Christmas Travels

There's an old proverb, "Every cloud has a silver lining."  I also like the equivalent, "It's an ill wind that blows no good."  Both of them, of course, mean that you never, or hardly ever, have something really bad happen without someone getting some real good out of it, that would not have happened otherwise.

One of the good things that resulted from the abrupt, unwelcome ending to my Korean adventure, is the opportunity for me to spend the holidays with my family.  Thanksgiving was spent at my parents' house, with a merry crowd from both sides of the family.  For Christmas, my parents are flying out to North Carolina to visit with my Uncle Dan (my dad's eldest brother) and his family for a few days.  I will fly out later to Baltimore, and take the train to meet them near New Freedom, PA, where my sister's in-laws live.  Then we'll spend Christmas with my brother-in-law's family.  I'm looking forward to that.  My sister married into a pretty neat family.

Speaking of which, a little bird told me that some of my family are still wondering about Christmas gift ideas for me.  (Fortunately, some of them follow this blog.)  For me, at this point, that's a difficult question to answer.  The things I want most in my life are not things that can be purchased, wrapped up in shiny paper, and placed under a tree.  Or, if they could be purchased, they would be prohibitively expensive for my family, who are not millionaires.  Or, I wouldn't have the time to enjoy them.  For example, I really want/need a good teaching job, a loving and supportive wife (I'm single), financial freedom (or even just debt freedom), a trip to visit my friends in Korea, martial arts classes from a Christian instructor,....  You get the picture.

This fall, I was forced to scale down considerably, and I still didn't reach my material weight-loss goal.  I got rid of a lot of clothes, a lot of books, and a lot of other junk.  Some was sold, a lot was given away, and some things were thrown away or recycled.  A few things were left in Korea when I didn't have room for them.  However, I still have too much junk holding me down.

So, I don't really need, want, or expect much in the way of material things from people this Christmas, and I don't want to be obliged to buy things for people that they don't really need or want.  I feel that Christmas has been turned into a guilt-ridden spending orgy, and I refuse to participate in the materialism.  I would like to adopt the gift policy of C.S. Lewis, who decided to only buy gifts for children at Christmas.

I'll tell you what I don't want.  I don't want people to spend money on me just for the sake of tradition, or just because they don't want to feel guilty.  There's no need to feel guilty.  My parents are buying me a plane ticket and a few nights at a hotel, so I can spend Christmas with them, and with my sister and brother-in-law.  That's really all the Christmas present I need.  (BTW, I'm getting tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat as I write this.)  Seriously, that's all I really want.  If you really want to get me something, see the list below.

Here's something else I don't want.  I absolutely, positively, don't want something that was made in China or Taiwan or the Philippines because the labor costs are cheaper there, and the U.S. doesn't have enough import tariffs to motivate domestic production.  Seriously, I have everything I need, and if you're adding to our national trade deficit by buying me an imported gift, I'll take it back.  If you really want to get me something physical, I would highly prefer something handmade by a local artisan.  You can be the artisan too, that would be wonderful; if so, please use domestic materials.  (Sadly, many of my possessions were not made in the U.S.  I'm not a hypocrite, but when I buy necessities, I don't always have the freedom of buying domestic.  Gifts, however, are not necessities.)

Gift Ideas
What about some concrete ideas?  OK, here goes.  I like handmade wool items, like socks, scarves, and sweaters.  A stylish wool hat (not a beanie) would also be good.  I have enough ties, but they're currently hanging on pants hangers in my closet; so, a handmade wooden tie rack would be appreciated.  Ditto with belts.  Cedar would be the best choice of wood for either rack, as they will be sharing a closet with wool and silk items, and cedar helps keep the moths away.  If there's not enough time to finish these items before Christmas, I'll happily take a rain check.

If someone needs to shop online because of distance or time constraints, please consider a sponsored donation to a worthy Christian charity.  One of my favorite organizations, the Rafiki Foundation, is in the process of transforming Africa for God by providing healthy orphans with a loving home and a Christian education.  In forty years (God willing), these children, raised in Christian families, will be the new leaders of several African nations.  Their website is http://www.rafiki-foundation.org/, and they sell donation cards at various levels.  They also have an online exchange, which markets the crafts that the kids learn to make, so they earn money for the foundation but do not compete with the local craftspeople.  Anything from there would be good, and if I can't use it, I'll give it to someone who can, knowing that the money went to the Lord's work with Rafiki.

So, that's the story with me and Christmas.  Now, I just have to practice what I preach, and get some appropriate, affordable gifts for the people who really mean the most to me.

Prayer Requests
I'm sure you read, earlier, the list of things that I want or need, that can't be gift-wrapped.  Please pray that God would show me His will in these things.

Right now, I need to get to sleep.  Good Night.  Thanks for reading, and thanks for praying.  God bless you all.

Layover in Japan

Japan was the first Asian country that I seriously considered visiting.  A few years ago, I was studying Judo, "the gentle art of self-defense", the modern Japanese martial art that, of all the martial arts I am aware of, focuses most on using the opponent's strength and movement to defeat him.  I was really into Judo, and I dreamed about having enough money to go to the Kodokan, the home of Judo, in Tokyo, to study there.

Considering that, I find it ironic that, when I finally did get to Japanese soil, not far from Tokyo, it was only a two-hour layover in the international terminal of the Narita airport.  It's even more ironic that, by the time I got there, I had a rather jaded view of Japan.  From my three months in Korea, I had become more sympathetic to Korea, and the harm that they had suffered under Japanese occupation from about 1910 to 1945.  I had also learned that, adding insult to injury, the Japanese government still refused to apologize to the Koreans for the lasting harm resulting from that occupation.  Moreover, I had been trying to learn Korean for three months, with some success, and here I was now, in Japan, with a language and writing system that I had never seriously studied.  But the most important emotional association was probably the fact that Japan and Japan airlines were my path away from Korea, where I really wanted to stay.

So, when I arrived in Japan, and during the whole time I was on Japan Airlines, I didn't have a very friendly feeling toward the language or the culture.  Of course, I didn't show any hostility, but I felt like a stranger on unfriendly ground, much more so than I had in Korea.  In Korea, the people had been very friendly.  In Tokyo, I saw a sign warning travelers about pickpockets and luggage thieves, which are not considered significant hazards in Korea.

