I'm sure some of you are anxiously awaiting my tales of camp. I mean, what better activity do you have to do with your time?
Anyway, I am in the process of writing that post, but in the meantime, I thought I'd write this one...
A few weeks ago, God decided to pull out His chisel and start molding me to be more like Him. Not that He has ever put His chisel away. God has a habit of constantly hammering away at me. It rather hurts most of the time. This time, God began convict me about music.
Now, I don't listen to bad music or songs. I do listen to a lot of love songs and Disney songs, though -- not to mention Broadway musical songs. Then, there are other songs that are just fun to sing and listen to. There is nothing wrong with these songs, but a few weeks ago, I felt God trying to get my attention. I realized that because of all the other songs filling my head, I was hardly ever singing or listening to Christian songs. Other songs were slowly filtering out things that had to do with Christ, and I found myself actually forgetting some songs that I used to sing all of the time. I found myself preferring other songs to ones that glorified God.
This realization shocked and frightened me. I felt that God was telling me that I need to get my focus back on Him, and for me, one of the best ways to get myself focusing on Him is through music. So I have decided that until December 1st, I am only going to listen to Christian music. When that day arrives, I may or may not decide to continue in this challenge.
So far, it hasn't been easy -- guess that's why they call it a challenge. ;) But I can already see that it's making a difference. Can't wait to see what'll happen by the end of it! :D Until then, my sisters are enjoying correcting me and getting on to me whenever I slip up. Not to mention getting a break from Disney and Taylor Swift. ;)
Friday, August 31, 2012
Monday, August 27, 2012
Three Days in Jeju
Hot. Dirty. Beautiful. Amazing.
That pretty much sums up the three days I spent on Jeju Island, South Korea in mid-July.
My purpose for traveling to SK was to work at two English Camps. I traveled a week early so that I could visit the Word of Life Bible Institute (WOLBI) in Jeju. I'm not sure what I expected was going to take place during those three days, but I'm pretty sure it was not what I anticipated.
On June 15th, I flew from Yanji, China (the town in which I live) to Incheon International Airport in South Korea. There was an overly attentive and generous flight attendant who showered me with gifts every ten to fifteen minutes, which was slightly embarrassing. But other than that, my flight was very smooth. Upon arriving at Incheon, I was met by some very dear friends of ours. We knew "Uncle" Mike and "Aunt" Alicia Nicholes when we were living in SK when I was little. Aunt Alicia went to language school with my mom, and they are very close. They have three young children: Michaela, Charis, and Josiah.
We drove from Incheon Airport to Gimpo Airport, so that we could catch our flight to Jeju. Once there, we met up with a team from Florida, who had also come to SK to help with the camps (they were AWESOME, by the way). Most of that team were on an earlier flight than the Nicholes' and I. Two of the boys on the team, Harrison and Tevin, were on my flight. Tevin carried an entire pizza through security and onto the plane. I don't think anybody even ate it when we got to Jeju. But thank you for your help anyway, Tevin. :D
The flight to Jeju went pretty smoothly. There was a little bit of turbulence, which was enough to make my heart fly into my throat (there's not much in this world that freaks me out as much as turbulence does!), but other than that, it was great. I love the airline we used. You got your seat assignment by zone instead of by "32 A" or "18 C." I was in Zone B, so I could pick any seat in that zone. The flight attendants wore polo shirts, jeans, and ball caps. It was totally awesome. ;)
After we arrived, Mr. John Spalding picked us up and drove us to WOLBI. I got a kick out of how the Florida team thought Korean driving was crazy. I was excited that the drivers were actually doing what they were supposed to be doing, the majority of the time. In Yanji, driving is crazy. I mean, how many drivers do you know who pull into the far right lane to make a U-turn? But that's for a different post at different time.
I gotta say: I loved the WOLBI campus. There were three cabins, and a fourth was being built. Only the second floor of Cabin 3 had wifi, but that was okay. I only really used it once. I was too busy and tired (...really, I was too lazy) to trudge past two cabins and up a flight of stairs to use it. The cabins were beautiful log cabins, and had a basement, the main floor, and then an upstairs floor. In my cabin, a family (Steve and Rhonda Nicholes and their children) lived in the basement, another family (Mr. John and Mrs. Jean and Daniel Hawkins) lived on the main floor, and the girls (there were five of us) all stayed upstairs.
After we got settled in, three of my four roommates (Jordan Spalding wasn't on the Florida team, so she did not attend) and I went to a little meeting. I got to know the Florida team a bit better. Paul and Helen Shoemaker, along with Miss Elaine White were the leaders. Their team consisted of eight teenagers: Thomas, Luke, Riley, Jacob, Tevin, Harrison, Rachel, and Laura. The group was preparing for this trip 2 years beforehand. And they pretty much adopted me. ;)
After the meeting, we went back up to our dorms and got ready for bed. Jordan Spalding and I stayed up for a loooong time, talking. She and I had been corresponding through facebook for about 3 or 4 years. She's good friends with several of my friends who live in South Korea full time, and had heard several stories about me (many false... truuuuust me!), so I had to put her straight.
