slightly obsessed with good food since moving here, so anytime I have an expereience like that I am in awe. We hung out in Hou Hai for awhile because there were a lot of cool bars with live music, and lots of people hanging out. It was a really great night.

Friday: We re-visited the Temple of Heaven. After walking around there for awhile we headed to a nearby Pearl Market. It ended up being a giant market selling just about everything. There were knock off sunglasses, make-up, perfume, electronics, and just about anything else anyone could want. It was REALLY fun to walk around and bargain with the vendors. We all bought lots of goodies! It was a fun afternoon.

I will end with the story of our quest for Peking Duck.
I had been told by a friend that it was a must to have Peking Duck while in Beijing. We all decided that we were willing to try it. I had been given a reccomendation of a great restaurant for the duck. We showed up there and it was full of people eating and waiting to eat so we decided to pass on eating there. We then decided we would be brave and try to find a little place by our hostel to eat the duck. When we got back to our hostel we asked Bobby where we could find some. He told us the direction to go and also was nice enough to write down duck in Chinese so we could show the waiter/waitress. So we set off determined to find some duck. As we were walking I joked that we really had no idea what Bobby had writted down for us, and therefore really had no idea what we were in for. We all laughed that thought off and kept looking for the food. We found a restaurant (the only one open on that road) and asked about the duck. We showed them the paper and one guy shook his head saying they didnt have it. Then another guy (trying to make a sale) told us to wait while he got a menu. The other guy started shaking his head saying no no and putting his fingers on his nose like something smelled bad. All of a sudden he put his fingers on his head and started MEOWING.. We figured he HAD to be joking so we waited for the guy with the menu. Two seconds later he came out with a menu opened to a picture of... drumroll please...... DEEP-FRIED cat! There is no denying what it was. The ears, paws, tail it was all there. Through laughter hiding our disgust we turned the man down as politely as possible. A few feet down the road we exploded with laughter. A few more feet down the road we saw kitty roadkill.. Dinner?! Oh man I just about died! After this little experience we decided to get on a random bus and try to find a place to eat. After walking around forever and finding several closed restaurants we finally found one of Beijing's most popular establishments KFC! I have never seen so many KFCs in my life. At one point we stood on a street corner and we could see three. So weird. We had no other option so we ate there. It was quite the adventure and no DUCK!

Overall Beijing was amazing. We were free spirits taking random busses and taxis to unknown destinations. I enjoyed every moment I spent there, and I could have explored so much more. It was a fantastic vacation. It is so neat to be able to compare that culture to Korean culture. It is really neat to me that I can now compare other places to Seoul because I have been here for awhile. I feel like I am finally beginning to understand things that go on here, and can compare other places to it. Its really cool to me! Enough for now! =)

Here are the links to some pictures from the trip!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2171700&id=19707094&l=18a6a9ce19

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2171671&id=19707094&l=623e314c1b

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2171670&id=19707094&l=af1abe0cc9

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2171673&id=19707094&l=e0cc895c7a

I really enjoy this song. Very powerful words and a great inspiration. Im in love with music because it helps me put into words my thoughts and feelings. There are times when everything inside is so jumbled up, I have no way to express it. Then a song comes along that says everything I am feeling. This is one such song.

Lyrics to If You're Out There : John Legend

If you hear this message, wherever you stand
I'm calling every woman, calling every man
We're the generation
We can't afford to wait
The future started yesterday and we're already late

We've been looking for a song to sing
Searched for a melody
Searched for someone to lead
We've been looking for the world to change
If you feel the same
Then go on and say

If you're out there
Sing along with me
If you're out there
I'm dying to believe that you're out there
Stand up and say it loud
If you're out there
Tomorrow's starting now
Now, now

No more broken promises
No more call to war
Unless it's love and peace that we're really fighting for
We can destroy hunger
We can conquer hate
Put down the arms and raise your voice
We're joining hands today

Oh I was looking for a song to sing
I searched for a leader
But the leader was me
We were looking for the world to change
We can be heroes
Just go on and say

If you're out there
Sing along with me
If you're out there
I'm dying to believe that you're out there
Stand up and say it loud
If you're out there
Tomorrow's starting now
Now, now

Oh now, now

If you're ready we can shake the world
Believe again
It starts within
We don't have to wait for destiny
We should be the change that we want to see

If you're out there
Ooooh
If you're out there
And you're ready now
Say it loud
Scream it out

