Spring Brings Flowers, Books, Field Trips, New Food Taste Treats, Reflection, and more!!

Yes, it was an interesting week at YISS!  The weather was really nice and the flowers leading up the walkway and driveway to YISS were in full bloom!  It was a great week to enjoy our annual Spring Book Fair at YISS!  In the middle of this very busy week, the catering company (J & J) what provides lunch service for our students and staff had "Australian Food Day," which met with approval from most students and staff.  Spring Field Trips began with Kinder and Grade 2 taking some wonderful learning and fun trips.  It was also a week where I was able to help celebrate some birthdays - Mr. Craig Mooi, our 4D teacher and also my great friend and "son" JiSang! It was also a week where we paused to reflect on the Sewol Ferry disaster and remember those families who have lost loved ones in this tragedy.  I will try to keep my words to a minimum and share the week through pictures.

It is hard to believe that after this weekend, YISS has only 26 days remaining in this 2013-14 school year!  SOOO much to do in those 26 days.  Thanks for your continued prayers as we seek to finish strong and stay healthy.  Last week was another week when the other principals and I had some subbing to do.  I enjoyed my time in Grade 1A.  They are such a delightful and energetic group!

This is what greets me each morning as I walk up the hill to YISS, and then as I go down that same hill at the close of a busy day!  So beautiful and gives me additional time to reflect on the beauty God has created for us to enjoy and thank Him for.  It was also very fitting for the week of our Spring Book Fair!

One reason I love walking to and from work as often as possible

                                   in the Spring!

Another view of the walkway leading up to YISS!!!         

One of the posters that announced the Spring Book Fair!  Wish you could have come to enjoy this special event!  So many books!!

Some First Graders enjoying the books while holding

      on to their envelopes with their book money!

Middle School students browsing at the Book Fair!

Some third grade angels checking out some books.

Yes, there is a parent there, too.  She is not in 3rd grade!

Fifth grade teacher, Ms. Bandy with some of her girls checking out some possible books!

  Olivia is enjoying sharing this LEGO 

              book with her friends!

This is one of my Discipleship boys, Joshua, from last year.  When he comes to the Book Fair, it is quite difficult to distract him.  Joshua LOVES to read and you will see him standing and reading book after book very intently!  He does buy some, too! :-)

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We also enjoyed some new lunch items in our YISS cafeteria this week.  J & J Catering had an Australian Food Day, which met with most everyone's approval.  They introduce new foods from various countries so that our students can enjoy the diversity of yummy food from all over the world.

The Korean Aussie Kangaroo greeting YISS elementary students as they go through the lunch line on Australian Food Day!  Many went back for seconds and thirds!

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YISS provides funds for numerous field trips for each of our elementary classes.  Spring is a great time for some of our classes to enjoy some great learning experiences and this past week students from Kindergarten and Grade 2 went to two of my favorite places!

Above are the Kindergarten cherubs, chaperones, and teachers at the Seoul Grand Park Zoo!  It is an awesome zoo and our kids come back so excited every time they go!

Here are some of the angels checking out the Zoo!

One of the neat things about the zoo is the environment

in which it is situated.  I love this picture of this little 

guy pausing to think about something.  Don't you wish

you could know what he is thinking? Such a beautiful

spot!                              

Second grade students usually take a trip to the Jubilee Chocolate Factory near Paju.  It is a beautiful ride and then when they get there they are shown how the chocolate is made!

   Then they get to make some special

             creations of their own!

I love this picture of the chocolate maker observing one of our cherubs mixing his chocolate!

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On Wednesday morning, the entire student body of about 970 students (K - 12) plus faculty and staff paused as our Campus Life Director, Ben Horne, shared some of the events surrounding the Sewol Ferry disaster off the coast of South Korea.  Most of those who have lost their lives in this tragedy were high school students from a Korean school.  They were on a class trip to Jeju Do (Jeju Island).  According to various sources the Vice Principal of the High School, who was on the trip, survived but later took his life because he could not face the fact of all of the students left to die.  The South Korean government is finally taking some action to regulate these types of sea travel.  The YISS students were encouraged to spend time in personal reflection and prayer.  It was very encouraging to hear silence throughout the building as many were praying for the families and loved ones of those impacted by this tragedy.  Mrs. Franck, the Elementary Chaplain then closed this time with a very beautiful prayer.