The next morning, we walked down to the dining area. Breakfast was pretty yummy. Then we had a QT sharing time. I really enjoyed it. It was awesome being able to see what all God was teaching other people, and He often used what they learned to speak to me.
After that, we were forced to do manual labor. Weeding. I don't mind working, especially if it's outside. I like working outside. So, I didn't have a problem with it, except for the heat. It was... pretty hot. ;) We cleared weeds from five or six flower beds that day, and were rewarded with frozen sprite. Then we washed up and went down to lunch. We each volunteered for kitchen and clean up duty for certain meals, so I helped clean afterwards, then joined the others so that we could go to the beach.
SOOOOOO pretty! I had left my swimsuit in Incheon with most of my stuff (I didn't need to bring both of my bags for a three-day stay in Jeju), so I headed into the water with the intent of just getting my feet wet. Five minutes later, I forgot about my jeans and shirt and waded in waist deep. I didn't care. ;) While at the beach, we inspected some sinkholes (which, in my humble opinion, were made for stepping into), walked on slippery rocks, and played Human Foosball. :D Talk about a fun game. If you've ever played the actual Foosball game, you might be able to imagine what a painful experience I had. What, with the ball being kicked into my stomach, sand being kicked up into my face, my feet getting stepped on by my opponents and allies, my arms sore from having to stay linked to my teammates, my knees hurting from being dragged in the sand by my teammates who were rushing to block the ball... It was awesome though.
We arrived back in time for me to hurry and change clothes, and then rush down for kitchen duty. After dinner, I helped clean and then went to my room. Rachel and I discovered each other's voices and had a sudden moment of bonding time as we sang "Part of Your World" (The Little Mermaid) at the top of our lungs. Then we had a jamming session outside, with me playing the guitar as Rachel and Luke played their ukeleles. Theeeen we had an orientation meeting up in the wifi room. That was pretty cool, as we were able to learn a lot about WOLBI. If you'd like to learn more about this school, you can look at their website, here. It's a pretty amazing place. During the rest of the night, I emailed home and then just chilled until bedtime.
The next day was similar to the first. We weeded some more, and then split up into different work groups which included carving, cleaning the dorms (since we were leaving the next day), and cleaning the entire kitchen. I was on kitchen duty again, along with several other people. We cleaned it top to bottom and were done quicker than expected. So I went to go help clean the girl's dorm. After lunch, we went touring. :) Our hosts took us to Hallim Park, which was extremely cool. There was a Bonsai Garden, and the guys seemed to think it was a great day and place for a photoshoot of them, so... my camera is full of crazy pictures.
There was also a mini folk village, a lava-tube cave, and a water garden.
Then, upon leaving there, we drove up to some cliffs where there was an incredible view of the ocean crashing against the rocky cliff edges. Simply breathtaking...
After leaving there, we went to one other spot that was really pretty. :)
To end our day, we went to a Korean Barbeque and stuffed ourselves silly. A couple of the guys and I had a competition to see who could eat the most spicy pepper spice/sauce in one bite. Who do you think won? :) When we had finished, we drove back to WOLBI and had one last meeting. We were all so tired that everything made us laugh. ;)
The next day, after breakfast, we said our goodbyes to our hosts and headed to the airport. We were mainland bound, ready to start on the next league of our journey.
That pretty much sums up the three days I spent on Jeju Island, South Korea in mid-July.
My purpose for traveling to SK was to work at two English Camps. I traveled a week early so that I could visit the Word of Life Bible Institute (WOLBI) in Jeju. I'm not sure what I expected was going to take place during those three days, but I'm pretty sure it was not what I anticipated.
On June 15th, I flew from Yanji, China (the town in which I live) to Incheon International Airport in South Korea. There was an overly attentive and generous flight attendant who showered me with gifts every ten to fifteen minutes, which was slightly embarrassing. But other than that, my flight was very smooth. Upon arriving at Incheon, I was met by some very dear friends of ours. We knew "Uncle" Mike and "Aunt" Alicia Nicholes when we were living in SK when I was little. Aunt Alicia went to language school with my mom, and they are very close. They have three young children: Michaela, Charis, and Josiah.
We drove from Incheon Airport to Gimpo Airport, so that we could catch our flight to Jeju. Once there, we met up with a team from Florida, who had also come to SK to help with the camps (they were AWESOME, by the way). Most of that team were on an earlier flight than the Nicholes' and I. Two of the boys on the team, Harrison and Tevin, were on my flight. Tevin carried an entire pizza through security and onto the plane. I don't think anybody even ate it when we got to Jeju. But thank you for your help anyway, Tevin. :D
The flight to Jeju went pretty smoothly. There was a little bit of turbulence, which was enough to make my heart fly into my throat (there's not much in this world that freaks me out as much as turbulence does!), but other than that, it was great. I love the airline we used. You got your seat assignment by zone instead of by "32 A" or "18 C." I was in Zone B, so I could pick any seat in that zone. The flight attendants wore polo shirts, jeans, and ball caps. It was totally awesome. ;)
After we arrived, Mr. John Spalding picked us up and drove us to WOLBI. I got a kick out of how the Florida team thought Korean driving was crazy. I was excited that the drivers were actually doing what they were supposed to be doing, the majority of the time. In Yanji, driving is crazy. I mean, how many drivers do you know who pull into the far right lane to make a U-turn? But that's for a different post at different time.
