SOme fun things...

So I just thought I would post some fun, crazy things about ANCA and Korea in general : )

-Lunchey (that's not spelled incorrectly...read as written : )

-Tuesday Nights

-AMAZING KIDS!!!!

-Wild Horses

-Costco

-the subway station and random songs

-Neighbors

-Tiger Shirts

-Eyes peering through glass doors and windows

-Disclosing of an individuals bowel issues...lol

-Two hands on a kid's head making a heart and hearing "saranghayo"

-Feel Espresso

-The New Subway

-The taste of a french fry from McDonalds

-Vacuums

-A copy machine that only likes to run when its "sweet talked"

-The screeching voice of a certain child

-Deborah and Christel's spunkiness

-wrinkled suits

-"there's a mouse in my house"!

-Muscles and swimming the Han River...lol

-Frozen pipes and a washer

-Random things appearing in a classroom every day lol

-Rob Bell day!

-pre school vs. elementary in soccer at lunch

- Oh Snap! They ARE girl jeans...lol

-Baby girrrr

-Baggy sweatpants

-The man with the crazy pants at the gym

-blow drying the wall

-Thursday night dinners and shopping

-late night runs to Mega Mart or 7-11

- spoons and ice cream

-wow, there are a lot of coffee houses here! We should check them out sometime!

-snow ball fights

-boiling water

-fellow teachers

-Pastor In's humbleness

-burnt pants

-"oh noooo"!

-Tubby



I am having a lot of fun working at ANCA. I love the kids, the people and it has been an unforgettable experience! It's hard to believe that Feb. 1st will make it 6 months! These are only a few of the inside jokes...I would be more than willing to add more if anyone has any suggestions :)

It's about time for an Update!

Hi Everyone!

Sorry, it has been a crazy couple months. I apologize that I have not kept y'all updated on life here in Korea. Well, I am writing to report first of all that it snowed yesterday!! Oh, it snowed so much and I for sure have had a few snow ball fights :) Actually the day it snowed, I noticed it was a lot warmer than usual. It has been in the single digits Fahrenheit for the past week or so, and when it snowed it was in the double digits and a lot warmer. Just in case you all are wondering I am surviving the winter!! Not only am I surviving, but I am liking the cold, surprisingly.

To keep you all updated I was in America for 6 weeks from Nov. 24-Jan 4th. During that time I had the opportunity to hang out with my Dad and chill with him. It was great being home, but at the same time I missed Korea. However, when I returned I had complete peace. Although it was difficult to leave America considering the circumstances, once I walked through baggage claim and was greeted by 4 girls jumping up and down, nearly knocking me down with their hugs and eagerness to see me, I knew Korea was the place for me right now. I have to say that I have complete peace where I am.

I got home at 12am Monday morning and was at work a few hours later. I thank God I did not have jet lag too bad! I literally have hit the ground running since I came back to South Korea. It's been good being back but tiring at the same time...because I wasn't unpacked I felt unorganized. lol Yes, many of you know my confusingness that kinda happens when I am not organized...lol...it seems to knock my schedule off a bit. Although I was not organized I kept going and had a great week...lol day 14 of being here...I have finally finished unpacking and moved back into my room COMPLETELY. lol

truKIDZ is doing really well. There seem to be some technical problems with the computer and worship videos but we are improvising :) I brought some worms and chocolate pudding for a "mud pie" game at church. The kids really enjoyed it. The pre school at church is really growing...there have been around 12 kids and around 16-20 in kids church. It's been a fun exerience!

Ok so today...I went to the orphanage with two other teachers. It was fun to see the kids there again. I have to say though that sitting on the floor with a kid playing it really gets me to thinking about their situation. It gets me to thinking how I wish I could adopt them all, take them all home with me...and then it gets me to thinking how many families in America have the space to provide a loving, family environment for foster children, but because they don't want their perfect lives to be messed up they choose not too. It gets me how many Christian American families have guest bedroooms for their family that visits maybe 1 week out of a year...while the rest of the time it sets empty with the door open so guests visitng for dinner can see the beautiful decor of the guest room.

I guess the whole thing of my rambling brings me to the point that there is a need. There is a need in Korea, there is a need in America: the need for children to be loved, to be placed in a loving environment and to feel love in a healthy way. I'm not sure who reads these....if anyone does, but if you have the opportunity and the means to provide a healthy environment for a child, then change a life,show God's love in a tangible way and consider fostering a child. Be Christ's arms and demonstrate His love. There is such a need. There are so many people who can impact these children's lives, and who can assist these children in shaping their lives and the roads they travel when they exit the foster care system.

Just some thoughts from today...and I have posted some photos of the snow here. I hope you all enjoy.

P.S.

If anyone is interested in fostering email me @ knwelborn@gmail.com. I will be more than willing to provide you all with contact information for you all to begin this process.

God Bless!

-Kristina

"Yet, O Lord, You are our Father. We are the clay, You are the Potter, we are all the work of Your hand."

Isaiah 64:8

giggles and glasses

Ok so first off I just want to say that I love working with kids and honestly, i think its gotta be boring for people who talk on the phone all day at work....i'm not thinkin' I could do that for 50 hours of my life a week! I seriously think I would go insane!

