Sometimes I get homesick...

"This century, as has been pointed out many times, is the century of emigration, enforced and voluntary. That is to say a century of partings without end, and a century haunted by the memories of those partings. The sudden anguish of missing what is no longer there is like suddenly coming upon a jar which has fallen and broken into fragments. Alone you collect the pieces, discover how to fit them together and then carefully stick them to one another, one by one. Eventually the jar is reassembled but it is not the same as it was before. It has become both flawed, and more precious. Something comparable happens to the image of a loved place or a loved person when kept in the memory after separation." -John Berger

Cherry Blossoms

Spring has finally come to Korea, which means that the cherry blossoms have also come. This is one of my favorite times of year here in Busan as everywhere you look it seems like you can see a tree in bloom. After staring at the naked limbs of the trees all winter, it's nice to finally see them full of life again. These were taken in Gyeongju (about 2 hours from Busan) and at Gwanganli in Busan.



The stranger didn't really get the point of getting more of the trees in the picture...

The road down the hill from campus

Student Quotes: And, But, or So edition

"I have a tussis, and have a snot." (tissue?)

"I love English, so I stay here."

"I hate a lest sleep, but sometime a lest sleep." (rest??)

"I hate a my hair style, so my hair give up."

"I can't propose to her now, but one day I will."

"I'm playing the diet, so resently I eating very small." (I love how recently is misspelled to play on "resent")

"I have a sense of inferiority, so I make up that study hard."

"I have a many friends, but I haven't girl friend."

"I like Kosin university, but I hate yongisland winds." (Hear hear!! Yeongdo wind is horrible)

"I hate him, but I like his girl friends."

"I haven't girlfriend, so you can take my phone number."

"I get to anticipated notebook but I distanted for wanted specification." (???--disappointed?)

"I want to go to the cherry blossoms festival but I need a girlfriend."

"I hated to join major subject meeting so I hid in empty lecture room."

"He likes her, but she loves him."

"I'm very angry so don't touch me ever."

"He has very wild, so be careful him."

"Cityzens." I love the proximity between right and wrong.

Ironically, I saw this gem at a burger joint.

It's the first week of classes and students have started asking questions. Of course these have nothing to do with the classes, but about me.

"Elijah...I heard something...is it true? Do you have a girlfriend? Is she Korean?"

They all seem excited for me. Hopefully some of that excitement gets pointed toward their classes...

Philippines (Jan. 19-26)

I'm going to pretty much limit this to just pictures. If you want to know more about the trip, talk to me sometime...or check out Ashley's blog as she's written some about it.

Church in Bayan the first night (after a 3+ hour hike through the mud and rain).

Muddy legs, even after a quick rinse (I switched to sandals once we got to the church)

Kids the next morning

Beautiful scenery

A bridge on the hike back

Farmers

Outside another church

I did a lot of facepainting

Near the end of the trip we took boats up the river and then rode horses the rest of the way to various churches.

The Lagum area