Sangmyong

Asian styles

2008-06-25T08:03:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth, Susanna, and I all decided to spend a day shopping at a Korean clothing market in downtown Seoul because we all wanted one contemporary "Asian" outift to bring back to the U.S. Here are some pictures we took the day before I left. Back in the U.S. now, I am really missing the friendship of both the Sumrall and Willing family. God was gracious to give us such a good team to work with over in Korea.

(Many thanks to Gabe for his patience in taking these pictures!)

Better late than never...

2008-06-25T07:07:00.000-07:00

...well, sometimes, I'm not sure if that is really true. But, I did want to give some sense of completion to this blog. So first, pictures of my last co-op that I taught with the help of the younger kids since Dad and Mom were in the hospital.

Teaching character
This picture is classic...We were supposed to be having a race to see who could find a certain verse in the Bible first. The rule is that everyone has to hold up their CLOSED Bible while they repeat the reference. Here, Gabe caught a high school student redhanded with a finger already in the right place!
Learning about the beginning of Egypt
Project time
We used brown sugar cubes to construct pyramids

We even got the high school students to do make one!

Sharing during high school co-op

The day before I left, we went with several of our friends to see the movie Prince Caspian (with Korean subtitles). I don't think some of the humor translated because there would be times that Gabe, Susanna, and I would be the only people laughing. After the movie, we walked around for a little while (which is when I ended up with wooden shards in my foot which resulted in a trip to the ER to cut them out and sew my foot up).

Saying good-bye

Stitches, here I come!

Julie and I had fun playing in the suitcases before I packed

American BBQ in Korea

2008-05-23T07:37:00.000-07:00

Life has been crazy the past two weeks with Dad having knee surgery, me running co-ops with the kids, and then me returning to the States. It's strange being back again, but I will be leaving again for D.C. in just a couple days so I'm not spending much time at home.

I had great plans to update the blog with all kinds of pictures the night before I left Korea. BUT, after running around outside barefoot, I ended up taking a late trip to the ER for stitches instead. I always said the last think I wanted to do in Korea was go to their emergency rooms, but God decided to surprise me the very last night! Korean emergency rooms are a lot more open, less private, less strict, less sanitary, etc. than their American counterparts so it was an interesting experience to say the least.

So anyway, I am now posting the pictures we have from the last two weeks I was in Korea. They were very full weeks especially because of Mom returning to the U.S. for a few days and then Dad having surgery. (Dad's knee is doing well - they were not able to reach the problem arthroscopically so they ended up having to do invasive surgery. We were disappointed and a little nervous about recovery, but God has taken care of his leg. Thank you for your prayers; God definitely answered them!)

The last Sunday I was there, all three American families decided to have a BBQ outside. We bought hot dogs and marshmallows at Costco, and Dad set up his little grill and built a fire in his garden area. We sat around the fire, made s'mores, and sang songs for a long time. Thankfully, Korea is still cold enough to be able to enjoy a fire at night. (Back here in Orlando is a totally different story!

Stephen attempts to roast a football

All the kids in the American families (plus a few Korean friends)

The chefs :)

My sisters have loved having Soyoung, who is a home schooler, living in the same apartment building together. They play with each other almost every day.

I will continue to post more pictures (in small increments) over the next several days. I will also try to have Gabe post some current pictures of the family as they wrap up co-ops.

Korean Folk Village

2008-05-09T21:40:00.001-07:00

Before the family goes home, Mom wanted to see a famous traditional Korean village near our home. So, all of the family (except myself - I had a history class to teach) spent Wednesday afternoon, my mom's birthday, at the village.
Break dancing - traditional Korean style
How do people learn these things?
These birds are some of the only wildlife you'll ever see in Korea (at least, where we live). Although, there are some pretty exciting creatures in the nearest grocery store...

Angie and Julie enjoyed trotting on the horses
This cannot possibly be comfortable...
Every village has to have its kimchi!
Someone forgot to run their English by a native speaker. The English is actually a direct translation from the Korean which helps explain one of the reasons Korean is so hard for us - it doesn't make sense!
The ribbons are tied to their hats. I wonder how they did this without becoming dizzy?
Try this trick with a sibling...all you need is a see-saw and a partner who can jump on the other end for you!

Back at home for cake

Mom

2008-05-09T04:18:00.000-07:00

According to tradition, I need to publish a post dedicated specifically to my mom since she had her birthday on Wednesday. However, I am a little intimidated by the task since I really have no idea where to start. What can I say that would ever say enough?

If it were not enough to have 9 children, my mom has also home schooled every one of us. If that were not enough, my mom has been willing to uproot her home in Florida and relocate to the other side of the world to add serving in a ministry to her already overwhelming home responsibilities. My mom has dedicated her life to raising godly children and being a "keeper at home" (Titus 2:5).

We love you, Mom, and we are so grateful for you. For all the work for the Kingdom of Heaven's sake that you have done and will continue to do, I know you "will receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." (I Peter 5:4) That is the best thanks I can give you!

"Her children rise up and call her blessed." Proverbs 31:28

Still holding hands after 28 years of marriage!

"A virtuous woman is a CROWN to her husband." -Proverbs 12:4

The Coke Side of Life

2008-05-09T04:02:00.000-07:00

Here is the second logic video we made. We were studying the propaganda technique called transfer, which basically means you associate feelings about one thing to another unassociated thing. For example, in this video, "Coca-Cola" tries to get the viewers to associate their drink with popularity and success. We filmed it in the back of our apartment complex, and I know there were quite a few Koreans staring down at these Americans strutting around. (There is music with this which makes it much better so make sure you have your volume on.)

Happy Birthday, Gabe!

2008-05-06T19:55:00.000-07:00

This is what Gabe considers to be a "self-portrait." I can barely see his face, but since he's the photographer, I guess I have to leave it up to him.

Gabriel turned 17 yesterday so we all went to the park to play football with some of the high schoolers in celebration. Gabe has made lots of friends here; all the kids like his personality and sense of humor. He has been a great help with the technological aspect of things, as well as a good teacher in the different co-op classes.

I think football tired them out...

Does anyone else see a resemblance to Dopy?

Gabe will be a senior next month and is considering a future in journalism/photography. He has done well with photography, and I am grateful for all the pictures he has supplied me with for the blog. He has grown patient with my incessant demands for "people" pictures.

Stephen surprised Gabe in the morning by hanging a sign outside our window from the 17th floor. The string was loaded with Snickers bars.

Life wouldn't be the same without Gabriel. He adds a lot to our family and helps to balance out the 5 girls over here. Not to mention, he keeps me from having to sort all the trash out... Gabe is a strong leader with a desire to change our culture for the Kingdom of Heaven's sake. By example, Gabe is teaching his friends to "Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart." (II Timothy 2:22) Our society is in dire need of more leaders - we pray Gabriel will be a means of influencing many people.

Well-done, Jared!

2008-05-02T20:15:00.000-07:00

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you..." -Isaiah 43:1-2

This post is in honor of Jared, who has "passed through the waters" of the University of Central Florida, and graduated yesterday summa cum laude (with highest honors). He now has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. Jared is not the type to boast in what he's done so I will do it for him. Though not a fan of school, Jared is one of the most diligent students I know, and the fact he could graduate the top of his class in ENGINEERING is amazing. (If I had majored in engineering, it would have been amazing if I had graduated at all! :) ) Jared will be studying this coming year for his Master's - under a full scholarship from UCF!

Our family was disappointed we could not be home to cheer for him (and see all the tassels hanging around his neck), but God graciously provided an extremely cheap plane ticket for my mom to go home for his graduation. We kept it a surprise, and Jared was completely speechless when Mom walked in the door.

The rest of us set the alarm for 3:15 a.m. Saturday morning to watch UCF's broadcast of the ceremony. Because the file was so big, the video was constantly pausing, and we missed most of the ceremony, but we were able to hear Jared's name called, and then the computer froze with the picture of Jared walking across the stage. Thank the Lord for his timing!

Waiting (and sleeping)

Jared walked across the UCF stage at approximately 4:15 a.m. overhere - can you tell we'd just gotten out of bed? :)

Jared, we are all so excited and proud of you. We miss you and wish we could have been home. We are praying for you, that you would be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus as you persevere in your studies.

"Thus says the LORD: 'Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him that glories glory in this, that he UNDERSTANDS and KNOWS Me, that I am the LORD, exercising loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,' says the LORD." -Jeremiah 9:23-24

에버랜드

2008-04-24T17:14:00.000-07:00

Everland

Gabe, Susanna, and I spent all day Monday at Korea's Everland theme park with Elizabeth, Stephen, and three of the home schooling high school students. After one of the roller coasters, Min-Jae joked, "I was scared so I tried to grab Gabe's hand. But, I looked down and couldn't find it! Then, I looked over at him and realized both of his hands were waving around up in the air!" Wild Americans, right?

