Lenten Resolutions

Lent has arrived in Korea and even though I have been less than devout in being a practicing Catholic, i'm going to give Lent a shot for the first time in more years than I care to remember.

This year I am giving up a few things and making a commitment to a few others.  I figure writing it down on here will keep me accountable.  What am I giving up and/or committing to this year you may ask?  Well here we go.

1.  Gossip  less.  I am not huge on gossip to begin with but taking it out of the equation entirely will help me really focus on the important things and people in my life.
2.  Work out 5x per week. The ladies of Pohang have started a daily 6am workout regime.  It will absolutely suck but for 40 days I can hack it.  I hope I can anyways.
3.  No fried foods.  While this won't be the hardest thing I am giving up it will definitely test my willpower.  I don't exactly crave this kind of food but when I have a few beers in me, french fries become almost irresistible.  Let's see how much willpower I actually have.
4.  Try something new at least once a week.  Whether it be a different food.  Meeting a new person.  Trying out a new store.  Going to a new city.  I want to see the beauty of Korea and I have done a less than stellar job of doing that over the past year.
5.  Be as frugal as possible without it affecting my daily life.  I make a pretty decent living while teaching here in Korea but I don't have all that much to show for it.  Sure I don't have anymore credit card debt and i'm making a dent in my student loans...but that's about it.  This is the 40 days for me to really see where my money is going. Do I really need that $11 package of tortillas?  That 4th drink at the bar when we all know that the 3rd one was more than enough?  That $8 taxi when a $1 bus will suffice?  It's all about cutting corners and figuring out what I really NEED not WANT.

Well, those are it.  My long-time-coming Lenten resolutions.  Say a little prayer for me if you think about it.  I've got a feeling i'm going to need it.

Wordless Wednesday: Pohang Steelers

This wordless Wednesday is devoted to the season opener for the Pohang Steelers.  They are the city's soccer team and going to games is a huge lure for the foreigner crowd.  Who doesn't love drinking, eating chicken and screaming your guts out for your team?  I know we sure do.

Completely excited for the game to begin

Confetti and streamers are highly conducive to soccer playing

Posing in between goals

With my "Auntie" Tanya

The Korean soldiers have a huge turnout for each and every game

After the game the boys went for a scooter ride and allowed
me to tag along.  Thanks Teagan!

On our way to BURGER KING after the game.  That's right...BURGER KING!

Kids College Kids: Super Powers

[I've decided to make a post every so often that is dedicated to the weird rambles that my kids say on a daily basis.  It will be entitled "Kids College Kids."  When you see these get ready for entertainment.  Think of it as the Korean version of "Kids Say the Darndest Thing."]

While discussing superheros in my class today my 5 year olds decided that my super powers would be as follows: flying, lazers shooting out of my eyes and mouth, hair that goes down to the floor and powerful thighs.

Where they learned the words "powerful" or "thigh" is far beyond me.

The little ones who have a superhero for a teacher

Lessons Learned

[I know that this post is uncharacteristically vague but it is something that has been in my thoughts recently.  When thoughts are repeatedly in the forefront of my mind, it is usually my brain's way of telling me to write it down.  Figure it out.  Solve it.  Most of the time I shut down and don't listen to my better judgement when it comes to getting things off my chest.  Today I did and here's what I wrote.]

Sometimes it takes something small to make you realize that you were wrong.  Wrong in how you treated someone.  Wrong in how you presented yourself.  A simple comment.  A passing glance.  Life is about making mistakes and learning from them.  I continue to learn from mine every single day.

I realize that during the past few months I have been wrong in how I have treated certain people in my town.  A certain person in particular.  Not that I have been mean but I have been impassibly indifferent.  Somehow I allowed the fact that I have been here for as long as I have to overcrowd my ability to see beyond the face value of a friend.  To not overlook them if they had a flaw that didn't match up to my expectations.  Somehow today, I woke up and realized what a bitch i've been.  How selfish, self absorbed, closed off and just generally unwelcoming i've been.  What a sobering realization that was.

Even though I know you can't turn back time (even though Cher seems to think you can) I wish in this instance that I could.  Even though the person in question has no idea that i've had this realization, to you I am sorry.  If given the chance, I will try and do my best at being a friend to you instead of someone who is as indifferent as I have been.

What lesson did I learn today?  Life is too short to feel anything but happiness.  Anything but feeling the sense of friendship and adventure that is so easily accessible here.   Consider that lesson learned.

What If?

When I was thinking about how to begin this post, I was thinking about how another life altering decision has been made and how to properly tell it.  Tell it to remember how i'm feeling after finally figuring out the opening scene for the next act of my life.  Tell it to explain to those I care about just what i'm doing next.  Just what shenanegans I was going to pull this time.  It was when finally sitting down to write that I realized just how "life-altering" our choices, actions and decisions can be.