On Thursday, the PTO at YISS announced that they were canceling our annual International Bazaar on May 10.  It was a difficult decision, but one that needed to be made at this time.  In the letter announcing the cancellation, Dr. Beeson, Headmaster and Mrs. Jinhee Bae, PTO President, wrote, "As time passes, the mood and the sentiment seems to be getting worse rather than better.  Many Korean schools and universities are canceling events and festivals until the end of May.  Due to the national sentiment and potential prolonged state of mourning as the tedious rescue mission continues, we feel that we cannot, in clear conscience, host this event."

In addition, our High School Compassion Club joined with a group of Korean university students to launch a "yellow ribbon campaign" to offer a symbol of hope for families affected by the Sewol Ferry accident.  Faculty, administration, staff, students and parents were encouraged to pick up one of the yellow ribbons  to express sympathy for the victims and to remind us to pray for the Danwon High School Community in Ansan.

The above display is in the Elementary Office, Middle School Office, High School Office, and the YISS Reception Area for students, staff, and parents to read about the "Yellow Ribbon Campaign" and then take part should they choose to do so.

This is my little buddy, Oliver.  He and his mother come many days to pick up his brother, Noah in Kindergarten after Noah competes his After School Activities.  Oliver sees me and begins calling out "Mr. Garman" until I stop and pay attention to him.  I love him.  This past week he let me hold him.  I am wearing one of the yellow ribbons that our staff and students are wearing in memory of those impacted by the Sewol Ferry tragedy.

Jack Jang, one of the WOL Korea full time workers shared a couple special moments that have been discovered during this tragic time in South Korea.  All of the high school student victims in the Sewol Ferry sinking are from the same city where Jack grew up. Many of his neighbors have lost sons and daughters in this disaster.  He has asked for prayer for the families and has also shared the following two stories:

1 - "Before the Korean Ferry, Sewol, began sinking last week, Chanwoong Jung, a 16 year old Christian boy, took off his life vest and gave it to his non-christian friend before his ultimate sacrifice. His friend survived. We know why he was willing to do this."

2 - Onyou Yang whose name means 'meekness', a 16 year old Christian girl, used to live with her family in a guest room in her church since they didn't have a place to go and stay. She dreamed of one day being a Christian counselor to help lead her neighbors to Christ. She was standing on the deck in a safer zone when a helicopter was about to rescue her in a minute. At that moment, she heard her friends cry out 'help me' from the inside a cabin. She did not hesitate to go back to the rooms to help save them."

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This week I was also able to help celebrate the birthdays of a couple of my friends.  On Wednesday evening I was able to take our Grade 4D teacher, Craig Mooi, out for one of his favorite meals at a favorite restaurant of his.  I now have another restaurant that I really like. :-)

GGG with colleague and friend, Craig Mooi, at a

new restaurant for me - Pier 39!  What a great time

   of fellowship and eating we enjoyed on Craig's 

                            birthday!!

This is what Craig wanted to eat - Lasagna!!  I had 

one, too, and it was soooooo yummy!!        

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On Saturday evening it was my joy to take my "son," former SYME student, and great friend, JiSang out to celebrate his birthday!  JiSang selected a restaurant in Itaewon that I just learned about and have been looking for ever since coming to YISS.  It is a Budae Jjigae restaurant and I have missed Budae Jjigae so much!  What was ever more special is that JiSang chose this even though he knew there would be cheese in it.  (JiSang dislikes cheese and does not eat it - especially cheddar.)  It was a great evening at the restaurant and then for dessert at Starbucks. JiSang and I had not met for about 2 months so he had missed my birthday.  We exchanged gifts and just had a great time talking and laughing and enjoying Budae Jjigae.  He actually liked it with the cheese melted throughout.  JiSang is enjoying his work, but you can continue to pray for his as he adjusts to his workload and his team of six coworkers.

