Re-Entry Shock: The American Nightmare

Ladies and gentlemen, I have finally returned to the United States (well, four weeks ago that is) and by God's Grace I am home and safe. Its definitely a different feeling now, knowing that this time around I just don't get to stay, greet a few friends, go to my home church, eat mama's food, and enjoy communicating in my own language for a few weeks then head back to my second home of Korea. This time I'm parking it and I don't get my car back. Its definitely taken some adjustment this time around.

Finding a new job, well, it is what it is, its slow and time-consuming, and I'm not really sure what I want to do with my life. Whatever the Lord leads, I shall follow. Yet at the same time staying put is quite unusual, but I quite like it. I really can use this time to read and pray more.

Being in America, there are some cool things that I enjoy: the trees, the fresh air, the food, and the quietness compared to the hustle and bustle of the Korean machine. I enjoy seeing my parents and the wonderful home that our Lord has given us for the past ten years. We are truly blessed. My brother and sister-in-law will be giving birth to a new baby boy in late August. What a joy. Its really cool to add to the family, and I pray that my brother and sister-in-law will be Godly parents and that I can be a Godly uncle. I hope they see Jesus in us.

Its good to see old friends and how much they have changed. For instance, tonight, I went to my good friend Charlie's 29th birthday party. It was nice to have a nice, simple party where Christians can gather and have clean fun. None of this Korean, you-gotta-drink-till-you-die parties (which I never participated FTR), but just good ol', sit down and let's catch up parties. But this time, I counted four children in one room! People who've I have known for years are now parents, or some who are getting married, or some who are starting their marriage careers. A couple are expecting in the future. Some have new careers or got new homes. Its amazing how much I've missed and how much has changed. Its crazy! I didn't hit the pause button when I was gone!

We experienced a huge storm today, with storm-watch tornadoes in the mix as massive, golf-ball sized hail shelling most of the Metro Area this evening. The sheer rawness of tornado season does make you more fearful of the Lord! The weather has been living up to its American mantra.

However, on a side note, there are some things about the American experience that really make me wonder about the state of this nation. In short, I believe that this nation is going down.

More than ever, as I watch TV or other outlets of media, go out into public, or see the different trends that represent America these days, I am very disturbed. For example, American television is surprisingly just saturated with..."stuff." Its easy today to get a Comcast box or DISH Network, and then the media menu filled with burger and fry programming comes at your doorstep, with a charge but cheap to get. DVD and Blu-ray discs are accessible in the mail, no more just going to a videostore and renting anymore.

For TV, you just choose your programs, TIVO it (record it to watch later), Pay-per-view it, plan your day around your favorite programs, its right there for the taking. Commercials sell you the things you need, while other commercials guarantee you should not miss this next episode of "this, that, and the other" because it will be the highlight of the season.

I believe that American television programming for some people has become straight up idolatry. Many families in America today revolve their life around the entertainment box. It feeds us, we glorify it, and we need it. "Did you see that TV show last night?" "Oh, did you see the season finale of so and so?" No thoughts about the real issues of life in conversations.

How about me then? Yeah, I also like to watch TV now and then, but I'm very surprised how much less of it I watch or care for it since I came back from Korea. Since I couldn't really comprehend Korean TV in the first place (due to misunderstand-able content and language barriers), I simply turned off TV when I came home from school and replaced it either with videogame or reading time, and going to Hapkido classes. Now that I am back home in the States, I do like to watch some programs: including NBA basketball, the news, mixed-martial art action shows, and the only TV drama I do like which is being canceled (Law and Order), but I find myself not as intrigued to every drama and sport that comes before my eyes. Wait till World Cup time though. For the record, I hate commercials...

Another thing that really disturbs me and shows where my country is going is the cheapening of the sacred bond of sexuality. In other words, I am shocked how cheap and twisted sexuality and purity have become in the United States. No, I'm not talking about prostitution. I'm talking about how easily one can show their bodies in this country and no one blushes. Its outrageous. To be pure and virtuous as women, and strong and honoring to the Lord as men, is an idea that does not exist in the United States.