I gotta say: I loved the WOLBI campus. There were three cabins, and a fourth was being built. Only the second floor of Cabin 3 had wifi, but that was okay. I only really used it once. I was too busy and tired (...really, I was too lazy) to trudge past two cabins and up a flight of stairs to use it. The cabins were beautiful log cabins, and had a basement, the main floor, and then an upstairs floor. In my cabin, a family (Steve and Rhonda Nicholes and their children) lived in the basement, another family (Mr. John and Mrs. Jean and Daniel Hawkins) lived on the main floor, and the girls (there were five of us) all stayed upstairs.
After we got settled in, three of my four roommates (Jordan Spalding wasn't on the Florida team, so she did not attend) and I went to a little meeting. I got to know the Florida team a bit better. Paul and Helen Shoemaker, along with Miss Elaine White were the leaders. Their team consisted of eight teenagers: Thomas, Luke, Riley, Jacob, Tevin, Harrison, Rachel, and Laura. The group was preparing for this trip 2 years beforehand. And they pretty much adopted me. ;)
 | |
| Left to right Back: Riley, Thomas, Jacob, Tevin; Front: Luke, Harrison, Laura, Rachel |
The next morning, we walked down to the dining area. Breakfast was pretty yummy. Then we had a QT sharing time. I really enjoyed it. It was awesome being able to see what all God was teaching other people, and He often used what they learned to speak to me.
After that, we were forced to do manual labor. Weeding. I don't mind working, especially if it's outside. I like working outside. So, I didn't have a problem with it, except for the heat. It was... pretty hot. ;) We cleared weeds from five or six flower beds that day, and were rewarded with frozen sprite. Then we washed up and went down to lunch. We each volunteered for kitchen and clean up duty for certain meals, so I helped clean afterwards, then joined the others so that we could go to the beach.
SOOOOOO pretty! I had left my swimsuit in Incheon with most of my stuff (I didn't need to bring both of my bags for a three-day stay in Jeju), so I headed into the water with the intent of just getting my feet wet. Five minutes later, I forgot about my jeans and shirt and waded in waist deep. I didn't care. ;) While at the beach, we inspected some sinkholes (which, in my humble opinion, were made for stepping into), walked on slippery rocks, and played Human Foosball. :D Talk about a fun game. If you've ever played the actual Foosball game, you might be able to imagine what a painful experience I had. What, with the ball being kicked into my stomach, sand being kicked up into my face, my feet getting stepped on by my opponents and allies, my arms sore from having to stay linked to my teammates, my knees hurting from being dragged in the sand by my teammates who were rushing to block the ball... It was awesome though.
We arrived back in time for me to hurry and change clothes, and then rush down for kitchen duty. After dinner, I helped clean and then went to my room. Rachel and I discovered each other's voices and had a sudden moment of bonding time as we sang "Part of Your World" (The Little Mermaid) at the top of our lungs. Then we had a jamming session outside, with me playing the guitar as Rachel and Luke played their ukeleles. Theeeen we had an orientation meeting up in the wifi room. That was pretty cool, as we were able to learn a lot about WOLBI. If you'd like to learn more about this school, you can look at their website, here. It's a pretty amazing place. During the rest of the night, I emailed home and then just chilled until bedtime.
The next day was similar to the first. We weeded some more, and then split up into different work groups which included carving, cleaning the dorms (since we were leaving the next day), and cleaning the entire kitchen. I was on kitchen duty again, along with several other people. We cleaned it top to bottom and were done quicker than expected. So I went to go help clean the girl's dorm. After lunch, we went touring. :) Our hosts took us to Hallim Park, which was extremely cool. There was a Bonsai Garden, and the guys seemed to think it was a great day and place for a photoshoot of them, so... my camera is full of crazy pictures.
There was also a mini folk village, a lava-tube cave, and a water garden.
Then, upon leaving there, we drove up to some cliffs where there was an incredible view of the ocean crashing against the rocky cliff edges. Simply breathtaking...
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| Add caption |
After leaving there, we went to one other spot that was really pretty. :)
To end our day, we went to a Korean Barbeque and stuffed ourselves silly. A couple of the guys and I had a competition to see who could eat the most spicy pepper spice/sauce in one bite. Who do you think won? :) When we had finished, we drove back to WOLBI and had one last meeting. We were all so tired that everything made us laugh. ;)
The next day, after breakfast, we said our goodbyes to our hosts and headed to the airport. We were mainland bound, ready to start on the next league of our journey.
