An Unexpected Snow Day Begins Another Busy Week!

On weekdays I wake up at 4:45 AM and head to YISS around 5:45 AM.  As I left my apartment, it was snowing.  It had been snowing since around Midnight, but I had received no message that school would be closed.  After getting off Bus 400, I began my walk up the hill to YISS.  I saw all of the facilities' crew out shoveling and sweeping snow.  The Director of Facilities, a Korean gentleman, saw me and said, "Snow Day!"  I asked him again and he repeated it.  I got to my office and there was an email and then my cell phone vibrated with the same message, "No school today because of snow!"  I decided to stay at school and get some work accomplished since it was so quiet.  I love to shovel snow, so I went out and tried three times to get a shovel from one of the Korean facilities' crew.  No success!  They refused as politely as they could.  They  probably would have been reprimanded or fired if they allowed the old man who is one of the Assistant Principals to shovel snow.  This age and position thing in Korea gets me all confused at times, but I returned to my office and continued working on the After School Activities and an upcoming Author Visit.  I could have had a one room school since there were four students (one elementary, two middle school and one high school) who were waiting where they normally would wait until classes began.  They were surprised that there was no school.  They had left early, like me, and didn't get the message in time.  They decided they would rather go back home and take the day off instead of having a one room school with Mr. Garman! :-)

A view from my apartment in Seobinggo in the afternoon of our Snow Day!

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After the Snow Day respite, the week returned to a normal busy week with some of the After School Activities beginning, Spirit Week in the HS, MAP Testing in the elementary and middle schools, and finishing with some excellent Chapels and OASIS Assembly on Friday along with the Newcomers' Coffee sponsored by the YISS PTO.  I always enjoy sharing in Chapels and Assemblies and I was able to co-teach with Mr. Lazor in the OASIS Assembly on Friday on the character trait of respect and self-respect.

High School students enjoyed special dress down days all week and Friday I soon discovered was "Senior Citizen Day."  The student body President, Jae Eun, asked if he could have his picture taken with me.  Jae Eun and I have developed a great friendship.  He is such a great young man and is an excellent spiritual leader for the High School student body.  So I told him I would be delighted to have my picture taken with him.  After the picture was taken, he then said, "Today was Senior Citizen Day."  Then he gave me one of his little smiles.  I may have to punish him!

This is my friend, Jae Eun in his Senior Citizen's outfit with me in our little J&J Deli at YISS.

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This week we began several of our After School Activities.  In Quarter Three we have expanded our Scratch Computer Programming class.  This is a computer programming class designed by M.I.T. for upper elementary and Middle School students.  Our 4th and 5th graders LOVE it and the parents are all excited about it.  We continue to expand it.  This quarter we have Scratch Computer 101 (for students in Grades 4 and 5 who have not at the basic Scratch Computer class) and Scratch Computer 202 (for students who have completed the basic Scratch class).  Both classes filled up very quickly during online registration and it was so exciting to go to Scratch 101 on Tuesday and Scratch 202 on Friday to witness the excitement and enthusiasm of the students as they are learning to program.  Scratch 202 students are using Leap Motion and robots now and programming the robots to do various activities!  Students and parents alike are thrilled with these expanded programs!

Above is our elementary Scratch Computer 202 class getting instruction in some of the new technology that will enable them to do some advanced computer programming.  One of the instructors, Mr. Kyu (Q), is teaching!

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I want to leave you with two more special events this past week.  The first happened last Sunday evening when I was invited by Yeongmin to take advantage of special courtside seats at a Korean Basketball game.  As many of you know, Yeongmin works for SK Telecom.  he was able to secure VIP seats for the SK Knights Basketball Club for a basketball game between the SK Knights and the KCC Egis.  The seats were the best seats I have ever enjoyed at a basketball game.  They were comfortable seats in a section right behind the basketball net.  As we entered, there was a little basket on each of our chairs.  It had a can of juice and Caramel Popcorn in it. Then the hostess came and asked what kind of coffee we would like.  There was a Magnetic Dart game during the game.  Yeongmin hit the target to win a 10,000 Won (about 10 USD) gift certificate for food.  Then they brought us hot dogs!  And finally an autographed SK Knights basketball!  It was a great game.  SK came from behind in the 4th quarter to tie the game 70 - 70 at the buzzer.  After an overtime period, SK won 82 - 74!  It was a great evening and I also got to talk more with Yeongmin about what is happening in his life and where he is with God.  Keep praying for this wonderful young man.

Entrance to the SK Knights' Basketball stadium at the 

           Sports Complex at Jamsil Stadium!

Here I am with Yeongmin on my right and Yeongmin's Middle School friend on my left.

Tip off at the SK Knights - KCC Egis game!      

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The second highlight was a text from David (Nam Gyu).  You may remember that I was asked to sing in David and Victoria's wedding on January 11.  David said they just got back form their honeymoon and wanted to meet with me for dinner.  So Tuesday evening David and Victoria, the newly weds, had dinner with me.  I gave them choices but they wanted American burgers.  So we had some very yummy burgers and great conversation at Smokey Saloon.  They have awesome burgers.  David and Victoria loved the names of the burgers, especially the one called "The Ambulance!" :-)  What a great time we had!  Please pray for David and Victoria as they plan to serve the Lord full time as missionaries.  They will be moving to Songtan, South Korea where they will seek His direction and begin working on working to earn some money and then raising support for the mission work.

Nam Gyu, Victoria, and I at Smokey Saloon enjoying our Burger Dinner!  So good!!

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Next week one of Korea's big holidays will be celebrated.  It is called Seollal or Korean New Year.  It is a three-day holiday used by many to return to their hometowns to visit their parents and other relatives, where they perform an ancestral ritual called charye.  Tteokguk (soup with sliced rice cakes) is a traditional Korean food that is customarily eaten for the New Year.  Lots of travel will be done.  YISS will have off school on Thursday and Friday.  I am looking forward to spending some time with some of my Korean friends with their families on one or both of those days.

Thanks so much for continuing to pray, love, encourage, and support me.  You are very special to me.  Please enjoy a great week!

Love, Gregg