Scribbled Journeys

Parable 2: The King and His Servants

2012-02-14T14:59:00.001-08:00

There once was a good and powerful king with wealthbeyond imagining. As he looked out over his kingdom he saw people living inhardship, unable to find honest work. This broke the king’s heart. So he sentout a proclamation that he would provide work for any in need and would paythem from his own riches. In the following weeks floods of people came throughthe palace courts to receive their assignments and soon the whole land wasliving in prosperity.

As news of the king’s greatness spread, people from distantlands began traveling to see if it was really true, and if they too could findwork. One day, two such travelers entered a town at the edge of the kingdom.“Let us separate,” the first man said to the other, “and talk to the people ofthis town so that we can learn about the king before we meet him.” The secondman thought this was a wise plan so each went his own way, agreeing to meet atthe inn come nightfall.

That evening the two men sat at a table with hot food andcold drinks and told their stories. The first man began, “After we parted waysI wandered up and down the streets looking for a place to break my fast. I sawtwo men and greeted them, but when they realized I was from out of town theyattacked me and stole my purse. I was astounded. Why would they do this whenthey are employed by their king? I was not badly hurt, so I got to my feet. AsI walked a woman called to me from an open doorway, “Traveler! You look in needof a bowl of hot soup and some bread. Come, eat!” I approached and told herthat I would like nothing better, but that I had no money. She frowned and toldme to go to the king, who would give me a job. I asked if it were true that theking would give work to any who asked. Her frown lifted and she told me of theking’s great love and generosity. She told me how her own family had prospered,and that I had only to ask and I too would receive all these things. I repliedthat I had, in fact, been on my way to visit the king, but had been attacked bytwo men who stole my money. She seemed very upset and for a moment I thoughtshe might invite me in to eat. Instead she again told me to go to the king. Thegnawing at my stomach made me bold, so I asked, “Lady, since you have been so richlyblessed, might you spare a bowl of soup to help me on my way?” She took a stepback into the house and replied, “I’m sorry, but I can’t. I have to take careof my own. Come back after you have seen the king and you will receive a mosthearty welcome. Good day Sir.” With that she disappeared inside and shut thedoor. The rest of the day I walked the streets receiving much the samegreetings. I think we should leave this place at first light. The king is mostsurely a wicked man.”

The second man was taken aback by this final statementand asked his friend to explain. The first man went on, “What kind of kingemploys evil men who would attack an unarmed traveler? And if that weren’tenough, there’s the woman who refused to help me in my need. I think that theking must not really be generous, but forces them to praise him as if he is.Why else would this woman be unable to spare even one bowl of soup?”

The first man finished and sat back with his drink tolisten to the second man. He began, “Well, after we parted ways I walked to thecenter of town and sat myself down at the foot of a statue in the middle of thesquare. I sat there all day and watched. People came and went, some stopped totalk to me and others passed by without so much as a glance. From my seat Isaw, down one alley, three men come stumbling out of a bar, heavy from a nightof drinking, and cursing and punching as though each had been wronged by theentire world. Down another alley I saw an old woman struggling to carry a largeburden. As she stepped into the light of the square a man sitting at hisbreakfast saw her and immediately went to help. I saw pick-pockets andprostitutes, I saw charity and thoughtfulness. One man shared his lunch with meand another spat on me. I think we should continue on in the morning. I, forone, am eager to meet this king.”

The first man sat forward, nearly spilling his drink,“What! Why? Those who serve him are no better than – are even worse than therest of the world. A few may be good, but that certainly does not justify theactions of the rest!”

The second man nodded, “It is true that some of thepeople here are evil, but just because they live in the king’s town does notmean they are employed by the king. It is quite possible that they live herebecause it is comfortable, or they were raised here, but choose not to work forthe king. It is even possible that they live here because they think the peopleare easy prey. Also, the king swore to provide work for all who come to him,not just the pleasant people. Surely not all of his servants reflect him. Iwant to meet this king and see for myself. It may be that you are right and ifso, we have only lost a few days. However, it may be that I am right and wewill soon be rewarded for our trouble. So what will it be? Shall we judge theking by his servants, or by the man himself?”

Parable 1: Debts Paid in Full

2012-02-02T13:58:00.001-08:00

Ok, here is the first of my three parables. I'm slightly more long-winded than Jesus...I need to work on being more concise. But seeing as he's God, the original storyteller, I'm not beating myself up too much. :)

Debts Paid in Full

I

There once was a very wealthy man who owned great riches and vast amounts of land. One beautiful, sunny day the rich man decided to go for a drive and visit a small town not far from his estate. He entered the town and found an outdoor café where he could enjoy the day and watch the people walking by. He smiled at the flowers in bloom and the birds singing in the trees. He observed the passers-by and imagined who they might be and the ambitions, hopes, and concerns they might have. As he sat he heard snippets of a conversation that caught his attention.

Three men sat at a nearby table, deep in discussion. It seemed that the three men had fallen on hard times. They had lost their jobs and incurred very large amounts of debt. All three feared that soon they would lose their homes and they and their families would find themselves on the streets. Even if they were able to find jobs now, their debts had grown so large they would never pay it off. The conversation lulled as the men stared at their cups of water which they had not touched. With nothing left to say they parted and wished each other better fortunes tomorrow. The rich man thought for a moment, went to the counter and asked the names of the men who had been at the table. He then went directly to the bank and paid all three men’s debts in full, promising to also pay any debts that the men would incur in the future.

II

A few days later the rich man decided to visit the three men and see how they were doing. As he drove up to the first man’s house he noticed a ‘for sale’ sign in the front yard. He smiled thinking the man must be doing so well he had decided to move his family into a nicer house. He parked on the street and walked to the front door. As he did so the door opened a crack and worried eyes peered out of the dark inside. “Who is it?” called an angry voice. The rich man was taken aback, “Just a friend coming to see how you fare.” “Ha! A debt collector. Go away,” said the man as he slammed the door shut. The rich man was very confused. Why would the man be afraid of debt collectors? Perhaps he had not yet heard the good news. Assuming this must be the case he knocked on the door, “Sir, I have good news for you. You never need to worry about another debt collector again.” The man’s voice came muffled from behind the closed door, “What are you going to try and sell me now? You’re wasting your time. I don’t have any money. Now go away!” The rich man laughed, “Sir, you don’t understand. I’m not selling anything. You see, I paid your debts – all of it, and then some. Come celebrate with me!” The door flung open with a bang, but the man who emerged was not rejoicing, he looked furious. The man glared at the rich man, “How dare you come here spouting nonsense, laughing and joking while I’m in trouble! No one is going to pay my debt for me, it’s much too large. Who would do that? It’s ridiculous! Besides, I can take care of myself. Even if someone did offer to pay for it I would never accept. I’ll work hard, dodge creditors, and make my own way.” The rich man interrupted, “Sir, I’m not offering, I already paid it, whether you want it or not.” “Enough!” said the man, “Stand out here all day if you want, but I have work to do!” With that he went back in his house and slammed the door once again. The rich man slowly walked back to his car, tears in his eyes. He should have been angry, but he felt so sorry for this man – he would spend his whole life slaving away to pay a debt that he could never pay, a debt that was already gone. The rich man got in his car, wondering if the other two men were doing any better.

As the rich man drove up to the second man’s house he saw the man sitting on the front porch watching the road. The rich man parked and the man came up and greeted him, “Good afternoon Sir, what brings you to my home today?” The rich man relaxed. So far the reaction was better. He smiled, “I’ve come to make sure you’ve heard the good news. Your debts have been paid. You never need to worry about money again. Let’s go-” “You’re him!” interrupted the man, “I can’t thank you enough! You have no idea!” The rich man grinned and opened his mouth to reply, but was cut-off. “Wait here! I have something for you!” the man shouted as he ran into the house. Once again the rich man was left standing confused outside. Eventually the man reemerged carrying a small white envelope which he shoved into the rich man’s hands. “Here,” he said not able to look him in the eye, “It’s not much, but it’s all I have right now. I’ll give you more when I get it.” The rich man opened the envelope and saw a few tattered bills. “What is this?” The man looked up at him, “I told you, it’s all I have! Isn’t that enough for you?” The rich man held out the envelope, “I don’t want you to pay me. It was a gift.” The man looked down at the envelope, then back at the rich man, “You paid all my debt, and I know it was no small amount. The guys at the bank say you even promised to pay my future debt. How can you not want something in return? You’re obviously a great guy, I mean, I’m really thankful for what you did for me, but you must want something from me.” The rich man laughed, “Do you know who I am? I don’t need anything from you. Just come celebrate with me. Let’s enjoy each other’s company.” The man stared at him, trying to comprehend what he had just said. “But you might change your mind and decide I’m not worth it. I can’t afford that. I’ll pay you small payments when I can… I’ll give to the poor! See, I can learn from you! As long as you’re paying for me, I can help others. Would you like that? Will that keep us on good terms?” “I would be thrilled if you gave to the poor,” replied the rich man, “but not if it’s just because you think you need to earn my favor.” “Say no more,” cut in the man, “I’ll do more than you can imagine! I’ll work so hard… you’ve never seen a better worker! I’ll spend every spare moment volunteering. I’ll even make my kids do it! You chose the right guy! I’ll make it worth your money, don’t you worry.” The man began walking back to his house. The rich man called after him, “Won’t you come with me?” “No time,” shouted the man over his shoulder, “I’ve got to get busy!” With that he walked into the house and shut the door. Feeling completely rejected the rich man returned to his car. He sat staring at the dash and the tears returned to his eyes. He wanted to give this man a gift, but the man had turned it into an even greater burden. Not only would he spend his life trying to repay the enormous debt, but he would be forever worried about keeping the rich man’s favor. As he turned the key in the ignition he wondered if it was even worth going to see the third man.

