Today I went to the jjimjilbang (Korean bathhouse/spa) with one of the teachers at my school, Lauren. She had previously told me how much she enjoyed going when she first came to Korea, and I told her that I had really been looking forward to going. So we made a date to meet and go today. The jjimjilbang we went to is called Dragon Hill, and I think it's pretty well-known. It was nice and totally relaxing and all around a good day. For those of you who may not know what a jjimjilbang is, let me explain.
A jjimjilbang is the traditional Korean bathhouse. There are 2 distinct areas in each jjimjilbang; there is the co-ed section and then the sex-segregated section. So you get to the jjimjilbang, go in to a locker room area (separated by sex) and change into this matching little shirt and short combo that you receive upon entering. Once in your matching, cult-like uniforms, you go to the co-ed area. The co-ed area has an area with tvs to watch/hang out, a snack bar area, a pc room, and various cold, warm, and hot sauna rooms. After you get your fill of this area, you go back to the locker room area and COMPLETELY strip down to your birthday suit. Upon reaching full nudity, you head to the appropriate sex-separated area (which is only accessible from the correct locker room so you can't wander around lost or anything). Once in this area, you must shower off to make sure all make-up/lotion/hair product is removed. Then you are allowed to enter the various pools/baths ranging in size and temperature and water infusions. You bum around doing that for as long as you want, and then it is back to the locker to dry off, get dressed, and head on your merry way to whatever you have planned next. I had previously been to a jjimjilbang outside of DC, courtesy of Ms. Pamara Chang, so I knew what to expect. Lauren and I had hours and hours to talk about anything and everything. I was totally in relaxation mode. It was something fun and out of the ordinary that you can't really do in the States. And I absolutely LOVED going today!!! Some of you maybe be gasping and rolling your eyes, but you really can't knock it til you try it. Once a person is able to get over the phobia of being naked, it is actually quite enjoyable.
After the jjimjilbang, Lauren and I grabbed some dolsot bibimbap. And then we decided to head towards Hongdae (the neighborhood around Hongik University that is known for being lively and artsy and college-y, all around pretty cool) so that Lauren could show me one of her favorite cafes, Television 12. At Television 12, we drank some coffee and did some more talking and then took a short walk around Hongdae and headed home.
It's like primetime for New Year's Eve in Seoul right now; almost 10:30pm. However, I've decided to invite 2011 in with a nice relaxing night at my apartment watching some of my favorite tv episodes while drinking a glass or 2 of tea. How tranquil and nice!
It will be the year 2011 the next time you hear from me. So I wish you all a very Happy New Year, in which your passions will be discovered, your paths will be laid out before you, your love will be poured out upon everyone you meet, and your life will be lived to the fullest without worry, fear or regret. How great is our God for blessing us all with another day and another year of life!
It is truly ALL about Him,
KendallCooke
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
WOOOOAAAHHH...Seoul subway!
I haven't really been up to much the last couple days; just a little running around here and there but mostly trying to stay out of the cold. Well one of my little runs was to a bookstore that I had read about on-line that has English books. With all the free time I've had over the last week, and in lieu of leaving my huge LOTR (Lord of the Rings) on the airplane that brought me here, I've needed some new reading material. I decided today was as good a time as any to run out and try to find something interesting. I got to the bookstore, and it was pretty awesome. They had a fair number of English titles. I picked up Tuesdays with Morrie, which I've since started reading and almost finished. (Looks like another trip is in my near future.)
Anyway, that's not really what I wanted to talk about. By the time I had finally decided on my book, which took FOREVER as anyone who knows me well knows that I can't make a decision to save my life, it was almost 7, and I decided it was time to make the trek back home. Let me just give you a little heads up in case you ever plan on coming to Seoul, do NOT take the subway between 5:30pm and 7:30pm. It was absolute chaos. I mean more packed than I ever thought was possible. The corridors leading to the actual subway were packed from wall to wall with people as far as I could see ahead of me and behind me. I desperately wanted to get out my camera and take a picture, but I couldn't even open my purse I was so tightly lodged in among all my fellow subway travelers. We all finally got onto the subway line, and let me just tell you again, it was packed. I didn't even have to hold on to anything during the ride to my destination, because there were so many of us shoved into such a small space that no one really could have moved had anyone wanted to. Generally speaking, I don't have a problem with crowds, so I wasn't freaking out or anything like my sister Kristy would have been. But I have fully learned my lesson, that unless absolutely necessary, choose another time to travel.
