a tale of two thibodeaus...

Christmas and The Brothers Thibodeau

2012-01-05T22:36:00.000+09:00

Just wanted to give an update of the past few weeks. Our last post mentioned all the things we miss about Christmas at home with our families, but we wanted to share some special ways we did celebrate this year in Korea.

Christmas Eve:

Christmas Eve found us with our church family at an orphanage in Busan that our church regularly visits. We had such a fun and crazy couple hours with dozens of cute (and wild) kiddos. Several people put together a skit telling the story of the first Christmas and the kids were led through different stations where they could make all kinds of crafts and food and origami, etc. Kyle was the balloon-animal-maker of the day and led the kids in singing (though not at the same time), and Melody helped the kids decorate cookies... It was such a neat way to spend the day-loving on these kids with our church family, telling them about Jesus, and being able to take some time to distract from ourselves...

Kyle's birthday-party-entertaining skills paying off!

This guy had fun with his balloon hat!

As soon as we left the orphanage, we headed to the airport to pick up Kyle's brother, Evan who came to visit us from California for Christmas! Hooray!!

Saw this while waiting for Evan at the airport-Christmas Eve around the world!

Christmas Day:
On the first day of our Advent readings this year, we were encouraged to plant grass seeds, and cut them down on Christmas to make a "bed" for our King's manger, to prepare Him room... It was fun to watch our alfalfa sprouts grow throughout the month-from seeds into "bedding"-to prepare our hearts as well-for our King.

Cutting the alfalfa to make a bed in our "manger"

Let earth receive her King! Let every heart prepare Him room...!

After a special church service in the morning, we filled up our apartment with brothers and sisters from all over the world-South Africa, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Korea, and America-and made our first ham dinner (thanks to Costco!), sang Christmas songs, played games, and wrote Christmas poems together. It was so special to spend time together, share Christmas traditions and memories we had, and especially to hear "Joy to the World" sung in three languages (see video linked to below). Such a reminder that Jesus is joy and good news to all the world, to those in every tongue!

Video: "Joy to the World" in English, Korean, and Amharic (Ethiopian)

(Church) Family Christmas Dinner

The Brothers Thibodeau:

It was so special to spend time with Evan and show him a bit of our lives here. These brothers were able to catch up on some adventuring that they hadn't been able to do together the past year. Here are some highlights:

Walking at Gwangalli Beach

Workin' out on the river trail

Brothers

Coastal path and cliffs at Igidae

Happy New Year!!

Don't Miss Christmas!

2011-12-15T20:32:00.000+09:00

Only a few days 'til Christmas...hooray! In the midst of wrapping and sending gifts and making origami decorations for our Jesus tree, we've spent the last few weeks seeking to prepare our hearts for this celebration-of when God became flesh and dwelt among us, tented among us, became like us-to save us and give us new life. However, four weeks of the waiting and longing of Advent can't even begin to compare to the 400 years of silence between the prophets and that first Christmas-the deep longing, expectation, desperation for a Savior...can you imagine?

In these last few days before Christmas, may we not lose sight of the WONDER of a desperate longing fulfilled-God in flesh-our only hope.

We wrote this song for our families last Christmas, but wanted to share it again-we're still singing the same thing this Christmas: We miss our families, we miss traditions that we grew up with, but Christmas is all about Jesus, and we won't miss Christmas if our focus is on Him. We encourage you as well-don't miss Christmas!

Book Alley

2011-12-05T20:46:00.001+09:00

This past weekend, our friends Joe and Allison took us to Book Alley-an old narrow street in an older part of Busan, with neat coffee shops, and bookstores overflowing with stacks and shelves of old books. We never would have found it without them, and couldn't help but snap some pictures of this cool part of town!

There's Book Alley-on the right. Don't blink or you'll miss it!

Reading the news

This bookstore just keeps going and going!

At times I wondered if this is where books go to die-how can you even find what you're looking for?

A cute one!

Where's Waldo?

And a coffee shop to warm up, and spend time sharing about each others' favorite books-so fun!

Thanks friends!!

Kimchi for Thanksgiving!

2011-11-28T09:36:00.001+09:00

No, that's not all we ate, but it was definitely a first! We were so blessed to be able to celebrate Thanksgiving this year with so many brothers and sisters in Christ who are also far from family an ocean away. Our good friends the Letts opened their home to celebrate, and figured out how to fit a turkey into a convection oven, make cranberry sauce from dried cranberries, pumpkin pie from Korean pumpkins, and still fill our plates with so much familiar food that we almost forgot we were in Korea!

So thankful for friends!

It's a party!

Helping make bread-one of my favorite Thanksgiving foods!

My first festive cheese ball. "Gobble, gobble, eat me up!"

Yum!

But what about the Kimchi? Don't worry, I'm getting there. After filling our tummies with yummy food, a handful of us went for a walk through some small paths and neighborhoods in the country to soak up a gorgeous fall day. It was beautiful, and so refreshing to be out of the busy city!

As we were walking, Kyle noticed a man carrying a heavy bag of rice from his truck to his house and several more lying in the truck bed. Taking note that there were 4 other men that could make his load a bit lighter, Kyle offered to help, and the man said he only needed one more, but sure, he'd like the help.

The family soon invited us all into their courtyard where we discovered the event of the day: Kimjang, the time of the year when family, neighbors, and friends gather together for a few days and make the kimchi (traditional fermented spicy cabbage dish) they will eat for the year ahead. (Many of our students' families did their Kimjang this weekend too, we found out). It's a big job, usually involving 100-200 heads of cabbage, depending on the family size, and lots of time preparing materials, washing, stuffing spices between leaves, etc. These sweet women responded with a mixture of surprise and delight at the sight of a handful of foreigners in their courtyard, but it didn't take long for their generosity to extend to us in very tangible ways.

