Lessons from Korea

The next day in Korea was filled with cultural learning.  We toured a museum, learned to play the drums and do a traditional mask dance, and then we traveled to Korea's very own version of Disneyland.  The park was awesome despite the fact that I was still super sick.  Later that day, while still at the park, it began to snow.  What a crazy Spring Break!

My final day in Korea was spent in closing ceremonies, finishing up some last minute shopping, and going out one last time with some great friends.  This was definitely a trip that I will never forget.

Some things I learned:

1.  Don't be intimidated by people.  We are all human, we all have positive and negative qualities.  Being able to see past those and to love people for who they are is what can set us apart.

2.  Don't exaggerate accomplishments.  You've done something cool?  Great.  It isn't necessary to one-up, just be proud for others.

3.  Embrace new experiences.  Best case scenario: you find something you love.  Worst case: you find something that you don't love, and you're able to definitely say so.

4.  Always, Always, ALWAYS, bring medicine with you during international travel.  Pack a variety.  Sinus, headache, stomach, anything you can find.  Antibiotics are priority, but only if attained legally, of course.

5.  American snacks are also a must.  Don't get me wrong, international cuisine is one of my favorite things, but there is just something about the richness of American food that I was missing.  My peanut butter and crackers worked well, but I would have loved to have packed a few other things.

6.  Jet lag kicks tail.  The past two days, I have literally taken at least two naps.  My time clock is still backwards, and it doesn't seem to be evening out at all.  It doesn't help that I have three tests this week.  Ah, c'est la vie.

Being in Korea, I didn't only learn about Asian culture.  I learned to appreciate and embrace all that we have here in America.  Yes, Asia was incredible, but I'm pretty fond of the good, old USA. 

I had an amazing time, but I'm glad to be back. 

Korean Adventures and Pork Dumplings

Last Wednesday, I left Union and headed toward Nashville.  That night, I went to bed eager to wake up a short two hours later and board a plane for Dallas, Texas.  In Dallas, I would meet up with several other college students who were participating in the CIEE South Korea Scholarship Program.  Now, this was first trip outside of the United States, and I had no idea what to expect.  Now that I've been here for a few days, I have few insights to offer accompanied by some stories of the goings-on of the program.  Let's jump in.

First day consisted of getting to know people.  Asking and being asked the same five awkward questions is terrible except that you meet really cool people.  This group is so diverse both ethnically, academically, and any other -cally you can imagine.  "Where are you from? Oh my gosh, do you know so-and-so. No? Ok. What's your major? Oh do you speak foreign languages?  You do?  Awesome me too." Everyone here is incredible.  Really.

Next, Korean language lessons, which in reality means that we covered the alphabet and learned to say "Hello"and "Thank you."  Needless to say, it's been difficult attempting to make it around the city.  Lots of body language is used.  I have also learned that saying things in an Asian accent is surprisingly effective.  Politically correct?  Probably not, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Along with seeing the city, we have had tons of lectures on relations between Korea (both North and South) and everyone else you can imagine.  It's really interesting to see the perspective of another nation.  Their idea of the Korean War was completely different from my visions of what happened, so it was really cool to hear their side of the story.

That brings me to today.  We went to visit the Demilitarized Zone.  I linked it the Wiki just in case you want to learn more.  Basically, it serves as a buffer between North and South Korea.  There are so many strict rules and procedures for being here.  You have to follow a dress code and there are certain areas in which you aren't allowed to take photographs.  It's crazy.  Through this visit, I technically stepped foot in North Korea.  Again, crazy.



Later that night, Taekwondo lessons.  That's right I can both speak Korean and do some sick martial arts.  Neither of those is true.

The next day, we traveled to a city south of Seoul for a little excursion.  We saw a traditional Korean village, which was interesting, but what was better was the large handful of Korean school girls who were literally crying over all of the American boys.  I felt like a celebrity as they begged all of us to take pictures with them.  Talking to them was really cool.  Naturally, their English was far better than any of my Korean.  Sad.

