The Roberts in Korea

An Event

Today I (Ryan) had an enjoyable and unique experience.  I attended the Daedeok Techno Valley dedication ceremony as a "VIP."  It was quite an event.  The Daedeok Techno Valley is a new economic development area in the great city of Daejeon.  It is projected to be a major R & D center for all of Northeast Asia.  Our new school building site is located in this Daedeok Techno Valley portion of the city.  In fact, our school (TCIS) will be having a ground breaking ceremony at the new school site in two weeks, on November 19.

Because of the prominence of Taejon Christian International School in the city of Daejeon and because our school is relocating out to the Daedeok Techno Valley portion of the city our Headmaster was invited to attend the event as a VIP.  However, our Headmaster is currently out of country so I, as the Assistant Headmaster at the school, had the privilege to represent our school at this event.

As far as I could tell I was the only Westerner in the crowd.  There were many city dignitaries at the event.  I even got to shake the hand of the Mayor of the City of Daejeon.  There was a lot of talking at the event and there were many instructions given to the VIPs regarding what we were to do, where we were to sit and what we could expect in the program.  The problem is...I don't speak Korean and the TCIS Business Administrator, who I went to the event with and who is Korean, couldn't go with me into the VIP section because...well...he wasn't a VIP.

I was nervous that I was going to be the VIP that did the wrong thing.  I tried to follow along and blend into the crowd... but that didn't work.  We finally made our entrance to the front of the stage with much pomp and circumstance and thankfully I spotted a seat that was tagged with English and it said my name!

I was just beginning to settle in and breathe again when the announcer began to say things and then one of the VIPs that I was with would stand up and take a bow.  I began to get nervous and I began listening very carefully to the announcer.  Thankfully I discerned the words, "Kookjay hakio Lion Lobertsa" and I stood up and took a bow and everyone clapped.  Whew!

Later in the program they wheeled a long table onto the stage that had about twenty large red "Family Feud" like buttons on it.  They looked like large panic buttons and as the other VIPs began standing and walking to the stage I started to panic.  I stood up and followed the crowd and thankfully I spotted my name next to one of the big red panic buttons.  All of us VIPs lined up at the table and a young Korean woman very nicely handed each of us a pair of white gloves.

We all put on our gloves and suddenly the announcer began a countdown in English!  3...2...1... and all of the VIPs pushed their red buttons.  (I pushed mine a little late because I was unsure and was watching the guy next to me.)  The air was filled with colored smoke, booms, blasts and lot of confetti.  It was quite a sight and if it all was a mistake-- it wasn't my fault (because they all pushed their buttons first).

Seriously though, the Daedeok Techno Valley dedication ceremony was a very impressive event that I was privileged to take part in.  I came away from that event feeling very thankful to be in South Korea.

(P.s. I tried to play the VIP card at home and Dina and the girls wouldn't buy it.)

KAIAC Volleyball Tournament

Last weekend we spent a lot of time on the train and in Seoul.  We were watching Becca and the girls' (and boys') volleyball teams play in the district tournament called the KAIAC tournament.  KAIAC is the Korean-American Interscholastic Activities Conference.

Yes, Becca played in the tournament.  After lots of elevation, ice, heat, acupuncture, some time on crutches and with the help of some heavy duty ankle braces, she was able to play in the tournament.  She did a great job for being out of it for two weeks and for having a less than 100% ankle.  During the tournament awards ceremony Becca received an all conference player medal.  She played great in the tournament and throughout the season.

The girls' team had a fantastic season.  Last year they finished fifth in the league and fifth in the tournament.  This year they finished third in the league and third in the tournament.  In addition to a strong third place finish, the TCIS team was awarded the Sportsmanship award by the league coaches and the TCIS coach was given the Coach of the Year award.

The tournament was a grand time and a great event to say the least.  We are proud of Becca and have enjoyed watching her play volleyball this year.

Basketball tryouts start today...

