Monday, April 14, 2008
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
North Parker and North Korea shots
Rebekah and Carl come to visit!
We spent time on the DMZ tour and in Daejeon. Above are shot of our feet on North Korean soil and the infamous "Bridge of No Return".
Sunday, April 6, 2008
A Russian cosmonaut
“Do know what the Russians call astronauts? Cosmonauts!
Do you know what the capital of Syria is? Damascus?
Do you know what the longest word is? asd;fjasodfjwoirjalknva;lkjfoweijrkjra!!”
Random tidbits of trivia floated in the air and attempted to sink into the ears of our distracted students. Our tour guide, Hedrick, was attempting to engage our group of students. Trying to avoid feeling nauseous, I strapped on my Ipod, turned Kt Tunstall on low, and listened to Hedrick tell more about the largest university in the world.
The last week of March I spent nine days down in the Philippines with a group of students from TCIS. The school sends kids on LASA ("Love All, Serve All") mission trips. I had friends and students travel to Malaysia, Borneo, Thailand, India, and various parts of the Philippines volunteering their time building houses or visiting orphanages.
I did not start out well with the trip. I was recovering from the stomach flu and felt distracted, irritated, and weak. The last thing I wanted to do was build houses in the hot sun for eight hours a day. Fortunately we didn't have to start work until Monday. We played on the beach, went on a zoo safari, and walked by local festivals celebrating the Easter holiday. The festivals were one of my favorite moments during the trips. Our group watched a parade of Filipinos carry floats of Jesus and other saints around in droves. Multicolored shirts splashing the words "Holy Week 2008" made it feel like Mardi Gras carnival Jesus style. The Filipinos sure know how to celebrate Easter!
By the time Monday rolled around, I was ready to work. I spent the first day directing a group of five kids to dig volcanic terrain to build a foundation for the houses and carry bricks from point A to point B. We were pretty exhausted by the end of the first day.
The rest of the week was challenging for a variety of reasons. Our hotel was located in the red light district of Manila. It was hot. Frighteningly hot. One kid broke his thumb. One of our leaders got sick and was out for two days. Did I mention it was scorching hot?
The biggest challenge was the amount of champion complainers on our trip. I learned much about the art of complaining. People love to do it, it’s easy, doesn’t cost anything and sometimes it can seem even fun! It can get you out of work and bring attention to your pitiful misery. Problem solved, right? Wrong. It doesn't solve problems. It does bring an individual attention, but not in a positive sense.
The Filipinos sure taught our group a lesson about complaining. They are some of the most humble, hospitable, and grateful people I have ever met. Many of the Filipinos we worked with during the week come from extreme poverty. The Philippines is considered to be the Mexico of Asia. Their biggest export is their own people. Many individuals are shipped off the Middle East, Thailand, Korea, and Japan to work as cheap labor. The workers send money home to their families, but no one chooses to work in the Philippines because money is shipped for an outside source. Sadly, the Filipino economy suffers from a stagnant. Many young people are forced into human trafficking as a result. I saw this first hand at our hotel. An older gentleman from Saipan (tall, silver haired and extroverted) attempted to strike up conversations several times with me and another female leader. We smiled politely, engaged in conversation briefly, and then jetted up to our room. The creepy vibe was oozing out of him. Our suspicions were confirmed one night when he casually waltzed up to the elevator with two young Filipino girls. They didn't look older than 17. He looks 55. Forty minutes later he casually waltzed out of the elevator, put them both in a taxi, and walked back to the elevator. I can only speculate what happened, but I fear human trafficking had snuck its way in our hotel. It made my stomach sink at the blazing reality that I had just witnessed.
Aside from poverty and human rights violations, the Philippines proved to a beautiful place with amazing people. Our group held a party at the end of the week to celebrate the completion of the new homes. The children are warm, tender, and want to hold your hand every second. I played a game with them on the third day and got the nickname "Teacher Emily" for the two remaining days. My heart leapt with joy every time I saw them. It's heartbreaking to leave and know the desolation some will face, but assuring that our new friends will have a home. That’s nothing to complain about!
Do you know what the capital of Syria is? Damascus?