When the rich man pulled up to the third house he saw the man on his hands and knees working in the yard. The rich man took a deep breath and got out of the car. The man got up to greet the visitor, “It’s a beautiful afternoon isn’t it?” The rich man looked at the many newly planted flowers, “It is. You’ve been busy.” The man wiped his hands on his pants, “That I have. You will never believe what has happened. I had fallen on hard times… I can’t tell you how bad it was. I was going to lose everything. Then, miraculously, someone paid all my debts! I don’t know how he even knew! But he did. My wife has wanted flowers out here for so long, but I couldn’t do even that for her. But now, thanks to him – now she will have the most beautiful yard in the neighborhood!” The rich man smiled, “I am certain she will.” The man looked at his handiwork with pride then back to the rich man, “Now what brings you here Sir? Can I help you with –” he stared at the rich man’s smiling face, “You’re him aren’t you?” The rich man nodded. Before he could say anything the man, forgetting his dirty hands and clothes, embraced the rich man, sobbing. “Thank you so much! How can I ever repay you?” he cried. The rich man’s heart sank. The man suddenly remembered his dirtiness and pulled back. “I want to be clear,” began the rich man, “I paid your debt as a gift, because I want you to be happy, not living a life of worry. I don’t want you to spend your life trying to repay a debt that we both know you can’t. If you are grateful at all, then just come celebrate with me.” The man looked down at his dirty hands, then up at the rich man, “Will you come inside and meet my family?” The rich man felt as though his heart would burst with joy, “I would love to.”

III

A few weeks later the rich man drove again to see the first man, but despite his knocking, no one answered the door. He shook his head sadly has he walked back past the ‘for sale’ sign still in the yard. He drove next to the second man’s house. When he knocked on the door the man came quickly to the door, greeted him boisterously, stuffed an envelope in his hand and turned to go, saying he had lots of work to do. “Wait,” called the rich man. “Won’t you go for a drive with me?” “Oh, I’d love to, but I can’t,” replied the man. “Perhaps another time,” and he shut the door. The rich man drove to the third man’s house and before he could even get out of the car the man ran up and hopped in the passenger seat, “Where are we going today?” The rich man laughed, “You have no idea how much I love coming here! Well, today I was thinking you could go with me to tell some others that I’ve paid their debts.” The man looked a little worried, “What if they react like those other two you told me about?” The rich man started the car, “That’s a risk I’m willing to take. Are you in?” The man buckled his seatbelt and nodded. It was sure to be a great ride.

Writing at home

2012-01-16T18:13:00.000-08:00

Why is it that when away from home everything seems more interesting? In Korea I wrote blogs about holidays, cooking, my apartment, even watching paint dry (ok, so maybe not). Here, it never occurs to me to write about anything. There I took pictures of EVERYTHING, here I’m lucky if I remember to get one picture of a special event.

When I was getting ready to leave Korea I told myself, as countless others have before and will after, that I would keep the same “tourist” mindset in Oregon that I had developed in Korea. And like those ambiguous “others” I just mentioned, I didn’t.

Perhaps it’s because things here are so familiar that I take them for granted. Or maybe subconsciously I don’t think people will be interested in things here. But why? *Warning: Soapbox coming out* I live in one of the most beautiful places on earth. The Willamette Valley is stunning. Yes, it rains a lot, but look at what all that rain does! The people are great too. Oregonians are laid back and comfortable. (Complain about our slow driving all you like, but while you’re busy rushing around, we’re savoring time. I mean, come on, have you SEEN this place?! I had to remind myself to keep my eyes on the road the other day because the sunset was so amazing.) *Okay, got that out of my system.*

Holy brilliant colors, Batman! The sky is on fire!

God is still working in my life and there is still lots of scribbling. This is perhaps the messiest scribbling of all because I really have no idea what picture God and I are making right now. Sometimes I throw down my crayons and say, “Hey, God, what gives? I could do a much better job if you’d just tell me what I’m doing.” But he just laughs and says, “No you couldn’t.” *sigh* Why is he always right?

Now, another aspect of this whole “scribbled journeys” thing is that I like to scribble out little poems and stories to help me process some of the things I think about. Back several months ago I started thinking that it would be fun to try writing parables like Jesus used to explain concepts. I love the simplicity of his stories and how they cut right to the heart of an issue. So I tried my hand at a few. Mine are not nearly as… minimalistic? I really love details and can be pretty wordy (no surprise to you if you’re even still reading down this far). However, I enjoyed the pursuit and I don’t think they’re that bad, so I think I’ll share them on here. Not today, I need to read over them again, and not all at once, but soon. (I know, you’re breathless with anticipation.) *Side note: Whenever I type “you” I can’t help but wonder to whom I’m referring… who are you? (WHO, are YOU? J) Does anyone read this?*

Okay, so there are some random tidbits to prime the pump, so-to-speak. Parables coming soon. And question: How are your scribblings coming along?

Pt.2 - The Joy of Being Wrong...

2011-04-25T09:52:00.000-07:00

The story continues…Sometimes, it’s so good to be wrong…

When I read the end of Luke, what strikes me most is the incredible joy – the joy of the women, the joy of the disciples, and the joy of Jesus himself. I can just imagine his huge smile as the disciples see him and realize who he is. I picture him laughing at them a little when they are afraid he is a ghost, so he calls out, “Bring me something to eat!” What a wonderful reunion. And how satisfying to finally be able to tell them, “See! This is what I’ve been talking about this whole time!”

The realization of who Jesus truly is and what he really did produces uncontainable joy. Luke says, “They stayed continually at the temple, praising God.” How could they do anything else! They had just witnessed the impossible – God died, then came back to life! It had been right there in front of them their whole lives, written in the Scriptures they had been raised on, but they never really saw it until then. How amazing to see everything you had ever hoped for fulfilled right before your very eyes. A few days earlier they thought everything had come crashing to the ground in a tragic end…But it was just the beginning! The cross is love and its fruit is joy.

Love of the Cross

2011-04-23T17:55:00.000-07:00

Today I was reading the passage in Luke about Jesus’ trial and crucifixion. I have read and heard that story hundreds of times; I have seen the graphic portrayal in paintings and on film. But today it was different, and today I cried. I don’t know why it was different today, but it broke my heart. I was so sad thinking about the people rejecting Jesus when all he ever did was accept them. They hated him when he loved them. They insulted him when he blessed them. They shouted for his blood and he was silent. He stood there and just took it – all of it. I felt so sorry for him. I felt sorry for Him. How strange that sounds, that I, a weak creature, felt sorry for him, the all-powerful Creator! But it’s true. The Bible says that he made himself nothing. He put himself so low that I was able to feel sorry for him.

I cried as I read the people’s shouts to crucify him. I cried as he hung on the cross. And I cried as he breathed his last and then was laid to rest. I thought about how quickly the people forgot their joy over Jesus’ coming, how even his closest friends deserted him. And I thought about how I forget him so quickly and turn my back and crucify him. It was my sin that held him there. I thought about the people’s shouts of, “Save yourself! If you’re really the Christ, come down off the cross!” I thought of how tempting that must have been and how easy it would have been to do. How much easier to save himself than to stay on the cross! I can imagine Jesus forcing himself to stay there. The nails didn’t keep him there – he chose to be there. He did something much more powerful that day than come off a cross – as if three nails and a piece of wood could contain the God of the universe! No, he, God himself, died. Again, this makes no sense! But he made himself nothing – absolutely nothing. What this fully means is beyond imagining.

Go loves us, loves me, so much that he gave everything. He knew I would be unfaithful, he knew we would turn our backs on him, but he still died for us. He knew Peter would deny him and that the disciples would scatter, but he still loved them. He is so faithful – so loving.

I know that the next part of the story is the Resurrection and that my tears will soon turn to joy, but I will leave that for tomorrow. For now, I think it is good to meditate on Christ’s death. I think that I can see God’s love even more clearly through my tears at the foot of the cross.

Homeless

2011-03-07T23:57:00.000-08:00

I’m homeless, sitting in a coffee shop enjoying a black tea latte and using free wireless. No work, no schedule, nowhere to be. I could get used to this. Sure there are the inconveniences… I have to carry everything around with me all the time, but really, I can’t complain.

Before long I’ll be heading out of Korea. I’m trying to enjoy each moment here, taking pictures of some of the simple things I know I’ll forget otherwise. Since I last wrote, I went to the DMZ, spent a day and a half at a prayer mountain, went hiking at Seoraksan, saw snow on the beach, and enjoyed a million other little moments that don’t sound like much on paper, but are equally memorable. With each passing day, leaving becomes more of a reality and I try to sink further into denial. *Sigh*

DMZ with Leslie and Charlsie

In a tiny prayer room with June at Gangnam Prayer Mountain.

French Toast mountains at Seoraksan.

The snowy beach.

*These are just a couple pictures, but there are tons more on facebook and flickr.

Foreigner Crossing

2011-01-11T09:59:00.000-08:00

You know that awkward feeling you sometimes get when walking toward someone in an empty hall or on a deserted street? Those thoughts of ‘Where should I look,’ or ‘Should I say hi’? Well multiply that by about 57 and you have what I like to call “Foreigner Crossing”.

In Korea there are two groups of people: Korean, and Waygook – Foreign. And of the foreigners in Korea, most of those belong to two groups: Military, and English teachers. So when you walk down the street and spot another foreigner there is an immediate affinity – it’s like being members of the same secret club (minus the handshake). This can be kind of cool. I know that as I look around, any foreigner in my view probably has the same job as I do and experiences many of the same things I do.

But it can also be really awkward. When passing a random foreigner on the street, do I smile? Say hello? Just because I can? I don’t know this person at all, but there’s an unspoken connection that creates a sense of obligation. Being the friendly person that I am, I usually opt for the “Look-away-and-pretend-you-didn’t-see-them” strategy.

