Top 5 things....

... that I miss most about Korea!

5. Hearing a mixture of k-pop and 90s pop music a-la the Backstreet Boys playing in most coffee shops and restaurants.

4. Free internet available in any and every open public space.

3. Cutesy dancing, cartoons and costumes being considered appropriate for any and all situations (remember, this includes campaigning for national elections).

2. Getting in my daily dose of kimchi. Ridiculously addicting.

And last but DEFININTELY not least,

1. The PEOPLE.

I will carry with me forever from my first year in Korea memories and friendships that have left a permanent mark on my heart. Everyone from my co-workers and my precious students, to the people that I volunteered with, to the friends and family members who became my network of love and support for my time overseas-- even down to the couple who ran the corner store down the street from my apartment, and the lady who spoke perfect English at the bank-- meant so much to me. Each in their own way played a special role in God's shaping, challenging and changing me over the past year, and I am so thankful to Him for bringing them into my life, and for allowing me to be a small part of theirs.

COMING HOME!

A big part of living life in another country is learning to deal with being separated-- by distance, and even time-- from so many of the people that you care about. This struggle becomes especially potent at times when you know that your loved ones are facing particularly difficult challenges in their lives. In response to these times, God has used this year to stretch my faith and trust in His love and provision for the people that I care for... and it has truly been a blessing, but it has definitely not always been easy.

It is mainly for this reason that I am very thankful to be able to come back home about five days earlier than I had originally planned-- this TUESDAY July 27th. Time is precious, and valuable, so I am really looking forward to having those extra days to spend time with my family and close friends. While I have grown to really love and appreciate Skype-- and even believe that Skype relationships and distance can in many ways grow and strengthen the bonds between people in unique ways-- I have always greatly valued physical presence and sought it out if at all possible. Whether we are celebrating, fighting, comforting or mourning, if I can be physically present with a person I care for, I want to be. Even if it is 2 a.m. and I need to drive an hour to get to them. Body language, touch and eye contact are powerful communicators for me, and they are ones that I can't wait to share (oh-so-soon!) with the people at home that I love most!

I have a post in mind to say farewell to my first year in Korea-- because I'm going to miss this place a lot!-- but I will have to save it for a little later. I will be without internet access from now until the time that I leave, so this will be the last that you hear from me until I am stateside!!!

With LOTS of love and EXCITEMENT,

Mary

HAITI: Art for Change

The following is an email I received from the president of GVN, the organization through whom I will be traveling to Haiti in August. I read it and felt compelled to share.

Dear Mary,

The devastation that occurred in Haiti touched every one of us and I think we have all dealt with the pain and sadness in our own way. From volunteering to fundraising to prayers, each of us are giving what we can. Today I would like to introduce you to Kelsey Montague, a remarkable young woman who is helping in the best way she knows how - through her art. Kelsey has created a series of Haiti pen and ink drawings exclusively for GVN Foundation. Her unique work incorporates 'drawings within drawings', giving each print multiple meanings, emotions and perspectives. The drawings were inspired by both the plight of the Haitian people and by their indomitable spirit.

"After the news broke about the earthquake, and the immense loss and suffering of the Haitian people, I felt a terrible sense of helplessness. I wanted to contribute in any way that I could, and the most natural way for me was through art," says Kelsey.

"I was incredibly fortunate to travel to Haiti and to see the fortitude of a people who have lost so much but have such a will to recover and try to re-build their lives. I was most struck by the beauty and kindness of the Haitian people. On our last day in Port-au-Prince, after a gruelling 10-hour day, we were meeting with a group of GVN volunteers when the camp leader leaned over to tell me that some of the Haitian women who were cooks in the compound had rushed to prepare a meal for us. Even though we had only been there an hour, they had managed to put together a feast. These women had endured so much loss, and yet they wanted to share with us. I was both humbled and inspired by their generosity.

"It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the situation in Haiti because the needs are so great, but this is exactly why we must get involved. When a nation of people has lost everything, even the smallest gesture is a great gift. Every effort, no matter how large or small, will have an impact, whether through donations, volunteering or spreading the word and encouraging friends and family to get involved," says Kelsey.

The common theme running throughout Kelsey's drawings is the message of hope for a people who have endured so much, yet have such strength, passion and faith in the future. Please show your support by sharing her artwork with your friends and family or by purchasing one of the drawings which will give the gift of hope to so many. 50% of the sale price of each print will go directly to the Haiti Relief Fund. [The other 50% goes directly to the artist.]

HAITI - ART FOR CHANGE: http://www.gvnfoundation.org/programs/art_for_change/


With gratitude,

Colin Salisbury
Founder and President

Global Volunteer Network
http://www.globalvolunteernetwork.org

In Celebration of Children's Day

International Children's Day is officially recognized across the world on June 1st, but in South Korea is celebrated on May 5th.

And it is a BIG deal here. EVERYONE has the day off on Children's Day. It is a day for parents to shower their children with gifts and take them on excursions to zoos, movies, parades, amusement parks, and even air shows. All of Korea caters to children on this day, with stores giving away free treats and having all kinds of characters-- from Batman to Hello Kitty-- line the streets to take pictures with the kids. It made me happy to be able to walk around all day and see kids being celebrated and loved on. And in a culture that requires so much of it's men in the workforce, it was especially great to see so many fathers take this opportunity to spend time with their children and families.