The most shocking incident in the news lately has been a viral video called the "Beyonce 5." As we know, Beyonce is the worldwide phenomenon singer who is known for her beauty, her dance moves, and her strong, powerful voice. She has a recent music video called "Single Ladies." The video itself, which I recommend no one to watch, is her and her two fellow dancers dispalying not-so-good dance moves that make you go, "Oh just stop, you are showing too much." Now, try seven-year olds. Yikes! Alert! Yes, there was a video where five seven-year old girls at a recent dance competition did the exact same raunchy dance moves in front of a live audience. They were wearing next to nothing. They are shaking their stuff in ways that are just...wow, sinful. News outlets and newspapers were on it.

Now media critics and bloggers are left and right accusing, "what were the parents thinking?" and "this is so wrong to be allowing seven-year-olds to be baring their bodies in front of who knows what kind of people!" "What kind of outfits are those? Those parents are at fault!"

In all honesty, and I'm very forthcoming to say this, but this is the result of sin! This is not just a "moral failure on the part of the parents, or that Beyonce is at fault for inspiring this dance routine (even though its a start to penetrate the problem)." What do you expect when man worships his or her body instead, while Almighty God wants Christians to treat our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)? Sin is exchanging God for a lie, while man worship created things rather than the Creator (see Romans 1:24-25). People become suddenly shocked that we see videos like these on the news, and cry the pain because of pedophilia in this world, or pornography, or any media influence that encourages sin.

Yet there is nothing new under the sun. Look at the tribes of people that surrounded Israel before they entered the Promised Land under Joshua (see Joshua and Judges in the Old Testament). Some of them worshiped gods in which they imposed heinous worship rites that included child sacrifice or hellish sexual acts. God ordered the Israelites to wipe those people out, because He is a righteous Judge and strictly warned them to never follow their gods and worship the only True God. God knows once His people, if they ever stepped into sin, there would be death...

Now back to the issue at hand. How much more as sin peeps out into our American sensory avenidas will people realize that its not society's fault that we produce bubble-gum, sex-cheapening, violent-glorifying pop, rap, rock music, or searching for joy in the next American Idol, or see wanton acts of revenge as we violence on CSI that its not "the other person's fault," but its OUR fault. "Wait, wait Mark, I didn't tell those kids to dance like that..."

And no, its not even an argument, "just don't buy the music" or "don't watch the programming." Its not even an issue of "we need to teach our children the right things." We need to teach the righteous standards of God's Word! Bam! What makes me upset is the futility of the anger towards these methods of displaying sexuality in the media and we cry "foul." I believe its only natural that when man exchanges God for idols that as objects of His wrath we only continue to do what we do best as sinners: sin! This is the result of glorifying singers and sexy dance moves rather than God. You put value into Beyonce, this is what you get! We are all believers that if only society got its act together we can go back to the "good ol' days." Mister or Missus, there were never any good ol' days, especially under God's Standard and His Word!

So I close it up like this. I hope my writing will challenge you to think about something: when we see the sin of the world before our eyes, should we really be surprised? I say no. Instead, as believers in Christ, we should run from it and pray that the Lord will protect us from temptation. As believers, we need to share the Gospel and share that need for a Savior is not because Jesus wants us to be nice and so we can get on God's good side. Rather we as Christians we need to share it because of the Love of Jesus Christ, people will continue to exchange their lives for lies...leaving people hopeless and empty. People will cry foul when they see seven-year-olds gyrating or other displays of heinousness on TV, but why do the cry foul? Show'em why.

Don't Waste Your Life: Lecrae Interview (Part 1)

Here is a little testimony with one of my favorite Christian rappers, LeCrae. Born LeCrae Moore, he discusses how he met Christ and how his life was radically changed by Him. Very good stuff. This is part one.

Los Guatemaltecos

In our tour group, we were like an international UN with the different theme countries represented in that tour bus: Indonesians, Chinese, Koreans, Americans, and Hong Kongians (right?). It was a fun mix, and we all used the international language of English to communicate. It was fun.

We toured another five places today, with an eclectic mix of a museum, natural sites, and a garden. The natural beauty on this island is amazing, its got palm trees and today the weather really cleared up. At Hallim Park, seeing the flowers bloom, the cacti spiking out, the parrot screaming "hello" in Korean, to the emus, the wild birds, the bears we saw yesterday, and the bonsai trees, were all a testament to God's Glory. I was amazed to see the rock formations after centuries of cooling after a major volcanic eruption occurred on Jeju Island centuries ago. There was only divine design imprinted on this. The sea was beautiful.