My favorite picture of the day...I'm not sure what Gabe's doing, but it looks like he's trying to massage my head. I think we all make pretty good monkeys!

Waiting in line
We like segregating boys and girls
Everland's newest roller coaster (wooden)
Butterfly garden
I guess Stephen was disappointed they didn't have pony rides, but he soon realized that riding sheep doesn't work out too well.

Min-jae enjoyed feeding his map to the goats

The scenery while waiting in line

At least Gabe seemed to enjoy his job...

The parade was rather entertaining. I think it was alien themed - I wonder who created these wild costumes!

FMI Retreat

2008-04-21T22:14:00.000-07:00

Friday and Saturday, the FMI team here in Korea (Pents, Willings, Sumralls, and Voellers) took a 2 day trip to the west coast of Korea. I enjoyed being with all the families, and I was especially thrilled to get sunburned while walking around on the beach. We stayed at a picturesque pension house and packed a lot into 2 days including football, soccer, grilling, a treasure hunt, team meetings, worship time, painting nails (well, the girls), climbing on rocks, shell collecting, etc.

Our lodgings

Football in the front yard - I'm sure the Koreans enjoyed watching :)

Don't worry - if you ever get hungry walking on the beach, you can always stop for a snack of boiled silk worm larvae, conch shells, sea cucumbers (which are creatures, not vegetables), octopus, sea slugs, etc.

Some Korean ladies working...there were quite a few women out on the rocks harvesting clams. There were also women diving out in the ocean.

Caveman Gabe comes back from hunting - empty handed

Not sure what Stephen was doing...
Notice the misty islands in the background

Nice skills

Dad and Mom enjoy the view
Pents and Voellers

The gardeners head for home...

The botanical gardens we visited were full of blooms
An ancient Korean chimney

The whole team
This lady really enjoyed posing for her picture :)

Julie

Exigency

2008-04-17T04:49:00.000-07:00

Want a sample of logic class with the middle and high school students every week? I prepare and teach this class, and have recently begun using Gabe and Susanna to do weekly skits. (You know students - keeping their attention for more than five minutes involves flashing lights and blaring noises.) Anyway, Gabe decided to be "professional" this week and video record the skit ahead of time. We were studying the fallacy of exigency which basically means the only reason you are told to something is because you are running out of time. ("For a limited time only" advertisments fall under this category.) The best part of this skit is definitely the deleted scenes.

아름다운 봄과 꽃들

2008-04-12T04:44:00.000-07:00

(Beautiful Spring and Flowers)

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. -II Corinthians 6:8

Spring is blooming here in Korea. Cherry blossoms line the road, and the azaleas are slowly beginning to appear on the mountains. Seeing spring after a long winter is a welcome sight and something that our family has never experienced.

Yesterday, our family, the Sumralls, and all of the Global homeschooling staff were invited to lunch by some ladies (members of Global Mission) who wanted to do something special for the homeschooling leaders. After a walk in a park, we went to eat at a traditional Korean restaurant - the nicest restaurant I have been to in Korea. The beef was brought to us raw so we could cook it over hot charcoal grills in the middle of our tables. As per usual, there were about 20 different side dishes, most of which are very good but very different from anything you find in America.

We spent the afternoon with a couple other homeschooling families, riding bikes in the park. It was nice for the girls to ride a bike again; we've never done it in Korea before. The whole day was an enjoyable break from co-op preparation (and now I'm catching up).

With spring has come a site I've never seen before - at the park, on the side of the highway, in the middle of Suji, anywhere where the "weeds" are growing, people are out harvesting greens. I was quite surprised the first time I saw a tiny, old lady on a steep hill next to the road, pulling weeds for supper!

Of course, being a traditional Korean restaurant, we sat on the floor. The strange silver pipe in the middle of the table sucks up the smoke from the charcoal pit.
Someone had the genius idea that we should also cook our salmon sushi! The Koreans were probably laughing at such a waste of good sushi; we saw it as a way to make the expensive fish edible. Actually, we enjoyed grilling whatever we could get our hands on :)

Some of the kids

It's been a LONG time since I've seen Mom on a bike :)

Cute basket, Susie!

Korean Cooking Lessons

2008-04-07T20:49:00.000-07:00

After basketball on Monday, Gabe, Elizabeth, Stephen, and I were invited over to Byong-kyu's house to learn how to make kimbap. Kimbap is traditional Korean, and it has become one of my favorite foods (including American food). It's basically a thin sheet of dried seaweed (called kim) rolled up around rice (bap), egg, tuna, and various kinds of vegetables and roots. While the boys had fun outside with the high school guys, Elizabeth and I enjoyed rolling the kimbap on special bamboo mats and drinking herb tea while attempting to chat in Korean with Byong-kyu's mom.
Traditionally in Korea, the parents live with their children, and this family has their grandmother living with them. She lived through both the Korean War and the Japanese occupation so it was interesting to talk to her. I have a hard time understanding the older people (they use a different type of vocabulary), but Elizabeth does well.

All the ingredients, ready and waiting

Puppy checks out the menu...Koreans eat on the floor which happens to be right at nose level for little Fifi (not really his name - I don't remember what it was). The finished product. I've tried making kimbap at our apartment, but my seaweed always ends up with holes in it and rice coming out everywhere. I learned the secret is the bamboo mats. When we were all finished, Byong-kyu's mother gave us our own bamboo mats so now I can make kimbap in Florida.
Yummy!

More gardening...

2008-04-06T01:06:00.000-07:00

This little guy decided to take a break while his parents worked Don't they look excited?
Angie and Julie working with the natives
Dad's in his element
Planting lettuce
A random picture from last Sunday. Eun-hay helps me with my Korean lessons so we taught her and her brother how to make pizza.

Sowing

2008-04-03T16:22:00.000-07:00

"A sower went out to sow his seed...

...and that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and RICHES and PLEASURES of this life, and bring forth no fruit to perfection. But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, KEEP it, and bring forth fruit with PATIENCE."

Luke 8:14-15

Here in Korea, older people enjoy having small garden plots where they can grow vegetables, especially cabbage and red pepper for kimchi! The problem is that Korea is so densely populated around Seoul there isn't much space for anything. The solution? Any space available anywhere is turned into a garden. Dad has always wanted to start a garden here, but we have only lived in Korea during the non-growing season. But, now that spring is here, Dad has jumped at the opportunity to start a patch. We staked out our claim down in the garden area beside our apartments and have begun to till the ground up, getting ready to plant all the vegetables Dad is buying. The older women working out there enjoy bossing us all around and telling us exactly how we are supposed to plan our garden.

So far, my funniest mistake in speaking Korean was when an older lady asked me what we were planting in our garden. The Korean word for potato is "gum-ja" and the word for cookie is "gwa-ja." So, I confidently told the lady, "We are growing cookies!" Needless to say, when I saw the look on her face, I knew something had come out wrong. Maybe now she understands why Americans are much larger than Koreans - we even know how to grow cookie trees!

Getting the ground ready. The ground is hard clay here; very different from Florida sand. Notice the high rise apartment buildings that surround the neighborhood gardens.

A neighbor

Pizza Hut and Parties

2008-03-23T01:25:00.001-07:00

On Susanna's actual birthday, I took her and Caroline to Pizza Hut for supper. The pizza was very good, although they did put sweet potato in our cheese-stuffed crust. We also got Mountain Dew (quite rare around here). It's nice in Korea because you only have to order one drink to share with three people - and free refills, too!

We walked to Pizza Hut; here is a picture on the sidewalk with a giant sycamore and the lights of the city in the background.

They even bring you three straws :)

Saturday, we again used a birthday as an excuse to have all the high schoolers over. We played Ultimate Frisbee for a little while, but I think we've decided our competitive love for sports is not generally shared by the people here. We had fun playing games, though. Generally, I think Koreans just go to a movie or karoke room for birthday celebrations so I often wonder what they think of our "wild" parties.

The funniest comment all day was a question about how many bones Susanna has broken. "Susanna, how many foot fingers have you broken?"

Gabe tries to pass a pretzel over to Byong-kyu's straw

Dress-up relay: I wasn't sure how this would work with 20 high schoolers, but it ended up being highly entertaining

Cute hat, Gabe

Susanna and Stephen would both make great runway models.

Tae-yoeng

Singing together. Dad shared "Take Me Home Country Roads" with them. Not sure what they thought :)

The usual group shot

Susanna Frances

2008-03-18T05:42:00.000-07:00

Susanna, from the Hebrew word "lily"

Though we sometimes tease Susanna as being the "black sheep" of the family for having brown hair, she is probably the farthest from that. Perhaps she gets her sweetness from her namesake, our grandma Frances. Susanna is probably the most capable 15 year-old I know; she could do a much better job running a household than a lot of grown-up women out there! She does so much for our family, and we could not survive without her help. Not to mention that she's the one who makes sure the whole family wakes up every morning (usually a thankless job). But, just because she's great on the home front, don't underestimate her athletic skills. Every since Susanna was running around on a soccer field with her older siblings at the age of 8, she's been amazing people with her prowess. (And making her older sister wish it was easier to keep up with her...)