I also learned a tid-bit about the history of Children's Day today that took my appreciation for the holiday to even greater heights. Apparently, under Japanese colonial rule, May 5th was celebrated as "Boy's Day," but in 1975 the Korean government replaced that holiday with "Children's Day," making the simple statement that, "Even though many families may still want a son, since a son must look after his parents when they get old, we are all important." Thus, Children's Day is a marker of Korea's progress towards embracing the value of *ALL* it's children, and is a tangible picture of this country's desire to overcome cultural norms and stereotypes that have served to devalue women and girls. Knowledge of this history lends even deeper value and meaning to the holiday, and certainly deepens my own love and appreciation for the fact that my mother chose to celebrate Korean Children's Day for my sister and I growing up.

So, in honor of Children's Day in Korea and in keeping with the values that the holiday affirms-- those of equality and the right to life and happiness for ALL children-- I want to share this video from UNICEF with you, and ask you to join me in prayer for the children of our world. (BTW-- the precious faces at 1:32 belong to Korean children, dressed in hanboks, or traditional Korean garb. A-dorable.)



And, on a very directly related note, I'd also like to share and recommend a book that I have recently read. The words "powerful" and "gut-wrenching" fall far short of an apt description for this autobiographical account of Ishmael Beah's experiences as a child soldier in Sierra Leone. To coerce a child into a life of slavery and violence is one of the worst violations against humanity imaginable... And on a day when I am surrounded by the faces of so many children filled with life and joy at the opportunity to simply enjoy being children, I cannot help but mourn for those who have been robbed of that same right. Read this book-- it will be impossible for you to walk away unchanged.

Kiva!

I've FINALLYYYY gotten started and made my first loan through Kiva. YAY! Have no idea what took me so long (only takes $25!), but now that I've done it, I want to invite you to join me in supporting this lovely entrepreneur: Salwa from Lebanon.




She still needs $300 to fund her loan, which she will use to purchase merchandise for her store selling baby and children's clothing. I chose to support her because she is a single woman with four children from the Middle East and it is her first time receiving a loan through Kiva, but there are literally thousands of others that I could have chosen who would have been equally as deserving.

I'm excited that I have finally started doing this after being theoretically supportive of microfinance for years, and I definitely wish I had become personally invested MUCH sooner! Thankfully, a friend here in Korea recently lent me a book that gave me just the kick in the butt I needed...

(Consider this book a "must read" for all!)

Hope you'll consider joining me in this if it's not something you do already... microlending is one great way that we can all embrace and love our world, no matter where in it we happen to be.

Let's Free Hugs!

Here in Korea, it is quite common to see women walking around holding hands and men with their arms around one another's waists. Even friends who have met for the first time may be spotted walking arm in arm down the street. (Having always been a kind of touchy-feely person, this is one of the aspects of Korean culture that I loved right away.)

However, in spite of the widespread display of intimate physical affection among friends here, hugs are not especially common. In fact, even within tight-knit Korean families, hugs have generally always been reserved for life's most special and emotionally charged moments.

This is perhaps changing among younger generations of Koreans, though. Interestingly, I have noticed that giving free hugs seems to be a fairly popular phenomenon around Seoul. I've gotten free hugs twice since being here, and both times brightened my day and put a big smile on my face. I LOVE to hug!

Below is a video made by a Korean in Seoul, who was inspired after watching Juan Mann's free hug video.



And here, some foreigners from Canada, Scotland, and Japan joined in on spreading the love in Korea. I adore the songs on both videos.



The simple honesty of one comment from a viewer of the video above especially touched my heart... "So nice! For Japanese, free hug in korea seems hard but I wish I could do!"

Hugs can change hearts, and changed hearts change the world. Let's free hugs! :)

Piping Hot (Half) Korean Men

*This post is by special request from Julia Rose. :)*

I have recently gotten into following the KBL-- Korea's national professional basketball league. The level of play in the league is roughly comprable to college level play in the US, and it is a ton of fun to watch. I especially enjoy watching the league's few half-Korean American players-- perhaps I feel a kind of kinship with them, having one Korean parent and growing up in the US before moving to Korea.

One of these players in particular, though, I am unquestionably in love with, and that is Jeon Tae-poong-- aka, Tony Akins. He was the number one pick in the KBL's newly conceived and somewhat controversial "ethnic draft" for half-Koreans this past year (read more about the draft and the controvesy here). Growing up as an ACC fan in the States, I can remember watching Akins dominate at Georgia Tech as a student, and it is no different now that he is playing in the KBL. He is a small 5'11 guard with lightning quick feet, great awareness, and a completely unselfish style of play. Though he is older-- about 29, I think-- I would bet that he would be able to more than hold his own in the NBA.

And to top it off, even his skill and sportsmanship on the court aside, he is also ridiculously attractive.






Um, hi. Even if I weren't a basketball fan, I would follow Korean basketball just for this kid.