The worst is when you’re alone in an elevator with another foreigner. Hard to pretend you don’t see them then… (headphones are really handy in these situations). And living in Seoul, the buildings can get pretty tall. You could be riding up to the 50^th floor together. And as each number passes and the other person doesn’t get off you start to wonder things like, “What if we’re going to the same place? It’s going to be really awkward if we both walk up to the same door after ignoring each other for 50 floors.” I’ve had a few painful elevator conversations that I am sure where initiated by the other person simply to avoid this prospect. (“So… how long have you been in Korea?”… Seriously?!)

Now as I start thinking about going back to the US soon a thought crosses my mind – Will I feel an awkward obligation to greet every Korean I pass in the States?

A year at a glance

2011-01-02T08:50:00.001-08:00

Almost exactly one year ago, January 2^nd 2010, I arrived in Korea for the first time. I walked into my little white box of an apartment and though, “THIS is where I’m going to live for a year?”

I’ve come a long way since then, and though I still have two months left, I thought it would be fun to briefly reflect on the past 12 months. So here are the highlights:

January: Arrive in Korea, SNOW, Deoksugung Palace, Festival of Lights, first “adventure in cooking” – Kimchi soup, discover GEM church.

Seoul Festival of Lights - carriage ride.

February: Changgyeonggung Palace, second “adventure in cooking” – Tres Leches, overcome by the ridiculous love of God.

I think I'm getting the hang of this Korea place...

March: Discover Insadong art galleries, first FC Seoul game, dumpster-diving, purchase an electric keyboard.

Toto Gallery - We had a really good tour guide.

April: Take the plunge with Korean bangs, take Lizze to ER, become proud mother of two hamsters, Easter – Korean style, Suwon Hwaseong Fortress.

The boys - so sweet... when they're sleeping...

May: Butterfly festival, paper festival, birthday – Butterfinger Pancakes and Rodin exhibit, lantern festival.

Butterfly Festival.

June: Cook American meal for Koreans, say goodbye to Muang, World Cup, another palace.

Watching the Korea game on the big screen at the Seoul WC stadium.

July: 4^th of July at the beach, Single cell at book theme park, learning to remember God’s faithfulness.

Does this really need a caption? All the others have one...

August: Children’s camp with church – I am NOT in control, but GOD is!, Namsan tower, try live octopus.

My favorites at the Children's Camp. Shh, don't tell.

September: Chuseok with Anny’s family, start Truth Project with some girls from church.

My Korean family for Chuseok.

October: Applesauce, trip with June’s kids from church, Autumn fortress, hike and clam digging.

After we got tired of digging for clams.

November: Apple festival, Sudeok-sa temple, try bundegi for first and last time, C&C park day, first Thai food in Korea – fork for the White girl, North Korea fires on South Korea.

Playing in the leaves at the Sudeok-sa temple. We're not very reverent...

December: American vacation and Michelle’s wedding, Christmas norebang, “gingerbread” houses, Christmas and New Year’s Eve with church family.

Christmas celebration with Truth Project Bible study girls.

God has been so faithful to me this year, bringing me through difficult times and providing me with great friends. I think 2010 will always remain one of the most memorable years of my life. I can’t wait to see what he has next!

Arrivals and Departures

2010-12-22T01:22:00.000-08:00

Arrivals are great. People are excited to see you. There are lots of hugs and stories to share. Arriving is coming together. But you can’t have arrivals without departures, and departures are not so fun. They mean goodbyes and tears. Departures are separation. In order to say “hello” to something new we must first say “goodbye” to something else.

Saturday the 11^th I flew home to Oregon so that I could be in my dear friend Michelle (Howden) Saffeels’ wedding. I had nine days at home then flew out in the wee dark hours of the morning on the 20^th. It was a whirlwind trip, but I had a great time with friends and family. Saying goodbye Tuesday morning was harder than I expected – Family is so comfortable (as is my marshmallow bed at my parent’s house).

Now I’m back in Korea and thinking about another goodbye that I’m going to have to say soon. I have LOVED living in Korea this year. It has been a wonderful time of growth for me in many ways. I have made great friends, taught adorable students, seen amazing things, tasted interesting foods – all of them fantastic experiences. But in the beginning of March I’ll be heading back to Oregon. I know this is going to be a hard goodbye. I am excited for the next stage of life and whatever God may have planned, but I wish saying hello didn’t mean first saying goodbye. The arrival will be great; I just have to endure the departure first.

*On a happier note, I vow to make these last couple months in Korea some of the best yet! And for more pictures from my American Vacation check out http://www.flickr.com/photos/scribbledjourneys/

Applesuace

2010-10-14T19:35:00.001-07:00

What do you do when someone gives you a box of about a million over-ripe apples and your kitchen consists of a single burner? Applesauce – obviously – and lots of it…

(Note, these are the apples left after several batches had already been made)

Three stages of the process - with only one burner, this multi-tasking is vital.

Wanna try it yourself? Okay! Place about 4 chopped apples into you pot and mix with ½ cup water, ¼ cup brown sugar, and ½ tsp cinnamon. Cover and cook on med for 15-20 minutes… (I let them cook the last 5 mins uncovered if there seems to be too much liquid)

Once they’re all beautiful soft and brown, let them cool…

Then mash the living daylights out of them! Enjoy!

Chuseok

2010-09-23T08:16:00.000-07:00

This week was Chuseok, the Korean Thanksgiving. It’s one of two main Korean holidays, so my school actually gave me three whole days off (although we have to work Saturday to make up for it…). Anyway, it was nice having off three days in a row and I got to meet some great people, do some fun things, and eat some delicious food. Now here are some pictures to sum it all up. (I know that’s super corny, but I really can’t help myself.)

I spent Tuesday and Wednesday with Anny's extended family. If I look tired in this picture, it's because I was - this was taken at the end of two really great, but exhausting days.

Rice cakes covered in pine needles (which we picked off before serving) Oh, and they were actually very good, they just look like they fell on the ground somewhere in Oregon.

Hard at work making spicy Korean pancakes.

Mmm, Don't you want some of that?

The family take 1... Anny looked at the picture and said, "No one smiled! Do it again!"

So we did. ^_^

Wed night I met up with some girlfriends for a soccer game at Suwon World Cup Stadium. We didn't know who they were playing, just that it was free for foreigners...

We got there and realized they were playing Seongnam - the team from our hometown! Which was cool, but we were all dressed in blue for Suwon instead of our team's yellow. Oops...

After the game, Leslie came over for a last minute slumber party. I may or may not have lured her with bacon, cheese, and bagels from CostCo... We also painted our nails with super cool glow-in-the-dark nail polish that my super cool mom sent. Unfortunately, the pictures of them acutally glowing in the dark didn't turn out, so you'll just have to take my word for it.

Thursday I slept about half the day away and loved every moment of it. Then June and I met a friend and checked out this great cafe in what must have originally been a greenhouse/nursery. The murky pond behind us probably would have been a lot prettier if there had not been torrential rain and flooding two days before.

As always, more pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/scribbledjourneys/ if you're interested.

~Melina

Bits and Pieces

2010-08-26T07:17:00.001-07:00

I have not written for a while… well, no, that’s not quite true. I have written a lot, I just haven’t finished anything - story of my life. Apparently my first report card said something to the effect of: Melina does a wonderful job on everything we do in class… she just never finishes anything. (Interestingly enough, my mother’s first report card said something quite similar.)

So I have a few blog ideas that I have started writing (not going to tell you what they are – spoilers) and hopefully those will get finished in the nearish future. Until then, here are some bits and pieces, some of which were originally supposed to be entire blogs, and others of which are random scribblings from blank pages in my planner. It’s a lot. I won’t be hurt if you don’t read it all… Well, actually I might be, so just don’t tell me.

Children’s Camp: July 31^st – August 1^st I went with a group from

my church to a retreat site where we held a weekend camp for the children that are part of my church’s English ministry. I had NO idea what I was getting into… The Children’s pastor had decided to do an abbreviated VBS and I was in charge of leading three of the crafts. Sounds easy enough. The problem – basic craft supplies that are readily available in the US are unheard of in Korea… alternate craft supplies that I thought might be easier to find are ALSO unavailable in Korea – something I found out AFTER getting to the retreat site. So my dear friend Stephanie (who unwittingly got placed in charge of the entire VBS) and I spent hours reworking the crafts, figuring out each just in time for me to present it to 75 elementary students. It was crazy. It was stressful. BUT, it was wonderful. Because really, WHO CARES ABOUT THE CRAFTS??? The kids had a blast coloring, taping, gluing…trying, failing, moving on. I learned so much that weekend. It’s not about me – I don’t have to be in control (reality check – I never really am) because God’s got it covered. I need to chill and not worry. It’s gonna be alright. I also got to meet some really great kids and watch them learn about and praise God. Beautiful.

Random Scribblings:

I bought new shoes the other day that I thought would be very practical. As it turns out they were neither comfortable, nor easy to walk in. So much for practical! I’m wearing them again today though – I refuse to let them be a waste of money! (You should be happy to know, after that day I kept wearing them and now find them quite comfortable and practical. In fact, I’m wearing them right now. Haha! I win!)

I grabbed my book, stuffed it in my purse, and headed down to the river. As I walked I was looking at the tall grasses along the bank. Suddenly, I saw coming toward me, an older man dressed in hot pink, riding a unicycle, and holding a bright green umbrella over his head (it was neither raining, nor particularly sunny). I laughed and he laughed back, then he was gone – another day in Korea… A little further on I saw a little girl learning to ride her bike. Her dad had one hand on the handles and the other on her back. They were approaching a drop in the path and I could see the girl’s fear mounting as they got closer. When they reached the crest her dad stopped the bike to reassure her and she immediately took the opportunity to jump off the bike. Nothing in the world was going to convince her that this was safe. I didn’t need to understand a single word to know exactly what she was saying. She reminded me a lot of myself. If I am not in control, I won’t do it. Trust is not something I’m very good at. (This happened not long before the Children’s Camp… Think God’s trying to teach me something?)