Here we are preparing to enjoy our yummy Budae

                                Jjigae!

Here is our pot of Budae Jjigae.  You can see the pieces of cheese which bothered JiSang.  Then when he stirred it throughout the Jjigae and tasted it, he liked it!! :-)

Here is my first bowl of Budae Jjigae with rice and

all of the Korean side dishes!!  Sooo delicious!    

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Thanks so much for all you continue to do to encourage and support me in the ministry here in South Korea!  You mean so much to me.

Love, Gregg

Happy Easter! Jesus is Alive!!

It's a beautiful Resurrection Sunday in Seoul! New life is springing up all around us here and reminding me daily of the new life I have in Jesus Christ!

I have said it often that I love Christmas and Easter and they should be celebrated every day of the year; not as most of the world celebrates these events, but living out with joy in all that I do because of the relationship I have with God through the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ!  Many believe that Christianity is a religion.  Many believe that one has to do this or that in a certain way and then they can be part of this religion.  Christianity is not, and never was, a religion.  Christianity is a relationship with the One who came to give His life to redeem me from all the terrible sins in my life.  It's that wonderful relationship that frees me to follow Christ and NOT by looking at others - even though they may say they are Christians.  I trust that you will celebrate with joy and thanksgiving that wonderful relationship that is possible for all through what Jesus Christ did when he shed His blood and died - and then came forth from the tomb!  He is alive and desires to have a relationship with each one of us!  Happy Easter!

This past week of celebrating all that Jesus did for us at YISS.  In the midst of this special week it was my joy and privilege to be able to share as one of the substitute teachers for the cherubs in Grade 3D.  3D's teacher, Mrs. Biersteker, had to return to Canada to be with her father who was very sick.  I know she would value your prayers.  Her father is still not well.  It was good for Mrs. Biersteker to be able to return to be with him for a little while at this time.

One of the joys I had while subbing in 3D was teaching Bible.  The lessons this week surrounded all of the events leading up to Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection.  I was so delighted to see the interest of each of the 3D children as we shared about the amazing love God showed each of us through His Son, Jesus.  Please pray for these special children.  Many have already accepted Jesus Christ; some are asking many great questions.

This next week should be a lighter load for subbing.  That will be good as there is so much to do right now. :-)  Please pray that our teachers will have good health during this very busy time of year.   During this past week grade 3D had a total of six substitute teachers on one day! :-)  It was a bit crazy but everyone did a great job and the children did so well.  I was so proud of them.

YISS had off school on Friday for celebration of Good Friday.  Usually the Korean Foreign Schools Foundation offers a trip to some part of Korea for YISS teachers.  There were 32 of us who went on a wonderful and refreshing journey from Seoul to Damyang and Mokpo on Friday and Saturday.  It was great to learn more about various parts of Korea that I probably wouldn't have been able to experience except on a trip like this.  The group of teachers and administrators who traveled together ha a wonderful time of fellowship and sharing about Korea as well as celebrating Good Friday together.

My post will get too long if I post all of the pictures and tell about every event on this special trip. I will share some of the highlights and if you want to see more, you can check out my Facebook page.  If you have not connected with me on Facebook, you can type in my name "Gregg Garman" and ask to be a "friend" of mine. 

Good Friday morning at 8:20 we left Yongsan Station on a KTX bound for Gwangju.  We arrived at 11:05 and traveled by bus to Deokinkwan to a famous Tteok Galbi restaurant for a very delicious meal.  We enjoyed a fantastic feast and and some excellent laughter at this meal to set the tone for the trip. 

The Tteok Galbi feast all ready for us when we arrived!

One of the delightful servers preparing our Tteok Galbi at our table.  Mr. Dwight and Mrs. Beeson are looking with great interest!

We were also served some special Tofu Soup and very

yummy rice in a unique serving dish!            