If you hear this message, wherever you stand
I'm calling every woman, calling every man
We're the generation
We can't afford to wait
The future started yesterday and we're already late

The second part of our trip was to the Philippines! I was so excited to experience another new place. We got to the air port in Hong Kong pretty early and walked up to the check-in counter. The guy was SUPER nice, but informed us that because it was so close to Christmas we might have to be put on another flight because ours was overbooked. He asked if we were ok with that, and since we were not desperate we told him it was fine. He then gave us vouchers for food in the airport that was enough for a really nice meal for each of us. (would never happen in the states!!) We had to check back in so we headed back to the counter, when we got there we had to wait longer. When he finally called us back over he said that they not only got us on the flight but he had bumped us up to business class AND we were going to be escorted through the airport through secret security to make the process go faster! SERVICE!

We rushed through the airport and got to the plane. I have never been treated nicer on any flight in my life. This business class was like nothing I have ever seen on any other plane before. The seats were little cubicles where you had your own seat and then a foot rest a few feet away. Then there was a tv that pulled out of the side of the cubicle and the seat reclined all the way. You couldnt see anyone else because of the walls! It was amazing! I had the best airplane food I have ever had in my life and champagne! It was so fabulous I would have stayed on that plane and flown around for ages.

We arrived in the Philippines and I could immediatly tell the difference. The airport reminded me of a lot of airports in Africa. It was pretty basic and looked pretty run down in parts.
We were told not to take the normal cabs from the airport because there is a big problem with cab drivers scamming people in Manila. So we got an airport cab and headed to our hostel. On the way to the hostel we passed by a lot of homeless families on the side of the road. The parents would sit on the side of the road and send the kids to the cars to ask for money. I think it was obvious our cab probably had foreigners in it because it was clear it came from the airport so got bombarded by children begging for money, telling us Merry Christmas. It was heartbreaking and reminded me a lot of Africa. It is always difficult for me to be in those kind of situations because I want to give everything I have to those kids because realistically I dont NEED it, but at the same time I know I cant give it to them because then it will cause a huge chain of effects. We arrived at the hostel and had our first experience with the "no change" issue in the Philippines. Most places we went were not able to give change because they didnt have it. It was really hard to break bills and took a lot of planning ahead of time.

The hostel was really nice. It was dorm room style where there were just a bunch of bunk beds and then a shared bathroom. We dropped our stuff off and headed out to get some dinner. On our way we passed many homeless families sleeping every where on the side of the street. It really hit me hard. I was not expecting such poverty. I have seen a lot of poverty in my life in Africa. I realized the difference was that most people I saw in Africa at least had some sort of roof over their heads, even if it was made of plastic bags. In Manila there were SO many people sleeping on boxes in the street. We walked through a park full of stray dogs and barefoot children wandering around with no adult anywhere near them. While we ate dinner children stood staring. I felt more guilty than I ever have in my life. I realized then and there that I cant just feel guilty I have to DO something about it. It is so overwhelming to think about where I stand in helping people in the world, and giving what I have to others. There are just so many people in the world who are hurting and in need that I feel like I cannot possibly make a dent. It was a definite wake up call about the issues going on ALL around the world. It helped me put things in perspective. Those images will never leave my mind, and I hope they continue to help me put issues that arise in my life into perspective.

Sung told us that night that we had to leave at 3am to catch a bus so that we could get to the boat station in time to leave early. So we got up at 2:30 after sleeping for about two hours and headed to the train station. Our cab driver told us he would not turn the meter on and Sung almost made us get out because she knew he was just trying to rip us off but eventually they worked something out. I felt like it was ridiculous at times to fight over such a little amount of money but Sung told us that the locals hate it when tourists dont. When the tourists pay whatever, it causes the cab drivers to raise their prices for everyone and it causes life to be really difficult for the locals. Its SO hard to think that way but its so important to keep it in mind in foreign countries.

