Do You Miss Korea, Marky?

So its been two months since I have arrived home from the Republic of Korea. Going from one culture, the U.S., to the ROK was obviously not easy during a three-year period, but through the Lord we conquered it together and along the way, He revealed some interesting things about myself.

Now, try the reverse culture-osmosis process: going from a second homeland, the ROK, back to Obamaland with the mindset of now you are not here for a visit, but for good! Its a more difficult process, but through Christ Jesus He equips through His word to get the work done.

But for now, for a short blog, here are things I miss and don't miss about the ROK with details attached.

"I'm Missing You 대한민국..." List

1. Korean Bathhouses: I get a lot of flack for this one from my fellow American friends. You get the picture...don't need to describe the situation. Yet from a cultural and health point of view, the Korean bathhouse was a special way for me, whether alone or with a few friends, to kick back and relax in the hot bath and sweat it out in the sauna. It was also a place, especially during times where it was the least busy, I would bring my Bible and have some prayer time with the Lord. I loved it...praying, confessing my sins, getting the gunk out of my wicked heart and replacing it with a fresh one, all in the while my skin is being refreshed...

2. Public Transportation: Best in the world. Cheap, could get to one end of the country and back. In America, you need a car. You have to figure out roads. In Korea, they figure it out for you.

3. Korean food: healthy, invigorating, and good...oh so good! But my mom is one baaddd cook! Shut yo mouth and do the dishes Marky!

4. Korean people: how can I not miss my mama's people? Sure, they're hot-blooded and sometimes they live too fast...but Koreans, once you get to know them, they are loyal for life.

5. My students: boys and girls alike...they were so kind and sweet, well most of them. But the ones I developed a good relationship with, had fun jokes, shared the hard times and bad test scores, or triumphs of joy, I felt my students were like little sisters and brothers to me. Forget students...they were my siblings. I miss em' alot dude.

6. My Church Fellowship Back In Seoul and Incheon. Real fellowship and prayer. Real talk. American churches need a real lesson on fellowship. Its not "did you watch the Lost series finale?" Bump that, I want "what have you been reading in the Word? How can I pray for you sister?" No fake stuff, but genuine believers who love the Lord coming together and getting it done because He is able.

"Oh Bump That..." List, Things I Don't Miss!

1. No More Social Obligations for Work! "Let's go to dinner after work." "Let's get a drink after work." I don't want to! I appreciate the fact that in America we work and leave work behind once we clock out. Having dinner with co-workers is fine, and I understand that its Korean culture to "co-worker" bond, but in the end it was more of a burden for me because I rather connect with friends or with the Lord rather than waste an entire evening watching others drink too much. No sir.

2. The Anglo-Korean Hypocrisy: "Yeah, we love English-ee, but don't ask me to speak it." "What?" "Don't ask me to learn it for real and use it with REAL people, sorry, just be a cool teacher and don't make learn anything..." Then why did you hire us? The irony to that last statement is, the Koreans' love affair for English English created an entire new economy of jobs for young (or old) expatriates who wanted an opportunity of a lifetime: see a new country, live abroad, learn a new language, try new things and learn new customs, learn a new history, make new relationships. It was the ultimate draw but the experience for some is a mixed-bag. Don't get me wrong, I loved the work that the Lord entrusted to me during my time at the boys and girls' high schools. He did as much more and beyond than I know during my time there, some of the effects I will never know until eternity. With that said, in real life, a love affair without communication or desire to communicate causes friction. It causes pain and awkward situations. Now, the Korean public school system is so stuck in turtle mode as it gets more defensive and lockdown mode as their method of teaching suffocates my students into test-taking machines. Parents these days are stuck in paying massive amounts of money on tutoring and after-school programs with the recession hitting people hard. To solve this problem, as I have been saying all along..."choose the right people for the job." Choose the right students who want to learn English, and you'll make the learning easier.

3. Kim Jong-il and his government. May the Lord deal with him severely, or perhaps he will come to know the Lord and His grace.

4. K-Pop. Yikes. "Nobody, nobody but you!" "Bo-peep bo-peep." "Listen to my heartbeat." The likes of G-Dragon, T-ara, 2AM, Shinee (even though I taught one of the members of that group), and other manufactured pop dolls suck away the true creativity of music. And the American Music Machine doesn't help. Most of my girls, I still love em, were pop-culture clones who never listened to what they were told on the radio.

5. Pollution. Its nice to breathe easier.

There you go...what I miss and don't miss.