Now, on to the pork dumplings.  Monday night, I went out to dinner with a friend's mom who lives in the city.  She took me to this little restaurant, which she had never been to either.  We ordered in our broken Korean and were looking forward to the large amount of pork dumplings we were about to consume - one of the coolest things to me about Korean food is that they share everything, so it's easy to order in groups.  I ate, and it was wonderful.  I then went home, said goodbye to my friends mom, and all but stumbled to my room. I fell asleep for a few hours, and then I woke up as I was running to the bathroom.  I proceeded to puke my guts up for about the next fifteen minutes.  Needless to say, I will never again eat a pork dumpling.  Korean food is great...the first time.  It is currently Wednesday, and I'm still not at 100%.  Gross.

Though the trip isn't yet over, I have had an incredible time.  The people I'm spending this week with are all insanely intelligent, and they are definitely all going places.  I'm really honored to be among them.  I'm so thankful for this opportunity to have experienced a culture that is so different from my own.  It's exactly what I needed for this spring break.  Two more short days here, and then it's back to the United States.

Mexico and Other Intercultural Endeavors

¡Hola!  

This post began in Matamoros, Mexico.  It's a small-ish town right on the other side of Brownsville, Texas, and it's where a good friend of mine will be living for the next two years.

A few weeks ago, he asked me to travel with him to his new home, and I gladly obliged.  I left Union and traveled to Birmingham where I met up with a few friends for dinner before heading out for Mexico.  We left Birmingham and drove to Mississippi where we stopped for the night.


The next day we traveled for over 12 hours, making stops in New Orleans and several smaller towns in Texas.  


On the next day, we finally made it to Brownsville where we took care of some business and crossed the border.  Technically, this was my second time in Mexico, so I knew a little bit of what to expect.  This time around, however, I was a little bit more comfortable with the language.  Go back and read that again, I said a little.  


We arrived at his fantastic house and met several people.  Naturally, everyone around me spoke fluent Spanish.  Though at times this was frustrating, I did my best to listen and pick up as much as possible.  There were only minor mishaps due to language such as the waiter boxing up the tiny morsels of steak that I hadn't eaten rather than just taking my plate.  No big.  


All in all, I was honored to accompany my friend on this journey and had a great time doing it and experiencing a fairly new culture all at the same time.


Since I've been back at Union, I've been searching for opportunities to both learn languages and interact with people from other cultures.  I know they are here.  I just have to find them.


Last week, I helped with an ESL program at Andrew Jackson Middle School.  Essentially, it's helping kids with homework, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.  The kids think it's super cool that I know even what little bit of Spanish I can speak, and I think it's LEGIT that they can speak both Spanish and English.


I also found a multinational ministry at church that seeks to teach English, as well as share the gospel, with internationals in the Jackson community.  There were Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, and Spanish speakers there, all seeking to master English.  It was really cool to help them learn about simple things like weather and clothing items, and it made me recognize how important it is that you really practice when learning a language.  The cultural interactions were so interesting to watch.  Such a mix.  


Furthermore, through this program, I was able to meet a man from Seoul, South Korea, which is where I will be headed ONE WEEK FROM TODAY!  Talking to him and learning even just a little bit about my destination made me stoked about my trip.  I can't wait to immersed in a culture and language about which I know literally nothing.  

The next post will probably be written outside the United States.  Can't wait for that.

Spectacular, Spectacular

Maybe I'm obsessed with the movie Moulin Rouge, maybe I am not.

Hint: I am!

First of all, let's talk about Nicole Kidman AND Ewan McGregor...in the same place...at the same time...singing.  That alone sets a high bar for this movie.  Any film in which these two appear, I will watch, also love.

Speaking of love, the picture of love offered by this movie is out of control.  Sure, there is questionable material, the girl is a can-can dancer after all, but the love offered by this young, Bohemian man sweeps her off her feet.  Insane.  

*Spoiler Alert*

Thirdly, tragedy.  I love a good tragedy.  That may seem weird at first, but here's the deal, things never work out the way you expect them to.  Sometimes, it's good to watch a movie where the people don't end up 'happily ever after' because, quite frankly, nothing in life is ever totally 'happy ever after.'

Now, let me say this, this movie was not at all what I expected.  There are times when you may feel like you are on an acid trip, but that's part of the fun, right?  Right.

On to the sentimental. 

 "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return..."

