Kaikoura musings

Hello!

We have successfully navigated our way down the east coast of New Zealand and have arrived in Kaikoura, a beautiful beachside town about halfway down the south island. I can't help but imagine how much more beautiful this place is in the summertime - its cold (about 50) and rainy today and the sea is still strikingly aqua in color and stunning to gaze at from inside our nicely heated backpackers' residence.

Kaikoura is typically known for its seal colonies and whale watching tours. For awhile this morning there was a seal perched on a rock not too far from the front window of the kitchen. As Trevor bundled up in preparation to go capture this cute pup on film, he promptly swam away (the seal, not Trevor). Perhaps he had a lunch date.

In addition to seals and whales, there are large numbers of dusky dolphins and a variety of birds here as well. Though Kaikoura is, in numbers, so much smaller than Seoul or any other place I've lived in, I can't help but feel that it is so much more alive. I can't explain it, but there is a harmony here that resonates into a soft, peaceful atmosphere. I'm reading The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis, and at one point he says:

If you take nature as a teacher she will teach you exactly the lessons you had already decided to learn; this is only another way of saying that nature does not teach. The tendency to take her as a teacher is obviously very easily grafted on to the experience we call ‘love of nature’. But it is only a graft. While we are actually subjected to them, the ‘moods’ and ‘spirits’ of nature point no morals. Overwhelming gaiety, insupportable grandeur, somber desolation are flung at you. Make what you can of them, if you must make at all. The only imperative that nature utters is, “Look. Listen. Attend.”

There is comfort existing in a place that says to you, "I am bigger than you. I have existed longer than you. And I will continue to exist even after you have gone."

Kia Ora!

'Allo from New Zealand, mate!

We are currently in Wellington, NZ. We flew into Auckland last week, and from there made our way to Rotorua (the Maori cultural center/geothermal hub of NZ) where we spent a couple days, and then yesterday we hopped on a bus and cruised 7 hours south to Wellington, a pleasant harbor-side city full of history and fun free things to do!

Some of the most impressive things so far:

1) Waiheke Island (Auckland, NZ) - Stonyridge Winery

~Leaving Auckland by high-speed ferry for a day trip to Waiheke Island~

~A view of the vineyard - this is the greenest place I've ever seen!~

~Unfortunately, August in NZ is winter...so there were no grapes :( ~

2) Wai-O-Tapu Geothermal Zone (Taupo, NZ)

~This area is the most active geothermal zone on the planet~


~The flora of this area was so unique, due to the generally inhospitable environment produced by the mineral-rich geothermal pools~


~All of these pools were near boiling temperature - and brightly colored due to the various mineral deposits present~

We're currently in the process of exploring Wellington City; today we visited the Botanical Gardens and the world-famous Te Papa Museum, an AWESOME interactive museum covering everything from the driving geological forces behind the formation of New Zealand to the rich cultural history of the indigenous Maori tribes that once lived an isolated life on these remote islands. We learned so much today!

So far Wellington is my favorite place we've visited. Its got a blend of visible, preserved history and a modern attitude, where the people are friendly and there are lots of places to explore.

We're slated to take a ferry on Thursday morning to the South Island, where we'll finish our trek through NZ with stops in Kaikoura and Christchurch before heading to Sydney on the 8th. In Auckland, the temps hovered in the 55-65 range during the day, and about 50 at night. As we head farther south, it gets colder and colder! Right now its about 45 outside and its 8:30 PM. By the time we get to Christchurch, it'll be even colder...quite the shock coming from a Seoul summer to a New Zealand winter in only 12 hours!

Please pray for our safety and our relationships with each other - so far we're having a blast! 1 week down, 5 to go!

Kiwi Travels

We officially made it to Auckland bright and early this morning! Its about 60 degrees here...quite the change from Seoul summer weather. So far I've noticed some differences:

1) People here dress normally
2) People here are uber-friendly
3) People here speak English (PTL!)
4) People here eat a lot of Kebabs (there are Kebab restaurants EVERYWHERE)
5) Though bigger than Koreans, people here are generally still smaller than North Americans
6) People here don't stare at me

Also in the Incheon Airport as we were getting ready to leave Seoul, we saw:

1) Japanese Olympic Sumo Wrestling Team
2) The one - the only - BOBBY KNIGHT (probably coming back from the Olympics...he was carrying golf clubs with his buddies); I wanted to ask for a picture but there were a lot of chairs in the vicinity and I was fearful

So far, so good here in NZ. We'll be traveling around here until the 8th of September, when we fly to Sydney.

Before I close, I would like to mention that our Backpackers Hostel is smack dab in the middle of the "Korean" district of downtown and that this Internet Cafe is also a Noraebang. Oh Korea - I tried to escape you, and yet you follow me even here.

Hope all is well - miss you guys!

Oh what a year...

I'll be leaving Korea on Tuesday! I can't believe as of Sunday I've been here for a WHOLE YEAR! How did I survive?

ONLY (and I mean ONLY) by the GRACE of my LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.

This experience wouldn't make sense any other way...and it would be completely devoid of the life-altering meaning that it now carries. This year wasn't a job, it wasn't a trip and it CERTAINLY wasn't a vacation (haha).