Well, with that being said...lol...I am really noticing how kids can get hurt from parents. I guess b/c of being a social work major and finally being able to observe behaviors I have learned about in classes..I find it interesting but also sad. Its so different observing the behaviors rather than living them. I can't see it as a professional issue with me being on the outside looking in but rather it becomes a personal issue for me when I see one of my students struggling or hurting...its more of a passion I guess. I am finding that most of working with kids is being empathetic...for me its not a job, but I am realizing how much of a passion I have for kids. Lol something I didn't want to do when I was in high school: working with kids.

To be honest I got hurt today and mad at the same time...I wanted to cry and almost did...Today, 10.31.08, Chloe (one of my 1st grade students) turned 8 years old (Korean). It is common for the mom to bring a cake to school, maybe show up, and have a party at the school. Well, Chloe's parents didn't do anything...no cake...nothing. To be honest, its not that surprising b/c they normally don't attend school graduations or parent day's for her. However, it ripped my heart out when she told me several times today that her mom was not coming to school or bringing a cake.
Chloe is such a cute little girl! She is spunky and has the most amazing laugh ever. Its pretty awesome how God created children to be so resiliant that amidst the dumb things adults do which can really effect kids, for the most part, they will not be as hurt as if it was an adult/ adult situation but try to brush it off....like Chloe: throwing her head back and forth giggling while her glasses are coming off. : )

I was supposed to go to Seoul today for a teacher's meeting but ended up staying with Chloe b/c of her bday. I am REALLY glad I was able to not attend the meeting so I could stay with Chloe. WE had a great time! A few of the ladies at school decorated a room just for her bday. They gave her a princess sceptor with a real rose, bought her a cake, and we celebrated. There were only a few of us there for Chloe's small party (8-10), but we made a huge deal about it...then there was Chloe with her huge smile, red glasses, and laugh showing the adults in the room that life throws you curve balls....its not always what you planned it to be, but to hang on and share your laughter with somebody else no matter your circumstance.

Happy Birthday Chloe!!!!

Odds and Ends

Girl's night with Lauren!

The "grass" picture is a photo of the rice field being harvested.

Joy Teacher (Korean Kindergarten) invited us to her house so we went for dinner a few SUnday nights ago. It was a lot of fun. Anyways, there is a nice resort across from her house where we all walked too and went outside to take photos...this was one: at the castle : )

The picture with us by the cross is a photo that was taken for a well known newspaper in Seoul. ANCA was recognized as being the #1 ESL program in Korea. (I think I got that right...lol I don't remember this was a month and ahalf ago or so...)

THe wheel barrel has Esther and I in it. Joy teacher's husband is pulling us around. Lol that was fun too : )

The Retreat

The photo on the right is one side of our hotel. The photo on the left is of Ashley and Chloe on the scavenger hunt in the woods.

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Right: Leading the Scavengar hunt...well, kinda lol.

Typical Korean Fashion..the girl int eh green dress...it was flippin cold outside and she was dancing/singing/greeting people outside the resort...lol

The Resort

Below: Erin, Chloe and Ashley checking out the view from the boy's balcony.

We had a auction at the retreat....I had to drink something nasty...the ingredients: ketchup, grape jelly, bread, soy sauce...and other random things...

The photo below is of Chris getting his leg shaved a little bit...yes, this too was a part of the auction.

David B is getting his nails painted pink...yes, b/c of the auction.

Chloe, Ashley, Erin, and David just chillin' out.




The Boys

The Girls

They were all excited about the retreat. We were getting our mats out of the closet in this photo and setting up our beds.

When we first got to the resort...lol Just check out that excitement! lol Ashley looks kinda scary here...lol

uh ohhhh....

It is Tuesday morning right now....I was helping one of my students with cutting out their picture, when I looked to my left and saw one of my other students, Caleb, cutting his hair!!!.....so i'm thinking that Korean kids are pretty much like American kids...they all cut their hair at school or church one time or another...oi vey...now to tell his mom....lol

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas....but wait it's only September?!

As you can tell by the title it has started to get VERY cold here. Well, to me it is super cold. Today is the second day of fall and Florida Christmas weather. Sadly for me..it is only going to go downhill from here as far as the weather goes. There are many teachers here from up north so the weather is pretty normal for them, but I am confused..

ME: Hey Chris, what is the weather going to be like this weekend?

Chris (from MI): It will be nice: sunny and in the 60's probably.

Me: Oh man that is cold! Wait I am confused....how can it be sunny and still that cold??

Yes, it is sunny today and cold (57 degrees F)...ah, I just don't understand the concept. Thankfully, I have an awesome roomie from the Philippines, Esther, so we are probably going to start using the heat this week. lol.

When I woke up this morning we did not have any water....so I had to use the drinking water to brush my teeth (the pipes in our house probably FROZE over b/c it is so cold...i am definately not kidding: it seriously was cold.)..of course the water came from the fridge..it was sooo cold! They only time I had ever done that was during hurricanes and camping out. It's a totally different experience using cold water to brush my teeth...when I am cold. Yikes! How will I survive???? it is only the beginning......of a very cold, long winter.

Today's wardrobe:

two shirts & hoody
Jeans
Scarf
socks & pumas : )...(until i got to school..off with the outside shoes & on with the inside flip flops)

I thought you all should know about the weather....seeing as it is a VERY important part of my life these days...I have had several "surviving the winter" conversations with teachers who were here for winter last year...and I still am not completely convinced I will survive..So, if I suddenly am not blogging too often or you don't get emails it is probably because my fingers are no longerATTACHED to my body due to the REDICULOUSLY CRAZY FREEZINGNESS here...oi vey....

Adios and Peace out!