The Sun Returns Just in Time to Welcome New Teachers to YISS!!

After several weeks of rain almost every day, the sun came shining forth on Thursday and Friday to welcome our group of new teachers to YISS!  This is always a favorite time of year for me - to welcome those who are joining our YISS family to teach over 930 students from K-12!  What an opportunity we have to put 2 Timothy 2:2 in practice!  I am excited about our new group of teachers and look forward to working with them as we invest in the lives of the YISS children and their families!  Please pray as we seek to live out our theme for this year.  It is from Galatians 5:6b: "Faith Expressed Through Love."  The NIV puts it this way: "The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love!"

New Teacher Orientation began on Friday and will continue throughout this next week.  Pray especially for our new staff as they go to the hospital on Monday to get through a required series of checkups and blood work before they can officially receive their Visa and Alien Card.  They will go to Immigration on Wednesday after passing the medical tests.

Some of us served as tour guides for the new staff on Friday.  It was so much fun to greet the new teachers Friday morning!  Many were still struggling with jet lag - but they were all pumped and ready to see their neighborhoods!

Some of the new teachers gathering in the foyer of

the Capital Hotel to meet their tour guides!

Another pic of some of the new teachers gathering with some of the tour guides!

Another picture of some of our new teachers awaiting

their neighborhood tour guide!

Here I am with the couple I took all day Friday throughout the neighborhood.  To my life is Jeff Thomas, who will be teaching 9th Grade English.  To his left is his wife, Barbara, who will be one of our Grade 1 teachers in the Elementary School!  We had a great time!  They loved their new apartment and enjoyed learning a little more about their neighborhood and some Korean culture.

I took them to Insadong, a famous area 

in Seoul where there are MANY shops

as well as many places to learn about 

some of Korea's food and special items

to purchase.  We stopped to watch this

young man and his coworkers making

Korean Dragon Beard candy!  He was so

funny and I never get tired of seeing the

process of making this unique candy!

As I mentioned, the sun was out and the afternoon was very hot!  I have never seen a line like this at any Starbucks, but this is part of the line waiting for a cold Starbucks drink in Insadong!

I have been to Insadong numerous times but this was

the first I saw this shop.  I think it is brand new.  The

things hanging are hollow rice cakes (I think).  The staff

take a hollow rice cake tube and fill the complete tube

with soft ice cream!  I, of course, had to try one!

Here is the ice cream man filling my rice cake tube!

The finished product!  I loved it.  The ice cream man

wanted to have his picture taken with me.  As Jeff, Barb,

and I walked through Insadong, I received many smiling 

looks from those passing us!  It was a nice hot day and 

I think the ice cream man sold many rice cake tubes of

ice cream!

As we left Insadong, we saw a group of high school students with signs in Korean.  I had to stop and begin a conversation with them and ask what they were doing.  In addition to these three students, there were about 6 others with signs promoting a meeting to tell about children in Kenya who are without shoes.  Their high school is raising funds to purchase shoes for these Kenyan children.

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Some of you may have seen this past week that I received a new addition to my office at YISS. The Elementary Library has some new rugs, furniture, cool story telling platform areas, etc. so Ms. Creecy didn't need her World Rug any more.  It has found a home in my office.  I love it!

My new World Rug in my office!!  I love it!!

Here is another closer view of my new World Rug!

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When the sun returned this past week, the "Building Washers" came out early in the morning to begin washing the building which houses our refurbished auditorium!  As I walked up the YISS hill I had a delightful time watching these building washers doing their job!

The six "Building Washers" scaling the outside of the refurbished YISS auditorium on Thursday morning!

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Thank you for your prayers for the After School Activities program preparation for Quarter One. Things are progressing well and I am actually a little ahead of schedule.  That is a good thing since this next week will be very busy with new teacher orientation and meetings with Mr. Lazor and Birmingham as we prepare for all of the elementary staff orientation and complete all of the schedules (which have become more complicated with the increase in classrooms as well as children and teachers) necessary to begin school on August 12.  Please pray that all of our teachers will return to Seoul safely and be refreshed and ready for another wonderful year at YISS.

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On Saturday morning I went to one of my favorite places for French Toast Brunch - Tartine's! However, I kept noticing the one menu item called "Bender's German Pancake Brunch."  I asked about it once and they said it would take 20 minutes to prepare.  On Saturday I had a book with me so I decided to order the German Pancake Brunch.  I enjoyed reading and drinking my coffee while I waited.  Below is a picture of my delicious "Bender's German Pancake Brunch!"  Very yummy, but way too much.  I will make sure I take someone along the next time to share Korean style!

