PLANS!!

After MUCH debate, a few complications, and a flight change, I have finally set firm dates for my plans in the upcoming months. I can't say for sure that these won't change, but at this point I certainly don't intend for them to!

THE PLAN:

July 31st- Aug. 11th HOME!!
Aug. 12th(ish)-15th GEORGIA
Aug.15th- 22nd Back in Durham/Chapel Hill for a week
Aug. 23rd- 27th CHARLESTON
Aug. 28th-31st St. Petersburg, FL with my parents and brother
Aug. 31st Arrive and get settled into my compound in HAITI!!
Sept. 1st Volunteer orientation
Sept. 2nd- Nov. 27th Work in the IDP camps
Nov. 28th Back home in time to spend the holidays with my family

There is not a single part of the plan that I am not literally jumping-out-of-my-chair excited about! I'm beside myself with gratitude to my beautiful family and friends for your continual prayers and support-- I can't wait to see many of you *very* soon!!

My First Open Class

One of the unique experiences of working in a Korean public school is the fulfilment of the bi-annual "open class" requirement.

The open class is just that-- a class that is advertised and open to any and all visitors, both from within the school, and from other schools in the surrounding area. These visitors observe your "demo lesson" and stick around afterwards to offer crtiques and feedback on what they saw.

To be quite honest, I was dreading having to do this. I really enjoy teaching, but I hate anything that feels remotely like a presentation or a show. As the day of my open class neared, more experienced native teacher friends laughed at my anxiety, telling me not to worry and that it is not such a big deal, while my co-teachers were completely freaking out about it. I was more inclined to trust my Korean co-teachers-- after all, they are more familiar with the importance of the open class for our school and its purpose within the public education system here-- which probably helped me in the preparation stages, but, of course, did nothing for my nerves.

However, my first ever open class was this morning, and I survived.

The topic of my open class was "Let's Talk About Movies." Now that final exams are over for the students, I am free to choose any topic and to use any materials I can get my hands on when creating my lessons for the next month-- which is great because it allows me a level of freedom and flexibility that I ususally don't have. The not-so-great part, however, is that, since exams are over, students are not accountable for anything that they do in class and are therefore completely unmotivated to learn. So, I chose the movie topic in hopes that students would want to be engaged, since movies are something fun that they care about, and because movies would make a great topic of conversation for those who want to make English speaking friends their own age. It is a subject that actually matters to them, and luckily, it was a topic that they turned out to be relatively interested in. The class was far from smooth, but the kids stayed invested, which was huge.

After class, we had a roundtable discussion to elicit feedback from the visiting teachers from surrounding schools. The head of our English department opened the discussion by, I think, trying to discretely apologize for my co-teacher and I-- or perhaps, he was just qualifying our performace-- in saying that he had been worried about me as a "newborn teacher," and emphasizing that both my co-teacher and I had never done an open class before. He added that he was aware that open classes were for demonstration purposes, but that my co-teacher and I had wanted to demonstrate something closer to a real class. Luckily, the other teachers seemed to respond positively to the idea that what they had seen was unrehearsed, and that the lesson was therefore delivered and recieved in a natural way.

The experience overall was a good one. We were critiqued for trying to fit too much into a single class period, being too "academic," having an unbalanced division of speaking time between co-teachers, and for not being thorough enough when checking student comprehension of instructional steps. On the other hand we were commended on our choice of topic, the way that we gave immediate and positive feedback, the high participation and activity level of our students, and our good control of the class (whaattt?? that one shocked me). The visiting teachers gave us very helpful feedback on the lesson that I know is going to make me a better teacher and that I hope to be able to use to open up some avenues of discussion with my co-teachers on just how the logistics of "co-teaching" should play out.

So, after today, while I can't say that I look forward to holding another open class next semester, I now know what a valuable process it can be. I am confident that the information gleaned from the open class experience will be of great benefit to both my students and to me, and that is definitely something to embrace.

(A little side note: I really feel for my friends who are teachers in hagwons-- private language institutes-- who have to do thier open classes for their students' parents, rather than for other teachers. I have a feeling that parents would be a little less constructive in their criticisim, and are bound to view the class through a very different lens [$$] than the teacher...eek. )

Happy Holidays: Belated Thanksgiving Cheer

I realize that this is my second Thanksgiving-related post, but I just couldn't help myself. This past Turkey Day surprised me by ranking up there with one of the best that I have ever had.