Please keep Susanna in your prayers as she battles her scoliosis. It's difficult to have to wear a brace 23 hours a day especially for someone as athletic as she is. She has a wonderful spirit about it though, and is a godly example to the rest of us of rejoicing in all circumstances!

Happy Birthday, Susanna - we love you and thank God for you!

Everyday Life

2008-03-14T20:19:00.001-07:00

Throughout this first month of co-ops, we are giving an overview of why we even study subjects like history. (Some of you might say, "Good question!") This Thursday's theme was, "All History Points to Christ" so several groups performed skits on types of Christ.

Abraham preparing to sacrifice a rather happy Isaac

Acting out the Old Testament sacrificial system - with Tigger and a teddy bear
Notice the lone blonde head

We kids took a break from studies on Friday afternoon to play a little basketball with the Sumralls. Our family enjoys sports, but just because we enjoy them does not mean we are particularly gifted. Us + basketball = entertainment. (Gabe wryly remarked that if we didn't want to get hit in the head with the ball, the safest place to stand was directly UNDER the net, where the ball was in no danger of going!)

Something tells me this isn't exactly the proper form when shooting the ball?

Knock-out (Yep, I'm NOT wearing long pants!)

Angie and Julie are the referees

Susanna is one of the best players on the field - every guy, including the coach here, has to use all their skills when challenging her. But, put her in front of a basketball net...

What We're Up To These Days...

2008-03-09T15:57:00.000-07:00

1. The Sumrall family returned to Korea last Friday night. That doubles the number of American families living over here with us.

2. We taught our final Family Sunday School class the last week of February. (Family Sunday School is a time when our family teaches character and parent training for those interested in home schooling or just about to begin.) We had a record amount of turn outs this past month.

3. Co-ops began! We are leading a high school co-op and a middle school co-op; the Sumralls are leading two elementary co-ops.

4. The high school guys have recently started playing basketball together every Monday morning. One girl goes so Dad decided it was a good idea for me to go, too. The complication? I have a slight problem with the whole getting-the-ball-in-the-net thing which is rather important in the game of basketball.

5. My personal favorite: spring must be coming because the weather is finally warming up. "Warm" meaning I don't have to worry about frostbite just going down to check the mail.

Window cleaning in Korea - sitting on a rope swing hanging over the side of a 20-story apartment building.

Kimchi being fermented in the dead of winter - on the very top of our apartment building. You have to crawl out on the roof where we have discovered these jars

An apartment guard sweeping the sidewalk as the snow falls

Some of our Family Sunday School crowd

The high schoolers started out the semester with a presentation on the names of God as we introduced the theme, "God is sovereign over history"

The basketball gang - all sweaty after the game (Well, at least, I was sweaty after running around after the ball, hoping I was doing the right thing.)

We're still working on keeping our fingers out of the electrical outlets...

Snow and Stitches

2008-02-26T21:41:00.001-08:00

A few pictures of where Susanna and I went hiking for our early morning exercise...

Where we get our mail (hint, hint)

Later in the day, the rest of the kids went out to sled. I had to laugh looking back at a previous post when I stated that, so far, we've had no serious injuries. Well, Gabe decided to change that for us when he and Dad took an afternoon trip to the ER for 20 stitches in the knee. Note to self: sledding on your knees while flying off ramps and having no way to stop is probably NOT the best idea...

Our apartment building in the winter

We enjoy sledding in a construction site. Here, Susanna, Jonathan, and Julie explore the massive tunnels they are digging through the mountain

Jonathan gives a perfect example of why Gabriel now has a nasty looking knee

Kore-xican Food

2008-02-23T04:41:00.000-08:00

Gabe, Susanna, and I had a fun time on Thursday experiencing a Mexican/Korean restaurant. Mexican food is not usually popular here so we rarely see a Mexican restaurant. The birthday of one of the high school girls was a good excuse to try it out. Actually, I thought it was very good. My beans were slightly sweet, but other than that, I would definitely recommend it. Usually, the only beans we see over here are sweetened and used as a filling in bread (delicious, right?) so eating them with lettuce and sour cream was a welcome change. I wasn't quite sure why they served sweet pickles and pickled cabbage with our burritos, but maybe it's a Spanish custom I'm not aware of?

Waiting for the jehachul (subway)

Ruth, Grace, Eun-hye, Sok-jun, me, Susanna

True Love

2008-02-14T04:46:00.000-08:00

"The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying,

'Yea, I have loved thee with an EVERLASTING love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.'" -Jeremiah 31:3

"The knowledge that God has loved me to the uttermost...will send me forth into the world to love in the same way." -Oswald Chambers

In the United States today, most boyfriend/girlfriend love is all about making yourself feel good and instant self-gratification. But God's love is the opposite; God's love is being a servant even when no one else is looking. In society today, this love is rare (to put it lightly). So, today I want to honor the REAL love I've seen - my grandparent's, who celebrate their 55th anniversary today, and my parents, who have shown so much sacrificial love to me. But, above all, the love of my Savior to a sinner like me. Here's to real love!

Tonight, Dad and Mom went on a date so the rest of us kids made pizza and cookies, read books, and played cards.

Jesus Abbey

2008-02-08T02:56:00.000-08:00

This Thursday was the Lunar New Year, probably the biggest holiday in Korea. Our family, along with Pastor Bob's family, visited Jesus Abbey which is a retreat center about 4 hours from our house. At the abbey, visitors usually rise at 5:30 and have a 1 hour worship service before breakfast, after lunch, and after supper. The visitors to the abbey are supposed to spend their time in prayer and meditation as well as working at the abbey. Though it was a holiday and the abbey was closed to visitors, they allowed us to come, and we really enjoyed our time there.
Arriving Wednesday afternoon, we had rice, tofu soup, and acorn jelly for supper followed by dumpling soup, fish, and rice cake for breakfast. Of course, kimchi accompanies every meal. Actually, it was all very good.
Thursday morning, after the abbey bell woke us up at 6 (we got to sleep in since it was a holiday), we headed upstairs for morning worship and breakfast. Afterwards, we enjoyed experiencing the tradition of bowing to your elders. After bowing all the way to the floor, the adults give the children money. We were included in the ceremony; Dad and Mom also had to give out money. Following the bowing ceremony, we played a traditional Korean game (that involves throwing small sticks) which we have played before but have never yet figured out all the rules. They get really into the game, yelling when (I guess) something exciting happens. We were divided up into several different teams with the winner of each round moving on. Although my team lost every round, I still got a box of cookies for a prize.
The founder of the abbey was an American, and his son (who is Dad's age) is now in charge of operations there. He and his wife live on the Three Seas ranch where they are raising cattle about 10 minutes from the abbey. Their mission, now that the abbey has been well-established for many years, is to train Koreans for the development of North Korea once its government fails. Their focus is on agriculture and the development of the land.
To say we saw snow is a bit of an understatement. There was so much up in the mountains, a good three feet at least. We have so many pictures that I am posting them on a separate post (see below). Thankfully, the pictures are the best part! :)

The pictures...

2008-02-08T02:52:00.000-08:00

The building where we ate, slept, and worshipped

Hiking through the snow

Playing "Yute" (notice Susanna's confusion)

Our group

Susanna receives her reward

Typical Gabe - hands in pockets

We couldn't get our car started because of the cold - we had to empley the use of a hair dryer!
You can see part of the snow depth from the snow on the roof.

I'm not sure why I was so shocked...

The ranch

These cows are spoiled - not only do they have a spectacular view, they also listen to classical music!

Pastor Bob has a chat with the cows

Here is a series of shots showing Gabe wiping out. 1. Wow, this is fun!

2. Wow, this is uncontrollable! 3. Wow, this is freezing!

Gabe trying to get out of Evangeline's way
Noelle demonstrates what happens when you leave your sled behind...

Ice Skating

2008-02-01T20:35:00.000-08:00

I am sorry that I have not been posting much lately. I am currently taking two online classes with UCF, preparing and teaching an elementary history class, studying Korean, managing meals/groceries for our house, swimming, and trying to help Mom with the kids' school (I'm sure Gabe and Susanna are thrilled that I am now in charge of "grading" their papers). So, though this keeps me quite busy, I don't think you care to see pictures of me studying!
Yesterday, everyone (except myself and Dad who was working at his Global office, where he goes three times a week) went on an ice skating expedition with a couple other families from our co-op. Thankfully, we didn't have to worrry about the expense since it was only 1000 won (about $1) per person, including all rentals. Later, they all went back to one of the family's apartment for a sweet potato pizza lunch.
Tonight, Susanna and I are excited to do our first Korean homestay. It is a little frightening, but we are looking foward to experiencing a real Korean home. We are just staying one night, and though we're familiar with what goes on, we've never attempted living with anyone. Hopefully, we'll be able to do this often and improve our language abilities.