Adding to this feeling of hostility, when I got to the gate for my connecting flight, I saw something rather disturbing on the television.  Of course, it was all in Japanese, so I didn't really know what the show was about, but what I saw on the large screen was a little Japanese girl, a toddler really, in the process of getting dressed.  I suppose the show was narrating her dressing activity.  My discomfort stemmed from the knowledge that Japan, like Korea, does have a problem with sexual exploitation of young women, and even sexually immature girls.  I feel that such a show would be likely to contribute to that problem, even if the content of the show was entirely innocent in its intent.

At any rate, I didn't have to watch that show.  The TV closest to my gate was showing a sumo tournament, which didn't really need narration.  An American gentleman on my flight sat down near me to watch, and explained some of the procedures, like the required ritual posturing and ceremonial scattering of rice.  Since the boarding call was a little delayed, we had time to watch the grand finale, which was good.

On the flight, I got an aisle seat in the center section of the 777-300ER, and my own little movie screen.  The only irritating thing was that the screen stopped for every announcement, and the announcements were in both English and Japanese, so it took twice as long.  Also, unlike on Singapore Airlines, I did not get a comfort pack (toothbrush, toothpaste, knit socks).  Despite the slightly delayed boarding, we caught a strong jet stream, so we made good time.  Since I would be arriving in the morning, I tried to sleep, with a little success.

After a little catnap, I checked the time in San Francisco, and decided to get ready for that time zone.  So, I set my watch and checked the movies.  I got to watch the new G.I. Joe movie, which was quite good.  I also got to watch most of the new Transformers movie, which I had already seen once, before the movies were turned off for landing.  Breakfast was decent, and the landing was quite smooth.

Immigration/customs was no problem, as I was not bringing back enough cash for them to be concerned about.  I did have to answer a few questions from one officer about the purpose of my visit.  Baggage claim took a little while, but I made friends with the attendants and helped them keep the baggage running smoothly.  I did have to wait at the curb for my mom, but I expected that.  Of course, she took me to lunch at Nona's Kitchen, a fabulous restaurant on Highway 1 in Pacifica, not too far out of our way.  (It's owned and run by Joreth Toropov, who is married to my cousin Virginia.)

After lunch, my mom drove me to her house in Brentwood, in East Contra Costa County.  I unloaded my luggage into the guest room (henceforth my bedroom), took off my nice clothes, and crashed on the bed until dinnertime.

Prayer Requests
I've pretty much gotten over my jet lag by now, which is harder going east when crossing the International Date Line.  What I need now is paid employment.  Please pray that I would find work.  I don't want to work retail during the holiday shopping rush, because most retailers are open on Sunday.  I want to teach, so I need to start by getting a substitute teaching credential, and applying at all the nearby school districts.  I also need to look at the private schools.

More importantly, I need to know God's direction for my life.  I've been on a rather circuitous and indirect course thus far, and while it may have been God's will, it's very trying to my parents as well as me.  On Sunday, I enjoyed a sermon from Pastor Larry at GHCC on that subject, which reminded me that it's my listening ability, not God's communication skills, that interfere.  Please pray that I would listen to God as He shows me His will for my life in this area.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for praying.  Now that I'm back in the U.S., I probably won't be updating this blog very much, unless I have something major to report.  If you have any questions, I'm sure most of you know how to contact me.  Otherwise, comments to this post will get e-mailed to me, and I will get back to you.

Leaving Korea

Well, it looks like God's plans for me do not include living and working in Korea long-term.  I did not experience any huge miracles of the kind I was hoping for.  (You know, the kind that would allow me to stay in Korea and teach for GVCS.)  I finished my last day in the classroom on Tuesday the 17th, and gave my last make-up test on Tuesday afternoon.  While I was proctoring the test, Dick Carroll (who teaches Bible and Christian Art) came in to relieve me so I could go to the regular Tuesday afternoon teachers' meeting.

At the meeting, Dr. Cho (the principal) presented me with a certificate of appreciation, and a small gift.  Sam Pak (the academic vice-principal) invited me to a goodbye dinner, along with anyone else who wanted to come.   I was planning to go to the Tae Kwon Do class one last time, which I mentioned, so Sam agreed that we would leave for dinner after the Tae Kwon Do class.

During the class, someone told me that Josh Carstenson (who teaches Bible and History, and coaches boys' volleyball & basketball) had left early to run an errand, and had left the key to the shuttle van on my desk, so I should drive it home.  Well, I don't like it when people put expectations on me, or "should" on me, but I didn't want to leave people stranded, either.  I talked to some people, and Chris Lee (who has a few different hats) offered to pick me up from the apartments after I drove the van there.  So, that worked out all right.

It was cold and windy, but Chris didn't make me wait too long.  Dinner turned out to be at the Korean barbecue that was just across a rice paddy from the apartment complex.  Chris Lee, Sam Pak, Dick & Sherry Carroll, Josh Kong (the head chaplain), another chaplain, and my roommate Justin Prock (who teaches History & Government/Econ) were all in attendance.  I appreciated their presence.  I had been a bit doubtful about how much they cared about me.  I wondered if they could have fought harder for my visa.  With these gestures, it became clear that they really did want me to stay, but they knew from experience that fighting a visa decision was a waste of time and money.

At the dinner, they divided up my classes between the available, qualified people.  Josh Kong, who has a math degree, and was available in the afternoon, took my fourth period, the troublemakers.  Sam Pak took the second periods, and that left Kwan Kim (who teaches physics & math, and works in the IT department) with the first periods.  There was some discussion about who had to call Kwan and tell him.  Sherry (who works in the School Administration office) said that she wouldn't, and I certainly wasn't going to.  Sam eventually delegated that task to Chris, who did not look forward to it.

After dinner, I rode back with the Carrolls.  Then I went over to the Carstensons' apartment to give the van key back to Josh, and say goodbye.  That was quite difficult, because we had become pretty good friends in a short amount of time, and I would probably not be able to come back.  I still get a lump in my throat when I think about it.
For the rest of the evening, I graded tests until I couldn't stay up anymore.  I had already arranged with Sherry to call her when I needed a ride to school, because I knew I could work more effectively at the apartment.  The next morning, I graded tests until I had finished, and I posted the grades online.  Then, about lunchtime, I called Sherry, and started packing in earnest.