In the days leading up to Thanksgiving, I fully anticipated being completely miserable on the day, locking myself in my apartment and crying over Skype. The holiday is always very special because it is a really big deal for my family and me, so I figured I would be feeling quite homesick on my first Thanksgiving away from them-- especially since I'm living in a land where no one really even cares that some pilgrims once sat down to eat with some Native American Indians (I know, weird, right? :P).

However, when I woke up last Thursday, I felt immediately happy and thankful, just like I had on every other Thanksgiving for the past 22 years. At work, one of my coworkers even commented on how excessively smiley and chipper I was. I simply sang back in my very happiest happy-Mary voice, "That's because it's Thanksgiving!"

After school I came home to shower and watch "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" before heading to a potluck dinner some American friends of mine were hosting. I went over to their place early and got to assist with setting up, laying the table and preparing mashed potatoes, salad, and deviled eggs-- which made me much happier than it probably should have, but it just felt like such a wonderfully homey and festive thing to be doing. The group ended up bringing together an amazing spread, which included blackberry merlot and pumpkin pie for desert. We all ate way too much, and I had a lot of fun explaining to my Korean and South African friends what Thanksgiving was like for me at home.

Then, the next morning, I got to wake up knowing that it was still Thanksgiving in the US. So lucky me got to celebrate for 36 hours instead of 24! It was a seriously great feeling :)

And, on top of everything, I still had SUNDAY to look forward to. A church that a friend of mine attends hosted a traditional, good ole' fashioned American Thanksgiving dinner that night at Yongsan Army base in Seoul. Stepping on to the base, I actually felt like I had been transported home to the US for the evening. This second Thanksgiving dinner supplied everything that my first had been missing-- namely turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce. Plus, it allowed me to celebrate Thanksgiving with yet another great group of people, which was pretty special too.

The Army base was decorated in true American fashion with tons of twinkly lights, Santas, and giant Christmas trees-- so what better place to pose for a holiday card style photo? Below is a picture of our group, contentedly stuffed to the brim with turkey and dressing, putting on our best smiles of holiday cheer for YOU, dear family and friends!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays,
With Love From South Korea!

Late Fall is Kimchi Season

I have gotten a few requests for a more thorough post on kimchi since my arrival in Korea, and I figured that since we are currently in the throes of kimchi preparation season in the ROK, there would be no better time for me to tackle the subject.

Historically, the pickling and fermentation of cabbage and other vegetables arose from the need of an agrarian society to preserve it's main food source in order to get through the long, cold winters here on the Korean peninsula. Of course, in modern times this is no longer necessary, but the tradition of preparing for winter by making and storing pound after pound of kimchi persists-- though, now, rather than being stored underground, it is stored in special and widely popular kimchi refrigerators.

In my first post I described kimchi as a staple food of Korea, but in reality it is so much more. IMHO, kimchi qualifies as a cultural obsession among the Korean people, and serves as something of an icon for the nation. Last year, when the first Korean astronaut entered space, government research institutes spent millions of dollars developing a bacteria-free kimchi to send into orbit with him. Private and government funded websites, publications, and museums all devoted to the promotion and glorification of kimchi are plentiful, and it is suspected that the government has repressed the publication of research showing excessive consumption to be the cause of the high rate of gastric cancer found among Koreans. Kimchi is a source of national pride, and in Korea's quest to grow her cuisine's presence and popularity on the international scene, kimchi is the central tool.

Myth and speculation surrounding kimchi's ancient origins abound. Here is an example of one myth accounting for the foods' conception:

The origin of kimchi is attributed to a poor farmer who carried several old heads of cabbage to the sea to wash and freshen them. He noticed that these rather meager heads seemed to grow bulkier after sitting in the salty water, and decided he was onto something great. If a short washing in sea water made them a little heavier wouldn't an overnight soaking make them a lot heavier? His puny cabbage would become hearty and he would have more food for himself and his family. He left the cabbages to soak and returned expectantly the next morning, only to find that the pot he had left them in was half empty. He swore revenge on the cruel thief, not realizing that it was the salt in the water that had brought about the change in the contents of the pot and not a criminal. Perhaps driven by dispair, the farmer tore off a leaf from the wilted cabbage heads and popped it in his mouth. Yummmmm! Kimchi was born...