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Sunday morning at New Harvest Ministry the choir sang an arrangement entitled Be Still! It was just what I needed throughout the week as I practiced at home and then as we sang it Sunday morning.  In the busyness of my daily life, I need to BE STILL and know that He is God and in control!  I hope the words will encourage and challenge you today.

Be still my soul and know that God is with you.

Breathe peace from God that soothes and makes you whole.

Be still and know that nothing is beyond His hand.

He will provide, sustain your weary soul.

It is well with my soul! Be still when tears of loss  and loneliness ensnare you.

Know as a child of God you’re not alone when life brings storms of pain and deep despair.

God’s voice will calm rough waters, “Peace be still.”

It is well with my soul!  Be still! Be still! Be still! Be still and know that I am God!

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I would ask you to continue to pray for the sale of my home in Bensalem.  As of this weekend, I have heard nothing from the realtor.  I am trusting the Lord to bring a buyer along soon or show me some other plan.  Pray also for my wonderful friend, JiSang.  He did finally get approval from Liberty University for credit for his internship here in Korea.  JiSang would like to find an additional job, perhaps teaching English at one of the Korean English academies.  I know he will appreciate your prayers.  Thanks so much for all of your encouragement, notes, prayers, love, and support.  I trust that God will encourage and bless you this week as He has encouraged me through you!

Love, Gregg

Safe Return to Rainy Seoul!!

Yes, I have returned to Seoul and all of its rainy weather!  I arrived safely on Tuesday evening, July 16 and was greeted by my dear friend and "son," JiSang!  After a very bumpy and sleepless flight, it was so refreshing to be greeted by this young man's always calming and relaxing smile!  JiSang drove me back to my apartment and stayed to help me unwind and then we enjoyed a yummy chicken dinner delivered to the apartment! I think I am almost recovered from the delightful jet lag!

JiSang at Incheon Airport making payment at the parking garage after we loaded his car with my luggage!

In my apartment with JiSang enjoying some yummy dead chicken and great fellowship!

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Many of you know that I spent most of my time in the USA preparing my home in Bensalem to put on the market for sale.  I have discovered that I am not a long distance landlord; not even sure I would be a good short distance landlord. :-)  Thank you to so many who were praying and for the many who assisted me in the preparation of my home in SO MANY ways!!  I am so grateful to so many and especially thankful for my amazing siblings!  I was able to enjoy our annual Garman Family Reunion on July 6!  I thank the Lord every day for the beautiful family to which I belong!  When you think of it, would you please pray for the quick sale of my home in Bensalem OR whatever the Lord has in mind for this home? Thanks so much!

My amazing siblings with me at the Garman Family Reunion!  Gae and Julee in the front with my brother, Jared with me in the back!  I love them so much!

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Right before I left for Seoul, I was able to visit with some friends I had not seen in a long time + enjoy one last visit to Bruster's for some of my favorite ice cream - Chocolate Lovers' Trash!!  Oh soooo good!

At Bruster's the day before heading to DC to get my

Korean Air flight to Seoul - enjoying some awesome

Chocolate Lovers' Trash!!!

Here I am with Dale Lehman after a dinner at Red Robin!  Dale was one of 39 sixth grade students I had in 1971-72 at Portico Elementary School - my first year of teaching!  he and his wife have had the privilege of hosting 7 foreign exchange students during the last 7 years!  What a joy it was to meet with him!

Dale rides a motor cycle and I couldn't resist at least

sitting upon this machine!  What do you think?  Maybe

I should get one for travel in Seoul?  I THINK NOT!! :-)

Another friend and student from that same 6th grade classroom at Portico Elementary School came to the Open House my sister, Julee, had on June 30.  Above on the far right is Leon Meyers with his wife Deana and 3 of their numerous grandchildren!  

While waiting at my sister's office in Reston, VA 

for my trip to Dulles Airport, I had a delightful surprise

visit from my Vietnamese friend, Paul Vinh.  I met 

Paul about 30 years ago when he had just arrived 

from escaping from South Vietnam.  What a story

he has about his entire family leaving South Vietnam

 and making it safely to Chambersburg, PA!  Yes, I 

was eating again at Panera Bread with Paul!

