June 24, 2007

Ni hao!

We have now been here for two weeks, and it seems like a lot longer sometimes, but other times I feel we haven't even really begun our work...which we haven't, really. Of course, we were told to expect the unexpected, and a couple of days after we got here we found out that we would no longer be teaching in the international primary school like we thought. This turned out to be a good thing, because it's given us some time to settle in and get some details figured out. Right now we are living in a faculty apartment at the university, but we are moving in to the English House next week, which will be our homestay. We will be living with five girls in the student dormitory, which I am excited about... although in the dorm we are supposed to speak English for the program, to help them gain conversational skills, so we will have to work extra hard to find ways to practice Mandarin--most likely out in the city. Our supervisor helped us find a language tutor and we are starting lessons this week. It took awhile because we had to decide whether to learn Mandarin or Korean--there are so many people of both nationalities here! For various reasons, we have decided to focus on Mandarin but will probably learn some Korean as well.

Things here are not what I expected them to be. When I came, I didn't think I had any expectations because I knew that if I did, they would not match reality! But one of the first things I found myself thinking was, "This is not like Thailand at all!" And then I thought, "Why did I expect it to be like Thailand? It is a completely different culture!" That was kind of funny. There are some things that surprised me that really shouldn't have--like the fact that they really do use chopsticks here, for every meal, and they don't give you silverware unless you ask for it...I don't know why I was surprised by that! But I am becoming quite handy with the chopsticks, which is fun. At some places (including the university cafeteria) they have metal chopsticks, which are Korean. They are much more difficult to use than the wooden ones, because they are heavier and more slippery. If I can master those at the end of six months, I will really feel like an expert!

Something else I wasn't expecting was the lack of knowledge of English... all of the signs are in Chinese and Korean. There is not a lot of English translation (In Thailand almost every sign had an English translation, which is probably why this surprised me). So we will have to figure out other ways to find places and know where we are going. Also, out in the city barely anyone knows any English at all. We can't take a taxi unless we have a business card, or shop at a place where you have to bargain, or figure out where to get off the bus if we don't already know...or even order food at a restaurant! So it has been impressed upon us how important it is to learn the language to live here.

Something else that was unexpected was the freedom (pertaining to Dad) that is given to foreigners here. We didn't know how we would be fed before we came, but there is a regular weekly meeting for English and Korean speakers. For the native people, however, it's different. We were walking up to another English meeting to read the word and a native girl we recently met was standing outside, and we said "Oh, are you coming tonight?" and she said, "I can't, I'm  Chinese." And that was really sobering. It's been kind of difficult to figure out what exactly is going on in that area, but through various conversations with different people, we've gotten a picture of the situation that helps us know more what our work will look like. Some things that have really hit me have been with the students at the university, hearing their stories. Almost every student that I have heard has said they had never heard of dad or his book until they got to college.

Also, there have been specific moments when my eyes have been opened a little bit more. The other day we were at the apartment of a woman who has kind of taken us under her wing, a teacher at the school, having a birthday dinner for a couple of her students. We were talking about the English House and discussing what games we wanted to introduce to the students for the picnic and other various activities during the month. I said something like, "I'm trying to think of games that we used to play at my meetings for young people...there was this one we played called un*ergr**nd ch**ch--" and then I just had to stop, because first of all, I'd just said the wrong thing! (And it will probably not be the last time!) And second of all, it hit me that something that I've played as a game for so many years is so real here. It's not a game; for some people it is everyday life. And it's so far beyond what I've experienced that it's difficult for me to comprehend. But he is opening my eyes more to the way things really are, and the work that he's doing.

Sometimes it's hard to remember what to say and what not to say, and I'm sure there will be some times when I mess up again. I have to trust that he will take care of everything and help me to discern what is okay and what is not okay. Something really amazing is happening here at the school, and I'm grateful that he is allowing me to be part of it. I'm attaching a photo of me in front of the school sign (well part of the sign--the letters YUST go around in a circle).

Well we have eaten a lot of rice and many other things, including donkey dumplings. Dumplings are hugely popular here, called joustz or something like it (very difficult to pronounce!) and they seem to put anything you could possibly want in dumplings. The donkey ones were pretty good! (And I was very relieved to hear that I wasn't eating dog, which hasn't been presented to me yet, thankfully.) Sadly, kimchi is served at nearly every meal here, no matter what. Just like restaurants in America give bread or chips before a meal, every restaurant here, whether it is Korean or not, gives out kimchi, this very hot, spicy cabbage dish that is not my favorite at all. Most things here are spicy, so hopefully at the end of six months I will have built up a tolerance and will be able to eat more things! (Our supervisor will take us to dinner and say "Don't eat that" several times... she is Korean American, so she knows all about the spicy food!)

Right now we are in a smaller city where we came for a few days to visit my cousin, Aaron, who is here until the end of July. We have been able to be involved in his work at a language school and an orphanage, and will also visit a school for handicapped children. It's wonderful to see all the work that Dad is doing all over the country!

Well, there is much work to do, and little time to do it. Already I can't believe we're only going to be here for six months! Please yarp that our language studies go well, so we can actually communicate with the people in the city. Also, please yarp that the English House goes well. There is huge potential for building relationships during this time, and I want to be aware of every possible opportunity that Dad gives us to help him. Thank him that we got here safely, and for the work he is already doing!

Talk to you again soon!

Joanna

P.S. You can look at more pictures by following this link:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2039244&l=870b3&id=82401775