This past week, one of our Kindergarten teachers at YISS, Ms. Han, posted on her facebook page that she had "the wonkiest days ever." :-) I teased her about that and asked what she meant by "wonkiest." She said, "You remember the video you shared with elementary teachers a long time back of a little boy who was trying to get all of the animals together in one place? Well, that's the kind of day it was in KB!" :-) Well, I guess you could say that I have had two of the wonkiest weeks during the last two weeks! :-)
It has been very interesting (always a safe word) to say the least! April 11 and 12 we began the Quarter Four After School Activities program and all was successful. Yes, a few glitches here and there, but overall, it was a great beginning to a very busy quarter of activities. On the evening of the 12th, I headed down to the International Christian School of Pyeongtaek (ICS-P) to stay overnight with my friends, Tony and Sue Kuhn, and get up bright and early on April 13 to head to ICS-P to meet the Accreditation Team who had come to ICS-P to see if they were going to recommend continued accreditation for ICS-P. It was a great two days of visiting with the team, the current Director and his administrative team, teachers, and students. On April 14, the Accreditation Team met with the entire faculty and staff at ICS-P to commend them for the excellent job they had done on the Self-Study. They then gave some major commendations and a few major recommendations that the school could continue working on during the next six years. ICS-P and its staff had done a very successful job of preparing for the visit and making great improvements since the last accreditation visit. Later the staff went out with the visiting Team to a delightful Korean restaurant to enjoy a delightful Korean feast of celebration.
During the Accreditation Team's visit, ICS-P had invited a Korean-
American author-illustrator, Ms. Choi, to come for an author visit.
She did a good job! ICS-P also had a Book Fair in their brand new
gymnasium during the Team's visit!
ICS-P's Celebration Feast with the Accreditation Team and many of the faculty and staff from ICS-P!
This was part of the most delicious food we enjoyed at this Korean
restaurant in Songtan! Sooooo good!
Here I am at the Celebration with my friends, Tony and Sue Kuhn and Jon Richards. I enjoyed a great time of fellowship, yummy food, and laughter with these delightful friends!
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Right before I left YISS on Tuesday to head to Pyeongtaek, I had one other success!! I had been hearing all sorts of stories about others' experiences at obtaining a Korean Driver's License. Coming from a long line of worriers, I was becoming stressed and discouraged. I did not want to have to take a written exam or an actual driver's test. I began praying and asking others to pray that I would stop the stressing. I was told that I should talk to Lee Parsons, the YISS High School Assistant Principal because he has been able to assist many in getting their Korean Driver's License with ease and free from pain and worry! Within one week of talking with Lee, I was able to get an Apostille for my Pennsylvania Driver's License. I went with Lee (on his motor scooter) through the busy streets of Seoul to the Global Center. Two American men in suits on a motor scooter driving through the streets of Seoul AND on the sidewalks is not an every day happening in Seoul. So there were MANY who stopped to stare at these two big white men in suits on the scooter! :-)
I had all my pictures, my Korean Alien Card, my Passport, and my cash all prepared. We arrived and went to the first office with all of my paperwork. I signed a few papers. Then the lady told me to go for my physical exam in the next building. I went in and the two nurses gave me an eye exam, which was a piece of cake. Then they sent me to the doctor for my "physical." I was expecting a physical exam like I have with my doctor back in Chambersburg. Lee told me that he would be very surprised if it took longer than 5 minutes. I went to the doctor and he asked me to have a seat. Then he asked, "How long have you been driving?" I said, "Since I was16 years old." He held up his hands and wiggled them. He asked me to do the same. He said, "Good." Then he took his stethoscope and put it against my heart and lungs for 15 seconds at the most. He then wrote on the paper, "No Problems." And in the next blank, he wrote, "Pass." I believe it took 4 minutes! :-) We went back to the other office after paying 8,000 Won (about $6.00) for the physical, and the lady finished the paperwork, stamped everything, collected 7,000 Won from me, and presented me with my beautiful Korean Driver's License!!! Thank you, Lord, and your servant, Lee!
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I had to leave Pyeongtaek right after our celebration Korean dinner on April 14 to head back to my apartment to back for the YISS trip to Jeju Island on Friday and Saturday. We needed to be at YISS at 5:30 AM on Friday morning for the bus to the Gimpo Airport. This began the beautiful journey of 25 faculty and staff from YISS to Jeju Island. It is a beautiful island off the southern coast of South Korea. This trip was one of the study trips that the Korean Foreign School Foundation gives to teachers at YISS. Usually, they take the first 25 who sign up. We visited some very delightful places on Jeju, including the Spirited Garden, O'sullock Green Tea Museum, Mt. Songak, Hanwha Aqua Planet (an aquarium), and the Haenyeo Museum. Friday evening we stayed at one of the Korean Airlines Hotels on Jeju. We were to visit several other places and enjoy a boat tour to Gapa Island, but the rain and very strong winds began on Saturday and we had to cancel those and the tour guide made other arrangements. In fact, we were informed that our flight back to Gimpo was canceled because of the very bad weather. So we had another evening at another Korean Air hotel very close the airport. Sunday was relaxing and we did some walking. The sun came out and the winds had ceased. We were told we were booked on a flight leaving at 6:45 PM and e needed to be ready to leave for the Jeju Airport at 4:00. The traffic on the streets in Jeju City was like a massive rush hour. We got to the airport only to discover wall-to-wall people; some standing, some sitting on cardboard on the floor, some in airport chairs, some in restaurants, etc. It was a delightful bit of chaos. I got a couple pictures, but they really don't show you what we could see and feel at the airport. All of the rescheduled flights were late. At our gate, the public address system was terrible. The airport employees walked among the crowd with these portable speakers or using their own voices informing people of their flights. Many thought they were going to be stranded once again in Jeju. All of us knew we needed to be back for school on Monday morning! Our flight finally left at 10:35 PM and I arrived back at my apartment in Seoul at 2:01 AM. Those on the trip were given permission to come in late to school on Monday morning.