"We just made this fresh delicious kimchi, you guys just have to try some! Here, let me get some for you."

"Open wide, like this!" "It's good, but-that was a big bite!"

"Here, let us send some home with you!"

We all left with our mouths burning just a bit from some very big bites of very spicy fresh kimchi these sweet women fed us, laughing at the delight of stumbling onto a neat "cultural" experience (on a day we were having our own "cultural" experience) and feeling once again blessed by the generosity and kindness of strangers...which is increasingly not so strange in this country.

It was a beautiful day-full of sunshine and friends and surprises and gifts and good food and abundance and reminders of Jesus-all grace from our good and generous God, for whom we are most thankful.

"Thanksgiving is a state of mind;

The Bible says we should do it all the time,

But-one day a year, we get to celebrate:

With a turkey on a big plate!

At Thanksgiving, we don't forget

The God who cancelled this sinner's debt,

So-when the turkey is cooked for your family and friends,

Celebrate this time, and thank God again!"

Out and about.

2011-11-01T22:19:00.000+09:00

We've had a glorious few weeks of fall so far. The trees are just now changing, but the air's been cool, the mountains calling us to climb them, Korea alive with festivals of all kinds... We've been doing our best to soak up this season in every way we can, especially as we look ahead to our last 4 months in Korea. Here's a little of what we've been up to:

We took a day trip to Taejongdae-a beautiful coastal path lined with cliffs. Awesome!

Can you see Japan? We could!

Couldn't pass up the International Film Festival-we caught two great international films-fun to live in a city like this!

"Busan International Film Festival"

Look-we're famous!

We could be in a Korean movie!

A Saturday hike up the mountain behind our apartment...

Couldn't resist a little bouldering...

We stumbled into a "Trick Art" show. It was scary. I'm so glad I have a strong husband to protect me.

This one almost got away...

Thankful for evidences of the Lord's hand in creation-peeking out through city streets and skyscraper apartments.

"How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made them all..." -Psalm 103:24

Traditional Art

2011-10-05T22:12:00.000+09:00

The very first day we arrived in Korea, a year and a half ago, I (Melody) found out my that my co-teacher and I share an interest in painting. She said she has learned to do traditional Korean paintings, and promised she'd teach me how. Since then, it's been on my list of things to do here. And the other day, I got to check it off!

My co-teacher, Yoonhwa's demonstration piece

The paints are similar to watercolors, but are a traditional Korean-made paint.

No, this isn't chocolate-it's a black coal-like bar that you rub hard (to relieve any stress while painting) on this rubber mat and mix with water to provide the black "paint" on the paintings.

Each stroke is so important in Korean paintings. I couldn't quite get the hang of this technique, even with all my practicing!

This is my finished painting! In Korean on the right, it says: "Korean traditional painting"(really creative, I know!), with the date (in Chinese) and my signature (below)!

Probably one of my new favorite memories in Korea. :)

Better and better!

2011-09-23T19:11:00.001+09:00

This month we celebrated 2 years of marriage. Really? Two years already! It has been such a gift to do life together, and we are so thankful for the Lord's faithfulness to us through it all. We celebrated with a day trip to a nearby island called Geoje, and soaked up a gorgeous day together in a beautiful place, celebrating a faithful God who designed this picture called marriage and dreaming about what He has in store for us in the years ahead...

Food is a universal language.

2011-09-17T07:34:00.000+09:00

Korean hospitality continues to surprise and delight us. This past weekend was Chuseok in Korea, a fall harvest festival and one of two important holidays in Korea. During one of our days off, we were invited for dinner at Kyle's vice-principal's house. But we weren't just invited to come and eat dinner, but to come and learn how to cook it (and then eat it, of course!).

Kyle's vice principal told us the menu, and we started getting excited-bulgogi (marinated beef) and chap-chae (sweet potato noodle and vegetable dish)-some of our favorite Korean food! Hooray! I've been a bit daunted to try these on my own, so I watched carefully as the master chef poured a little of this and a spoonful of that and stirred just so and then asked me to do the same. I jotted down what I could on a post-it-note and hope I can remember! Such a gift-to learn something so central to this culture (or any culture): food. Why has it taken me so long? Better late than never, I suppose!

Kyle's vice principal showing me how to make the marinade for a yummy bulgogi (beef) dinner.

Like this? Like this? -the foreigner keeps asking...

Only six months left to perfect these dishes before the ingredients and instructors are harder to find!

What a delicious dinner, and what a special time with a wonderful family! Thank you, thank you!!

Kyle's vice principal's last words to us as we left their house: Practice! Practice!

Hmmm...what should we have for dinner this week? :)

Great things He hath done!

2011-08-30T20:12:00.005+09:00

Hey friends and family -

The Thibodeau's have an exciting announcement for you. No, we're not having a baby (and if we were you would probably not hear about it first on our blog). The good news is that we are completely done paying off our student loans! To God be the glory! He gave us the jobs. He gave us the opportunities we've had. He gets the credit. Please join us in thanking Him.

So, you may be wondering what's next for the Thibodeau's, now that we are debt free? We're gonna start living the high life...actually, no. But with a lighter load, we are one step closer to our goal of taking the gospel to those who have never heard it. We've still got six months left here in South Korea, and we're not sure exactly what will be next, providing yet another reminder for us to trust in the Lord with all our heart. He is faithful.

Homemade Journals...

2011-07-28T07:34:00.003+09:00

...are a new hobby of mine in Korea. My friend Katelyn asked me to make a tutorial for her awesome crafty blog of how I make them, so check it out if you're interested! You can find it at Waygooken Housewife.

Happy journal-making!

-MT

Just an update on life...

