Hello, Korea!

Hello!

Korea has welcomed me with warm humid weather and sweet sweet people! I have only been in Korea for less than 24 hours and I feel at “home”.  I have my wonderful parents to thank for this as they have shown over and over again great examples of transitioning into different cultures smoothly. Of course I miss my family and friends like crazy, but like I mentioned in my good-bye post “Goodbyes are not forever. Goodbyes are not the end. They simply mean I’ll miss you, until we meet again!” Christmas will be a sweet time with family and friends! J

I woke up early this morning (thanks jetlag) so I decided to unpack and got it all done. Yay! Then I went on a walking tour with a lady I will be working with. It was so fun to see the grocery store that is near my home, learn about the market days, coffee shops, the shopping strip near the military base, where other teachers from the school live and more.  Not to mention getting to know a new friend!

One thing that I found out about the Korean culture is that nothing is open until after 10am except for 24-hours stores. So crazy! Korean people are night-owls! Oh, no! I’m definitely not, but at least I will have some quiet mornings!

I’m so excited for the next couple of weeks of meeting new friends, exploring my new “home”, setting up my classroom and preparing to teach my little ones!

I promise to post pictures soon as I want to go on a picture walk in the next couple of days!

Love, Daniella

good-byes

Today I’m saying good-bye to my family and these two posters sum up what I feel!  I will be in Korea within 16 hours- give & take time zones! J  I will post when I safely arrive!

Love, Daniella

"Whom Shall I Fear"

I just wanted to share with you what God has been teaching me through this whole transition process this summer. I have had a lot of thoughts like this “it would be so much easier if I was teaching close to home or I’m scared to be moving overseas by myself!”But our great God has reminded me over and over again that He is with me. He will never leave me or forsake me!  A song that has brought lots of comfort to me this summer and one that I sing over and over again is Chris Tomlin song “Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies):

You hear me when I call

You are my morning song

Through darkness fills the night

It cannot hide the light 

Whom shall I fear?

You crush the enemy underneath my feet

You are my sword and shield

Through troubles linger still 

Whom shall I fear? 

I know who goes before me

I know who stands behind

The God of angel armies

Is always by my side

The one who reigns forever

He is a Friend of mine

The God of angel armies

Is always by my side 

My strength is in your name

For you along can save

You will deliver me

Yours is the victory 

Whom shall I fear

Whom shall I fear 

And nothing formed against me shall stand

Your hold the whole world in your hands

I’m holding onto your promises

You are faithful

You are faithful

You are faithful 

The God of angel armies is always by my side. 

This song reminds that I’m not alone. I’m following the call that God has laid on my life for this season so I need to trust Him. God is so faithful! I fully believe that He is always by my side.

 Love, Daniella

Change

The summer is quickly coming to end. It has been a very fun, relaxing, and an adventurous summer in Montana with my dear family.  I’m so thankful for each moment of hiking, browsing stores, eating ice cream, road-trips, seating by the lake, eating huckleberry pancakes & muffins, and seeing my little sister drive on her own for the very first time.  I love my family dearly!

 

This summer was also filled with two-weeks in Southaven, Mississippi (near Memphis, TN) for orientation for my teaching job in South Korea. It was wonderful to meet other teachers who are doing the same thing as me, teaching around the world in International Schools.  We learned a ton about teaching TCK’s, transition, safety, and our personalities according to the DISC test. I’m so thankful and feel comforted that there are other teachers who are transitioning just like me all around the world.

A change for me this summer is that I’m no longer going to be teaching 3^rd grade, but I will be teaching 2^nd grade!!! I’m very excited to meet my little 2^nd graders in about two weeks!!! Eeekkk!

As I make this transition I feel a ray of emotions. I’m so excited to set-up my first classroom, meet my co-workers, learn a new culture, but I’m also very sad to be leaving my family & friends. This is not going to be easy, but God has not called us to “easy”. I know with all of my heart that teaching in an International school is something that God has laid on my heart so clearly. He has given me the passion to teach child who are going through the same thing that I grow-up with which I totally loved! I’m so thankful for clear guidance of God.  

Well, in 5 days I will be getting on the plane to South Korea to start my crazy, amazing adventure!  If you would like to pray I would appreciate prayer for a smooth and safe transition to Korea. Also, for my family as we say good-bye that they would be at peace!

Love, Daniella

 

A Crazy Amazing Adventure is Just Around the Corner!!!

It's official!!! I'm going to Korea!! My visa came in the mail and my ticket is brought... only 50 days!!!

I sent out some prayer cards this week to people who I will not see before I leave. If you are going to see me do not worry I have prayer cards for you- you just get it in person! :) I would appreciate your prayers so much as I follow God on this next crazy, amazing adventure He has for me. I'm so excited to be joining the community at PICS and living in South Korea. It is definitely a dream come true to have this opportunity to teach overseas. I feel so blessed and so excited!

My new goal for this blog is to kept YOU (my supporters, encouragers, prayer warriors, friends and family) updated on my journey/adventure. I promise to keep you updated as much as I can as a first-year-teacher transitioning into a new culture! ;)

Love, Daniella

Running a Race

Hello Friends,

Hope your Christmas Season has been filled with joy, peace, and love! I still cannot believe that I am done with student-teaching... and almost a graduate of college! Time flies by so quickly!

Since student-teaching I have been busy spending time with friends here in Thailand... after school was out we headed UP to Chiang Rai. It was amazing trip going down memory lane. My family came to Thailand 6 years ago and we stayed the whole summer in Chiang Rai.

The trip with my family definitly impacted my life in so many ways. I gained a deeper understanding of how broken our world is and gained a desire to teach overseas someday. I also left my heart in Thailand so it was good to come back and get it again.

The trip I took this time to Chiang Rai involved a stop at the night market, ice cream at Swensen's, tour of the International School, and a ride on OSTRICH!!! It was such a great trip!


The Ostrich Ride

Also, this week I ran in 10k race with my roommate around the moto in Chiang Mai. It was such a great race!


10K Race! :)

What a race I have been running since college has started!! I am definitly ready for a slower past for awhile... hopefully this spring semester... we will see!


Enjoy the Christmas Season!

Love,
Daniella





Silly Smiles

Wow, friends!

I am officially done with student-teaching! It has been an amazing experience with so many different emotions that I decided to summarize my experience with a few simple words:

Blessing. Joy. Smiles. Passion. Learner. New Discovery. Flexibility. 1st grade. 4th grade. Prayer. Lesson Plans. Journal Entries. Tiredness. Fun. Laughter. Impacting. Heart Captured. Teachable. Connections. Mentor. Stretching. Encouraging. Overwhelmed. Thankful. Exciting. So good.

I'm so thankful for my two mentoring teachers and the grace they gave me as I taught/learned in their classrooms. I cannot wait to have a classroom of my own! I'm in the process of pursuing the Lord for where He wants me to go in the Fall!





Silly 4th graders



Love,
Daniella