Speaking of language abilities, two of the neighborhood children dropped by yesterday when I was home alone. And when I say "dropped" by, I really mean moved in. I just opened the door, and in they came. Though I explained that Evangeline and Julianna were gone and that I had homework to do, it seemed to have no effect on them. After chatting in Korean until I had nothing left to say, I explained that I had to do my work. That was not a problem to them, however, and they just hunkered down in the living room to play and draw. So, there I was typing away at the computer while two Korean girls were roaming my apartment. I was cooking a crockpot meal for our supper, and at one point I went into the kitchen to stir it. One of the little girls followed me and asked me if I was eating the whole pot! I quickly assured her it was for my entire family. Finally, about 1-1/2 hours after they walked in, the rest of the family came home, and they went off to the playground. It was a good way for me to work on my Korean, but it was funny how they felt right at home. Buckle up (your head)
Walls were a wonderful invention
Ian

Susanna said the helmets were quite helpful - they hang from your neck like a necklace, leaving the front of your head plenty of room to breath (since it restricts the breathing in your throat)

Winter - A New Concept

2008-01-24T15:27:00.000-08:00

After two days of snowfall, we had plenty of snow here for all the kids to spend their afternoons sledding. As soon as they finished school, they grabbed their coats and set off for a paved but abandoned hill we found near a construction zone. Because it is paved, the snow is even and there are no rocks. When you have wipe-outs, hidden boulders are not fun! The only problem with this hill is there is no "gliding" space at the bottom; just a large, 12" curb to slam into. If you're really good, you can veer your sled around a sharp turn and continue down the hill into someone's house. We try to avoid that as much as possible.
As the snow begins to melt but then freezes into ice at night, it turns into "snice" which leads to some interesting sledding. High speeds, little control, no padding, and a wall at the bottom = thrills + pain! Actually, we've done pretty well; I'm not sure how long the sleds will hold up, but our bodies are doing ok. :)
Our sledding hill

Preparing for take-off

Julianna likes to sled, but reports, "Then, you have to walk ALL the way back up the hill!"

Double riders = faster speed and less ability to stop = great combination
Caroline trying to keep control - notice the concrete wall to her right (there's one on the left, too).

Oil Clean-up

2008-01-19T00:19:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning, Dad and Gabe left the house at 6:30 a.m. to go help with the clean-up work on an oil spill near Mokpo.They went along with several bus loads of volunteers from Global Mission Church. On December 4th (a stormy day), a Korean barge broke loose from its tugboat and slammed into the side of a Hong Kong supertanker that was carrying 260,000 tons of crude oil. Tens of thousands of Koreans have volunteered to help with the clean-up effort, but it is estimated to take 3-5 years until complete recovery.

Dad and Gabe (along with a father and son from our co-op) spent the day scrubbing the rocks by hand. Before setting out, they all donned white jump suits, several pairs of gloves, and rubber boots. Gabe said it was freezing cold, and the work was tedious as each individual rock had to be scrubbed and wiped.

Here are some of the pictures Gabe took.

Hundreds of volunteers prepare to head for the beaches.

The oil has covered the rocks here; other places it washed into the sand.
Equipment for clean-up

Dad and Mr. Cho hand-scrub the rocks

Korean National Homeschool Conference

2008-01-12T22:27:00.000-08:00

This weekend, Dad was asked to be the main speaker for the Korean National Homeschool Conference. He spent many hours preparing for his two 2 hour lectures. We hope that God is able to work through all the families represented at the conference who are seeking to honor God by discipling their families in a way completely unheard of in Korea.

We stopped to have a supper of duck with Brad and Joo-Young (the heads of Family Mission International) before the conference began. I'd never had duck before; it was fun to get to roast it right at your table.
When we drove up to this country restaurant, we could hear hundreds of ducks squawking in the barnyard. Gabe commented, "I bet those ducks sure hate hearing the sounds of tires on the driveway!"

Looking at the books that have been translated into Korean for homeschooling

Which way?

Evangeline and Julianna love playing in the snow - Evangeline especially enjoys getting to throw as many snowballs as possible at Gabriel!

These girls have an uncomfortable knack for getting their snowballs down the very small gap between your hood, jacket, and sweater - freezing!

Gabe checks out the facilities...let's just say the privacy is a little, umm, lacking?

Good Byes (I hate them!)

2008-01-08T04:41:00.000-08:00

We will really miss having Darrell, Christa, Judah, and Jared here. Darrell and Christa left on Friday; Judah and Jared left today and are currently crossing the Pacific Ocean. It is hard to have your family divided up on opposite sides of the ocean.
Love you, sister!

Saying good bye at the airport

Trying to get a picture while the boys rush out the door - not easy!

One quick announcement: Dad and Mom have decided to remain in Korea for one more semester so, officially, I will be returning to the States in May, and the rest of the family will return sometime near the end of July/beginning of August. I miss you all!

Busan and Oeado Island (Day III)

2008-01-04T01:58:00.000-08:00

The view we woke up to

Nothing like a good book...but he doesn't seem too enthralled

Waiting for our ferry to Oeado Island

Delicious

I woke up with the flu that morning which might explain some things.

Palm trees!!! I miss Florida.

I was very disappointed I was too sick to eat pizza...it's the first time I've eaten there with my family because it is a bit pricy.

Busan and Oeado Island (Day II)

2008-01-04T01:20:00.000-08:00

We had two rooms with one bed in each room. Since everyone claimed a bed, we ended up sharing a lot - 4 people to a bed ;)

Stopping for a much needed car wash...Korea has so many employees at each business - traffic directors in the garages, greeters around every corner, gas pumpers, car washers, just to name few. I'm not sure how employers still manage to make a profit.
Stopping for a much needed bathroom break...imagine our delight when we found out the only bathrooms around were squatty potties - and the ladies' bathroom had turtles in it. Yes, live turtles!
Jared with his hamburger, and me with my Korean food (Soup, rice, kimchi, and aloe salad...I didn't eat the aloe - maybe they thought I was sunburned.)

Must have been an interesting ceiling..

Relaxing
Enjoying one of Gabe's Christmas presents

The fishing dock below our room

Darrell has a knack for photography...

Busan and Oeado Island (Day I)

2008-01-04T01:01:00.000-08:00

Before Christa and Darrell left, our whole family took a two-night trip to the southeastern tip of Korea. As always, traveling in Korea was an adventure since the farther you go from Seoul, the less the Koreans speak English. This means we have to rely a lot on the Korean I know, which can lead to some interesting situations. The day before we left, I made reservations over the phone (in Korean) for 12 people at a hotel. When we arrived the next day (January 1st), we discovered that our reservations were canceled because they did not honor reservations made from last year! The hotel had just changed owners the night before (apparently right after I got off the phone with them), and, after some helpful phone translation (I was totally lost), we had to continue on our way farther south to find somewhere else to stay because the new ownership would not allow reservations made the "previous" year!

Packing into the car...we were packed to the roof with 12 people + 3 days worth of luggage in a minivan size vehicle. I had luggage under me, beside me, and above me! Each time we had to climb back in the van, it took about 10 minutes just to get everyone situated.
Priceless...

My, umm, handsome brothers
Later that night...we were all a little sick of being sardines packed into a can
Thankfully, we finally found a hotel where Jared and Gabe could kick back and relax with complimentary bathrobes.

Everland

2007-12-30T19:41:00.000-08:00

Our co-op gave our family a Christmas gift of tickets to Everland, Korea's largest theme park. We went on Saturday and enjoyed the experience of a Korean theme park although there were a few rides that made me feel like an egg omelet inside (of course, my brothers liked those the best).

We are enjoying our brief time together as a whole family, but Christmas day, Susanna came down with the flu, and it has been going around the family since then. So far, 5 of us have gotten it, but we are praying the rest of us will stay strong. We'd appreciate prayer for continued health...

Trying to stay warm on one of the coldest days of the year

Prepared for our "4-D" show

All 12 of us!

There were lots of rides that were perfect for Angie and Julie - and me, too! :)

Mom and her trusty map - she never went anywhere without consulting it

Christmas in Korea

2007-12-28T05:07:00.000-08:00

Though we always miss holidays in the U.S., Christmas this year was extra special for several reasons. First, Christa and Darrell joined us on Tuesday, and it has been great to have all twelve of us together. Second, we had a fun time opening the special presents we received from the girls (and families) at New Life; each gift was perfect for each person. And third, we received some completely unexpected holiday foods from a friend of my grandparents whose son is stationed at the American air force base here which meant real cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, turkey, cheesecake, etc.
We are continally grateful for the support we receive from all our friends back home. When you are feeling lonely and a bit isolated in a foreign land, it means a lot to have people who care about you. Not to mention the fact that my little sisters LOVED opening their presents! :) Our family has a tradition of praying for each giver before we open the gift so we prayed for all of you on Christmas morning. We love you all!
The entrance to our apartment complex

Our unique Christmas tree, compliments of my brothers (it lost quite a few needles when Gabe accidently knocked it over!)
Our traditional Christmas donuts - Dad has made them every year for as long as I can remember.

