Paddies Night, Plans and being Plucked and Prodded...

So Saturday night was nice to get out and meet up with Jolie, Jackie and Jenny. We went to ShabuShabbu and had a nice meal together and it was nice to catch up with some girlie chat. Afterwards me and Jolie headed to a few shops and then went to meet up with some new mates of mine in the ever so dingy niche bar. By the time we got there the beer was flowing and it was nice to see some old faces round the table. After a few drinks we headed over to Dujongdong in taxis and then ventured over to the very dead Coyote Ugly and then to a noraebang. All I can say is that I was HIGHLY entertained by the drunkeness and it felt good not being wasted myself like the old days. It was pretty cool and funny to just watch other people fall about and listen to their drunken songs. The people I was out with never sease to make me nearly wee my pants when but this weekend has got to be the funniest. Maybe they just seems so funny coz we're in Korea and there's less mancunian and londoner nutcases around like us!

Sunday was really nice too. I got up for church and the had the 2nd spiritual gift seminar with Raylene Tucker. A lot more peeps showed up this weekend and it was really nice to chat to new folk who've just recently arrived. Afterwards we went for kimbap nara and then icecream at Baskin Robbins...then coffee (and I had cakes :) )at Paris Baguette....haha. Me Cara and Jenny then went to my (was) minging, (fluffballed) apartment and we chilled out and watched Futurama for an hour before the evening meeting group at Gordons beautiful pad. He cooked up a fab Spaghetti Bol which was really tasty and we chatted at length about some really interesting stuff. After watching a Rob Bell dvd which got us talking about how 'rich' we all really were (it was pretty disturbing stuff) it got a lot of people really thinking and talking. The group Ive joined from church is really interesting. Everyone is really different and theres so many intriquing characters with so many different backgrounds. It was nice to come together and be able to discuss what we could actualy do that could make a difference to thrid world countries such as Africa as a small group and we've arranged to talk about it more next week which sounds really exciting.

Africa is on a lot of our hearts and the problems there at the moment are more severe than most of us will ever probably realise unless we get involved and get really educated about these complexities. Alfred (who I call Albert constantly... Im sorry Alfred) is from Tanzania and Jenny the new girl is from South Africa and it was really interesting to hear what they had to say about some of the things that came up in the discussion. I think its really cool the way that we've all been brought together like this. I mean, we're all from different places, we've all got different backgrounds and life stories and it just amazes me how weve all come together like this.It makes me smile inside knowing that we've all got similar passions to get involved in missionary work at some point in our lives and when Africa is on a lot of our hearts and when we have educators like Alfred from Tanzania it makes me laugh inside about being brought together with people like this. People who really have the hearts to work on things that could bring about positive change.Its pretty exciting.

Recently Ive been thinking about my place in South Korea. I came out here for many reasons. Firtsly to save, to get teaching experience, to experience another culture and to learn about traditions and people in more depth, to develop my character, to become stronger as a person and last but certainly not least, to become closer to God and to learn more about him. The past four months have been pretty amazing over here.I feel in some ways like Ive been in a whirlwind of a mixture of different feelings. Ive experienced such love from this place, the people, the famililes and the whole culture is extremely warm and hospitable and even the little things like eating dinner together is such a collective, warm activity. Ive felt so looked after and loved and the people here are really so warm. Despite this however Ive really started asking God why of all the places has this really been on my heart to come here (putting aside the fact that this was a good place to save). Why of all the places have I come to a place where everything in relation to a place like Manchester seems so okay and so together...so little problems socially compared to my home city. Maybe Im just really uneduated about Korea right now but I guess im just really interested in where the hurting is and where theres work that can be done.After praying about it a lot recently I spoke to my friend Jolie after seeing a poster on a wall in Patch Hall and I got really excited to find out that theres a compassionate ministries group which do work with North Koreans and in Orphanages in the South Korean Community.Im hoping that its something that can get involved with as Id really like to learn more over here and try to help in some way and give back to the people of South Korea what they have given me so far.Will keep you updated.

Sunday Evening was really funny as me, Betch-shi(haaaaa)Jacki, Cara and Julene went to a jimjilbang in Ssangyongdong for a good bit of naked, girlie pampering! Have got to say me and Jacki were a little bit too loud and excited after being in the heated pools too long and then jumping into the freezing cold pools afterwards. I must say that I felt a little high after doing that and we got into quite a bit of trouble and got shouted at to be quiet by a mad anjuma. I couldnt stop laughing and felt as though I was gonna faint I laughed that much and was so cold. I think I was in a bit of shock though still from being prodded by the naked korean women as I was getting undressed. I kindly had my body curiously examined by three older women and a dear child, had my thong twanged and was asked in horror and disbelief about my piercings and what I'd do with my belly button piercing when I was to have a baby...either that or one of the women asked me if I was preggers ! Arrrggghhh ! I just had to laugh with them at myself :)

After being harrassed by naked korean anjumas and getting an earful by a very cross and disconcerted massage 'wady' me and Cara bumed into Calvin who gave us a very convenient lift home where I had the best sleep I think Ive had in a while aaaahhhh.