hello again! So I'm back in Korea now (actually, I've been back for a few days now). China was amazing! Seeing Eric and seeing that he's doing well & that he's been provided with some outstanding people to be with was very blessing. We had one day of meeting missionaries and one day of 'touristy' stuff. Both were way cool. The people I met (missionaries, nationals, other foreign students) were all so eager in their walk w/ our Lord. The nationals were so happy to get a bible in simplified characters and zealous to share with their families; the 'workers' were planning how they'd reach a minority group as they studied the language and stuff. It was all so amazing. I also saw pictures of how another team was helping a countryside community strengthen their own economy by diversifying into new sources of income (pigs, etc) and using new methods. I could really see the value in entrepreneureal thinking there. Eric's team leader and family were really encouraging, too. A few tidbits of wisdom i gained from them include: affirmation that initimacy with God is core; experience of community is so much closer out on the field; in terms of choosing a county to 'go' to, while some are called to a specific place, many go these days not based on the country so much as who you go with - i.e. finding a team and then finding a place together - supposedly a generation-X tendency (not 'what' so much as 'who with'). Eric was a really good host. Helped me get gifts, food, sleep, etc. It was very good to just talk and share and pray with him. We're gonna try to take some bible classes together when he gets back. We'll see...

As for touristy stuff there, I couldn't believe I was standing in Tianenmen Square! So much history there! Going into the Forbidden City was cool, too - tho I have to admit, it was very similar to the myriad palaces I've seen in Korea - gotta appreciate the history! Didn't get to see the Great Wall however. It's some time away from the cities and I wanted to visit people more than the sites (for this trip anyways). Oh, I did get to see Jerry Yoon and Helen Song, too - they seem to be doing well in hanging in there.

Korea's been really good, too. Handong University is incredible - based on all the stories and accolades that Abraham and Sandy tell me. So many good things going on at this school in the way of guiding young people into seeing their station in life and how their work fits in with the global vision to expand God's kingdom. Really provokes a curiosity in me of how Christian schools in the US are (like Wheaton, Biola, etc). The school here is gaining great respectability as students do remarkable real-city impact work in other countries, win national contests (even against Seoul and Yonsei), and learn much in english. The whole school is like a huge farm system for missionaries, kinda like AAA minor leagues - everything and everyone here is geared toward finding one's place in the Kingdom. It's not perfect of course, it has its problems just like any other institution, but the vision and the big idea here is awesome and inspiring.

Personally, it's been very fun - Sandy and I stayed up till 6am on the first nite I was here! It was really really good to catch up with her. That's something I noticed w/ Eric, too - people really miss people from home - we really should take our vacations where missionaries are at. Eric really enjoyed seeing people on the tape; haven't had the chance to show Sandy her messages. We've been doing alot of singing and eating and hanging out with her friends (who have been really fun, too).

Professionally, I got worked. =) I talked to a Computer Science professor and once I told him I don't have a masters and don't plan on getting one, it was over. haha! (I guess that wasn't a great line, ay? after that one, I started getting the "so...uh...do you have family in Korea?" questions!) But hey, I gotta be honest. If they want a "professor" professor, then I'm not it; but if they want a lecturer or something then maybe - but apparantly, they didn't need one like me. But I did get to talk to another professor and got to hear about some really cool stuff going on regarding computers. Got a lot to say about my response to these different paths, but I'll save that for later once I've processed it myself.

Next, I'll be going city hopping going thru Daegu to Busan, then to Daejon, and then back up to Seoul.

Oh, before I flew down here from Seoul, I went on a 'soh-geh-ting' (that is, a blind date) - it was awkward - but her english was pretty good so that helped. Great gal - curator of an art gallery, graduated from a good university, etc. Not sure yet how to regard meeting people in this way, however - I don't want to say simply that "I didn't like her" - I mean, how much can you know about a person in one sitting? I mean, she was cool, laughed alot, etc. But then again, I have to be honest and say that I wasn't really compelled to ask her out again either - but I don't know if that's because "it wasn't there" or if it's my mindset that's preventing me from really giving any new relationship any chance. Maybe I'm thinking too much and I should just be a little more 'base'. Ah, this could be a whole set of paragraphs in and of its own. Just wanted to include something "juicy" for my fans out there. =) haha!

thanks for reading and praying for me!