Breakfast time!

Sitting on the "trash pile" before we set out on our afternoon hike

Seoul at Night

2007-12-28T05:02:00.001-08:00

Last Saturday night (yeah, I'm behind!) after an electric violin concert with the rest of the family, Judah, Jared, Gabe, Susanna, and I did some walking around Seoul to see the Christmas lights. Although Christmas is a small holiday here (everything stays open), Seoul definitely goes all out with the lights!

7-11 - not attached to a gas station here :)

Due to the fact that I am NOT going to pay 5,500 won for a small frappucino, I'm afraid I will never buy anything at Starbucks in Korea. Instead, I'll just enjoy the picture.

Hyundai BigMac Pine Lead

2007-12-21T20:37:00.000-08:00

Waiting for our turn during telephone charades - this is my favorite picture. Julianna took it and lopped off a few heads, but at least Judah's enormous tongue made it into the shot...

Friday night, we had all the high schoolers over for my birthday, and as you can see from the pictures, we had quite the time! If I come home in January, I will really miss these people. Koreans are initially shy, but once they warm up to you, they are characters. Thankfully, that means we all fit right in...
Group picture in front of the Christmas tree

We had the best time playing telephone charades - so much laughing! Here, Judah and I dispute what they could possibly be acting out...

Yep, it was funny! I wanted to video tape, but, of course, could not find the camera.
Judah wowing the audience with his amazing acting skills *cough, cough*
Any guesses? Try "pro-wrestler"

Gabe enjoys the RARE event of an empty bus
Eating lunch at the top of Shinsegae - a very nice department store where we went to a movie

Spoons with a twist - all the spoons are behind you.

Ha ha ;)

Co-op Completion

2007-12-21T20:12:00.000-08:00

Tuesday and Thursday were our final co-ops so we had a presentation with all the home school co-ops combined on Thursday night. Co-ops keep us busy constantly preparing so we are all looking foward to a break, but we will really miss seeing the people every week. Here are a few pictures of presentation...
The high school students singing for my birthday

I think our family needs to adopt...

The kindergartners (I'm jealous of their hats)

High school skit (including Judah, Gabe, Susanna and myself) Though we're not much for acting, we sure laughed a lot!

Elementary/middle school co-op singing "Jubilate Deo"

Random

2007-12-15T16:19:00.000-08:00

Friday night, Gabe, Susanna, and I took a trip on the subway into Seoul to watch a high school basketball game at Seoul Foreign School. On the way home it started snowing, and at soccer the next morning, we were running around in the snow.

Also, Judah and Jared finally went out and "found" a Christmas tree...it's always a bit of a mystery where they get these trees, but we don't really ask questions! :) All we know is they walked in the front door dragging a real tree behind them and that they found it somewhere on the mountain.

Waiting "down under" for the train

Crossing the Han River on the subway into Seoul

Snow coming down in the city

My cleat print in the snow

Soccer is freezing (but fun)

Hanging the ornaments

Interesting

2007-12-15T06:22:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to a brief Wikipedia article on the church we are working with over here. I couldn't believe our church was on Wikipedia!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_mission_church

If you want to see what the Korean language looks like (and get a small glimpse of the pain I'm struggling through trying to learn this language), here is the link to Global Mission's website.

http://www.jiguchon.org/

I will try to figure out where the link is to our home school page, but it's almost midnight here and time for bed! It's not easy reading through all that stuff to figure out where the right page is...

Arrival #2 - Santa Claus

2007-12-13T15:28:00.000-08:00

While Dad, Gabe, Susanna, and I finished Biology and parent training classes at co-op, Mom, Judah, Caroline, Evangeline, and Julianna drove to the airport to pick up Jared. Thanks to Grandma, he brought us some homemade fruitcake, fudge, and coconut macaroons (my favorite!) along with Christmas candy. My only complaint is that I am going to be the size of an elephant!

Not only did he bring yummy food, he also brought many presents from the States which we are all eagerly anticipating! It's starting to feel a bit more like Christmas here, even without being in the U.S. We've all had fun guessing who's giving what to who! Hopefully, my brothers will start scrounging around construction sites to find a tree that we can put our presents under. Our family has been greatly encouraged by the support we have felt from so many family members and friends. We love you all and miss you greatly!

P.S. Aunt Connie, within one hour of the bag of trail mix rolling in our front door, half of it was gone! :) Needless to say, we are enjoying it.

I think my brothers are some of the most difficult people to take pictures of! I threatened Jared that if he would not cooperate, I would post a picture he didn't like...so, in punishment, here is a picture of my three stubborn brothers! [Gabe saw it coming :) ]

During biology class, we had a discussion on global warming - almost every Korean wholeheartedly believes in it, and few have even heard there is an opposing viewpoint.

REAL Winter

2007-12-08T21:32:00.000-08:00

Thursday night, we received an unexpected couple inches of snow. Although it wasn't a lot, it was plenty for us, Florida crackers that we are, to enjoy a morning in the snow. Enjoy the pictures - just realize that FREEZING cold weather accompanies snow! It was funny yesterday at soccer because some of the snow had melted and then frozen overnight into large patches of ice. When the boys would get ready to take a big swing and shoot the ball, swoosh, their legs would fly out from underneath them, and they would completely miss the ball as they crashed to the earth.

I love this picture!

The only problem with sledding is the frequent disasters at the bottom of the hill

Gabe found an old hanbok (Korean traditional outfit) and straw hat near where we were sledding - handsome, huh?

Caroline flies into a pile of bushes

Arrival # 1

2007-12-06T07:10:00.000-08:00

As you can see from the picture, Judah, along with a suitcase full of supplies, arrived safely here in Korea last night. We are really looking forward to having all the family together for Christmas! (Poor Jared is plowing his way through finals right now.) Speaking of plowing, it's snowing again tonight.
Can't forget the necessities of life - raisins, toothpaste, oatmeal, grain, etc.

Judah and Caroline studying together

"Alright Jack, time for your craniotomy!" -Gabe

We received a genuine pumpkin from my Korean teacher so Angie, Julie, and I carved it out. We are now ready to make our first real pumpkin pie in Korea.

We got a little help from Judah - it was too exciting for him to miss out on the fun.

The finished product...meet "Jack the Cat" :)

Good Tidings

2007-12-04T15:10:00.000-08:00

Although I am late (what's new?), I wanted to post a special blog in honor of Evangeline Grace who turned 10 on December 1st. Evangeline means "bearer of good tidings," and she has definitely lived up to her name. Evangeline is always trying to cheer people up and do thoughtful things for them. When someone is sick, Evangeline is the one who will take care of that person. Evangeline is also adventurous and willing to try new activities, foods, etc. She adds a lot to our family, and we are so grateful to the Lord for blessing us with our "good news" ten years ago (and I can't believe it's been that long - I still remember seeing her for the first time in the hospital). We love you, Evangeline!

Evangeline with her birthday package from Christa and Darrell

Happy Birthday, Evangeline

2007-12-01T22:36:00.000-08:00

Friday afternoon, for Evangeline's 10th birthday (December 1st), we had about 15 girls over to our house for games and cake. That night, we also had the entire elementary/middle school co-op over for an open house so it was a long and busy day!
The little girls always love coming over to play, and they especially liked my cupcakes! :) I was very proud of the cupcakes because powdered sugar can only be bought at import stores here, and icing is not a common treat. I think the favorite game is usually the treasure hunt, and let me tell you, those girls get competitive! Thankfully, everyone ends up a winner. Although it can seem frantic trying to keep a houseful of guests entertained (some moms and siblings also came along), it is fun to be able to spend time with all the girls. Later that night, our house was not a peaceful place with about 35 children running around, but we are always blessed when we are able to host the Koreans in our home.

Organizing the games

The final round of the pillow game (notice the flying stuffed animals)

Blind Man's Bluff

Nope - wrong guess!

Ahhh, my beautiful cupcakes!

Koreans always eat sitting on the floor which works well when you don't have the furniture to seat everyone

My plate of food during the open house - I've actually been enjoying Korean food more and more the past few weeks, and I can even tolerate some kimchi. (Trust me, that's major progress!)

Thanksgiving

2007-11-27T16:04:00.000-08:00

We were not able to find a turkey this year at Costco, so we settled for 3 roast chickens, broccoli casserole, sweet potato casserole, potato casserole, salad, fruit salad, cranberry salad (Dad has to invent something every year - this year he found cranberries at E-mart and invented a recipe with them), bread, stuffing, apple pie, "pumpkin" pie, and peach pie. As you can see, we are not starving over here! Of course, there are some things we cannot get such as cranberry sauce (which explains why Dad was so excited to find some dried cranberries) and pumpkin pie filling. I used a squash instead of a pumpkin and it actually tasted really good. It must be my incredible baking talent! :) I made all of the pies and was quite proud of them so I made sure to get a picture.

