June 22

I've had the pleasure of going out in field service with the English group. I'm also including some pics of us doing park witnessing. We are always looking for English speaking people wherever we go. During door to door, we look for multicultural marriages. Usually the wife is a mail-to-order bride or something from Vietnam, Cambodia or Bangladesh. They are women escaping their weak economic system in hopes of something better abroad. It is sad for me just thinking about how dangerous that can be. They may be without basic rights in a developed country. They don't have a voice. They cannot speak Korean and have to learn throughout the years. They sometimes speak a little English. But to get through to them, the sisters in the English field must be on good terms with the mother-in-law who usually lives with them. We write letters to areas we cant get to. But get this: they speak/read Vietnamese or Thai so basically, we find a paragraph to copy on the website and copy the funny characters/letters one curvy squiggly thing at a time!
Since this day, I'm enjoying learning how to meet that specific populations' needs, as I consider them my neighbors and want them to enjoy a higher quality of life.

Not all parts of this now developed country are glamorous. 

Boon-shik (inexpensive streetfood/little dishes) for lunch!

Writing letters.

Ddok Bok Ki for a pre dinner snack.

A walk in the park doing informal.

A friend needed to pick up her sister's wedding photo album.Got to tour a wedding hall. Korean weddings are held not at all like the ones back home. It's really efficient. You rent the dress from the studio. After the hair and makeup team doll the bride up, they move onto the picture taking room where friends and family come through in an organized fashion. Then moving onto the food. People give a monetary gift, the larger the sum if you're closer to the couple, in order to receive something like a ticket in for the meal. The gifts are then traditionally given to the parents of the couple. Interesting, right? <--Standing on the catwalk the bride enters on with the works-dry ice, fog and lights. Needless to say, I had fun!!! I'm not the type to think about a fantasy wedding or anything. But I don't think I'll be getting married in Korea.

I'm going to prison, guys...

Military service in Korea has always been an extremely sensitive social issue. Particularly among Korean men, there is a (justifiably) huge sense of sacrifice for devoting two to three years of their prime of youth to serve the country. Few ever enjoy the military, alternately filled with mistreatment(from older ranks and same ranks as well) and boredom. But they all must report.  Here's how one guy feels about how the collective experiences of the Korean military can reduced to this image: 

"...  gives an idea of what Korean military experience is like. (That pose is called Wonsan pok-gyeok, which translates to "bombing of Wonsan." Wonsan is a port city in North Korea. This punishment is applied liberally for various causes, such as being slow in marching, losing a soccer game, or overcooking sarge's ramen.)"

How preparing for this mandatory duty affects an adolescent male's psychosocial development when others his age in other parts of the world are preparing for adulthood and other goals is an interest of mine lately. It isn't exactly dinner conversation.
Especially not for family members of males in that age who are Jehovah's Witnesses. These men make personal decisions based on teachings,as one puts it, like " 'people will learn war no more’ and to ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’ I also learned that principled love can motivate us to love our enemies. Based on these and other scriptures and as a result of my firm personal convictions, I made the decision to refuse military service.” It isn't to get out of anything. It's strictly a moral decision.
If you're looking for a good small production film, try a South Korean indie film called "Frozen River" about one Korean Conscientious Objector.
The film does a great job of conveying the internal struggles Jehovah's Witnesses, as well as other pacifists, deal with when faced with conflicting attitudes from family members. For an objective director, the motivation of the politically neutral conscientious objector was pretty accurately portrayed. At least I thought so.
Here's an article from Wall Street Journal by Jason Strother that you don't need a login to read.

So I will be going to prison to visit a conscientious objector this Thursday. If you have any questions for him or words to share, comment or better yet, email me.

Public Restrooms

[[sometime within my 1st week]]

Got a prepaid phone AND unlocked my phone myself! Had forgotten what freedom felt like. I definitely took for my phone for granted back home.I always knew where I was going. My aunt and I separate ways now that I can roam as I please. I venture out on the bus and metro to Yongsan where I need to purchase an universal electric jack plug thing. I may have just made up that word to describe a converter I need to plug in my computer, camera battery charger, curling iron and phone charger. So as you can see, this little plastic thing could not be more valuable to me.
As I'm on this conquest, I'm feeling mighty good- finding the right buses and reading all the signs. I could not be doing better. With a phone in hand, I've begun calling other friends in other cities to fix dates. I'm really doing it! I'm on my own, getting around with such ease former travel-only-with-a-buddy Grace would be proud! I might as well have been born here, or raised here!! At a station, I figure I oughta check to see if the public restroom is clean. Turns out Korea masters cleanliness. There's nothing that can convince me I may be finding things a little too easy, at this point.
Imagine my dismay when I saw this.

This is a toilet. It's kind of like a urinal, only installed horizonally in the ground. This is not a restroom for males. This is, however, the reason why my 11 year old self avoided using bathrooms while out and about. I mean, most girls squat anyway in any public bathroom but this requires a deeper squat. Don't worry, I've gotten better at knowing which restrooms have standard Western toilets. On a sidenote, I wonder how I appeared to passerby as I took this pic.

