Winter is Here!

Dear Family,

It is officially winter weather here in Korea.  When we walk to our appointments or tract outside I can taste the cold (does that make sense?  I was trying to explain it to my companion--like pennies on your tongue?  Frigid winter air tastes and smells like metal to me).

I absolutely love being a missionary!  I have no idea what Koreans say to me most of the time but I love them so much it practically kills me!

Goodness, so much to say about Koreans!  I think I'll follow last week's email as a model and use a few short stories to illustrate the typical everyday happenings here. 

This week in Incheon (specifically Yeong Su):

Giggles

One afternoon, Sis Kim and I caught a bus in the middle of town in order to visit a less-active member on the outskirts of our area.  As we made our way down the aisle I noticed about 10 to 15 school age children crowding around a few rows of seats.  As we got closer one looked up from his phone, gasped, and in English blurted out, "Hello!"

Suddenly all 15 children looked up at me, grinned and yelled, "Hello! Hi! Hello!"

I smiled and said, "Hello, how are you?"

Then the bus practically exploded with giggles.

All Korean children learn to say "Hello. I am fine, thanks. How are you?" and it practically tickles them to death to say it to a real-live American. 

They're all giggle-machines too.

Koreans are born gigglers.

English Class is like Candy

I absolutley LOVE my English class!  Sis Kim puts me in charge of English lessons, so for an hour every Thursday night I get to teach about 5 or 6 Koreans the do's and don'ts of English.  Most of the ones that come to class are already pretty good and just need to work on their pronounciation.  They all gave themselves English names, so I teach Steve, James, Mr. Pac, Miss Pac, and Connie every week.  Last Thursay they asked me a lot about Colorado.  They wanted to know what the weather was like, if we have four seasons, how we greet new neighbors.  That last question made me laugh.  James was the one to ask.

"Most of the time your next door neighbors will bring over a basket of breads or candy or flowers," I said.  "It all depends on the area.  Most people at least go over to knock on their door to personally welcome them.  A good neighbor says hello."

"Ah," James sighed. "That is very different from here.  Here the new ones visit the old neighbors.  They bring brightly colored rice cakes.  They asked to be loved.  They go door to door looking for friends."

Then Steve turned on his I-pad.  "Look, Washybun.  This is a rice cake.  I will brings next week for you to taste."  The whole class nodded.

Steve also asked if he could bring me some fuzzy socks to keep my feet warm at night.

I love my English class.

Ode to the Vacuum

Our vacuum saved my life this morning.  As I stretched near my yo (the flat mattress that I sleep on--its about 8 inches thick and folds into thirds.  No one uses beds here.  The heating comes through pipes in the ground so the closer to the floor you are the more comfortable you are) while I stretched I saw in the corner of my eye this big, black, hairy thing dart past me and under my desk. When I went to investigate I found the largest spider I have EVER seen in my whole live-long days!

My heart practically blew up.

Sis Kim's response?

"Oh. That's one's a little fat, huh?"

I commanded Sis Kim to keep watch, ran for the vacuum,  jabbed the hose down the side of my desk and turned on the power.

We both groaned when we heard his thick hairy body bouncing off the sides of the tube and then the heavy thunk as he landed in the clear vacuum chamber.  He was definitley dead, but he was still huge.

Blah.

As a sign of my unending thankfullness I'm determined to name my first-born child "Hoover."

That's a vacuum, right?

Poor kid.

I love you all so much and pray for you everyday!  I can honestly and sincerely testify to the people here in Korea that the Gospel blesses families because I can see and feel the blessings in my own family.  Anytime I show pictures of our family to investigators they always gasp and exclaim, "They are laughing at a joke, maybe?  Why are they so happy?"

That's when I say, "Well, let me tell you a little something about God's plan for His children..." :)

Love you all,

Sis. Washburn