Autumn is here in Cheonan!

Hello!
It has been a while since we have posted. It seems as though a lot has happened, but also not a whole lot of new information.

We have been going strong, almost three months now in Korea. It has been a big adjustment and seems as though it is getting difficult now, as it becomes fall. Something about this season makes it hard to be away from home. We are settled in our apartment and have been for a while. I think we are officially done buying decorations and furniture for our place and it is now feeling cozier than ever!

Our schools are going well, we have had struggles at times with the language barrier, but it has been amazing to see God work in so many areas that seemed like they would be inescapably frustrating for the whole year. Our weeks are fairly packed: we usually
get up around 6:
get to the bus at 7:30:
teach until 4:30 or 5:
catch the bus home/arrive home around 5:45 or 6:
Dinner and lesson plan and bed sometime after that.

It may seem like it isn't much, but for some reason we hit the bed at night worn out from the day. It feels good. The weekends are always great, but as always, seem to go by too quickly. We usually try and do something fun and get together with friends or visit new places in Korea (a few weeks ago we went to a place called Paradise Spa Dogo in Asan, which was a mixture of swimming pool, water park, bathhouse. It was amazing.) We have been to Seoul a few times as well, which is always an adventure.

The events of the week happen so quickly as the weeks pass on, which is both good and bad I guess. We are trying to make the most of every day and take advantage of our time in Korea, but sometimes to it is nice to just live in Korea and get out of tourist mode. I don't know if it has fully hit us yet that we are living in here or if at times it just feels the same as living anywhere: we have to buy groceries, pay bills, take the bus, ect. It is a blessing just being anywhere together, let alone living in another country. We are making it our own though.We have found a Sushi place that we love, we can get around the city on the buses and trains fairly well, and even are getting to where we can communicate well enough to not be looked at nervously by someone who doesn't speak English (Although, we still have times when we can see people calling for back-up when they see two Americans coming to their counter.)

The biggest thing we have been thinking of and talking about with each other recently is God's plan for us here. It seems strange to think that he has brought us out here just to teach English; I mean, He could have called anyone. We have the desire to spread the gospel and show God's love to others, but it has been more difficult to do then we had considered at first. Even if some people know enough English to be friendly, when you get passed a certain topic, it becomes much more limited. Yet, God is bigger. We have felt peace in thinking that maybe us being out here is to pray and be interceding for the country we are in. The thought we have been tossing back and forth is, "wherever our feet are planted, that is where we are to be praying for and working alongside the Father to bring His kingdom to earth." This has changed our attitude from our occupation being what serves God to our location and our hearts.

We still have much going on and it is an adventure every day. We are most recently trying to find a way to bake cookies and maybe have a thanksgiving turkey with only a stove, so if anyone has any ideas, let us know. We miss our family and friends a lot. Know we are praying for you, those far away and those close by.

Teaching Commence and Our Move to Renaissance

It has been a long time since our last post, sorry about that.

 

At the Noribong: Basically a kind of sketchy, but awesome Karaoke place.

We have started teaching here in Cheonan City, South Korea! After being here for a little over a month, it has finally happened. The passed month has been good, nonetheless. Sonia and I have moved a total of three times since we have been here, now, thankfully, settled in our 7th apartment in Yawoori (the main hub of the City, right near the bus terminal...and Krispy Kreme).

We first moved into another apartment on the 9th floor of the KNU dormitory, which was nice, but it is tough when you can't unpack fully just yet. We love our apartment though. It has a small sitting room to the right when you enter, followed by the kitchen on the left, the living room, shower, and finally....the loft/bedroom! We are still decorating it, but it is just about finished! This is Sonia and I's first apartment since we have been married, and we feel tremendously blessed to have it.

Our first home cooked meal in Korea, we finally had a fridge!

                                                         

Our room on the 9th floor at KNU.