2011-07-23T10:44:00.003+09:00

When we stop and think about all the people-all around the world-who mean so much to us, we can't help but wish we could sit down with everyone one of you and just catch up on life! So if we were to have a conversation with you, here are some things you might ask us about:

School:

Yesterday was the last day of the spring semester for our schools. In true summer vacation form, the students left cheering-excited at the prospect of 6 weeks off! Following closing ceremonies, we each had respective meals/celebrations with the teachers and administration from our schools, celebrating the close of another semester-Melody a day trip and Kyle an overnight trip near Seoul.

Next week we will both teach a summer English camp at Melody's school (4 hours a day of English conversational topics/games/movies/(hopefully) fun...and then a week of vacation(!), and then I (Melody) have one more week of summer camp at my school, then we will both have 2 weeks of vacation! Hooray!!

Vacation:

While we're in the middle of Asia and have so many opportunities to travel to neighboring countries, we still feel like there's so much we haven't yet seen in the "foreign" country we're already living in! So-for the last two weeks of August, we're planning to take a road trip up the eastern coast of Korea and camp along the way, and eventually explore Seoraksan, the third highest mountain in South Korea. We'll then join Kyle's co-teacher, Judy, and family and check out the "Hawaii of Korea"-Jeju Island (which we've been told we can't leave Korea without seeing). We're so excited to explore this beautiful place with a family we've come to love dearly! (Pictures to come!)

Church:

Besides teaching here, our opportunities to learn from, and invest in our local international church continue to keep us busy! We have both been leading small group Bible studies for the past two semesters (Kyle a guys group, and me a girls'), and while stretching, has been neat to connect at a deeper level with so many others who are in a similar place in life. We have also been apart of facilitating and leading the Welcome Team at church- a team committed to greeting, connecting people, and getting to know newcomers over lunch. However, ministry positions are shifting, so we'll be transitioning out of these roles and into helping lead the Worship Team-Kyle singing and playing guitar, and Mel singing. We're excited for more opportunities to grow in new areas the Lord keeps leading us into!

holidays=a piece of culture

2011-07-07T13:40:00.016+09:00

Monday was July 4th. But as I headed to school, I hardly remembered. (Going to school on July 4th is a new thing for me!). Growing up, the 4th of July was: a summer day at the ranch, family, friends, barbecues, root beer, croquet, fireworks, red white and blueberry flag cakes...

I didn't even have to always be in the US to celebrate. While spending a summer in Thailand during college, our team spent the 4th at the US embassy to celebrate our independence day. At the time it was such a strange feeling-leaving the pad thai and tuk-tuks behind, showing our passports and before long we were eating hamburgers, listening to an Elvis impersonator, and drinking Starbucks coffee in this little "island of the US" (the embassy) in Thailand. Different, yes, than what I usually associated with this national holiday, but still pieces of my home culture nonetheless.

But this year, in Korea, teaching continues well into (what we've always thought of as) summer vacation. I arrived at school Monday morning after a sun-soaked weekend of camping with friends, sunburnt and tired, but happy. Even though the guys had shot off some roman candles at the beach two nights before while my friend and I serenaded them with the national anthem, when the day came I had totally forgotten it was July 4th until our school assembly.

Usually during our monthly school assemblies, I will stand in my assigned place and just watch the cutest little 1st graders ever right in front of me, trying to catch a few words of the principal's speech and see if I can figure out at least the topic, and then try to sing along with our school song...though I only know about half the words...
This Monday morning, the principal began his address to the students and before long I caught a few words that I understood in the midst of alot I didn't: "oner"-"today" and "Miguk"- "America"...and then I remembered-oh yeah, today is the 4th of July! Cool! He then proceeded to remind the students that I was from the US, and asked them to congratulate me for our independence day. The students turned toward me and the auditorium erupted into applause. I was so surprised! I bowed to the students, and then to the principal, trying to say thank you though no one could hear.

How did the principal know about our national holiday? How many Korean national holidays do I know about? Or others around the world? I was humbled. Not that the 4th is my all-time favorite holiday, but it is one that's tied closely to the culture I call home. That my principal would take the time to learn and lead students in recognizing this, thus honoring me, was special.

It makes me want to take the time to learn and recognize the things that are bound up in this culture, and thus demonstrate that I care about these people and the things that culturally define them. Maybe holidays are a good place to start...

--MT

A little family reunion in Korea...

2011-06-18T15:59:00.017+09:00

It's hard trying to fit a year and a half of experiences in a foreign country into 10 days, but we tried. Kyle's parents made the trek across the ocean a few weeks ago to see our lives in Korea and let us be their personal tour guides. It was so neat to be able to catch up with family we haven't seen in a year and a half, to show them the things that have become so meaningful to us here, and to see this beautiful and unique country through fresh eyes!

Here's a glimpse into our adventures with them:

We took the train to Seoul for a long weekend and played tourist for a few days. Here's us at the train station getting ready to start the adventure!

Gail and I got to practice writing our names in Korean!

We got interviewed by some fun high school girls for a class assignment and as we were documenting our time with them, this sweet old man couldn't help but join in the picture. Oh how Koreans make us smile sometimes!

A bike ride through the park and by the river on a hot day-so fun!

The Seoul Tower has a fun tradition of hanging locks on the fence with your name on it (the city version of carving your initials in a tree), so we left our mark-"the Thibodeau's were here"...maybe someday we'll go back and find out if they're still there...

Practicing being royalty-though I think we have too big of smiles to look that regal...what do you think?

Our schools, in true Korean form, went above and beyond in showing generosity to our parents-arranging our schedules to spend more time with them, allowing them to share a bit about Alaska to the students, taking them out for lunch and dinner, and showering them with gifts. We continue to learn so much from our Korean friends about the beauty of generosity, especially as a host, and are continually humbled by their care for us (and our families).

Having a huge and yummy lunch with the administration from Melody's school.