So yeah, that was about all the excitement Seoul gave me today. Oh wait, except I did do my laundry for the first time today, which is a total accomplishment considering all the buttons on the washer are in Korean. (See picture below.)
Anyway, that's not really what I wanted to talk about. By the time I had finally decided on my book, which took FOREVER as anyone who knows me well knows that I can't make a decision to save my life, it was almost 7, and I decided it was time to make the trek back home. Let me just give you a little heads up in case you ever plan on coming to Seoul, do NOT take the subway between 5:30pm and 7:30pm. It was absolute chaos. I mean more packed than I ever thought was possible. The corridors leading to the actual subway were packed from wall to wall with people as far as I could see ahead of me and behind me. I desperately wanted to get out my camera and take a picture, but I couldn't even open my purse I was so tightly lodged in among all my fellow subway travelers. We all finally got onto the subway line, and let me just tell you again, it was packed. I didn't even have to hold on to anything during the ride to my destination, because there were so many of us shoved into such a small space that no one really could have moved had anyone wanted to. Generally speaking, I don't have a problem with crowds, so I wasn't freaking out or anything like my sister Kristy would have been. But I have fully learned my lesson, that unless absolutely necessary, choose another time to travel.
So yeah, that was about all the excitement Seoul gave me today. Oh wait, except I did do my laundry for the first time today, which is a total accomplishment considering all the buttons on the washer are in Korean. (See picture below.)
I'm going to a jjimjilbang (Korean spa, aka place Pamara took Kelsey and I when we visited her in DC) with one of the teachers I work with tomorrow. I'm so excited. I'm positive there will be something fun to tell after that experience. I'm tired so I'm out.
It's All About Him,
KendallCooke
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Korean housing
I think it's about time for me to get my act together and show you all where I've been living since I got here.
First the guesthouse I was in for roughly 5 days..
My 4 ft tall loft shared with 2 other people
The treacherous stairs leading to the loft
The main room downstairs
Our front door with kitchen on the right and bathroom though not seen on the left
Now onto my current accommodation...my own apartment..
The view of my apartment as soon as you walk in the door; the glass doors lead to my "balcony"
My kitchen complete with mini fridge, 2 stove burners and a sink
Part of my bedroom
The rest of my bedroom (and the bathroom door)
All the glory of my bathroom
So there it is a couple pictures of my residences thus far. Hope you enjoyed them. I've come to the realization that I haven't been taking nearly enough pictures. So I'll get started on that whole picture thing, and before long I'll put up a link that will allow you to see all my pictures from Korea so I don't have to keep posting them like this.
Well it's only noon here, so I better go get to the rest of my day. I'm thinking cheese pizza (with corn; it seems that all Korean pizzas from the cheap pizza place near my apartment have corn on them) and a Coke for lunch...doesn't get more American than that...LOL.
It's All About Him,
KendallCooke
First the guesthouse I was in for roughly 5 days..
Now onto my current accommodation...my own apartment..
So there it is a couple pictures of my residences thus far. Hope you enjoyed them. I've come to the realization that I haven't been taking nearly enough pictures. So I'll get started on that whole picture thing, and before long I'll put up a link that will allow you to see all my pictures from Korea so I don't have to keep posting them like this.
Well it's only noon here, so I better go get to the rest of my day. I'm thinking cheese pizza (with corn; it seems that all Korean pizzas from the cheap pizza place near my apartment have corn on them) and a Coke for lunch...doesn't get more American than that...LOL.
It's All About Him,
KendallCooke
Monday, December 27, 2010
Home plus!