A Saturday off in Seoul

6.21

I walk the streets and it feels surreal. Food is good and cheap. It's hard not to look for ways to just "treat myself". Walked around Hongdae, a really kitsch culture hub filled with good eats, street fairs, trendy dessert spots, wall murals, fashion, underground music and art festivals.  

 Met EunJin in Seoul for DakGalBi. 

Back home, I hardly ever take a Saturday off. Being on vacation, I have a valid excuse to take it all in. Still, it's starting to let a little old as I've been away from home 4 weeks now.

I am trying to keep my focus on personal study before I can get a phone and make service arrangements and then to get busy in field service. It should be my focus, anyway but not knowing whether I will be here for 3 months or 6 or a year can be quite anxiety inducing. When my working papers come through, I can support myself tutoring privately, unless I get that elementary school teaching job I interviewed for back in the States. If so, I would have a set income and a set list of expenses but if I don't get the job, I have no real reason to keep a one year commitment to staying here. In that case, I would have to find enough work to get by which wouldn't be so bad either. So as you can see, things are quite up in the air. 

Trying to Get Responsible...

6/20

Last night, I was able to attend the meeting. I got the addressed from JW.ORG and even found out there was weeknight meeting locally held in Korean which also hosted a English speaking group. (It's not a language class; it's the same meeting as the religious services being held in Korean, only held simultaneously to provide services for the multi-language population in the area.)

My aunt dropped me off as she doesn't care much for religion. We agree that I'll call her using someone's phone at the end of the meeting if I need for her to come pick me up afterwards. Even she knew that it was likely a fellow believer would offer me a ride home once they knew I were visiting. NOW, as unsafe as that may sound, and as cautious as I am, that's just how trustworthy I've found fellow Jehovah's Witnesses to be. I know I've done the same back home.

Only....Guess what? I had left the notebook with my aunt's number and home address in it at home! HA! Not very responsible. It was quite embarrassing making all these new acquaintances and explaining my situation. Some cool couples wanted to take me for a cup of coffee/tea. But I was afraid my aunt and her husband would worry as I had no way of contacting them to not wait for me(which, realistically, I knew they would do anyway).

As the two young Korean couples stood in the parking lot discussing which cafes were open and then postponing those plans altogether, a petite elderly sister(fellow believers are considered spiritual family) approaches me. She goes "Do you have a way to get home?" "Yes, I do, I'm grateful for your concern." (Btw, of course this interaction is all in Korean. It's so much cuter that way.) "Well, I'm glad because my kids are spread all over the place and when I visit my family, I just find my way to any Kingdom Hall on the website and never miss my meetings. It doesn't matter if I've never been to that part of Korea before. So I know that feeling when you wonder how you'll get home. I've been there. I was going to take you to my house if you didn't have a place to spend the night."

She was so sweet and adorable, I won't forget her face.

So I once again, I accepted the hospitality of some wonderful friends who pieced together where I need to go based on the measly clues I gave them. They solved the mystery. Literally, all I had to share was....it took only about 10 minutes to get here and the apartment complex is called "Switzen". (go ahead, try saying that in a Korean accent and being understood. I was glad this couple frequents London.)

I did, however, have a memo of the security code at the entrance of the building( there's no guard on staff in these apts in Korea) and the code at the door. I only felt half-relieved to be home, though. I was glad I made it but half sad I couldn't associate more.

* The most annoying thing about this mini-adventure is that I actually did have a copy of the address in safe keeping in another compartment in my bag. WOW, yay me.

 This is such a cultural thing. There was additional elevated seating area in the back room. The friends took their shoes off.

Everything Is Exciting and Interesting 6/18

Arrived 6/17

So as far as acclimating to the 10 hour time difference, it has not been too bad. I've learned the trick is absolutely torturing yourself the first day. Strictly no naps, even if that means being around people like a complete lifeless, personality-less weirdo. The new people you may meet and the old friends you haven't seen in awhile will forgive whatever slip-ups you make. Blame it on the ah-ah-ah-ah-ah... jetlag. This is the only chance you get to say inappropriate things. 
In all seriousness, I was so glad my good friend EunJin came out to meet me at the airport. It was like being immediately transported two years back when she was out in the States to learn ASL and English in Brooklyn. Got right back into the swing of things and caught up over the 1.5 hour ride to my non-JW aunt's house. She's a darling. I would have otherwise had to take public transportation in a new country to a temporary home in the outskirts of GeongGiDo, all by myself! 

It starting raining once we got in the car. I was told to expect lots of rain but I wasn't prepared for it quite on the first day! It's been pretty muggy weather wise. I'll be doing a lot of running back and forth to Seoul these upcoming days, trying to get my working papers sorted out. Hopefully tomorrow I can get a phone so I can make service plans with the local hall.

Out to dinner with my Aunt and her husband. Korean BBQ in resort-style lodges. She thought I wouldn't want to sit outside!

Neng-myun and Galbi and Soju was the way I wanted my stay to start off.

Reflections during sometime in between time zones somewhere over the Pacific Ocean...

