Books, Butterfingers, Brisk Walks, Birthday Bashes, and Baseball!!

What a great week for Spring Break at YISS!  The weather in and around Seoul was really nice and allowed for a lot of walking!  I did a lot of reading, resting, and refreshing!  I was able to meet some wonderful friends to celebrate my birthday!  I experienced some new eating establishments!  It was just a great week!  Monday we begin Quarter Four and finish grades and comments for Quarter Three.  On Tuesday we will have online registration for Quarter Four After School Activities!  If you think of me on Monday evening at around 7:00 (Eastern Standard Time), I would value your prayers that all goes well with the online registration that will be happening at YISS (actually happening 13 hours ahead of you at 8:00 AM on Tuesday).

I continue to enjoy reading!  This past week I completed several books.  I especially enjoyed Mike Lupica's The Only Game and one by Blaine Harden entitled Escape From Camp 14.  I have been interested in reading a number of books on North Korea lately.  Harden's book is the remarkable story of Shin Dong-hyuk, the only known person who was born and raised in one of North Korea's political prison camps and escaped to freedom.  If you would like to learn more about what goes on in North Korea in these camps, how difficult it is to escape and then once one escapes, and how difficult the challenges are to adjust to handling this freedom, I would encourage you to read this book.

Cover of Escape From Camp 14, by Blaine Harden.

A brief paragraph on the back of the book giving you a brief synopsis

of Harden's book.                                     

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While finishing Escape from Camp 14 and looking for a version of it written in Korean, I stopped at Butterfingers, a wonderful restaurant in Gangnam that features some very delicious all day breakfasts.  I have been to Butterfingers several times, but never ordered coffee.  Monday I ordered coffee and found a nice little surprise inside the coffee mug!  I thought it was very cool!  Take a look at the coffee mug below:

  Coffee mug at Butterfingers!  I had a yummy platter of blueberry

                            pancakes and sausage + coffee!

 

As I drank my coffee, this is the verse I found on the inside of the mug!!

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I began my brisk walks for the Spring on Tuesday.  The weather was so nice I changed my route and walked on the lower level of the bridge that crosses the Han River near my apartment.  It goes across the river to a nice park and I enjoyed walking and observing!  So many people out riding bikes, walking, fishing, and even flying some kites!  I walked Tuesday through Friday and am now up to 3.62 miles at a pace of 16 minutes and 16 seconds per mile - according to the Nike app on my phone.

Above are two pictures from my walk along the Han River!  Such a beautiful day!!

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Later on Tuesday, my wonderful friend and former SYME student, Jungmin, took me out for my 66th birthday dinner.  We went to Thai Garden and enjoyed some great conversation and very tasty food.  After dinner we came back to my apartment and Jungmin had some cakes with candles.  The dessert was a great way to end the evening after walking back to the apartment from Thai Garden.

GGG and Jungmin at Thai Garden about ready to enjoy our delicious Thai dinners!

   For my birthday dinner I chose one of my favorite Thai dishes,

               Chicken and Cashew Nuts in Garlic Soy Sauce!!

Jungmin chose the Green Curry and Chicken!  Also quite tasty!    

Back at my apartment, here I am getting ready to blow out my "66" candles!

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Wednesday and Thursday I went into YISS for several hours to work on some After School Activities' material and did some more walking.

After my walk on Friday, Jeremy and Krista Roll invited me to go with them for a birthday dessert at a new place called Once Upon a Milkshake.  I had passed this establishment several times but never went in.  We had a delightful time enjoying some very delicious milk shakes and excellent conversation.  Krista is the other Assistant Elementary Principal at YISS and she and Jeremy also attend the same church, New Harvest Ministry, that I attend.

    Krista and her hubby, Jeremy, and GGG with our milk shakes!

Krista and Jeremy in front of the "Once Upon a Milkshake" store!

Enjoying my Tiramisu Milk Shake!!                    

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Saturday was a busy and fun day to end my week of Spring Break!  I left early in the morning by subway to get to the apartment of a new Korean friend I met back in November at a Thanksgiving feast hosted by some of the parents from YISS.  His name is Jacob Kim and we have been getting to know each other since November.  Jacob and his music group had won Korea's version of "American Idol" about a year ago.  He was encouraged to continue his music career but he believes God wants him to use his abilities in the area of engineering to create ways to provide clean water for areas of the world where people do not have access to clean water.

