Two Thumbs Up!

Hey there friends and family! Well... it's 12:52 August 27th and im pushing Friday! PRAISE BE! I think it's about time for a little blog lovin'. I hesitate to post this picture as a reflection of my week... because well, to be completely honest, this has been an awful week. Yea. You know, there are good ones, awesome ones, and sometimes an awful one drops in and well, you take it in stride. You keep on truckin' praying the whole time that the beloved weekend comes quicker than your next headache. And that you'll hold your cool when one more student asks you to copy the book because they didn't bring their book to class.

So. Why do i post this picture? Well... it is reflective of my deep. My ever deep longing for legit Mexican food, and my pure delight upon discovery. But, also the deep down of my soul. Past the surface junk, and ruthlessness of my students at times, life is good! And well, life is good because God is good, and his goodness is present all around me! It never changes and well in the words of my man David Crowder, if his grace is an ocean i would be sinking. So. Two thumbs up to that!

And well gosh dang it, if next week follows suit... im gonna quit.

Just kidding.

But really, this picture is from an awesome restaurant i went to last weekend with my new friend Sheila! Per her request for Mexican food (not that i objected one bit) we stumbled up into Casa Maya! A not so little restaurant in the heart of Hongdae just above the Nepalese restaurant i like so much, Yeti. Right across from the park which is home to one of my favorite Seoul attractions: Sound Box. The lovely beatbox/jazz/ tap dancing gig that plays every weekend. The same one who covers Jason Mraz right when my heart needs it most. Anyway, back to Casa Maya... we were mightily surprised! They even offered me an extensive vegetarian menu! Impressive i tell you. Well, after a feast of seafood fijitas, homemade tortillas and legit chips and salsa... we left happy! Full (not fat) and happy! ; )

Again, well done Hongdae! You have successfully filled my little heart full again!

And well after dinner, we also found this awesome place called Vinyl. A small, sidewalk, Robot faced, walk-up "bar" with grown-up juice bags. I enjoyed myself a nice Gin-Lime... in a plastic bag with a straw. And well, for 4, 000w (4$) it was a delicious cool bev on a hot summer night! Walking around Hongdae, listening to live music, with my juice bag and a sista! Awesome.

There you have it. And as i speak it is now Friday morning! PRAISE BE!!!

Greetings!

Hello there!

I was kindly reminded by my lovely Madre this morning that it has been a while since my last post! I have been waiting to cross over the 13th, and in doing so, realize i haven't written in almost 2 weeks. My apologies!

I can, now, officially, say i've been in Korea for more than 7 months! Friday, August 13th marked my 7th month and like i write, and sincerely mean, in each Greeting, i really can't believe it! My days fly by here, and well before i know it, it's friday. Another week down! I am constantly reminded that my time here is short! My sista Kel's last day was Friday and my other sistas D and Kati will be following suit next Friday! It's crazy! When i arrived in Korea they were pushing their 5/6 month mark. Well, friends, I'm well over that!

This morning I woke up to a cloudy morning which quickly turned into a crazy thunderstorm. But, fear not, it dried up as quick at it came on, and the sun is pushing to get out as i type! We've entered Typhoon season and i have one thing to say about that: BOO FACE! I HATE RAIN. Folks who know me well know that full well! Yea, that's all i have to say about that one. I am counting down the days until fall, which some folks say will make an appearance in mid-September! PRAISE BE! Folks who know me well, will also know that it is around then my itching to live in a brick fashioned town where leaves fall, jazz plays and it smells continuously of spice sneaks up. It is then i force myself upon mother nature and rock my scarves and flats regardless of temperature. Oh, how i love fall! I delightfully learned that even Koreans like Starbucks Gingerbread Lattes. CAN I GET A "PRAISE BE"?

Don't mind if i do!

But i digress.

This last month was quite eventful! I celebrated my 23rd birthday. I went to Pentaport Rock Festival with MountainChild, which was awesome! My sista Amy left Korea and we welcomed new sista Sheila to the team! We also enjoyed a nice vacation from school for a few days! Four of us, Kel, James, Becks and myself, made our way to Busan, and it was fantastic!! Read below for the full update! We enjoyed 4 days in the sun, eating good food, and doing a whole lot of nothing! What we did do was relax, and it was much needed!

Birthday Dinner at Yeti. An awesome Nepali restaurant in Hongdae.