They got to share a bit about Alaska with some of our classes. This is one of Kyle's 5th grade classes-they couldn't believe there were 2 "Mr. Thibodeau's" AND 2 "Mrs Thibodeau's" in one room. :)

Baseball game in Busan with Kyle's co-teacher and family.

We're so thankful for our family-thanks for coming to Korea! We love you!

"Are you a Foreigner?"

2011-03-18T19:05:00.004+09:00

Having been in Korea about a year now, we're no longer that surprised to hear students on the street practicing "Hello, nice to meet you" as we walk by, only to giggle to each other after we pass and turn to their friends in Korean, "Did you hear that? I just spoke in English...!", or something to that effect. Nor do I find it strange anymore to get double takes when someone notices that the girl behind them in line has blonde hair and green eyes and then watch them gaze into my basket to see what a foreigner buys at their local grocery store. I'm used to stares on the subways, kids pointing and saying in Korean, "Look, mom-a foreigner!"

What's amusing is that I have found myself following their practice, so when I spot another Westerner across the street, I'll nudge Kyle and say- "Look, a foreigner!" (as if I've never seen one before!). I never really know what to do when I pass another (most likely English teacher) on the street. Do I say hi? I mean, I don't know her at all-she might be from South Africa or Australia or some other country even farther away than mine-but she is a fellow foreigner, therefore we can't help making eye contact and exchanging smiles and hello's as we pass, like we have this secret understanding between us of what its like to stand out, and that this is only our temporary home.

Maybe its because there aren't that many of us here. As one of the world's most homogenous nations, Korea is still getting used to seeing foreigners around, though I think that's changing as this country continues to develop globally. Still, it's the kids who respond in the funniest ways sometimes...

Just the other day I was shopping in our local grocery store when a group of young giggling girls saw me around the corner, pointed, whispered to each other, and then the oldest and bravest mustered, "Hello, where are you from?". I told her I was from the US and her younger friend looked up at me with wide eyes and said, "Waygooken ee-ayo?" ("Are you a foreigner?"). And so naturally I replied, in Korean, "Are you a Korean?"--to which the girls giggled even harder until we eventually said goodbye and continued shopping.

It's good to be in the minority for a change-it opens our eyes to both our own attitudes and prejudices when the roles are reversed, as well as how to engage another culture so that even though we will always physically stand out here, we may just find ways to earn trust and build relationships that aren't as hindered by our differences.

As a result of constantly being referred to and labeled as a foreigner (we even have "Alien Registration Cards" as our identification here), I'm starting to read differently the passages in Scripture that refer to aliens and strangers and foreigners. Hebrews 11 records the lives of men and women who lived by faith, admitting "that they were aliens and strangers on earth...longing for a better country--a heavenly one." Peter likewise charges his readers in 1 Peter ("strangers in the world") to "live [their] lives as strangers here in reverent fear"--for ultimately doesn't life as a foreigner look different than that of a citizen?

I'll close my ramblings tonight with a question for myself and for you-if you are a follower of Christ, does your life look any different than the rest of the world? Do you stand out? Do people notice that you don't fit in, and wonder where you call home?

Are you a foreigner?

(MT)

Re-charged and re-settled...

2011-03-17T20:26:00.010+09:00

Last time you heard from us was in the rain-soaked Pacific Northwest, soaking up some time in the states on a month-long break from teaching in Korea. From there we headed to Colorado, to spend our last few weeks of vacation with Melody's family and our friends there. It was wonderful, to say the least. What a blessing we have in families who love, support, and encourage us to pursue the Lord, wherever He leads us! It was really special to spend time with the whole family, including our little 15-month-old niece, Emma, who will be jabbering away next time we see her in a year!

And now we find ourselves back in Busan-almost a month into our second year-long contract teaching English in Korea. We're back in the same apartment, at the same elementary schools, with the same wonderful co-teachers, and most of the same fun and crazy students (just a year older!).

It's amazing how different life here feels than it did a year ago at this time (more comfortable yet still foreign at times)-when we were just starting to learn the Korean alphabet, just starting to build relationships, just barely figuring out how to get around with public transportation, discouraged by unfamiliar groceries, and overwhelmed at the task of teaching ahead of us...yet the Lord has been so faithful to us this past year here.

We are thankful to be back for continued opportunities to engage a different culture, seek to be better teachers, and build on the things we've just begun to learn. With hopefully not as many "firsts" this coming year as the last, the prospect of diving in deeper in relationships and to the things around us is becoming more exciting. Yet as the list of things we want to do and see and learn and experience this year in Korea grows, it seems our job title should change from "Teacher" to "Learner". Even with one year behind us and at the start of year two, it seems we're just scratching the surface...

Stateside!

2011-01-21T04:53:00.010+09:00

What a gift it is to have a 4 week break from teaching in Korea and the opportunity to be back in the states, soaking up time with friends and family! Our travels started in southern California, staying with Melody's grandma and seeing just about all of our extended families and friends from college who are still in the area, even catching a former roommates wedding! We feel SO incredibly blessed by the families, friends, and churches that have formed our community in that place.

Next we headed to the Portland, OR area to spend time with Kyle's grandma, and more extended family and friends, many who drove a few hours to meet us there. Again, what a sweet gift!

And tomorrow we head to Colorado for a few weeks, eager to soak up time with Melody's family and our friends there! With the combination of re-connecting with great friends and families, being in familiar and beautiful places, and even now, surrounded by rain-soaked trees in this beautiful Pacific Northwest, we feel grateful to have an opportunity to take a deep breath of fresh air, refreshed by reminders of God's goodness to us, before heading back to Korea for another year of teaching!

"It's Christmastime, It's Christmastime!!"

2010-12-20T08:36:00.012+09:00

These words come from one of my (Melody's) favorite Christmas songs by City on a Hill's Christmas album. In college my roommate and I would start playing this album once December hit, and it was just the push we needed to get through finals before heading home for Christmas. Then I'd get home and my family would just chuckle when I'd hear the song and light up and in a sing-song voice, belt out "It's Christmastime, it's Christmastime". (Even as they read this, they're smiling, I know it!) :) And now my husband does the same...it's great!

