Sunday 26 August 2007

Psalm 23














Whoa.. what a manic week. Back to the madness of my world yet allll goood :) In a whole week I havent even managed to find the time to update this thing. Ive been back 7 days and I havent been still.Ive had a case of the ants in ze pants. In just a week I feel wrecked again and in need of a day of nothingness, of greys anatomy, of frothy coffee and my big cosy, queen sized bed.

My holiday was amazing. It was so nice to just get away from Cheonan and venture down the East Coast of Korea alone with my wandering thoughts. I woke up last Saturday and was OFF. There was no way I was hangin about in Cheonan. My mate phoned me on Saturday afternoon and I was already at destination number one. I was craving a serious change of location and I sure got it!

It was a whole 9 days of hardcore hiking a bit of rock climbing (slightly scary gotta admit considering the gradient of the peaks..I even wont go there Mum), sunbathing, relaxing in beautiful jimjilbangs overlooking oceans, walking, visits to ancient temples, ponds, grottos.. the list is endless. I went to the very tranquil and restful Namiseon Island first, over to the Jungdo resort, across to Sokcho, onto Seoroksan, from there onto Gyeongju then down to Busan. Travelling down the coast was really stunning and despite being by myself it was great. It was mentally restful. Which I think we all know, is what I needed :)

I could write an essay about the whole week but Im not going to. Despite my bag being stolen on my last day on Hyundae beach with my Bible (which meant the entire WORLD to me) and my Armani watch and some other stuff.. clothes..a memory card with lots of pics on :( nice knickers (which are well hard to get here in Korea unless you think ajuma pants are sexy...nnnaaaahhhh) yeh, anyway.. it was great.

Seoroksan was one of my highlights. Beautiful towering granite peaks, sparkling crystal waters.Id reserved a place in the tourist info box before I ventured up through the park to stay in one of the mountain huts. By the time I got there I was wet, hungry (but happy) and naturally exhausted. Id decided to climb up to a grotto hidden in one of the peaks. The directions stated that it was only 3.5K so I decided to do a detour and stop there before I ventured onto my hut. Although it was only 3.5k the hike was very steep, lots of stairs (and I mean lots) and it was extremely knackering.I got up there and the whole of the park was covered in a white fog so despite my efforts to get in a good view...I could only see this fluffy blanket of white. It was really nice up there though lol. Very tranquil, the monk clopping away cross legged overlooking this fog, hundreds of tiny tealights lit and a place for people to pray to the gold figurine of Buddah.It was interesting. By the time Id got down I think I had another 3-6K to walk before I came to my destination.I knew it wouldnt be a palace but it was just a little white hut hidden in the mountains and little did I know that I was to share it with a Korean family of pro hikers. It was fine though. They kindly adopted me for the evening, gave me clean, dry clothes, food, lots of soju ( like I wasnt dehydrated enough lol) and the mother of the group made sure I had a comfortable place to sleep with their two daughters in our hut before the other four male pro hikers came and bundled in with us. Only in Korea as they say.

The next day they took me on a hike which was harcore. It was really kind of them. Being pro hikers and knowing the guard of the hut we stayed in they took me across to the off limits section of the park across from our hut. We climbed the peak in no time using metal cables and our legs and arms. I was sore for days after lol. The view was stunning, the grandfather of the group yodled some Korean from the top and sung a song and we then ventured down.. also frightening at times but their 8 and 9 year old kids were doing it so so was I !

Sokcho beach & the East Coast were a far cry away from the city lights and heights of Seoul and Cheonan and Gyeongju was really as beautiful as people say. Unable to get into the traditional house I wanted to stay in due to my trip being so spontaneous in terms of when I moved on from one place to another I managed to find a lovely little hostel. It was so full of character and I could tell by the old pictures and stuff on the walls that once upon a time this really was the place to be if you wanted a place to stay in Gyeongju.

Maybe the funniest thing that happened during my hol was seeing a very tall and quite old Mr Jin in the garden stark naked one evening as I was going to read my Bible and have a glass of wine. He was completely unclothed bent over washing his clothes. I apologised in Korean, didnt really know where to look but just covered my eyes and sat down on the garden table my back him.I was worried Id missed some important instructions about not coming into the garden after a certain time at night or something but grinning he just said sonething along the lines of, anyo meeanhamneedah, kwen chanayo, meeanhamneedah (no sorry, its okay, me sorry) and after a few seconds he toddled back off into his living quarters (which is on full show from reception behind a huge glass window by the way). Quite the exhibitionist I gather. Again.. only in Korea. Lol boy did I nearly wet the chair I was sat on . The rooftop in the hostel was great to see the sun go down on and I met a gal from Yorkshie there so it was nice to hang out together for a day and have a bit of company.


The beaches were lush and despite the jimilbangs being lovely overlooking Gwangali Bridge in Busan, (in Sokcho overlooking the lighttower and sea) I had a near death experience almost being squashed by an obese lady in there in one of the overcrowded sleeping rooms. A little girls feet stuck in my face the big lady snored loudly like a wild boar for most of the early hours. The women were getting really annoyed. One ajuma sat up at one point in temper,sighing, her face was a picture and I couldnt control my laughter. I had to leave the room and get out.It was just too funny.
Although I was alone I definately didnt have a boring time I can tell you that for sure. An old, wrinkly, saggy bummed man in the garden and a near death experience arent the only laughs I had lol.

