Whew! I finally have some free time to myself. I'm on vacation!
This past week we had summer English camp, and there were 80 students registered. It went pretty well, though the days were long. We started at 9:00 in the morning and ended at 9:00 at night. My friend Sarah and I decided to come home each night to our apartments, because we felt more comfortable doing that. The rest of the teachers stayed on campus (the camp was held at a university about 20 minutes from where we are) all week.
Thursday evening the kids had a performance for the parents, followed by a little snack time. The kids in my homeroom class did a great job. One of the boys really didn't want to go on stage (each kid had to have some kind of part in the performance), but he finally did. He was really nervous though. I made sure to let him know he did a great job, and I think that helped to boost his self-esteem some. They all seemed to enjoy the practices and actual performance, and they did a great job.
In other news, my dad is back in the hosptial. He's been there two or three days now because he was having trouble with his breathing. His feet, legs, and hands have been swollen lately and he wasn't sure why. We all seemed to think it might have been from the heat or something like that, but after doing some tests, the doctor came in yesterday and said that there was some kind of blockage between his bladder and kidneys. They performed surgery (after 10pm) to place a couple of stents to open up the passage and help drain the buildup of liquid. He also has a catheter, which is/was supposed to come off after a day or so. My mom left me a message this morning on MSN saying that they've already got about 3 liters of liquid drained, and all or most of it was from his lungs. The nurse said that no wonder he was having difficulty breathing! She said that should help with that now. My dad's heart rate had also dropped during surgery (and his breathing was difficult) so I guess they put him in the ICU to keep an eye on him. His heart rate is up (he's been having some issues since the 2nd chemo treatment where his heart will beat too fast), so they're giving him some kind of injection to help get it normal.
I guess my big fear is that something bad is going to happen before I have a chance to get home. I've been praying for my dad and his health, and I know it's all in the hands of the Lord. But, to be honest, the fear is still there...
As of today, there are only 27 more days until I leave Korea. I'm getting antsy - I want to go home! Yes, I will miss some of the people and some of the places/things from Korea, but I will be really happy to get back home. I'm thankful for this experience and I'm glad I had the opportunity and came here.
I'll be packing up a few boxes over the next few days and sending some of my things home - souvenirs, clothes, etc., so my suitcases won't be so heavy. A few weeks ago I went to Seoul to pick up some more souvenirs to take back with me, and I think I'll probably go back again at least once more to pick up a few more things - especially for myself. After spending a year here, I would like to have something to remember my time spent here.
The weather has been getting a little more hotter and hotter (and humid) as the days go by. Rainy season is over now, and the really hot days are setting in. I have to wonder if I'll find them quite as hot as I did upon my first arrival here. Back then, as soon as we stepped out of the air conditioned airport into the heat of Seoul, it felt like I was going to melt right away. I didn't have to stand outside too long before being drenched by sweat! Now, however, we've been slowly exposed to the heat so it isn't quite as shocking...I know it will be (as it is now) HOT, but I really don't think it will compare to the first exposure of it last year...we'll see.
Well, must be off now and go talk to my mom to find out how my dad is doing since I talked to her last night. And, I do have to get a box or two packed up as I plan on heading out to the post office tomorrow...
Have a Christ filled day!