I was supposed to meet a friend in Insadong today. She got lost, so I’m here alone. I don’t mind really. It’s a good opportunity to explore things and areas I might not otherwise see. I’ve wandered into a traditional tea shop where all the tables seat a minimum of four. But there are only a few other people here, so I don’t feel bad taking up an entire table. I ordered iced Jujubee tea and have found that I don’t like it. Maybe by the time I get to the bottom of this large mug I will have developed a taste for it. Just before I came in here I was stopped by a group of High School girls who wanted to interview me for a class. They asked my name, where I was from, and why I was at Insadong. Then they took a picture with me. They said it was for geography – I wonder what the assignment was exactly… Oh, and I finished my tea – I wouldn’t order it again, but the last sip wasn’t as vile as the first… (By the time I left, the place had gotten much busier and I was starting to feel awkward at my large empty table.)

Reflection: This term is almost over and I will soon have new classes and new students. There are some I am sad to say goodbye to, but one class in particular that I cannot wait to be rid of: my Mon/Wed Mega class (I know that means nothing to you, but whatever). They are horrible. Give me a headache and make me wanna cry kind of horrible. It doesn’t seem to matter what I do, NOTHING works with this class. This evening I was reading my Bible and a passage from Zechariah 11:7-9 really stood out to me. The prophet says, “I took two staffs and called one Favor and the other Union, and I pastured the flock… The flock detested me, and I grew weary of them and said, ‘I will not be your shepherd. Let the dying die, and the perishing perish. Let those who are left eat one another’s flesh.’” Tomorrow’s my last day with those kids. I kinda want to quote this verse to them! Haha. But really, what a great example to me of God’s frustration with us. He tries to lead us with Favor and Union, but we detest him, so he says ‘fine, have it your way.’ Good thing he’s more patient with us than I am with my class!

Ok, that's enough for now.

Later!

The Nice Girl's Dilemma

2010-07-18T21:12:00.001-07:00

*Note, this post has nothing to do with Korea, but everything to do with my life.*

I consider myself amongst the ranks of the “nice girls”. We try to show kindness to others, we want them to feel welcome and happy, we say friendly things, and when we think mean things, we (usually) keep them to ourselves. We’re not perfect, we’re just pretty nice.

Well, we nice girls have a dilemma. If you are one of these nice girls then you probably already know what’s coming next because it’s happened to you at least once, likely more. You see, as mentioned above, we like people to feel welcome, so we talk to the outsiders and the shy people, the ones who don’t have many friends or aren’t sure where they fit in. At a social gathering, we’re the ones who go talk to the person who’s sitting alone. It’s part of who we are – we’re being nice. Most of the time this works out well… when it’s aimed at another girl… However, when we’re nice to boys, well, that’s where we get into trouble.

We like to be nice to everyone – that is, after all, what makes us nice girls – and so we’re nice to lonely boys too. Unfortunately, sometimes they misread our niceness as interest, or they become infatuated with us because, well, no one else talks to them. They make advances and we try to tell them we’re not interested (in a nice way, of course). This usually doesn’t work so we have to take more drastic measures… and we end up feeling not so nice. In the end, we back off and leave them lonely again… just waiting for the next nice girl. (We could also call this the lonely boy paradox)

So what is a nice girl to do? After a situation like this we still see lonely boys and want to be nice, but we’re scared to talk to them. We know that if we don’t talk to them, it is likely that no one will. We are torn between going against our nature and putting ourselves in a potentially… awkward situation. This is our dilemma. What do we end up doing? Take a guess – we ARE nice girls after all.

*Sigh*

Leonard and Lucy - Forgetful

2010-07-08T08:38:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the movie Memento? Leonard can’t make new memories so he relies on Polaroid pictures and tattoos all over his body to help him keep track of people and clues to solving his wife’s murder. Or how about, on the lighter side, 50 First Dates where Lucy falls for Harry over and over, but forgets him each day. Committed to pursuing her, he reminds her repeatedly of their love and works with her dad and brother to help give her a normal life.

In some ways I’m an awful lot like poor Leonard and Lucy – God shows his faithfulness to me again and again, but I can’t seem to remember it for very long. Each time something in my life does not go as planned (and let’s face it, that’s pretty darn often) my first instinct is to panic and cry, “God! Why aren’t you taking care of me?!” I yell at him for a while and tell him how disappointed I am. Eventually I calm down, but I let him know that this is still a problem and he needs to fix it… and you know what – he does. Then my prayers switch to, “God! You’re so good! How could I have doubted you? Never again!”… until the next time something goes wrong…

Is there something wrong with my head?! Why is it that when things don’t go my way I automatically doubt God’s faithfulness? It’s embarrassing! Unlike Leonard and Lucy, I don’t have some traumatic experience to explain my poor memory – just the opposite – I have every reason to remember. And like Harry, in 50 First Dates, God keeps showing me how much he loves me even though I forget him and question his goodness. Wow. If someone treated me the way I treat God, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t still be sticking around. But thankfully, he’s God and I am not! *Whew*

In my life right now I can think of several situations that are not playing out the way I anticipated. Some of them are being resolved before my eyes, but with others I’m still waiting. So rather than fall back into my bad habit, I am reminding myself of God’s faithfulness. I may not see how this could possibly resolve, but I do know he’s always taken care of me in the past so I have every reason to believe that he will do it again. I may be forgetful, but he certainly is not.

4th of July (I'm American, no matter where I live)

2010-07-06T10:04:00.000-07:00

For the 4^th of July weekend June, Natalie, and I decided to go to the beach at Gangneun. June went early to meet a friend, but for Natalie and myself, like the trip to the Butterfly festival, this required getting tickets for the last bus out at 10:30 and a mad dash after work Friday to get to the bus station in time. The three hour bus ride was not bad and they even showed the Brazil vs. Netherlands game. Once there, we walked down the strip of restaurants and motels along the beach until we came to the Star Beach Motel, decided that was a good name, and went in to find it decently priced. (I stole some of Natalie's pic's so hers are marked with an *)

We settled in, then went for a 2am snack before going to bed (the snack consisted of “point and order” food at a local café/bar… always an adventure).

View from our motel window.

Saturday was rainy… all day. We went to a BBQ hosted by some other Americans in the area and most people joined teams to play dodge ball (I happily sat that one out). It was fun meeting some other people (Kim!) and enjoying the beach. By late afternoon we were drenched so we went back to the hotel to dry off and change before enjoying a wonderful crab and assorted seafood dinner.

* The raw squid (right) was pretty good, but that red and orange stuff - NASTY.*

*Shrimp and Snails - both pretty good.*

*Our crab we picked from the tank. Sorry Mr. Crab!*

*Mmmm, fish head soup.*

*Kim and June*

*Natalie and Me*

Sunday started a little overcast, but the clouds burned off and it turned into a beautiful sunshiny day. Natalie had to leave early, but June and I spent the day walking the beach, sunbathing, and getting hit on by strange men – June by an older Korean man and me by a South Asian man with a thick accent.

Man: Hello. Where are you from? Me: Umm, (looking to June for help, but getting nothing) Seoul. Man: Where are you from? Me: (realizing June has moved behind me) um, USA… Man: Are you from Transylvania? (ok, so he probably didn’t actually say ‘Transylvania’ but that’s what it sounded like) Me: It was nice to meet you (walk away). Thanks a lot June!

June and my feet - can you guess whose are whose?

Star spangled me.

All in all, it was a good weekend with good friends both old and new. Happy Independence Day all!

They call me "Melina Teacher"

2010-06-10T07:38:00.001-07:00

“Teacher, what’s your name?” If one of my students had asked that question today I would not have been surprised, after all, this is only week 2 of our term. However, a girl asked me that a couple weeks ago… in week 13 of last term. Back in the States, students referred to me as ‘Miss Lawson’. Here, I am officially ‘Melina Teacher’, however some call me ‘Melina’ and one calls me ‘Melly Jelly’, but to most I am simply ‘Teacher’. And so it came to pass that after 13 weeks in which I memorized approximately 70 names, this darling girl still didn’t know the name of her teacher. *Sigh*

I'm bringing this one home with me in my suitcase.

This job has its ups and downs like any job, but I do love my students (even the ones who forget my name). Sometimes they drive me crazy, but they also make me laugh a lot and I enjoy working with them.

Would you just look at those hard workers?

Here are some things I think are funny: Whenever a student asks where I’m from and respond, “America,” they seem surprised. I’m not quite sure what they were expecting me to say… They love to abbreviate words, but it doesn’t always turn out quite right – It took me forever to figure out that “Aypuh” is short for “A+”, and I cringe whenever they call the “Thinking Project” “Think Puh” (Half the time it sounds like they’re saying “Think Poo”) I get asked almost weekly if I’m married or have a boyfriend (they obviously don’t listen to the answer to someone else’s question) and when I answer “no” I am repeatedly told to “Marry a Korean and stay forever” – I guess that means they like me?

Good team work.

Working at an academy can be difficult for several reasons, one of them being that a lot of what I do is teaching test taking skills rather than English, but it can also be very rewarding. I love letting them be creative during story prediction and the Thinking Project. Some of them give very normal answers, but others get really excited when they realize there’s no wrong answer and they can say whatever they want.

Got to love his octopus flying machine.

I also love watching students who have to repeat a level start to take leadership as they now find themselves a little ahead of most of the other students. They are familiar with classroom protocol and the methods used in class so they feel more confident volunteering answers.

The first picture was all straight-faced, so I told them I'd give them F's if they didn't smile... don't they look happy? ;)

Presenting their "flying machine" sandals.

I had to be quick to get even this good of a shot of his face! It might be the only photo of him in existence!

One of my favorite things is getting the quiet students to talk. I had a boy last term named Jetal. He was the kind of kid that, as one teacher said, when you asked him what he did last weekend you expected him to say, “Teacher, I killed someone.” He was very quiet, frowny, and just seemed generally unhappy and unengaged. So, in week 1 I decided that my goal for each class with him was to get him to laugh. I spent the next 12 weeks trying different tactics. At first, I counted it a victory when I caught a grin involuntarily flit across his face, but by the end of the term he was actually laughing and joking with me and other students. Success.

