Friday, January 15, 2010

From Patty Pa at the start of 2010

Dearest SLCCC Church ^^

Blessings, joy and peace to you all in our Lord Jesus Christ!

Praise God, for He alone is good, He is our God, He is our Grace, He is our Peace and for Him sending His Son to be our, Redeemer!

Praise God for his Mercy, Faithfulness, and Compassion on us ^^

Give thanks to Him over all things, big and small, praise Him at all times, whether we are up or down, and let us also have a repentive heart to our Precious Lord and Mighty God, as there are many times we don't realize we have sinned against him.

He is the lover of our souls! No one loves us as mightly as He does. His eyes never leaves us, He alone cares for us where He always watches over us....nothing ever escapes our Lord's eyes. He alone, loves us so deeply...and so faithfully ^^

Please forgive me that I have not updated in so long!

It seems from October to December, we, as teachers, were kept quite busy! During November, I caught the swine flu...for two days, but was out (strong medicine) for one week (felt weak : P ) and then seasonal allergies came out, so I was out for another week. I had to help my korean co-teacher, Kyeong-mi, with open classes....and many Open Classes there were! Open classes is where there is intensive feedback reports and grading each teacher's performances in teaching the classes they choose to teach for Open Class. If they get a few remarks or grades by a few persons that states they weren't good at something, they are likely to get into some sort of trouble...so these past few months was VERY stressful for the teachers as their jobs were put on the line...literally! We had to do a lot of preparation for materials and editing on our lesson plans and more. The teachers also had to make detailed reports on all their students and also give grades and explain the grades given to each student. I helped Kyeong-mi with her a few of her reports as well. And on top of that! There were many teacher social events I had to attend (it's voluntary, but I wanted to go because I want to get to know the teachers of my school, in hopes I may be able to share the gospel or at least be a light to them as many aren't Christian). While this time, I had to make time in preparing my own materials for the after-school classes I teach. 

After-school lessons are much better, much thanks for God's providing with my co-teacher Kyeong-mi! She has shown a lot to me in what to give and teach the students. But, we still have room to improve not just the materials, but also the games or activities for the students to practice the target sentences and vocabulary. Also, songs where they can help the students learn the target sentences and vocabulary.

Amongst all this, I have tried to make time to do things, such as study Chinese, Korean and French, or now, work out at the gym, or ...choose to cook food. I have very little time to do all these in one day, so usually, I get to choose only one out of the three actvities.

Even while on my own personal vacation time, it feels that I have little time to do something special during my vacation as I'm always trying to plan ahead for my after-school classes. 

I haven't been able to go anywhere, even in Korea, for during school vacation times. For instance, this winter vacation, I definitely can't go anywhere overseas as I still have to teach afterschool classes during my own personal vacation time. So I'm unable to do very much during my own vacation time.

Nonetheless...God has blessed me tremendously! ^^

I have a great job that I LOVE! I get to play EVERY DAY with the PERFECT playmates!! We are dieing of laughter together or at least have a good/great time together ^^ I get to play games EVERYDAY! ....okay....Monday to Friday...I get to be my silly self and I get to help students understand English just a little better than the day before....For instance, a few of the fifth and particularly the sixth graders are not as fun to teach since they are turning into teenagers and suddenly, now they have to figure their own identities in this big big world. So they try to play it cool and seem aloof, but when it's game time during our English class together....that falls away and we have alot of fun together ^^ Usually, we keep a rule, no speaking in Korean during English class, so when we give them game time (as a fun way to practice the day's target sentences and etc), sometimes they accidentally say something in Korean and my other co-teacher, Mr. Liu, tells the students to come see me and I play a game with them. I make it REALLY fun and exciting for them when they come to me, so much so that even when they didn't get in trouble for saying something in Korean, they will keep playing with me or come back around to play with me!!! So I tell them at times....you were just here! What are you doing? And they will often tell me "No! One more time! One more time!" and they will say this many many times...lol!! 

The more fun they have during English class activties, the more practice they will get in learning English, without even realizing it! ^^

I get to live a life of ease and comfort and buy just about whatever I desire....that is...when I'm not saving money : P

I get fed WONDERFUL food by people who don't know me very well. Kyeong-mi has had me come over to her home almost this whole week now to make lunch for me and her family so I didn't have to go out to some restaurant ...and this week, during Winter English Camp at our school, the Parent's English class, the parent's took me out to a REALLY nice lunch today and they really want to get to spend more time with me...even though one of them, their English is very poor, she has the courage to try and learn English! 