We celebrated Thanksgiving on Friday because we have co-op on Thursday. Jay and Joo-yun, who work with the home schoolers at Global Mission Church and do our translating for us, joined us along with one other family from our high school co-op. We had a good time playing Uno and Scrabble with them as we tried to keep alive our Thanksgiving traditions.

Notice Dad's unique creation in the middle of the table

Aren't they beautiful? (The pies, of course! :) )

Snow

2007-11-23T04:08:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures of our first snow here in Suji. All of the family was away on a field trip with the elementary co-op, but I had to stay behind for my CLEP test on Tuesday. Monday night, I was getting ready for bed (I had just gotten out of the shower and was in my pajamas) when I heard thunder crashing outside. I thought it was pouring rain until I looked outside. I couldn't believe it - the ground was already completely covered in snow. Since I've lived in the warm and sunny South all of my life, it was quite strange to have about 4 inches of snow on November 19th! The Willings and I went outside and played in the snow for a couple hours (until almost midnight). Sorry I look a little, umm, frazzled in these pictures...I was just about to go to bed! :)

High School Open House

2007-11-22T05:13:00.000-08:00

Tonight, I am going to quickly post pictures from last Friday when we hosted a high school open house. But, first of all, I wanted to let all my southern friends know that we had our first snow of the season on Monday night. We got 2 -3 inches which is quite a lot for November 19th. Then, on Tuesday night, we got another 2 inches. I can't believe it's Thanksgiving (80 degrees in Florida), and there is snow on the ground here. I will post some pictures (eventually) of our first snow.
Also, I passed my 6th and final CLEP test on Tuesday making me an official junior in college - yahoo! :) Anyway, the open house was a good time of fellowship. Even though it was freezing cold outside, we all went down to a nearby school to play ultimate frisbee in the dark. (We had bought an LED frisbee in the U.S.) Once my fingers were so numb I couldn't feel them anymore, it was fun teaching the Koreans how to play. I really miss doing athletic activities here - its just too cold! I tried sushi for the first time; it just tasted like chewy vinegar (I know, my taste buds are a little weird!)

I must have said something funny - but that's no surprise :)

Boys - need I say more?

I still need to ask someone why Koreans always make the peace sign when they take pictures.

Brotherly kindness

2007-11-16T16:21:00.000-08:00

With extreme anticipation, my younger sisters awaited the arrival of a promised package from Judah. He had called them a couple weeks ago and asked them if they wanted anything, to which they unanimously replied, "My Little Pet Shops!" For those of you who are not up to date on the latest in little girls' toys, My Little Pet Shops are plastic bobble-head animals. Caroline, Evangeline, and Julianna were so excited when Judah told them over the phone he'd bought around 12 of them! (Jared told me they felt a little odd as they searched through Wal-Mart's toy section for the animals my sisters wanted. Judah and Jared spent quite some time hunting for the correct animals...they couldn't find everything they needed so Judah also took a couple trips to Limited Too. Judah felt a little awkward shopping alone in that particular store.)

Judah also decided to ship us a bunch of full sized candy bars along with some t-shirts he bought at the pro-wakeboard tour in Cancun, Mexico. Needless to say, we were all thrilled when the package arrived.

Packages are fairly consistent as far as delivery time so on the day she knew the package would come, Julianna faithfully did her school in front of the window so she would know exactly when the mailman arrived.

Waiting for the mailman to come up on the elevator

"The suspense is killing me!"

Getting ready to rip it open

Treasure

Oohing and aahing over each new animal

Divvying up their treasure (they've practically got a zoo now)

The sight of these candy bars inspired Gabriel to begin singing, "America the Beautiful." Notice - he had already started eating!

High school excursion

2007-11-13T15:10:00.000-08:00

Bright and early Friday morning, all of the high school co-op loaded up on a bus and set off for a long field trip to the east coast. We visited an organic farm operated by a small church out in the country, went hiking on a mountain, and visited the ocean. We were on the bus for about 7 hours total so that gave us a lot of time to talk with the students. I used every game I've ever known to do in the car! Evangeline was sick so Mom stayed home with her; all the rest of us went.

Dad on an old farm tractor

Fermenting kimchi (Fermentation is what gives kimchi its, umm, unique taste!)

Exploring the greenhouses (Every week, we get a box of lettuce shipped to us from this farm.)

The water was freezing, and, of course, we got soaking wet!

The whole gang

Octopus, anyone?

2007-11-07T04:41:00.000-08:00

Today, we were invited out to lunch with a Korean family who lives in the country. After being lost for two hours, we finally made it. The food was great, but there was one dish that I was definitely not going to eat - octopus! However, realizing that this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity, I told Gabe I'd try it if he would try it. (Misery loves company, and it's much easier to get yourself into troublesome situations when you have siblings that will cooperate with your plans.) He agreed, and after we each grabbed a tentacle with our chopsticks, it took us several minutes to finally get the courage to chew. In all fairness, Gabe bravely went first, and when I saw he wasn't dying, I followed his example. To my surprise, it really did not taste bad. How would I describe it? Hmmm, maybe "rubbery chicken" would be a good representation. The hardest part was when I bit off one of the tentacles - it's not that the taste was horrible; instead, it was the rather squirmy thoughts "swimming" through my head! Hello, I'm your lunch!

Now, the only thing I have left to try here is dog...

Ja-Jong-Myon

2007-11-06T15:18:00.000-08:00

Despite the fact that ja-jong-myon sounds like a character out of Star Wars (possibly related to Jar-jar-binx?), it is actually a type of Korean/Chinese food. Ja-jong-myon are noodles covered with black bean sauce and onions. Though it might seem unappetizing, it is really quite delicious.

In Korea, many of the restaurants offer takeout service; they deliver your food to you on the back of one the numerous motor-bikes buzzing around the cities. Sunday night, I had the lovely idea that we should order ja-jong-myon takeout so I could practice speaking Korean over the phone. Knowing that I was calling someone who wouldn't know a bit of English, I wasn't sure what might end up wiggling through the door (or if it would even arrive at all). Even though the lady talked so fast I sometimes had to take an educated guess as to what she said, it worked. About 15 minutes later, one of the crazy, motor-bike, delivery men drove up to our apartment. How much do you have to pay for all that extra service? Nothing! There is no tipping in Korea, and since noodles in black bean sauce is not exactly an expensive recipe, we are hoping to repeat the project again soon!

Ja-jong-myon and radish kimchi

The noodles try to attack you sometimes - you have to learn to use your chopsticks to defend yourself!

Recovering from the attack

Slurp, slurp (an Asian tradition)

Party Time!

2007-11-03T06:12:00.001-07:00

Last night (Friday), we were supposed to have an open house for the entire high school co-op and their families. However, it ended up not being a very good night for some of the families so we postponed it for a couple weeks. Instead, Dad and Mom were invited out to dinner with a Korean couple so Mom gave us permission to invite any of the high school students who were available over for a time of games (and dessert- you wouldn't believe how much they love our homemade desserts. It's not uncommon to see plates stacked with 5-10 cookies, brownies, etc.!). We had about ten high school students along with the 6 of us kids. We played several different kinds of games, and we were laughing so much! The expressions that the Koreans have and the English words they say are so funny to us sometimes. Also, as you spend more time with them, you begin to discover their sense of humor. Here are a few pictures of our games (I wish I had taken more, but we were too busy having fun...)

Notice the blonde in the middle of all the black - and I actually seem tall.

Thinking...

Doo...little thinking he's smarter than everyone else :)

Some of the gang

It's very important to wear glasses when you are blindfolded - otherwise, you might not be able to see well!

Pictures of our North Korean students

2007-10-31T19:01:00.000-07:00

Tuesday morning, I was able to get onto the U.S. air force base in Osan and take my Sociology CLEP test. You cannot get on the base unless someone who lives on the base signs you on and then "babysits" you the entire time you are there. I am so thankful to the Lord for working out the details so I was able to be 3 credits closer to graduating from college.

Tuesday night was our weekly trip to the North Korean refugee center. Gabriel came along with us for the first time and brought his camera with him. I asked if we could take some pictures, and everyone was fine with it. The only requirement was that we black out the faces of the North Koreans so they will not be targeted. We had a smaller group this week since one group had transitioned out, and the center was still waiting for another group to come in. My two students could not have been past their mid-twenties, but they have all had a grueling life. Our English lesson was on feelings and one of my students said, "I feel sad." When I asked, "Why do you feel that way?" he said, "Because I am very lonely." I cannot imagine what it must be like to leave all of your family behind in a country like North Korea, knowing you may never see them again and not knowing what they are enduring in your absence.