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This past week I was able to get into YISS and get back into the groove! :-)  My friend and Elementary Principal, Dan Lazor, took me on a quick tour of the new education wing!  I have some pictures of the rooms as of July 17.  I will get some more once teachers have returned and set up their classrooms.  Still a lot of work to be accomplished before that first day for students on August 12th!  I know teachers would value your prayers as they prepare their rooms.  Pray for our new teachers as they begin arriving on July 25 with orientation for them to begin the next day!  I have the privilege of being one of the community tour guides for a new couple, Jeff and Barbara Thomas.  Jeff will be teaching High School English and Barb will be teaching one of our first grade sections.  This year we will have 3 sections of Kindergarten, 4 sections for grades 1 through 4, and 3 sections of grade 5!  Should be exciting!  Below are some picture of one of the new wings at YISS!  The rooms had almost everything in them, BUT now teachers need to rearrange and make ready for students! More pictures after rearrangements! :-)

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This year we had some (about 12) large posters made with pictures of our elementary children demonstrating our three Core Values: Truth, Excellence, and Diversity.  These will be posted throughout the hallways.  We have also revised our Discipline policy and it is now called "The Guardian Way" or Guardian Honor Code.  I am excited about this as elementary teachers and administrators have been working over the last several years to make this Guardian Way something that our students will see is something that is a daily living out of biblical principles in the way we interact with others.  Thanks for praying for this!

One of the posters showing Truth!

This poster is one showing Excellence!

A poster representing our value of Diversity!

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Our veteran teachers to YISS will return beginning at the end of July.  Please pray that they will have safe returns and be able to have everything ready for August 12.  I would value your prayers as I work through all of the logistics of the After School Activities for this year.  Lots to do yet! The YISS soccer field is being reconstructed.  This project began on May 19 and was scheduled to be completed in 3 months - if there was no rain during the rainy season in South Korea.  Well, it has been raining for several weeks in Seoul and it appears that the soccer field may not be ready for our Elementary After School Activities that begins on September 3.  So we have a few complications to work out so that we can conduct our soccer program for elementary students. Thanks for praying.

I just got back from choir and church at New Harvest Ministry.  It was great to be back with all of my choir friends and be part of this wonderful church!  Our regular pastor, Doug Park is leading a missions trip to Thailand so we had the founder of the English speaking ministry of Sarang Community Church share this morning.  He just had to speak on "Change!"  He gave an excellent word from the Word reminding us that our God never changes even though we are involved with change in our lives each day.

Thanks very much for your prayers, your love, your encouragement, and your support.  I trust you will enjoy a great summer.  More next week!

Love, Gregg

A Very Busy Final Week of the YISS 2012-13 School Year!

I am writing this in the Hong Kong Airport on Sunday night (Korean time).  I just finished a good GAFE - Hong Kong Summit!  GAFE is Google Apps For Educators!  Two days were filled with many workshops on the numerous Google programs that are continually being designed especially for those in the field of education.  Many of the presenters went way too fast for this non-techy old man, but I was able to gain some more knowledge and useful techniques that I hope I will be able to apply with our teachers at YISS.

Here I am in front of one of Hong Kong's famous

double decker tram/trolley announcing the Google

Hong Kong Summit!  (Actually it is a backdrop!)

Some of the audience at the first keynote address at the 

GAFE - Hong Kong Summit!

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It was nice to be in Hong Kong.  I traveled to Hong Kong and mainland China back in September of 1983 with a group from Wheaton College who had joined President and Mrs. Hudson Armerding on a 3 week journey that was amazing!  The changes in Hong Kong in those 30 years have been simply fantastic!  However, I still do not like traveling by taxi up, down and around the hills and curves of Hong Kong.  I usually do not feel sick riding in a car unless I read a book, but I was getting very close to it on four taxi trips I had from the hotel to the Hong Kong International School and back for two days.

The trip did not allow for me to really enjoy the city but I was able to get some rest at night in the very nice room - actually upgraded to a suite at no extra charge - at L'Hotel at Causeway Bay.  I was on the 31st floor and had a really nice view of the harbor.  I did find a nice coffee shop near the hotel and made a new friend in Hong Kong.

An afternoon view from my suite on the 31st floor!

One of the many double decker buses + trolleys that seem to always be operating through the streets of Hong Kong!

A night view from the 31st floor suite I was privileged to enjoy!

My Caramel Latte and Oreo Cheese Cake at Pacific Coffee Company near the L'Hotel!

At Pacific Coffee Company there is a quote

on the chalkboard each day.  This was the quote

for Friday!

