[draft 2: korea]

Things I LOVE about Korea...


             1. the lush, green forests!

          

                                                          
   



                             2. springflowers ♡

3. the Seoul Olympic Park












4. the FOOD: korean bbq, han-shik, seafood, papinsu (pictured below), and the list goes on forever!

                       
 5. traditional architecture

6. the crisscrossing mountain ranges 
(geographically, over 70% of S. Korea consists of upland & mountain ranges while N. Korea is over 80%!)

       

 7. the coast...

8. artsy, cute, little shops










                                                                                          9. ✎ craft & art supplies 

10. korean pride: be the reds (everyone in Korea is already getting so excited for the World Cup in Africa, hopefully we do well!)

[draft 1: korea]

...I love Korea.
When my dad and I initially flew into Seoul ten days ago, I was instantly overwhelmed by the city. It seems to happen every time I come here; the people, the noise, the traffic, the skyscrapers...there's nothing quite like it in Canada that I can compare it to. To be honest, after the first night, I couldn't remember why I had been so excited to be coming here in the first place. It was everything I detested. People are in constant fast forward motion, appearing to be concerned only with their next destination. There's no laidback friendly smiles from strangers, no such thing as giving the 'wave' whilst driving, and people don't open doors for each other, in fact most tend to push and shove to be the first ones through. Small things I realize, but they left big impressions.


The first couple days here, I found myself getting frustrated and upset at what I saw, which only made me realize how little I really understand of Korea and how I will probably never fully understand as a Canadian-Korean. As a visible "foreigner", (despite my Korean background, most Koreans know right off the bat that I'm from the West), I find that I never feel like I quite fit in here. This is so frustrating to me as a 2nd generation Korean. I find that I can't fully be accepted in Korea because of how Canadian I feel (in thought, action, and lifestyle), but I also sometimes feel as though I'm not fully accepted in Canada because of my Korean background, appearance, and my close ties to Korean family & traditions.


It wasn't until my dad and I went out of the city to 설악산 (Sarak San Mt.) that I remembered that I was sooooo incredibly blessed to get the best of both worlds. In the beautiful, green, flowery lush countryside, I was reminded of why I love my heritage and this country. All the hikes we went on were unbelievably gorgeous. I couldn't deny God's awesomeness. We were also blessed on our trip as we met so many interesting people! An older Korean couple from San Fransisco, who had connections with some of our Calgary church members; a young Israeli man who was exploring Korea on his own without knowing a word of Korean; and the coffee shop 아저씨, who was a professional rock climber that shared with us so many delicious free drinks and his crazy stories...all in exchange for a short tutorial on english!


Here, I was reminded of Korea's generosity & hospitality. The fierce loyalty and dedication to culture, the exotic landscape of florals and greens, and the rootedness in tradition reminded me of why I love Korea. This is Korea to me; not the busy streets, the crowded malls, and the 9 different levels of the subway. (The poli-sci major in me argues that this is purely a product of capitalism...) I realize that the city is part of the make-up of what Korea is today, but I've found that Korea is so much more than what I first saw on the surface. There is so much depth and history in this culture and I'm so excited to learn more about it & come to a deeper appreciation of it!


*pictures coming soon!*

4:27...and counting

It's come to my realization that I haven't blogged in quite a long time. So naturally, the right thing for me to do would be to wake up at 4:27 in the morning the day of my birthday and post something, right? For some  reason, sleep has escaped me the entire night. I didn't get to bed until 1:30, after having a drinks and appy night with my family, and I've been waking up every hour. So I've been enjoying the quiet of the house, reading Scripture, listening to classical cello, and wondering why I feel so calm and at peace at this ridiculous hour instead of being exhausted out of my mind. 

I've been reflecting on this past year, and I can't believe at how incredibly blessed I am. God has moved in so many amazing ways. Thinking of the countless tiny steps that have led up to this moment now, I am awed by His goodness and faithfulness. It's hard to believe that this time last year, I was finishing my hike in the Himalayas and falling for the most amazing man that I know. By the end of India, my life was headed in a completely new and different direction than it had been before Quest. I have received blessing after blessing this year. Living at Menno has given me another beautiful community, meaningful friendships, and lasting memories. My life in Vancouver was full of excitement, adventure, food, learning, and growing. I loved it. 
And now, I'm embarking on another journey and entering a new chapter of my life.
I'll be honest, I'm terrified to not be going back to Vancouver. 
But I'm still unbelievably excited to be moving to Edmonton. 