High school co-op

2007-10-27T04:05:00.000-07:00

Every Thursday is our high school co-op. Dad teaches Worldview; I teach Logic (Leadership class); Dad, Mom, and I all have our own English classes; I teach Biology; and Dad and Mom teach Parent Training. We have twenty-one high school students. I enjoy teaching them all; they are eager to learn, fun to be with, and grateful that we are here. Dad's advanced English class has many English speakers that have lived overseas so we are able to talk with them almost like we do to people our age in the U.S.

We pray that the Lord is working in the hearts of all these students, raising up the future leaders of Korea. These students are venturing out into brand new territory as they struggle against the pressures of their culture and society (in the same way that homeschoolers in the U.S. were about twenty years ago). There is great potential in this group to impact the world.

Yon-pyo

Sok-jun and Yong-jun

Learning about genetic fallacies during Logic

A few of Dad's advanced English students (Gabe works with Dad)

My English class - I teach the middle level students (Susanna works with me)

Min-suk, Isaac, and Mike

One of the 4 different groups for Biology

During Biology class this week, we learned about the algae in Kindom Protista. Alginic acid is used to thicken all kinds of food, including ice cream and pudding, so I bought an ancient package of instant vanilla pudding at an import store. Since making ice cream in class was a little difficult to pull-off, I opted for Jello and pudding. It was quite popular!

Watching in amazement as the milk thickens....the supsense is terrible! :)

Today, before Family Sunday School (but on Saturday - go figure), Susanna and I took a quick (5 hour) trip into Seoul with one of our Korean teachers and her daughter. Clothing in Korea is expensive, but there are cheap "markets" in Seoul where you can buy off-brand clothing. It was good to be with a native Korean as you don't make nearly as many mistakes while riding the subway, walking through Seoul, etc. I was able to get a "Coach" wallet for very cheap which made my day :). Since I was this particular man's first customer of the day, he gave me a good deal. It is Korean tradition that the first customer will set the pace of business for the rest of the day so they don't want you to leave without buying something. I was happy to oblige him!

Fall colors

2007-10-22T05:43:00.000-07:00

Dad and Mom decided on Saturday night that we should take a quick overnight trip to Mt. Sorak so we could see some of Korea's fall colors. Sunday morning we all quickly threw a change of clothes into some suitcases and then hit the road. Traveling in Korea is always a unique experience for a bunch of English-speaking foreigners. Despite the fact that we now have to cram to get everything ready for co-op tomorrow, it was good to get away for a few hours and enjoy some hiking.

Looking out over the ocean

The beach was pretty much deserted

Trying not to get wet

The reaction of a Florida person finally seeing the ocean :)

After the beach, we headed to Mt. Sorak. Here are some of the pictures from our hiking:

The sun rising over the mountains

These two are inseparable

This lady was selling some of the very unusual snacks offered by vendors all over Korea. No matter where you go in Korea, whether you are in downtown Seoul or trudging up a mountain trail, there will always be people selling "treats." These include such things as boiled silk worm larvae, bean paste bread, dok (rice dough), corn-on-the-cob (which we refer to as "bean-on-the-cob" because it tastes nothing like our corn in the U.S.), chestnuts, squid, roots, etc. Hungry?

Language Lessons

2007-10-17T18:21:00.000-07:00

Susanna and I (followed closely by Caroline and Gabriel) are doing our best to learn to speak Korean, but it is definitely a struggle. The younger ones (Susanna included) pick it up much quicker than I do - whether that is because I'm older or just slower (sometimes I think it's the latter) I don't know.

Having lunch with our teacher - we had soup which contained mandoo (dumplings), eggs, seaweed, boiled fish heads, & dok (rice dough).
Every Wednesday, Susanna and I meet at the house of a Korean lady for an hour of Korean and an hour of English. We happened to meet her on a bus while we were traveling in to Seoul. She saw us both studying Korean and began to chat with us. It turned out that she attends Global Mission Church and has also taught Korean to many other foreigners. She wanted to be able to brush up on her English, and we were desperate for a teacher, so we've worked out a trade.

Learning Korean has it's ups and downs. There are times when I hear a conversation and can actually understand it which makes me excited. But then there are other times (which are by far the majority) when I don't understand anything and am utterly confused. The worst was one time last year when I tried to ask a little boy his name, and he said in his broken English, "I'm sorry; I don't speak English." That was a bit discouraging, but thankfully it hasn't happened to me lately! As I was walking through E-Mart yesterday (their equivalent of a super Wal-Mart) my amazing language abilities enabled me to translate something they were advertising for baby diapers - they were green tea scented! That's one pampered baby...

Even though my feeble attempts at speaking their language are sometime laughed at (mostly by little kids), we have had a few good laughs ourselves from some of the English we hear over here. The best are the giant advertisements all over the city. Businesses like to advertise in English to be catchy, but some of the things that they say make absolutely no sense! Here are a few examples:
Under a giant advertisement for Mercedes-Benz: Your intelligence choice! (Yeah, real intelligent.)
Painted on one of our mugs: It's always great to meet another world. (Yeah, I'd have to say that each time I've met a new world, it's been a great experience.)
On the back of a bag of charcoal: It sounds great if the remains are used for manure of flowering plants. (The remains? Of who?)
On a package of bread rolls: To make you family happy, please try the heart-warming delicacy of Shilla Myunggua. Our efforts on little details will help you create a peaceful, harmonious family life and share pleasant conversations. (Forget family discipleship - it sounds like a package of bread can solve all your family problems!)
The advertisement for a photography studio: Happy Moment. Well, I hear the rhythm. Close my eyes - in a flash I hear the moment. I am happiness. (No comment; I don't get it at all.)

Costco

2007-10-12T19:13:00.001-07:00

I had to lean out of the car window in the middle of a busy intersection to take this picture, so sorry it's crooked but I did my best!

Every other Friday, Dad and I go grocery shopping at Costco (about 25 minutes from where we live). I am so glad there is a Costco here as it enables us to get many American products that we can't find anywhere else. Costco is always jam-packed full of people; they seem to get more business here than in the U.S. I get scared sometimes, as I try to maneuver my shopping cart down the aisles, because the Koreans navigate their shopping carts like they navigate their cars - crazy! In Korean stores, many different employees hand out free samples, yelling loudly about what they are selling, prices, etc. To succeed as a business in Korea, Costco has adopted the same policy. I'm glad to get the free samples, but sometimes I feel like I'm being trampled to death. Last time we went, they were giving out samples of cheesecake. Cheesecake is my favorite, and we can never get it here because it costs too much money. So, I patiently waited my turn in line to get a sample, but every time there was a new piece, some lady's hand would shoot in from behind me and grab it before I could!

Dad actually let me drive on the way home yesterday. Obviously, we survived, and it was nice to get to drive again. It's quite an experience. I enjoy driving with Dad because he's very laid back (he practically goes to sleep) - Mom, well, that' s another story! :)

Think we have enough for two weeks? :)

A Glimpse Into North Korea

2007-10-11T04:58:00.000-07:00

Tuesday night, Dad and I had the opportunity to teach English to a class of North Korean refugees. South Korea provides a place for the refugees to stay while they learn how to adapt to life in a developed country. The refugees live in a military compound, and we had to drive through a gated check-point so the guards could inspect who we were. All the men living there have risked their lives to reach freedom, and if they are ever returned to North Korea, they will be killed. All their lives they are taught that America is a horrible place, and they are curious to see if we are as terrible as they have been told. Though I spent most of the time trying to teach my students how to pronounce basic sounds, I was also able to show them a picture of my family. The men were shocked to see how many children we had. Due to the language barrier, there was little I could communicate, but it is my prayer that through our feeble attempts, the Lord can bring some hope into their impoverished lives. Our English lesson was on feelings, and one of Dad's students told him, "I feel happy because I escaped from Kim Jong Il!" It is hard to imagine what life is like for the people living in North Korea. I thought I'd share the following story from The Voice of the Martyrs to help you understand what Christians go through in this country:

North Korea: The Villagers of GokSan
The young, brown-eyed girl looked up at her mother. What would her mother decide?

Earlier that morning, the young girl's mother, their pastor, and twenty-six others in her North Korean village of GokSan were bound and taken before a screaming crowd of Communists.
One of the guards ordered Pastor Kim and the other Christians, "Deny Christ, or you will die." The words chilled her. How could they ask her to deny Jesus? She knew in her heart He was real. They all quietly refused.
Then the Communist guard shouted directly at the adult Christians, "Deny Christ, or we will hang your children." The young girl looked up at her mother. She gripped her hand knowing how much her mom loved her. Her mother then leaned down. With confidence and peace she whispered, "Today, my love, I will see you in heaven."
All of the children were hanged.
The remaining believers were then brought out onto the pavement and forced to lie down in front of a large steamroller. The Communists gave them one last chance. "Deny Jesus or you will be crushed." The Christians had already given up their children; there was no turning back.
As the driver started the heavy piece of equipment, the singing from the villagers started softly. "More love, O Christ, to thee, more love to thee."