We got on the bus just in time and headed out for our 3 hour bus ride. It was the most terrifying ride of my life. I think it was the mixture of no traffic on the road therefore alarming driving speeds, loud creepy tv show blaring in the front of the bus, and the leaning and tilting of the bus that caused me to stay awake the entire trip! I was very thankful when we arrived at the boat stop. We got off the bus and were immediately surrounded by people who were trying to recruit us to ride their boat to Puerto Gallera. We had no idea which one to ride so we just looked around a bit and decided most were the same. We waited for about an hour until our boat left.
Our boat was very interesting to say the least! It was blue and yellow and looked like it had definitly seen better days. We had to walk down a make-shift bridge to get on the boat. It was a pretty big boat and had bamboo tied to either side to make it more balanced. The boat was full of people with a lot of luggage and chickens galore. I loved the chickens! =) We got to Puerto Gallera within after about 1 and half hours and then got in another TINY boat (basically a canoe with the same bamboo balancers) to go to Mindoro where we were staying.
Our hotel in Mindoro was amazing. It reminded me a lot of Swiss Family Robinson. There were palm trees, and beautiful tropical flowers all around. When we walked up to the hotel there were children all over waiting for something. We had no idea what was going on. We checked in and the staff were some of the nicest people I had ever met! We decided to get some breakfast and enjoy the sun a little bit. We then found out all the kids were waiting for "Santa" to come. Apparently every year someone from the hotel dresses up as Santa and gives all the kids in the town Christmas presents. It was amazing to be able to experience this event. The kids all waited so patiently and had the biggest smiles on their faces. It really helped put me in the Christmas spirit because the joy and happiness those kids showed is what Christmas should be about! The hotel also served a free lunch to all the kids it was great. After that we went into town. The town was so cool. A lot of souvenir shops and restaurants and neat little things to see.
On the way back from town the cutest little lady ever stopped us to buy some fruit. Her name was Linda and she was seriously the sweetest lady ever. So I bought some fruit from her and talked for a bit. I bought a mangostein, which I had never had before and it was actually really good. We went into town later that night and had a really good Christmas Eve dinner. We all had sweet and sour chicken. The food in the Philippines was amazing!! =) After dinner Kelly and I went to watch a performance in the park. The town was having a fundraiser for another town that had been damaged by a storm a few weeks earlier. Here was another reminder/lesson on the importance of giving. This town was not well of by any means but they were willing to give as much as they could to help another town in need. Why doesnt that happen everywhere?! Kelly and I went and bought some food to donate, and stayed to listen for a bit. The music was amazing they played some really cool songs and everyone was standing around laughing, singing, dancing and truly enjoying being together as a town. People knew how to slow down and enjoy eachother.
We left the concert and went to a Catholic church for Chritmas Eve mass. We arrived at the church after walking up a little dirt road. The church was PACKED with people, but we managed to find two seats off to the side. We got a lot of stares being some of the only foreigners around. The service started almost an hour late due to some wardrobe malfunctions of the children performers. The kids did a re-inactment of the Christmas story. It was so cute. They sang and had some beautiful little voices. We looked around during the story and there were dogs running around =) There was also a mom in front of us a little bit that kept nudging her son who was around our age to come talk to us throughout the whole service. It was really cute but I am sure it was super embarassing for the guy. Seems like something my dad would do! =) The whole service was performed in Tagalag but the message of Christmas was loud and clear. There was a part of the service where everyone lit candles and sang Christmas carols. During the songs everyone passed around their candles and greeted each other. It was so special and they all made sure that Kelly and I were apart of it. After the service we asked what it was about, and they told us it represented family and all being apart of the same family, and sharing what we have. So touching and meaningful. It was the perfect start to Christmas for me. I could not be with my family for Christmas, but I was a little bit apart of a giant family in Mindoro. So neat!
When we got home we sat outside to journal, overlooking the ocean with so many beautiful palm trees all around. It was a great way to start Christmas for me. On Christmas morning we woke up and wrote our families. =) Then we started to make plans to go snorkeling. It ended up being about $20 for all of us to go for an hr. There were beautiful fish and so much coral and neat things to see. I loved being able to go snorkeling on Christmas morning. A random guy followed our boat and brought bread that he threw in the water so the fish would all swim for us. It was really fun. The fish got so close I could touch them. When we got back we experienced a really sweet moment with our driver. We gave him a tip for helping us out so much. He looked really embarassed like we shouldnt have. Then he called this little boy over, told us it was his son. We talked to the little boy awhile. Then the dad bent down and handed the boy the money we had gived him and said "Merry Christmas." It was such a touching moment, and the little boy's smile warmed my heart. Those are the little moments that make life great, that give life a purpose.