What an incredible gem.  I like to focus on the last part of it.  We have to learn to be loved, not just to love.  This is probably where I struggle the most.  I am fine with showing others that I love them, but sometimes, it's just hard to allow others to love me because that forces me to really open up, to allow them to sacrifice, and to chance not only being hurt but hurting them, even if just by accident.

Because of this simple fact, I often push people away and just never allow them to get too close.

It's hard because I want to be in control.  Being loved involves letting go and letting someone else control for a minute.  Am I willing to let this happen?  Am I willing to let someone love me?  

What a revolutionary concept.

So, here's a new resolution.  Learn to be loved.

"Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs.  

Well what's wrong with that?  I'd like to know."

    

"We could be heroes, just for one day."

Exposure

Let's skip the charades.  You're seeing right through me anyway.

Can we just speak plain?  We're playing for the same team.
But I'm the one that's acting like I'm so strong.
You're the one that's acting like nothing's wrong. - "Skip the Charades" by Cold War Kids

Lately, I have been irritable, ultra-sensitive, a monster.  

It often hasn't been fair and hasn't been at all properly directed.  I'm working on it.  Trying to pull through it.  

I was the wild card, you were the safe bet.

I've been broken open.

I have been broken open,

Was a perfect gentleman.

Now I'm smashing champagne, tying cans

Feel like celebrating.

It feels so strange to feel good,

And when I was the fire you were wood.

So when I was petrified,

You understood.

I have been broken open.

This was not my master plan.

I was comfortable watching from the stands.

I've been broken open.

All my edges are exposed.

I was once content alone.

Now you brought the one that I call home.

I've been broken open.  - "Broken Open" by Cold War Kids

 The original intent of this blog post was quite different.  Luckily, I was saved by having breakfast with a very dear friend of mine.  Through that chat, I uncovered a lot of deep-rooted issues that I've been successfully hiding since August.  Lesson learned: The truth will come out peacefully if you let it, or the truth will come out kicking and screaming if you don't...either way, it's coming out.

They say the hardest part of any problem is admitting that you actually have a problem.  Here it is, I admit it: I'm struggling.  Sometimes I'm lonely, insecure, upset, and I just need to be uplifted.  Sometimes it happens, and sometimes it doesn't.  

What I learned through this week, however, is that I have been seeking that uplifting from all of the wrong places.  I filled a huge void with things that slowly began to disappear.  When that happened, I expected far too much from someone who is far too small to fill what I needed.

Growth hurts, but it's generally the pain that teaches the lessons.  I know I did the right thing this summer, and though I didn't expect this or see it coming in any way, I'm just now dealing with a lot of the decisions that I made.  Relationships leave holes, scars, voids.  If they didn't, they wouldn't hurt.  As I said before, I did a great job of filling that void when I got home.  I had new relationships, new experiences, new travels, everything was so...new.  That newness eventually wore off, but I couldn't figure out what had changed so much, why I was so upset all the time.  It was because my void had emptied.  

That realization was a breakthrough for me.  Now I know that my void is empty, but I also know that the void has to be filled, and it will be in time.  This time around, I'm going to be more conscious of what fills it.  I want to fill my life with things that are solid, with things that matter, most importantly, with me and with my God.


I hope that if you have an empty void, you'll consider what you're filling it with.  


Thanks for sticking with me.      

All Around the World

So, I found out the other day that I will soon be traveling across the globe to Seoul, South Korea!

I have never been out of the country before and am super stoked that my first time will be in this place.

On March 17, I will begin my journey to Yonsei University where I will study Korean language, history, and culture for one week.  I know it's not the ideal time frame to experience all of Korea, but I'll take what I can get for now.  This will be an incredible experience.  I'm traveling with a company called CIEE that is super legit and offers tons of study abroad opportunities.  I'll be going with about 75 students from all over the U.S..  We will visit the Demilitarized Zone, see various museums and sights in Seoul as well as a traditional Korean village, and take taekwondo classes.  It doesn't seem real at this point, but I'm going!  Hoop yeah!


Along the lines of world travel, summer plans are forming.  As of yet, the State Department has not given a yes or no about the internship, but with it already being February, I don't exactly have high hopes.  In my search of finding other summer plans, I found a program in Amman, Jordan with CGE (another study abroad program).