I not really sure where July went, but August snuck up on me, and it's started off pretty well! My brother face celebrated his 17th birthday, my sista Kel celebrated her 21st, my bestest friend celebrated her 24th, and well i thank Jesus again for Skype! What would i do without it!

August is moving along just nicely, and some pretty cool things are happening! I just returned today from a small recording job. I sound cool, right? Recording gig? Never thought i'd have a future in that, but at the price i was paid today, it might be worth considering. 150,000 won (150 bucks) for two and a half hours of reading English vocabulary words. Umm... twist my arm. Let me pray about it. I'll get back to you. UH... COUNT ME IN! Two cool things came from that gig. Two pretty awesome Korean guys who are looking to make it rich in the English business who have money to pay me. First project, an iPhone English Flashcard App. They pay me for my voice. Next project, an audio Bible. Do they love Jesus? Negatory. Do they read the Bible? Negatory. Will it make them money in China? Most certainly. To do so, they need someone to read the Bible in English. Why, count me in Sir! "Sure, i'll read the Bible to you for a few hours." It never returns void. Wa wa wa.

Let's see, funny stories from this week.
I was teaching one of my Elementary classes this week about "towards and away from". I actioned by walking towards the door, " Students, i am walking ______ the door." Unanimously, "towards!" Yes students, I am walking towards the door. In kind, to teach the opposite, I proceeded to walk backwards, "Students, I am walking ______ from the door." Silence... and then one sweet, sweet voice. "Moonwalking!" Yes students, i am moonwalking! Shall we take a moment of silence? Oh, how I love my job!

I also learned from my tutoring student JiYun that Korea is home to a liger. Yup, that's right Napoleon, only in Korea, for your viewing pleasures! I think i'll have to add that to my "To-Do List". Um, Liger? Really? It's home is Everland, so when I visit to ride the Asia's largest wooden roller coaster (the World's steepest), I'll have to check out the zoo.

Well, that is my update friends! This month promise some good times! Rumor has it i might have an opportunity to attend Ignite 1040, a missions conference in Seoul, with MountainChild. Which would be fantastic! Have i told you i really like them? I do. Also, team meetings start up next weekend for my trip, which i think will hasten the weeks until i leave for Nepal! Continue to pray for me if you will, and for the folks who i will be meeting in Nepal! God is moving... and i want to just step into it!

Love you all! (Except the randos who follow my blog! But thanks for reading!) I promise to keep things more recent!

-Sarah, Potts, Pottsie, Capa, Pat

When JM Greets You in the Park.

For those of you who know me, you will know that my heart is bent toward a boy named JM. He gets me every time! He's a good looking man. His voice. The hat. Straight to the heart, folks. Straight to the heart.

He's done it again, friends. Without even knowing it.

I was in Hongdae. An awesome city, which I believe is quickly becoming one of my favorite places in Seoul. Filled with life and music, good eats and art, and just a lively bunch of folks out to enjoy life. I'm a fan, which is why I've started to love this little place. Last night confirmed said feelings.

You see friends, I love live music. The beat. The crowd. The long instrumentals and freestyle jammin', if you will... I just LOVE it. Stage it somewhere outside, give me a warm night, some lovely friends. Mmm. Could it really get any better? I think about that one to confirm, but i think not.

Last night was just that. Live music in the park. A talented band bringing it hard in a low-key, kick-back, free flow performance. Beat boxing, eclectic covers, tap/break dancing, comedy which I could not understand but was undoubtedly funny. Friends. FRIENDS, it was good! Like so good. We probably stood there for close to two hours, oh and thankfully so.



At one point, following an awesome Glen Hasard "Falling Slowly" cover... i heard a sweet, sweet plucking that could never be mistaken for anything other than my boy Jason Mraz. Oh, and sweet it was! I'm Yours and Lucky sung by a nice lookin' man with an equally nice voice. Second to the man himself. I got really happy really fast! And I was already really happy! So that was happy to the max! Only to escape in what I know was a lively set of wide eyes, a glowing smile, and bobbin' bod. It was good... so very good!

It really is the small things.



Now. If I will ever suggest the characteristic of a man i'm really lookin' to bend my heart toward to, this is the time. So listen up. : )

A (tall) Jesus lovin', music makin', world travelin', joke crackin', JM listenin', fish taco eatin', simple livin' kinda man who likes the Packers, the Colts, and the Cowboys.

Breath.
(no wonder this seems to be taking a while.) : )