I even started playing this song for my 3rd grade girl cleaning students who help clean the English room every day after lunch with me...and having just finished the lesson on "What time is it?" "It's lunchtime", "It's bedtime", it wasn't hard for them to pick up on a new one: "It's Christmastime!" I get so excited about the littlest things sometimes!

But...it IS Christmastime! And that's worth getting excited about! Even in Korea, when it looks different than the Christmases we've always known-with our families and Christmas trees and egg nog and ice-skating and Christmas traditions. It appears in Korea that it has become even more of a "couples" holiday than anything else...so we see as many heart decorations as stars or snowflakes as we walk the streets...it's different...but it's not what Christmas is really about anyway...

As much as we love the traditions from our homes and families and miss them this year, it's exciting to remember the reason we're celebrating. Jesus came!! He brought, and still brings hope, and peace, and joy, and LIFE-salvation to those who believe! He brings LIGHT into this dark world!

"...the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region of the shadow of death, on them a light has dawned..." (Isaiah 9:2).

Why do we celebrate? "...Because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness, and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace" (Luke 1:78-79).

May this great light penetrate this dark world even now, this Christmastime, and flood your life with His peace, and hope, and joy!

크리스마스 잘 보내 서요!

Merry Christmas from Korea!

Walking home...

2010-10-29T19:52:00.012+09:00

I (Melody) walk home from work almost every day. I've never really lived in a place where I could do that before (unless you can count my barista days in college when I'd walk the quick 5 minutes from "Common Grounds" to my dorm room after my midnight closing shift...). I've also never lived in a bustling city before, where "convenience" stores really are convenient (like downstairs), and I've never had a fulltime, 9-5 job longer than a 3 month temp job...there are a lot of firsts this year (not to mention being married and living in a foreign country and teaching...).

However, I have to say that the short 15 minute walk home has become pretty eye-opening for me. There's an outdoor market a few streets from the school where I teach. In Korea, you can't go too far without finding one of these colorful "shijangs" (shee-jahng)...blankets spread on the ground with baskets of fresh fruits and vegetables, an older women crouching beside her goods, her outfit just as colorful as her produce. Streets are lined with baskets of fish and dried squid and all kinds of grains and vegetables and sauces and who-knows-what-else. Some will have actual shops, with corrugated doors that pull down at night when they close up shop. But the market's where I go when I need some fresh veggies for dinner...and more, as I learn how to cook with the rest of what I see...

A few weeks ago, after settling on some fresh pears and a bur

sting bag of lettuce-too much for the price!-I wound through some back streets in the direction of our apartment when all of a sudden I heard my name. This time it wasn't the high-pitched "Mrs. Melody!!!" coming from one of my students who can spot me anywhere, but instead, one of the students' moms, who had come a few times to the English class I teach for parents. She owned a small clothing shop at the edge of the market, and ran into the street to see me when she saw my very obvious blond head walk by.

She invited me into her shop, offered me some coffee, and between her limited English and my even more limited Korean, we laughed and appreciated the surprise of seeing each other in this back street. Every time I walk through the market now, I poke my head in and we laugh and chat for a few minutes, until she walks me out to the street and waves goodbye.

What a simple thing, right? But it made me wonder which other shopkeepers and sellers and clerks and bankers that I walk by every day are parents of the children I teach? I can sometimes selfishly forget that there are stories-hundreds of them, as real as my own-in the lives and families of the students that file through my classes day after day. I wish I could hear them. I wish I could understand them and have relationships with them. Parents who are working long hours to provide for their kids. Students who have other interests and ideas than what I observe in the 40 minute English classes I teach them...

Sometimes the bags get heavy. The vegetables that is, from the market, or the groceries from the store. But as I walk up the hill to my apartment with my hands full (when my thoughtful husband isn't able to drive me home), and sometimes stumble on the uneven bricks in the sidewalk, I'm humbled by the veiled privilege I have to walk through the lives of others, knowing a few, but observing many. I miss this when I'm riding shotgun.

Many in this world don't have cars to pile their groceries into. Many don't have jobs to pay for enough groceries that would weigh them down. Many don't have stores 5 minutes away with countless options at their fingertips. Yet many have stories that are only told to those who have time to stop and talk.

Give it a try. I challenge you-pocket your car keys sometime and take a walk, even if you don't have to. And tell us what you saw...

365 days...

2010-09-04T16:51:00.005+09:00

...of marriage... Wooooohooooo!

It's hard to believe that it's already been a year since we were standing in field, surrounded by our families and friends, promising to commit ourselves to each other for the rest of our lives...and what a fun and growing year this has been! What a gift the Lord has given us in marriage-an opportunity to pursue holiness together and put His love on display...what an incredible gift this is! As we celebrate one year of marriage, we want to stop and recognize His faithfulness to us thus far...and then continue to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith..." Thanks, friends, for running with us!

Our first 6 months (almost) in Korea!

2010-07-31T19:14:00.003+09:00

It's been almost 6 months since we got off the plane in South Korea, and we've just finished our first semester of teaching. As we head into summer vacation, we wanted to share some highlights of our life here so far... hope you enjoy!

Impressed.

2010-07-11T19:13:00.003+09:00

Hard work, late nights, memorization, practice, discipline, motivation, repetition, money, time, risk, courage, humility... have you ever thought about these things when you talk to someone in the states from another country who can speak English conversationally...or even fluently? I'll confess, an easier assumption to make is, "Wow-this person is not very good at English" or "Their accent is so strong I can barely understand them" or something to this effect.