As a follow up to my last post, I tried a new church on Sunday afternoon and, so far, really liked it. The church is called New Philadelphia, and it is an English church plant of a Korean church. It was only planted a couple months ago, so everything is still on the ground level. The people were so welcoming, and it seems like a good place to possibly get plugged in. It is, however, kinda far from where I live, so I haven't decided whether I'll keep looking for something closer or not. Now on to what I really wanted to talk about, Home plus.
I've gotten pretty lucky in my location in Seoul; I'm in Yeonhui-dong, which is small neighborhood in the northwest-ish area of Seoul for those of you who really care. I'm 5 minutes from my school, 5 minutes from a bus stop that can take me on about a 5 minute ride to the subway, and 5 minutes from a basic grocery store. However, when I say "basic" grocery store, I mean basic...as in smaller than the 4 aisles of Marshall's IGA, or so it seems to me. Upon arriving, I've been able to buy most of what I've been looking for at this store, Saruga. (sidenote- Fruits, vegetable and meat prices are through the roof here. I don't know how people shop regularly. I think it's almost cheaper to eat out every meal. Be counting your blessings for affordable groceries, those of you in the States). Unfortunately, there are just some simple, American food staples, like peanut butter and butter, that Saruga doesn't really offer. It has been my task for the last couple days to find a large grocery, like E mart, Lotte, or Costco, to pick up these things. I know these stores are out there in Seoul somewhere. But for some reason, unknown to myself, it is almost impossible to find their location on the internet. I would normally just bug one of the teachers I work with into telling me where he/she normally goes and what is closest. But most of them are out of the country, and I actually haven't seen any of them since Friday so that option is out. I am generally pretty good at finding what I want on the internet, but I just couldn't find the grocery store locations.
By the grace of God, today I found a site that somewhat vaguely and briefly laid out a handful of these hidden, secret locations. I begin checking my vicinity to the stores and of course most of them were all the way across the city. Finally I fell upon a site that indicated there was a Home plus, similar to Wal-mart, right outside the World Cup Stadium Park, which happens to be only a bus ride, a subway transfer and 3 stops away...that's pretty close. So I went out to find it, and I did. I can't even begin to describe the experience upon entering this store to someone who hasn't seen it firsthand, but I'll try my best.
Imagine all the free samples of a Sam's Club combined with the home section and grocery section of a Wal-mart combined with the make-up counter of a department store on steroids combined with a man on a loud speaker literally screaming out meat specials or something and then add so many people that you can't walk 3 steps without bumping into someone. Basically, it was AWESOME!!! So lively and fun and exciting and a little stressful. I took my time walking about and trying to decipher what the random Korean labels read, as most products were in Korean only. After I had sufficiently found what I had come for, as well as after being talked into buying some moisturizing shampoo instead of a volumizing shampoo by a sales lady because the moisturizing was 2 for 1 (a choice which will probably haunt my hair until all that shampoo runs out), I found the check out line, attempted some broken Korean and made my way back home via the subway. Of course, upon walking back into my apartment, I realized that I had actually still forgotten to get butter, 1 of like 3 things that I initially went for but oh well. I'm supposed to be meeting with a teacher or 2 later this week for lunch, and I totally intend to ask them where the closest E mart and Lotte are, as I've heard those are even more of an adventure, as well as higher quality product. Overall, it was a pretty fun experience and largely a good day.
I know most of you are just getting up and getting ready for work, but holy cow it's 9:30pm here; I completely lost track of time. All my exploring has tuckered me out.
Have an amazing week!!!