Here is the group from YISS in the very beautiful Spirited Garden, our first stop! What a great time!
This is the YISS group at the Aqua Planet, the site of one of Asia's largest aquariums. It was really quite nice. I have added only a couple pictures. You really have to experience this in person.
At the Aqua Planet, this very familiar Jeju Island
man (usually in stone) was dressed in an orange color
as he promoted Jeju Oranges and Jeju Orange chocolate!
This is one of the sculptures at the Haenyeo Museum in Gujhwa on Jeju Island. Very fascinating to learn of these Haenyeo (women divers) who only exist in Jeju Island and Japan. The term refers to very sturdy and hearty women who gather seaweed, abalone, or other shellfish from the sea. They do not use diving equipment and no oxygen devices and can spend up to three minutes diving at a time for these sea creatures in order to make a living.
Above is our KAL Hotel where we stayed on Friday night!
You can see these monuments throughout Jeju. You can read about the tradition of "Mool Ho Bok" in the next image.
Explanation of the "Mool Ho Bok" in Jeju.
This is a picture I took of our KAL Hotel in Jeju City near the airport. It's where we stayed on Saturday evening. I sort of like this photo. Across the street from the KAL Hotel was a building where the main headquarters was on Jeju Island for Korean Airlines. The image in the glass building shows a reflection of our hotel.
The mass of humanity at the Jeju Airport on Sunday evening! This picture and the following ones can't even begin to show you the wall-to-wall people and the pushing and shoving by this sea of humanity on Sunday! It was crazy!!
This picture was taken near our Boarding Gate on the bottom floor. The one above this one was taken on the first floor at the various airlines' agent counters.
Closer to our departure gate! You can see the man in the middle
holding up a speaker while he walked through the masses making
gate announcements.
This is a group from YISS playing a card game on the floor and a
Korean family having fun together while waiting to hear when the
flights would be leaving. Such fun! NOT! :-)
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I was starting to feel one of my bouts with my bronchitis, or sinusitis (as Dr. Kim calls it), and when I arrived at school I was not feeling so wonderful. I came to school on Tuesday and had lost my voice and was feeling nasty. I made it through the day and then headed to Dr. Kim's office. He did some tests and confirmed that I had acute sinusitis and ordered some medicine for me. I stayed home from school on Wednesday and returned on Thursday feeling much better. Thanks for praying for me. I hate being sick, especially when I can use my voice. I am sure many others at school were delighted that I was quiet for a change. :-)
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When I returned to YISS on Thursday, the Spring Book Fair was in full swing. These are always happy times for me. I love reading and our kids at YISS love to read. It is always fun to watch children select books at the Book Fair and often see parents helping students select books. (Please remind me to quit buying books!) :-) Below are a few pictures from this year's Book Fair. Love observing elementary and middle school YISS kids selecting books!
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Part of my stress has been over renewing my Visa to work in Korea. I was being told several different things that I would need to do and most of these involved being here in Korea or having to start the entire Visa Application processHelen at ICS-P, Young Nim and Sean at YISS for their patience and counsel. Things are in process. It is a complicated process that I won't confuse you with, but please continue to pray that everything will work out according to His plan. I just need one more document, my contract for 2016-16, and then we can proceed.
One other good thing is that ICS-P will be sending movers to my apartment probably on June 4 to pack and move my belongings to ICS-P. My dear friend, Ji Sang, will be coming some Saturday before then to help me move my belongings from my YISS office to my apartment so that the movers only have to pick up things at my apartment.
Saturday was a relaxing day for me. I went out for breakfast at the Original Pancake House and enjoyed some time along with some yummy food. I saw a number of YISS staff there and had a delightful time talking with the owners and the one manager who loves cats. His name is Jin and we have connected because of his cats. He always likes to show me pictures of his many cats. He is starting to ask more questions about what I do and believe. I would appreciate your prayers as I keep building my relationship with Jin.
After breakfast, I went to do some shopping in Itaewon. As I was walking, I noticed for the very first time a sign above a small store. I have no idea why I had not seen it before. Here is a picture of the sign on the store. It appeared that they were doing some remodeling or something; not sure exactly what. So I am not sure what kind of store it is, but I love the name. It reminds me of my father and all that he taught me. I had a special time of reflecting on my Daddy's input into my life this morning. Oh, you see, the first grandchild of my parents started the name that we all have used for my Daddy every since that first grandchild. He was called "Popeye" by the grandkids!
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Love, Gregg
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