Do you know what the longest word is? asd;fjasodfjwoirjalknva;lkjfoweijrkjra!!”
Random tidbits of trivia floated in the air and attempted to sink into the ears of our distracted students. Our tour guide, Hedrick, was attempting to engage our group of students. Trying to avoid feeling nauseous, I strapped on my Ipod, turned Kt Tunstall on low, and listened to Hedrick tell more about the largest university in the world.
The last week of March I spent nine days down in the Philippines with a group of students from TCIS. The school sends kids on LASA ("Love All, Serve All") mission trips. I had friends and students travel to Malaysia, Borneo, Thailand, India, and various parts of the Philippines volunteering their time building houses or visiting orphanages.
I did not start out well with the trip. I was recovering from the stomach flu and felt distracted, irritated, and weak. The last thing I wanted to do was build houses in the hot sun for eight hours a day. Fortunately we didn't have to start work until Monday. We played on the beach, went on a zoo safari, and walked by local festivals celebrating the Easter holiday. The festivals were one of my favorite moments during the trips. Our group watched a parade of Filipinos carry floats of Jesus and other saints around in droves. Multicolored shirts splashing the words "Holy Week 2008" made it feel like Mardi Gras carnival Jesus style. The Filipinos sure know how to celebrate Easter!
By the time Monday rolled around, I was ready to work. I spent the first day directing a group of five kids to dig volcanic terrain to build a foundation for the houses and carry bricks from point A to point B. We were pretty exhausted by the end of the first day.
The rest of the week was challenging for a variety of reasons. Our hotel was located in the red light district of Manila. It was hot. Frighteningly hot. One kid broke his thumb. One of our leaders got sick and was out for two days. Did I mention it was scorching hot?
The biggest challenge was the amount of champion complainers on our trip. I learned much about the art of complaining. People love to do it, it’s easy, doesn’t cost anything and sometimes it can seem even fun! It can get you out of work and bring attention to your pitiful misery. Problem solved, right? Wrong. It doesn't solve problems. It does bring an individual attention, but not in a positive sense.
The Filipinos sure taught our group a lesson about complaining. They are some of the most humble, hospitable, and grateful people I have ever met. Many of the Filipinos we worked with during the week come from extreme poverty. The Philippines is considered to be the Mexico of Asia. Their biggest export is their own people. Many individuals are shipped off the Middle East, Thailand, Korea, and Japan to work as cheap labor. The workers send money home to their families, but no one chooses to work in the Philippines because money is shipped for an outside source. Sadly, the Filipino economy suffers from a stagnant. Many young people are forced into human trafficking as a result. I saw this first hand at our hotel. An older gentleman from Saipan (tall, silver haired and extroverted) attempted to strike up conversations several times with me and another female leader. We smiled politely, engaged in conversation briefly, and then jetted up to our room. The creepy vibe was oozing out of him. Our suspicions were confirmed one night when he casually waltzed up to the elevator with two young Filipino girls. They didn't look older than 17. He looks 55. Forty minutes later he casually waltzed out of the elevator, put them both in a taxi, and walked back to the elevator. I can only speculate what happened, but I fear human trafficking had snuck its way in our hotel. It made my stomach sink at the blazing reality that I had just witnessed.
Aside from poverty and human rights violations, the Philippines proved to a beautiful place with amazing people. Our group held a party at the end of the week to celebrate the completion of the new homes. The children are warm, tender, and want to hold your hand every second. I played a game with them on the third day and got the nickname "Teacher Emily" for the two remaining days. My heart leapt with joy every time I saw them. It's heartbreaking to leave and know the desolation some will face, but assuring that our new friends will have a home. That’s nothing to complain about!
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Visitors from the Windy City
The middle of March was extremely chaotic. Spring break was coming, poetry portfolios were due for my writing classes, laundry needed to washed and folded, and I needed to prepare my apartment for my first overseas guests. My college friend Rebekah and her boyfriend Carl came to visit Korea!!!! Here is a quick detour about my connection with those two.....