There are other stories like this one floating around, but, however it is that kimchi actually came about, there is no mistaking the food's importance in Korea, nor the value that Koreans have placed on it, both historically and today. Here's a little taste of kimchi propoganda:



The trailer below was linked to from LoveThatKimchi.com, one of many websites and blogs devoted to the food. Apparently this "Kimchi Khan" documentary has been 20 years in the making.




The article on wikipedia will tell you most of anything else that you might want to know-- and I am a lazy blogger-- so I will simply conclude by sharing with you pictures and recipes for my own top 5 favorite types of kimchi. Enjoy :)


1. Baechu Kimchi: Nappa cabbage kimchi, the most common variety

Recipie found at whats4eats.com
Makes about 2 quarts

• Chinese cabbage, outer leaves removed, cut into 1-inch squares -- 1 head, or 2 1/2 to 3 pounds
• Kosher or sea salt -- 1/2 cup
• Scallions, finely chopped -- 4-6
  
• Garlic, minced -- 2-4 cloves
  
• Ginger, minced -- 1 tablespoon
• Korean chili flakes -- 4-6 tablespoons
• Sugar -- 1 tablespoon

Method

1. Add the cabbage and salt to a large glass or plastic bowl and toss together well with clean hands. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 2-5 hours.
2. Place the cabbage—which should now be soft—in a colander. Rinse out the bowl and then rinse the cabbage well with water. Squeeze out excess water and return cabbage to the bowl. This step removes excess salt.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and stir together with a wooden spoon. Place into a larg,, clean glass or plastic crock, container or jar and tamp down to remove any air bubbles. Cover with a lid and let set in a cool, dark place for 2-3 days.
4. Transfer to a new container and store refrigerated for up to two weeks.

2. Chonggak Kimchi: Ponytail raddish kimchi-- also called "bachelor kimchi"

Recipe from yum-recipes.com
Ingredients

3	bn	Korean ponytail radishes
1	cup	salt plus
1	tbl	salt
1	head	garlic
2	piece	ginger root - (ea 1" long) peeled
1	bn	green onions cut 1" slices
1/2	cup	Korean ground chile
1	tbl	salted shrimp

Instructions:
Peel radishes, taking care to leave green stalks attached.
Wash radishes thoroughly.
Drain in colander. Place on baking sheet and sprinkle with 1 cup salt.
Mix and let sit 30 minutes.
Separate garlic cloves and peel.
Place garlic and ginger in food processor or blender and mince.
Combine garlic mixture with green onions, chile, salted shrimp and 1 tablespoon salt.
(If mixing with your hands, be sure to wear gloves to avoid chili burn.
)Rinse salt from radishes.
Drain in colander. Rub seasoning mix onto radishes.
Set 2 (1-quart) jars on work surface.
Divide radishes among jars.
Let sit 2 to 3 days before serving.
Refrigerate after opening.
This recipe yields 2 quarts.



3. Oi Sobagi: stuffed cucumber kimchi, especially popular in spring and summer

Recipe from Chow.com
Ingredients

• 6 medium unwaxed cucumbers

• 2 tablespoons salt

• 1 bunch chives

• 6 green onions

• 1 small Daikon radish

Seasoning Paste

• 4 cloves garlic

• 1/2 small white or yellow onion

• 1 inch fresh ginger

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 3 tablespoons medium ground red chili pepper

• 1 tablespoon fine ground red chili pepper

• 1 teaspoon sugar

Optional

• 1 teaspoon shrimp paste

Instructions

1. Prepare the Cucumbers–Cut cucumbers in half across the middle.
   Slice the cucumber sections in half lengthwise, leaving the last 1/4 inch uncut.
   Turn the cucumber section half way and repeat.
   Lightly salt the inside surfaces and let stand for at least twenty minutes. Rinse, drain, and place in a large non metallic mixing bowl.


2. Prepare the vegetables–Grate or shred the Daikon and lightly salt.
   Fine chop the green onion


3. Mix the Seasoning Paste–Place the garlic, onion half, and ginger into a blender with just enough water to blend into thick smooth paste. Pour into a medium non metallic mixing bowl.
   Add all other seasoning ingredients and mix well. Add water as needed to maintain a thick paste.
   Add chive, daikon, and green onion, mix well.
   Let stand fifteen to twenty minutes.


4. Stuff Cucumber–Carefully stuff the seasoning paste into the slotted cucumber. Be careful not to break the uncut ends.
   Place stuffed cucumber into a large glass container, cover tightly, and let stand at least one hour.
   Refrigerate and serve cold with your favorite Korean meal.