I went to the school for the afternoon, to wrap up some loose ends.  I handed back some of the makeup tests I had graded, and left the rest for my replacements to take care of.  Several of my students gave me goodbye letters, and a couple of them gave me goodbye gifts.  I went to chapel, where Sam Pak gave me the details of my plane flight.  (I could have arranged a better, cheaper one if I'd had some notice, but I don't know how much time they had.)  I consulted with Kwan about my grading policies, and I left my computer on my desk for Kwan to take care of.    After dinner, which I ate with some of my students, I finished packing up everything that I wasn't taking with me, and went downstairs to find that the shuttle had already left.  That was disappointing, since that was the first time that had happened to me at school.  Unfortunately, no one else was leaving soon.  So, I turned on my computer, e-mailed the flight details to my mom, and killed some time until Sam Pak came out and offered me a ride home.

Sam Pak, however, wanted to make sure of some financial questions first.  The school was paying me for the full month of November, which I thought was pretty good, since they were also paying for the flight.  They did, however, have to take out of my salary a cleaning fee for the apartment, and some utility costs for the last two months.  Sam wanted to make sure that those fees had been debited properly.  So, I turned on my computer, logged on to the Korean Exchange Bank website, and verified that the last deposit had been reduced to cover the final living expenses.  Then, I finally went back to the apartment to finish packing.

Sherry had already loaned me (at my request) a luggage scale, which really helped me with packing my luggage.  Unfortunately, I had more things in Korea than I had brought on the plane, because of what my mother had sent me in the mail.  I had also purchased some things in Korea, most notably my wool coat, which I did not want to leave behind.

I ended up leaving a few small articles of clothing, like hand-me-down undershirts, worn-out underwear, surplus bandannas & hospital scrubs, and a dress shirt that was ink-stained on the back.  (Josh wanted that one.)  I also left toilet paper, my closet rack, rice cooker, and all the food except for some good travel snacks.  I even left the Tupperware, which I was loathe to do.  Unfortunately, I did not have extra space for it.  I knew I would not really need it when I was living with my parents, so it didn't make the cut.  I did manage to bring all my cutlery, which fit in some crevices in the small duffel without making it overweight.  I did have to pack an extra bag, which I hoped would qualify as a carry-on.

Sherry had volunteered to drive me to the airport, and we had agreed to leave at 8:00, which would give me plenty of time to catch the flight.  I had a 1:50 flight with Japan Airlines, changing planes in Tokyo (Narita), then a long flight over the Pacific, to arrive around 10:00 a.m. of the same day that I left.  (That's the International Date Line for you.)  Sherry and I had a great talk on the drive over, about how she came to be where she is now.  It seems God's timing took a lot longer than she had hoped or expected.

Well, we got there in plenty of time.  I had to pay for an extra bag, almost $100 worth.  Then, I went to the bank, and had all my won turned into dollars, in cash.  Then Sherry bought lunch for both of us.  (When I found my selection had walnuts, she graciously offered to buy another one.)  When we both finished, I cleaned up, collected my things (making sure I had my money properly stowed), and she walked me to the security checkpoint, where we said goodbye.  I will miss her, as I will miss all of my friends in Korea.

I got through the checkpoint with no problems, and successfully found the gate for my departing flight to Narita/Tokyo.  Once there, I checked for problems with my flight (there were none), and greeted an American who appeared to be waiting for the same flight.  (She was connecting to a Hawaii flight for a wedding.)  I then plugged in my computer, connected my magicJack, microphone, and headphones, and attempted to call my mother.  After a few tries I remembered to reconfigure it for headphones, and got connected successfully.  She was at a birthday party for a close friend, so we didn't talk long, but she was glad to hear that I got to the airport safely.  After we hung up, I killed some time, and then, when the boarding call was announced, I packed up my things, and got in line.

One thing that I realized, while waiting for my flight, is that Korea is safer (from a personal property standpoint) than either Tokyo or San Francisco.  Also, I was carrying most of my life savings in a man-purse.  So, I secreted some of the money in various concealed spots on my person, so that if I got mugged, I would be unlikely to lose everything.  Of course, I didn't have any problems, but it did give me a little peace of mind, that at least I wouldn't get stranded.

The flight was full, and my backpack didn't fit in the overhead compartment very well, but otherwise it went fine.  Soon after we took off, I was offered refreshments, which I accepted.  The food was apparently an appetizer tray of some kind, with eight different little servings of traditional Japanese food (not sushi).  I was given only wooden chopsticks to eat them with, which I was quite happy about.  (After so much time in Korea, I rather prefer chopsticks to a fork, when I don't have to cut my food.)  My seatmate didn't get anything, and I hope that was only because he was engrossed in his movie.  I enjoyed the food, and the window seat was fine for the short flight.  The landing at Narita was uneventful.

Thanks for reading.  In my next entry, I'll talk about my short experience in Japan.

The Worst Thing About Korea

Well, I've decided how to answer the question, "What's the worst thing about Korea?"  It isn't the food (that's great), or the language (hard to learn, but beautiful), the impatient drivers, the inefficient traffic lights, or even the cigarette smoke and soju.  It's not even the brothels in Songtan and Itaewon, which are really due to American influence.  It's nothing obvious at all; in fact, it's something I didn't learn about until I'd been here over two months.

The worst thing about Korea is the widespread prejudice of Koreans against any kind of mental infirmity.  Apparently, there is great shame and stigma associated with any kind of mental illness.  Some children with severe retardation are placed in a special home, and their families don't talk about them.  Families whose children show signs of more mild problems, like Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), will not even consider diagnosis or treatment, because they don't want the stigma associated with such a condition.  They hate losing face.  That's unfortunate, because several of my students could probably do much better if they were able to control their impulsive behavior and concentrate.  However, it affects me even more directly than that, because I have ADD myself, as most of my readers probably know.

