hey folks. it's been a little while since my last legitimate blog post. most sincere apologies.

i'm glad to report that a lot of my symptoms from the recent illness have subsided. unfortunately, a few remain - namely, my inability to stomach any food. today is the 8th day that i have been unable to eat. i must say - it's getting pretty old. i have only been able to hold down rice, bread, and crackers with any success - and even those are touch and go. i'm pretty sick of it and have noticeably dropped a significant amount of weight. i've decided that i will go to another hospital if i reach day #11 without being able to hold down something besides white rice. please pray that it doesn't come to that, as my schedule is already more than full and it's incredibly complicated to see a dr in korea when you don't speak korean.

this week, i moved. new teachers arrived in korea from america, so my group got the boot. however, i can't complain, as i upgraded to an insanely nice place across town. i live in a high-rise on the 20th floor overlooking the mountains. my view is spectacular - i promise to post some pictures soon. the building is sort of "downtown" so i have the city life outside my front door, as well as a serene mountain view from the comfort of my own home. it's wonderful. i have my own kitchen instead of sharing a small make-shift with 10 other teachers. i have my own washing machine so i don't have to sign up a month in advance when i want to have clean clothes. i have more space than i know what to do with and it's a great feeling. pictures of my awesome new place to come soon.

with the new group of teachers comes the realization that i've been in korea for a full 6 months. i'm halfway through my contract. unbelievable. where has the time gone? it's been an interesting 1/2 of a year and has seen it's ups and downs, for sure. i've been stretched in every which way and seen a lot of personal growth. i've had great times and learned hard lessons. i hope that i can remember these experiences for years and years and continue to develop into more of the person i strive to be.

there are a lot of misunderstandings that occur in a cross-cultural experience such as this. unfortunately, some of them are big things that never get full clarity. this week, a huge misunderstanding occurred at my school and my teacher somehow got the idea that i wasn't actually sick, but just wanted a break from work. while there is nothing further from the truth, the situation remains unresolved. through the course of the week, i received some severe verbal abuse, including, but not limited to things such as: "you used me" or "i'm so disappointed in you" or "you are the most selfish person i've ever met" or "i hate you." from this situation i have learned that i really do care what people think of me. i consider myself to be a pretty strong, independent individual, but words as strong as these can bring anyone to their breaking point. no matter how true or untrue they may be, always remember the power of your words. they really have the potential to make or break another person. though i know these criticisms stem from a severely skewed perspective, i can't stop the ringing in my ears. i don't remember the last time i was cut so deeply.

while plans may change, i currently intend to move back to the states once my contract ends here in january. i'd like to spend a few weeks traveling to see my siblings and close friends before settling into a nice admin job. if you have any leads on such a position, please send them my way. i am in desperate need. my preference would be a position in nashville, but i'm willing to negotiate!

i will be teaching another week of summer camp this week. it's a school i've never been to and i will have about 30 students, grades K-6. i will not have a korean co-teacher, so it should be...interesting. i really need to get well so i have the strength to keep up with all my kiddies, so pray for me! also - i fly to india in one short week! woohoo! get excited, folks.

hope all of you are well. please drop me a line as you find time. i miss hearing from you!

everyone mind your words this week.
as always...be well.