changes to the blog

As I am preparing for expat life in Colombia, I've been thinking a lot about what I want to do with my blog and the direction I want to take it in. When I started the blog before leaving for South Korea, I simply created it as a travel blog to help keep my friends and family informed of my adventures as well as track my times for later memory and reflection. I've had many absent times on this blog and have failed to write about SO many experiences from South Korea. In my mind, I knew there were so many blogs about South Korea that were so complete and informative (they helped me with my decision to go to South Korea, after all), and I felt that there would be no reason to reinvent the wheel.

And yet, as I look back on my time with this blog, I think about all the things I had to say and so many things I had wanted to share. Honestly, I would have loved to even just make it a cafe blog. I love and seek out unique cafes with delicious coffee, great ambiance, and friendly atmosphere. Although there are many "blogs" and online "cafes" (as they call them in Korea: basically a website/blog about different things), I felt that information was lacking in ENGLISH for expats/tourists to find. As I look back, I think of how I would love to simply make a "Korea Cafes" blog in and of itself.

Although that would be sometime far into the future (if possible to go back again with that in mind), I DO have control over what I can do now. As I make the transition into Colombian life, I think about how I love to help others. What better way than to blog about my experiences and let others into the little "hole-in-the-wall" places and interesting adventures and nooks I am able to experience along my way. I DO have something to say, and I am considering the possibilities.

With this in mind, I will be down on this site for a bit. I am considering taking a course on travel blogging and the best way to write and promote--not only for myself, but as a way to fund my world travels. Again, nothing is set in stone, but things are in the works for this new year and new blogging experience.

Bear with me while the site is down. I am looking into the possibility of creating a website with my own domain and leaving the world of "Blogger." Be looking out for many new things this year. I'm telling you, my friends: 2013 is a year of great new possibilities!

made it to Ontario!

Wow! Everything has happened so fast! I still have many posts to write and publish from Korea, but I just wanted to let you all know that I made it safely to Canada. Despite being held up in Vancouver and missing my connecting flight to Toronto (more about that tomorrow), I was able to hop on the next flight and landed here around 9pm on Tuesday night. My wonderful sister, Meredith, greeted me at the airport, and we quickly loaded things into her car and drove to her city of Peterborough which is about 1.5 hours from the airport in Toronto.

I had a hard time getting to sleep, but thanks to my trusty Sleepytime Tea, I was able to finally doze off. Somehow I woke up bright and early around 7am, and now I've eaten breakfast and am sitting here writing my blog while sipping my coffee. Jet lag? So far, so good.....ask me in a few hours, and let's see what I have to say then lol.

Will write again soon....until then....adieu!

still waiting to process my visa

***Don't worry. Trust God.***

A quick update on my visa processing....

I've received all my documents at this point, including my apostilled degree (thanks to Jorge!), and fully expected to go in Thursday or Friday to provide the paperwork and file for my visa. Needless to say, this is NOT happening this week, and the Colombian Embassy here in SK has not exactly been helpful or honest/direct. I will give you a BRIEF quoting of what happened (after ALL of this and no matter HOW many times I asked, I still don't know the typical processing time for visas).

I called Wednesday to inquire about how long the visa processing takes (one day? two? more?) so I can finally book my plane ticket. I mean, I'm planning to leave in less than 7 days, and I still don't have my plane ticket booked....and the good priced tickets are going fast. The response: "Call back tomorrow."

I call back Thursday morning after 9am. Response: "Call back after 10am when the person gets in."
I call back around 11:30am. Response: "The person isn't here. She's on vacation. Call back tomorrow."
....and then later in the same conversation: "The  Sec. Consulate is on vacation and should be back on Monday. (What? You just said tomorrow a minute ago! >.<)."
Me: "So there is absolutely NO ONE except this ONE person in the WHOLE Embassy who can process a visa, and she is on vacation?" (Me STILL not understanding how this is possible that someone is on vacation for 4+ days and they just put visa processing or appointments on COMPLETE hold.)
Response: "No. She is the only one who can do it."

After scanning in ALL of my 20+ documents and emailing them to the Embassy for review, as instructed, I still haven't heard anything either.

So much is riding on this visa processing: I don't want to buy a ticket until I am sure I will have the visa/my passport back. I cannot file for my lump-sum pension return until I have the plane ticket in hand.

AND YET............. ^^ ^^ ^^

As frustrated and confused as I can get over this, I just have to laugh (thanks, Bianca, for teaching me this important life lesson)....because if I don't laugh at how crazy this all is with the Colombian Embassy, I would just be upset and probably cry from stressing out. ....But God is GOOD! I KNOW He has taken me this far in the process, and I KNOW He will work it all out because He desires good for me. I have no doubts. See, Jenna-- yet another reason why God allowed us to go to Jeju--- teaching us not to worry about things and trust that He DOES have it all in control. In fact, I think that is going to be my focus during this season:

***Don't worry. Trust God.***

And another scripture that I keep coming back to/keeps coming up is Isaiah 61:

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom for the captives
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
    and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn, 

 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
    instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
    instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
    instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
    a planting of the Lord

 for the display of his splendor..." 

Jeju for New Year's

Soooo..... my year starts off with an adventure of its own: Jenna and I spontaneously decided to hop on a plane and fly to Jeju to celebrate New Year's. Although we didn't actually wake up for the sunrise of the "Sunrise Festival" we were attending, we sure had a blast! It was a great trip of simply TRUSTING God to provide, and boy did He provide! Anything and everything....He provided for it all. It really taught us a lot and gave us a great start and vision for the year.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge Him,

and He will make your paths straight." ~Proverbs 3: 5-6

(Sorry for no volume on the video: I added music, but it was rejected due to copyright...If you know how to change this, let me know! For now, just enjoy the slideshow!)

   

  

  

One door closes while another one opens...Viva Colombia!

That's right, my friends....if you haven't seen through my Facebook posts, it's official: I'm moving to COLOMBIA to teach English and music!

I received my contract on New Year's Eve, and I am now awaiting the return of my apostilled diploma in order to head to the Colombian Embassy here in Seoul and get my visa. Once my visa is in hand, I'll be buying my one-way ticket to Bogota, Colombia, where I will be living with a Colombian family and teaching for the next 10 months. I am contracted from Feb. 1-Nov. 30 to teach English to high schoolers in the mornings and then head to another school to teach flute and music theory (and maybe other instruments) in the afternoons. I am working with a Christian NGO that has been such a blessing and help to me with any questions I have had or anything I have needed along the way. God is paving the way....the door has been swung wide open.

...and I look forward to ALL that God has in store for this next adventure of life. I pray He will use me to bless the people of Bogota and every other city along the way!

2013 is already off to a great start...God has put a spirit of adventure and discovery on my heart, and I am not going to suppress it any longer. I yearn to see ALL of His creation--the work of His hands--in all its splendor and glory. Here's to an adventure-filled 2013 glorifying and growing in the One I love! <3

Christmas Day at Jenna's 2012

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, I'm going to let these pictures of Christmas Day speak for themselves. ^^ We had a blessed day filled with love (and food!) surrounded by friends. I felt a little like Mary and Joseph on that day. There may not have been a lot of room for us, but we looked not at the space but at the people in it.


....And so here we are....all NINETEEN of us crammed into a small, studio apartment in Gumi, South Korea, celebrating the birth of the King.