A short update, just to show I haven't fallen off the face of the earth

Holy cow, how things have changed in my life since I last updated.

I've fallen in love, for one thing.
(He loves me back, which is quite helpful.)

And North Korea's being dumb.

Anyway. Long story short, I really, really, really do want to go to S. Korea. But I will not be going if there is any chance of violence breaking out over there.

I've started exploring other options, the just-in-case ones... teaching in other countries, becoming an au pair, going back to school for my B.Ed., working... But it's all in God's hands. It's frustrating, but it's all His.

The only thing my brain really has time to think about these days is camp (which I have to be ready for in 11 days! 11!). I've been out there three days a week for the last five/six weeks doing manual labour to help get the site ready for the summer. My mind is swirling with craft plans and staff training outlines and packing and my brother's graduation and phew. Wow. Lots to think about.

I'm going to be up to my ears in prayer about this fall.
Any other prayers would be absolutely appreciated.
Because I'm going slightly insane.

I keep writing things in here but I never know what to say

Last summer and the summer before that I worked at camp. I wasn't going to apply this summer, I really wasn't. I kept coming up with excuses not to.
For instance, I was going to make "some real money" this summer.
And camp salaries went up, by a lot.
I wouldn't "have the time to get things organized to go away for a year."
And I realized, well, what do I really need to get organized? I spent two weeks last summer traveling with a suitcase the size of a small backpack. I've got this packing thing made.
What about paperwork?
If I got hired at camp, I'd need to get a criminal record check done anyway - two birds with one stone.
What about the phone interview?
Okay, that one's just dumb. Obviously camp doesn't start until June. That's almost two months in between graduation and camp.
It was like God was saying, you're not done at camp yet, Sarah. Don't be silly.
I'm going with it. It's always so much easier to go with what God's telling you than to throw around excuses.
Besides, I love camp. I was going to miss it terribly.

Champagne

Today is my birthday!
Happy birthday to me!!
To be specific, it's my champagne birthday, which means that I'm turning 21 on the 21st (I could be turning 17 on the 17th, 12 on the 12th...).
Next year around this time, I will be celebrating my 22nd birthday in Daejeon (hopefully).
And that's way, way beyond cool.
But for now, I am going to enjoy my day to the very BEST of my ability!!

Sea-foamy green

My mom gave me this really cool bowl a few months ago. She gave me bath towels a few days ago, too. They're a light, sea-foamy green color, and they're the big fluffy kind. Then she gave me a decorating book. And a big, black, new-to-me suitcase to put it all in.

I think she is not-so-secretly decorating my apartment, and I won't even really know the full extent of it until I put it all together.

Which is fine by me, because she has excellent taste. It's just funny :)

Oh, momma.

The one where I blather about Daejeon

It's been a loooong time since I've posted anything, so I decided that I would. That's all.

Well, there's nothing terribly new and profound to report on this end. I did get a hold of the folks at ASK Now, and my new preferred departure/first day of teaching is sometime in September. And my first choice of destinations is now Daejeon, where Darrell and Shannon are currently teaching.

I had pondered whether that was being "too safe", going to the same city where I have friends. I also pondered whether I was being "unoriginal". But you know what? I don't think so now. I'm really excited to see the places in the Nevers' pictures - and to see them, of course! And I've been spending some time investigating Daejeon (through good 'ol Internetland), and there's so much to see! I mean, they play it down, because it's not really a "tourist" desination, although there is Zooland, among other things. As far as I can tell, Daejeon is more of a business-oriented city; and Wikipedia tells me that it is "known as the Silicon Valley of Korea (being the) home of various private and public Research Institutes, Centers and Science parks."

But even if it's not blantantly touristy, that's absolutely fine. Because it will all be new to me - I'll be a tourist no matter where I go, no matter what I do! I think this will also mean I'll be able to really see what life in Korea is like, when it's not drowned in tourist attractions.

I don't know. Maybe I'm crazy.

:P

August

So I just found out that a few things will be happening in August that I simply cannot miss.

My friend, who I met in first grade, is getting married.

And I just realized that my parents are celebrating 25 years of marriage.

Those are pretty big things to miss.

So I'm planning on letting ASK Now know that I will not be looking to leave until September, after all. It just makes sense.

Fellowship

Once I get over (or if I ever get over) to Korea, one of the most important things for me is finding a church. I've been attending the same church here in Canada since I was six years old, and many folks in the congregation are like family to me; it's going to be just as hard leaving them as it is leaving my own flesh and blood.

Woah, melodramatic much, eh?*

In any case, it will be a difficult adjustment. But it thrills me to no end that God will be just as close to me in Korea as He is right here, in my living room in my little house in Canada. And I am super excited to fellowship with people who are having the same experiences I am.

I have been looking into churches that offer worship services in English, but it's impossible to do any serious thinking about visiting until I find out where I'll be living. Still, I don't think I'll have any trouble finding one near me (unless I'm in a tiny little town that only has bus services twice a week). Here are some of my findings.

Yoido Full Gospel Church (in Seoul) is, according to the amazing Wikipedia, "the largest Christian congregation in South Korea", and has about 830,000 members throughout South Korea. English worship, yes, but I think I'd feel absolutely lost in a congregation that huge! I think it would be amazing to visit though.

Youngnak Church is in Seoul as well, and offers International Worship in English (IWE). A much smaller congregation, and they seem very closely knit. They have Bible studies in English, too, which rocks.

I found SaRang Community Church as well, but I can't tell you much about the right now because their website seems to be down...

And after poking around on Dave's ESL Cafe I found a couple of threads dedicated to church hunting, which is wonderful. I'm glad there seem to be so many folks in Korea searching for fellowship** in English - this will make my job a whole bunch easier once I get down to business!


*Yes, I'm Canadian, and I say "eh". Giggle if you must.
**Okay, whenever I type the word "fellowship", my fingers just automatically want to continue on with "of the ring"... I'm such a nerddd...

They made it!

I found out a few weeks ago that Darrell - who I had worked with at a camp the summer before last - and his wife Shannon were themselves headed to Korea. They left Canada in the wee hours of Monday morning, arriving exhausted 14 hours later.

But they made it!!!

I'm not going to lie, I'm excited to have contacts over there who I actually know in another context, other than through Internetland, for example.

They're pretty good with keeping up with their blog, The Nevers' Adventures, if you're interested in following along. Darrell also does these constant updates via Twitter... I don't even know what that is, really. Like status updates on Facebook. Or something. Yeah. :)

I'm so, so glad that they made it over safely. Their apartment - from the photos I've seen - has plenty of space, and their school looks great, too.

I can't wait to hear what happens next for them! :D

Kickin' it in Geumchon, oh oh!

I had found this video posted on two different blogs, and I thought I'd repost it here. I pretty much died laughing when I first watched it... Hope you find it as amazing as I do! :)

Uhhh...

So, yesterday I went to church. Nothing new - I do that most every Sunday morning. Several folks came up and congratulated me on my future as an ESL teacher.

And one lovely, dear, sweet little old lady asked me, and I quote: "Which one are you going to, dear? North Korea or South?"

My response? "Uhhh..."

At least it's better than,

"Oh, well, not North Korea, because it just happens to be run by Communists."