You realize that you could play the "what if" game for the rest of your life.  What if I wouldn't have gone to Ball State?  What if I would have lived in a different dormitory?  Taken different classes?  Had a different major?  What if I wouldn't have come to Korea?  Those "what ifs" make you step back and realize that even though the phrase "everything happens for a reason" is a bit cliche, it's true.  The steps you take and the moments you make are what makes life as unique as you are.

After reading a blog that one of my good friends suggested, a specific quote in a recent post resonated with me.  She says,"We all get attached to goals, to performance, to success and we end up over-committing, trying to please everyone and sometimes forgetting to just please ourselves.  Yes, life is short, but it is what it is.  We all need to slow down, to just be happy where we are for a minute, to breathe, to take in our surroundings, to be grateful for the gifts we have been given.  Life isn't about crossing your goals off your list, it is about loving every minute you are alive."     

She's right.  My life isn't about crossing yet another item off a list.  Figuring out the next step in my life.  Rushing to continue the process of growing up.  Thank you whoever you are for reminding me to enjoy the process of finding myself.  Whether it be in Korea, at grad school or another continent entirely.  Somehow in this process of living I forgot that i'm on a journey that at the end of the day only I have to be happy with. It's mine.  It's my journey and it will be what I make of it.  What I choose it to be.

While the next chapter of my life is yet to be planned, the next few pages finally are.  I have decided to go back to school when I come stateside this fall.  After two years away from the education that inspired me to be a teacher, I am finally ready to go back to school and inspire myself again.  I have hope that I will find the right school for me and prepare myself for the future that I know is somewhere ahead of me.

I still have yet to choose the schools to apply to or take the ever-intimidating GRE (sort of a graduate student's version of the SAT) but I still have time.  I have scheduled the appointment to take the test here in Korea this coming June and will hopefully garner a high enough score to get me into the school of my choice.  The next few months will be an interesting balance of studying and continuing to tackle life each day at a time.  Wish me luck!

Upcoming Adventures

[Happy 27th Birthday Mike.  I wish I could be there to celebrate with you but know that sometime in the next few years we'll do it up right together.]

It's been awhile since I have posted anything on here with something more to say than just a casual Wordless Wednesday or snow-filled pictures.  Somehow it's March already and  the weather is beginning to shake off that winter coat it's had on for the past few months.  Beach time is around the corner and I can hardly restrain myself from riding my bike beachside and waiting for the sun to finally reach us here in Pohang.  If you see me down there with my tank top on trying to tan my legs, just leave me.  I'll learn my lesson when I get another cold from Mother Nature, who just can't seem to make up her mind on day-to-day weather.

In all seriousness, the past few weeks have been a bit dreary.  I have said goodbye to some amazing friends, cutesy little kids at Kids College, gotten sick repeatedly (from the cutesy kids at Kids College) and had a horrible bout of homesickness that I felt would never pass.  Boo hoo.  Whine Whine.  Sniff Sniff.  Clearly my life could be o so much worse.

What lies in store for me during the next few weeks?  Well quite a few little adventures.  I will be going to Jeju Island for a weekend getaway with some friends due to the outrageously slashed flights found for less than $25 round trip.  I will also be going to the Jindo Sea-Parting Festival as well to part those seas like Moses.  I'll let you just think about the locations "Jeju" and "Jindo" until I actually go on the little excursion so as to prime you for the explanations at a later date.

Keep reading...the next few posts could be intriguing.

Until Then, Not Goodbye

I know I have been a bit lazy in keeping this up to date recently.  I promise the next one will have the sustenance and more importantly, the Koreanisms, that keeps my loyal readers coming back for more.  Until then, here's a wordless Wednesday that is devoted to some amazing people that have recently left Pohang.  To Raechal, Kevin and Tim:  You helped to make my first year in Korea an amazing one.  I wish you the best and hope that during our travels we meet again soon.

My dear Raechal.  We came to Korea at the same time and now you're  leaving to
back home.  We got to experience Japan together.  Words don't even express
how much I will miss you. 

The theme of Raechal's part was centered around the way Koreans dress.

Kevin Osborne.  Unfortunately, we started to get closer the weeks leading
up to his departure.  

Three great friends doing Noraebong on Kevin's last night.

A few of the original JSD crew:  Kory, Nick Kelly, Myself and Tim

Tim's last night in town consisted of dinner at his favorite duck place with
all his favorite people. 

The friendship I have with Tim is not traditional, so why should our last picture
be?  To Tim, you are a big reason why my first year was so amazing.  Thank you for all the memories
including (but not limited to) Deokjeok Island, Geoje Island, Daegu Nights, Sandcastle festival,
Thailand and all the random nights in between.  I know we'll meet again.  Until then.