KendallCooke
I've gotten pretty lucky in my location in Seoul; I'm in Yeonhui-dong, which is small neighborhood in the northwest-ish area of Seoul for those of you who really care. I'm 5 minutes from my school, 5 minutes from a bus stop that can take me on about a 5 minute ride to the subway, and 5 minutes from a basic grocery store. However, when I say "basic" grocery store, I mean basic...as in smaller than the 4 aisles of Marshall's IGA, or so it seems to me. Upon arriving, I've been able to buy most of what I've been looking for at this store, Saruga. (sidenote- Fruits, vegetable and meat prices are through the roof here. I don't know how people shop regularly. I think it's almost cheaper to eat out every meal. Be counting your blessings for affordable groceries, those of you in the States). Unfortunately, there are just some simple, American food staples, like peanut butter and butter, that Saruga doesn't really offer. It has been my task for the last couple days to find a large grocery, like E mart, Lotte, or Costco, to pick up these things. I know these stores are out there in Seoul somewhere. But for some reason, unknown to myself, it is almost impossible to find their location on the internet. I would normally just bug one of the teachers I work with into telling me where he/she normally goes and what is closest. But most of them are out of the country, and I actually haven't seen any of them since Friday so that option is out. I am generally pretty good at finding what I want on the internet, but I just couldn't find the grocery store locations.
By the grace of God, today I found a site that somewhat vaguely and briefly laid out a handful of these hidden, secret locations. I begin checking my vicinity to the stores and of course most of them were all the way across the city. Finally I fell upon a site that indicated there was a Home plus, similar to Wal-mart, right outside the World Cup Stadium Park, which happens to be only a bus ride, a subway transfer and 3 stops away...that's pretty close. So I went out to find it, and I did. I can't even begin to describe the experience upon entering this store to someone who hasn't seen it firsthand, but I'll try my best.
Imagine all the free samples of a Sam's Club combined with the home section and grocery section of a Wal-mart combined with the make-up counter of a department store on steroids combined with a man on a loud speaker literally screaming out meat specials or something and then add so many people that you can't walk 3 steps without bumping into someone. Basically, it was AWESOME!!! So lively and fun and exciting and a little stressful. I took my time walking about and trying to decipher what the random Korean labels read, as most products were in Korean only. After I had sufficiently found what I had come for, as well as after being talked into buying some moisturizing shampoo instead of a volumizing shampoo by a sales lady because the moisturizing was 2 for 1 (a choice which will probably haunt my hair until all that shampoo runs out), I found the check out line, attempted some broken Korean and made my way back home via the subway. Of course, upon walking back into my apartment, I realized that I had actually still forgotten to get butter, 1 of like 3 things that I initially went for but oh well. I'm supposed to be meeting with a teacher or 2 later this week for lunch, and I totally intend to ask them where the closest E mart and Lotte are, as I've heard those are even more of an adventure, as well as higher quality product. Overall, it was a pretty fun experience and largely a good day.
I know most of you are just getting up and getting ready for work, but holy cow it's 9:30pm here; I completely lost track of time. All my exploring has tuckered me out.
Have an amazing week!!!
KendallCooke
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Merry Christmas (although it's actually the day after here in Seoul)!
I need to apologize to you all! It is safe to say that I have really slacked on my blogging obligations as of late. So for those of you who have been holding your breath to see what I've been up to since the last blog (I know there are some of you out there), I am truly sorry. This blog will probably be quite long as I haven't blogged for days and days so if you get bored after a paragraph, don't feel pressured into finishing up this post. No hard feelings...promise!
I moved into my apartment after work on Thursday. (I'll post pics of my new place as well as the guesthouse soon). And as thrilled as I am to be in my own place and to not have to deal with shenanigans at all times of the night, honestly it is a little lonely. None of the other teachers live in the same complex as me; so from the time I leave the school until I go back the next day, I'm pretty much by myself. It's not all bad. I'm sure that once I really get settled in Seoul I will want a place to escape from everything to. I just don't know many people here yet and going home every night to my own apartment alone is a reminder of that. Don't worry though. My task for the next month is to make so many connections and get to know so many people that when I'm outside of school I don't have a single moment to myself. Then I'm sure I'll be blogging about how I never have any time to myself...the grass is always greener.
I taught solo on Thursday and Friday, and it went pretty well. I had a student puke all over my classroom on Thursday morning, so that was quite 'exciting.' Friday was our Christmas party. It was pretty chaotic, and no real instruction took place. But it was fun to see how excited my Kindergarten kids (from hereon referred to as K kids) were about Christmas. It made me a little jealous that they would be spending the holiday with their families and loved ones while I would not.