During this time, I happen during these two days to meet and know two people of an unusual region that I have never encountered before: Central America.

I've met Salvordianos during my time at the Chick Fil A in Maryland, but I never met anyone from the Central American republic of Guatemala.

These two people: Zoher and Susana, are two friends who for vacation are travelling around the Asian powerhouses of Korea and China. They started in Seoul before heading to the island paradise of Jeju. We met on the tour bus. What a blessing it was indeed, because they are believers in the Lord.

In the span of two days, we got to know one another and had the major privilege of being friends with one another. What made it even more special was that we came to know that we are believers through casual conversation. Jyea!

Another special thing during our interactions was something I haven't used in such a long time: Spanish. It was through my middle and high school classes, one enthusiastic teacher named Mrs. Beierle who learned her Spanish in the city of Salamanca, and hours of free practice at the Chick Fil A with my Salvodorian friends, I finally came to learn the Spanish language.

However, coming to Korea, I had no use for Spanish. Now and then, I would meet a Spanish speaker, but slowly I came to realize that I was starting to lose it. As Korean started to naturally take an importance in my life, I suppressed the languages of Spanish, Russian (which I learned for one year), and English (now and then, I'll forget words or expressions and get made fun for unusual spelling mistakes).

Yet, I remember in 2008 a meeting in Incheon with a pastor from the country of Macedonia. He speaks several languages, and I told him about my situation of learning Korean, taking the prime importance in my life as I am finally living in a country where I have to use it daily. I was worried I would lose my considerable investment into Espanol (Spanish) and what was left of my marginal profit in Russian language education stock.

He said (paraphrase), "you don't lose information. Basically, your mind locks away information, what you don't use. When you start learning again, your mind finds the information and brings it out again. You don't simply lose information, its just resting. It will come back."

So back to today. Susana speaks English fairly well, but at the same time she was allowing me to speak Spanish to her and Zoher. Zoher, a fairly young guy, speaks hardly any English but understands it very well. He too, allows me to speak my "prison, locked-up" Spanish to him while we build a relationship over the course over two years.

My two friends, "los guatemaltecos," (the Guatemalens) helped me with words I forgot, and when they replied, I had my "I knew that" moment in my mind as I became more comfortable speaking la lingua again. For me, something I realized early on when I go travelling, is that in speaking multiple languages you can get easily confused. I wanted to say "Mi Chingu," a mix of "my" in Spanish and "friend" in Korean, or substitute vocab for Spanish. Then there's the whole English thing. Try mixing three languages into one sentence. My goal when I learn languages is to share multiple convos without missing a beat. Through Christ's strength, I can do it!

So the highlight was tonight, when we got some good Mexican food at a place called "Zapata's," (my second time, he he), and eventually through the Holy Spirit we got into some mad fellowship about the Word of God and how to receive salvation from Christ alone and His redemptive power. It was bananas! Like, Zoher asked not only if my father was a Christian, but how did he become a Christian. We got into a discussion about rules and regulations and religion, but more importantly we get salvation because of His grace. It was good, real fellowship, beyond just, "oh, God is good...yeah. Ya ha." Nah, deep stuff in Spanish about how to read the Word and live and grow in His grace. I mean, to steal from C.S. Lewis, it was more than just mere Christianity.

We ended up praying for one another before we parted ways, but we exchanged contact info so we can keep in touch and perhaps meet in the future. I am loving it, yo!

So, to top it off I have to ask this question: how in the world did, through my father, one day before my first class at John Hanson Middle School, after we just moved to Waldorf, Maryland, how he encouraged me to enroll in a middle school Spanish class, would end up using Spanish again halfway across the world to meet and pray with Christians from Central America? Only the Lord can bring such things together.

Oh, the surprises of life that only Christ can bring. Zoher was telling me how thankful he is to be living and knowing the Lord. The same with Susana. I was sharing the power of what I saw during my time Jeju, from the animals to the tulips that were screaming "glory" to God our Father. We all nodded in agreement, I mean, how could you not?

I hope they have a safe trip to Beijing now, their next stop. I hope someday to travel to Guatemala and visit them someday, Lord Willing. I was meant to come to Jeju for a purpose.

And I am also going home for a purpose. My family doesn't need me...but I need the Lord.

Who's the Foreigner?