This was the group of tables where I was enjoying Tteok Galbi.  On my right is the Secretary-General of the Korean Foreign Schools Foundation, Mr. Kang.  He welcomed us and then asked Dr. Beeson to pray for the food as well as tragic situation surrounding the sinking of the ferry off the coast of South Korea - actually very close to where we were.

I asked our servers to pose with the chef for a picture

after our meal!  They were so happy we enjoyed the

                            yummy feast!

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After lunch we drove to the Bamboo Forest and then the Metasequoia Road to enjoy the beauty that is so prevalent throughout Korea.  It was especially nice to see the beauty outside the very busy city of Seoul.

       Beginning our hike into the Bamboo Forest!

Throughout the Bamboo Forest there were Panda Bear statues.  I loved these little Pandas placed around the beautiful waterfall in the center of the Bamboo Forest!

Another group of my buddies along the hike in the forest!

I loved this very short hike on the Metasequoia Road!  Very peaceful!

   Here is a group picture of the YISS staff near the 

entrance of the Metasequoia Road!  We had such a 

                        great time together!

We met a group of high school girls on a tour.  They first saw Ms. Gronski, one of our Grade 2 teachers.  They were so excited seeing foreigners.  Then they met other of our teachers and got even more excited.  Then they saw me and found out I was an assistant principal.  They got so excited and wanted a picture with our teachers and me!  Such fun!

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Following a quick stop at the Soswae Garden in Damyang, we went to a small Hangwa factory in Damyang.  Hangwa is the Korean name for the traditional rice snack that is so famous in Korea. After instruction from one of the Hangwa makers at the factory, we were put into groups and each group made four different flavors of Hangwa!  It was so much fun and most of the Hangwa were tasty! :-)

Here I am after rolling the Hangwa and preparing to

  cut it into little squares and rectangles for eating.

Taking my turn at mixing the ingredients for the pink Hangwa!

Here is our crew of Hangwa makers displaying our 

four flavors of Hangwa!  From left to right: Ms. Regnier,

Mrs. Herman, Ms. McGinnis, GGG, Ms. Choo (KFSF

representative) and Ms. Kanas.             

This is Mrs. Lee, permanent sub teacher for Middles School with her two boys with their bags of Hangwa!

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Friday evening we enjoyed a scrumptious buffet of taste treats at the Venezia Dinner Buffet. (You will have to look at my Facebook posts to see the numerous taste treats.)  After a great meal we checked in at out hotel, Fontana Beach Hotel near Damyang.  The rooms were gorgeous and very comfortable.  I enjoyed a walk in the morning around the beach area!  very refreshing!

Our Friday evening hotel on the beach in Mokpo.

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Our first visit on Saturday was to the historic site of a famous Korean, Dr. Wangin (who also spent much of his adult life in Japan).  The site is a very relaxing and very peaceful setting and has various exhibition halls sharing about Dr. Wangin's life and impact on learning, Korean culture, the arts, music, industrial arts, etiquette plus many other areas.  On the brochure we were given as we toured the site it had this quote: "Wangin's wind opening the future, 'Korean culture spreading through the world.'"  The site is located in Yeongam, "the place of 'Chi' where culture lives and breathes."

This is the "special" water at Dr. Wangin's historic 

site.  There is a legend that if any woman drinks and

bathes here, she can give birth to an intelligent baby

like Dr. Wangin! :-)  None of our teachers bathed here! :-)

I posted a video clip on Facebook a clip of a group

of Mokpo University students gathering on the beautiful

grounds of Dr. Wangin's site.  They were singing "Every

Move I Make" in Korean.  They saw me filming them 

and turned to the camera and waved and danced.  I started

waving back and did a few dance moves.  This young man

came running over to get his picture taken with me.  I asked

him, "Do you know Jesus?" He replied immediately, "Yes!"

I wanted to spend more time with the group but had to leave. :-(

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We traveled to Mokpo where we enjoyed a fantastic Bulgogi lunch!!  Both Damyang and Mokpo are located in the Jeolla province of South Korea, which is known for its delicious Korean food!! The lunch was sooooo yummy.