I was diagnosed with ADD when I was 15 years old.  My mother first suspected it when I was 5.  I saw many mental health specialists, counselors, psychologists, etc., for the next 10 years.  I outsmarted all of them, until my mother sent me to one who was smart enough to evaluate my gifted intellect, and see past it to diagnose the ADD.  They put me on generic Ritalin, which allowed me to focus on schoolwork and learn to control my impulsive behavior.  I recently switched to Adderall, which works even better for me.  I've been having it sent to Korea in the mail by my parents.

By now, most Americans recognize ADD, although there are many misconceptions about it.  Some feel that it is a fraud.  Others feel that it is widely overdiagnosed, which I doubt.  Others feel that it is a disorder of childhood only, which children will grow out of.  Others feel that it's only a problem in school.  All of these attitudes are unhealthy in that they tend to keep people from getting the help they need.  Koreans have a similarly unhealthy attitude.

Most Koreans treat ADD (or any other mental health condition) as a fatal flaw, instead of a treatable health condition or a surmountable handicap.  This is why my E-2 visa is being denied.  That's why I'm losing my job, leaving over one hundred precious students that I love dearly, and flying back to the U.S. within a week.  If I had known about this unhealthy, prejudicial attitude, I would not have listed ADD on the Health Questionnaire section of my visa application.  Then, maybe, I'd be able to stay here.

Now, I'm not going to recommend to anyone that they break the law, American, Korean, or that of any other country.  I'm also not going to advise anyone to be dishonest in any way.  However, I would suggest that anyone applying for any kind of visa in Korea needs to be aware of this attitude.  Remember, Koreans apparently feel that mental illness is very serious.  Therefore, they only need to know about any kind of mental illness that is truly as serious as they think it is.  So, if you have some kind of mental health diagnosis, but you have it under control and are perfectly capable of teaching in Korea, then obviously your condition is not what the question is asking about.  Think of it as translating the question culturally.  I wish someone had clued me in on this before I filled out the application.  At this point, the most I can do is warn others.

Prayer Requests
Obviously, I need a lot of prayer.  I don't know what to mention first.  Please pray that I can get packed in time, disposing of all my things properly.  Please pray for my students, that they will understand why I am leaving.  Please pray that they get a good math teacher to replace me, one who will teach in English (because a few of the students don't understand Korean).

Please pray for my re-entry and re-adjustment to the U.S.  Pray that I can close my Korean bank account and convert my won to dollars at a favorable rate.  Pray for a safe flight and hassle-free re-entry at U.S. Customs.  Please pray that I can find somewhere to work where my skills will be valued, and I can earn some money to pay my bills.

Most of all, please pray that I would come to learn why God put me through this difficult and painful exercise.  Currently, I've learned that I can teach, but I still have a lot to learn about teaching, and I could use some formal training.  If that's all that God wanted me to learn from this, I wonder that I had to come all the way to Korea to learn it, only to be torn away from people that I came to love dearly in a very short time.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for praying.  Unless God works a major miracle, I'll be back in California within a week.  The silver lining to this very dark cloud is that I'll be able to see family, and old friends, much sooner than expected.  That includes most of my readers.  God bless you.  It looks like I'll be seeing you soon.

Very Bad News

Well, it looks like the Ministry of Immigration is not going to grant my E-2 Visa.  The school administrators have said that they will not allow me to just renew my visitor's permit and keep working after my E-2 rejection is final.  I'm very sad about this, for many reasons.

I made many friends here in a short time, and I don't want to say goodbye to them.  My students love me (well, most of them), even one that I chewed out for not taking notes (and failing as a result), and don't want me to go.  They all say, "Don't go!" and "When you come back?"  My colleagues don't want me to go.  I don't want to leave these kids without a teacher.  Even if I wasn't the greatest teacher, I'm sure I was better than no teacher at all.  I'm sure I will miss my students very dearly.  I wept freely when I told them about my situation.

Also, I don't have a job in the U.S., and the job market there is very tough.  I can't even escape the real world by going back to school, because I can't get any more student loans.  I can live with my parents for a little while, but that still leaves me in debt (only slightly reduced by my earnings here), and I can't live with them forever.

It's a real stinker, that's the only way to put it.  The only bright side is that I will be able to see my family for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  But this is not the way I would have chosen to do that.

It seems that the only possible alternative is to marry a Korean woman, which would make me very happy, even if it wasn't necessary to stay in the country.  I've got at least one on my mind, who is very nice, and seems to be available.  The only problem is, how can I win her heart in a few days?  That's all the time I have.  I know that the head of our organization would like to see me marry a Korean woman, but I'm not sure how much influence he has.  I've already e-mailed him about this.

Also, I have Parent-Teacher Conferences tomorrow.  I'll have to tell the parents that I will have to leave in a few days because of problems with my visa and the Ministry of Immigration.  I'll also have to tell them that I don't know who will be taking over my classes.  They won't like that.


Prayer Requests
I really need God's blessing right now.  How I'm going to get through Parent-Teacher Conferences tomorrow, I have no idea.  I don't want to face packing.  I'd love to get married, but apparently I'm terrified of actually trying to woo a woman on such short notice.  Since I don't know exactly what I'm going to do, I have no specific requests.  Just pray for me.

Visa Issues

Well, it's been a while since I updated this blog.  I've been so busy with school, I could not in good conscience take the time to make a proper entry.  Unfortunately, a situation has developed that requires urgent prayer, so I'm putting out a request to all my prayer warriors, wherever you are.

There is a problem with my visa application at the Korean Ministry of Immigration.  The school decided to go with an E-2 visa, for a foreign teacher, through another campus under the same ministry, which is accredited by the government.  I got all the paperwork filled out with the help of the school's HR department, and they sent it in.  That was all I knew until this evening.

Today, after the regular teachers' meeting, I was flagged down by one of the administrators, who told me that the principal and the academic vice principal (names withheld) wanted to speak with me.  So, I went up to the principal's office.  I waited for a little while, until the appropriate person from HR could be found and called up as well.  They told me there was a problem with my visa application.

