Lexy925

It's strange how one's seemingly disjointed summer can come together in inexplicable ways. First of all, hello from New York. Yes, although at the start of the summer I thought my next post-Korea move would take me to a summer mission internship on the coast of South Carolina, I found out about a week into my stay in Korea that I'd been reassigned to New York. I'm taking part in a mission internship program (Students in Mission) sponsored by the South Carolina United Methodist Conference. You sign up, they select you, they send you some place. Because of one of the SC sites fell through, they picked up a new site in New York where the SC Methodist campus ministries have held an annual summer mission trip for the last few years, and I got reassigned. ... read more

...though I’m sure these won’t be the final, final thoughts. Something about this place and these people keeps bringing me back (obviously), and (probably much to my parents’ chagrin—and other loved ones Stateside) I don’t doubt that I will find myself here at some point in the future. At the least, as a Women’s and Gender Studies student—and someone who has an interest in issues within feminism, gender theory, etc., regardless of my major/minor/title/etc.--it is clear that there is more to be mined here than what can be encompassed in just a few weeks. Domestic and sexual violence, of course, are just tips of the iceberg, and these organizations I’ve worked with have given me the insights and tools I need to start digging deeper. I’ve started doing so, in some regards, within the issues at ... read more

Oh, Yeosu! So, as Mr. Kim (my old co-teacher) says, “Time flies like an arrow.” It’s hard to believe my Yeosu trip finished up so quickly and I’m already back in Seoul. Yeosu was everything I expected it to be—and more—but all I know is that I wasn’t there long enough! I had a great time catching up with old friends, my host family, and my former fellow co-teachers. My schedule was chock full, and it was so wonderful to still see these relationships—though barricaded some by time and geographical space—continued regardless, and that even though I’m a oeguk who only taught at the school and lived in Yeosu for a year, I feel that there’s still a connection there—whether it’s jeong or in-yeon or whatever you might call it. And I really felt that connection, ... read more

So, I arrived in Yeosu last Saturday, and it is indeed as beautiful as I remember it. Rolling mountains reach to the sky at every turn, and the smell, sense, and sight of the sea pervades every part of life here. Water is everywhere, and it is beautiful. In fact, it’s been quite nice coming here to quiet(er), beautiful Yeosu after three weeks in the bustling, city-fied Seoul. One of my acquaintances at the hostel in Seoul asked me repeatedly, “Have you seen anything living here? I can’t find a single living thing, except people and some trees. I mean, no birds, no bugs even. Isn’t that strange?” Having hiked on Bukhansan just outside of Seoul, I can’t say I completely agree with him. But there is a distinct lack of nature/green space from what I’ve ... read more

Again, I apologize for the delay. It’s been harder to get on a reliable internet connection here than I thought it’d be, and then in (mostly) finishing up my research projects, I was spending much more time doing than processing, the latter of which is one of the reasons why I write, of course. Then again, it’s also for communication, so I apologize to my friends and loved ones for being AWOL lately. But, on to talk about other things, as promised. I’d like to spend this entry talking about one thing that’s very important to me—the issue of the Korean “comfort women,” who were victims of a complex system of sexual enslavement during the Japanese colonial period in Korea and, particularly, during World War II. My research in this area has come from a ... read more

So, it's been a busy couple of days since my arrival in Seoul. After a (mostly) relaxing day on Monday that was capped with a visit with an old friend from Fulbright, on Tuesday, I met with the first NGO that I'll be working with. Korea Women's Hot Line (KWHL) is a non-profit that works to prevent domestic and sexual violence (particularly against women) throughout Korea. Though their main headquarters is in Seoul, they have a number of branches in various cities and provinces in Korea. I met with one of their staff members yesterday to learn more about their organization, their work, and the issues that Korean women are facing. KWHL is very active, and they provide a number of services and activities around the issue of violence against women. First, they provide a hotline, ... read more

And so, I return. Again. I'm back in Korea for a few months to do research for a short story collection I'm working on, and boy, am I glad to be here. I arrived in Seoul yesterday with no travel issues or snags along the way. Fortunately, I'd stayed up all night a couple nights before I left, and only slept two hours the night before I left (to finish all of my work/grading before I left), so getting used to jet lag has been fairly standard for me (it was like I was pre-gaming for this). Like the last time I returned, Korea feels oddly "normal" to me--though I've had to remind myself a few times of things to do or say or ways to get things done. I've already had a few of my ... read more

In flight—San Salvador to Dallas-Fort Worth 9:05 a.m. Spent the day yesterday in San Salvador. Got up early in Ahuachapán, said our goodbyes to the folks who helped us (even the work crew from our construction site came to visit us and tell us goodbye), ate breakfast, and rolled out. It was sad to say goodbye, but I guess I’m used to goodbyes by now... The rest of the day was either on the road or in San Salvador. First thing in San Salvador (or on its outskirts), we went to a (dormant) volcano where we saw a lovely, tree-covered crater. It was nice to be back in nature after so much time in the city... A breath of fresh air... Then, we ate lunch at Pizza Hut (yeah, I know, I raise my eyebrow, too, ... read more