I feel as though the last 5 years of my life have been cycles of moving: a decision, packing, saying goodbye, traveling, arriving, unpacking, planting new roots, nurturing new relationships, memories, change. More packing, another goodbye, tears, excitement, hope, and a new destination.

I'm excited to see what God has in store for my 20th year and where He'll lead me. And to wrap this birthday post up, this is my prayer for the year... 
[came to my rescue: hillsong]

Falling on my knees in worship, 

Giving all I am to seek your face. 

Lord, all I am is yours.

I called, you answered.

And you came to my rescue, 

And I want to be where you are.

My whole life I place in your hands.

God of mercy, humbled I bow down, 

In your presence at your throne.

In my life be lifted high.

In our world, be lifted high. 

In our love, be lifted high. 

Love Your City

     I [ L O V E ] MY CITY.

  1. cherry blossoms  2. jericho beach  3. salts  4. crown st. 

[untitled]

A brief explanation...
My desire for these two canvases was to reveal the contrast in the construction of identity of trauma survivors. I wanted to be able to express the tension between the differing perspectives of identity that are presented by Western media and the trauma survivors themselves.

The Mixed Messages of Mixed Media

In my first art piece, I used mixed media to express the Western concept of identity for trauma victims (individuals who have experienced extreme violence, genocide, war, etc). By using newspaper articles, online sources, and pages from a book, I wanted to reveal the kind of language that Western media uses to create identity. I feel as though the identities that the media constructs of trauma victims can be problematic as the media tends to portray these individuals as victimized, helpless, broken, and vulnerable. Although I do believe that these titles are true to an extent, they fail to portray the strength, passion, and beauty of trauma survivors. Which is why, for my second piece, I chose to use a wood canvas and used the more traditional art mediums of acrylic paint and watercolour. 

A Sunset and a Sunrise

My second piece is my favourte. I've decided that I absolutely LOVE working with wood canvases and hope to paint on many more of them this summer. I wanted this piece to express the pure & raw identities of trauma survivors that are self-constructed. Being in a major that deals heavily with issues concerning the developing world, I've come across many life narratives of trauma survivors. I've learned about the Lost Boys of Sudan, the Rwandan & Bosnian genocides, the war in Iraq, the deterioration of the Niger Delta, and countless other heart-breaking stories. Yet, in each story, I have been amazed by the personal accounts of survivors who, despite the struggles they face, maintain strong spirits and push forward in life. 


These two art pieces were specifically drawn in remembrance of the Lost Boys of Sudan. 27,000 ethnic Dinka boys who fled their homes during the Second Sudanese Civil War, fleeing first to Ethiopia, then back to Sudan, then into Kenya. More than half were lost along the way. I was specifically inspired by the personal stories of Benson, Alepho, and Benjamin, three lost boys who wrote the memoir; They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky. It is such an incredible testimony to God's grace, power, and love. Throughout the memoir, the boys hardly ever speak of their own personal suffering, instead their greatest suffering comes from separation and/or hearing that a family member has been hurt or lost. Rather than seeing themselves as helpless victims, I was amazed at their positive attitudes as they focused on the few blessings that they did have. 


Through the sunset/sunrise concept, I wanted to express the passion, love, and pride the boys expressed in their memoir as they remembered their family, culture, and country. Their rootedness to their past is such a beautiful thing to me, and I love that although they are willing and eager to move on towards a better future, they still remain fiercely loyal to their past and feel a sense of responsibility in the construction of their country's future. I want to dedicate these art pieces to the Lost Boys and Girls of Sudan, in hopes of a better future, yet in remembrance of a beautiful past that existed before the civil war.

Let's not forget...

Keep praying for this country and for the people of Haiti! It is so easy to forget when 
the shock, horror, and sadness fades from the media, but we are called to defend 
the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. 
Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. psalm 82:3-4

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

I’m waiting for the skies to break,

For the light to fade away the mess I’ve made

And when the heavens stop flooding the earth with tears,

I know the cool waters will wash away my fears

I’ll wait for the great painter to colour the skies,

With the colour of hope and the promise of life.

And somewhere over that rainbow,

I’ll hear the lullaby,

Of blue birds, lemon drops, and starry night skies

I’ll wish upon a million shooting stars,

And always wish for love to not be far.

And when I see the colours painted across the sky

I’ll sing the once forgotten lullaby.

Cause somewhere over the rainbow,

...I know I’ll find a pot of heaven’s gold