Before I left for the Google conference in Hong Kong, the week at YISS was an extremely busy and exhausting one - but exciting!  Teachers had to complete their Quarter Four Comments and final grades; then along with Dan Lazor and Bev Birmingham, I needed to review these and check to see that everything was in order.  It was a bit more hectic this time since our new elementary secretary had never gone through the end of the year routine before at YISS.  Mr. Lazor thought our former secretary had given her sufficient preparation but it turned out she was not prepared.  We all pitched in and everything was accomplished.

In addition, we were finishing the last two days of our three-day VBS activities.  I was involved each day with doing a skit with the other administrators and then teaching in the NICS VBS as well as helping the last day with the OASIS VBS.  Tuesday morning was also our Elementary Awards Assemblies.  Tuesday evening was Kindergarten graduation, which was a big hit, as usual, with the parents!  The kids were so cute!

Above is our Elementary Chaplain with me sharing

the recognition plaque that the Mountain Child 

organization presented to all of the elementary children

for their gift to provide water in the mountains of Nepal

during our Walk-A-Sock-A-Thon.

A dear first grader, Dylan, receiving the Guardian Award for Grade 1A.  The Guardian is the highest award an elementary student can receive!

Above are all three of the first grade Guardian Award

recipients with their teachers.

Above are the 4th and 5th grade Guardian winners and their teachers!

Kindergarten graduation!  They are a riot and so cute!

Here is my buddy Fabian with his brother Hugo - a third grader!

A special kindergarten cherub, Junwa, with several 

flower bouquets at graduation!

Above is a 5A student, Nina.  We learned that she and her family will be moving and probably will not return to YISS.  She is a special young lady and I would appreciate your prayers for her.  Nina doesn't want to leave and we don't want her to leave!

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Wednesday was the final day - actually a half day - for students.  Lots of goodbyes to students and then our elementary end-of-year luncheon.  We said goodbye to only two elementary teachers this year.  Mrs. Fitzwater has been at YISS for 6 years (I think) and she will be going with her husband (a New Zealander) back to New Zealand to serve there.  Mrs. Zhang, one of our Mandarin teachers, needed to leave as well since she wanted full time and we could only give her part time.  During the luncheon, the other assistant principal, Mrs. Birmingham, presented a placard she had prepared for each teacher and administrator in the elementary school.  They were very cool!  She had placed words or phrases that she felt described each of us.  Now I have to try and live up to mine, and that can only be done through God working in me.

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After two meetings with parents and teacher on Wednesday afternoon, I changed clothes quickly and headed to Jamsil Stadium via subway to join Jae Hong, Josh Cha, and Joonsoo for a baseball game between the Doosan Bears and the LG Twins.  Joonsoo wasn't able to make it for the game but joined us after the game.  Jae Hong is an LG Twins' fan and Joshy and I are Bears' fans.  It was a great game - although LG won 5-3 to the delight of Jae Hong.  It was so good to see all of these young men once again.  Jae Hong is doing much better and I know he would continue to value your prayers as he seeks to score high enough on the TOEIC exam in order to go to Hungary to study to be a medical doctor.  Please pray for Joshy and Joonsoo as well as they seek God's next step for them.

Jae Hong, GGG, and Joshy Cha at Jamsil where the

LG Twins (to the delight of Jae Hong) defeated the

Doosan Bears!  Great game and a great time with these

special young men!

After the game Joonsoo arrived and spent some time with

Jae Hong  and me.  It was so wonderful to see Joonsoo again!

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I am going to stop for this week.  I am not sure when my next post will be.  I leave for the US on Friday, June 14 and get into Washington, DC about an hour after I leave Korea.  I love saying that! :-) Your continued prayers are greatly appreciated!  Thanks so much for being so faithful with your emails, encouraging notes, prayers, love, and support this past year.  Hope to see some of you on June 30 at 469 Pennsylvania Avenue in Chambersburg, PA!

Love, Gregg

Only 2.5 More Days for the Cherubs!

Happy June!  It does not seem possible that there are only 2.5 more days remaining in this school year for our delightful cherubs at YISS!  It was such a busy year!  I think each year can't get any quicker, but each year just seems to fly by!  Throughout my experiences over the years in schools, I have noticed that as the last day of school approaches, there seems to be more students making wrong choices.  (My personal idea about the closing of a school year is to never announce the last day of school.  You just some to school and at the end of the selected day - known only by administration - an announcement is made to students, "There is no school until next year.  Have a great summer!" I have strong doubts that it would ever work, but I still would love to do it sometime.)  Please be in prayer for several situations in the high school and elementary school that are not fun to deal with.