4. Dongchimi: White radish kimchi, vinegary rather than spicy

Recipe from koreanfood.about.com
Ingredients:

• 8 Medium Korean radishes (if you can't find, use Daikon), peeled and sliced into 1 inch pieces
• 6 Tbsp sea salt
• 4 Tbsp sugar
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3-4 green onions, sliced into 2 inch pieces
• 10 cups of water (about 2 quarts)
• Carrots, chili peppers, or Asian pears (optional)

Preparation:

1. Coat radishes with 3 Tbsp of salt and 2 Tbsp of sugar. Let stand for 1 day at room temp.
   
   
2. After 1 day, dissolve 3 Tbsp of salt and 2 Tbsp of sugar into warm water.
   
   
3. Add liquid to salted radishes, garlic, green onions, and any other vegetables you are using. Let stand for 1-2 days at room temp.
   
   
4. When broth has achieved a tart, vinegary flavor, store in refrigerator.
   
   
5. To serve, ladle vegetables and generous amount of broth into a cup or small bowl.

5. Pa Kimchi: Green onion kimchi

Recipe from korean-cuisine.blogspot.com
Ingredients:

• 5 dans of jjook pa
  
• 1 CUP red pepper powder
• 1.5 TB sugar
• 2 TB honey powder
• 3 TB gga-nari fish sauce
• 1 TB fish sauce
• 3 TB rice wine
• 6 TB water
• 1 TB sesame seeds
• 0.5 TB salt
  

Wash and clean 5 dans of jjook pa. Jjook pa is basically the same as regular greens onions, but they are thinner.

Mix together the ingredients listed above: 1 CUP red pepper powder,1.5 TB sugar, 2 TB honey powder, 3 TB gga-nari fish sauce, 1 TB fish sauce, 3 TB rice wine, 6 TB water, 1 TB sesame seeds, 0.5 TB ginger powder, and 0.5 TB salt.

Work the pepper mixture into the pa in thirds. Get 1/3 of the pa and 1/3 of the mixture and mix, and so on...

Once everything is mixed in well, let it sit for about 10-15 minutes. This will make the pa soft and much more easier to store.

Finally, store in a container overnight and then let it ferment inside the fridge for a few days.

After a few days it will be ready to serve!

Happy Turkey Day!

Living in a foreign country and dealing with unfamiliar, often uncomfortable and sometimes frustrating occurrences on a regular basis, it can be easy to lose sight of just what a truly awesome blessing it is that I am here. So with Thanksgiving just a few hours away in the US, I am taking a moment to reflect on a few of the things that I am thankful for in Korea specifically.

Posted as a timely reminder to myself, here is a short list of five HUGE blessings that have come as a result of my being in Korea, in no particular order...

1. Meeting and getting to know family who I would have never otherwise had the opportunity to get to know

2. Growing relationships with precious friends here who have kept me grounded and encouraged by consistently speaking wisdom into my life

3. (Re)learning the depth of my need to rely on God's grace

4. Experiencing a different culture, and learning and growing from those experiences daily

5. Becoming connected to a part of my identity-- the Korean part-- that I had never been able to truly identify with while living in America

And none of these wonderful things would be happening to me had I not decided to come to Korea-- so I am also very thankful to all of you who encouraged me to go and who have helped me along the way. I really am truly and unbelievably blessed... :)

***
PS. I've been watching this video sent to me by a friend to help me get in the Thanksgiving day mood... Makes me smile everytime!

Keeping Warm

My favorite time of year has always been fall. I love the beautiful colors, the falling leaves, and that perfect middle ground where you can go out feeling perfectly content in nothing more than a long-sleeved t-shirt and your favorite pair of jeans. And fall in Korea, with its lovely mountains and high blue skies, has more than fulfilled my expectations.

The only trouble is that it hasn't lasted. We seem to have moved from balmy, humid summertime weather to snow flurries and down jackets in just a matter of a few short weeks. And with such a rapid descent into cold winter days, there has also come the temptation to become a little less energetic and just a little more pessimistic.

Luckily, however, I have been able to find a few fail-proof ways of keeping myself warm-- both inside and out-- as I transition into what is sure to be a long and chilly winter here in Korea.