My perspective has been changing somewhere within the last 5 months of living in Korea. I think it's changed by being in the shoes of a learner. It can be stinkin hard to learn a second language! For some who are linguistically-gifted, another language seems to soak into their brain like a sponge without too much effort. For some, however, it will require all of the things listed above, and then some... I think I would fit into the second category.

This is where discipline must meet desire. I desire to learn Korean, but it won't be learned through osmosis. I'm finding it requires the discipline to learn, as hard as it is sometimes to choose to practice the few Korean words or phrases I do know instead of using the English that would still be understood, or to spend time learning and memorizing it on my own. I was struck by this the other night as we were invited to join Kyle's vice-principal and her husband for an incredible home-made Korean dinner. Their English was limited, yet infinitely better than our Korean- they still used what they knew to communicate with us. And throughout dinner, Kyle would respond with new Korean phrases he's been practicing, and I would look at him and think- what in the world is he saying? I was impressed- both by the effort these Koreans have obviously put into learning a second language-English- well enough to communicate with us, and the discipline with which Kyle's been learning and practicing Korean every chance he gets.

Learning a second language-especially in its host country country-is an act of humility and essentially says, "I care enough about you to do what it takes to really know you". We've been so challenged in this way by an awesome book we've been reading called "Cross-Cultural Servanthood". The author, Duane Elmer, says, "To make no effort to learn another's language is by itself a form of rejection of people. We cannot separate ourselves from the language we speak. It is how we define ourselves and make meaning out of life. Not to know my language is not to know me."

I wish you could see how their faces light up when Koreans hear our attempts to use their language-it communicates far more than we're actually saying. And what an act of pride it is to expect others to know and speak my language so I don't have to know theirs (an easy trap to fall into as an English teacher!).

All this to say- Wow. Everyone is defined by his language. What a task Babel has given us to put in the hours and hard work to cross this barrier, and thus to know and serve people in our world. This is most likely not the last time I'm faced with this challenge. What am I going to do about it? What is my motivation and my purpose? What will you think the next time you speak with an English-language learner who has put in the hard work to learn your language?

As I think about those who know multiple languages, my students who are working so hard (most of them) to learn English, my co-teachers who are almost fluent in English, my friends in other countries in language school full-time, my husband who comes home each week with a new phrase or two... I'm impressed.

I love Korea because...

2010-06-26T19:42:00.006+09:00

This is the first of (hopefully) many more reasons why we love Korea.

I love Korea because they know how to enjoy the World Cup. I love soccer, and the fact that Koreans go absolutely nuts following their national team is simply fantastic.

We new that the World Cup was a big deal over here when we saw red t-shirts and light up devil horns (the fans are known as the "red devils") popping up all over the place, but it wasn't until we watched the Korea - Argentina game that we realized how big a deal it really was.

We went with some friends to watch the game at the soccer stadium in Busan, originally constructed for the 2002 Asian Games and then used for the 2002 World Cup. The city opened the stadium up for free so that fans could watch the game on the big screen TV's. We showed up 2 hours early to get seats. The cheering had already started. By kick-off the stadium was over half full, and by the time we were 20 minutes into the game it was almost packed to capacity. Easily over 40,000 people. When Korea scored their first goal at the end of the first half to make it 1-2 the place went wild. The second half was a little more mellow, but even in defeat it was incredible. Here's a little clip of what it was like...only times 100.

...a normal day in Korea?

2010-05-18T19:20:00.011+09:00

...after 3 months of being in Korea, we thought we'd share a little of everyday life for us. We knew we turned a corner several weeks ago when we'd come home from school and ask, "How was your day? What happened?", and the response was "Oh, nothing much-it was just a normal day...". That's when we knew we weren't on vacation anymore- a normal day in South Korea?

So, as we settle in a bit more each day, we're finding that we can now (slowly) pronounce most of the signs and menus around us (and sometimes we can actually understand what we just said!), we know the best corner markets to go to to get the best deals, we've got a favorite running path, we've successfully ordered fried chicken over the phone (all Kyle!), and navigating the subway and bus systems are becoming much easier.

Here are just a few of the everyday things we see and do these days-come experience a little of it with us!

spring's in full bloom around here...love it!

there's some creative graffiti on the river walk- this is a favorite, though not sure why...

The path that follows the river near our place has several workout machines like this all along it (this is Melody's favorite)!

This is a fun one too-a great stretch! You should see the Korean's do these things- they don't mess around!

A little laundry limbo before we figured out the best way to hang our laundry :)

the city from a hill...

An afternoon at the beach after church-(kinda like our lives in CA...!)

...though you can't walk for miles on these beaches like you can in CA...

School sport's day at Melody's school-tons of events and games- SO FUN!

A beautiful day at school...

Kyle's demonstrating how to rope a calf by roping one of the students in a cultural presentation he gave...no big deal... :)

And here's a shout out to the homeland...

So there's a little snapshot into our lives these days...we'll try to be better about keeping up to date-it's impossible to fit life into a blog, but maybe little snapshots will keep the story going...

Korean Cowboys

2010-04-19T20:01:00.002+09:00

Sorry it's been a while, but we've been kinda busy. Here's one thing we've been busy with: Both of us were more or less unwittingly signed up to be a part of the Cross Cultural Awareness Program (CCAP) here. Melody recently gave a presentation to about 50 high school boys about American Culture. Here's a short video clip of part of that presentation.

It's during the quiz portion of the presentation, but what makes this video so great is that in order for a student to answer a question he had to stand up and shout "Yeeeehaaawwww!" We're cowboys in America after all. Hope you enjoy.

"Sure, I'll try it..."

