When Realistic Dreams Become A Reality

So when did it finally hit me?  It wasn’t when I got the job offer 2.5 months ago; it wasn’t when I left my four jobs to spend time with my family and friends; you would think how I was impatiently waiting for Houston to process my visa, no; it wasn’t the two weeks it took me to pack; it wasn’t when my family dropped me off at the airport sending me away; it wasn’t the 13 hour flight to Narita; it wasn’t even when I was lugging all of my luggage around the airport in Seoul; not even the time the worker in E-Mart was trying to explain to me in Korean which microwave to purchase.  Mind you, I don’t speak any Korean, yet that is!  

I've been pondering for hours as to what exactly I wanted to write as a reflection of my two weeks here in South Korea.  I know that through it all, I have matured mentally as a person and traveler.  To several, I'm too young to travel internationally alone.  As a “young” adult, I thought this has to be the perfect way, for me that is, to grow as a person, take on adult responsibilities, see the world, and live and enjoy what God has envisioned for ME! Heck, I'm young and single, without children. Isn't this the best time for me to explore the world?

*Pause, Rewind* I'm sure you're probably thinking “what,” “when,” “where,” “why,” and “how” did I end up in South Korea. *Hint: there's the answer to the where!*  So about two years ago after I graduated college, trying to figure out my life while in Beijing, China, I realized that I was about to fall in the pool of the 45% of “recent graduates that are unemployed after graduation.”  I applied to jobs, used resources and patiently waited to find something in my field.  Nothing.  For about 2 months of being unemployed, I was pressed to get anything.  So, I picked up subbing in a wonderful school district, worked at the AT&T Stadium *Home of the Dallas Cowboys ;)*, and two other places.  (It's all about managing your time wisely. That's how I did it!) About 3 months into that lifestyle, I realized that was not the life and I wanted to be back overseas.  I came across some amazing educators that steered me to teaching overseas.  I didn’t think that I would find so much enjoyment being in the classroom with the students.  I had some rough days, but God used those students to reveal an unknown passion I never knew I had.  So by the end of December 2015/beginning of January 2016, I stopped ignoring God’s signs and created a road map of where I wanted to be in a year→ January 2017.  There were many obstacles and challenges I faced that got me discouraged, but I had reminders here and there that kept me on track.  By the end of October 2016, I had everything I needed.  From certifications to legal documentation and practicum hours, I was ready to apply.  I waited til mid-November to start applying.  It was during that time frame I realized I had the power to either push my dreams away or pursue them.  Well, I’m sure you can guess how that ended.   

*Resume* So, what am I doing here exactly?  I’m teaching Korean students (elementary to middle school) English.  Do I have to speak Korean?  Do educators in the U.S. have to speak other languages to teach English to their students whose first language isn’t English?  How are the students?  Just like any student.  You have your sweet ones and you have the ones that give you a headache and need a whooping all the time.  How are the foods?  I’ve only tried three dishes: Korean BBQ, Korean style pizza, and “noodle soup.”  I cook foods that I would eat back home in the U.S.  I don’t have money to eat out like that.  How do I get around?  By foot.  Trust me, it’s not that hard getting around and living where you don’t understand what people are saying.  I only have my Irish co-teach at the moment, but trust and believe, I'll be finding my way around South Korea.  Am I afraid?  Hmmm… I’ll just share this.  I found out that I’m the “first” at my school. *The first person of color if you didn't catch that*  I love breaking stereotypes.  There has been a positive response to my presence at the school.  Yes, my students were surprised and intrigued, but after a couple days in, the curiosity died down.  I’ve been stared at several times while I’m out walking in the city, shopping at the grocery store, or even at the movie theater.  It’s nothing new for me.  I've experienced this in other countries I've visited. What’s new for me, is being hesitant to say that I’m from the United States.  I’ve come to learn that there is a fear of people from the U.S… I’ve been enjoying myself thus far, and I will continue without stress.  All I ask for is prayers. I shall continue to overcome barriers. 

Well, this blog was longer than I expected.  Don’t worry, in the future there will be more photos than words to tell my stories.  I’ve already been mapping out possible locations for adventures during my time here.  It’s been a long time coming, but I’m back to my adventures abroad! Enjoy!

My lovely family!

This is CHUNGJU!

