The Changing Seasons

My current home stay at one of our first family dinners.
It's sad to see this time coming to an end. 

Who would have thought that some of my fondest moments here in Hwacheon would induce so much tragedy? I am sad to say, I – along with the other two ETAs (Julie and Chelsea)  - are being evicted from our home stays by the South Korean Military. Let me explain. Evidently, those moments of tickle-tag on the playground and holding hands with our students jumping in the market trampoline (yes, the market has a trampoline) lead to a handful of Hwacheon families complaining about the English teachers living in Desian apartments – our military complex. Incorrectly accusing our families of getting “free babysitting”, “free English tutoring”, and 500,000 won (a little less than $500) a month – which they do get but to offset the cost of housing us, they made some phone calls to high officials in the Miliary claiming it was “unfair” that our families had such a luxury. Ironically, some even complained out of the “kindness of their heart” saying our families were burdening us for taking care of our host siblings – also false since all three of us adore kids and wouldn’t be here in Korea if we didn’t. Anyway, their jealously lead the three of us crying girls to a cold meeting in the city council office. Sitting around a large, oval table with plush cushions, microphones at each seat and all, the works, the three English teachers sat on one side with a translator and county official. On the opposite side were our host mothers, more county officers, and a military officer. This meeting will always be engrained in my mind and written in my story of my Fulbright grant year in Korea. It was heartbreaking as our host mother’s heard the news that they had to kick us out by the end of the month – or suffer consequences from the Military. See, after the phone calls were made from the jealous neighbors, there was found a rule amidst all the Army paperwork that states only military and their family can stay in the military complexes. “But they ARE our FAMILY” cried our host mothers one by one. No – that doesn’t count was the cold hearted response. Our mothers pleaded that we could at least stay until winter break. They even said that they would house us for free! Their vehement rage turned to sobbing defeat at the response of the Officer – Impossible. They will let us stay until the end of October – but the sooner we leave, the better. Although I left that meeting defeated and utterly helpless, I have so much respect for our Korean mothers fighting for us. We have only known them less than two months and can hardly communicate further than botched sentences from Google Translate. But these women love us and would do anything to keep us in their family. If anything, I have gained a new sense of Korean culture – that when these people take someone in as a guest, they leave a part of the family. Needless to say, October 31^st will be a sad day.

My host mom and I - only four foot ten, but she is such
a fighter and has two black belts in TKD to prove it!

I’m surprised to say that there were four families found for us it Hwacheon. It really was a struggle for Su-Jin, our co-teacher, to find sufficient housing for us in Hwacheon where 80% is military families. The first home stay was a family of four –a third grader, three year old, and mother and father. Meeting only the mother, she was such a happy-go-lucky kind of lady. To Su-Jiin I described her as jovial (j-o-v-i-a-l): happy, funny, and friendly – kinda like Santa Claus! The second option has no children but was a comfortable traditional home right in town. The third house is connected to a dry cleaners – they have a 6^th grader (one of my students) and a middle school student. I’m very relieved that these all are located in town, since taking buses can get difficult with the timing and then the treacherous winters coming up. Tomorrow Chelsea and I will officially decide which family to choose – Julie will be staying at a dormitory complex with the E.P.I.C. (other English teachers) here in Hwacheon. It’s sad to see this trio splitting up, since we were all neighbors before. We all were PERFECT fits for our families (and I must say, that has been rare amongst the other ETAs). However, I am glad to get to know the expat community of the other E.P.I.C.s and I’m relieved to know good families were found since it took countless phone calls by Su-Jin, a personal visit from Fulbright Korea Executive Director, and a letter sent out to each student to see if they would house Gabrielle Teacher or Chelsea Teacher. Next Thursday, we move out. Yet again, my experience here has yet another set of unknowns. After Gyeongju conference this weekend with all the other Fulbright ETA’s, I have decided to reboot myself, redirect my expectations, and look at this year in a new perspective. Perspective can make or break anyone. Although our situation is FAR from ideal, I tell myself that I came to Korea not knowing how it would turn out, ready for tides to turn anyway – there are SO many variables. This is just another one to add to the list of unexpected. I have decided to make the most of it, believing God that He is true to His promises when He said in Romans 8:28 “God causes all things to work for the good for those who are called according to His purpose.”

My host sisters - Ha-Eun (6th grade) and Ha-Young (2nd grade)
> Both are my students ^^