So its my second day in Jeju Island and to much of my surprise, even though the wind was blowing hard and it was really cold for a spring day, it was a good day.

Through my host family in Seoul, Korea, I signed up for a tour group where its pretty much a hands free experience. Usually tours can be hit or miss. One, some tours are dominating and you have pretty much no free time to yourself, and you simply move on with the group like lemmings. Two, some tours trap you by conveniently leaving you at tourist shops or home industry shops so you are tempted to buy something.

Yet my tour group has been a very smooth experience. No gimmicks where they try to sell you something or rush you through a site, and really no explanations about each site's significance. We have a Korean tour guide who speaks English and simply gets us from site to site. When we arrive at the site, he writes on a dry-erase board what time we have to get back, points at the entrance, and says, "have fun."

He also tags along and talks to the various tourists in our group. He doesn't need to explain what the site is, but more or less, just strikes up a convo about our feelings about that particular site. His attitude as a tour guide is splendid simply because he wants to be your friend and doesn't seem to burdened in doing his job. Props to ya my man.

One of the funnier stories today was the experience of a being a foreigner. Now, most of you know that as a Korean-American I do not attract much attention. In my three years in South Korea, unless I am actually with foreigners, I never get stared at for my looks. I blend in, to a degree. When I go to the bathhouse or shopping, now and then I get a stare because of my darker skin or non-Korean features, but its not an issue with me.

Today was very unusual. Usually, I feel bad for my "typical foreigner" friends who get "hello'ed" at constantly or get beaten with the Konglish stick (Korean + English) a few times, I know it seems awkward for them to be randomly approached in public by strangers shouting random English phrases. I usually escape unnoticed.

Now, Jeju Island this time of year attracts an unusual group of tourists: high school students.

Korean high school students usually come to Jeju Island as part of their curriculum, during their 2nd year. They come in flocks and they are not hard to miss: girls' high schools groups are distinguished with their shrieks, constant picture taking, and their usually girly stuff such as whining about the weather or the fact that they have to use their feet. Boys' high schools are filled with short-haircut boys who are all talking the same: that rich, wonderful sound of adolescent boy shrieking that usually cracks when they hit that puberty stage. They are always hitting and horseplaying. Nerds.

This morning, while touring the coastline by myself, I came across an American military family who were coming the opposite direction. I asked the Air Force guy what was ahead. He mentions more coastline with some good views and a used set for a Korean drama. Behind me, a group of four high school girls were behind me and noticed me speaking English. One of them walks up to me and says, "hi. Where are you from?"

Now keep in mind, usually no stranger Korean has ever approached me in ENGLISH. Its usually in Korean, so I'm kinda nervous. Of course, it was natural at my school all the time when my students yelled "hi" at me. But this is different.

I carry a 5-6 minute conversation with these girls, and found out they were from Jeolla Province, which is the southwestern province known for its rich food and twangy dialect. They were very nice. We talked about their school life, blah to the blah to the blah, the usual banter. As I walked on by and they said goodbye, one of them says to me, "Goodbye. You are very handsome!" Thanks.

At other sites, even ALONE, some high school girls said "hi" to me. Some said to our group "hajimemashite," or "nice to meet you" in Japanese. I was like, "are you kidding me? Are we Japanese now?" I thought it was my students but in disguise. I never got this attention at all during my three years here. Was I on camera or something?

Then there was the bathroom incident. I'm about to leave a bathroom at our last site of the day, and there were a bunch of boys who were from a high school from Korea's eastern Gangwon Province. They ask me, "where are you from?" I say mildly: "Washington DC." One of them proceeds to hug and shake my hand while "oohhs," "ahhhs," and even a cell phone photograph was taken. I was just blown away with the foreign superstar treatment.

I am standing outside with these guys, peppered with questions for like 5 minutes about my life, I was "dang! Am I that different looking to them?" Meanwhile, my Guatemalen friend, who was harrassed earlier to take a photo by some high school chicks, is laughing at me through the bus window. They are trying their English with me and here I am, being cool, just entertaining them and having fun.

As I head to the bus, like a superstar soccer player, I wave goodbye. One of them screams (and this is a guy student) "call me!" and there is laughter. I joke to our tour group the only fans I attract are guys, and my tour guide smirks, "sorry, they are too young for you and its illegal." Laughter all around, props to the tour guide for that one.