It seems that listing Attention Deficit Disorder on the health questionnaire, under the spot for mental health conditions (as I did), raises a red flag with the Ministry of Immigration.  Apparently they recognize AD/HD as a mental health condition, but they do not understand it very well, especially the range of conditions that fall under that heading.  I have seen untreated AD/HD contribute to criminal activity in others, but my condition is effectively treated with medication, and causes me no problems as long as I take my prescription.

However, I don't think the functionaries at Immigration are sympathetic to that perspective.  If my visa application is rejected, then the school will not keep me on under a tourist visa, and I'll be out of a job.  I really don't want to go back to the U.S. under those circumstances.

Prayer Requests
Everyone who is reading this, please pray that God would open a way for me to stay and teach here in Korea.  If the visa application is rejected, the only way I can think of would be to marry a Korean woman.  While I actually like that idea, I have no objections to doing so sooner rather than later, and I know at least one suitable lady at my school, I'm afraid that two weeks is a very short time to win a woman's heart.  That's about how much time I have before my tourist visa expires, and I'm not sure it would be wise to make the attempt.  It could backfire badly.

Also, please pray for wisdom for me, and for my colleagues that are helping me deal with the Ministry of Immigration.  Most importantly, please pray that God would give me the peace of knowing in my heart that everything is in His hands, and that His peace would comfort me through the uncertainty of waiting for a decision.

On a related need, please continue to pray for my students.  Over one-third of them are failing my class after the half-way mark.  Some are getting better, but many are not.  I'm not sure what the problem is, although I have my suspicions, but it appears to be the highest fail rate of any class at the school.  I probably need to teach better, and evaluate more fairly, both of which I am working on.  Also, some of the disruptive kids need to be dealt with, either with effective discipline or removal.  If I do have to go, I'm afraid they won't learn this subject at all, unless the school hires a Korean teacher to replace me.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for praying.  God bless you all.

Trip to the Big City

Well, the day after I posted my last entry, I took a trip with Rachael B. and the school cross-country team (boys only) to the city. We didn't actually go all the way to Seoul, but rather to a city in Gyeonggi Province (Korean: 경기도), which is a mostly urban, crescent-shaped province surrounding the metropolitan city of Seoul. (Kind of like the relationship of New Jersey to New York City; only Seoul is on the same level as a province.) As mentioned previously, I got to do this because I was basically the only person available who is able to drive the van that they had to use. Since she asked, I said that I would. Otherwise they would have had to take public transportation, which they have done before, but kind of got lost in the process.

Well it turned out to be a bit of an adventure. Actually, we kind of got lost, too. No one knew where we were going, really, but we had one of the runners (the best one, actually) plug in the address into the GPS (which was a Korean-language GPS). I had Rachael watch the GPS and call out the turns to me. Well, it only gave notice of one turn at a time, and then took a little while to display the next one. If the exit you take has a choice right away between one direction and the other on the expressway, that doesn't work unless you're watching the picture of the roadway as well as the direction arrows.

The other thing that caused problems was the fact that the guys didn't trust the GPS, and started to second-guess it. Rachael got distracted by them, and failed to give me adequate notice for a turn I needed to make. On the Korean expressway system, the exits are few and far between. Basically, if you get on an expressway, it means you're going some distance, whether you want to or not. There are toll plazas at the interchanges between expressways and surface streets/regional highways. That cost us some time, and a few thousand won in unnecessary tolls.

However, we still got there within the time parameters that Rachael thought would be OK. Then we found out that her assumptions had been incorrect, and the race the guys were supposed to run in had already started. We decided to run the course and time the guys on our own. Uriel, the star runner, was pretty frustrated, because this wasn't the first time he had missed a race like that. It looks like maybe Rachael needs to allow more time for getting lost and recovering, and for other unexpected events, than she has been allowing.

At any rate, we ran the race. I actually chased the slowest runners all the way around the course, which was a hilly 5K race. (I was wearing blue jeans and hiking boots.) In fact, I sometimes had to yell at them not to walk, but to keep running, and rest later. I think I would have liked to be working with Rachael in coaching the team, but I haven't had much time for that, and anyway, the season is pretty much over for now. Too bad they didn't get more races. Some of these guys need to learn the way of the warrior. Tae Kwon Do doesn't appear to be teaching them enough of that.

After the race, we went out for dinner, paid for by the athletic budget, of course. That was another challenge, trying to find a place for dinner in a city we didn't know. However, we eventually found a Kim's Club, which turned out to be a grocery store that has a food court attached. Next challenge: find a parking space! The first four levels down were full, but the attendant on the fifth floor waved us on. The lot was really tight, as they all are in Korea, and the spaces were all squared, no angled spots. (Angled spaces take more space, something that's at a premium everywhere in Korea.) I tried for a couple of spaces, but there wasn't really enough maneuvering room to get the van into them safely. Then I saw a corner space open up, and I went for it.

Another driver, a woman, also wanted the same space, and came at it from the opposite direction. (Note: I'm not sexist. Women drive differently in Korea, as discussed in a previous post.) I got halfway into the space, and then I just sat and waited for her to move out of my way. I figured my car was bigger than hers, and more beat up, so she wouldn't be too aggressive. Also, I figured she was in more of a hurry than I was, and would quickly tire of waiting for me to to move, and go find another space. She honked at me, and I honked back and motioned for her to move on. Soon, a parking attendant came over (there were a few on that level), and spoke to her in Korean. Evidently the attendant sided with me, and helped the woman find another parking space.

In Kim's Club (which had plenty of signs in English, surprisingly enough), I learned how to order food at a Korean food court. There was a display of fake food, which represented the dishes available for order. Beneath each dish of plastic food, was a tag showing the name (in Korean) and price of the real food item. The idea was to choose the item you wanted, and go to the cashier and tell her, and pay for it, of course. This was another challenge in reading Hangul. Fortunately, Rachael knew some of the names, and once she said it, I was able to read it better. I chose a hot variant of bibenbap, which is a rice bowl with veggies and other things. (The word "pap" or "bap", spelled 밥 in Korean, means "cooked rice".)

After I paid for it, she gave me two receipts, one with the price to give to Rachael for reimbursement, and the other with an order number, which she helpfully pointed out. I was directed to look at a board with several rows of numbers. Apparently, each row represented one counter in the food court. Every time an order was ready at a counter, that order number would flash on the board, and an electronic bell would chime. The number would also flash on a smaller board at the individual counter. Different types of food were prepared at different counters, of course.