Yesterday was Christmas, and I didn't quite know what I was going to do. Next week, my school is on vacation so most of the teachers left Friday and are off traveling somewhere exotic. After much debating, I decided I would go to a combined Christmas service of all the English speaking ministries in the greater Seoul area. It actually ended up being really cool. There were like 1500+ people at the service from all around the world, and it was a great reminder of all my Savior has done for me, starting with birth in a lowly, disgusting pigsty to insignificant parents. I had big plans yesterday to try to find a store called Emart, which is kinda Korea's Wal-mart. But by the time the service was over, I just wanted to get home and get something to eat. That adventure will have to wait for another day.
Today I am going to attempt to go to another church. Last night at the Christmas service, I received a list of all the English ministries in Seoul so I've decided to continue looking for a place that I fit in where I can truly feel God. The transit to the church today is a 5 minute bus ride, a 5 minute subway ride, a subway transfer, a 20 minute subway ride, and a 10 minute walk. I feel fairly confident. The longer I am here, the more comfortable I become in the daily activities of life, i.e. taking public transportation, ordering food, crossing the scary, deadly streets, etc.
I miss you all terribly...more than I thought possible. Please, please, please keep me in your prayers as I try to find my place in Seoul and in God's plan for me.
Hugs and Kisses across the Pacific,
KendallCooke
I moved into my apartment after work on Thursday. (I'll post pics of my new place as well as the guesthouse soon). And as thrilled as I am to be in my own place and to not have to deal with shenanigans at all times of the night, honestly it is a little lonely. None of the other teachers live in the same complex as me; so from the time I leave the school until I go back the next day, I'm pretty much by myself. It's not all bad. I'm sure that once I really get settled in Seoul I will want a place to escape from everything to. I just don't know many people here yet and going home every night to my own apartment alone is a reminder of that. Don't worry though. My task for the next month is to make so many connections and get to know so many people that when I'm outside of school I don't have a single moment to myself. Then I'm sure I'll be blogging about how I never have any time to myself...the grass is always greener.
I taught solo on Thursday and Friday, and it went pretty well. I had a student puke all over my classroom on Thursday morning, so that was quite 'exciting.' Friday was our Christmas party. It was pretty chaotic, and no real instruction took place. But it was fun to see how excited my Kindergarten kids (from hereon referred to as K kids) were about Christmas. It made me a little jealous that they would be spending the holiday with their families and loved ones while I would not.
Yesterday was Christmas, and I didn't quite know what I was going to do. Next week, my school is on vacation so most of the teachers left Friday and are off traveling somewhere exotic. After much debating, I decided I would go to a combined Christmas service of all the English speaking ministries in the greater Seoul area. It actually ended up being really cool. There were like 1500+ people at the service from all around the world, and it was a great reminder of all my Savior has done for me, starting with birth in a lowly, disgusting pigsty to insignificant parents. I had big plans yesterday to try to find a store called Emart, which is kinda Korea's Wal-mart. But by the time the service was over, I just wanted to get home and get something to eat. That adventure will have to wait for another day.
Today I am going to attempt to go to another church. Last night at the Christmas service, I received a list of all the English ministries in Seoul so I've decided to continue looking for a place that I fit in where I can truly feel God. The transit to the church today is a 5 minute bus ride, a 5 minute subway ride, a subway transfer, a 20 minute subway ride, and a 10 minute walk. I feel fairly confident. The longer I am here, the more comfortable I become in the daily activities of life, i.e. taking public transportation, ordering food, crossing the scary, deadly streets, etc.
I miss you all terribly...more than I thought possible. Please, please, please keep me in your prayers as I try to find my place in Seoul and in God's plan for me.