Jacob also plays baseball on a community league (they are quite the thing in Korea) and invited me to his team's second game on Saturday.  I arrived at his apartment, right next to his church, and then he drove me in his car to the baseball field.  It was so much fun to see the workings of the community league baseball system in South Korea.  Jacob's team is called Yakuhaza and the rough translation to English is "God's children playing baseball."  The team wants to be used to show other teams God's love.  Yakuhaza won a very high scoring game, 19-18!  After the game Jacob wanted to take me out for a birthday lunch at another new restaurant in Itaewon: Yona Yona Burger.  He knows the owner and wanted me to experience their yummy burgers for my birthday.  We had a wonderful time at the baseball game and then at Yona Yona Burger!

Jacob and GGG upon arrival at the baseball field for the Yakuhaza's second game!

This was actually at the close of the game.  Players line up at home

            plate and bow to each other as well as the umpire!

This was my Yona Yona Burger!!  So good with that Smoky Cheese,

bacon, onion, lettuce, and tomato!!                          

GGG and Jacob at Yona Yona Burger!  Jacob chose the Philly Cheese Steak burger!

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On Saturday evening I had another birthday dinner!  My excellent friend, Yeongnim, took me to another new restaurant for me.  This one is a very nice Korean restaurant near Yongsan called Kiwa. We went here after Yeongmin made me select a birthday gift at one of the many stores in IPark Mall at Yongsan Subway Station.  We had a great time of sharing and eating delicious Korean food.  Keep praying for my dear friend to come to know Jesus.

GGG and Yeongmin at Kiwa preparing to enjoy the first course of

                                        our Korean feast!

After we finished this course, our server brought more Korean taste

treats out for our second course!  It was a great evening!         

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Monday will be a busy, busy day at YISS.  Your prayers will be appreciated!  Thanks so much for the many birthday greetings sent my way in various forms.  Thank you so much for your love, prayers, encouragement, cards, notes, and support.  I hope you enjoy a great week leading up to Good Friday and then the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

Love, Gregg

Arrival of Spring; Finish of Quarter Three; and Beginning of Refreshment and/or Service!!

This past week brought a wonderful beginning to Spring!  Temperatures hit 65 degrees Fahrenheit!  I am thrilled with the weather and it can continue this way for a good long time! :-)  The week also brought a finish to Quarter Three!  It continues to boggle my mind when I think of how quickly time passes.  Friday was an Early Release Day at YISS so that the 35+ staff and 165+ high school and middle school students could begin their service and ministry trips during Spring Break.  These staff members and students will be heading out to nine countries to serve and minister in so many different settings.  I know they would value your prayers!  Others will be serving on their own somewhere and/or just relaxing and refreshing in order to begin Quarter Four on March 30!

So much was happening this past week at YISS!  I think I will let the pictures do most of the talking this week.  As I already mentioned, our GWAM (Guardians With a Message) Teams had a commissioning service in the YISS auditorium on Monday.  From all reports, it appears that all nine teams made it safely to their destinations and are actively involved in ministry.

Some of the students in the YISS auditorium during the Commissioning Service for the GWAM teams on Monday!

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Wednesday was certainly a packed and busy day!!  It was March's Fun Day in Elementary - Hat Day!!  Enjoy this diversity of hats of some of our elementary students!

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It was also the day when those, who had been selected because of their great reading efforts during the Read-A-Thon to be principal and assistant principals for the day, actually got to play those roles. Actually, because of the busyness of Wednesday, one of their special promises to the 460 elementary cherubs was fulfilled on Thursday afternoon!

Here is Assistant Principal Jayme from 2D at her desk on Wednesday

                       morning doing official business!  :-)

Assistant Principal Jayme allowed me to have my picture taken in "her" office with her!  What a great day we had together!

On Hat Day at 8:00 AM Mrs. Birmingham met with Principal Cade,

Assistant Principal Sophie and Assistant Principal Jayme to prep them

for giving announcements to all of the elementary school over the P.A.

system.  They were so excited to be able to have their voices broadcast!

Here they are in the little room where we make announcements to the elementary children. They are informing the students of their three proclamations: 1) All students will have an extra 10 minutes at Lunch Recess; 2) Thursday each student will be given a free Melon Ice Cream Bar; and 3) On Friday students may bring an electronic device to school and use it for 30 minutes.

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Also in the morning on Wednesday the four fourth grade sections had a combined Market Day in the New Multipurpose Room!  What a great event the children had to raise money for two organizations: Free the Children and Gospel for Asia.  It was a grand event that allowed even middle school and high school students to come and purchase food and game items.  When I entered the large room, it just sounded like a real market day - similar to ones I have enjoyed in La Paz, Bolivia and Manila in The Philippines.