Becca, APAC and the Great Wall

Becca got back from Beijing on Sunday night.  She was with the girls' volleyball team at the Asia Pacific Athletic Conference (APAC) boys' and girls' volleyball tournament that was hosted at the Western Academy of Beijing (WAB) International School.  She was on crutches and couldn't play, but still went as a part of the team.

She had a blast.  A highlight of the trip was a visit to the Great Wall of China.  That is not an easy place to visit on crutches, but Becca did it.  One of the boys on the team gave her a piggy back ride up numerous flights of stairs and said it was pre-tournament conditioning.

The TCIS girls' team did well at the tournament--taking third place when it was all said and done.  We are proud of the team.  Becca stayed with a host family in Beijing.  The family was a Dutch family that was living and working there in China.  Becca said they were great people and it was a fun experience.

Becca has another exotic and notable stamp in her passport.  She is enjoying the adventure of life and her parents are too.  However, we are glad to have her home.

Sunday BBQ

Most Sundays we attend the Onurri English Church service that meets downtown near the Time World Galleria Department Store.  It is a small, but growing English church in the city of Daejeon.  I (Ryan) am privileged to be able preach at the service about one time per month.  When I am not preaching, I am playing bass guitar in the worship band.  The Pastor of the service is Peter Kim and he is a native Korean and all of the worship band is composed of native Koreans.  They are a great bunch of people.  We have "twisted the arms" of our friends, the Millers, and they come to the worship service with us each Sunday.  It is fun to worship with them and share this multicultural church experience together.

 This past Sunday we had a real treat as church was not held in the main building but rather we met at a park-like area near a Science center in Daejeon.  We had a short time of reflection on being the family of God, we prayed and we ate a delicious BBQ.  We didn't eat immediately though...

There was tons of fruit, veggies, buns, meat and drinks at the BBQ but there wasn't enough charcoal for the BBQs.  It took our wonderful Korean hosts about two hours to cook up a batch of hamburgers and hotdogs.  They made two different runs to the convenience store for charcoal.  It was fun to cook with them.  After they got the hamburgers and hotdogs cooked they told all of us Westerners to go ahead and eat and then they pulled out a bunch of raw pork that they called "moksal" (the neck of the pig) and began cooking that up over the hot coals.  The Koreans didn't mess around with the hamburgers and hotdogs, they were waiting for the moksal--and I know why.  It was tasty.

After the food was gone and everyone was satisfied, Pastor Peter and the crew confessed that that was the first time that they ever BBQ'd hamburgers and hotdogs.  They were nervous...they were doing it for us.  They are great.

The day was beautiful, the scenery magnificent, the food delicious and the fellowship...like family.

Becca in Beijing...again.

Becca, sore ankle and all, has spent the last few days in Beijing, China.  The girls' volleyball team from TCIS is competing in the Asia Pacific Athletics Conference (APAC) tournament being held in China.  Even though Becca was injured and not able to play in the tournament she is a part of the team and was able to go on the trip.

We have heard from her a couple of times via cell-phone (roaming is amazing and so are the bills-yipes).  On their first day in China the team made a visit to the Great Wall--yes, one of the seven wonders of the world.  Lucky kid.

The girls' team is doing very well in the tournament and from the little that we have heard they are all having a great time.  They are scheduled to get back to Korea on Sunday night.  Can't wait--we miss Becca.

Foster

On Tuesday I (Ryan) jumped on an early morning Bullet Train and headed to Seoul.  I took a long taxi drive across the city of 15 million people and walked in the doors of the Onnuri Church at just after 9:00 a.m.  I secured a listening device to hear the translation of comments, announcements and songs from Korean to English and I settled in for a few hours of great music and worship, and a great sermon by Pastor Ha at the Onnuri Leadership Conference.

All of this was a terrific prelude to the main reason that I was attending the conference--I went to hear Richard Foster speak.  Richard Foster is a famous Christian writer and theologian who is best known for his teaching on spiritual disciplines and he is best known for his 1978 book, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth.