So I have come to one conclusion: I blend in well. With foreigners, I blend in well. With Indians, I blend in well. With Koreans, I blend in well. With Japanese, Israelis to a degree, Palestinians, Filipinos, or wherever my travels have taken me, I always managed to blend in to a certain degree. Its one of the funny aspects of being mixed-race.

And by the way...God made me that way. Its worked out for some unique situations: funny and touching alike. Let's see what day two of the tour brings tomorrow.

My Last Korean Trip: Jeju Island

So this is my last full week in Korea before I head back to my home country. Its been a hectic month with packing, goodbyes to be said, taking Korean classes (and not preparing for that exam, sike!), and mentally checking myself out of my 2nd home. So I am in Jeju Island for my last Korean hurrah trip, and its been really good. No rain, but it is cold for spring (and there's no global warming?). Even though this is Korea, it sometimes feels like another country.

So I get off the airplane, grab my case, and head into a taxi. After fiddling with the address for a few minutes and calling up my guesthouse for directions, the ajosshi (Korean for "uncle") hits me up with a deal to take me around the city for really cheap. Just out of nowhere. After settling in, he picks me up and takes me to five places in less than three hours, and he got a free dinner out of it (my shot).

Instead of figuring out buses or taking various taxies for more cash, I got a deal in one day on my first day in the island, and made a new friend. We tried Jeju Island's famous "black pork," made out of black pigs, and for two servings they hook you up! I ate so much I thought I would be next on the slaughtering block because I ate like a black pig! He also explained the history of the island when we went to museums, some of the folklore, the culture, and Jeju Island's unique language. To get a tour by a local is very neat thing. Also, the certain joy, even though I'm not fluent in Korean, to converse and discuss cultural things in another language at a high level, I felt like my experience here in South Korea is being completed as we speak.

The weather is very cold, brisk, and windy, but I'm thankful to the Lord because it is not rainy. I'm going to try to enjoy these last days in another Korean region, and next Monday, I'm outta here.

On a sad note, my grandfather passed away a few days ago. I will go home and pay my last respects to him someday. Rest in peace.

God Bless fam.

My Last Round

So, I was recruited to teach this camp for boys. Middle school boys. Oh yea!

They are absolutely nuts, but an absolute joy to teach. I have been working that the Incheon Foreign Language Training Center (IFTC) at Yeongjeong Island this week. I worked here several times in the past as a replacement teacher for their permanent staff who had maternal leave, vacation, or this time around, car accidents.

My friend Evan got into a car accident, but he will be okay. In order to earn his insurance money, he must stay in the hospital. Don't ask me. But I was recruited by my old boss, Jenny, who worked at my previous girls' high school. She called me last minute as a sub teacher, and I was more than ready to help out an old friend.

So, its nice to have some pocket money while having one last shot at teaching. I must say, I have had a good bunch of boys, some of the best since teaching here. I was worried I would have knuckleheads galore, but instead, I have some very sincere and hard-working kids.

And this time around, my teaching is more refined and I feel like I could really connect and get to the kids. It was fun.

Activities including the usual core English objectives: writing, speaking, reading, and listening. Also, we threw in country lessons, club activities, and even goofy stuff like quiz games and English Olympics. The kids are supposed to take a break from their schools and have a chance to use English.

My homeroom class, Class 2, I nicknamed "Los Gatos," or Cats in Spanish. They are surely smart and funny, as well as slick like cats. I started out really slow my first day...especially since I haven't taught in several weeks. My class captain is Antonio Ahn, a young boy, with his loyalty and his hard work ethic, will become someone special in Korea.

Other kids include "Johnson," a pip-squeak kid who makes me laugh, and Jason, a very sarcastic but well-spoken kid. "Moon," is very sincere. "Sun," his counterpart, participates in my club activities well. Tony goofs on in class. Jimmy doesn't be quiet, but he makes me laugh. And there is Tom, a tall kid who will probably become a ladies' man.

Wow, it blows my mind that in a few weeks, I will be leaving one environment of Koreans to the land of Americans. I'm going to miss this alot. So many memories. Right now, I'm just enjoying watching them play "Mafia Wars," some kind of fun game, while they are argue all about it.

Wow Lord, I was a teacher for three years. But in this time period, I was taught more things than I could ever imagine.

Oh My