Is it Rodem? Or Lodem?

This might seem a little mean, but I really enjoy how Asians mix up their ‘Ls’ and ‘Rs’ because it’s endless entertainment!

Now that you’ve decided my eternal fate because I’m sooo racist (Alby, anyone?), here’s a little update from across the Pacific.

We started to teach an English Bible Camp here at the church, and to be honest, we’ve pulled most of it out of our butts. None of us are teachers – this is a sociology trip, after all – and so being in the position where we need to make lesson plans and actually get students to learn is quite the challenge. I work with 1st – 3rd graders – they’re easy, because they have short attention spans and if you throw some jello on the floor in front of them, they’ll play with it. Also, I forgot how much fin musical chairs was. Now, when you’re a kid, musical chairs was the best place to go for anxiety attacks – every time the music stopped, your heart dropped into your light-up hi-tops as you sacrificed life and limp to get your butt on a seat. From the perspective of the overseer, the game is great because the kids run around in circles for a while and exhaust themselves to the point that they actually want to sit and listen to a story or color. It’s fantastic.
Now high school, that’s a different story. I don’t know what’s up there. Asian girls can’t seem to think, talk, write, read or eat when I’m around. It’s become rather annoying, because when  you’re trying to lead a class of 12 students who barely speak English, they need to do most of those things in order to get anything ot of the class. Most of my time is spent asking questions, and when they finally look up their faces go red and they bury their eyes in their sleeves. Ugh. It sucks to be beautiful. Ha.
Either way, it’s been a completely new experience for me. I kind of like it, but I’m glad I won’t be doing it for the rest of my life. Or maybe I will and this is God’s way of playing some sort of sick joke on me as to how He’s revealing His plan for me. I guess we’ll see.

In other news, as I mentioned last post, I moved in with a new host family. They’re fantastic, and I feel quite comfortable here. Besides the “American” breakfasts of eggs, toast, cereal and sausage, the other nice part about living here is the other “American” named Emily. Now, some back story. On paper, Emily Rhude and I should notget along. I come from a Conservative Republican background and she’s the opposite. We have different friends at school, listen to different music and watch different TV shows. But we’ve become as brother and sister in this awesome Korean penthouse. I was so glad when she agreed to share with me her awesome host family, and now that I’ve been adopted into their family, it really feels like I have a sister. We call our “parents” mommy and daddy, and fold our laundry together… it’s weird really. I get to tell her all about how much I miss my beautiful, graceful, adorable fiance, and she encourages me (after rolling her eyes) by saying that she thinks I’ll make a good husband. Oh, how culture shock can bring people together. It’s been really cool to see us both drop our guards and accept the other for who they are, sans judgement and political affiliation. We respect each other and enjoy the friendship/siblingship (is that a word?) that has been birthed (minus the gross side of birth like the afterbirth).

We have three more days of Engrish Camp before we leave on Monday. I’m looking forward to coming home and seeing all your faces, especially you, Kendralyn Heim. I can’t wait to hold you again!

Be safe, enjoy the close of J-term, and I’ll see you all Monday night. Go Colts.