The home stretch.

This is it! One more month to go. Four more weeks of teaching, then I'm outta here. I'll finally get to go home to sunny Southern California, where I belong.

Although this term has been pretty smooth so far, I still can't wait for it to be over. Generally, I have pretty good students. I have a masters class of middle school students who are so intelligent and articulate that it amazes me that I'm their teacher. I love to talk about different subjects with them.. culture, global issues, kpop.. Sometimes I feel like they're my younger peers. I'm really going to miss that class.

On the other hand, I do have a class I can't wait to be finished with. A lower level middle school class, half the class is comprised of teachers'-worst-nightmares students. They don't work, they don't listen to what I say, I don't think they understand half of the words that come out of my mouth.. I found out today that 2 of my three worst students have dropped out and the third told me today that he was also quitting. Although I was relieved, (I'm sure my classes are going to run much more smoothly from now on) I was also disappointed that I'd, essentially, failed to turn them into capable students. But for now, I'm just going to breathe a sigh of relief that I won't be spending most of my classtime yelling at them or trying to talk over them.


I've been thinking about how much money I've saved over the last year, though I've been trying not to. The high pay we English teachers receive in combination with the relatively low cost of living here in Korea has allowed me to accumulate a nice little chunk of savings over the year without even trying. (Although, a pretty extravagant lifestyle in the first half of the year has left me with less than some others I know. Hehe.) But I've been planning on doing something I've never done before: tithing.

I've had jobs before, and I know I should've tithed before. But with the credit card debt I'd accumulated over my college years, plus making minimum wage, equaled my being too desperate to use every dollar I'd earned. I never set aside that tenth to lift up to God. But now, I suppose I've finally become a true full-time, working adult. I make a solid earning, and I'm planning to tithe for the first time at the church I've been attending in Seoul before I leave for the States.

After I tithe, and after I pay back my dad for a loan he made me a few years ago, I am going to have... a lot less money. I'm trying not to think about it. I know I'm not supposed to worry about money. I know that what I give to God, he will return to me many many times over, but I can't help but think in the back of my mind.. "Dang it.. I really wanted to go to Spain." or "I really wanted to eat at that restaurant.."

And so Lord, would you give me trust and assurance that I don't need to worry about money. Would you continue to watch over my pocketbook and help me not to be so materialistic. (haha) And would you help me to trust that you'll show me all of your creation in due time. Amen.


How did this turn from a post into my last month in Korea to a post about money? Hmm.