moon worship

so here are some random thoughts and events:

-tonight i was running down by the river (yes i stepped out of my van for some exercise) and i saw this guy on a bike totally wipe out. like it looked bad! and there were 5 koreans standing around him and nobody said a thing to him. i contemplated just ignoring what i saw - even though i totally had that open mouth surprised face on - but as i jogged by i stopped and said "are you ok?" - in korean (i can't spell it) and he said yes he was fine. so then i spent some more time contemplating the event. i have to admit none of the koreans who were standing near by rubbernecked the fallen bike man. so i guess that is better, if you aren't going to ask if they are ok or help them then better not stare at them. and then i wonder if maybe this is part of saving face, you just ignore it like it didn't happen and it is less embarrassing. maybe i just really embarrassed him...hmmmm....im miguk saram. cheosong hamnida. (im american, im sorry)

-this morning one of my students came up to me and starts sputtering off in korean telling me i guess something about one kid cutting his finger or one kid cutting another kids finger and so i have my surprise face on as i am trying to decipher what exactly he is trying to tell me and then Sun, this hilarious kid runs up and says "OH MY GOD!" in perfect korean style with his shoulders shrugged and hands in the air. i just about rolled on the ground! it was the funniest thing!

-is it weird that im starting to think words are not so important. i mean we use them simply to convey ideas and if i can convey an idea without using words do words really matter? especially in the sense of cursing and telling people "i love you" i have come to find that phrases that i would never say or use in america freely flow from my lips such as "i love you" and sorry for the faint of heart "oh my god!" i never use it as a curse to God Himself. but rather i use it because i hear it so much and to me it unites me with my korean friends here and those in america. to me its a unifier rather than curse. plus i said oh my gosh before that. whats the difference really? should just stick with the "shitaki mushrooms" or "barnacles". but i never thought anything of it until my newly arrived friend called me on it. hmmm, live in korea for awhile. but he is a bit more against cursing in general. which i have not been raised in that manner. ;) but rather have chose it for myself...most of the time :)

-and i want to thank my athletic family and every woman in America who has fought for girls sports. both here and in costa rica i found an instant bond with my host fathers through sport. teaching american football in costa rica and playing soccer and basketball here with Mr. Bae. its just a unifier and it rocks! and even better we were outside playing at my directors apartment and his wife joined us!!! she came out and played soccer in high heels! and she was awesome! come to find out, she was a student athlete! she did the long jump! soooo coool! this soon lead to a soccer game against 4 10 year old boys as they all watched me shooting and yelled at me, "Where are you from?" "You good soccer play!" So Mr Bae invited them to join us and we had a fun game of 3 on 4. it was so much fun. can i say i felt like home? i loved kids again at that moment. i think i really like kids but i like kids to play with not to teach. hahha or at least not intentionally. :)

-and we went to this pension (guesthouse) this weekend and i really felt like i was at home! i had been close to there with mr bae and its all mountains and rivers. so great! but at the pension i took a nap outside in the afternoon in the sun then i walked around in the GRASS barefoot and shot the basketball for a bit. and then rode bikes for a bit. there was a pond and lots of christmas lights. it made me feel lik i was at home during the summer time. ahhhhhhh. thank God for that. it was beautiful. and i hope all yall who are home, and have a yard with grass and trees, that you go outside and enjoy it. after you get home from work, take off your shoes and take a little walk- just stand in the grass. its a beautiful thing.

-so i know im not soo good at keeping in touch but know that honestly i think of you much more than i write. :)


always, your amber