Nonplussed

I was bitten by a student today.

Love and Hate

The banking system here is not my friend. Periodically my cash card just doesn't work. I haven't figured out any pattern either. Sometimes during the day, late at night, at stores, at the bank . . .??? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? I have no idea! But it makes me sad. Maybe it's good because it makes me take cash everywhere I go just to be safe, and if I don't have cash on me then I end up staying home - which is usually cheaper. Still, it's frustrating.

I found Isaiah 58 this week:
"Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD? Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter - when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?" (v. 5-7)

It makes me think about my life and want to be hospitable not only with my heart, but also with my home.

Saturday Korean

So, I've started taking a Korean class with Leo, one of the other teachers here. This is what I learned last week:

조 안 나
룯
우 디

(It's my full name . . . I'm pretty excited about it.)

Palgongsan & Late Night Ice Cream

My feet are very tired. I went on a hike today with Steve, one of the other teachers. Originally there were supposed to be more people going, but I think it was more relaxing because it was just the two of us. The climb wasn't too much, and the way we took down was even more beautiful . . . the light falling through the trees counterpointed the scattering of rocks. It was really lovely. And it was so nice to get out of town! I saw birds and Steve (being an amateur ornithologist) identified them for me. I also saw a squirrel with the funniest tufts of hair coming from his ears. Steve promised to send me a picture, so I'll post that when I get it.

This is a very sweet girl named Hye-Min I met while wandering around downtown. She needed someone to interview for her English class (I was obviously delighted). Anyway, she took a picture of us and sent it to me, so I thought I'd share. What can I say? Mom, Heather, you got SO lucky!

In the Morning

I found this passage this morning, and it really just spoke to my heart:

The desert and the parched land will be glad;
the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom;
it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
they will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God.
Strengthen the feeble hands,
steady the knees that give way;
say to those with fearful hearts,
"Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
he will come to save you."
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
Then will the lame leap like a deer,
and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
and streams in the desert.
The burning sand will become a pool,
the thirsty ground bubbling springs.
In the haunts where jackals once lay,
grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.
And a highway will be there;
it will be called the Way of Holiness.
The unclean will not journey on it;
it will be for those who walk in that Way;
wicked fools will not go about on it.
No lion will be there,
nor will any ferocious beast get up on it;
they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed will walk there,
and the ransomed of the LORD will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Isaiah 35

On Friendship

I had an epiphany a few years ago where I was out at a celebrity party and it suddenly dawned on me that I had yet to meet a celebrity who is as smart and interesting as any of my friends.
Moby, quoted on CNN.com, March 2005


This does not exactly express my thought, but it does adequately express my sentiments. My "debate" (i.e. conversation) class this week was about friendship . . . this is my favorite class, one I always look forward to. It struck me while preparing for it (I actually have creative control of the lesson plans) what a miraculous thing friendship really is. My mind was taken back to Cicero's joy in contemplating the wonderful power friends have to heighten joys and ease hardships. Even more I thought of the mystery inherent in a relationship which has no natural necessity (as do parent-child or male-female relationships).

I still remember reading what C.S. Lewis had to say about it and thinking, "Man was he smart! I wish I could think so deep or so far." And everyone seems to have something to say about it. There isn't a work of fiction I can think of which doesn't, at some point or on some level, express an opinion about it. Just today I was reading Jane Eyre and came across the child Jane telling her friend, ". . . if others don't love me, I would rather die than live - I cannot bear to be solitary and hated, Helen." My debate class concurred, as would, I believe, anyone I've ever met.

Our need for friendship so elegantly seems to point us toward God that I'm rather stricken at the moment. Here is a relationship which does not meet any evolutionary need. All I can think is how wonderful, and awesome and, I'll say it, magical, it is that the God of the universe wants to be my friend. And that He planted in me a need for a relationship which has no need-love attached to it, and is for the sole purpose of enjoyment. Mmm.

(c: Today I taught three classes in a row which all had the theme of discussing a woman's weight. I attempted, and I believe I was successful, in convincing my students that while we might discuss it in class, they should under no circumstances attempt a practical application.

It was SO funny. One of the books actually had a guy go up to a woman and invite her to join a health club because he didn't think she'd live very long if she didn't lose some weight. I told the students that I was amazed the guy had lived as long as he had. And I made sure to mention that age is another subject which should NEVER be discussed with women, but if pressed, they should always aim low. There were some other more risqué offenses in the dialogues, but some of the students weren't old enough for some of them, and others didn't have a sufficient vocabulary. What is really ironic is that the students said it wasn't appropriate to discuss someone being overweight in Korea either. (???) Oh well.

Hi, My Name is Joanna and I'm an Addict

I made chocolate covered strawberries again tonight. This time I used a slightly darker chocolate. It's not quite as smooth, but it's more firm when you bite into it. I also dipped some of them in chopped almonds. *Sigh* I know that chocolate-covered strawberries aren't, strictly speaking, good for you. But there's something about them that's like baking. There's something deliberate and patient and sumptuous about them.

I've been here two months now, and all I can think is: "Wow, it feels a lot longer than two months. " (c:

The drama classes I taught for the last two months finally had their performance on Saturday night. Afterwards they made me go up onstage and get my picture taken with all the classes and then with all the kids and their parents. I don't really have words for how awful it was. I did reflect that maybe it serves me right - it probably doubled the number of photos that exist of me. It's funny how much I just feel like a white performing monkey. Oh well, it's passed.

I cut my hair today. It came out okay. Miriam did a really good job of giving me a base to work with, so I've just been trimming it periodically, but the ends were really dry and driving me crazy, so Alex (one of the other teachers) cut off about three inches today and then I layered it. I think I'm going to use this time to grow out my bangs and see how I feel about it. Input is always welcome.

Goodnight, please remember how much I love all of you!