Jan
19
2010
And so it begins…my last full semester of college. Sure, I’ll have two classes this summer, but seriously, those don’t really match up to the intensity of a full semester. I had my 8 am class this morning, where I found out that I’m pretty sure I’m going to like it, despite the terrible timing. The class is aerobic walking (which sounds funny), and it is made up almost entirely of women. There is, as of today, one lonely male. Maybe he’ll find a girlfriend, if he doesn’t already have one. One of my coworkers is in the class with me, as is a friend that I’ve had in several classes before. It should be a great way to get exercise and have fun, too.
My other class today was 20th century America. I’m pretty excited about this class, although I know that it will be quite a bit of work. Nevertheless, I am really looking forward to it! I still have three more classes to go before I’ve been to all of them, but I think that they have great potential as well. There is one that I am looking forward to a little less than the others, but I won’t say which one, just in case it turns out to be fun.
Our new roomie, Brandi, moved in last weekend, and so far she’s fitting in great! She is a lot of fun to hang out with, which is always a plus! I hope to spend a lot more time with my friends this semester, since I’m taking fewer hours. We’ll see how that goes!
Well, I’ve got a paper to write, so I’ll wrap it up for today. If I have a chance, I’ll update again at the end of the week so that I can tell you how my other classes are going. Oh! I almost forgot! My church is doing something really cool! We’re having 10 different goals in 2010, some of which will be community service-type things. The next one is a book fundraiser for a local Headstart pre-k class! I’m really excited about this, and can’t wait to kick it off! Check out our website for more details! You can find it at http://glenrosebaptist.org.
Later gators!
Dec
13
2009
Finals are this week. Another semester is over, practically before it started, it seems. I cannot believe that next semester is my last full semester. After that, it’s one summer semester, and then…real life. 
/ 
I seriously go between feeling super excited about the future (I’m getting married in 300 days!!!!!) to kinda worried (what will life be like after school? What will I do? Where will I live?). It’s been a semester full of rollercoastering (it’s a word(now)) emotions. I’ve had some of the happiest moments in my life to date, but then again, I’ve had some moments where I felt like the only thing I could be sure about after I graduate is that I’m getting married. And that’s all. Really, I’m getting worried about my future about one year in advance. Lame? Yes. Unnecessary? Yes.
Although I’m anxious to know what the future holds after I graduate next August, when I really sit back and think about it, I’m not worried at all! I’ve got the best insurance in the world in God, and I’ll be starting the best chapter of my life thus far. I have nothing to worry about. Not where I’ll live, not what I’ll eat, not what I’ll wear. Jesus says:
“Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith! And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.” Luke 12:27-31, NASB
So whenever I start to think about the way that I have never before stepped into such an unknown, I’ll consider the lilies.
Nov
26
2009
Okay, so I know that this isn’t supposed to be a wedding blog, but I wanted to say that you should really head on over to http://markandkatie.us and check out our engagement pictures!
Oct
27
2009
In my advanced written communication class, we were asked to write a commentary/editorial on an issue that is important to us. I chose human trafficking. In my research, I learned so much, but I feel as if I have so much more to learn. I barely scratched the surface, but I learned that there are 27,000,000 slaves in the world today. Isn’t that astonishing? In a time when the world is becoming more an more modern, there are still people bought and sold every day. Even here in America. I learned that the average price of a slave is $90. That Asia and Africa have the biggest markets for the buing and selling of humans, and that the majority of the workers on chocolate plantations in Africa are slaves.
There can be slaves who are captured walking down the street and forced into working, who are promised a better life and then forced into prostitution, and who are sold off to pay their family’s debt. This happens in Dallas, in LA, in China, in Russia. All over the world. Fortunately, there are organizations dedicated to ending slavery. Free the Slaves, Not for Sale and Stop the Traffik all have excellent programs and materials.
I am definitely going to continue researching this topic, and I am going to get involved in stopping human trafficking. Because once you know it’s out there, how can you not?
Oct
13
2009
Well, not much has changed since my last update in the school department. I took Crafts over fall break, which was awesome, but waaay to time consuming, and I’m paying for it by having to write a paper now that I should have already finished. I’m really happy I took it though, because I learned how to do a lot of awesome projects that will be great things to do when I have time.
Later!
Sep
17
2009
Dear Everyone,
I’m sorry that my blogging has been rather skimpy of late. I have found myself swamped with learning! Between Shakespeare, East Asian Literature, Advanced Written Communication, Urban Development and Constitutional Law, I have so much reading to do I practically keep my books open all the time! Plus, planning a wedding is more complicated than it seems, but you can hear about all of that over at http://www.markandkatie.us.
One thing that I am really enjoying right now is the surprisingly fall-like weather! Here in Dallas, it has been rainy and cool for pretty much the past week. Although I am a sunshine-lovin’ gal, I adore the atmosphere provided by a chilly day and dark skies. Seriously, this is curl up by the fire, wrapped up in a blanket, drinking a hot chocolate while reading a good novel weather! If only I had the time. And a fireplace. Oh well, I’ll settle for reading a textbook in my under-the-lofted-bed workspace.
Well, that’s all I’ve got for now. See ya!
Sep
3
2009
I never really updated the blogosphere (no, spell check, not the heliosphere.Thanks, though.) with the fact that one week ago today, I got engaged. It was pretty awesome, to say the least. And I, of course, am beyond excited.
