Wrapping Up the Past Two Weeks

Hey guys:

Sorry for the long delay in writing. It has been a crazy two weeks. I have to teach two extra classes per week now (with compensation), so it has been busy planning lessons for my freshmen classes and now doing this new night class. I like the night class because its with students who actually WANT to learn English and not goof off. Also for the students, mid-term exams begin next week, so they are virtually getting no sleep studying so hard for their high school survival. As for the teachers, they are stressed because they have to make the exams. I'm in the middle because I'm the foreign teacher who does not have to do that kind of work. As one foreign teacher wrote on his blog, "we are a glorified version of a tape recorder spitting out English." I like that. I am a GTC, level 1. I am a human English tape recorder...how ironic.

However, back at home, the major event that occurred was the Virginia Tech school gun shootings, I was absolutely in shock when I saw and read about this event, and I kept up regularly. Last Tuesday morning (Monday night in America) of last week, I walked into my peaceful office, flip on the PC to read on the Internet news that a school shooting occurred, 32 dead. I was stunned. Disbelief. After Columbine, now this? What has happened to our world? To add salt to the wound, it was also weird hearing about a major traumatic event in now another part of the world, and it was happening in your homeland.

A crazed gunman, Korean no less, shoots up a school, and he commits suicide. Korea was absolutely stunned because he was Korean, and many Korean-Americans were afraid about reprisals against them. So far, I have not heard of any, which I highly doubt because I know Americans are smarter than that.

But, the story has brough many reprucussions, some on miniscule levels: one of my co-teachers, who is planning to move to the United States for a study abroad program is now re-thinking her move for the safety of her children. She is scared because that Americans will look down on Koreans. Yet rest assured, I told her, that one crazed madman who happens to be Korean will not tarnish the reputation of an entire race. The shooter could be green, yellow, orange, or from the planet Mercury, what caused these shootings was sin. Of course, I believe Cho Seung-hui was mentally scarred, but the sinful man pulls the trigger.

It was so difficult teaching the first class after I heard about the shootings, and I did a bad job that morning. I just could not concentrate that first class, and afterwards I my co-teacher, Ms. Kimmie, that I was sorry for not doing a good job, but she did not care as she saw I was disturbed by the horrible news. She told me to forget about it and move on.

What made the terrible event play in my mind in more anguish was that I just graduated, three months ago. What if someone wanted to take out his frustrations at the University of Maryland with a gun? I just became so much in awe at how someone so terrible would do such a thing at a place of peace. Hopes, goals, and dreams are made at college; someone just took away 31 people's hopes and dreams. He broke relationships. Yet, I feel at peace when it comes to justice because Cho faces Eternity for his decision, and he must face Him at the judgment seat and recall what he has done.

I pray for healing and peace for the people back at home.

Other than the current events, life here is starting to fit into a mold, and now the "Korea is great" feeling is rubbing off, which I think it is a GOOD thing, even though it is a difficult phase for me. Basically, what I'm talking about is when the little things in Korea are starting to irk you, especially when it comes to the language barrier, and when an expat feels helpless in the system. "Culture shock."

Hey, it happens to any expat who moves to a foreign country, unless you are really enthusiastic about being abroad. There is NO way around it, you must face it. The big question is, what are you going to do about it? I'll be honest, sometimes its tough to live here as a foreigner because everyone else (the Koreans) look the same, so you stick out like a sore thumb.

So what should I do? Well for most expats, people usually drink their way out. Seriously, that's the big thing to do among the foreign community; just drink your troubles away. Get blasted until 4AM, go to school drunk the next morning.

However, I found one remedy to be really helpful and the most potent to fight "Culture Shock Syndrom": fellowship. What is "fellowship?" I remember being back at home at church in Waldorf, and there were always "fellowships" at church fucntions. A "Christmas Fellowship" or a "Men's Fellowship," there was always a theme with "fellowship" next to it. A fellowship by definition, like the movie, "Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring," is when a group of like-minded people gather together to share experiences, hopes, and adventures together. In the case of Christianity, fellowship is one of the most fundamental group activities to maintain unity in Christ Jesus. Without fellowship, a lone ranger is a dead ranger. A true Christian fellowship is when like-minded believers gather together, regardless of race or color, to share the awesome power of the gospel and how God's Grace works in the lives of His people. They pray, they share the Bible together, and discuss His grace. They share life experiences and discuss how God is using that to develop character, and most importantly, hope. (James 1:2)

Yet, some of the fellowships at my old church were not really fellowships. They just ended up being socials. People called them fellowships, but all they ended up doing is eating good food and discussing stuff other than Christ, which is good in all, but why call it a "fellowship" when you just talk about stuff that other non-believers can talk about?

But there were some fellowships at my old church that were strong fellowships of brotherhood/sisterhood and encouragement. Like my old College and Career group. I could count on several brothers and sisters to talk about the Gospel and talk freely about the power of Christ in our lives. We shared different interests, but the power in diversity makes us stronger, longer, like the Energizer battery. Christ is fuel.

So for survival, besides my relationship with Jesus Christ, I need a strong fellowship to survive in South Korea. Honestly, being a Christian in a society of Confucius thinking ("group think, respect order, and those not in your circle do not exist") can be quite challenging. That's because Korea is very competitive, more so than America, and so another human being can be your potential rival. Koreans are the most loyal and giving people in the world, but when it comes to complete strangers, Koreans can be cold. However, meeting two missionary friends, Becky and Trey, and now a new friend, Ethan, has helped my situation indeed.

Trey and Becky are two strong Christians from back in the States, Becky's mom being a good friend to my mother, both being Korean women, and now Becky and I are back in our Motherland to research our roots and to worship Him.

I met Ethan at a foreigner's Korean class at Sookmyung Women's University, and we ended up finding out that we're both Christians.

Last Friday, I met Ethan in Anyang City, which is right outside Seoul, in a district where it is bumping on a Friday night, filled with people out in the town. We went to all of places, a Dunkin' Donuts, for donuts and coffee, where they serve Green Tea Donuts, yum. For the first time, we busted out our Bibles and had a decent chat about God's Word. So, most people on Friday nights back in Incheon were getting blasted...two friends gather to discuss God's Word. Blam.

I miss that at home, and I'm glad God has given me these friendships to survive.

Remember, a "lone ranger is a dead ranger." Giddee yup, partner.