Watching from afar

It has been interesting watching all of the issues that have surrounded the US over the last few months.  I am observing these things from afar, and I wonder how different it might feel being at home right now.  Here in Korea, I feel some trepidation.  The Korean won has plummeted since my arrival here, and at the moment there is no visible sign of a turnaround.  As the election approaches, I can't help but think about how the result will affect the world economy.  It was shocking to see banks and financial institutions that have always been around crumble to pieces over the last month or so.  Is there an end in sight?  If so, how will America deal with this huge debt it has taken on?  
I would like to believe in the American spirit - that we as a nation will work together to create something positive in the face of these bleak times.  That is a bit difficult right now, though, with the anger and lies and cheating that is rampant in this, as in any I can remember,  political race.  I feel very disheartened as I have followed these 2 candidates over the last couple of months.  I don't feel truly excited or comfortable with either, but in less that a week, one of them will be directing our nation for the next 4 years.  I hope that those 4 years will be healing for our country, but our nation is so divided by deeply ingrained and highly intolerant beliefs, that it seems agreeing to move forward might prove to be impossible as well.
For now, I will keep observing, and hoping.  I at least want the won to rally back to a stable place...so - here is to election 2008!

Something to make everyone smile!

So, I ran across this today on Facebook - thought everyone needs a little more laughs in their lives!  Check it out - seriously so funny!  Happy Friday!

The Laughing Quadruplets

Slow posts lately

I have been super busy lately - being sick!  Getting a cold is never fun for anyone, and I am a big baby when I am sick!  I think I am on the verge of kicking this thing, but I feel like I have been beaten up!  lol!
Things are still good here, weather is very fall-like, it has been raining the last couple of days.  I went to a nearby International School today and spoke with some of the teachers and the director - it was really nice to be in  a school environment that I am more accustomed to - it is a really nice school.
Otherwise, life is just pretty normal.  I am very excited about going to Cirque du Soleil in 2 weeks, and then to a Billy Joel concert the weekend after that.  Some of my friends and I are going to a Thanksgiving dinner, which will be nice.  I hate being away from home for Thanksgiving - it is one of my favorite holidays to be home for! :(
Time for me to get to bed - I have a meeting at 9 in the morning - funny that used to sound late...

Just saying hello!

I just wanted to say hi to everyone back home!  Things are going really good here!  I hear there has been a lot of snow in some places - I think that is something I will not miss this year! I guess it gets really cold here - but no snow really.  Of course, if I really want snow I can always go to the mountains - and I definitely am planning on going on a ski trip here.  It will mostly be just to say that I went skiing in South Korea, because when you ski at Vail, really?!?  There can't be any kind of comparison!
Anyways, I don't have much to report, just wanted to say that things are good!  Miss everyone!

Getting out of the city...

On Saturday I went with some friends to an orphanage about 1 1/2 hours south of Seoul.  In Korea, there are several orphanages, and the children are there for numerous reasons.  Many of the children at the orphanage that we visited have parents or grandparents that visit them on the weekends, but are not able to support them living at home.  Some, though, do not have family, and I just feel so badly for them.  The grounds are nice, and there seems to be a lot of support at the school, but having a caring family makes such a big difference.
The orphanage that we visited has about 100 kids I think, but we only really met about 20 or 30 of them.   The kids we met ranged in age from 3ish to about 13.  We pretty much just hung out and played with them all day.  They only speak a very limited amount of English, so it was a bit difficult trying to communicate with them.  There was a little boy who was the youngest one we saw, and he would get so mad when he tried to explain something and we couldn't understand him!  Tough little guy!  We had a really great time, and I am so excited to go back.  The group has an outing about once a month, and right now we are planning on getting something together for Christmas so that hopefully we can give them presents.  Anyhow - look for updates as I get to know the kids better in the coming months.  Here are a few pictures - my camera ran out of batteries, so I didn't get to take many pictures.  :(

This is a picture of one of the building at the orphanage

These are two of the girls that I got to know during the day

Brandon is teaching this kid a little bit of English 

Mariko and me at the beginning of the day.

You can see the orphanage's playground behind us.

This was the whole group of volunteers - great group of people!

It was actually organized by the guy in the green, Danny, on Facebook.

The feel of fall is in the air...

Just a really quick note here to say how wonderful fall is! Yesterday was the first officially chilly day, and today was just as wonderfully fall-like.  I can see the very beginning of trees changing, and the air feels crisp and fresh.  It is a good time to be in Korea, and I am so excited to watch as the colors of fall come out!  Apparently falls in Korea are utterly beautiful, so hopefully I will be posting many photos!  I hope everyone has a great weekend!  (btw - I am going to an orphanage tomorrow with a large group of volunteers.  I will post about it this weekend!)

The Sharing House

The Sharing House was such an interesting experience!  Mariko and I met some other people at one of the subway stations, and then we all headed out to the area where the Sharing House is located.  It had nice grounds, out in the country and was  a great place for these women to be able to relax and enjoy life.  Listening to the woman speak with us - (in the pictures above - the one on the right with the purple pants) was such a privilege.  It was really interesting learning about her life, and so sad to imagine what she went through.  (I wrote a bit about this in an earlier post this month on 8/18 if you need some background info) 

It is always sad to come face to face with tragedies like this, to come to the realization that people are not always good.  The saddest thing today is that the disgrace continues as Japan refuses to acknowledge its role in this atrocity.   There is ample evidence that the government was responsible for the main organization of the comfort women, yet even today they will not dirty their hands with that responsibility.  I am so glad that I had the opportunity to meet the people I did at The Sharing House, and I hope that someday those responsible for ruining so many young women's lives will have the decency to admit to their wrong-doings.  

The collage above has a few pictures from the visit.  The photo with the folded hands states "We must record these things that were forced upon us."  This is the motto for the sharing house, and they have done a wonderful job.