Saturday, August 18, 2012
My (Crazy) Family
'Ello, people! I've already told you a bit about my family, but I thought that I'd go into more detail. Bwahaha. I promise to tell only the truth. ...the truth as I see it, of course. I hope that you won't be scared off by my descriptions of my parents and sisters, because when you get to how wonderful I am, none of those things will matter.
There are seven members in my family: Dad (David), Mom (Regina), me (Rachel), Torie, Charis, Alia, and Hanissa. Oh wait. I forgot -- there are eight members... I forgot the dog, who believes she's a person. Yes, the dog is female, too. My poor father!
My dad is the tech dude that everybody in our community comes to for questions. He simply has to walk into a room and an electronic device will start working properly. I am not exaggerating here. We often have problems with our Apple TV and computers. These problems most often occur when my dad is out of the house. As soon as he steps back into the room, they start working again. It sort of creeps me out, sometimes. Oh, and by the way. My dad is a total Mac person, and has taken it upon himself to convert all PC users over to the dark side. Another point to make on my father is that he lives to get reactions from people. I'm pretty sure my sisters and I inherited that trait from him. We will be talking about something when out of the blue, he will say something extremely strange and weird everybody out. The most common reactions to things he says include, "AHHH, UNCLE DAVID!!!!", "Oooookay...", "... GROSS!", "Erm...", and "... o.O ... o.o ... O.O".
Then there's Mom. As Alia said a couple years back, Mom simply walks and breaths. I am certainly glad that is not all my dear mother does, because if that were the case, who would do all my laundry and cook all my meals?? My sisters would not hesitate beating me up if I tried turning them into my personal slaves. So that leaves Mom. She does a wonderful job at those things, too -- when she doesn't force me into doing my own chores once in a while. I'm very compliant when threatened to have my phone, iPod, and/or computer taken away. Mama has always been a stay-at-home mom. She says it's because she wants to be able to spend "quality time" with my sisters and I. But, I'm pretty sure she really just wants to keep her eye on us. Looking back, I understand at least part of the reason as to why my mom is so crazy. My sisters have a way of affecting people's minds in that way. And because Mom spends the majority of her day with them, it's easy to understand how easily she lost it. I'm convinced my mother was perfectly sane before Torie was born. Now, Mom takes joy in the smallest of things, and amusement in things even smaller. Now, Mom gets into a taxi and starts rattling off to the Chinese taxi driver. In English. During which, my sisters and I sink low in the back seat of the car.
Torie. Oh Torie. People who know her best will understand what I mean when I say "Oh Torie." Her entire personality is displayed within those two little words. Torie is a second-born child. All my experience with second children is that they have a mischievous side. Torie is the quietest of my sisters. Because of that, people often think she is shy and sweet and innocent. Don't let her deceive you. She is evil. When she's quiet, we are worried. And since she is quiet a lot, we are worried a lot. One of her favorite pastimes is tormenting her loving, wonderful, gracious, adoring oldest sister, who doesn't deserve what is thrown at her. Torie has been known for her spiderwebs. To fill you in on what that is, exactly, a "spiderweb" is an indestructible web of rope and blankets, created for the sole intent of keeping me out of my room. Many a time have I opened my door, unaware of what awaited me within. It is quite a job trying to weave my way through the web to make it to my bed -- which is only about four feet from the door. Not only is Torie famous for her spiderwebs, but she is also well-known for silly-string, permanent markers (which are applied to a sleeping person's body), and hanging stuffed animals by the neck. And, you know there's something seriously wrong with her when she's asked what she'd buy with $10, $50, and $100 and she answers, "Duct tape, rope, and nets." Anyway, she has taught these skills to Charis and Alia, so I am quite outnumbered.
Charis, I love you, my sister. But sometimes, you scare me. I'm not talking about the times you've tackled me, tickled me to near-death, and unleashed ferocious five-year-olds on me. No, no, what scares me about Charis is how quickly she can change expressions. She'll be giving a sweet smile to one of our friends, when all of the sudden, she'll spot her victim (oftentimes, that victim is moi) and lose all traces of that angelic expression she had earlier displayed. Her eyes will get big and her mouth will open and she'll make a strange growling noise, glaring at the other person for no apparent reason. Then when you're staring back at her in surprise, she'll turn all angelic again, happy that she got a reaction (remember what I said about my dad?). Then, there's the fact that she's disgustingly like my father where electronics are concerned. For the longest while, she was the only one of my sisters who knew which input the TV had to be on in order to play the Wii, watch a DVD, listen to music on the Apple TV and how to plug the computer into the TV. I am happy to say that I have learned how to do all of those things. Charis taught me, giving me face-palms and shaking her head in pity each time I forgot.
Alia is... well, to put it simply, she's Alia. She's been the baby of the family for ten years, so she'll pretty much always see herself that way. And ooooh, does she use her position to her advantage. We were at Krispy Kreme one day, and were getting our free, hot, glazed donuts. Alia finished hers, and went back up for another. The workers took one look at that sweet little face and those puppy-dog eyes and melted like the glaze on the donut. She came back to our table with a victorious grin on her face and another glazed donut in her hand. That trick didn't work for the rest of us. Typical. One of the worst decisions my parents could have ever made concerning Alia was putting her in TaeKwonDo. I am now in mortal danger. Alia seems to think it makes perfect sense to practice her new kicks and punches on me. Being abused seems to be my lot in life.
