Hiking & Chinese Church

It's been almost a month since I got to Korea after my trip to the US, and it's been good to be back. Yesterday I had one of those moments where I looked around me, at all the people and the energy of the city, just feeling an immense joy and love for where I am. I also love watching spring start, with the plum blossoms and leaves budding, the warmer weather and the invigorating spring wind, though I don't love the yellow dust in the air. I didn't notice it when I lived in Gyeonggi-do last year, but I definitely notice it in Seoul.

Plum tree blossoms I at a park near my church

My new teachers and classes this semester are great- fun and challenging. I have to put in so much work to keep up with the class, which has made balancing my schedule that much more difficult, but on the whole I'm glad for it, because I really feel like I'm learning a lot. I think it also motivates me knowing that this is my last semester at language school- I really want to make the most of it. Last semester we had to learn about 40 new words every two days, and they gave us a list with the words in Korean and then translated into English (or Chinese). But this semester it's more like 50 new words a day, and there is no English translation- the words are given with a definition and example sentence in Korean. Preparing for class takes so much more time, but it is exciting to be able to do and understand more and more in Korean.

I invited friends from language school to my host family's house for tacos! Left to right: Yoogun, E.A, Sulgi, me, Wanghoon, and Chloe.

One of the things that motivates me the most to keep learning Korean is my involvement at church, because the more I learn, the easier it is to participate and know what's going on. I joined the drama team for the Good Friday service. We will be reenacting the scene with Pilate where Jesus is whipped. I am a member of the crowd, one of the people who strikes Jesus. The thought if it makes me feel a little uncomfortable, but it adds a whole new perspective. It made me think of the hymn, "Were you there when they crucified my Lord?"

I was also glad to go to an IVF welcome party for the incoming freshmen. I haven't been able to be as involved as I would like with IVF this semester, because of how busy classes are, but I decided to quit some of the English classes I'm teaching and will try to go as much as I can.

The welcome party for the freshman at IVF

I don't teach English on Saturdays anymore, so I have been going hiking most Saturdays since the weather is better. This weekend I am going to an "MT" (membership training, kind of like an overnight welcome retreat for the new freshman and the current students) with IVF, and I'm really looking forward to that.

Hiking with friends from language school. Left to right: Jangwul, Wanghoon, Chloe, me, Sunyun

Hiking with Kaia and Sarah

A new experience of this month was going to Chinese church. My Chinese friend from language school had expressed interest in going to church, and 2 weeks ago we went, together with a Korean friend, to a Chinese church service! She had never been to church before, so it was a very new experience.

Eating with Kyung and EA before going to the Chinese service