Hugs and Kisses across the Pacific,
KendallCooke
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
"The New Teacher"
All day yesterday and today (as in from 10am-7pm), I was training/observing at Kid's College in an attempt to somewhat figure out what teaching at the school should look like. It was interesting, educational, scary and an array of many other emotions. The kids that I will be teaching are absolutely adorable. I think my students and I will all get along quite well once we get used to each other. (For some reason, almost all the children are scared of me right now and not just the ones in my classroom. They refuse to look me in the eye, and one girl almost cried because of my presence yesterday. The verdict is still out on why..) Anyway, no matter what room I was in, as I hopped around watching different teaching styles and listening to instruction on different subject matter, I heard one thing almost immediately upon entering the door jam of each room. "Teacher, who is that?" Most current teachers introduced me as "Miss Kendall, the new teacher," to which murmurs of new teacher repeatedly floated around the room amongst the students. It was in this repetitive scene that I realized for the next few weeks, at least, I would simply be known as "new teacher."
It's quite an odd thing in South Korea (at least by American standards I should first clarify). The titles that describe the profession of many people actually end up taking over their names. In example, the children call every teacher at Kid's College by the title of teacher rather than Miss Kendall or Miss Andrea or Mr. Nate. It is an absolute lost cause to even try to correct them every time they say it. And this isn't simply with teachers. People who drive are simply called driver instead of by name, and people that cook are simply called cook. As excited as I am to begin teaching and to form relationships with each and every child in my classroom, the thought of continuously hearing "teacher, teacher, teacher" as 12 students all compete to display their English language skills to me about sends me over the edge. I suppose this is a cultural oddity I will simply have to get over.
On another note, I went to dinner tonight with all the teachers at Kid's College, as well as our two bosses. It was nice to have some time to talk with the teachers outside of school and get to know them. I'm still trying to figure out the exact relationships between the teachers. It appears to me to be a rather intricate and complex web...oh boy!
I move into my apartment and begin teaching on Thursday. And let me tell you, I can't get out of this guesthouse soon enough. Guesthouse horror stories will have to wait for another time though, because right now I am exhausted.
Love from around the World,
KendallCooke
It's quite an odd thing in South Korea (at least by American standards I should first clarify). The titles that describe the profession of many people actually end up taking over their names. In example, the children call every teacher at Kid's College by the title of teacher rather than Miss Kendall or Miss Andrea or Mr. Nate. It is an absolute lost cause to even try to correct them every time they say it. And this isn't simply with teachers. People who drive are simply called driver instead of by name, and people that cook are simply called cook. As excited as I am to begin teaching and to form relationships with each and every child in my classroom, the thought of continuously hearing "teacher, teacher, teacher" as 12 students all compete to display their English language skills to me about sends me over the edge. I suppose this is a cultural oddity I will simply have to get over.
On another note, I went to dinner tonight with all the teachers at Kid's College, as well as our two bosses. It was nice to have some time to talk with the teachers outside of school and get to know them. I'm still trying to figure out the exact relationships between the teachers. It appears to me to be a rather intricate and complex web...oh boy!
I move into my apartment and begin teaching on Thursday. And let me tell you, I can't get out of this guesthouse soon enough. Guesthouse horror stories will have to wait for another time though, because right now I am exhausted.
Love from around the World,
KendallCooke
Monday, December 20, 2010
I'll Chalk that up as a Success
After waking up yesterday, I decided that I would try to find an English-speaking church to hopefully get involved with while I'm in Seoul. So I researched and researched and researched churches via the Internet. By the time I was finished with all my searching the day had secretly began to creep away from me, and I realized it was almost eleven, which drastically decreased the number of services I would be able to attend. Nevertheless, I found a church holding service at 3pm and decided I would try it out. Since coming to Seoul, I've roamed the neighborhood and areas surrounding my guesthouse but had not yet attempted to take the subway to a completely unfamiliar area of the city. But as fate would have it, this church service was in a different part of the city; it would require a subway ride, as well as following some vague directions to get there. I strapped on my boots, pulled on my cap, and headed off into the unknown (with a card in my pocket containing my guesthouse address in Korean just in case.)