Then there is Hanissa, whom I have never actually met personally. Hopefully I'll meet her in about a month or so. My parents have told me that she will fit right into our family, though. So I'm expecting further abuse in the future.
Despite all I've said so far, my family isn't completely crazy. My dad is the most amazing guy ever. He works hard, stands firm, and loves to spend time with his family. But most of all, he leads this family in service to the Lord. Mom is so patient with my sisters and I. She's with us throughout the day and has a full-time job as mother, wife, teacher, and housekeeper. And she does wonderfully at all three. Torie is always careful to include other people. She encourages others and is a peace-keeper. Charis is strong-willed, which means that she won't be easily swayed from something she believes in. She also has a servant's heart, helping out wherever she sees a need. Alia is our outgoing one. She is the one who has made friends with local children, and who will go up and interact with people she has never met. Alia also does well at cheering people up when they are down.
So there is my description of my family. They're awesome, they're amazing, they're nuts. What more could I ask for? :)
There are seven members in my family: Dad (David), Mom (Regina), me (Rachel), Torie, Charis, Alia, and Hanissa. Oh wait. I forgot -- there are eight members... I forgot the dog, who believes she's a person. Yes, the dog is female, too. My poor father!
My dad is the tech dude that everybody in our community comes to for questions. He simply has to walk into a room and an electronic device will start working properly. I am not exaggerating here. We often have problems with our Apple TV and computers. These problems most often occur when my dad is out of the house. As soon as he steps back into the room, they start working again. It sort of creeps me out, sometimes. Oh, and by the way. My dad is a total Mac person, and has taken it upon himself to convert all PC users over to the dark side. Another point to make on my father is that he lives to get reactions from people. I'm pretty sure my sisters and I inherited that trait from him. We will be talking about something when out of the blue, he will say something extremely strange and weird everybody out. The most common reactions to things he says include, "AHHH, UNCLE DAVID!!!!", "Oooookay...", "... GROSS!", "Erm...", and "... o.O ... o.o ... O.O".
Then there's Mom. As Alia said a couple years back, Mom simply walks and breaths. I am certainly glad that is not all my dear mother does, because if that were the case, who would do all my laundry and cook all my meals?? My sisters would not hesitate beating me up if I tried turning them into my personal slaves. So that leaves Mom. She does a wonderful job at those things, too -- when she doesn't force me into doing my own chores once in a while. I'm very compliant when threatened to have my phone, iPod, and/or computer taken away. Mama has always been a stay-at-home mom. She says it's because she wants to be able to spend "quality time" with my sisters and I. But, I'm pretty sure she really just wants to keep her eye on us. Looking back, I understand at least part of the reason as to why my mom is so crazy. My sisters have a way of affecting people's minds in that way. And because Mom spends the majority of her day with them, it's easy to understand how easily she lost it. I'm convinced my mother was perfectly sane before Torie was born. Now, Mom takes joy in the smallest of things, and amusement in things even smaller. Now, Mom gets into a taxi and starts rattling off to the Chinese taxi driver. In English. During which, my sisters and I sink low in the back seat of the car.
Torie. Oh Torie. People who know her best will understand what I mean when I say "Oh Torie." Her entire personality is displayed within those two little words. Torie is a second-born child. All my experience with second children is that they have a mischievous side. Torie is the quietest of my sisters. Because of that, people often think she is shy and sweet and innocent. Don't let her deceive you. She is evil. When she's quiet, we are worried. And since she is quiet a lot, we are worried a lot. One of her favorite pastimes is tormenting her loving, wonderful, gracious, adoring oldest sister, who doesn't deserve what is thrown at her. Torie has been known for her spiderwebs. To fill you in on what that is, exactly, a "spiderweb" is an indestructible web of rope and blankets, created for the sole intent of keeping me out of my room. Many a time have I opened my door, unaware of what awaited me within. It is quite a job trying to weave my way through the web to make it to my bed -- which is only about four feet from the door. Not only is Torie famous for her spiderwebs, but she is also well-known for silly-string, permanent markers (which are applied to a sleeping person's body), and hanging stuffed animals by the neck. And, you know there's something seriously wrong with her when she's asked what she'd buy with $10, $50, and $100 and she answers, "Duct tape, rope, and nets." Anyway, she has taught these skills to Charis and Alia, so I am quite outnumbered.