We are continuing to meet new friends and great people whom we work with, along with getting closer to those who started when we did. It's nice having good friends close by when you are on the otherside of the world, God has worked it out beautifully. A group of new teacher came in near the end of TESOL and started teaching the next week, so we have been praying that everything goes well, I can't image jumping in like that but they are doing great. 

Our View from the 7th floor.

Quesadillas 

This is our apartment! More pictures to come

As I have said, we started teaching last wednesday, after completing our TESOL program and obtaining our certificates. The TESOL class consisted of 3 weeks of class time and 1 week of observation, which is proving to be very helpful with our new schools. It has been interesting learning how to teach, let alone teaching students who, for the most part, do not understand what you are saying.

First day of Classes. So grown up and shnazzy looking. 

Sonia and I both have two schools that we teach at.

Sonia's: Bongmyoung (Mon - Wed) and Mijuk (Thurs - Fri) - Elementary Schools

David's: Mok Chen (Mon - Tues) and Kwang Pung (Wed - Fri) - Middle Schools

We live near the bus terminal and take the bus each morning to school, which has been exciting and terrifying at the same time, for the bus drivers, at times, tend to push the limits of speed and try to push the limits of gravity with entire busloads of people. However, they do manage to get us to our schools, some that are close and the others that are about 40-45 min away. Three of our schools are in the Korean countryside, which is a nice change from the city. Sonia and I have talked that we are privledged to be so far away, since there would not be much opportunity to visit the country otherwise. The schools have been very good so far, and we are learning to become better teachers, Lord willing. We have the coursebooks that we have to use, but we can also prepare activites or games involving the subject matter, even though we have had times when we get to class and everything changes; as is life.

This weekend and the first half of next week is a Korean holiday called Chuseok, which is perhaps the equivalent to Thanksgiving. Everyone here is excited because this mean we have classes off until the middle of next week. Sonia and I are hoping to relax, but also see more of Korea that we haven't been able to yet, like Seoul or Daejeon. Or maybe we will simply get to know out city more. 

Sonia and I also celebrated our 1 year anniversary on August the 12th. It is truly amazing to think back on the last year and see what God has done in our lives and already in our marriage. We have seen Him work things out when it seemed there was no way for any good to come, and He has revealed to us the beauty and grace of marraige (not that we have learned everything, just enough for our first year). It still amazes us that God has brought us to Korea and we are eager to see more of this place.

Hopefully we will be able to give another update sooner then later, but if you just can't wait, we have Skype and would love to chat.

God bless and 감사합니다,

- the Yorks

South Korea- The first 2 weeks

My wife and I have been preparing to come to Cheonan, South Korea since we got married, almost a year ago now (August 12th, whew who!). It is exciting that we are finally here, it feels surreal. As we prepared and even now, I have been thinking about friends and family and what it will be like to be in here for however long we'll be there or however long we feel God is calling us to stay. We thought we were going to be able to be in South Korea by February or March, but now as we are amazed we are here, it seemed like it would never come. In all this we have learned just how much God wants us to follow Him, even when it looks like it won't work. So many times I thought that we would not be going and it sounded so nice to just say no and start looking for work. I have never wanted to just work at Starbucks or become a barista at a little coffee shop so badly. Yet, Gods plans are worth following after, even when they are tough. Both my wife and I now view trials differently, instead of considering them as a sign that you need to give up we have seen them as things that try and keep us from Gods best. We have been reassured that South Korea is where we are to be in the coming months through the difficulties.

We are working with Korea Nazarene University (KNU) teaching English for the city of Cheonan. So far we have met really great friends in the program, along with incredibly helpful and wonderful staff. Our first week here we went through orientation, had a medical exam (eye tests and giving blood), eaten lots of Korean food (lots of Kimchi), and went to a few of the schools in which Sonia and I will be teaching at. Sonia is going to be teaching at two different elementary schools (one of them is in the city and one in the country) and I have two middle schools (both in the country). We can't wait to begin teaching! Until then, however, we have to complete TESOL, which we will be doing until near the 26th of August.