    Our Bulgogi lunch in Mokpo was soooo good!!

A couple of my lunch partners: Mr. Parrish

and Ms. McGinnis!  The bulgogi is about

ready to stir and enjoy.  The salad had this

wonderful orange dressing on it.  Soo good!

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After lunch we visited the National Maritime Museum in Mokpo and then ended our tour with a hike up Yudalsan (Mt. Yudal).  Yudalsan overlooks Mokpo and you get some great views of Mokpo in older days as well as modern Mokpo.  

Huge ancient anchor outside entrance to the National

      Maritime Museum at the harbor of Mokpo.

One of the replicas of the vessels that carried very valuable Korean ceramics a 1,000 years ago.

The famous rock formation at the base of Yudalsan!

Here I am near the top of Yudalsan overlooking Mokpo!

One of the views of Mokpo, taken near the top of Yudalsan.  There are more pictures of the old and modern Mokpo on my Facebook site if you wish to look at them.

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After our hike we headed to the Mokpo Train Station for our journey back to Yongsan.  It was a wonderful two days of refreshment, fellowship, and learning!

Thank you so much for your prayers, your love, your encouragement, and your support!  Keep praying for my 6th grade friend, Paul.  We have talked this past week and I was able to give him a few books to help him learn more about Jesus and following Him.  He was excited!  I asked him to write out any questions or doubts he had so that we can talk about them.  I believe God is going to do a wonderful work in the life of this young man.

Your prayers for me would be appreciated, too.  I am fighting off a sore throat and cough.  So far I am doing OK, but I really don't want to be sick during this busy time at YISS.  Thanks!

Have a wonderful Easter with your family and friends!  He is risen!

Love, Gregg

Lots of Subbing, ASAs, and Joseph!!!

What a week!  God continues to teach me so much about worry and stress and depending totally on Him!  I don't know if you struggle with that, but I do.  Through many friends and family members I was greatly encouraged last weekend and was able to begin this past Monday refreshed and ready for the very busy week!!!  God continues to teach me that He is in control and loves me and will take care of EVERY situation I encounter - good or bad!  There is only one God and I am not He!  Maybe you do not struggle with wanting control and being proud, but I do.  The sin of pride is so easily to give in to.  I have never liked having my schedule and plans messed with, but time and again I must learn that He knows better because He knows me Better than I do.

I arrived at my office on Monday morning at my usual time (6:00 - 6:15 AM) and saw right away it was going to be an interesting day and week! I looked at the elementary calendar and saw that four elementary teachers were absent because of sickness, personal day, or death of a family member back in the States.  I was planning on subbing in Grade 2C, but that changed quickly and I was scheduled to sub in Grade 2D. God used the cherubs in 2D to give me a passion and love for teaching once again and direct my focus on the Lord rather than my circumstances!  It was a wonderful day of refreshment with this wonderful group of cherubs!

In the middle of subbing on Monday, there were also concerns about the first full day of After School Activities.  The weather was beautiful so Soccer did not have to be canceled! Everything flowed very smoothly and it was one of our best afternoons for Bus Dismissal.  No calls from the Contact Teacher on duty with the 22 buses.  We usually have to call 2 to 4 parents to find out about their son or daughter concerning riding or not riding the bus.

Monday prepared me for the remainder of the week and this coming week.  Wednesday I had the great privilege of subbing for a couple hours in Grade 5.  I was able to teach Literature classes to two sections of fifth graders.  Oh, how it made me remember the joy and passion I had at the beginning when I was teaching fifth grade at Guilford Hills School!  On Wednesday we were looking at some of Emily Dickinson's poetry and it was so thrilling to interact with these kids and challenge them to do some critical thinking.  I loved being with them!

Thursday I was in Grade 4A subbing for a brief time.  These kids always make me smile.  I love their passion for learning and interacting!