Charis, I love you, my sister. But sometimes, you scare me. I'm not talking about the times you've tackled me, tickled me to near-death, and unleashed ferocious five-year-olds on me. No, no, what scares me about Charis is how quickly she can change expressions. She'll be giving a sweet smile to one of our friends, when all of the sudden, she'll spot her victim (oftentimes, that victim is moi) and lose all traces of that angelic expression she had earlier displayed. Her eyes will get big and her mouth will open and she'll make a strange growling noise, glaring at the other person for no apparent reason. Then when you're staring back at her in surprise, she'll turn all angelic again, happy that she got a reaction (remember what I said about my dad?). Then, there's the fact that she's disgustingly like my father where electronics are concerned. For the longest while, she was the only one of my sisters who knew which input the TV had to be on in order to play the Wii, watch a DVD, listen to music on the Apple TV and how to plug the computer into the TV. I am happy to say that I have learned how to do all of those things. Charis taught me, giving me face-palms and shaking her head in pity each time I forgot.
Alia is... well, to put it simply, she's Alia. She's been the baby of the family for ten years, so she'll pretty much always see herself that way. And ooooh, does she use her position to her advantage. We were at Krispy Kreme one day, and were getting our free, hot, glazed donuts. Alia finished hers, and went back up for another. The workers took one look at that sweet little face and those puppy-dog eyes and melted like the glaze on the donut. She came back to our table with a victorious grin on her face and another glazed donut in her hand. That trick didn't work for the rest of us. Typical. One of the worst decisions my parents could have ever made concerning Alia was putting her in TaeKwonDo. I am now in mortal danger. Alia seems to think it makes perfect sense to practice her new kicks and punches on me. Being abused seems to be my lot in life.
Then there is Hanissa, whom I have never actually met personally. Hopefully I'll meet her in about a month or so. My parents have told me that she will fit right into our family, though. So I'm expecting further abuse in the future.
Despite all I've said so far, my family isn't completely crazy. My dad is the most amazing guy ever. He works hard, stands firm, and loves to spend time with his family. But most of all, he leads this family in service to the Lord. Mom is so patient with my sisters and I. She's with us throughout the day and has a full-time job as mother, wife, teacher, and housekeeper. And she does wonderfully at all three. Torie is always careful to include other people. She encourages others and is a peace-keeper. Charis is strong-willed, which means that she won't be easily swayed from something she believes in. She also has a servant's heart, helping out wherever she sees a need. Alia is our outgoing one. She is the one who has made friends with local children, and who will go up and interact with people she has never met. Alia also does well at cheering people up when they are down.
So there is my description of my family. They're awesome, they're amazing, they're nuts. What more could I ask for? :)
Friday, August 17, 2012
Life in the Fishbowl
This is something I wrote and posted on Facebook a few months back. However, I thought I would post it again, as it gives a lot of insight to my life as a TCK/MK.
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Think of the movie Finding Nemo. At the Dentist’s office, there is a fish tank. Enter the little girl who pokes at the glass in wonder at the creatures within. That’s me. No, no, not the girl -- the creatures within.
For my entire life, I have lived in a “fishbowl.” Being Caucasian in Korea and China may have something to do with that fact. My family and I are always being stared at, pointed at, and being stopped so somebody can have his or her picture taken with us. When I was little, pre-teens, teenagers, and college-age students constantly showered my sisters and me with attention. We were the cute little blonde headed, blue-eyed girls and everyone wanted to have pictures taken with us. I was relieved and excited when I passed the “cute” stage. I didn’t mind that my sisters were the primary attraction. Unfortunately, before long, I entered “a different kind of cute stage” as my dad puts it. College students and young adults suddenly decided they wanted pictures with me again. I just can’t win!
There are a couple of negative aspects to living in the fishbowl. However, there are also positive ones.
One such negative aspect would be that having people stare, point, and stop you for picture taking every five steps (supposing you even get that far) can become veeeery tiresome. For example, when you are touring The Forbidden City, you want to be able you look at the different attractions, not become the primary exhibit on display. When my grandparents visited a few years ago, a popular song which was sung among us went like this: “Just keep walking, just keep walking, just keep walking, walking, walking. What do we do? We walk, walk, walk.” (Sung to the tune of “Just Keep Swimming” from Finding Nemo.) If you don’t want others to stop you, you don’t stop at all.
Ever get the feeling you’re being watched? “Always” would be my answer to that question whenever I’m outside of my house in Asia. Another negative aspect is that somebody is always watching you. If they are not taking your picture, they are pointing at you. If they are not pointing, they are staring. There is no privacy when you are out and about. They observe everything about us: how we act, what we say, how we say it.
The previous example can be twisted, though, into something positive. We are always being observed. How we act, how we speak, how we interact with each other and with other people we come into contact with -- nothing goes unnoticed. Now think for a second. Just a moment ago, I showed this very point in a negative light. So how can I view this positively? This is where the thinking part comes in. Are you ready for this? Here you go. What an opportunity God has set up for my family to shine the light of Christ! It really is set up perfectly.
Now, my family is far from perfect. When we are swimming around in our fishbowl, it is easy for people to notice we are imperfect. But it is our imperfection that allows other individuals to relate to us. It helps them to understand that we are just like them in many ways. And yet, despite our failures, people can sense something different about us. One young lady came up to my mom and asked, “Why is your family always so joyful?” This girl had pretty much seen each of us at our worst. And yet she noticed something different in our lives, something that she greatly desired. She saw the joy that only comes from Jesus Christ.