Teachers are very busy completing end-of-year projects and compiling final grades and completing comments for each student.  I really appreciate each of our elementary teachers who are so diligent in communicating with parents!  I love each of them very much and am praying that they will enjoy a very relaxing and refreshing break - which they so greatly deserve!!

I thought you might like to look at the Final YISS Newsletter for 2012-13.  Here is the link to our Spring Newsletter.  Enjoy!

http://www.yisseoul.org/uploaded/News/Spring_2013_Newsletter.pd

On Friday the elementary school began its annual VBS for our students.  The VBS stands for Values Based School for OASIS students and Vacation Bible School for the regular NICS students.  Carol Franck, our Elementary Chaplain, does an amazing job of putting together a very complicated schedule so that it is easy to follow by each of our teachers.  So on Friday as well as Monday and Tuesday (June 3 and 4) from 12:35 - 2:55 students in K-5 will be immersed in singing, skits, puppet shows, arts & crafts, games, photography, and much more.  This year's theme is God's Creation - looking especially at how we need to be good stewards of His amazing creation.  Mrs. Franck calls it Pandamania.  In the skit each day, Mr. Lazor and Mrs. Birmingham are the two panda bears and I am Panda Commanda - in charge of taking care of the pandas.  We had a great first day on Friday!  I wish you all could hear the 400 + kids singing!

Part of the set prepared by Mrs. Franck for VBS.

 Above on the left is Mrs. Franck on stage

preparing for VBS in the YISS auditorium.

Another picture of the stage set for VBS.  Mrs. Franck and her son (visiting from Canada) spent hours preparing the set and then setting it up for Friday.  Then they had to take it all down to prepare for High School graduation and then they will need to put it back up for Monday's VBS.

Part of the 400+ students and teachers singing at VBS

 on Friday!  I wish you could have heard them!

This is the Grade 5 Praise Team leading a praise song for VBS!  They did a great job!

Some of the Grade 5 Praise Team at VBS!

This is a sample of the cute pandas the cherubs made at VBS!

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High School graduation was Saturday at 3:00!  It was held in our refurbished auditorium!  Tuesday evening will be Kindergarten graduation in the auditorium!  Wednesday is the last day - a half day - for students.  Then at 12:15 we will have our elementary staff end-of-year luncheon.  We will say "Hasta la Vista" to only two elementary staff this year - Mrs. Fitzwater (grade 4B) and Mrs. Zhang (one of our Mandarin teachers).  However, we will be adding quite a few staff because of the additional rooms for elementary sections.  I will give you more on that in a future post.

My dear friend and "son," JiSang, arrived safely in Korea on Thursday! He arrived with a very bad cold so he is trying to get some rest.  I know JiSang would value your prayers as he readjusts to Korea after studying in the USA. He will be finishing his course work in the Fall Semester through online courses while living in Korea.  Pray for many decisions he needs to make during this time back in Korea.  He was able to join me at church on Sunday!   After church we went to Tartine's in Itaewon!  JiSang was in the mood for French Toast!

JiSang preparing to enjoy his yummy

French Toast, Sunny Side Up Eggs and

Bacon with some Iced Dutch Coffee!

Here we are at Tartine's getting ready to eat our French

Toast Brunch!  It was so good!  It was so wonderful to

be able to see my dear friend and "son" once again.  Thanks

for praying for JiSang!

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On my Saturday walk, I went past one of Itaewon's most delicious bread bakery.  It is called Maybell Bakery.  Koreans are not known for baking at home so when they find a place that bakes yummy breads, they will wait in line for it - along with all of the foreigners!  Maybell is located very close to YISS and if I want to get any of the bread, I have to leave school at lunch during the week or wait until Saturday.  Maybell Bakery almost always puts a "CLOSED - SOLD OUT" sign on their door by 2:30 or 3:00 each day.  It opens at 11:00 AM and following is the picture of the line at 11:20 AM on Saturday, June 1!

Above is a close up shot of the entrance

to this tiny bakery which bakes very

yummy breads.  

Here is the line waiting to get in to purchase some

of this wonderful bread!  I am always amazed at the

long line waiting for famous Maybell Bakery's breads!

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Please enjoy a great week!  Thanks for your love, prayers, encouragement, and support.

Love, Gregg