Time for another post

Seems like right now might be a good time for another post. I currently dont have classes for a while, so I can sit back and just write.
Its also a good time to write because I have been here 7 months now.... in 5 months I will be at home. So lets sit back and reflect.

Life has been pretty normal here. I go to school, I teach for 8hours, then go home and play with Kay, and go to the gym. And thats how it is pretty much everyday. I am learning that I do enjoy teaching these days. I love making the students laugh, and freak out at what I am doing. They love the engergy I have... and it shows in how they treat me. I have students who will randomly give me candy, or gum. I got a love letter today even.
Its cute how much they like me. The school is going to Everland on the 4th of May, and all the students are asking if I am coming, and if I will go with them.. Right now my lunch class is 1-11 and they are all bragging that they get to have me go with their class to Everland. Its almost daily that I am asked if I am going.
The grade 1's have definatly made me more satisfied with my job... and having Mr.Lee as a new co-teacher helps too. He can tell me if I should fix things, or if he didnt like something I did.. and when he does that I dont feel like a pile of crap. He knows how to do the constructive criticism. And he treats me as a colleauge, not just some english slave like ms lee did. He doesn't resent me. So I can get up in the morning and be happy that I will be going to school.
I think that is what is making leaving in 5 months kind of bittersweet. Like I finally have become comfortable here, and sooner then i know it, it will be time for me to go home. Plus this is where I have been for year. Where I have friends and a very comfortable life. It will be hard to leave the park where I walk Kay, and my comfortable home that is perfect for the two of us, since I dont need a lot of space. I will miss my adoring fans, the ones that scream when I walk into the room, and the ones who say hello to me if they see me on the street... or run away giggling. It will be hard to go back home to so many unknowns.

Other things that have happened. It is finally spring here! The cherry blossoms are done and the leaves are coming out, and now the liliac bushes are blooming and these cool bushes are blooming too. And the grass is slowly becoming more and more green. It makes the walk to school nice, because there is color again.. no more brown and gray...
Kay likes the fact that the grass is turning green too. She has this strange love of eating grass. i cant wait to take her home where she can have a lawn to eat whenever she wants. Kay seems to use the grass as a break. She will be running at full out puppy speed, then grab a tuft of grass, let her back legs go behind her, and lay down and eat that mouthful of grass that she used to stop herself. Kay is definatly a character. She makes life exciting for me. Like her game of pop bottle chasing, or her love of cardboard boxes and standing in them. Even when she lays down she is cute. Having her here with me was one of the best things that could have happened to me. I'm excited to bring her home and have people met her. She loves people... too much sometimes... the hard part, is that she isn't a big fan of other dogs. I hope she and Buddy get a long....

Hmm. I've also started a diet and its working well. Now before you think "Melanie didnt need a diet..", let me explain. When I came here, I was eating a lot of comfort foods and not working out. So I was able to put on a bit of weight, even if you couldnt see it, it was there. Since bathing suit season is coming up the girls and I here decided that we should try this korean diet. At first it was intense how we followed it. We took out all bread, all pasta, and all rice. And all we ate was cereal, chicken breast and sweet potato with as much fruit and veg as we needed. I lost about 5 pounds in the first 2 weeks and a crap load of inches. After those 2 weeks we have broadened our eating choices, as long as we keep our calorie intake below 1500 we are ok. Plus we are working out every other night.
Its a good diet though, because I feel like I have a lot more energy and its kinda easy to keep the calories below 1500.. i do miss candy and ice cream. I will do my best to keep this diet up for the next 5 months actually too. Hopefully i can get my weight down further and just be healthy even if its hard to eat healthy here all the time.

So you can see that I do miss things at home, like the people. And the space and the ability to cross the road without fear of dying. I miss the food choices, I miss the ability to drive, I miss the clean air, and just a lot of things.
Thats what makes this all so bittersweet. This place has been my home for a year, and I will be leaving it to go home, which i know... but there will be many things that will be different.
I'm done university, so that seaon of life is done and I can move on from those things and anything was was part of those 4 years. And Hamilton was never really home. its not like I had a home church there that I was heavily involved in. So I wont move back there.
And sadly I know that Tillsonburg will only be temporary.. finding work there will be difficult, so I will have to move on from there in time. Move out on my own somewhere. Thats the biggest unknown. Sometimes I am unsure of where I should go after this. Ottawa is in the picture, but whatelse God might have in store, I dont know.... I'll just have to wait and see. I am doing my best to not worry, and let Him control it. Thats why I dont have solid plans for what's next. Its in His hands, and He'll let me know when its time.

To summarize. Things are good. I am happy here, but at the same time, Can't wait to get home.

Easter in Korea

Now I know i haven't updated in a while.. but I thought i would reflect a bit on Easter in Korea.

Easter in Korea is not at all like it is at home.

Easter here is something you have to choose to celebrate.  There are no chocolate bunnies, no chocolate eggs.  No pictures of rabbits or spring chicken. No tv commercials about the bunny that clucks... or telling you that Zellers is having its easter sale.

No days off...

Even in a country where most people go to church, there is no reminder that "its Friday, but Sunday's coming"!  (except for 1 or 2 posters for korean church services).

You have to choose to remember that this weekend is Good Friday and that Sunday is Easter.

Yet having to make the choice to celebrate, should be how it always is.  I find so often at home that I just go through the motions, but while I have been in Korea I have to make the CHOICE to celebrate.  I have to make the choice to remember.  It could be so easy to just let things fall to the way side. And sometimes I fail.  But the challenge to make the personal choice to remember and to be active in my faith seems to be a benefit for me.  The biggest struggle will be continuing to remember that I have to actively make the choice when I get home.

So often I wonder what things are going to be like when i am back.  I still don't know what direction I am going to take.  Or where God is going to lead me next.  I wonder where I will end up.  If I will find a church where I can become actively involved.  Or if I will continue to be lazy in my faith. Thats why I dont get involved here.  I get lazy.  I dont want to go too far from my house to a church that might have more interest and benefit to be, because i want to be able to come home.  And I dont want to get involved at the church I go to, because I like being at home, and only seem to want to give up one day a week for the church.  Is it like this because I am only here for one year? I wonder...  that may be the excuse that I use, but i don't know if its right.

Last night I was able to go to Seoul and join in a Good Friday service, with many international churches from all over the area.  Just another glimpse on how it will be some day.  So many different colors and different backgrounds of faith, coming together to remember the gift that we were given more than 2000 years ago.  It was defiantly a good way to remember.  And even though it was a long subway travel, it was worth it.  I was glad that I went against my desire to stay home, and went. Now I need to remember to stop being so lazy.

Its Friday, but Sunday's coming! Thanks be to God for that!