My friend Cara came down to join me on my last night in Busan. I took her along to the lovely Vesta overlooking Hyundae Beach. It was really relaxing. Cara..the poor girl. Her first night in a jimjilbang.. she had an uncomfortable night too and the temperature wasnt right that night lol. We roasted in that sleeping room. Im sure we looked like little wrinkled mandus when we woke up.

Despite me feeling quite sick on Busan Beach on my last day when a freaky old man selling chicken kept giving me free cans of beer and coke all day as an excuse to look at my ladees bits (yuk), feeling pretty obese with all the stick thin Korean women and getting my bag nicked I wasnt gonna let my holiday get ruined so me and Cara went off for a really nice meal together.

God was really good to me during my time away. He looked after me, provided for me, gave me company along the way in different people and characters I met. He never ceases to amaze me.

So Im back to my carwee barwee bo' ing kids. Im refusing to let myself be burned out though. Im craving exercise as I have another 10K coming up :) but making time for it seems to be impossible at the moment. Im honestly that busy its a joke. Anyway, I have my belly dancing lessons on Monday mornings Im making priority and still have Yoga so it not all that bad. Im trying to get in as much exercise as poss. Compared to when I first came here (three hours a day of exercise) Im literally doing nothing now. I gotta sort it OUT!

Anyway its just a five week countdown now till Chuseok, five days off (asssaaaa) then five weeks back and shortly after Ill be on that Boeing back baby.

Thursday 9 August 2007

Hooolllliiiddddaaaayyy!

Awwwww I am WELL excited. Its finally here....my holiday has finally arrived! Just one more day in the hagwon....I seriously cant keep still :) I'm so excited!

Theres so many places Ive been itching to go to the past 9 months but its been impossible due to not having the time but I have a whole 9 days free to go and find as much adventure as I can :)

Despite my whack travelling skills and sense of direction and me being completely solo I'm daring to go and make the every most of my whole 9 days off. Arrrggghh cant believe Ive got 9 days off :)

Ive planned my trip and so far so good...

Namiseon Island
Sokcho Beach
Mt Seoroksan
Gyeongju
Busan

I plan to spend time with God, relax, ride through the trees in Namiseon Island (maybe Jungdo Island too time allowing), laze on the beach in Sokcho, hike Mt Namsan, stay in a little sarangche by tumulus park, go to Bulguksa Temple, hike the mounts of Seoroksan (finally !) rest by the waterfalls, journey up the peaks by cable car, fry on Hyundae Beach, sit on Gwangali Beach under the stars and check out the view of the lit up bridges, stay in the Vespa jimjilbang, get a full body massage and get treated like a princess. Aw Bliss :) Im dying to get tomorrow over, pack my bags and shoot off. Im worried my memory card wont be able to hold all my pics lol. Ive gotta go and finish off my planning :)

Thursday 2 August 2007

The other night whilst out with my managers cousin and friend over a private, they informed me that Cheonan apparently gets its name from the Chinese language and its meaning its something along the lines of, 'the safest place under the sky'.

I felt tingly all over when they told me so my blog has a new name.

Love from Cheonan...the Safest Place Under the Sky.

Not only did God bring me to such a loving Korean family, to a hagwon directed by a devout, on fire christian but also to a place with a name like this.

I'm constantly reminded of his blessings.

Such Love

So... Ive got good things ahead waiting for me and things at home too..you girlies tell me that Hayleys big Day is coming up in December... I cant wait but we'd better get the tissues at the ready. This girl will weep. Hayley deserves a good man. I hope he is that :)

We're gonna have to go shopping when I get back straight away for our outfits lol. Anna you can plan that (if you havent already lol ;))

Me and mum are gonna go away for a week too when I get back. Ive worked really hard here this year and it'll be nice to go away to a place of seclusion for seven nights and rest and think about my time in Korea. I guess its gonna be hard to settle back in at home and strange to re-adjust after living here on my own for 12 months in a beautiful 2 bedroomed apt with a killer view and all the space I want in the world. Get in haaahaaa. Really though... Ive been thinking alot about my time here even though its not up yet due to the main reason that after my holiday in two weeks, I know my time heres gonna fly.

Im trying to prepare my heart and its strange but I know deep down that God's in complete control. I know he has amazing plans for me and I know that he brought me here, he prepared this place for me, the people, the places and I trust he has plans for me back at home or wherever else he desires me to go next. I just need to keep praying and keep my eyed fixed on Him.

I have never in my whole life experienced Gods Love for me like I have here. He has shown me so much Love in the past 9 months that I dont even know where to begin.

I really believe that I needed to come here for me to experience it. I came away alone, vulnerable and in Gods total care and under his total mercy and he has provided me with such richness I dont know where to start. I just know that he Loves me and he wants me to listen to him, to succumb to his voice, to his calling for me personally.