It is unbelievable what these Christians are willing to endure out of love for their Saviour. Could I do the same? How can I ever whisper a word of complaint? Pray daily for North Korea; pray that God would give courage to His people there. And pray that we could portray the same passionate love for our Saviour that these people portray. May we sing along with the North Korean Christians:

Once earthly joy I craved, sought peace and rest

Now thee alone I seek; give what is best:

This all my prayer shall be, More love, O Christ, to Thee,

More love to Thee, More love to Thee!

Field trip day

2007-10-06T06:33:00.000-07:00

Our elementary/middle school co-op is studying Korean history so yesterday, we went on an all-day field trip to Gyeongbokgung (don't ask how to pronounce that!) Palace. It served as the main royal palace of the Joseon Dynasty and was constructed in 1395. Korean palaces are different from European palaces in that they are actually gated enclosures with many different buildings inside. The buildings are not huge, but they are all ornately decorated. I can't imagine how much effort went into painting all of the tiny details on every wooden beam.
After the field trip, we went to supper with one of the Korean families. We ate shin-sal-tang which is beef soup served with a side of rice and kimchi. It was very good - I was just thankful we didn't get the boiled cow's knee that was also on the menu (thankfully, it was way to expensive for the budget!).

The whole group outside the main gates into the palace

A lesson on Korean culture - you never wear shoes inside a house or even in many restaurants. The palace was no exception; we had to take off our shoes before we could go into the king or queen's residence!

All I can say is that I feel bad for any tall Koreans who weren't paying attention!

Typical Korea - ancient, traditional palaces in the middle of bustling Seoul. You can see the tip of Seoul Tower rising up in the background.

The children here are adorable...

...and FULL of mischief. This little boy enjoyed using Dad as a punching bag - we found it highly entertaining.

A little building where the emperor would go to enjoy some tea. For your info - Korean emperors who lived in this palace were fat and did not live very long because they were carried everywhere they went and never exercised.

We split up into 3 different groups and a few of the older students acted as tour guides (they had prepared beforehand). This was our group (and we didn't understand too much).

According to Chinese tradition, Julie was born in the year of the tiger. I was born in the year of the dragon - unfortunately, I missed the opportunity to get a picture with him.

The outside wall around the entire palace

A quick note of thanksgiving: Tuesday night, Dad and I were driving with some other Koreans in a church van on a 5 lane highway (during rush hour) when a truck swerved into our lane and slammed into the back of us. Even though our van was full, there were no serious injuries. One man had some glass in him and one girl hurt her head, but we were able to take care of everything at the emergency room. I got my first taste of the the Korean emergency response team - their system works very differently from the U.S.! It is a lot more laid back...at the hospital, patients who want to go eat some kimchi and rice will simply push their IV's down the road to a nearby restaurant. Thank the Lord we were all fine, and also that it was a Korean driving because we have heard that if a foreigner is involved in an accident, they will often be blamed no matter what happens. I am just grateful that this was the first accident we've been in considering the way people drive here. The other day, Dad finally let me perform my maiden voyage driving here which consisted of driving out of the parking garage :) I don't think I'll be driving much further than that, though, especially after the accident.

Everyday Life

2007-10-01T03:43:00.000-07:00

Usually, the pictures we show and the stories we tell are the special events that happen to us on unusual occasions. So today I thought I'd give you a glimpse into the daily, regular life going on in the Pent house in Korea. Since that would make for a pretty boring story, I am going to do it through pictures.

Caroline doing her school

Julie studying history

Angie practicing piano

Dad preparing for co-op

Vacumming

Evangeline doing dishes

Buying groceries for supper at Powermart (a little grocery store right below our apartment complex)

Mailing a letter home

Cooking supper

And, of course, studying Korean!

Exciting day, right? :-) And we didn't even do laundry, cleaning, or trash sorting today - you'll never know what you missed out on!

Soccer

2007-09-29T04:23:00.000-07:00

Every Saturday morning at 6:30, about 35 people gather from the several different homeschool co-ops here to play soccer. I don't know whose idea it was to play soccer on a Saturday morning at 6:30, but, bright and early, we all drag ourselves out of the house and head for the soccer field about 10 minutes away. Even though I'm half asleep for about an hour, by the time we stretch, run, and do some drills, I've warmed up. We split into two different games - the adults down to middle school and then the elementary kids. The field we are playing on right now is in front of an elementary school and is made out of a lovely combination of sand and crushed shells. I'll never complain about falling on a grass field again! Any fall, no matter how small, tends to produce blood. But, besides being way too early, way too cold, and slightly painful, we always enjoy Saturday mornings. Soccer is right up our alley and is a sport that we have some talent for. Soccer is one of the biggest sports here in Korea which is ideal for my family.

The little kids play behind the regular field where the adult team plays.

Evangeline and Julianna playing with their many friends here

What do you do when you are outnumbered two to one with no way out? Just grab the ball with you hands, of course!

Caroline getting ready to have her feet slide out from under her and then take the boy out with her at the same time.

The elementary kids

Susanna takes on one of the dads in the older game

Gabe was considered one of the "dads" - probably because he's taller than most of them.

What Korea Looks Like

2007-09-25T04:59:00.000-07:00

This summer, my family spent a month on the road traveling accross the U.S. and Canada in our pop-up. It became a joke that wherever we went, no matter how much of a drought they had been in, we would bring rain (if we stayed more than one night). Well, Korea has been no exception. After we arrived here, it rained non-stop for about a week and a half!

So yesterday afternoon, when the sun finally decided to shine, we all decided to take advantage of the weather and take a hike on one of the mountains behind our apartment complex. Ruth and Jonathon Willing (the Willings are another American family working here with us) came along with us, too.

Coming from Florida, the mountains here are definitely something different. Korea is 70-80% mountains, and as you can see from the pictures, in between each mountain another city rises up. Most of the tall buildings you see are actually apartment buildings - ours is 17 stories tall. It's funny you can live right in the city, but just 5 minutes away are mountains surrounded by gardens and rice patties.

The view from the top of the mountain (when we finally got there)

Our apartment building (510) overlooking gardens

2007-09-22T04:50:00.000-07:00

We are all settling back into our life here in Suji, South Korea. The adjustment has been much easier the second time around, and we have not had all the many surprises that rolled our way when we came to Korea last September. After a 12 hour flight from San Francisco, my family and all of our 32 suitcases arrived at the international airport in Seoul. We were picked up from the airport by a bus - after last year, I think they realized just how much luggage it takes to move our family!

The map on the back of our airplane seats. After about 10 hours of sitting in a crowded airplane, trust me, seeing the Korean peninsula appear on your screen is a very welcome sight!

Two days after we arrived was the wedding of Brad Voeller to Lee Joo Young (last names come first here in Korea - there's a good oxymoron!). Brad is the director of Family Mission International which is the mission organization that we are working with over here.

Tuesday was our first co-op. We are now leading co-ops on both Tuesday and Thursday. Tuesday is elementary/middle school, and Thursday is high school. Every Tuesday, our family teaches Character, English, and Family Discipleship (for the parents). On Thursdays with the high schoolers, we are teaching Worldview, English, Biology, Leadership, and Family Discipleship. Tuesday night one of the families in our co-op took us out to a Chinese restaurant where we had beef, chicken, black noodles, squid, tofu, rice, kimchi, chop-chei, and fruit just to name a few. It was a very nice restaurant that we all enjoyed (except, of course, I don't really prefer squid...Gabe says it tastes like chicken!) While the parents were talking, Noelle taught us how to make chickens with our napkins - it was quite entertaining :)

Julianna, Noelle, and Evangeline

Our high school co-op has about 25 students in it, many of whom speak English fluently. They are using an English Biology textbook so that can be a little confusing sometimes. Try attempting to explain metabolism, photosynthesis, and eukaryotic cells to someone who doesn't speak your language - it's not easy! We do have help from our translaters though. I'm looking forward to the day that I am fluent enough in Korean to explain those concepts, but at the rate I'm going, it will take years :)

Studying biology during high school co-op

When we are not in co-ops, our time is spent doing a lot of the normal, daily things we had to do in the U.S. except it's all Korean style now. That means sorting our trash into nine different categories (pigs don't eat eggshells so eggshells do NOT count as food trash), driving as if the world were going to end in five minutes (optional red lights, speeding down the wrong side of a 6 lane highway with oncoming traffic heading straight for you), grocery shopping at Costco where you push your carts onto escalators that take you to 6 different stories, practicing with chopsticks so you don't drop your noodles into your lap when you go to eat with other Koreans (we're actually pretty good at it by now), working on learning the language, doing schoolwork, hanging up laundry, sleeping on floor mats, and cooking meals.