Eventually, my number flashed, and I went to pick up my order. It was served in a cast-iron bowl, so hot the rice on the bottom was sizzling. It cost 4,900 won, and was very good. I've never had such a good meal for less than 5 bucks before. I honestly enjoyed it more than some meals that were twice the price.

After dinner, we did some shopping, with an agreement to meet back there at a certain time. (I actually told them an hour later than I intended to, so we had some time to kill, but that's the way it went.) I took one of the boys who is bilingual, and I tried to get a prepaid cell phone, which is apparently the only kind I can get as long as I don't have a foreigner ID card. No dice. Apparently prepaid cell phones are only sold where many foreigners can be found, in places like airports, and near Osan AFB, and in Itaewon-dong, the international district of Seoul. So, that was frustrating. However, I also looked for a few things for the kitchen, and bought a decent cutting board that I can wash and sanitize properly.

On the way home, we didn't make a single wrong move. (We did have some people honk at us, but I kind of expect that in Korea.) We had learned how to use the GPS successfully. I also positioned it so I could see it as well as Rachael. I did succeed in getting the guys back before 11:00, which was my goal, so they could get a decent amount of sleep before having to get up for church. Then, of course, I took Rachael back to the apartments. Not the date I would have chosen to take her on, but a fun experience none the less, and also valuable for getting a little bit better acquainted.

The next day, I got a request from some of you, via my mother, for ideas for care packages. So, I'll post the list here for those who are interested. (Note: Sending packages to Korea is expensive, and I understand this. So, I don't expect a lot. Please don't feel obligated in any way.)

Care Package Ideas

When people think of care packages, they usually think of food. Now, I can buy food here, but there are certain things that I have trouble finding. Instant oatmeal is very good, and I haven't seen it even in the black market. Instant cocoa packets are also good. I've seen chocolate powder in places, but I'm not good a mixing hot chocolate from that, so hot chocolate packets would be nice.

I don't need candy, but some filling snacks would be really nice. I've only seen Snickers in the black market, and I haven't seen Balance Bars anywhere, so those would be good, as would Power Bars. Some unsalted trail mix (without walnuts) would also be good, as I haven't seen that anywhere.

I really want to bake a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, and baking things are hard to find here. I can get fresh pumpkin, and I'm pretty sure I can prepare it for baking. I also think I can get evaporated milk, although that will be harder. I have some cinnamon, and I know where to find more. I've also seen ground cloves somewhere, maybe the black market, so I think I can find those. I haven't seen any ground ginger, so I'd love to get a small amount of that for baking. I'll have to make a piecrust from scratch, so if anyone has a recipe for piecrust that a pioneer (think Little House on the Prairie) could follow, I'd appreciate it. On that subject, I haven't seen a proper-shaped piepan anywhere, not even at the cookware store in Pyeongtaek near Osan AFB, so if someone is willing to send one or two deep-dish piepans, I will be forever in your debt. Other baking items like baking soda and vanilla extract would be good too. I was able to get some stuff that claims to be baking soda, but the way it's labeled makes me wonder if it's the same stuff I'm used to. Same with the vanilla. I also need some measuring cups for dry ingredients, and measuring spoons for teaspoon and tablespoon measurements. Again, I couldn't find them, even in the cooking store in Pyeongtaek.

That's about it for food. As for other things, it is starting to get colder here. In fact, I understand the old name for this area meant "cold snowy valley". (I have already ordered a long cashmere coat from a good tailor in Pyeongtaek.) So, all you knitters out there in my fan club, I would really love some hand-knitted wool socks and a scarf or two. (You can get my sock measurements from my mom.) If anyone is more ambitious, a knitted wool vest in a versatile color like black or grey, that can be worn with a shirt and tie, would be very nice. Keep in mind that my job requires me to look like a professional, not a ski bum.

If you've read the above post, you're probably wondering why I don't get some paper maps. Apparently, Koreans rely on GPS devices despite their shortcomings, and don't really use paper maps, so no one knows where to find them without ordering some kind of atlas. So, some paper road maps would be really nice, even if they're labeled in Korean. Some of the expressway system in Chungcheongbuk Province (Chungcheongbuk-do, Korean 충청북도) and southern Gyeonggi Province (Gyeonggi-do, Korean 경기도) would be really nice. Also, of the area around Osan AFB. If AAA can provide a road map of Eumseong County (Eumseong-gun, Korean 음성군) in Chungcheongbuk Province, that would be very nice to receive as well.

Thanks to everyone who was asking about this. I do love receiving packages. However, your prayers are even more valuable, so I'll move on to the next section.

Prayer Requests

First, praise God for my continued good health, and the continued growth of relationships with my colleagues and students. On the whole, I've really enjoyed my time in Korea to date.

Also, praise God for allowing me to develop a taste for Korean food. I'm really starting to like kimchi, and cucumber soup, and even edible seaweed. That definitely makes it easier to live here.

As for requests and petitions, please pray for the health of the students and staff. On Monday (the 12th of October), we started seeing an unusual number of kids running fevers. Many were sent to the nurse's office, and several went back after school to be taken to the hospital to check for H1N1 virus. That apparently resulted in a visit from local representatives of the Ministry of Health, who administered temperature checks to all students, faculty and staff on Wednesday night. Fully one-third of the students were found to have an elevated temperature, and as a result, the school decided to have an immediate, week-long fall vacation. Students were sent home on chartered buses on Thursday, and their parents were called to pick them up at the stations. Please pray that everyone made it home safely.

Please pray that this will allow the sick students to get better, and keep them from infecting everyone. (This also gives the custodial staff a chance to sanitize the dormitories.) Some of the teachers were showing symptoms as well, and one tested positive (assumed) for H1N1 at the hospital, so those people stayed home from the teacher in-service/fellowship day that was held on Friday. Please pray that everyone would return to school healthy next Monday, and that there will not be any more outbreaks.