I went to college with Rebekah. She starts dating Carl. I go with Carl and Rebekah to his family's house for the fourth of July for a bbq. I meet Carl's sister Kirstin. She and I attend a job fair together, get teaching job in Korea, and become roommates.
Carl and Rebekah decide to come visit us both. Hence my excitement!
They arrived on a late Thursday night, and it was so nice to see them both. My heart just leapt for joy seeing someone from back home. I won't lie, but a HUGE rush of warm fuzzies erupted in my stomach. A touch of home had arrived. Rebekah is a dear friend to me. Our favorite pastimes include shopping, sushi, movies, books, music, exploring Chicago, and talking about life. We slipped right back into the flow of conversation after being gone for eight months. I felt as if we had never separated!
The four of us traipsed around Seoul all weekend. On Saturday we went to the DMZ (demilitarized zone) and spent the afternoon learning about the history of Korea and looking at the government buildings that separate the North and the South. I was a little nervous the entire trip. The ROK (Republic of Korea) soldiers guard a small blue room where negotiations take place. Each ROK soldier is trained in tae-kwon-do and could break a man in half. Yikes! Our tour guide mentioned that one of the tables was in South Korea and the other half was in North Korea. I actually stepped foot on the North Korean soil! It was very weird! We looked at the desolate N. Korean landscape, “Propaganda Village”, and the tunnels dug by the N. Koreans in hopes of secretly attacking the North. Korea truly is a divided nation.
We spent the rest of the time viewing a performance arts show called Nanta, visiting the Korean War memorial and shopping in Insadong for traditional gifts. It was so wonderful to share my favorite haunts with my friends. We came back exhausted to Daejeon after a whirlwind in Seoul.
Kirstin and I sent Carl and Rebekah on day trips while she taught and I spent time recovering from the stomach flu. We had time to just TALK. Rebekah and I went to one of my favorite restaurants and talked for over three hours about life. It was wonderful to pick where we left off. I was extremely sad to see them go, but it was amazing sharing my overseas adventure with friends back home. They took back a piece of Korea with them. Especially the shrimp fries and kimchi. :)
I went to college with Rebekah. She starts dating Carl. I go with Carl and Rebekah to his family's house for the fourth of July for a bbq. I meet Carl's sister Kirstin. She and I attend a job fair together, get teaching job in Korea, and become roommates.
Carl and Rebekah decide to come visit us both. Hence my excitement!
They arrived on a late Thursday night, and it was so nice to see them both. My heart just leapt for joy seeing someone from back home. I won't lie, but a HUGE rush of warm fuzzies erupted in my stomach. A touch of home had arrived. Rebekah is a dear friend to me. Our favorite pastimes include shopping, sushi, movies, books, music, exploring Chicago, and talking about life. We slipped right back into the flow of conversation after being gone for eight months. I felt as if we had never separated!
The four of us traipsed around Seoul all weekend. On Saturday we went to the DMZ (demilitarized zone) and spent the afternoon learning about the history of Korea and looking at the government buildings that separate the North and the South. I was a little nervous the entire trip. The ROK (Republic of Korea) soldiers guard a small blue room where negotiations take place. Each ROK soldier is trained in tae-kwon-do and could break a man in half. Yikes! Our tour guide mentioned that one of the tables was in South Korea and the other half was in North Korea. I actually stepped foot on the North Korean soil! It was very weird! We looked at the desolate N. Korean landscape, “Propaganda Village”, and the tunnels dug by the N. Koreans in hopes of secretly attacking the North. Korea truly is a divided nation.
We spent the rest of the time viewing a performance arts show called Nanta, visiting the Korean War memorial and shopping in Insadong for traditional gifts. It was so wonderful to share my favorite haunts with my friends. We came back exhausted to Daejeon after a whirlwind in Seoul.
Kirstin and I sent Carl and Rebekah on day trips while she taught and I spent time recovering from the stomach flu. We had time to just TALK. Rebekah and I went to one of my favorite restaurants and talked for over three hours about life. It was wonderful to pick where we left off. I was extremely sad to see them go, but it was amazing sharing my overseas adventure with friends back home. They took back a piece of Korea with them. Especially the shrimp fries and kimchi. :)
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