As I was thinking about my fishbowl predicament, I suddenly had an epiphany. Christians should always be living in a fishbowl. Now, I’m not saying that you should go out into the street expecting a hoard of people to rush at you in hopes of a picture. But those of us serving in a foreign country should not be the only ones who stand out. There should be a definite difference between those who follow Christ and those who do not. People should be able to observe us and notice something different about you. Those of you in your home countries can do just as much standing out as those of us who happen to live overseas.
I once heard it said that we as believers are the only Bible some people will ever read. It's hard for that happen when there is no visible difference. Sobering thought, eh? So how about we stop being minnows out of water and hop back into our fishbowl? It’s where we’re meant to be, anyway.
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Think of the movie Finding Nemo. At the Dentist’s office, there is a fish tank. Enter the little girl who pokes at the glass in wonder at the creatures within. That’s me. No, no, not the girl -- the creatures within.
For my entire life, I have lived in a “fishbowl.” Being Caucasian in Korea and China may have something to do with that fact. My family and I are always being stared at, pointed at, and being stopped so somebody can have his or her picture taken with us. When I was little, pre-teens, teenagers, and college-age students constantly showered my sisters and me with attention. We were the cute little blonde headed, blue-eyed girls and everyone wanted to have pictures taken with us. I was relieved and excited when I passed the “cute” stage. I didn’t mind that my sisters were the primary attraction. Unfortunately, before long, I entered “a different kind of cute stage” as my dad puts it. College students and young adults suddenly decided they wanted pictures with me again. I just can’t win!
There are a couple of negative aspects to living in the fishbowl. However, there are also positive ones.
One such negative aspect would be that having people stare, point, and stop you for picture taking every five steps (supposing you even get that far) can become veeeery tiresome. For example, when you are touring The Forbidden City, you want to be able you look at the different attractions, not become the primary exhibit on display. When my grandparents visited a few years ago, a popular song which was sung among us went like this: “Just keep walking, just keep walking, just keep walking, walking, walking. What do we do? We walk, walk, walk.” (Sung to the tune of “Just Keep Swimming” from Finding Nemo.) If you don’t want others to stop you, you don’t stop at all.
Ever get the feeling you’re being watched? “Always” would be my answer to that question whenever I’m outside of my house in Asia. Another negative aspect is that somebody is always watching you. If they are not taking your picture, they are pointing at you. If they are not pointing, they are staring. There is no privacy when you are out and about. They observe everything about us: how we act, what we say, how we say it.
The previous example can be twisted, though, into something positive. We are always being observed. How we act, how we speak, how we interact with each other and with other people we come into contact with -- nothing goes unnoticed. Now think for a second. Just a moment ago, I showed this very point in a negative light. So how can I view this positively? This is where the thinking part comes in. Are you ready for this? Here you go. What an opportunity God has set up for my family to shine the light of Christ! It really is set up perfectly.
Now, my family is far from perfect. When we are swimming around in our fishbowl, it is easy for people to notice we are imperfect. But it is our imperfection that allows other individuals to relate to us. It helps them to understand that we are just like them in many ways. And yet, despite our failures, people can sense something different about us. One young lady came up to my mom and asked, “Why is your family always so joyful?” This girl had pretty much seen each of us at our worst. And yet she noticed something different in our lives, something that she greatly desired. She saw the joy that only comes from Jesus Christ.
As I was thinking about my fishbowl predicament, I suddenly had an epiphany. Christians should always be living in a fishbowl. Now, I’m not saying that you should go out into the street expecting a hoard of people to rush at you in hopes of a picture. But those of us serving in a foreign country should not be the only ones who stand out. There should be a definite difference between those who follow Christ and those who do not. People should be able to observe us and notice something different about you. Those of you in your home countries can do just as much standing out as those of us who happen to live overseas.
I once heard it said that we as believers are the only Bible some people will ever read. It's hard for that happen when there is no visible difference. Sobering thought, eh? So how about we stop being minnows out of water and hop back into our fishbowl? It’s where we’re meant to be, anyway.
Welcome!
Hello there! My name is Rachel Etter and this is my first blog. Before I get into my reasoning for starting this blog, let me introduce myself.
I am an MK living in North East Asia--China, to be specific. I was born in Seoul, South Korea, and lived there until I was almost eleven. At that point, my family moved to Yanji, China. As you can see, I have never really lived in the United States, which is where I have citizenship. I have visited the US, to be sure. My family travels there every three or four years and stays for about four or five months. There are exceptions to this, as once or twice my family traveled to the States two years in a row--for example, we went in 2007, and then again in 2008. In 2010, we went back again and stayed for nearly eight and a half months.
I am now seventeen years old and, as of this past June, have graduated from high-school at the top of my class--I was homeschooled, and therefore was always at the top of my class. I simply feel smarter when I can brag in such a way. I am taking a gap year which means I am staying at home for one more year before heading to (hopefully!) Liberty University next Fall. During this next year, I will be studying more Chinese, taking more online college courses through LU (I say "more," because I started taking them during my senior year of high-school), and working.