Friday was my opportunity to substitute for the Kinder and grade 1 Art teacher.  I was able to teach Grade 1D.  They were so fun as we worked on creating our Kandinsky Circles.  There were two new students in 1D; Woo Chan and Adityah.  These two boys seemed to fit right in.  You can pray for Adityah especially.  He seemed to have more difficulty than others in staying focused and understanding the circles.    Here are a few pictures of some of the 1D cherubs working on their Kandinsky Circles.

This little guy is new to YISS this year and it has 

been so thrilling to see him grow.  He is always eager

           to do his best and show his creativity.  

Another wonderful cherub in 1D working on his circles.

Valentina has come a long way in her short time at YISS!  I love watching her work on her project!

   Kennedy hard at work on her Kandinsky Circles!

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Wednesday was also the morning of the performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat for the elementary school.  The kids loved it and I thought the Drama Club did a super job for their first performance.  One of my good high school friends, James Bai had the lead role of Joseph and he did an amazing job!  Everyone did actually.  There was a group of our fourth grade students who had singing parts in the performance and they were delightful.  I went to see the opening night performance at YISS on Friday and they did an even better job!  I have included a few pictures of their performance on Friday night!  Enjoy!  I wish you could have seen the musical!

My friend, James Bai, following his lead performance in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Friday's performance.  He is such a great spiritual leader at YISS and is heading to Stanford in September!

Joseph with the Choir/Dancers singing right after 

receiving his special coat from his father!  The coat

                             was amazing!

The fourth grade choir singing and dancing with Joseph after receiving his special coat!

The brothers selling Joseph to the Egyptian traders.

How do you like the camel?               

Joseph in prison singing with back up from the fourth grade singers!

   I loved this picture of some of the fourth graders

               singing during the prison scene.

The Baker, Daniel Choi, and Butler, Eugene Mok, singing about their dreams in prison!

   Joseph reunited with his brothers in Egypt!        

Joseph finally reunited with his father, Jacob!

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Please continue to pray for many of our high school seniors who are making decisions concerning where they will attend university this September.  Your prayers are appreciated for a couple of our elementary teachers who have had to head back to the States because of family members who are in serious medical conditions or have passed away.  Please pray for Celina Horne who has just returned after being back to the States for the memorial services of her grandmother.  Pray also for our 3D teacher, Deb Biersteker, who was called back to the States because of the very serious condition of her father.  She left on Friday afternoon in hopes of being able to arrive before his passing.  Thanks so much.

Some of you may know that a number of our key administrators are leaving at the end of this year.  Please pray for the new administrators as they are hired and as they transition to YISS.  Our headmaster, Dr. Beeson, will return to the States to be Superintendent of a Christian school.  All three principals (elementary, middle school and high school) will be leaving at the close of the year.  I know that our elementary principal, Mr. Lazor, would really value your prayers as he does not have a position for next year as of yet.  He and his family know that God wants them to move after 8 or 9 years at YISS, but they do not know where yet.  Pray for Mrs. Birmingham as she takes over as elementary principal.  I am excited to see how the Lord is going to work in all of these changes.  Thanks for praying!

I also had the joy of having lunch on Saturday with Gunmo and dinner on Saturday with Yeongmin. It is always special to enjoy times with these special young men.  Gunmo continues to enjoy his new job with GrapeSeed and shared more with me about his father.  You may remember that the company said that he had to retire but shortly after Gunmo told me that, the company changed its mind and have allowed him to work until September 2015!  Gunmo's Dad is very happy about this.  Please keep praying for him to come to know the Lord.  Yeongmin and I also had a nice conversation.  He continues to enjoy his job with SK Telecom.  He had picked up a little sore throat and I know he would appreciate your prayers for his health.  I continue to pray for his salvation.

On Sunday evening I will get to have dinner with Jin-Seok.  We also always have a great time together.  I know he would appreciate your prayers as he prepares his resume and application for a full time position with the National Tax Service of Korea.

It is always my pleasure to thank you for your many prayers, your great encouragement, your love, and your support.  You are very special to me as I serve here at YISS.  Enjoy a great week!

Love, Gregg