Buying the subway ticket was easy enough but getting the subway gate to open onto the platform for me was another thing. I ended up asking a Korean man how to use my subway card, and he graciously showed me the proper way to proceed. All the subway signs and stops are in English thankfully. So once upon the subway it was rather easy to find my stop. I exited out of the subway and onto the street. With the first part of the journey down, I lead myself through the streets following the various directions that had been given to me. Finding myself at the last step of the directions, I looked up from my paper and, as my nephew would say, "Tada!" I had found my destination.
The actual service ended up being kind of crummy. The worship leader had a button of his shirt undone that I couldn't help but stare at the entire time he was onstage. Additionally, he sang in an opera-like voice, which made it difficult for me to not giggle. The pastor had so many different trains of thought running at the same time I couldn't even begin to follow what his point was. Looking around, it appeared that everyone else knew exactly what he was talking about. So perhaps it was a lack of my understanding, rather than a lack of his teaching. Who knows? Regardless, I made it to and from the church without any real issues, and I now know how to use the subway! Go Kendall!!!! I do believe I will be looking into a different church next week though.
I'm off to my first day of training at my school. Hope you are all having a magnificent Sunday!
It's All About Him,
KendallCooke
Buying the subway ticket was easy enough but getting the subway gate to open onto the platform for me was another thing. I ended up asking a Korean man how to use my subway card, and he graciously showed me the proper way to proceed. All the subway signs and stops are in English thankfully. So once upon the subway it was rather easy to find my stop. I exited out of the subway and onto the street. With the first part of the journey down, I lead myself through the streets following the various directions that had been given to me. Finding myself at the last step of the directions, I looked up from my paper and, as my nephew would say, "Tada!" I had found my destination.
The actual service ended up being kind of crummy. The worship leader had a button of his shirt undone that I couldn't help but stare at the entire time he was onstage. Additionally, he sang in an opera-like voice, which made it difficult for me to not giggle. The pastor had so many different trains of thought running at the same time I couldn't even begin to follow what his point was. Looking around, it appeared that everyone else knew exactly what he was talking about. So perhaps it was a lack of my understanding, rather than a lack of his teaching. Who knows? Regardless, I made it to and from the church without any real issues, and I now know how to use the subway! Go Kendall!!!! I do believe I will be looking into a different church next week though.
I'm off to my first day of training at my school. Hope you are all having a magnificent Sunday!
It's All About Him,
KendallCooke
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Finally here
Wow...what a whirlwind! After traveling for about 24 hours, I arrived in Seoul. As I stepped off the plane and walked through the airport, instant anxiety set in...I am afterall a type A personality and control freak moving to a country that I don't know with a language that I don't speak. All I could think was what the heck am I doing here; I don't understand anyone; I can't read anything! However, I pushed the anxiety deep down and continued on my journey. Afterall, I should at least give the city that I'd been dying to move to a shot.
A member of the staff at my school, Kid's College, picked me up, and we headed to the guesthouse I would be staying at. (I will not be able to move into my apartment until late next week, seeing as how the couple living there must finish teaching this semester.) I don't know what I thought my idea of a guesthouse was, but I was rather surprised to see my living quarters. I walked into a small apartment-sized room, which I found out I would be sharing with 6 other travelers and was directed to the loft, my place of residence. The steps of the ladder leading to my loft space were about as treacherous as the steps on the Great Wall (Kelsey and Kate know what I'm talking aobut). Upon reaching my loft, I came to find the ceiling was too low for me to even be able to stand. Shortly after I hauled my heavy luggage up the stairs and began to get myself situated, I realized that I had accidentally left my trilogy book of Lord of the Rings on my plane to Korea...not a good realization for an emotional, sleep deprived person. It felt like the end of the world. It took everything I had to keep myself from running out the door, finding a taxi, and catching the first plane home at the expense of my parent's credit card.