But never fear, this blog will not be weddingified. Oh no. We have a website for things like that! I won’t tell you the URL just yet because I am making it awesome, but I will eventually be putting it up here.
On that note, have a great day/night!
Aug
24
2009
Dallas Baptist University. August 24, 2009. First day of school.
The nice thing about this semester is that there is no reason for me to be awake at 7:00 am for any reason. This is a new development in my life, as for the past 9 years, I’ve had to be awake at or before 7:00 at least twice a week during the school year. I really enjoyed waking up at 9:00 today, but not nearly as much as I will enjoy waking up at 9:30 tomorrow!
I know that my schedule sounds pretty sweet so far, but you should know that I am taking 15 hours of upper level political science and English classes, and that, although today is the first day of school, I already have to read the Constitution, chapter 1 of my Constitutional law textbook, and all of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by various points this week. Not to complain, just to put things in perspective.
Well, I have a lot to do tonight, so I’ll end now. I do want to say, however, that this year looks like it will be awesome!
Aug
21
2009
I got back from Korea a little over a week ago, and can say with full confidence that I am glad to be home. However, I am still feeling the effects of my trip.
When I say effects, I don’t just mean jet lag, although that is a very real and powerful phenomenon that has held me at it’s mercy for the past week. No, I also mean the memories of Korea, all the people I came to know and love, the way of life I embraced, the scenery, the smells, the sounds. There is so much about Korea that I miss. I really miss all of my kids, even the ones that gave me trouble. I miss the way that Clara (morning TA) and I had to wrangle kids, and the way Jinny (afternoon TA) and I talked on our breaks. I miss Angelina running up and hugging me the way kindergartners tend to do, I miss talking to Ray in the mornings before my most stressful class began, and I miss trying to teach grammar in a way that is interesting and understandable to fifth graders who are learning English (okay, so that one is a challenge).
I miss quality time with the team, riding in the van everywhere, having interesting moments where no one is quite sure what’s happening. I miss how my host family gave us sandwiches, kimbap and cake for breakfast, and how every once in a while, the cafeteria would have good food.
However, as I stated before, I am definitely glad to be back home. I’m happy to be around my friends from work and my roommates. I’m glad I can talk to my family at normal times, and I’m glad that I can see Mark every day. I’m glad that I don’t have to wonder what’s going on every other minute, and I’m glad that I have a comfortable bed, a real shower and AC. I’m also glad that after this trip, I know more people than I did before, and that we will always have our trip memories.
I guess the point is that while Korea was amazing and wonderful and fabulous and memorable, home is here, with family and friends.
Aug
12
2009
Homestay (n): A foreign student staying in the home of a citizen of the country the student is visiting for a set length of time. Commonly experienced by study-abroad participants, and sometimes by short-term mission trip participants.
As you may recall from earlier posts, I had a little trepidation about staying in the home of a Korean family. I really didn’t want to offend anyone, and I was slightly afraid of what I might encounter. However, you may also remember that I was also excited at the prospect of learning a new culture firsthand. When we arrived in Korea, we were promptly deposited in an apartment a few minutes away from the church, our base. We had been told about homestays, but they never materialized…at least until last week. At dinner one night, Pastor Ryan (our liaison with the church)mentioned that he needed three of us to volunteer for a homestay. You could have heard a pin drop. None of us wanted to leave the home that we were used to and the friends that were now more like family. Brave Kristine finally asked if she could think about it. Later that night, she and I discussed our feelings about it, and decided we might be interested, but not enough to bring it up again. Fast forward to last Saturday. We are back in Suwon after a day trip to Seoul. Pastor Ryan has taken us to Pizza Hut (as mentioned in my last post) and he is sitting on the opposite end of the opposite side of the long table. Near Kristine. I don’t know how it happened, but somehow, she and I ended up committing to do a homestay for one night, then we would decide whether to continue. I was more informed than asked, but hey, that’s how good experiences happen, right?
So on Monday, we packed our bags and got ready to go that night after Kristine was done teaching at 9:00. I got done at 5:00, so I had to walk down the mountain hill that leads to the church alone. As I went, I wondered if they would like me, if I would like them, and what the conditions would be. It turns out that I shouldn’t have worried! Mr. Park has been coming to America fairly often for the last ten years or so, and speaks really good English. His wife, Mrs. Lee, is functional in English, and good at getting her point across. They have a nine year old daughter who is very beautiful, but also shy.
Mr. Park picked us up and drove us the 15 minutes to the apartment. When we got there, we were greeted by his wife and daughter, as well as a married couple with whom they are very close. That couple invited us all to their apartment the following day for Korean food after we got back from teaching. So much for staying one night! We are now staying until Friday morning, with our last night and family dinner scheduled for Thursday.
It is an interesting experience to say the least, but one that I am so glad I am having. There probably isn’t a better host family out there, as they have done nothing but make us feel welcome. Kristine and I have had some great times already…especially the delicious dinner prepared for us by the neighbors! We had crab, noodles, pumpkin soup (yummy!), rice cakes and more, making it the best meal we have had in Korea! I was really full for the first time since I’ve been here!
I know that I will remember this experience for the rest of my life, and I know that next time I’m offered a chance to spend some time with locals, I’ll say yes immediately!
I’m getting married!
