"Do you like to play football?"
"Sure" I motioned with my feet and pointed enthusiastically at my soccer jersey.
"No, American football...I like to tackle people," he said with a grin.
This was my unexpected introduction to Mukulo, my new friend and roomate from the Congo...not quite what I was expecting to find at a Korean university.
But I've learned to throw away all of my expectations by now. Perhaps because I am not the typical student here either. In fact, I am the only caucasian student at this university (good thing I dont have blond hair). I have met new friends from Afghanistan, Haiti, Vietnam, Thailand, Mongolia, and of course Korea. I am learning to enjoy Korean food like seaweed, pickled cabbage, and other squishy delicacies.
My school is in a beautiful location. I am a mile from the beach. Similar to Taylor it is a Christian school away from town and home to only a few thousand students. But that's probably where the similarities stop. Rooms are smaller and with four roomates. Last night I was at a chapel service with performance with acts ranging from traditional Korean drumming to hiphop.
It's good to be at a place where some people speak English. I spent my first two days at a relative of a friend's house who hardly spoke English. But they were very gracious, showed me around Seoul and got me on a bus to my school... all an adventure of me not knowing where I was going - which pretty much sums up this semester for me. I honestly have no idea what will happen next, which classes I will take, how I will spend my time...but I am not worried, because God has been so faithful to me and has shown me that I should clearly be here for this time. I am excited to see what will happen next. (Phil 4:5-6)
So in closing, I will share a joke from my pizza eating, card playing, Bush-loving Congolese roomate:
What do you call someone who speaks two languages? bilingual
What do you call someone who speaks three languages? trilingual
What do you call someone who speaks one language? american
Thanks for following me in my journey to Korea. More updates and pictures will be soon to follow.
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An Updated Summary of His Travels and Thoughts
1 comment:
hey friend!
thanks so much for sharing this with us back here at taylor and everywhere else that you are not!
this year is definitely 'a new start' in so many ways. just a random fact: the Lutheran church in Hungary has Isaiah 43:19 as its verse of blessing for the year 2007. and that message of 'newness', of God 'making a way in the desert', has been guiding a lot of my journey so far, with the Lighthouse trip to Ecuador in January, a completely new place with many lessons to learn, and now a new spring semester, and this summer I'll be going home to India for a few weeks. that won't be a new place, but I know I will see it differently, with a 'new' kind of sight because I have changed since I last laid eyes on that country. it's amazing how God transforms us, shapes us through every experience.
I think it's amazing that you are in Korea! that you are multilingual! and that you are going to a school with such beautifully diverse people and worship styles!
may the joy of the Lord be your strength and fill you to overflowing...
peace
anna perkins
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