We spent the rest of the day relaxing and enjoying vacation! Had a great Christmas dinner, did some more souvenir shopping then went to bed pretty early because we had another big day of travel ahead. The next morning we got up to leave and arranged to take another one of the crazy boats straight from Mindoro to the boat stop. We got on the boat and started out on our adventure back. A little ways into the ride it started to get a little rough. They closed all the plastic sides of the boat so that no water would get in. Then the waves got really big and it started getting really rough. All of a sudden the life jackets started flying around, parents strapping their kids in. Then we looked around and saw tear-stained faces of terrified kids..Then came the plastic bags. All over the boat people were busting out bags and kids and adults were throwing up. Such an experience. It ended up calming down after a bit and things returned to normal. The interesting part came later when we got back to our hostel. We met a girl there that is in the Peace Corps and we were telling her about our boat ride. She told us that we were brave because those boats capsize ALL the time! Oh man glad I didnt know that BEFORE I went on the boat! =) Someone was watching out for us.
Sung left us that night and the rest of us went to bed pretty early. The next mornign we got up and had a nice breakfast. I was able to call my family which was really nice. Got to actually talk to them and let them know we were all doing well.
We wandered to a local market after breakfast. We bought some more local fruit that supposedly tasted awful. It didnt taste so bad but it definitly was not my favorite fruit.
Walking away from the market we ran into a group of people singing karaoke in an alleyway. We walked past but one of us wanted to take a picture because it was so random so we sort of stopped. Then they all started yelling for us to come back and told us it was free. =) They asked us to sit down with them and sing for a bit. They welcomed us with wide open hearts and the most beautiful smiles I have seen. They were so welcoming and made us feel like apart of the little community. The women and kids had AMAZING voices. We sang with them and soon there was a huge crowd of people gathered around to watch and join in singing. They sang some really insipirational songs that I will never hear again and think about the same way. We talked to the people more and began to realize how important family was to each and every one of them and how happy they were to be able to spend time with their families. They meant the world to each other. They found so much joy in a situation where others would feel dispair. They did not have much, but what they did have they gave freely to each other. They truly and deeply cared for one another.
One of the ladies we met named Jo was a true inspiration to me. The more we talked to her the more I realized how amazing she is. She has dedicated her life to serving her community. Her passion is helping and reaching out to others. She has made it her goal to tutor the kids in her community so they can get better at English. She made the point though, that her main goal was to give the kids a sense of peace and purpose in their lives. Her faith in God and her community was such an inspiration to me. She told me how she prayed for a building for her classes to meet and how one had opened up across the street. She has such pure faith in God that she knew it would all work out. She doesnt know how things will work out, but she knows they will because she believes it and prays with all her heart. She was so sweet and loving and I could sense that even in the four hours I spent with her. She took us to the center and showed us around. I was so touched that this woman, who didnt have much, dedicates all she has to others. She told us stories about several children in the neighborhood, who were orphans. They stay in different houses around the neighborhood and the community takes care of them. What an amazing group of people! We stayed and talked and sang with them for almost four hours and I felt more joy in that simple afternoon than I have in a long time. That is the meaning of happiness. =) They taught me the meaning of gratitude and pure un-waivering faith. I am so grateful for this experience. When I thanked one lady for sharing the afternoon with us she said "Just dont forget about us." I dont think I will ever forget about them. They reminded me of what is important in life. It is our friends and families that are important not all the THINGS we try to fill up our lives with. It is what I can do for other people that really matters.
I am reminded through these experiences that what really matters in life cannot be measured through material possessions. I was reminded of lessons I learned years ago in Africa, sometimes the people that truly have nothing know exactly what it feels like to have everything important in their lives. All too often we get distracted by material possesions and physical worries but in places like this those things dont even come close to being important. Friends and family are really the only things some people have in the world so they have learned to appreciate the treasure of a friendship more than I will ever be able to. It was a blessing to experience.
Another cool part of the experience was Jo told us how fun it was for her community to get to hang out with foreigners. She said a lot of foreigners dont have a good view of the Philippines and how she was really excited to be able to share her culture with us. At the same time we were so grateful to see their culture and a part of their lives as well. Jo is one of the strongest women I have met. So many lessons learned from such a brief time spent with some truly amazing people.
The poverty in Manila is overwhelming but the joy I saw that day helps me put things into perspective. This trip taught me the importance and necessity of giving to others. It has taught me the importance of sharing my experiences with others as well. I realize this is an amazing blessing to be able to travel and see different things around the world, but an even more amazing chance to share my stories with others so they might be able to learn about a new place or about the issues that exist all over the world.
My journey to the Philippines is one I will never forget. Such great memories that really touched my heart.