1. Ondol

Ondol is Korea's unique underfloor heating system-- such a GREAT idea. It evolved from the millenia-old practice of heating the stone beneath the home in order to keep warm during winter. Thanks to ondol heating, rather than dreading getting out of bed and putting my feet down on the hardwood floor every morning, I actually look forward to the opportunity to make my toes all warm and toasty. It's so cozy that sometimes I'm even kind of tempted to get rid of my bed and sleep on the floor, traditional Korean style. (Well, I said kind of...)

2. Teatime

For some reason, even though it is freezing outside, my school insists on keeping all of the doors and windows in the hallway open at all times. So, despite the fact that I keep the heater in my classroom on full blast, the students still come in wearing coats and bundled in blankets, pouting "Teacher, cooolduhh!" Thus, the best part of my work day has become returning to my office right after lunch and being greeted by a steaming pot of Chinese tea. One of the older English teachers-- she is one of those sweet and precious women who act as a mother towards everyone-- serves tea to a few of my co-teachers and me, and we all spend a few minutes warming up and chatting. The tea and the company both warm my insides, giving me the extra little boost I need to get through my afternoon classes.

3. Christmas-y-ness

One great side-effect of it becoming cold so quickly and early here is that it puts me in the mood early for all things Christmas, and just thinking about the Christmas season makes me completely, inexplicably and absurdly happy-- I never tire of Christmas music and can watch Love Actually, A Christmas Carol, and A Charlie Brown Christmas endlessly. Getting into the spirit and preparing for the holiday that celebrates the birth of Christ is a surefire way to keep me warm and happy even in the bitterest cold.

4. Book Club

I absolutely love getting lost in the pages of a new book. Few things make me happier than curling up with a good long book and a warm cup of tea on a cold winter day. And meeting with friends to be able to talk about what I've read is like icing on the cake... or, in better keeping with the theme of this post, whipped cream topping on a mug of steamy hot chocolate. Every Monday night for about a month now, three other foreign teachers and I have met up for Dak Galbi (a yummy spicy pan-fried chicken dish that never fails to warm us up and clear out our sinuses) before heading to Starbucks or another nearby coffee shop for hot drinks and discussion. We get into some really interesting topics, and those once dreaded Mondays have become much more bearable, knowing that I have book club to look forward to at the end of the day.

5. Playing in the park and other fun adventures

Because of my arthritis, it is particularly important for me to get out and move around during the winter months-- if I don't, I will turn into one very stiff, sore and cranky girl. During the week this means taking regular walks in the park (which I've mentioned on the blog before and still love to do), but on the weekend I get to be more creative. And lucky for me, there is never any shortage of things to do here, so planning active adventures that I am motivated to do is no challenge. May seem a little backwards, but I look forward to doing more hiking and outdoor activities in the winter than I have during the warmer months. Although, I may eventually need to get some better shoes and a warmer coat if I want to keep it up...

5 Little Things...

... that made me happy this past week :)


5. The Christmas is Here sign that's been posted outside of Starbucks for almost a month. While I am slightly dissapointed that Korea seems to have passed over the Pumpkin Spice Latte season, I do enjoy the fact there is nothing here that stands in the way of my urges to start listening to Christmas music and decorating at the beginning of November.


4. iTunes U-- I spend a good bit of time every week and weekend on the subway, and what would have been wasted hours this past week were instead spent getting educated for free!


3. Hiking Gwanaksan Mountain and enjoying the gorgeous view from the peak-- particularly satisfying considering how challenging I found it to get to the top.. quite a rocky climb.


2. Finally getting around to lighting the pumpkin spice candles sent to me back in September from my fantastic family and friends at home.. my little apartment now smells deliciously warm, homey and cozy, even if it doesn't quite look it.


1. Sweet friends, good conversation and chai tea lattes... all three just warm up my insides and make me feel good all over. Their combination is perfection :)

Sweet November

I don't know how many of you have seen the movie Sweet November, but I watched it for the first time a couple weeks ago when I wasn't feeling well and was forced to take a sick day from school. I couldn't actually remember having heard of the movie before, but I wanted something sweet, warm and fall-like to make me feel better, and the title sounded promising. The storyline of the movie follows the journey of a workaholic named Nelson who, in a single day, loses everything that matters most to him-- his job, his girlfriend and his dignity. He accepts an invitation to stay with a relative stranger who he met only a few days before in a chance encounter at the DMV. She is a woman who habitually opens up her home and heart to men who "need her help", the one condition being that he stay just for one month, at which point their relationship would end. Nelson becomes her "November" project. They live together and behave as a couple, getting to know one another intimately. Of course, she changes him as she set out to do, but for the first time she is deeply affected as well.

