Hi Folks,
I wanted to start a public blog about my 6 month working-studying trip to South Korea, so I've begun writing about it here at davidinkorea.blogspot.ca
Feel free to check back as I update it!
I'd like to start off by dedicating this blog to God's glory and power. It might sound kind of strange, but really this entire endeavor has just been example after example of how He is in control and how He is (present tense) guiding my steps and future.
Let me explain.
Thinking back, this whole thing really started last year. I had had a rough experience living in Alberta, and I got kind of burnt out, worrying about my future and what I would become. When I was at my lowest point, I turned to God and promised Him my future if He would direct my paths, for I had nowhere else to turn.
After that, I returned to BC, started going to school at UFV, and I had a great time doing so. Then, out of curiosity, I went to see Jag, the study abroad coordinator at UFV (my university in Abbotsford) and he told me about this program (where I would take university classes in Korea and teach at an elementary school part-time). I prayed about it and told God that He should lead me and open the doors.
Since then, every single step has gone smoothly. This is remarkable, because no project in my life has ever gone off so well before. This is how I know God is leading me on the path. Even when things look like they could turn out badly, I trust God and have peace knowing that He will prepare everything for me. Blessed assurance.
Anyway, I'd like to start off by recording some updates in regards to the completion of the "launch" phase.
- I just got back from a week-long vacation in beautiful Cannon Beach, Oregon. My family likes to attend Christian conferences at a family retreat centre there, and we always enjoy ourselves. This year was no exception; the weather was beautiful, and the speakers were encouraging and enlightening.
- Previously to going, however, I needed to get my passport back from the Korean consulate in Vancouver. You see, in order to apply for my visa, I needed the original copy of my acceptance letter from my Korean university. However, they didn't want to send that to me until the beginning of July. When the acceptance letter finally arrived, I took it straight to the consulate and surrendered my passport. It takes them a little while to process these things, so it didn't look like I was going to get my passport until after my family had left for Oregon! (no passport, no entry to America). However, I know God is on my side, so I was relaxed about it. Finally, the day before we were to leave the next morning, I gave the consulate a call and they told me I was fortunate to have called, since the passport was going to be ready that day, around 3pm. I had a doctor's appointment at 3pm, so my mom volunteered herself to go all the way into Vancouver to pick it up. After a little juggling, she returned home that evening, passport in hand. Praise God!
- On a related note, please pray for my mother. She had a problem with her knee, but her doctor told her it is a symptom of a larger problem in her hip. Please pray that rest and dutiful application of balms will heal her. As well, my father has recently developed a problem in his knee, but it has not yet been diagnosed.
- My Korean studies are not what they should be. I'm getting better at reading the Korean script, but my vocabulary is still sadly lacking.
- I'm also having a hard time preparing a curriculum for my teaching in Korea. The program that hired me is incredibly ambiguous and vague, and restricts vital information until the last possible moment. For example, only two days ago did I receive an e-mail about how to get from the airport to the orientation venue in Seoul. As well, they haven't told me what ages, grades, or English level of students I will be teaching. Certainly, this makes it incredibly difficult to plan appropriate lessons. You should know that if they haven't told me this information, they haven't told the other 300 exchange students either.
- I'm working hard on tying up loose ends here in Canada. I'm trying to get everything squared away with the bank, student travel insurance, and car insurance. I can understand the frustration Jackie and Conor must have gone through when they prepared to move to Australia for 5 years. It takes a lot to transfer one's life into a suitcase and move halfway 'round the world! There's a lot of paperwork.
Anyway, those are just some short updates on how things are going. I plan to write more later on.
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