Our room, for the time being...

Besides all of the preparation for teaching and the excitement of all of that, Sonia and I are loving living in Korea. Our room, at the moment however, is a dorm room set up for 4 students. The first floor has four desks, two to a wall, with the bunk beds up top: not quite the set up we had been dreaming of just yet, but we're thankful for the room, even if Sonia and I are sleeping head-to-head. We will be moving into our more permanent place, hopefully, sometime this month in an area called (Yawoori). We have felt Gods blessings and favor so much in many ways since we have been here, but one way in particular is that our apartment will be close to both a Starbucks and a Mall/Theater/H&M; I mean walking distance. The food we've been having has been very good, but different. We don't usually eat Korean food in the States so now that we have it everywhere it has been interesting. We do have a McDonalds close though, just in case we're missing home. We also are learning the culture and the differences and similarities that we have. One thing that is peculiar is the lack of personal space when you are outside. People get to where they need to be and don't really mind if you're in the way (people aren't pushy or aggressive, they just will maneuver around others if they are in their way and it's no big deal really.) Sonia and I are hoping to learn more of the language as well, but right now we only know a few phrases (hello, thank you, my name is, more please.) We are hoping to be fluent by the time we leave...hoping.

One of Sonia's Schools

One of David's Schools, this is out in the country

It was

Starbucks...a home away from home.

Basically we are brand new in a new culture, trying to be polite and show Gods love, while not being overbearing or overwhelming Americans. There is so much else that has been going on and we will continue to share. We are just so thankful to God that He has brought us out here in His time. We are excited for what He has in store.

If you wouldn't mind keeping us in your prayers, we would greatly appreciate it. A few things we need prayer for would be grace and patience as eventual teachers, to be prepared for our schools and the new experiences that they will bring. Another thing is that it is difficult for couples to take time off at the same time, do to the different schedules for the schools, so we are praying that Sonia and I will be able to have the same time off, rather then having breaks when the other is still teaching. Lastly would just be to have the heart and mind of Christ each and every day. We feel God has called us out here for His purpose, but sometimes the day to day is difficult to see what that may be. We just don't want to waste His or our time,

We love and miss everyone whom we don't see. Keep in touch!

- the Yorks

Cherry Creek State Park Hike

Beginning of the trail into the woods. 

Last Sunday turned out to be a 70-ish degree so we decided to head out to Cherry Creek State Park. It was an incredible hike into the meandering woods and onto the sandy shore of the reservoir. 

The beautiful reeds rustled in the wind as we walked along the shore.

Me getting a rock out of my shoes before our hike. 

High Violet

My wife surprised me the other week with tickets to one of my favorite bands, The National. I love my wife. She actually likes them too which makes going to a show that much more enjoyable. We went last night to the Fillmore as it was starting to rain and get dreary, which in my opinion is some of the best weather for anything, let alone The National. I have never heard of the opening band (Brazos) and was a little let down since I had seen that on tour with the National before was Owen Pallett (Front man and basically the only member of Final Fantasy and sometimes Violinist for The Arcade Fire) As the show started the four members of Brazos from Austin, TX took the stage as the lead singer and guitarist knelt down to get some feedback and distortion out of his guitar. They started and quickly pleased both Sonia and I. The guitarist’s hollowed, empty strums were taken from a kind of 60’s pop song as the drummer beat the floor tom and shook an egg shaker all the way to town. The vocalist, if you haven’t heard them yet, has a voice that combines Local Natives’ Taylor Rice, The Shins/Broken Bells’ James Mercer and a unique sound all his own. The music and vocals took turns playing lead as the set up to The Observer built into a blend of pop/jazz/foreign mayhem. It’s hard to define their sound as they throw together guitar solos, ambient space jigs, and tribal-ish drums. Sonia and I were both liked them so much and were so surprised that we almost forgot who we were there to see. With song titles like Ghost Ship, Feeding Frenzy, and Travel, you can tell the band wants to send the listener/audience to new places with their music, at least it felt that way last night. The band told the crowd, “these are all old songs…well old to us, they're probably new to you,” which made me feel good that maybe nobody had heard of this band before, not just me; but I did like what I heard.