It's actually not a very good movie, and when I say that, you should really believe me; I normally love this type of syrupy-sweet and overly dramatic/sad/romantic/absurd storyline, but this movie barely managed to keep my attention. I don't think I would have finished it had it not been for the fact that I was feeling too sick to be motivated to get up and turn it off. (Just as a side note, and to be fair to anyone out there who loves this movie and thinks that I am being a little too harsh, I have to admit that it is entirely possible that my unabashed and long-standing disdain for Keanu Reeves' acting [in]abilities may have unfairly influenced my perception of the film's quality.)

If you are reading right now, you are probably wondering if all this rambling about a mediocre chick-flick is actually leading somewhere and what in the world it has to do with my life in Korea. I'm getting there, I promise. As much as I found Sweet November to be an unsatisfying film, there are elements at the core of the movie's message that I appreciated and could relate to well. Keanu Reeves' character in the movie starts off with his priorities way off base, and he is suffering greatly for it. It is only through radically altering his lifestyle-- both involuntarily and voluntarily having stripped away the things that had over-crowded his life and that had ultimately caused him to be blind to the things in life that truly mattered-- that he was changed. The heart of the movie is about re-aligning one's priorities, freeing oneself from distractions, and becoming the kind of person who both experiences and is invested in the fullness of life, love and relationships.

And it is because of this-- and because it is November-- that I have decided to informally adopt the same title, "Sweet November," for a personal project that I will be embarking on for the next month of my time here in Korea. I am seeking transformation and a re-alignment of my priorities, and am attempting to do this by somewhat forcefully altering my lifestyle for a single month-- a month that will hopefully push me to grow and to truly consider what I value most.

On Sunday November 1st I began a one month period of refusing to spend money on myself. I have strictly budgeted for a month's worth of food and transportation expenses, and beyond that, will not allow myself to make other purchases. I know that this is not the most unique or extreme idea, and maybe this would seem quite easy to some people, but it is very appropriate for me right now. As some of you already know, when I came to Korea, I went through a difficult period of realization about myself, where I had been placing my trust and what I had been prioritizing in my life. I realized that over the past couple years, while I have attempted to keep up the appearance of living a life in line with my proclaimed values, in actuality I was using my work and my relationships with others to mask a heart that was far from focused on loving God and loving others-- a lie that most glaringly manifested itself in the way that I chose to spend my money.

Ironically, before coming to Korea I thought that getting away from America and it's consumer culture and putting myself in a new environment, would make it easy for me to re-make myself and put my personal life-- and specifically my spending habits-- more in line with my professed values. However, Korea is, like the US, quite a materialistic culture. And on top of that, Koreans have really great fashion sense, making shopping that much more tempting for me. All of the clothes, shoes and jewelry sold here for women are very feminine, as well as fashion forward, and I absolutely love it. The obsession with fashion here is catching. A friend of mine recently admitted to being caught by her husband taking covert pictures of women on the subway in order to document their outfits, and I had to admit that I had been tempted to do the same thing on more than one occassion. (Of course, I also caught my students taking pictures of a pair of purple boots that I wore to school last week, so maybe people wouldn't consider it rude here. In general, Koreans are very honest and straightforward about expressing whether they like-- or don't like-- some aspect of a person's appearance, whether you are a friend or a stranger.) I love to go out window shopping or people watching here in Korea, simply to soak in all of the frilly/chic adorableness that abounds.

But "soaking it all in" is what has always been my problem. Not only do I take in the sights, but I passively soak in the attitude of the world around me when it comes to consumerism, adopting it for myself, rather than actively striving to live in a way that is not only thoughtful, responsible and socially-conscious, but that is loving, generous and sacrificial.

I anticipate that this month will hold for me both difficult lessons and sweet treasures. I am only 4 days in and have already come up with at least 5 things (two of them rather sizable) that, had I not previously made this commitment, I would have gone out and bought, easily convincing myself that I needed the item. And I actually found it legitimately difficult to stop myself, even though I had already made up my mind what I was going to do-- which has shown me just how deeply these selfish urges are ingrained in my attitude and behaviors. I am sure that I will continue to learn much more about myself as the month continues on, and I hope and pray that the lessons lead to more permanent change.

(I'll try to post my reflections as they arise from my Sweet November project to my other blog, To Fight for Love.)