It was enjoyable to hear Richard Foster share from his heart.  It was good to hear his voice and perceive a bit of his personality.  I have read many of his books in my graduate work.  I was interested to hear why he has his hair in a long pony tail that extends to the middle of his back, but even more than that I was challenged and inspired by his comments regarding the "Prayer of Relinquishment."  It was worth the long trip. 

I enjoyed my day with Foster.

Soccer Near Seoul

On Saturday Sarah had a middle school girls soccer jamboree at Gyeonggi Suwon International School near Seoul.  It was a blustery and cold day, but a great day of soccer.  Sarah played four games throughout the day and her team won the majority of their games.  Sarah played various positions throughout the day.  In one game she even played goalie.

Sarah's team did a nice job of passing the ball to one another and moving the ball down the field toward their opponent's goal.  Sarah can dribble, pass and shoot the ball.  She is good at soccer.  In fact as we walked toward the buses, headed for home, I told Sarah that she is unquestionably the best soccer player in our family.

Acupuncture?...Yep.

Many of our Korean friends suggested that we take Becca in for an acupuncture treatment on her ankle.  They all feel that it is a very helpful form of Asian/Oriental Medicine.  We thought about it..."Hmmm...Becca wants to heal as quickly as possible, she would like to play varsity basketball which starts in just a few weeks, she is in Korea...OK."

We took Becca in to see an Oriental Doctor.  He examined her ankle, said a few "hmmms" and then took her into the acupuncture room.  The doctor had a number of needles sticking out of Becca's right ankle, leg and left hand before she knew it.  He then adhered some small smoking pieces of charcoal to her ankle.  Becca said that she could feel the heat from the burning charcoal on her ankle.  (No, it didn't burn her.)

The acupuncture was an interesting experience and...it helped.  Becca's ankle is healing rapidly.  She has gone in for three treatments and is now able to put her full weight on her ankle and walk across the room.  We went to the orthopedic doctor today and he was surprised and pleased at Becca's recovery.  We told him that she had received and acupuncture treatment and he smiled and said that "Korean medicine is good."

Conventional medicine and/or Oriental medicine...Becca's ankle is improving rapidly and that is good!

Hoppin' Along at the Sadie Hawkins

Becca stayed home from school and elevated her foot and iced her foot all day on Thursday so that she could go to the Sadie Hawkins dance that night.  The Sadie Hawkins is a girl ask guy dance here at TCIS and she had a "date" for the night and didn't want to miss the event if she could help it.

After school on Thursday a bunch of Becca's girlfriends showed up at our house with curling irons, hair dryers and "outfits" for the dance.  They all had a good time getting ready for the dance together.  We fed them pizza and pop and by 7 p.m. they were all ready to go to the dance.

Becca's date, Tim, met her at the entrance of the school auditorium on crutches!  Becca and Tim had matching shirts, hats and crutches for the dance.  It was a cute and creative idea on his part.  Becca had a good time at the dance even though she just sat on a chair with her leg propped up watching everyone else dance.  Tim sat with her and they had a good time hanging out with their friends.

On Friday Becca stayed home from school, elevated her leg, applied heat to her ankle and then...

Bummer

It is a common volleyball injury--a sprained ankle.  Becca was playing the net and went up for a block and the girl that was spiking the ball on the other team came down on the other side of the court under the net and Becca came down on her foot. She twisted her ankle in a serious way.  It started swelling immediately and we whisked her off to Sun Hospital in Daejeon.

Mr. Koo, a good friend and our Headmaster's driver, kindly drove Becca, Dina, Ryan and the school nurse, Ms. Bossard to the hospital.  The Korean staff at TCIS are fantastic people.  Mr. Koo wouldn't leave Becca.  He not only drove Becca to the hospital in the car, but he also insisted on driving Becca around the hospital in a wheelchair.  After an x-ray and an examination by an orthopedic doctor it was determined that Becca had a severely sprained ankle, but thankfully no broken bones.  

The doctor recommended that she stay on crutches for at least three weeks and her volleyball season for this year is over.  Next week the team goes to Beijing to play in a tournament and the next week is the district tournament.  Bummer. Stay tuned, the story continues...