Ive had trials in recent months but reading Peter last week made me remember that these trials reveal how genuine our faith is. My hands shake as I write these words because God has spoken to me like never before through his word in my life this year. I dont know where to begin.

Ephesians and Phillipians have been two of the books that have been most prominent for me during my stay here. Before I came Ephesians 3v 14-20 was given to me repeatedly . Repeat, repeatedly.

Eveywhere I went in the space of a few weeks and months, the pastors/ preachers/ ministers/ evangelists voice boomed out (or I simply got an email/ letter) with the scripture from Paul,

When I think about all of this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he wil empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all Gods people should, how wide, how long, how high and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, although it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with al the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Now all glory to God , who is able, through his mighty power at work within us , to accomplish infinately more than we might ask or think.



Never have I experienced the Love of God like this. This child of God, this daughter of Christ never really experienced Gods Love for herself until she came here.

The thing is after I came back from moving away from him for so long I never let him close enough, never as close as he wanted me to let him. I guess I was scared of the rejection of not being good enough, pure enough, unsinful enough.

If only I had listened to his voice earlier on.

If only I had listened to him when he softly whispered, Come, Come as you are.

So I pray earnestly for continued spiritual growth as I did before I started this adventure.I dont want to become one of these stagnant, dried up Christians with no fire in them. I knew God would minister to me here greatly. I had high expectations as he asked me to have lol As Ive mentioned previously in my blog, I was told God would take me under his wing while I was here and he has done so in such a beautiful, gentle way.

If you're putting off moving back into Gods presence because you're worried you're too unclean and dirty I urge you to just put those thoughts behind you and come back into His presence. He was waiting for me for too long. He's waiting for you too.

One thing Ive learnt is that theres nothing you can do to stop him Loving you. Not a thing in the world.

When I read Pauls words in Phillipians 4 v 6&7 about Gods peace when I first came back to seeking God's face I didnt understand how it could be true. In previous years I was so filled with fear that I didnt understand how it could be real to have this peace that goes beyond anything we can understand, that can actually guard our hearts and minds. It baffled me.I felt too tormented to ever believe that this was real and that it could have been present and genuine in my life. The truth is though that it is real . I desired what Paul talked about and surely enough God gave me his peace.

In stepping out and seeking his face he has given me his utter peace. I never want to feel the fear that consumed me in my past again and I truly believe I wont. Ever Again.

Pentaport Rock Festival 2007









Ive REALLY not bothered with this blog now properly in a while but Ive been really preoccupied with other stuff so I apologise. Anyway, Pentaport ROCKED. Last weekend was definately one of the best weekends Ive had in South Korea since Ive been here and its taken me a good few days to recover from the lack of sleep and energy I used while I was there.

I travelled down to Incheon on Friday night telling myself that I wouldnt be there to catch The Chemical Brothers so that if by any chance at all I DID get there in time Id be even more excited about being there. And I was ! In time and excited ! They were amazing. Ive never seen them live before but it was really everything I thought and more and the visuals were amazing too. It was prety jaw dropping stuff :)

I finally caught up with my merry friends there who had already made friends with half the campsite. There was lots of drinking, a man made beach with hammocks and chill out areas, candles, huge beach fire, big screens, dj boxes/booths blasting out funky house, a huge camp ground, a huge dance tent, western eateries, funky little bars and cocktail stalls...ahhh it was so cool to just be there after working all week with my little monsters.I felt like I was on holiday it was so nice. I got bitten to shreds by mossies while camping but it was all worth the scars Ill probably have for life... they look more like baby bites (theyre huge)!

I really felt like it was a mini holiday for me. I havent let my hair down for a long time so it was sooo refreshing and so nice to hang out with nice people and have nice conversations with certain people I met. I really made some great friends this weekend that Ive got to hook up with again. I felt like I was back home during some conversations.

I've missed you girls more than I ever dreamed and I knew it'd be a lot.Just a few girlie conversations brightened me up... goodness knows what Im gonna be like when I see you all again... arrrgghhh I cant wait girls!!! :) Not long now !

I didnt get back to Cheonan till Monday morning right before work so I was pretty exhausted and felt like I was floating on air all day. Adrenaline still pumping around my system from Muse... yes Muse. They were aaaamazing too! Me and my mate Mipa got chatted up by some buff, farmer, welder boy who got us sorted out with very temporary back stage passes. Pretty cool to walk around but I wasnt that impressed. Truthfully I was bored and was constantly thinking about where my mates were(not which tent the Testament were sleeping in or which tent muse were hanging out in even) and if I could find them after the tour. Stuff doesnt impress me like that I guess.

So after two days and nights of rocking out with some seriously lovely people that I met there (Mipa coming down on Saturday morning to join us) I got on the bus to Incheon and found a jimjilbang to sleep in for the night. I didnt actually sleep. A pile of farting, korean women plonked on the floor with bright lights.... hmmmm not very restful by any means. At least I tried and I knew there was always the bus home lol

It was more uncomfortable than the tent I slept in for the two nights previous but I didnt care. The weekend made up for it 100 times over. It was all well worth it. Oh to be back! :)