Since the Fall Festival was canceled as part of this vacation, we only lost four days of instruction time instead of seven. Praise God for helping me replan my lessons for the rest of the semester, to make up for the lost days. I have tried not to overburden the students with too much work. Please pray that this revised plan would work, and allow the students to keep up with the pace. Also, praise God for helping me finish grading all the chapter tests before I left for my vacation, and please pray that I would be able to finish all the homework grading and lesson planning I have to do this week.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading, thanks to those of you who are sending care packages, and thanks most of all for praying for my colleagues and I. May the blessings of God be with you all.

Driving in Korea

Well, now I can say that I've driven a car (a van, actually) in a foreign country, and lived to write about it. I would also like to add, as an aside, that an International Driver's Permit (IDP) is a wonderful thing. With an IDP and my CA driver's license, I can legally drive a vehicle in Korea with no additional paperwork.

How did I get a vehicle? Well, here's the deal. The school provides housing for the teachers and staff (and their immediate families) in the nearest apartment complex, which is about 15 minutes' drive from the school. The school also provides a shuttle, essentially an old van with a 5-speed transmission and hardly any seatbelts, for teachers to ride to school. (Many teachers do have their own cars, or ride with roommates, so one van is enough for the others.) Josh C, who teaches Bible and Social Studies (and coaches volleyball), normally drives this van, which seats up to 11 passengers if they get very cozy, and can hold more if they sit on each others' laps.

The students just had a 5.5 day weekend for their Chuseok holiday (think early Thanksgiving). Originally, the next weekend was scheduled to be a Fall Festival by the school, with only one and a half full days between them. Josh was asked to officiate at a friend's wedding in the U.S., which coincided with this time. So, he and his wife decided to take a vacation spanning Chuseok and Fall Festival, so they would only miss one and a half days of school. After they booked their flights, the school changed the timing of Fall Festival, pushing it back two weeks. That meant that Josh & Meagan would be gone for at least four full school days. Sherry is responsible for finding subs for them from teachers who have a free period (I'm one sometimes), but Josh had to find a substitute van driver. He asked me, because I have an IDP, I know how to drive a manual transmission, and he trusted me to be responsible and prompt.

So, I have the use of the van, and the school pays for the diesel fuel. Most of my driving has been between the apartments and the school, but I've driven in downtown Eumseong as well. Tomorrow I will be driving the cross-country team to Seoul with Rachael B (one of the twins). She had asked another driver, my new Korean roommate, but he is taking his junior brother to Daejun this weekend, to visit their parents. So, she asked me. It sounded like fun, and I said so, which she correctly took to be an affirmative.

So, what's it like, driving in Korea? After I get back from Seoul, I may have a different impression; however, I'm pleased to report that, as far as I can tell, Korean drivers are not crazy. They do, however, drive differently than most American drivers. They drive faster, unless there's a speed camera. (These have yellow signs warning drivers to slow down.) They leave less space between cars, and they have no hesitation about parking illegally. They often run red lights, and, if you're in front of them at a light which is red for no good reason (i.e., no cross traffic), they may honk at you to run the red light so they can, too. (I may speed, but I won't go that far.) They park more closely together (the parking spaces are also smaller), and they often park illegally, partially blocking a lane of traffic. (I've seen whole blocks with cars parked like that. Apparently, there isn't anyone giving parking tickets.) They may even block a full lane by parking at a slant, or double-park if it's crowded.

These differences may be due in part to a national tendency to hurry, expressed in the common phrase, "Bali-Bali" (발리 발리), "Hurry, Hurry". It may also be because enforcement of traffic laws basically consists of well-marked cameras to catch speeders and signal flaunters. (If you see a warning sign, slow down for the camera, and then speed up again.) Anywhere there's not a camera, drivers do what they please and fear no consequences. They do, however, pay a human price.

I asked one of the Korean teachers, and he said that the collision rate in Korea is rather high, as is the fatality rate for collisions. Yet, no one seems to be worried about this. I will, as he advised, be extra careful on my trip to Seoul tomorrow. Good thing God is watching over me.

There's another interesting thing about Korea; apparently, far fewer women drive here than in the U.S. I guess fewer women work outside the home, which I think is a good tradition to keep, generally speaking. The public transportation system is quite good, so one can get along pretty well without driving here, if you don't have to go out to the bak-wonga like I do every day. However, that means that a Korean woman is less likely to have a drivers' license, and a female Korean driver is more likely to be inexperienced. This, combined with the hazards of Korean drivers and women's natural protective instinct, tends to make them more ginger, reluctant drivers.

Also, of course, the streetscape is different than in the U.S. Here in Korea, only the expressways have a speed limit higher than 80 km/h (50 mph). Expressways are toll roads, and their onramps and offramps are much fewer and farther between than those of U.S. freeways. As for surface streets, the lanes are narrower, but well-marked (as far as I've seen). Traffic lights, however, don't appear to be equipped with buried sensors, which is surprising in a country that generally seems to be pretty technologically integrated. (For example, my bedroom light switch has an alarm clock built into it.) I haven't seen a stop sign between the apartments and the school.

However, I can adapt to these differences. They do drive on the right side of the road, the signs I need to find directions are marked in English as well as Korean, and Koreans are generally pretty honest, law-abiding folk, and very helpful. Seriously, if you're a foreigner in Korea, and you need help, they'll bend over backwards to help you, if they can. (The biggest problem may be communicating your need, as few people speak much English outside of Seoul.)

Prayer Requests

First, praise God for providing a vehicle for me to drive this week! This has allowed me to go grocery shopping, exchange traveler's checks at a bank, and buy medicine at a pharmacy. Hopefully, my role as a driver tomorrow will enable me to buy a prepaid cellphone, as well as see a little bit of Seoul.

Also, praise God for an improved relationship with my fellow teachers, especially my roommate Justin (teaches Social Studies), the Russian teacher Almagul, and the twins Sarah and Rachael B. The relationships started off well, and now I'm getting to know them better, and vice versa. Scoring volleyball with Sarah, tutoring Almagul's daughters, and now driving with Rachael, are great opportunities to strengthen these friendships.

For our trip to Seoul, please pray for a safe trip for everyone. Driving in Korea has different hazards, as I've mentioned before. I will be very careful, but I cannot control the actions of other drivers.