I've been taken in so many times. Every time I've come out to the West Coast, or traveled anywhere else for that matter, I've been invited in to my friends' homes. The nights I spent in hotels were completely voluntary, if I even got a chance to! Of course, their circumstances allowed but the giving attitude I've witnessed from my spiritual family and friends is so overwhelming. The warmth I've basked in over dinner tables and good nights' sleeps fill my heart with gratitude.
This time was no different. I couldn't have experienced all that I did without you. (You know who you are.) I'll remember the good eats, the chats and exciting moments I've had the privilege of being a part of. Loved, loved loved being invited into your lives, the impromptu meetups, purposeful days out in the ministry and just making time for me! I cant count how many times I've heard "It's up to you. What do you want to do?" I've had the pleasure of extending such hospitality to some, too, back home but still, this was neither expected or warranted! I've learned it really pays to give. It's been my experience that there is so much happiness in giving (Acts 20:35) Or else, I would feel more indebted to some! I look forward to getting a chance to forward the love and hospitality to the rest of my friends. Until then, I'll continue to pay it forward in the meantime.

The Portal 

So I'm at the airport. Things are pretty surreal as it has come down to the moment I've wondered about for the past ten months. As I approach gate 22, being lowered with each step on an escalator, thinking about what cultural clashes await me, I see an attendant at the bottom. Her smile's a bit eerie. She was standing in that classic chorus class stance where her hands are placed strategically at her bellybutton and her body language conveys "I'm here to help." She may as well be a hologram. As the escalator descends a step at a time, I head on the overhead another airport attendant call out my name. It's in the language and accent my parents have spoken to me in all these years. It's what I've grown accustomed to and yet I'm moved to take in a deep breath. I'm still in shock I'm going through with this plan. I'm not anxious or scared, though. It's definitely thanks to the wonderful program from Regional Convention. I got really timely reminders on anxiety and where our focus should lie.

After knocking out for a good eight hours, (that's what an exciting weekend will do to ya, gooodness!) I wake up to be realize where I am. I'm really just taking this whole trip one step at a time. I guess I am pretty happy about the decade I'm living in. Living during such times of connectivity and globalization, it eases the blow of moving through different time zones. As I'm awaiting my destination to Asia, I'm momentarily distracted by watching the XX, Vampire Weekend, Arctic Monkeys, Phoenix, Monsters and Men, Mumford&Sons play at a Coachella type event in Gastonbury. Although Pandora isn't accessible in Korea, I have at least my playlist.

This is a comfort. It's interesting to think about how others did it in times when knowledge, music, goods, ideas weren't so easily accessible from one part of the world to another. When traveling was so much more of an adventure. Instead of being able to plan out before arriving what one would be ordering that night, having to leave it up to the moment one actually arrived? Travel had much more of an edge then- if not mystery. Imagine the type of stories one would bring home and the smug expression along with it. There was a time when each hilltop held uncertainty. Dwelling on such times deliver a delicious pang of melancholy. Still, what's in the past remains in the past. 

Smartphones and the apps along with it have become a necessity in my life- GPS, Yelp!. Must leave those simpler, lovelier times behind on my own adventures in a very modernized Korea.

Entry from 6/16
Three weeks have gone by so fast and it's that time again. Time to bid Hasta Luegos. I knew this time would come. These days were so worth it, though. Nothing short of fabulous.Spent some quality time with some of the realest people I know. I leave with much to reflect on. Thanks for taking me in for the past three summers-the times just get better and better! Thanks for showing me what life is like on this side of the world. I've been able to experience great weather, scrumptious Mexican food, bike rides in woods, the wine country, west coast parties, road trips through golden hills and much more thanks to you all. Most of all, I'll be missing you. So grateful I got to be present for some momentous occasions as well as witness some exciting shifts in the lives of dear ones.
It's been real, California.See you all when you visit me wherever I am.
So long until next time!

Convention Weekend

The Best way to spend my last weekend

left: Met up with Michelle, my spiritual mother and sister whose been in Kissena with me for 10 years. SO great meeting up with you on the West Coast. It suits you so well! Middle: starting walking towards the meeting for Kingdom Evangelizers as soon as the song ended and yet we found the first section already full! Still, got to sit second row in the next section over. Top right: Driving over to the Ponce's but got to skype chat with Jentzen, Melissa, Daisy, Nicole, Roberto, Eduardo. Right left: Got to fit in one last salsa party. 

Left: meeting for Kingdom Evangelizers had over 1200 in attendance. What willing spirits! Top right: Out to dinner to welcome a new sister. It was so encouraging to get to know the family better. Can't wait for the family to visit NY! Bottom: Tied into the regional convention going on in New Orleans, we got to wave back to the missionaries from all over the world! Got to read banners from international delegates. Just makes you well up with joy and tears. So pumped to experience it firsthand at the International held in Seoul in September.

The In-n-Out fries really starting to grow on me after 3 years. Also, adding chilies in my hamburger made it so much better. I'm sorry Five Guys. The only thing keeping you at my #1 rank was your jalapenos. Placing tracts and inviting cashiers to the last day of convention as we go!

Got to be tied in to other conventions going on in Alaska, Bakersville in CA, Illinois, Kansas City, Long Beach, Colorado, SF for a grand total of 107,000+