Birthday

2010-05-25T07:56:00.000-07:00

I’m a 5 kind of girl. I’m 5 feet tall and was born on 5/15/85. This year I turned 25 and here are the 5 things I did on my birthday weekend:

1. Saturday began with brunch at Butterfinger Pancakes. I was joined by Muang, Lizze, June, and Natalie, making it a party of 5. I had delicious pancakes, French toast, eggs, potatoes, hash browns, bacon, and sausage and washed it all down with a banana milkshake. ^_^ They had to roll me out of the place, but it was worth it.

June, Me, and Muang.

Lizze and Natalie

2. Next, Muang, Lizze, and I met up with Pajai and went to the Seoul Museum of Art for the August Rodin exhibit where we saw 113 of his sculptures, including The Hand of God, The Thinker, and The Kiss. It was amazing. Lizze and I had fun making up our own interpretations of the works as well as listening to the audio guide.

(This is obviously NOT Rodin, but while pictures weren't aloud inside, there were some fun things outside.)

3. Getting home from the museum was an adventure in and of itself complete with getting separated, wrong turns, and dying cell phones. Once back in Bundang Muang and one of her friends, Lizze, and I watched movies until about 3am.

4. Sunday I went with Muang, Virginia, and a few of their friends to the Lantern Festival in celebration of Buddha’s birthday. There were booths for face painting, crafts, and to show how Buddhism looks in different Asian countries. I enjoyed seeing variations in culture and how each people group has taken the same ideas and made them distinctly their own, but despite the festive atmosphere I found myself saddened as I looked around and saw crowds of people embracing a false hope. I know for many the festival was about as ‘religious’ as Santa is on Christmas, but for many others, Buddhism is a stumbling block keeping them caught in a life of trying to earn what has been freely given.

Muang getting in touch with her roots.

At the Cambodia booth (In honor of Sudea).

These boys sang and danced then tumbled off the stage waving and smiling for all the cameras.

5. In the evening Muang and I met up with Lizze and Steven to watch the Lantern Parade (technically this is part of the festival, but I’m counting it as a separate event because it was so different from the rest of the day and because it just wouldn’t be as cool if I only had 4 events). The parade was beautiful and though the crowd was enormous, I think there were even more participants than spectators. I took lots of pictures, but most didn’t turn out very well. Though I love my little camera, night shots of moving objects are not her specialty. I also took a few videos which turned out better. At one point, a man from the parade came over and handed me his large yellow lantern illumined by a small candle. Birthday present?

All in all it was a great weekend with great friends, and, as Steven would say, it was “5-tastic”!

Pictures:http://www.flickr.com/photos/scribbledjourneys/

Videos:http://www.youtube.com/user/scribbledjourneys

Butterflies and Paper

2010-05-17T08:43:00.001-07:00

When I got back from the Butterfly Festival I had every intention of blogging about it right away. I had a good start since I had scribbled down several details of the weekend while I was still down there and the day after I got home I faithfully uploaded all of my pictures … but that’s where it stopped. *Sigh* I am a procrastinator to the core – even with things I want to do! So, without even further ado, here’s what I did 2 weeks ago:

Friday April 30^th I packed my bag in the morning and took it to work with me. I was logged out of the system and my computer was turned off at 9:55. I had my last class lined up and ready to walk out the door the moment the bell rang. As soon as they left I grabbed my stuff and raced down to the taxi that my friend June had waiting. Why? I get off of work at 10pm and we had to get to the bus station for our bus leaving at 10:30. We made it in perfect time and soon we were loaded on along with June’s friend (my soon to be friend), Natalie.

We arrived in Gwangju at 1:30am and after a little searching found a decently priced “love motel” with a bed just big enough for the three of us to squeeze into providing no one moved too much. We were all pretty hungry so we ventured out and soon found a happening sushi restaurant. Nothing like a little raw fish at 3am!

Saturday we slept in and caught a 2pm bus to Hampyeong, the home of the world’s only butterfly festival. The bus was, of course, oversold so Natalie and I sat on the floor of the aisle and I thanked the Lord I was wearing leggings under my dress! We got there around 3 and across the street from the Expo Park there were several vendors where we left our heavy overnight bags with a nice man selling silkworm larva, snails, and corn on a stick. On our way in I had two Jehovah’s Witness ladies try to convert me while Natalie and June were taking pictures with the Bull. Then there was a booth where some police officers asked us to sign something saying we wouldn’t drink and drive. We tried to explain that we came by bus, but it wasn’t worth it, so we just signed.

This big guy is right outside the Butterfly Expo Park. Why? I have no idea, but pictures were required.

I think this might be my favorite from the whole weekend!

Butterfly Festival - Every little girl's dream come true.

These boys were fishing... yes, fishing. They waded around and caught them with their chubby little hands and dropped them in jars of murky water. Yum?

You might not be able to tell, but this is painted on cardboard.

We finally made it into the park and had a fun afternoon of face paint, strange statues, interesting exhibits, a cute gift shop, and … NO BUTTERFLIES!!! The sun was going down and we were leaving a little disappointed when we ran into some foreigners we had met on the bus who pointed us in the right direction. When we got there the butterflies were all sleeping on the flowers, but we figured we had better see them. Unfortunately, we got there about closing time and were shooed out. We took pictures as quickly as we could joking that we would just snap pictures of everything and look at it later.

Aren't we sweet?

We then caught the 8:10 bus up to Jeonju where we stayed the night at a wonderful “love motel” with two, count them – two beds! Sunday we slept in again then had lunch at the Hanok Village where we discovered there was a Hanji (traditional Korean paper) festival. (If you aren’t aware of this yet, Korea is ALL about festivals) Jeondong Catholic Cathedral was nearby and had some booths up to participate in the festival. We bought some crafts from a Nun to support earthquake victims in Chile and she kindly let us leave our bags at her booth.

The inscription on the book says that this is a holy place because it is where the first Korean Christians were martyred in 1791.

This was not at the church, but was nearby.

A paper festival may not sound very interesting, but really was amazing. There was jewelry made with paper, a parade of clothes made from paper, even usable furniture made from paper! And of course there was lots of just plain paper.

We ended the day with some delicious bibimbap and caught a late bus home. When I crawled into my own bed at 3am my feet were swollen and tired from so much walking but it was worth it for a wonderful weekend.

(I took 350 pictures, so if you'd like to see more of the trip you can check them out here http://www.flickr.com/photos/scribbledjourneys/.)

Settling

2010-04-25T08:24:00.000-07:00

I changed the time-zone on my computer last week. Until then it had still been on Oregon time, but at almost 4 months it seemed like the time to make the switch. This was just the first sign that the settling process was beginning. One year is an awkward amount of time. Just how settled should one get?

Saturday I bought two orchids. They brighten up my little white box of an apartment and make me very happy. It’s nice to make it look a little more like a home.

Then today I completely surprised myself. With a little pressure from my dear friend June I took the plunge and became the proud momma of two adorable hamsters! It was love at first sight and even though the cage was full of the little critters I knew exactly which two I wanted. The dark one was laying sprawled out on top of a wooden house, his cheeks stuffed full of food. He was such a chub! The light one was sleeping along the edge with a bunch of others, but he was turned completely upside down with all four legs up in the air. The man said that if I bought the cage, bedding, and food he would give me the two hamsters for free. *Sigh* okay….. So he set up the cage, checked to make sure the two I wanted were both boys, and plopped them in.

They have a nice loft apartment with an upstairs gym and it didn’t take the dark one long to find his way up to the running ball. He’s all tuckered out now from running so much. Aren’t they so cute sleeping? ^_^

I do have one problem though – they need names. While ‘dark one’ and ‘light one’ are quite descriptive I think we can do better. I’ve been reading The Princess Bride so my first thought was to name the dark one Fezzik, and the light one Inigo, but I thought it would be fun to hear some of your suggestions. So, what do you think?

Adventures In Cooking: Part 3 - You Won't Like Me When I'm Hungry...

2010-04-11T06:44:00.000-07:00

So, after three months in Korea my culinary adventures are teaching me two things: 1) I can be VERY creative when needed; 2) I am AMAZING. This may sound vain, but come over for dinner sometime and you will understand. No really, please come over. Here are a few of my experiments some of which you may have already read about:

1. Kimchi soup – kimchi, onion, carrot, potato, chicken, rice. Verdict: Tasty, but gets boring after 7 days of lunch and dinner – Make less next time.

2. Chicken marinade composed of whatever was in my kitchen (soy sauce, mustard, apple cider vinegar, black pepper, brown sugar). Verdict: Tangy and delicious.

3. Sautéed onion and collection of Asian mushrooms whose names I don’t know tossed with one egg and served over a bed of white rice. Verdict: Yum!

4. Fried “ham” lunchmeat with steamed cabbage. Verdict: Super easy when I don’t feel like cooking and surprisingly yummy, but not very filling.

5. Mystery red pepper sauce that came with my package of mushrooms made into a soup with miscellaneous mushrooms, veggies, chicken, garlic, and soy sauce. Verdict: Not too bad. Better the second day with rice mixed in.

6. Fried Rice Snacks – Rice cooked till very soft, mashed to mush and mixed with salt, then fried in little patties in canola oil. Verdict: Delicious and, um, not so nutritious…

7. Apple sauce iced tea – After making applesauce (with a little too much cinnamon) I conserved some of the potent liquid and mixed it into a pitcher of iced tea. Verdict: It’s the little things… J

8. Banana and Peanut butter Pancakes: I sliced bananas down the middle, filled them with peanut butter and froze them. I meant them just for a snack, but mixed a few slices from one into pancake batter with chocolate chips (broken chocolate bar). Verdict: Mmmmm.