Chicken Salad Pizza.  The salad is to make it "healthy."

Rice & Noodle Soup

Just a walk around the lake.

  

  

ALWAYS REMEMBER!

It's A Suggestion

     Recently, I had to put myself in check.  We sometimes get to comfortable with certain things and don’t really appreciate what we have.   When we move to a new environment that seems uncomfortable, we begin to complain about everything that’s not familiar.  I keep reminding myself that all the experiences that I have encountered make Beijing—Beijing.  Adaption mode has kicked in.  What was usual for me during my first few weeks is now the ‘norm’, but that’s not for all things.

I have been culturally enlightened. 

If the traffic light in red, that’s only a suggestion.  You don’t necessarily have to stop.  If the sign says no photography, go ahead and take photos.  It’s only a suggestion.  In the U.S., the number for luck is 7.  Here, 8 and 9 represents luck.  Since the number 9 is greater than 8 and is masculine, it is the number for the emperor.  I don’t want to bore you with cultural information, you can Google it or come here yourself! ;)

Well, what have I done?

 

Ummm…nothing much but sleep.  Our internships and the commute we make every work day has drained the life out of us.  But really though...

One of our program advisors is Dutch, and he invited us to the Pecha Kucha event at the Dutch Embassy.  As it is the month of June, I had the opportunity to celebrate my 22^nd birthday here in Beijing.  What did I do?  Well, we went to the Olympic Stadium Park (where the 2008 Summer Olympics was held) and toured the “Bird’s Nest” and “Water Cube.”  The following day we visited the Summer Palace for our own cultural excursion.  Our Trinity group had the opportunity to visit the Temple of Heaven (culturally enriching) and the Beijing Coca-Cola packaging factory (received a free Coca-Cola beverage).

AND WHAT YOU’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR…   

The GREAT WALL of CHINA!

Oh what an amazing experience to be there in person on the Great Wall.  The best part was visiting the section where there isn’t a lot of tourist, and you can get amazing photos.  It was relaxing to be able to hike in peace and enjoy the surrounding environment.  The Great Wall at Jinshanling is more for hikers and campers.  It's partially renovated, which results in an intense hike.  If you've never been, I recommend that you go!

[PSA: The Great Wall cannot be hiked in a day, more like months]     

Until next time!

Weekly Photos

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你好, My name is 威丽丝!

Week 1 & 2… conquered and done!

It’s exciting to blog again about my new adventures abroad.  

I am across the world in Beijing, China!  It has been a very interesting experience here, but I’m adaptable and up for the challenges. China is a huge country and has so much happening within.  Beijing (北京) is the capital city with 15.500 million people and is considered the political district, whereas Shanghai, the largest city in China with 20.200 million people, is recognized as the financial district.  I can say that there are too many people in this country based on 24/7 traffic and packed subway lines.

You’re probably wondering if I know/speak some amount of Mandarin.  No, not at all.  All I knew before I arrived was 你好 (ni hao-hello, which is in my title) and 谢谢 (xièxie-thank you).  I didn’t know any characters before I arrived either, but after 2 weeks I can recognized about 12 characters and say about 20 phrases/words. The other set of characters in my title represent my Chinese name. I’m having language struggles, but thank the Lord for my fingers, universal pictures, and translation apps.  

Why am I here?  Well, as a recent graduate of Trinity University (May 16,2015) receiving a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in International Business, I needed an internship abroad.  I am doing a research portion on the side with my professor, Dr. Deli Yang, and other students in this program. There are six of us from the university participating in this new program.  We’ve had some adventures, which I’m sure that’s what you’re waiting to hear about…

Our first week here was just the time for introductions with our program and getting acquainted with the university, our research partners, the metro, and our internships.  Have we been to the Great Wall yet?  No, but in due time.  With the internship and research course, we really have to plan out our excursions.  So far, we've been to the Forbidden City, the Beijing Zoo, HouHai (lunch with Big Ma), toured AmCham China, and the Great Leap Brewery. 

I know it may seem like we haven't done much for the amount of time we've been here, but know that we will be making moves soon. This work schedule and jet-lag is real. I have limited access to posting and social media due to the network blocks in this country. But, you must have patience dealing with technology in the country.  The adventures continue, so stay tuned!

Until next time 回头剑,

Photos of the Weeks