So, I have been VERY full these past many days! So much so that when I come back to the school after my lunch, I start to get very sleepy!!!
This does not help me finish my work....!!! ^^

Me and Kyeong-mi get to share many laughs with each other, just about everyday, or anytime we're together...including with her sons! ^^
For many many days now, her husband (this is rare for Korean husbands) makes breakfast sandwiches for his family and now, also for me!!! Lemme tell ya, they'd make a killing if they opened a sandwich shop! Healthy and DEE-LISH!! hehe! ^^ Priase and give thanks to God for their kindness, tender and caring hearts and generosity to provide me my breakfast and much more! ^^

Much more, my mom and me are always dieing of laughter over our phone time each Friday as well. DIEING of laughter! I share with her things that happen at school or about Kyeong-mi's sons and we end up dieing of laughter. We have never laughed this much and so consistently together ^^ So God has really blessed our relationship with each other and always REEEALLY look forward in our phone time together. ^^

The Koreans, are very shy, but there are many who desire to learn English and God has blessed me much here.

I was told by my co-teacher, Kyeong-mi, that after seeing me or getting chances to talk to me during the many teacher social events or hearing about me, or maybe hear about the fun other teachers had in my Teacher English classes, many many more of the teachers told Kyeong-mi they feel very happy and comfertable with me. At first most were shy and didn't say anything to me let alone say something in English. But now, many of them will start speaking in English to me...many have felt more courageous to try saying something in English. They have less fear in making mistakes and not as worrying in speaking with broken English. They told Kyeong-mi that they feel we are all like family with each other now. They don't feel as nervous around me and now many are wanting to make reservations for my Teacher's English classes!

God has blessed my Teacher's English classes as He has given me much inspiration in what to teach in the Teacher classes, we gotten to share soooooo much laughter with each other....at times, we are dieing of laughter...I found out alot of the teachers LOVE....no...I mean LOVE icecream....they visit Baskin Robbins OFTEN...so much so, they know some of the names of the ice cream flavors!!!!...and somehow they stay slim.....but then portions here are different ^^ So some of us bonded over ice cream as I felt the need to confess my weakness to them that is ice cream and share to them how I am quite fond of ice cream as well.....as my family members are very fond of ice cream as well! .then the teacher revealed that her favorite is coffee ice cream.....i was surprised and told her why...and it was because my mom was the same! That my mom loves coffee ice cream as well!....we died of laughter!...we ended the class with giggles and laughter. ^^

Thanksgiving and Christmas was great! I held a party for both and made lunch and dinner for Thanksgiving and then for Christmas, made breakfast, lunch and dinner. We had a great time in fellowshipping as those who were able to make it were mostly people from my bible study groups. I have one bible study on Wednesdays and different one on Saturdays. New Years was quiet, but I had one Christian friend to hang out with and we had a good time of eating, cooking, movie watching and then eating more! ^^ It was great!

The teachers at my school looked quite happy and looking foward for another year of having me at their school. Many told me they welcomed me for another year with them at our school. 

I also been asked by the school's Principal to help him learn English. I give him 5 to 10 mins each morning, Monday to Friday to learn simple English phrases. God inspired me to teach him phrases that would be useful for his work, as he meet many different people, some who may be foreigners as well ^^ He told my co-teacher to tell me that he appreciated the phrases I gave him to learn as they had been useful for him recently. I only started this class with him for the past month or so, he finally felt confident and courageous enough to learn English. He is ashamed of his poor pronunciation, but I helped him to learn to use pauses to help him speak longer sentences more clearly. He is quite a fast learner and so is learning English quite quickly! If given more time to practice speaking in English, he will speak English more fluently and with more ease in a short amount of time. I never gave him the idea to learn English, he somehow got the idea to learn, and willingingness to learn from me. We enjoy learning and practicing English together everytime! It is a blessing that he sees our lessons together are fun and is building up his confidence in speaking in English. 

But also during this time, between October and December, I didn't get to see and teach the sixth graders as I had to help Kyeong-mi's open classes or either Kyeong-mi's sons were sick so she had to stay home, or other teachers were sick, so she had to help other classes and I had to teach English classed myself for a while or special events at school were going on and etc...so, when I finally was able to teach the sixth graders again just before the semester ended, the sixth graders attitude toward me was VERY aloof and felt as though I was nobody special kind of person. 

Before, I had a good rapport with them, but now, it seemed as though I had no rapport with them. My only guess from their actions and how they acted in class is that many were upset that I was not there for them and perhaps felt that I, in a way, abandoned them, or forgotten them. It didn't matter to them that I had no choice to help teach the other classes, but simply, that I wasn't in their class anymore. Some I think felt sad that I wasn't there for a long time. Now these children are going to start middle school next semester, so I likely won't see them anymore. They are all good kids, but, things can't remain the same, aye? ^^ 

Please pray for more boldness in sharing the gospel, and to share it in God's love ^^ I will take a class in how to share the gospel at my church here in Korea.

Also, prayer God use me here to further his kingdom.

And prayer for my health, as I'm trying to change my lifestyle to live more healthier lifestyle.

God bless! ^^

Patty