I have also started cooking soups that I can freeze in individual servings. Once the soup is made and cooled I line large paper cups with plastic wrap and ladle in a Melina sized portion of soup, cover with foil, and freeze. Once solid I remove the ice meals from the cups and place in freezer bags. This makes it possible for me to cook like a normal person without trying to figure out how to adapt recipes for one person or end up with spoiled food in the fridge. I realize this is probably kind of boring to read about, but I’m really quite proud of myself and now I can have AMAZING crème of spinach, Tex-Mex corn chowder, or southern chicken soup whenever I want (as long as I remember to take it out to thaw in time…)

Now to a recent cooking adventure: This evening Lizze was over and I announced that I would make pasta. I had angel hair pasta, chicken, garlic, herbs, and cans of diced tomatoes. Perfect. I cooked the pasta and set it aside (remember – one burner). I moved on to the chicken. It looked beautiful and smelled AMAZING. Then I opened the box containing the cans of tomatoes and I realized I had a problem. Do you see what I see?

Lizze ran down to 7-Eleven, but apparently they don’t sell can openers. My mind was racing – the pasta was sitting, the chicken was ready, and I was hungry. Oh no, this is NOT happening. I will not be stopped by this lack of a can opener. Well, let me show you a reenactment of what happened next…

"Melina, are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Stand back Lizze. This might get messy."

"Don't get in my way when I'm hungry."

Crisis averted. And guess what – it was AMAZING! ^_~

Easter: Korean Style!

2010-04-04T03:25:00.000-07:00

First of all: Happy Easter!!! I love this wonderful day of celebrating the incomprehensible love of God and the freedom and joy that we have because Jesus. I also love the time with family and the traditions. This year I was away from family and the traditions were a little, um, different. So, without further ado, I would like to present - Easter: Korean Style!

I am blessed to have wonderful family and friends back in the States and received two Easter packages in the last couple weeks. Using what they sent (and a little creativity) I made an Easter… area, for myself. An empty Clinique bag made a perfect Easter basket to hold my yummy chocolates and my brown speckled eggs nestled quite nicely in an old mushroom container. (Just try to ignore the big ol’ TV they’re sitting on).

Sunday morning I got up early (ok, 6:30, but for my new life of working nights, that feels early) and Lizze and I went to the church to catch a shuttle bus to Suwon World Cup Stadium. For those of you who don’t know, I’ve been going to Global English Church (GEM) which is a part of Global Mission Church which is, as I have recently discovered, quite large. This Easter Service was one big meeting for all the sister churches and different services that at all part of Global. The service was mostly music, which is good because the English translation that was offered didn’t really work… we all had little headphones, but due to either faulty equipment, or the translators unfamiliarity with live translation, we got maybe every 50^th word. I don’t think anyone was using them by the time the sermon came around. Here are some pictures and amazing videos from the service. I can almost guarantee you’ve never seen an Easter service like this one… unless maybe you live in Korea…

People in each section were handed a different colored scarf as we went in. As they introduced each church group we held up the scarves to show where we were. Mine is grey.

Parade of flags

Yay USA! ^_^

Releasing the balloons from the arches.

Ok, here are a couple videos of really cute and talented kids who love Jesus.

And now... well, you'll just have to watch it... (and sorry for the shaky quality at times. This is definitely due to laughter - some of it mine, most Lizze's)

Ok, really, how can you follow that last video? However, my day was not over. After the service Lizze and I joined a group from GEM that went to the Hwaseong Fortress for a picnic and to walk to trails. Good thing I didn’t wear a cute little Easter dress this year! I did wear cute little Easter socks however (thanks Pakou!).

This way, guys!

Oh, hello!

How do you shoot this thing?

Out of the way Lizze. Let me show you how it's done...

Why are they always locked?

"We will rule over all this land, and we will call it... This Land."

I just want to see...

Gah! Bad idea!

The entire day was beautiful, which was such a blessing considering all the day’s events were outside and it had rained the first part of the week. The day was certainly different from what I’m used to, but it was a lot of fun and is certainly an Easter I will remember forever! Now I think I’m going to sit in my apartment, upload photos, and eat chocolate eggs until I pass out and dream of Easter egg hunts with Korean pop stars…

A Day of Culture

2010-03-18T07:37:00.000-07:00

Lizze and I have been wanting to spend some time at Insadong, an area with tons of galleries, so last Sunday we cleared our calendars and prepared for a day of “culture”. We got there and walked around a bit, waiting to meet up with Steve, another friend. We passed several signs for galleries, but didn’t go in. Then, one caught my eye, “Knife Gallery”. I don’t know why it stood out, but I suggested we take a look. We weren’t expecting much as we walked down the narrow stairway and I laughed a little at the sign on the door that read, “PHOTO? OK!” Then we walked inside. We ended up walking around for quite a while, taking lots of pictures, and even waiting for Steve to get there, so we could show him too. Here is some of what we saw:

After that we walked down to Toto Gallery. Now, I had read about this place before going and thought I knew what to expect, but it was way crazier than I had imagined. I only purchased one souvenir, but took a bunch of pictures. We probably circled the place at least five times, always seeing new things. It wasn’t even the items themselves that were all that interesting in many cases, but how they were arranged. Here are some examples:

Yes. Yes they do...

Look's like Hellboy's movin' in on Fiona...

The 'backside' of one of the displays.

I'm going to have nightmares about this one.

"Over where?"

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!"

Random nativity...?

Don't we all need a pair of these shoes?

Hellboy's domestic side.

Run Cinderella! Run!

The original plan had been for Steve to join us for a couple hours before leaving for a soccer game, and Lizze and I would finish the day at Insadong on our own. However, he invited us to join him and his friends and we decided that, as it was FC Seoul’s first home game of the season, we would do that and save the other galleries for another day.

Our boys are in red.

The other side...

Our first game! ^_^

And so, a day of “culture” turned into a day of knives, toys, and soccer – not too bad, I’d say.

(As always, more pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/scribbledjourneys/)

Odds and Ends

2010-03-01T08:52:00.000-08:00

You know that drawer in your house that is the catch-all for odds and ends? I’m convinced that everyone has one. No matter how well you organize, there are just some things that don’t have a particular home, and some times when you don’t have time to find the perfect place for things. So everything gets thrown together into one drawer and they all go together simply because of the fact that they don’t. Well, this blog is like that.

Dumpster-diving and thrift-store shopping: Now, I know there are thrift-stores in Korea because I visit one often, however, many times when people want to get rid of things they just put it out in the trash area (it’s not actually in a dumpster, to I’m not actually diving in, but whatever). There is often nothing wrong with these items other than that their previous owners decided to get rid of them, so they are perfect for people like me and my friends who want to furnish our apartments for, um, free. So a stroll through the local apartment trash areas can prove to be quite profitable. For instance, I looked at several stores trying to find a shelf of some sort to store my kitchen items, but had no luck. Then Lizze and I visited a couple dumpsters and I found the perfect new addition to my kitchen. (Is is gross to store food in something I technically got from the trash? I promise I cleaned it well and even lined the drawers). I’d show you a picture, but my kitchen is really messy right now and I don’t feel like cleaning it… maybe later… I also really enjoy visiting my local thrift-store. While the prices aren’t quite as good as the dumpster, they’re pretty close. I heard from a friend of mine, who speaks Korean and can actually talk to the people who work there, that the store gets new items every day, but there are a bunch of older women who show up early and get all the really good stuff. So, on Saturday Muang, Lizze, and I went right at opening (we seriously waited in line with three other women until the doors opened right at 10:30). We found some great things and I got a tall lamp that is exactly what I had been wanting for my apartment. It was pretty intense, but our dedication was rewarded.

Joint-custody: Lizze and I decided to adopt a child together and have joint-custody. Our baby is a little 5 octave keyboard and is currently living with me, but Lizze is allowed to visit on weekends. We adopted her from a guy in Ansan and brought her back to Bundang via the subway. This meant a 1 ½ hour trip there, then a 1 ½ hour trip back carrying the keyboard and stand (no case) up and down stairs, and in and out of different trains as we switched lines. We got some funny looks and woke up the next day with sore arms, but she’s worth it. Now we can play and write music to our hearts’ content… until we have to put her up for adoption again in about 10 months…

A new term: March 1^st was the beginning of Spring term, which will last for the next 13 weeks. Last week I was sad to say goodbye to my students as I had really grown attached to them. Sure some of them are little brats, but they were my little brats! I’m teaching some different classes this term, so I will have to get used to those, but I’m sure that in 13 weeks I’ll be just as sad to leave these students… at least, I hope. Here is one of my favorite “student stories” from this last term:

We were doing a project where they had to get in groups and pretend they had been hired to get rid of ghosts or monsters. I walked up to a group of three boys who had chosen to get rid of zombies.

Me: How do you kill zombies?

Boys: Fire! Throw it in sea! Bomb!

Me: You have to get in the head – shoot its brains out!

Boy 1: No, that doesn’t work.

Me: What?! Haven’t you seen any zombie movies?

Boy 1: That’s just movies. That’s not real.

Sorry, I forgot we need to be realistic about our zombie slaying….

Okay, in closing this blog of random thoughts and happenings, here are some pictures. A few I took recently, and a few, appropriately, I forgot were on there and just uploaded.

I don't know which I like best - the strange menu, or the punctuation...

Me and the friendly Tin-man

Who says you can't pick your friend's nose?

My two beautiful friends

Probably the greatest picture of Lizze ever!

The Amazing Noodle Lady

Aren't they, um, cute?...

I just had to take pictures of these guys swimming in little bowls in the alley.

Well, I hope you have enjoyed looking through my junk-drawer. It's good to empty it out every now and then.