I woke this morning much more relaxed and in a way better mood. I decided I would walk around my neighborhood for a couple hours to familiarize myself. Lo and behold with fresh eyes, the city looked beautiful and interesting, not at all dauting and evil as I had seen it the night before. I walked into a well-known Korean convenience store, Buy the Way, and purchased contact solution. I went to a coffee house and successfully ordered a coffee. I got myself something to eat for lunch. It was in these small tasks that I came to terms with the following facts. 1) Yes, I do not speak Korean. 2) Yes, I can barely, barely recognize the Hangul alphabet. 3) Yes, I will be able to live and fuciton in this city and this country nevertheless.
It really is beautiful here. Maybe not an aesthetically pleasing, postcard beautiful but rather an adventurous, exotic beautiful. I wish you all could see it. I am supposed to call Kid's College today after 3pm to set up a time to meet everyone from the school. But I am without a phone. Oh well, just another of many adventures I am certain to find myself in while I'm here. Way, way too much rambling...apologies.
I'll post pictures as soon as I discover how to connect my laptop to the internet (I'm so technologically disabled). Your prayers are greatly appreciated.
Love you all dearly,
KendallCooke
A member of the staff at my school, Kid's College, picked me up, and we headed to the guesthouse I would be staying at. (I will not be able to move into my apartment until late next week, seeing as how the couple living there must finish teaching this semester.) I don't know what I thought my idea of a guesthouse was, but I was rather surprised to see my living quarters. I walked into a small apartment-sized room, which I found out I would be sharing with 6 other travelers and was directed to the loft, my place of residence. The steps of the ladder leading to my loft space were about as treacherous as the steps on the Great Wall (Kelsey and Kate know what I'm talking aobut). Upon reaching my loft, I came to find the ceiling was too low for me to even be able to stand. Shortly after I hauled my heavy luggage up the stairs and began to get myself situated, I realized that I had accidentally left my trilogy book of Lord of the Rings on my plane to Korea...not a good realization for an emotional, sleep deprived person. It felt like the end of the world. It took everything I had to keep myself from running out the door, finding a taxi, and catching the first plane home at the expense of my parent's credit card.
I woke this morning much more relaxed and in a way better mood. I decided I would walk around my neighborhood for a couple hours to familiarize myself. Lo and behold with fresh eyes, the city looked beautiful and interesting, not at all dauting and evil as I had seen it the night before. I walked into a well-known Korean convenience store, Buy the Way, and purchased contact solution. I went to a coffee house and successfully ordered a coffee. I got myself something to eat for lunch. It was in these small tasks that I came to terms with the following facts. 1) Yes, I do not speak Korean. 2) Yes, I can barely, barely recognize the Hangul alphabet. 3) Yes, I will be able to live and fuciton in this city and this country nevertheless.
It really is beautiful here. Maybe not an aesthetically pleasing, postcard beautiful but rather an adventurous, exotic beautiful. I wish you all could see it. I am supposed to call Kid's College today after 3pm to set up a time to meet everyone from the school. But I am without a phone. Oh well, just another of many adventures I am certain to find myself in while I'm here. Way, way too much rambling...apologies.
I'll post pictures as soon as I discover how to connect my laptop to the internet (I'm so technologically disabled). Your prayers are greatly appreciated.
Love you all dearly,
KendallCooke
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
So much to do, so little time
The early Kash Christmas was a success yesterday, and now I find myself on the other side of the much waited upon holiday with 3 days until I move to Seoul. Lots to do...laundry, packing, shopping, unpacking, repacking, more shopping, and on and on. How am I supposed to pack my last 23 years of existence into 2 suitcases weighing less than 50 lbs each? I'm not entirely sure. But where there's a will, there's a way. So onto the packing, unpacking, laundry, shopping, repacking, giving up, unpacking, repacking, shopping, laundry I go.
I'd really appreciate it if you'd keep me in your prayers as I try to discover and fulfill the amazing plans God has for me in Seoul.
It's All About Him,
KendallCooke
I'd really appreciate it if you'd keep me in your prayers as I try to discover and fulfill the amazing plans God has for me in Seoul.
It's All About Him,
KendallCooke
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