2010-03-21T18:31:00.013+09:00

...has become a common statement between the two of us as we daily find ourselves either tasting a brand new food, sounding out a brand new language, or figuring out a brand new job or aspect of our jobs... However, this sentiment can often be more of a noble goal than an actual reality, as there's nothing like doing life in a completely new culture to keep you humble! Kyle mentioned the other day: "Let's hurry up and make mistakes so we can start learning from them." Amen. We keep reminding ourselves that in beginnings like this we shouldn't really know what we're doing. We should be a little lost and we should be saying "Oh, that's how you do it" a lot more often!

This is the view from our apartment window, and this weekend marks our first full month in Busan, a beautiful and bustling city not too far from the southern coast of South Korea. Our "neighborhood" (mostly consisting of skyscraper apartment buildings) lies in a narrow valley beside one of the highest "mountains" in Busan, named "Castle Mountain" (Eng. translation) for the stone wall and castle-looking gates that follow the ridge. Built in the 1700s as a defense against Japanese invasions, much of it still remains and is a popular (and beautiful!) hiking route, on a clear day boasting a view of much of the city from the top. The best part: we're just minutes to the trailhead that takes you to the top! We went hiking our first weekend with Kyle's co-teacher and family, and are anxious for warm weather to check it out more!

(Kyle's co-teacher in the yellow coat, with her family)

We've both been given teaching assignments at public elementary schools, and because of nation-wide standardized curriculum in Korea, basically teach the same lessons to the same grades (1-6), just in different schools (which means we usually come home singing the same catchy English songs). Our commutes: Melody's school is about a 15 minute walk down the street from our apartment, and Kyle jumps on the subway and then transfers to a bus to get to his school, about 40 minutes away via public transportation. We each have one or two Korean co-teachers who have been incredible at helping us get settled in our apartment, getting us connected with cell phones and internet, showing us around, taking us sightseeing (and to Costco-yep, even in Korea!), etc, etc, etc, and we couldn't imagine navigating all this without them! We also co-teach almost all of our English classes with them, so figuring out different teaching styles can be tricky, but hopefully we'll learn as the year progresses how do this well!

Our little studio apartment is great-totally efficient-I mean, if you put the washing machine right below the stove, you can check on your laundry while you're making dinner, right...saves time :). And if your heating system is through the floor, you don't need slippers. And if you only have one room, it takes about 1o minutes to clean it. We like it.

Last weekend we decided to create our own Korean cultural experience, so we took the subway to the largest department store in the world (Koreans know how to shop!). It's called Shinsegae, and consists of 14 floors, a movie theater, spa, an ice rink, a sky park, and tons of way-too-expensive stores. Here's us at the ice rink watching the next generation of Korean Olympic figure skaters and speed skaters:

Below is the sky park on the top of the department store. So pretty!

And this is our beautiful Busan at night (from the sky park):

(Check our Facebook page for more pictures of our first month here):

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2086683&l=ab01660740&id=68604713

We'll try to be better about posting more, sorry its been awhile. :) Thanks for your prayers, we're excited to be here, and still figuring out how to settle in. More to come...!

"The Place for Superstars"

2010-02-20T20:31:00.008+09:00

...is the motto of the university we've called home for the past week and a half (I'm not kidding!). Jeonju University is where our 10-day English teaching orientation was held, halfway between Seoul and our new home: Busan. After a 12 hour red-eye flight from LAX to Seoul last week, we arrived to a brisk South Korean winter morning, and a pretty chilly week that followed.

EPIK (English Program In Korea) is the incredible government public school support system that has hired us and at least 800 new native English teachers each semester from a number of English speaking countries (including the UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, etc). (Side note: we are HUGE fans of EPIK and couldn't imagine navigating this new world without this organization). Our crash course orientation through EPIK was designed to prepare even the most inexperienced teachers with the basics of classroom management, English curriculum, Korean culture, etc., with a few Korean language classes thrown in and enough advice and "how-to" to leave us equally excited and overwhelmed about what we've gotten ourselves into. :)

Feeling somewhat like university students again, we've spent the majority of our time in fantastic training classes, and the few hours we've had outside of the classroom mingling with hundreds of new faces (and accents) over all sorts of seafood and rice and kimchi (Korea's favorite spicy fermented pickled cabbage dish that we're trying to eat at every meal so it'll grow on us soon!), watching Korean movies, visiting local cultural centers as field trips, still getting used to the idea that we ARE in Korea and will be for quite awhile, and still trying to imagine what life is going to look like in a few days when we have our own classes to teach!

But every time we looked out the window of our 14th-floor dorm room to high-rise apartment buildings and city buildings spanning the horizon flanked by countless mountains in the distance, it sank in a little more...

So...tomorrow we leave for Busan, finally!! We just found out today that we have both been given assignments at (different) elementary schools in the Dongnae province (basically the middle of Busan). We'll each probably be the only native English teacher in our schools, but each of our classes will be team-taught with a Korean co-teacher. We'll be taken to our schools tomorrow to meet the principals and school staff, then our Korean co-teacher will help us get settled in an apartment in the city. (Crazy stories to come, I'm sure...and more details!). We're so excited to meet the students, staff, finally unpack, and figure out what a routine as South Korean English teachers looks like.

But for now, here's a glimpse of the Korea we've been seeing:

don't ask us what any of this is yet...we have no idea...

At the cultural center, we got to put this lion costume on and practice traditional Korean dances (yes, we're both actually inside this...Kyle makes a lovely lion head, and Melody's holding up the tail end )

Lunch time! Kinda like "choose your own adventure"

Since we've been surrounded by Europeans, Australians and New Zealanders, we couldn't make it through the week without at least one game of rugby... and Kyle showed em how it was done by scoring the winning point!

And this Korean man challenged Kyle to this popular Korean game- it's like see-saw and jumping on a trampoline combined...who knew a piece of wood could be so fun?