Adventures In Cooking: Part 2

2010-02-07T07:12:00.000-08:00

Sara, one of my coworkers, hosted a tapas party (Spanish appetizers/snacks) on Saturday for the rest of us from our school. Those of us attending were asked to bring drinks or desert. I decided to be adventurous and go with desert, hoping to make a tres leches cake. Ok, it’s not Spanish, but it’s Latin American and I love it. I knew from the beginning this was going to be difficult, but figured I could do it with equal parts Google and determination. I was sure to photograph the process so I could share with everyone my amazing talent… or my pathetic attempt – whichever one became reality.

Now, perhaps the most important part of this desert is the cake, but I lack an oven, so I opted for a store-bought cake. Muang and I went to the grocery store Friday before work so I could pick up my needed ingredients. We found a nice dense cake with relative ease and heavy cream was with the milk where one would expect it. Finding sweetened condensed milk, however, was a little more challenging. Muang eventually typed it into her phone, got the Korean translation, and asked a store employee for assistance. It was with the powdered milk and baby formula, of course.

Friday night after work I mixed together the “glaze” in my cooking pot, since I didn’t have any bowls. There is also no such thing as cream in Korea (at least as far as we know), so I used some whole milk and heavy cream instead. As I mixed this concoction of cream and sweetened condensed milk that would be poured over the cake and left to soak overnight, I began to wonder what I was going to soak it in. I opted for my sole piece of Tupperware, which was a large square (it wasn’t quite big enough, so I had to cut off the end of the cake, but I’ll enjoy it later).

As I worked I thought about my task for the next day, and decided another shopping trip was in order for some much needed tools.

Saturday I made some new additions to my kitchen supplies and went to work on the frosting.

This required mixing 2 cups heavy cream with 8oz of sugar until “stiff peaks are formed”, according to Alton Brown. Well, my cream was measured in milliliters and I had no measuring utensils for the sugar. However, since I know (or Google knows) that 250ml is one cup, as is 8oz I used one of the cream containers (which was conveniently 250ml) as a measuring cup for my sugar. I know. I’m brilliant.

Well, that was the easy part. I now had to beat this creamy goodness until stiff peaks formed...

(I know this is an awful picture, but do you know how hard it is to whisk and take a picture at the same time?)

I beat, and I beat, and I beat, and while it got thicker, the only things getting stiff were my back and arms.

I took a break and took the cake out of the container (then decided to put it back in and frost it once there since I had to transport it).

Back to mixing… I began to wonder if it was humanly possible to produce these elusive peaks without the aid of an electric mixer. Unfortunately (or fortunately) I ran out of time and had to stop beating before I had the chance to find out.

Once there, I frosted the cake and topped it with strawberries. The frosting was still a little runny, but tasted great.

It wasn’t as amazing as Mom’s, but I think I did pretty well, all things considered.

One Month

2010-02-01T19:46:00.001-08:00

I arrived in Korea one month ago today. Wow. Has it really been a month? I feel like I should write some profound, or witty blog to mark the one month point, but I really don’t have anything that interesting to say. I do want to thank all of you who have been praying for me. I have been so blessed at every turn and I know I would not be having this wonderful experience without your support and prayers. Our God is so good and I experience His love and grace new every day.

This is week 10 at my school in a 13 week term. We’re doing testing this week, which you know the students just love. The tests they take this week will determine whether or not they “level up” for next term. So there is lots of pressure and they do a practice test their first class of the week and then the real test the second class of the week. I hope they all do well and make me look good... er, make their parents proud…

So Sunday I went to Deoksugung Palace with Muang. More pictures on flickr, but some highlights include…

This guy's teeth! Twins?

Contrast between old and new Korea...

SO THIRSTY!!!

Oops....

I also bought some notebooks at the craft/office supply store downstairs and then took pictures of them for you. What’s so interesting about notebooks? Well they each say funny things in English. Now, I know that we in America have clothes or other items with foreign languages on them that often make little or no sense. Unfortunately, I don’t speak those other languages and cannot appreciate the humor. I do, however, have a pretty good grasp of the English language and found the following things pretty funny. I hope you do too.

So the English on this one isn't that strange, but still funny since almost all the coffee I've seen here is instant. And do you think that's a coffee farmer? Hm.

Personally, I like the milk pan (what?) and yes. I do English today. Do you?

Sometimes, I anxious too, but then I remember that fruit...

Ok, first of all, "indefatigably" is a real word (I looked it up) but, honestly? It probably has not been used by a native English speaker in over 100 years and just sounds ridiculous. And then, "STUDT"? Obviously, someone needs to take their own advice...

I’ll watch for more creative usage of the English language, but that’s all for now.

There are many other thoughts rolling around in my head right now (I guess I had more to say than I thought) but I will save them for another day. I hope you are all well.

God bless!

Going to see the lights...

2010-01-25T19:10:00.001-08:00

Weekdays I usually just hang around my apartment. I cook, clean, blog, chat on facebook or skype, read, take pictures, etc. If I’m feeling very adventurous I might walk over to the thrift store on the next block. I thought about going jogging along the river, but I have a hard time motivating myself to run even when it’s above 25 degrees F…

When the weekend rolls around it’s time to have fun, go places, meet up with friends, and explore. This generally means hanging out with Muang, a friend from Simpson who lives in another district of my city, and her friend Lize, who is now my friend too. We had been told that there was a “lights show” that was “along the river” and decided we should check it out Saturday. However, try as we might, we just couldn’t find it. And we didn’t really know what it was, so it was hard to ask people even if they did understand English. We ended up getting Starbucks and people watching, then going home.

Sunday we found out that we had been in the wrong area, but very close, so we decided to try again that evening. Muang wanted to take pictures in Seoul and meet another friend, Loren, so Lize and I decided to do a little exploring and try to find the place on our own, meeting up with the other girls in the evening. To fully appreciate that decision, you must first understand that Lize and I both … um … struggle with directions… I think when we left Muang she thought she might never see us again (or at least not that evening).

Our adventure took us to a subway transfer station where we were trying to decide which exit would place us closest to the river. We ran into some other foreigners who asked us for directions to another district. We didn’t know, but as soon as we walked away saw a sign pointing to that area. Lize ran back to tell them. They asked where we were going and we said, “To see the lights.” One of the girls said, “Oh, the Seoul Festival of Light?” Lize and I looked at each other, “Yup. That’s the one.” Ends up, they were headed to the same place, but wanted dinner first. They told us we needed to transfer onto another line and go one more stop. Having exchanged helpful directional information we thanked each other and parted ways.

When Lize and I finally exited the subway we couldn’t see a river anywhere. But there was a big square with lots of people and lots of, well, lights. We decided to check it out. We eventually found a tourist information booth and grabbed an English brochure. Come to find out, we were there on the final evening of the 2009 Seoul Festival of Light which had opened on Dec 19^th. There was music and light everywhere – lights shining up from the ground, projected onto buildings all around the square, emanating from stacks of TVs and sculptures of TVs, lighted garlands hanging over walkways, and even a lighted manmade river (so THAT’S the river!). We did run into Muang and Loren and the four of us went for a lighted carriage ride and then out to dinner.

All-in-all it was a fun day and Lize and I were quite proud of ourselves for not getting lost.

Here are some of my pictures from that evening. Again, there are more at http://www.flickr.com/photos/scribbledjourneys/.

"Hmm, I think there might be something going on over there..."

"What do you think?"

"I don't know..."

"Hey! Look!"

Now THERE'S a big screen!

Much cooler when you can see the movement - sorry no video.

We found the River!

Don't let your umbrella float away!

Yikes! Don't let ME float away!

Going for a lighted carriage ride

Muang and Lize

Me and Loren

A pretty fun evening.

Adventures In Cooking: Part 1

2010-01-17T07:57:00.000-08:00

My kitchen consists of a sink, one burner, and a small strip of counter between the two. Recently, the mother of my dear friend Anny gave me this gigantic rice cooker to use for the year (I am accepting name suggestions for it. Those currently in the running are Bertha, Hilda, and Hal).

This limited cooking area, coupled with the fact that I’m not always completely sure of the contents of what I’m buying at the store, is sure to lead to some interesting culinary escapades. Now and again I may share these “Adventures in cooking” with you… like today…

My friend’s mom also gave me large amounts of kimchi, which I love. If you are not familiar with this spicy pickled cabbage, you really should try it. Kimchi does have one drawback though – its smell is so strong and penetrating that, if left in your refrigerator for more than .05 seconds, the entire unit will smell like kimchi and soon everything inside will taste like it. It’s kind of like the Bog of Eternal Stench… but, um, yummy… Anyway, since I didn’t want my muffins or filtered water to acquire a not-so-subtle kimchi flavor I left it on the counter for a day or two, postponing the inevitable.

Then, this evening I got the brilliant idea to make soup. So at about 10pm I ran downstairs to buy a knife from 7-Eleven, then got started chopping veggies and chicken. By 11:30 I had a delicious kimchi soup with onion, carrot, potato, rice, chicken, and, of course, kimchi.

The following are pictures of the process.

Now I just have to figure out how to store the leftovers since I don’t have tupperware… Hmm, hadn’t thought that far ahead…

Pictures

2010-01-17T01:07:00.000-08:00

Ok, so last time I posted a blog and no pictures, this time it's pictures with no blog. Rather than paste them all into the body of this, you can check them out at http://www.flickr.com/photos/scribbledjourneys/. Just a note, the snow that you see is what is left from Monday the 4th and when I said I thought I had plenty of time to get pics of all the snow, I didn't take into account the army of people that were out there the next day with shovels and wheelbarrows carting the stuff away! Wish I had gotten pictures of THAT. Anyway, there is still plenty on the ground, but it's nothing compared to what it was.