            Some of the 4th Grade girls selling!

Some of the 4th Grade boys proclaiming their goodies for sale!

Two more young ladies who had quite a variety of

goods for sale!!                       

I love this little lady!  She is selling but I believe she also wants to eat some!! 

 Here is my Assistant Principal for the Day, Ms. Jayme from 2D at

 the Market Day!  I told her that principals and assistant principals

have to find time in their schedules to make a stop at special events

  like this.  She loved it and had a difficult time deciding what she 

                                   was going to purchase!

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Throughout the day on Wednesday, our Elementary (K-2) Music teacher, Ms. Shauna Weir, and the Elementary (K-2) Physical Education teacher, Ms. Jamie Buster, had teamed up to have a fun Salsa Party during the Kinder and Grade 1 Music and P. E. classes.  They joined together to learn about Latin music, to make maracas, and to dance the Salsa!  What a great culmination to a special unit to combine music and dance and art in a grand celebration!  It was so much fun!!

   Ms. Weir (Music) and Ms. Buster (Phys. Ed.) practicing the

     Salsa before having each Kinder student make a maraca for 

                                   the final Salsa dance!

The Kinder cherubs designing the outside of their maracas!

Hard at work designing her maraca!!                     

You might recognize George, the little man that got to smear a pie in my face last week at the Wrap Up Assembly for Read-A-Thon! :-)  Here he is designing his maraca!

A finished maraca!!  The kids loved them - especially

                       since they made them!

Getting ready to dance the Salsa with their maracas!!

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One more event on Wednesday: the quarterly PTO and Elementary Principal's meeting.  This was held in the New Multipurpose Room and it was a very positive time of sharing with the parents about our new Readers; and Writers' Workshop curriculum for 2015-16 + our Elementary Awards at the close of the year and our anti-bullying campaign ("Stand Up!") during the month of February.  The event was well attended and we had many new parents in attendance.

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As mentioned above, the Principals for the Day completed their responsibilities on Thursday by delivering to each elementary classroom a very yummy Melon Ice Cream Bar!  I love these and so do the children.  They were thrilled to receive this special treat from the Principals and Assistant Principals for the Day!

A box of the very tasty Melon Ice Cream

Bars that were delivered to the classrooms!

The two Assistant Principals for the Day with GGG delivering Melon Bars to Grade 1A where Mrs. Palmer was substituting for Mrs. Miller.

Principal Cade delivering Melon Pops to one of the

Grade 5 sections!  They all fell in love with the little

man from Kindergarten! :-)               

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Friday was a busy half day of school.  The GWAM teams were completing what they needed to do before departing.  There were students saying "goodbye" to their friends as they and their parents have been reassigned to another country.  This is still a difficult thing at an international school. After we made sure everyone was on the right bus or picked up at 11:45, the elementary staff had gathered in the elementary office complex and surprised me with and early birthday song and very tasty Strawberry Cheese Cake!  They are such a wonderful group and I love them very much!

Friday around Noon in the Elementary School/High School Office

 with staff wishing me an early Happy Birthday!  There is one 4th 

grade student in front of Mr. Adams.  He was waiting for his Mom

               to pick him up after dismissal.  He sang along!

Mrs. Birmingham presenting me with the Strawberry Cheese Cake!!  I shared with everyone present! Soooo delicious!

There is my piece with some blueberries, too!     

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I almost forgot!  Last Sunday evening my dear friend and former SYME student, Jin Seok met me for dinner at Suji's (his choice).  He told me he was bringing a special friend along and I could not take any pictures of her yet. :-)  I was a good boy and only took pictures of the tasty food and one of Jin Seok (he will not like it). :-)  We had a great time and I was delighted to meet his special friend. Jin Seok also gave me and early birthday gift - a beautiful new necktie!  It is always so great to see Jin Seok and fellowship with him.  God is working in his life and I am so excited to see what will continue to take place in Jin Seok's life as he serves Him.

  My new necktie that Jin Seok gave me 

       for my birthday with a nice card!

This is the Mexican Brunch that Jin Seok's special friend enjoyed!

I enjoyed Suji's Reuben Sandwich!              

Jin Seok wanted the Suji's tasty cheeseburger!

  This is the only picture of people I took on this special evening!

                     Jin Seok won't be happy, I'm sure! :-)

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Once again, it gives me great pleasure to thank you for your continued encouragement, care, love, notes, emails, prayers, and support!  Please enjoy a great week!  I will enjoy a time of rest and refreshment + a little work on the Quarter Four After School Activities!

Love, Gregg