Monday, April 25, 2016

Going back to Y2K - 2

Today marks the 10-week mark since I arrived. I remember the first time I left home. The 10-week mark was the end of my stint in South Korea after I'd spent a summer teaching more than 125 wiggly kids and sleepy adults how to speak English. I was so happy to go home then, 11 years ago.

Now, facing my 10-week mark, I'm content to be here. I've heard it takes 6 months to a year to adapt to a new culture but I think that I am now comfortable in this country. Of course when I arrived, I expected to fit in and feel at home immediately and was startled to find out it wasn't so! (It's the overachiever side of me. . .)

So what does a typical week look like for me now? My work week begins Monday with breakfast and then work. I eat lunch fairly regularly in the cafeteria, breakfast sporadically, and supper rarely. Because I walk in the evenings, I take supper to go and usually end up eating it for breakfast the next morning. I work 8:30 - 5:30 and have an hour lunch break but usually I don't take the full hour so I can get off a little earlier.

Then I rush to my room to change in to workout clothes, grab supper, and meet up with several friends for an hour's hike around the campus. We hike three nights a week and after our hike head down to the fruit cocktail shop. We recently discovered there is a sandwich shop next door where they make the most delicious and cheap sandwiches! You can get supper for less than $4 and that includes a sandwich and a freshly squeezed juice!

Wednesday night is prayer meeting and Friday night is vespers. Saturdays are usually full with choir practice, teen study group on how to be a Godly young woman, spending time with friends, or going on the occasional choir tour to a nearby church. Saturday nights we go to the academic dean's house to play games. That is my favourite part of the week because I get to learn new games and everyone speaks English for about 4 hours straight. Sunday is my sight-seeing/catch up day.

So far, one of my biggest challenges are the mosquitoes. They are fairly vicious and sneak in easily no matter how quickly I shut my door. I don't know if I'm particularly sensitive to their bites but it will generally itch for several weeks. I bought some baking soda so I'll have to see if it helps with the itching. Oh yes, and I've heard that mosquito season hasn't even begun!

Sometimes I smile to myself because I think God has a great sense of humour in placing me in a dorm. I only had the dorm experience for a quarter in college since my mom lived on the college campus. Now I get to share washing machines with 10 other young ladies, listen to them screaming at midnight in the halls, and lead out in morning worship when half of them are fast asleep. Interestingly, it doesn't bother me, perhaps because I don't do much laundry, I'm a night person, and as long as one or two girls are awake enough to interact with the topic then it's okay!

In my life, I've seen God bring me to familiar ground for two reasons. First, because it was a painful experience and He wants to heal those memories by replacing them with good ones. Second, because I missed out on an experience and He wants to bless me with special memories to replace the sorrow of loss. Living in the dorm is one thing I missed out on and now I'm enjoying the experience, even with all its little nuances. I'm thankful for this time and, above all, I'm thankful for a Father Who is sensitive to my heart and understands.

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