A roadtrip to Korea

2010-02-18T12:31:00.009+09:00

We have spent the last few weeks mostly spending as much time as we could squeeze in with great friends and family before taking off...as well as packing and moving and selling cars and such... As many of you know, we were both hired as English teachers through the Korean public school system, and so we finished our jobs in CO, packed up our lives, drove to CA to visit more friends and family, and took off from LA to Seoul. Here's a bit of the journey stateside:

Melody's brother and sister in law had their first baby, and so we got to meet our new niece, Emma Joy Lake in Wyoming and spend a weekend with all the Lakes!

Uncle Kyle and Emma

Aunt Melody and sweet sleeping Emma

Proud parents Matt and Alyssa, and Aunt Katrina

Last family dinner in our CO apartment

Dinner with the Zellers in their new home- just days before baby Fynn was born!

The wedding of one of Melody's elementary school friends Lindsey- a reunion with old friends

Last day with our good friends the Jones' before we left for Korea, and they left for Africa...

Break!!! Let's go change the world!

Old Rodney (the 4-Runner) braving the icy roads through southern CO on our way to CA...the roadtrip begins!

Road-trippin!

The beautiful open road...from Flagstaff to Phoenix

Had to stop for this scenic overlook!

Hanging out with college friends, the Fox's, in Phoenix-including a game of ultimate frisbee with their college group at church

First stop in CA: lunch at In-N-Out...don't know when the next one will be! :)

While in CA, we stayed with Melody's grandma, Gloria, and got to have dinner with our Uncle Russ, Great Uncle Gordon, and great friends Nick and Keri Fox

...and when on vacation we enjoy taking pictures with random statues...

Breakfast with the Fox's at the Omelet Parlor

And a beautiful day at the beach...a little flip-flop tossing turned into climbing the lifeguard tower to retrieve them...

Hanging out with the Angier's and the Faris's- Kyle's college roommates and their now wives.

We so enjoyed a Lake family reunion of sorts- many of Melody's aunts and uncles and cousins, as well as Kyle's brother Evan

Being crazy!!

Thanks to everyone who housed and fed us along the way; we feel so blessed to have such incredible families and friends. And, yes, we have made it to Korea, so stay tuned for more details! (We can't explain the destination until we shared the journey)...

Think we'll go to Busan...

2010-01-26T12:47:00.006+09:00

...think we'll start a new life...where no one can pronounce our name...Three weeks is the countdown for our departure to Busan, South Korea. We have been accepted, given contracts and placement, and bought plane tickets...that all feels pretty official, and helps it sink in a little more that life is about to change. We sent in our visa applications, and are eagerly awaiting the go-ahead from the Korean consulate in San Francisco that says the Thibodeau's are allowed to teach English for a year.

So we soak up two more weeks in Evergreen, pack up and head to California for a few days, and then (Lord-willing), move to Korea. Crazy!

We have both been hired by EPIK- the Korean public school system, and will arrive to a 10-day orientation- crash course on Korean culture, language, curriculum, classroom management, etc. We'll keep you posted...

frozen adventures

2010-01-03T09:19:00.011+09:00

We spent our first Christmas together in Evergreen, then took off to Juneau for a few weeks, doing our best to soak up all the precious time we have with our families while we can! What incredible families we've been given, and what beautiful places we've been raised; we are so grateful! Here's what we've been up to:

Picking out and cutting down our first Christmas tree at the ranch

Christmas Eve with the family in Colorado!

A few days after Christmas we had a long layover in Seattle (on our way to AK)- our friend Allison drove up from Portland and we got to explore the city...so fun!!

the famous Pike Place Market... fresh crab anyone?

Then to Juneau, Alaska!!! (Kyle's home, Melody's first visit)
Can you believe how beautiful this place is?!

One of the first stops was visiting grandparents and other Juneau family.

Kyle's parents planned a wedding reception for us for all the Juneau folks who couldn't make it to our wedding... SO special, and like a reunion with so many friends and family!

This is Mendenhall Glacier behind us...
Ice skating on Twin Lakes

There really is an end of the road-
there are no roads in or out of Juneau!

We went skating with Evan on the lake by the glacier-and Melody got to touch her first iceberg!

With Kyle's brother Evan and friend Eugene, we rang in the new year by doing Juneau's polar bear plunge in the bay-brrr!!! (Oh...and we dressed like pirates!)

With the family in Juneau (in front of the glacier)...it's more fun to stay warm when everyone wears a fur hat!

We can't really say it enough- we love our families, especially as they've grown this year!! And we're pretty big fans of our hometowns. What undeserved gifts we've been given! To Him be the glory.

Happy New Year!

new things...

2009-10-31T03:25:00.030+09:00

Remember that one time we got married and now get to do this adventure of life together...!? What a good gift we've been given! We have officially been married 2 months and 14 days. I guess that still makes us newlyweds :).

Hopefully this blog will be a place you can keep up with us as we figure out where the Lord's leading us together. This is our life right now:

We're living in Evergreen, Colorado, renting a condo in town, and are working part time jobs: Kyle as the Senior High Coordinator at our church, and Melody as a barista at a local coffee shop. The Lord has provided great jobs and a great first home (close to some of our family and friends!) for us for our first few months of marriage.

This is the view from our condo in Evergreen--where it snows 2 feet one week and the next week is 70*

We love it!

For those of you who don't know, we are preparing to move to South Korea in February 2010 (about 3 months away!) for at least 1 year to teach English in the public school system. We have both been accepted as teachers and are familiarizing ourselves as best we can about Korean culture and getting excited about this new adventure! We'll do our best to keep this blog updated with this whole process, as well as our life there...

Here's some snapshots into our lives these days:

in Mexico for our Honeymoon

in Mexico-we're excited to be a team!

the first snow together

sledding fun with the family at the ranch

Kyle likes to make snowballls

Tim tam slam with our 'life group' (we meet weekly with a few friends in the area to essentially 'do life' together-pray for each other, study the Word, etc.)

our first little home

Katrina showing off our kitchen