So many gifts!

Now that my students are getting to know me better, they are constantly bringing me gifts, or letting me borrow things. First a girl named Kylee gave me eyedrops because I had really dry eyes in study hall! Second two of my students named Kevin and JJ gave us their umbrella's when it was raining really hard, and just said we could keep them as long as it rains. Then today a girl named Jina bought me my favorite candy in the store when we were shopping together! I am so glad to see that by trying to love on them, they are returning that love as well. I've been attending their soccer games, eating with them at meals, hanging out with them in between classes, and more. At first they were very nervous, and would sometimes get up and leave. This is because usually it is very segregated between the teachers and the students. The teachers do not show love to their students, but when they live here most of the year, those are the only ones who can be showing them love!

Another thing I have been constantly bombarded with is how much the girls want to look like me, and how much they want to date an American boy. They never stop talking about my light colored hair, my wide eyes, the bridge on my nose, my thinness, and my darker skin. They stare at the American boy teachers and say that they are their "dream guys". I keep trying to affirm the way that they look by saying they are beautiful and God created us all differently, and that they shouldn't be so hard on the Korean boys. Just be praying that they will grow to love themselves and not want to change everything.

It has been kind of difficult with all of the new teachers here, and now their kids as well. There are 45 new teachers and 80 elementary school students. Because of this I have seen setbacks in my students confidence levels. They are so shy because of the new Americans, and the new Americans keep trying to talk to them, and force them to do things with them, instead of being patient which is only making it worse. Be praying that me and my students will get used to the changes, and that everyone else will adapt to the way that this school is run, and the culture as well.

Today all of the teachers had to perform in front of the whole church. We practiced for hours, which actually made us more nervous! We are probably going to perform every Sunday. We used body worship which is similar to praise dance, so even if they could not understand our words, our motions could explain it all. It really reminded me of all of those years singing VBS songs! We sang Lord I Life Your Name on High, which is a REALLY old song, but imagine how long worship songs take to get over to Korea!! (the answer is a very long time.) I could see my students laughing, but afterwards they said we did a good job and asked if I could teach them how to do that! I think that by all of that hard work, I was able to gain some more respect from them, and they could see that I was willing to look ridiculous for them!