Observations

Another week has gone by in a blur, and it's been more of the same.  I've been going to CLS (CornerStone Language School) to learn Thai for two weeks now, and I can now say that I'm enjoying it.  Since last week, I've started learning vocabulary words and piecing together sentences.  Now that I understand simple sentence structures in Thai, the phrases that I've learned thus far are easier to remember.  Before, I would learn a phrase and in a matter of minutes I'd forget it because I didn't know what word meant what.  Now I'm equipped with a few phrases and questions that I can use out amongst the Thai people.  As I'm learning Thai, I've noticed that the way in which Thai people phrase things is similar to Korean.  So, if I wanted to say How old are you?  I would first start off with the subject you (khun) then old/age (aayu) then the question, how much/many (thaw ray).  It's not very daunting at all!  Plus I have the benefit of living with Thai people.

Also, I'm continuing to teach conversational English with the 3, 1-yr missionaries from Korea, and that has been going well.  It's nice to hold a conversation with people my age, even if its in broken English or Korean.  I also started tutoring 4 Missionary Kids in English.  They're all Korean kids who were either born in Thailand or born in Korea, so they have a few English related problems, whether its speaking, reading, or writing, so 3 of the kids are trying to get into GIS (Grace International School) which is the biggest international school for missionary kids on the planet.  The school has a strict standard when it comes to English proficiency, so I'll be trying to help the MK's to get into GIS.  Aside from GIS being a school for missionary kids, it's also one of the cheapest schools, costing half the tuition of a normal international school, so you can see the pressure a child might receive from their parents to get in.  I'm definitely looking forward to this challenge, and I don't see it as a burden because, this is possibly what I could see myself doing as a career, teaching, and I have a heart for these missionary kids.

Missionary Kids have their own issues and struggles.  Lot of them come to live in a foreign country not out of their own will.  As they adapt to their new surrounings, these kids also bring with them their cultural background (home culture), and also absorb their school culture (i.e. an american style international school, etc) and if they're lucky they're home culture and school culture is one and the same.  So you have a bunch of second and third culture kids, and regardless that they have one another to lean it, it can still be tough.  Take for an example, a korean missionary kid (I use korean because they're has been an explosion of korean missionaries over the past decade, plus its easier for me to relate to other Korean kids) who at home is raised to be Korean, but who lives in Thailand, and is taught in English (American), internally there is a clash of cultures, what is this child?  He/She is Korean, but Koreans in Korea will say that he/she isn't fully korean since the child didn't live there, likewise I'm considered a kyo-po when I visit Korea, the child is definitely not Thai, even if he/she can speak it and know the ins and outs of the culture, and they're not really American because they haven't lived in America.  It becomes an internalized struggle for identity.  I can relate to that, to a certain degree, as I was raised Korean in the States, having learned Korean before English, etc., but I'm also a product of the American culture.  On both sides I'm neither fully Korean because I'm still a kyo-po and I'm not your run of the mill red blooded American in many parts of the USA.  Luckily I had peers, teachers, older brothers and sisters, youth pastors, etc. who could relate to being a hyphenated American and guide me throughout my life and let me know that my identity is in Christ!  A support system was in place for me to thrive and be comfortable in who I am, and that is what the MK's need.  I'm not trying to make these MK's out to be like their in desperate need like North Korean refugees are in need, but there is a need.  There aren't a lot of young mentors and teachers available to nurture these kids, yes they have their parents and each other, but it's not the same as having young adults who can relate investing their time into the young ones.  I know I kind of rambled on, but to bring it back into focus, how do I fit in all this...

As I contemplate about teaching as a career path, I'm thinking about whether or not I should teach overseas and more specifically teach MK's.  Over the course of this year I hope to volunteer at Grace International School, of which I took a tour of last week, and I might add the school is rather impressive in both its programs and facilities, and continue tutoring and from that, I hope to crystallize and make clear God's plan for my life, whether teaching is where God wants to be or not.

On a lighter note, Pastor JJ went to a conference for his missions organization to Bangkok, so I had to look after his kids and Missionary Alex's kids.  It was a lot of fun and a little tiring.  Ethan and Abby's cousins, Nam, Dim (Dream), Nuy, and Diyo also stayed over so it was a packed house.

FRIDAY

Diyo's mom (Abby's Aunt) brought home a northern thai seasonal dish of which was a plate of cooked honeycomb and bee larvae and deep fried bamboo worms that were lighlty salted.  The little ones, Diyo and Abby took the bag of worms and munched on them like they potato chips, so I had one, because if the kids like them, I thought it couldn't be that bad.  To my suprise it was pretty good, it was salty and crunchy like a chip.  As for the bee larvae, when you pop 'em in your mouth and bite down the juices burst in your mouth.  The juices didn't taste like anything, it's life as if you're drinking water, but the bee larvae itself had a hint of honey to taste.

SATURDAY

Kids and I watched Home Alone 3 in the evening, even though I insisted 1 & 2 were better, and I noticed three things.  1. Scarlett Johansenn is in the movie as the older sister to the main character  2.  The janitor from Scrubs made a cameo as a police officer  3.  One of the bad guys were wearing UGGS, why is this significant, because this movie was made in 1997, before the Uggs craze.  I know random crap, but I found it interesting.

SUNDAY

Had been going to Chiang Mai Full Gospel Church (CMFC) the past couple weeks, but we went to Thai Lanna Church (Full Gospel) and I enjoyed the praise and message, mostly due to the fact that I understood the English translator.  I was impressed with the translators (Pastor's wife and daughter) because they spoke fluent English.  Later I found out the Pastor and his family are Filipino, at first I thought they were really dark Thai people, but later on it made sense because when the Pastor's wife was speaking English, she had a Filipino accent, it definitely wasn't a Thai accent.  That particular family have been in Thailand as missionaries for over 20 years, thus the perfect Thai.  It's encouraging to see and meet missionaries from different parts of the world!

Now for some pictures...

More pictures from the villages Pastor JJ and I visited when I was in Wiang Pa Pao.  Some village kids chillin.

Same village kids playing with the water tank

MMM...MMM...Bee larvae, it's what's for dinner

Tried to catch a gecko in my room last night, and I was grabbing it by the tail, it left me a little present, its tail!