we're getting stronger every day...

you guys in the states have most likely heard of Pocky sticks, but it was Pepero in Korea that came up with the clever marketing scheme known as "Pepero Day".

that's right. while you on the west are remembering those who fought for our country, Korean children and couples are giving each other presents in the form of pretzel/wafers dipped in chocolate. 11.11 because this date looks like four pepero sticks.

behold, the pepero stick...

As far as holidays go, it was pretty adorable.

last weekend, i got to travel to the Cheung Cheon campus again and spent the entire day Saturday tossing a disc with some teachers and students (including helping to teach many students who had never thrown a frisbee before...and so the ultimate revolution begins!), playing soccer (Bucheon campus wins again, 6-1!), playing badminton with no net, watching ping-pong, taking some photos - basically running, throwing and jumping all day. you can imagine how i felt when i stood up the next morning, but it was a good kind of sore! the fresh mountain air was once again wonderful and refreshing, as well as the scenery and the sunrise.

so THIS is where all that spice comes from...

back to reality in bucheon...
genius point #1: our school got a new fingerprint clock-in system.

we don't have a library.

don't even think about suggesting to get calculators for our students.

but, dang it, now we only need our index fingers to let the administration know what time we showed up this morning. what bliss.

on sunday, i had my first official korean lesson! we are learning how to read and write which is exciting because up to now i only have learned a few spoken phrases. in geography class the other day, i used the new phrase i learned, "don't speak korean!", in korean and they all said "whoaaaaa!". ha.

lol like a banshee moment #1: i have mentioned before that mr. park (mrs. ko's husband) "adopted" me. he doesn't know much english, but whenever i'm around, he tells people proudly that i am his adopted daughter. mrs. ko has started calling me her daughter as well and last weekend they took don and i to dinner at mr. park's brother's restaurant. his sister-in-law ended up adopting me as her niece. mrs. ko also called her son (who lives in australia) and told him that they had an adopted daughter. the next thing out of her mouth was "what do you mean, 'have you been drinking?'"

more funny than embarrassing #1: on tuesday, i ripped a hole in my long (one of the only ones that actually conforms to the 'length rule') brown skirt on that part of the whiteboard ledge that sticks out. luckily, i was wearing shorts (as usual), but mike insisted that i "go downstairs". mike is always trying to get out of class. i stayed.

more funny than embarrassing #2: same day, i completely missed my chair when i was in the teacher's room. i was trying to fix my skirt and sort of ended up falling...onto the floor. there were many students around. they laughed with me. it was one of those days. someone asked me how i was doing and i just started laughing hysterically.

a-ha! moment #1: i was helping a student with a class that i don't teach yesterday. but it was a logic problem and luckily i really like logic problems. she said that she has never before figured out a logic problem. i helped her set up the problem and she ended up getting it right by herself. when we started the next one, she got really flustered just reading the question. i told her to draw it out and as we drew it out and she worked it out, it all of the sudden clicked and she honestly almost started crying she was so happy. :)

things are going well. many good conversations with teachers and students. so much hope. teaching is still difficult and time-consuming, but so, so joyful (praise God!).

i also highly recommend watching or listening to Mars Hill's "Luke" series. i finally found time to watch the first sermon yesterday and i am so excited for the next three years!

please pray that i will teach my students with wisdom and sound doctrine (titus 2:1).

(please listen to delirious? - "stronger")
i love you from the depths of my heart.