I can't believe there's only 11 days left until I leave for Korea... It's so crazy to me. I started feeling my usual pre-trip jitters the past couple days. I got them before Mali, before Spain, before college... haha! The excitement of knowing hardly anything and being so nervous and excited all at the same time.
It's like your first day of kindergarten-- you hope you packed enough in your bag, you want to fit in, you want to stand out, you are curious about the rumors you've heard and nervous about the things you can't quite wrap your mind around yet. Everyone tells you that it will be fine... it's nothing to worry about! You're going to have so much fun & meet such interesting people! ... but in the back of all the excitement sits that little thought... Am I ready?
Here is what I know about Korea:
1. ahn yang ah say oh... is basically how you say hello.
2. I can count to 10...kind of... this is thanks to my days at Korean Camp. This is about as helpful as my being about to say /bicycle/ in Chinese. fantastic.
3. I am not smart enough or skilled enough to play Korean Jacks. However I am too competitive and stubborn to quit.
4. They have a president. Lee Myung-Bak. and a Prime Minister...
5. As of 2010, there were nearly 49,000,000 people living in South Korea...
6. The capital is Seoul.
7. They speak Korean... I do not.
8. They eat kimchi.... which is seasoned vegetables.
9. I will arrive on the 15th of July... and I will be counting the days until my favorite Spanish III students arrive.
10. I will like it there.
As you can see... I know basically nothing. However, my excitement has grown and I have 56 Korean Middle Schoolers to thank for it. Honestly, I was so nervous about the whole thing! But last week I got the opportunity to work with a camp of Korean students (from GVCS, where I'm going). They tried to teach me jacks, the girls were kind and sweet, the boys were polite and fun... they were so excited about life! I really truly cannot be grateful enough to the chance to be with them. They gave me the little glimpse I needed to start preparing mentally for this adventure.
I know that God is going to be doling out a lot of grace to me in the next little while.
Please pray for me as I look for a job to come home to in August, a place to live, and the details of this trip to be worked out.
Thanks for all your notes of support & encouragement.
The Lord has so richly blessed me with a community of believers and friends who love me & desire me to follow God's path wherever it takes me.
--e
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