It was a MISSION.

Korea refuses to leave you unchanged; it demands adaptation, perseverance, flexibility and humility. I feel so different than when I started. As much as I came to carve out a life for myself here in the big city, it was God who carved me into someone who is more me than I've ever been.

Whereas I used to brace myself, panic-stricken, in the back of the cab for the inevitable result of my driver's seeming "recklessness", I now shout at him "Ajoshi! Ka juseyo! Bali bali!" which means "Old man (polite term)! Drive! Hurry hurry!"

Whereas I used to go white with fear at the mere prospect of having to communicate with someone who most certainly didn't speak English, I now understand that, just like spiders, they're probably just as scared of me as I am of them. And I realized that a little humility goes a long way.

Whereas I used to turn up my nose at the mere idea of "fermented cabbage", I now eat kimchi like its going out of style, and seriously fear for my digestive system's health without it.

Whereas I used to "know" that God was with me, I have spent the last year learning that He is always there.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." ~ James 1:2-4

To my new Seoul family, to my church, to my students, to my fellow teachers and co-workers, to those who have helped me, encouraged me, taught me, corrected me, loved me -

I will miss you so much. I love you and I'll see you again, perhaps in more beautiful world than this one.

To Korea -

Kamsa hamnida ^.^ Jeonun chamchi kimbap eol joa hamnida. Mashi sseumnida.

Another great spa experience!

Last week I redeemed my birthday present from Rach (a gift certificate to a spa in Itaewon). I couldn't decide between a massage and a pedicure...so I wound up splitting the difference and getting a foot massage. This experience was interesting, ranking on the interesting scale somewhere between the acupuncture incident and the Hong Kong acupressure massage incident.

First of all, I don't know what to think during a massage. I cannot shake the feeling that this experience is, in fact, weird. I mean, I just met this person. Don't know their name, where they're from, if they're licensed, if they've ever spent time in the clink, nothing.

And if the weirdness isn't enough, I feel uber-pretentious the whole time. Like "I have enough money to pay someone to rub my feet" which to me no amount of money should justify rubbing someone's stinky smelly feet (not that mine are like that...mine are quite nice actually). I just want to apologize the whole time.

So on this particular occasion, the foot massage seemed like a good idea. That is, until I remembered that I am quite ticklish. But of course by that point, it was far too late to do anything about it. On top of that, it HURTS when someone presses on the bottom of your foot! I literally spent an hour trying to stifle the laughter/screaming that was trying to shimmy its way from my brain out my mouth.

For the record, I have never, ever walked out of a massage thinking "Wow - that was so relaxing!" I usually walk out limping and whimpering like an injured animal. Geez - last week my wrists were stabbed repeatedly with needles and it didn't hurt half as much as that.

Also got my travel shots a few days ago - Typhoid and HepA. HepA made my tongue go numb and Typhoid made every muscle in my body feel like I got run over by a bus. The doctor suggested I get malaria pills but I told him that a few years ago I got bitten by a spider and felt this tingling powerful feeling and since then I've kind of felt...superhuman...so I didn't think malaria would be a problem. Actually I've just heard terrible things about them, and I've done research and I don't think I need them. Please pray I don't get malaria.

Leaving Korea in 11 days, God-willing! CRAZY!!

Flying Seoul-o

I am so proud of myself that I thought of that clever title. As of late, my English is disappearing faster than the Statue of Liberty on a David Copperfield prime-time special. My friend Jung-mi says that Korea brain-damaged me. Other people are starting to notice. I gotta get outta here!!!

I'm in my 2nd week (of 3 total) of vacation. Except for a few days scattered throughout the year, this has been my only real down time. It's nice to have most of my days free. People have been leaving sporadically, and now I'm down to a few precious friends on my speed-dial. Hil is gone, the Crews are gone, Jen and Jeff are gone to Mongolia, Becky, Vanessa, Ali, Will, Ruda moved to Ilsan (so he's basically left the country), and Katrina and Rach were in Hong Kong this week (they're actually stuck in Macau right now...prayer for their safe return before their visas expire on Monday would be greatly appreciated).

My life is like a reality show where one of my friends gets voted off every couple days.

I've had some good times of prayer as of late. I think God is teaching me how to pray...I used to be all intellectual about it. Now that my big words and intellect have taken a holiday, I can't hide behind them anymore.

Something else I discovered is praying out loud. I've always been a proponent of verbalizing thoughts...in your head everything is so nebulous and hard to pin down. Something I learned in DC this summer was how to journal my "self-talk" in moments of anger or pain. If you've never done this, I encourage you to. "Core lies" you believe about yourself will manifest themselves onto the piece of paper where they're much more easily dealt with than when they're swimming around willy-nilly in your head. Don't knock it til you've tried it!

Currently reading "The Reason for God" by Tim Keller. Excellent read.

Gonna continue cleaning/packing/pulling my hair out now! :)

Dinner

-Whole grain crackers with peanuts and toasted sesame seeds-

-Peach yogurt-

-Special K Red Berries-

-Soy milk-

-Toasted seaweed-

This might be the greatest meal ever...only thing missing is kimchi.