It's Alright

2010-01-15T22:17:00.000-08:00

I was listening to MxPx while eating my lunch of kimchi and rice and this song came on. I thought, “Hm, this might just be my theme-song for the year.” Enjoy. ^_^

"It's Alright" MxPx

There is no map, there are no signs,
We're on our way, we're crossing lines
Strap on your boots, go pack your bags,
No time to rest, no time to lag,

And you know, everyone here has been invited to go
Whoa oh whoa oh oh
And you know, we're on our way,
Into the unknown, into the unknown, into the unknown
whoa oh whoa oh oh

It's alright, it's alright
It's alright we can travel by the moonlight
It's alright, it's alright
It's alright we can travel through the twilight
It's alright, it's alright
It's alright we can travel by the moonlight
It's alright, it's alright
It's alright we can travel through the twilight

This life is good, the road is clear,
It's time to shift into high gear
Everything we're passing fades,
It's what inside our hearts that stays

And you know, everyone here has been invited to go
Whoa oh whoa oh oh
And you know, we're on our way,
Into the unknown, into the unknown, into the unknown
whoa oh whoa oh oh

It's alright, it's alright
It's alright we can travel by the moonlight
It's alright, it's alright
It's alright we can travel through the twilight
It's alright, it's alright
It's alright we can travel by the moonlight
It's alright, it's alright
It's alright we can travel through the twilight

It's alright, it's alright

It's alright we can travel by the moonlight
It's alright, it's alright

It's alright we can travel by the moonlight

Travel by the moonlight
Travel by the moonlight

It's already/only been a week?

2010-01-11T08:05:00.000-08:00

It has been snowy here. Not “a light dusting,” snowy, or “winter wonderland” snowy, but “more snow than they’ve seen in 100 years here, cars abandoned on the road” snowy. It all started last Sunday night and continued building through Monday morning. If I had had a couple days to chill (no pun intended) it would have been lovely. Here are some things I might have done: take pictures of beautiful Korean scenery, cuddle up with a good book and enjoy the view outside my window from the comfort of a warm room, write a poetic blog about the transformation of the area around me. But none of that happened. Why? My week of training in Seoul started that morning and I HAD to be there. The shuttle that was supposed to pick me up decided not to show. Thankfully, the director of my school came and said he would ride the subway with me since I had absolutely no idea where I was going.

When we got down to the subway platform there were tons of people. Because of the snow people couldn’t drive and the busses didn’t want to run. The first train came it was so full people were pressed against the door windows. A couple people got off and even more got on. We decided to wait for the next train. This scenario repeated itself a couple more times and when the fourth train came, we decided it wasn’t going to get any better so we crammed ourselves into the cracks between people, then stood pinned, unmoving (except when others tried to get in or out), until our stop finally came. Oh, and I should mention, that along with the two of us, I had my carry-on suitcase with everything I needed for the week in Seoul.

Even with all of that craziness, I was still the second person there. The other four were delayed coming from the hotel because their shuttle was inching along through the snow. Once they got there we had a short introduction, were given schedules, and were sent to Seoul Medical Center for an examination. Since I had not gone to the hotel before training, I had to drag my rolling suitcase all around the city - through slushy snow, and thick, unmoving snow, down subway stairs, and up subway stairs. We got to the Med. Center and were subjected to a series of tests. They tested our vision and hearing, did chest x-rays, took our blood and collected our urine. The six of us trotted around from center to center passing each other in gowns and with Dixie cups filled with pee. It was a wonderful way to get to know the people with whom we would be spending the rest of the week!

The rest of training week was filled with long workshops during the day, and crazy study sessions at night back at the hotel. We slept little, and laughed a lot. And I guess we learned some things too. I trained for two different classes, Memory English, and Par Reading & Writing. I could try to explain all the different levels, but it would take too much time. If you really want to know I can tell you another time. Suffice to say they’re two different levels, ME being the lower and Par being the higher. When I got to my school Friday evening, I found out that I was actually going to teach ME and English Chip, the level before ME. This was a very nice surprise as I didn’t really enjoy Par, and EC is a simplified version of ME for adorable younger kids who are eager to participate (as opposed to the older students who are too shy and self-conscious to speak above a whisper most of the time).

Today was my first day of teaching and it went well. Not as well as I would have liked, but also not as badly as it could have. Classes are three hours long each, with five minute breaks each hour and the schedule is crammed full. If you get off even a little, you can get to the end of class and still have material to cover. Because the next day is just as full, you can’t do it then. And because students need to have everything in the book filled out, that means extra homework for them. Oops… Guess I better go faster tomorrow…

Anyway, that’s enough for now. Sorry, no pictures this time. I’ll try to take some before the snow melts, but from the looks and feel of it, I have a little time!

Hello from Korea!

2010-01-03T01:34:00.000-08:00

Where to begin? As I have been thinking about writing, a million and one things have been running through my head. Well I guess first off I can say – I made it safely to Korea! Getting here was a little crazy. I had trouble re-confirming me flight (Expedia said “you just need our confirmation number”, US Airways said “Expedia hasn’t issued a ticket.” Lots of calls, being on hold, and being disconnected, only to find out upon getting to the airport that, regardless of what Expedia said on my itinerary, my flight was actually through United!)

I then took a tiny plane to LA where I had to go to the exact opposite end of the airport to get the next part of my ticket, stand in another security line for ages (15 minutes before my plane was scheduled to board), speed walk with my heavy carry-ons to the furthest gate in that terminal, and walk up right as the last people were boarding. Whew!

The flight was about 13 hours, but I slept a lot, watched a couple movies, and was served some pretty good food. Someone a few seats ahead of me threw up a couple times, but other than that, the flight was pretty uneventful. Near the end of my flight I had to fill out the customs declaration form. I went through the boxes quickly: no, I am not carrying illegal drugs or firearms, etc. Then I got to the produce box and remembered that Mom gave me an apple for the trip. I hadn’t eaten it and really wasn’t hungry. I began to wonder if I would have to get rid of it. But my Mommy packed it for me! The thought of throwing away that beautiful red apple made me want to cry! So I marked “no produce” and, when the time came, marched my way through the “nothing to declare” line. Thankfully, no armed guards pulled me aside to examine my bag and reveal my illegal apple.

This might be the best apple I've ever eaten. ^_~

I was met by a driver with my name written on a piece of paper, and driven to Bundang, about an hour from Seoul, where I was met by the director of my school who showed me my apartment and made sure I had some essentials for my first couple days in Korea. He left, I sent a quick email home, then went to bed at about 8:30pm.

This morning I met up with Muang, a friend from college who has been here for 8 months, and one of her friends. We went to Somang Presbyterian Church then to Muang’s apartment where I picked up some things Jeff left for me (thank you so much!). Then it was back to my apartment so I could get some things done before I start training tomorrow. It doesn’t sound like much, but man am I tired!

That’s it for now. I’ll leave you with a little tour of my apartment.

Closet?.....

Guess again! It's my kitchen/laundry!

My beautiful green, pink, and purple closet.

Bathroom. Yes, that is my shower hanging over the sink.

And my current favorite - My bed!

I also have a refrigerator, a little table with chairs, and a little tv, but they are not photo worthy. ^_^ Love you all. Bye for now!

2009-12-28T13:14:00.000-08:00

Hello there! Some of you may have heard this information already or read it in the church bulletin - if so, please kindly disregard. For others, this may be the first you've heard of it - if so, I'm sorry! If you know of someone who might like to have this information, please feel free to pass it along. - Melina

2010 is fast approaching and with it, some big changes for me. January 1st I will be flying to Bundang, South Korea where I will teach English for a year at an after-school English institute for students 3rd-8th grade.

I have a couple friends in Korea already and I look forward to making new ones, but I would also love to stay connected with people at home! I will try to keep people updated with a blog and pictures at myscribbledjourneys.blogspot.com and on facebook. If you would like to keep in touch through email you can reach me at scribbledjourneys@gmail.com and I’m on Skype as melina.lawson.

I covet your prayers as I begin this adventure and seek to let God use me in interactions with students, coworkers, and others I meet.

I hope you have a great 2010. See you in 2011!

Melina

2009-10-08T18:37:00.000-07:00

To say I hated 6^th grade would be an understatement – it was traumatic. I barely survived until June and then informed my parents that I would not be returning the next year. I don’t know if it was my determined (and practiced) delivery that convinced them or simply not wanting to hear about how horrible 7^th grade was everyday of the following year, but regardless, being the amazing parents that they are, they allowed me to home school the next two years and escape the horrors of returning to Middle School.

You know how people always ask that question, “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?” and you come up with some reasonable sounding answer, but really you have no idea, and you’re more focused on where you’ll be in 10 minutes? Well, it’s been a little over 10 years since my year in Hell and now I’m a substitute teacher. I bet you’ll NEVER guess which grade is my favorite to teach… Ok, so maybe it’s obvious to you, but I certainly didn’t see it coming – that’s right, 6^th grade. I love it! I love those quirky, awkward preteens trying to figure out who they are and where they fit. And I want to hug them all and tell them, “You’re beautiful! You’re brilliant! And life is going to be fantastic!” Not that they’ll all believe me – I wouldn’t have. But just wait, they’ll see…

Of course, that gets me to thinking – where will I be 10 years from NOW? I could come up with a reasonable sounding answer, but it would likely be wrong, and I don’t really care because I have to be someplace in 10 minutes.

Scribbling

2009-10-02T11:53:00.000-07:00

The title Scribbled Journeys came to me several years ago through my dear friend Ryan. The thought behind it was that I process through writing, scribbling my journey through life on paper and often sharing it with others. I am constantly scribbling down on scratches of paper ideas, plot outlines, phrases, lines of a poem I might someday write – these are all part of my journey.

Recently, however, the title has come to mean something else to me as well as I realize more and more how messy life is. We have a black and white outline of what we think the picture should look like, but as we begin to color, we just can’t keep the crayons inside the lines. Sometimes this is so frustrating and I want to scream, “God! Can’t you see, you’re messing up my picture!?” But then he reminds me that it’s His coloring book, His picture, His crayons. He has simply invited me to join Him. And he reminds me that if I’ll relax and trust Him, scribbling can be way more fun than staying in the lines – even for a perfectionist like me.