(Brazos)

However, afterwards we couldn’t wait for the National to take the stage.  After waiting (like an hour, am I right?) the lights went down and Neil Young’s On The Beach played as the band took their positions dressed in all black, except the drummer who looked like he could be in a much different band (maybe a metal group or some kind of prog rock band?). They started with Start a War in which Matt Berninger’s voice rung perfectly with if not better then on the album as the guitars sound like a lullaby. Matt’s lyrics “Walk away now and you’re gonna start a war” seemed as if they were sung to the crowd, drawing in their attention to what was about to happen, as if the crowd was disinterested in the first place. The band’s sound was flawless as each note was played delicately. The drums were the driving force behind floating guitars and deep, heavy vocals. For anyone who has not listened to The National, you should. They are a professional band, not in the sense that they get paid for what they do, but that they are professionals in making music and performing. They blend poetic ramblings with modern themes and weave them into melodically dense music.  The albums are enough to win over a growing fan base, but throw their live performances in the mix and this is possibly one of the most unique and impressive bands around. During their set, Matt Berninger, dressed in a black suit jacket and vest, with a black shirt, black slacks, and black dress shoes, sings and acts nervously, as if he cannot wait for his lines to be done so he can stumble around screaming and looking like he wants to deck something. Throughout the set he would randomly walk off stage and be back in time for the next line or the next song. The rest of the band are rock stars as well, strumming the melodies and lifting there guitars over their heads while the drummer and bass player lay the rhythm that often defines the National’s sound. As they played Squalor Victoria (my favorite song) the band came together only to turn the song into chaos with Berninger screaming “SQUALOR VICTORIA!” with  the buzz of the guitars and crashing of the cymbals ending the song in epic fashion. Though they are dressed nice, they are still rock and roll. They were fairly talkative throughout the concert as well, saying hi to their cousins that were in the crowd and talking about their mom (both the guitarists are brothers, along with the bassist and drummer). They told jokes and were grateful to their crew for their help since Alligator, the album in which the band claims is the first that brought people to their shows. As the band came back out to encore they played some of their older songs, starting with All The Wine along with the lead track off their newest album Terrible Love (in which Berninger stepped off the stage and walked to the middle of the auditorium with a corded mic in hand in the midst of the sweaty crowd…so cool) It was the finale, however, that was the cherry on top. The band came to the front of the stage with their horn section and played an acoustic version of Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks in which the whole band sang alone without the use of an amp or microphone. Again…so cool.

(The National)

The National has become one of my favorite bands, as was said above. They compiled the Dark Was The Night album with various artists on it in which the proceeds went to fight AIDS and they have done other benefit concerts, which is cool. Plus, their music is just amazing. The part of the concert and of Berninger’s lyrics that I find interesting is his references to God and sometimes personal and honest themes he lines them with. One song in particular from the concert and from the album Alligator is Abel. The middle of the song says, “You turn me good and God-fearing. Well, tell me what am I supposed to do with that? I'm missing something. Yeah, I'm missing something.” The National is not a Christian band, but I suppose whenever I hear of a band singing about God I get excited at the possibility of them one day coming to know Him. As Berninger sings, “I’m missing something;” I agree. Maybe, one day, he’ll find it. I pray he does.

(Ampless The National)

The National’s Set list:

Start A War

Anyone’s Ghost

Mistaken For Strangers

Bloodbuzz Ohio

Slow Show

Squalor Victoria

Afraid Of Anyone

Brainy

Conversation 16

Apartment Story

Abel

Soho Riots

England

Fake Empire

Encore:

All the Wine

Mr. November

Terrible Love

Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks