I've come to the realization that I'm a terrible blogger. I wanted to be one of those once a week or so bloggers, but that's not me. I get caught up in the action of life and forget to sit and contemplate it sometimes. That makes me sad because there has been so much that has happened to me that has taught me some hard lessons.
I've been pondering what lessons I've been learning, because I know I'll be asked this question several times this summer when I'm home. I want to be ready to give an honest answer, but trying to pinpoint and describe what I've learned here seems like an invasion of privacy. You might say, "Well, you're going to tell us anyway since you're blogging (finally)" and you'd be partially correct. But there have been things that are definitely between me and God and I treasure the preciousness of those moments and lessons. My True Friend has been a support for me that I hadn't known until moving here. He is a Friend that sticks closer than a brother!
One of the big lessons I've learned and one that I will share was related to a myriad of personality tests I was required to take not once but twice in the last year. I have always despised personality tests that seem to pinpoint a person to the letter of exactly who they were according to a random assortment of questions and answers. I always felt those tests did people a disservice by limiting who they were to some category. At my pre-field training in June, we had to take a variety of tests which helped in determining our fit for what we were about to go through in transitioning to a new country. This year with our mentoring assignments, we had to take a few more (oh joy!) personality tests. I apparently expressed my distaste for said tests to my roommates rather loudly and did not want to discuss my results a second time in less than a year. But, in processing the results from June and this past winter and in having a candid discussion with a friend, I came to realize how these tests don't limit us to a said category or what-not, but most help to help us find a niche to serve best. The verse from Psalm 139 about being fearfully and wonderfully made echoed in my mind often as I dwelt on my results and the fact that the results, in my case, were a true indicator of the personality I have. The big takeaway I have from this dual testing session is that I am who I am as God made me. That may seem simple and I would say that it is, but I have grown in my confidence in who I am as a child of God. I heard a quote recently that said something to the effect that we, as believers, need to know who we are and whose we are. That has been a big lesson I've learned in my first year in Korea!
I have 8 students that have made my life in Korea full. They are a ridiculous, precious, intelligent, crazy bunch and I love them. I have taught them the Scripture songs that I grew up singing with my parents at school and home and they LOVE getting to sing them. I introduced the song from Psalm 89:1 just this past week, even telling them the "once more" part we'd add at our school in Little Rock to sing it a second time....and they start doing it too! I had them listen to the video description of Jesus by S.M. Lockridge called "That's My King" in September. Anytime I ask for requests for a video I get that suggestion, so of course we watch it. That my 8 third graders want to listen to that video so frequently thrills me each time.
These kids have been great for me and I hope I've been great for them too. With them, I've explored a botanical garden, sledded on a frozen rice paddy, practiced archery near a pig farm, and shared laughs galore about a plethora of things (like yams). I will really miss these kids and their forgiving and teasing nature.
With 8 students, you'd think I'd get all their names perfectly and never call one by another's name. I have 3 students with a name beginning with an "A", two with an "S", and 2 with a "J".....this girl gets tripped up on names with so many similar starts! Even my 8th man by himself gets called one of the others' names! One of the boys drew a picture of me calling on a student asking if he was ready to begin a game; the student's response was a statement that they weren't who I said at the start of my sentence! I roll my eyes at myself so much!
A part of me is beyond thrilled that it's mid-May, that the number of remaining school days are in the teens, and that I am getting to go home for almost 2 months. But a part of me is really going to miss these kids and the fun we've had.
This girl came to Korea to teach and has spent probably more time learning.
Please keep me in your prayers as I wrap up year one.
God bless
Rebecca