For Almagul's daughters, please pray that they would overcome their language difficulties and succeed in their respective math classes. "Sarah", the elder, is fluent in Kazakh, Russian and English, but her Algebra 2 class is taught in Korean (although the book is in English). "Esther", the younger, is fluent in Kazakh and Russian, with limited English skills and imperfect eyesight, and she's in my Algebra 1 class. (I will require her to sit in the front row until her mother gets her some glasses.)

For all my students, please pray that I would develop a better relationship with them. Pray that I would remember to relate to them from my heart instead of my head, even as we are in an intellectual, head-focused environment, studying algebra, an extremely left-brained subject. I especially need prayer for the best way to address the problems that Korean girls have in developing a healthy body image. (For my feelings on that, read my previous post, "Chuseok", especially the part about Sunday morning, and the second prayer request.) Also, I need to earn respect from the boys, so they will stay quiet when I need them to.

Finally, please pray that I would be able to do my work well, and grade the homework in a timely manner, which has been a big challenge to date. Pray also that I have the wisdom to avoid making more commitments than I can keep.

Thank you for reading, and thank you for praying.

May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind always be at your back,

And until we meet again,

May the Lord keep you in the palm of His hand.

Chuseok

I've been really busy, but I figure it's time to update this, as there has been a lot going on in the past few weeks.

This last weekend, on October 3rd, Koreans celebrated one of their biggest national holidays, called Chuseok (pronounced Choo-sock. In Korean, it's spelled 추석.) It's a major harvest festival, celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, at approximately the first full moon of Autumn. It's basically their equivalent of Thanksgiving, a time for gathering with family (including attending to the family graves), feasting, and giving gifts. Our students had a five-and-a-half-day weekend. The teachers had a four-day weekend.

My first, intellectual reaction was, "It's their holiday, not mine. Chuseok means nothing to me. I'll just use it to catch up on my work." That was what my head said, the "ego", or conscious mind. Then, my heart spoke up. (I've been learning to listen to my heart. It's usually wiser.)

My heart said, "This will be like Thanksgiving. The exact date isn't important. Everyone in Korea is gathering with family, feasting, and giving thanks for the harvest. You could feel very lonely." Fortunately, that didn't happen. Some of the staff at my school, who live in the same apartment complex and weren't travelling, hosted a Chuseok feast in their apartment. It was all Korean food, which I'm really starting to enjoy, and very good.

Otherwise, I spent some time exploring. I had the use of a van, because I'm the substitute van driver while Josh & Meagan C. are in the U.S. for a friend's wedding. On Friday, I drove them to the bus station, and then drove around for a while trying to find my way back to the apartment. Finally, I had the presence of mind to stop at a gas station and ask for directions. The station attendant spoke enough English to help me out.

Once I'd figured out how to keep my sense of direction, I ventured out later that day to do some shopping. After parking the van (illegally, like everyone else) and wandering around for a while, I finally found a grocery store! I got barley, eggs, broccoli, bananas, and tomatoes. I'm set for a while now.

On Saturday, I figured everything would be closed for the holiday, so I graded homework until it was time for the Chuseok feast. That was excellent, as I mentioned above.

Sunday I went to Osan for church with my roommate, Dick the Bible teacher, his wife Sherry the Admin Support specialist, and her mother. They go to a Baptist church near the Air Force base in Osan. It was the first time I'd seen Americans in the majority of any gathering. The preacher looked and sounded like a southern good ol' boy, but the message was real. He talked about the importance of prayer, how prayer was the only thing that would be effective to combat the evil around them.

Even on Sunday morning, the hedonist pleasures of that neighborhood were clearly visible. Right outside the church, there was a sign with a drawing of Betty Boop, advertising the "Pink Lady" on the second floor of a neighboring building. Of course it's a strip club, but what got me was the exaggerated features that Miss Boop is known for. Big, round eyes. No wonder Korean women and girls think their eyes are ugly, if that's the kind of image they're bombarded with! It made me very angry. I'm sure some of my students have problems with their body image, and that sort of thing is definitely a contributing factor.

I tried to buy a cell phone from the place where my roommate got his, but I didn't have enough cash. That place near the base takes dollars, but not traveler's checks, and that's all I had. (Note to others: Traveler's checks are not easy to change in Korea if you're a teacher. You're usually working when the banks are open, and banks are where you will get the best rate. Where you live, the businesses will probably not take traveler's checks. Also, property crime in Korea is almost zero, so there's no need to worry about carrying cash.)

On Monday, which was still a holiday, I managed to find the bank that Sherry had pointed out as we swung through town on our way back from church. I changed $200 in traveler's checks into won. Then I went to the pharmacy and got a month's supply of a PPI to replace the famotidine that I had run out of. (Of course, the explanations were involved, since the pharmacist's English skills were limited. However, I didn't need a prescription.)

After the pharmacy, I tried to buy a cell phone. I went into 5 or 6 different places, all nearby, and tried to explain what I wanted. (Everything took longer, accompanied by hand signals and pantomime.) They all wanted me to have a foreigner I.D. card, which I don't have because of my visa status. None of them would sell me a phone without this I.D. After talking with my roommate, it seems I have to purchase a prepaid card. After talking with Do Young, a Korean art teacher, it seems that such phones are available anywhere in Eumseong, if you know how to ask in Korean. He volunteered to go with me to buy one. I think I'll take him up on that today.

My third roommate moved in today. He's a Tae Kwon Do instructor, one of the younger ones, but pretty good. His schedule will be later than ours.

Well, it's almost time for me to get dressed and fix my breakfast, but first I need to share some prayer requests.

Prayer Requests

First, praise God for a good Chuseok holdiday! I had a good time, a good feast, I got lots of grading done, and I got some important errands done.

Second, please pray for my students. The girls need to know that they are beautiful just the way God made them, slanted eyes and all. The boys need to learn how to respect me and pay attention in the classroom. All of them need to be able to understand me better, and learn how to do homework properly.

Finaly, please pray for me that I would be able to get all my work done in a timely manner. I need to get caught up on grading, and I need to submit a syllabus.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for praying for me. I hope to write again soon.