I have four sisters. Torie, who is fifteen, is our artsy one. You'll often find her drawing or painting in her room, outside, or anywhere else she feels like working. She loves bright colors and would choose a fruity sherbert over chocolate ice-cream any day. She also loves reading and is currently writing a story. Charis is thirteen. She enjoys sewing, knitting, cross-stitching, latch-hook... You get the picture. She also really enjoys cooking and drawing, as well as reading and writing stories. Alia is our youngest--sort of (you'll find out why in a minute). Anyone meeting us would know that she is the baby of the family. She's ten years old and is spoiled rotten--I mean, she's adorable. Alia is extremely outgoing and out of all my sisters, she is the one who is most likely to go outside and play with the local children, even though there are language difficulties. Alia, like my other two sisters, enjoys reading and writing stories, and drawing. She also can be found playing dress-up and house with her friends.
So far, I've mentioned only three of my sisters. The youngest is Hanissa and she is four years old. We are in the process of adopting her from Ethiopia. The Ethiopian government has signed her over to us, and she is now officially part of our family. She is still in Ethiopia, and my parents hope to be able to return in a month or two to bring her home. We are currently awaiting the US Embassy's approval of the documents.
Thus is the brief (...yes. This is the brief version!) introduction of myself. Now, why am I starting this blog?
Not only am I an MK, I am also a TCK. A TCK is a Third Culture Kid. What is that, you might ask? Think about it. My parents are from one culture (American) and I am living in a different culture (Chinese). However, I do not truly belong with either culture. Though I have done a lot of growing-up in China, the Chinese people do not accept me into their culture. I look different, I don't understand the language all that well, and I act differently. When I go to America, I blend in, but people my age often find me strange. I don't know the culture, I don't understand a lot of the humor, I don't know the popular music, etc. Because of this, we TCKs have created our own culture. We can relate to each other.
So really, the main point of this blog is to give all of my readers a glimpse a TCK's (and MK's) perspective on life. My perspective. Not to mention... who wouldn't want to read about China? And how amazingly awesome I am? :)
I am an MK living in North East Asia--China, to be specific. I was born in Seoul, South Korea, and lived there until I was almost eleven. At that point, my family moved to Yanji, China. As you can see, I have never really lived in the United States, which is where I have citizenship. I have visited the US, to be sure. My family travels there every three or four years and stays for about four or five months. There are exceptions to this, as once or twice my family traveled to the States two years in a row--for example, we went in 2007, and then again in 2008. In 2010, we went back again and stayed for nearly eight and a half months.
I am now seventeen years old and, as of this past June, have graduated from high-school at the top of my class--I was homeschooled, and therefore was always at the top of my class. I simply feel smarter when I can brag in such a way. I am taking a gap year which means I am staying at home for one more year before heading to (hopefully!) Liberty University next Fall. During this next year, I will be studying more Chinese, taking more online college courses through LU (I say "more," because I started taking them during my senior year of high-school), and working.
I have four sisters. Torie, who is fifteen, is our artsy one. You'll often find her drawing or painting in her room, outside, or anywhere else she feels like working. She loves bright colors and would choose a fruity sherbert over chocolate ice-cream any day. She also loves reading and is currently writing a story. Charis is thirteen. She enjoys sewing, knitting, cross-stitching, latch-hook... You get the picture. She also really enjoys cooking and drawing, as well as reading and writing stories. Alia is our youngest--sort of (you'll find out why in a minute). Anyone meeting us would know that she is the baby of the family. She's ten years old and is spoiled rotten--I mean, she's adorable. Alia is extremely outgoing and out of all my sisters, she is the one who is most likely to go outside and play with the local children, even though there are language difficulties. Alia, like my other two sisters, enjoys reading and writing stories, and drawing. She also can be found playing dress-up and house with her friends.
So far, I've mentioned only three of my sisters. The youngest is Hanissa and she is four years old. We are in the process of adopting her from Ethiopia. The Ethiopian government has signed her over to us, and she is now officially part of our family. She is still in Ethiopia, and my parents hope to be able to return in a month or two to bring her home. We are currently awaiting the US Embassy's approval of the documents.
Thus is the brief (...yes. This is the brief version!) introduction of myself. Now, why am I starting this blog?
Not only am I an MK, I am also a TCK. A TCK is a Third Culture Kid. What is that, you might ask? Think about it. My parents are from one culture (American) and I am living in a different culture (Chinese). However, I do not truly belong with either culture. Though I have done a lot of growing-up in China, the Chinese people do not accept me into their culture. I look different, I don't understand the language all that well, and I act differently. When I go to America, I blend in, but people my age often find me strange. I don't know the culture, I don't understand a lot of the humor, I don't know the popular music, etc. Because of this, we TCKs have created our own culture. We can relate to each other.
So really, the main point of this blog is to give all of my readers a glimpse a TCK's (and MK's) perspective on life. My perspective. Not to mention... who wouldn't want to read about China? And how amazingly awesome I am? :)
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