For two months, I will studying Arabic and taking in much of the Middle East.  Program plans include seeing the Dead Sea, Petra, the Red Sea, etc.  So, so legit.  Arabic is a super difficult language and one that is much needed by the American government right now.  With this in mind, I'll study abroad this summer and try again with State next year.  In the meantime, I'm stoked about this opportunity.  It's still in the planning stages, but things are moving in the direction of Jordan.


Clearly, I'm wanting to travel the world right now.  What better time is there than when I'm in college, right?  Additionally, if I intend to make a career out of serving in other nations, I better experience it early and make sure that I actually enjoy it.  Wouldn't want to be thrust into the jungles of some African nation only to discover that I don't like being away from the comfort of the Red, White, and Blue.


And just so she doesn't feel left out.  

Final tidbits and stories to come:

• Thinking about changing my major...again.
• Saw the Civil Wars Barton Hollow Tour opening show.  There aren't words to describe it, but I will attempt to come up with something.
• A look at the changes that are happening, the growth I'm going through, and how tough growth can be.

  

Our Very Own Sputnik Moment

A couple of thoughts on the State of the Union...

"What's more, we are the first nation to be founded for the sake of an idea -– the idea that each of us deserves the chance to shape our own destiny. That's why centuries of pioneers and immigrants have risked everything to come here. It's why our students don't just memorize equations, but answer questions like "What do you think of that idea? What would you change about the world? What do you want to be when you grow up?""

The President's words are oh so true as far as the intent of our education system, but it's so easy to see that we are slowly falling far from his interpretation.  How easy is it for us to memorize a couple of facts and slide by, fooling our teachers and each other into thinking that we are 'model students.'  With this, the idea that a person can be whatever he or she wants is quickly becoming a long-lost thought.  This is not because of any sort of discrimination but simply from the lack of effort and motivation that it takes to truly be whatever you want to be.  We want to be a doctor, lawyer, world-changer, but we don't want to put in the work that it takes to get there.  We feel entitled, like it should be handed to us.

"That responsibility begins not in our classrooms, but in our homes and communities. It's family that first instills the love of learning in a child. Only parents can make sure the TV is turned off and homework gets done. We need to teach our kids that it's not just the winner of the Super Bowl who deserves to be celebrated, but the winner of the science fair. We need to teach them that success is not a function of fame or PR, but of hard work and discipline."  

First off, yes learning begins in the home.  It's the responsibility of today's teachers parents to instill education into their children.  Too much pressure has been wrongly placed on the teacher and schools.  A teacher gets your kids for, what, eight hours a day?  How long do you spend with them, parent?  Teach them something.  Secondly, people everywhere struggle with the idea that it's PR that gets you the big bucks, the promotions, the attention.  It doesn't matter how hard you work if you can't market yourself well.  It sucks, but it's reality.  It's going to take people who recognize this fact in order to change it, and I simply don't think there are enough of out there, yet.

"In fact, to every young person listening tonight who's contemplating their career choice: If you want to make a difference in the life of our nation; if you want to make a difference in the life of a child -- become a teacher. Your country needs you."

Teachers are, as the President states in his address, some of the most under-appreciated servants in the nation.  They get paid meager wages to not only teach but also to babysit, counsel, essentially, parent, kids who don't want to be at school in the first place.  It's a tough job, and, yet, somebody's gotta do it.  The President is exactly right in his sentiments, but before everyone begins running out to get a degree in education, there will have to be some serious reform in that career field.  

"We're a nation that says, "I might not have a lot of money, but I have this great idea for a new company." "I might not come from a family of college graduates, but I will be the first to get my degree." "I might not know those people in trouble, but I think I can help them, and I need to try." "I'm not sure how we'll reach that better place beyond the horizon, but I know we'll get there. I know we will.""

This is the type of thinking that needs to be encouraged.  It's this type of thinking that will save our nation.  It's this type of thinking that is the embodiment of America.  Where did we go wrong to lose it?

And finally...

"We do big things."

Let's make the next year a year of big things.  It begins with us.  We can't expect our government to do 'big things' while we sit around and watch.  So, make this a year of big things.  Whatever that may mean for you.

For me, it's going to be a year of chasing after those things that I desire and not watching them pass by, of enjoying the time that I get spend with the people I love, of taking chances and dealing with the consequences.

What will it be for you?