Why do changes exist?

by: Jiwon Kim

We face the new changes every moment, new schools, new friends, new environment, and so on. Sometimes the new change is pleasant but sometimes it isn’t. The new changes are uncomfortable and it is hard to accept the change. Accepting change is not easy for someone who had had a wonderful time before facing the change. They are still in the past, not adjusting the reality, but trying to avoid the change. Why do changes exist? Can’t we just live a normal life, with people we already know and surroundings that are comfortable?

At the beginning of the 9th grade, I couldn’t accept that I was no longer in 8 Haeng. “It’s alright. Everything will be fine. Don’t worry” I kept trying to relieve me and not to be nervous as I woke up in the morning of the first day of the school. However, it was very awkward to everyone in the class because of the terrible silence. Our classroom teacher was talking but the words went in one ear and out the other, and all I was thinking about was my close friends. I was separated with most of my close friends and I was so disappointed and dismayed because I was worried about adjusting my new class. I really missed last year and couldn’t adapt to the new class and the new friends. I knew nothing will change but I always wondered about going back to 8 Haeng. “I can’t understand why this happened to me. Will I have a great time in this class?” Everyday, I complained and grumbled about my class. But as time passed, I got to know that I had to accept the change, otherwise I could not have a enjoyable school life for the rest of the year. As I realized this, I got to get closer to my new class because I started to be friendlier to the friends and endeavored to be closer to them. I used to go out of my class at recess time and spend time with other friends I’m close to, but I tried to be in the class and have conversation with my classmates. I smiled and laughed as best as I could so I can be friendlier. Also, I noticed God had given me an opportunity to have new friends. And now, I am really into my class. I learned I have to see the positive part of the change, and accept the change.

Since my sister is now a high school student, my sister and I go to different schools for the first time. It was a big change for me. As my sister became a high school student, she studied harder and came home later. Before she became a high school student, she had talked and chatted about her day in school but after graduating the middle school, she just went straight to her room, studying. One day, I had serious problems and wanted to share with her and eat some dessert together. When I heard her voice, entering the door and talking with my mom, I greeted her but she just went in to her room. It wasn’t the situation I was expecting and I was disappointed. I really wanted a conversation with her so I knocked the door of her room and went in but she was studying and concentrating as if she was going to eat the worksheet. “Jiwon! Come out of her room right now and let her study! You are disturbing her,” my mom scolded me and I couldn’t stay in there and have a talk with her. I didn’t have choice but to go out and let her study. Also, we recently became to use our own room. We usually had an interesting talk before going to bed and we listened to the songs together. We studied together in the room and she always woke me up in the morning. Every morning, she woke up earlier than me and after the shower, she came into the room, turned on the light without any words. I really detested the way she woke me up then, but

these days I sometimes miss those days. Also, since we had separated in to different room, there was not much time to spend time with my sister. Although the change was very strange to me, I tried to accept the change and also learned I have to prepare for my own change, becoming a high school student soon.

When the fresh morning of the summer vacation came, I exulted to find out the precious vacation came. I became free from the exams and assignments, and having freedom of joy was enormous and I enjoyed a satisfying vacation. I could sleep as much as I wanted, I could eat whenever I wanted, and I could relax without the burden of the school. But the happiness didn’t stay long but disappeared as the opening day of the semester quickly came. The last day of the vacation was coming closer but my mind was still not prepared for the new semester. Since I couldn’t accept that the vacation is over, I forgot to submit my math homework. The homework was to finish the workbook and I did it, but I simply forgot to bring it to school. “I should have been more prepared for the school. How could I forget homework at the first day of school? It is ridiculous!” When I found out I had left my homework home, I was frustrated because forgetting homework on the first day of school was not acceptable to me. I learned I have to face the reality and accept the change.

Not only these changes, there are many other different changes that bothered me and had a problems with it. I had many difficulties of accepting the changes but through the difficulties, I truly got to know why changes are essential. Our lives are changing as we grow up and it is a natural condition, and all of us have troubles, problems and hardship which are also reasonable. However, as I learned, through the changes we can make new friends, have many different opportunities and experience our weakness but realize the power of God that we couldn’t experience before the change. So, whenever changes come to us, we should accept it and be brave to face the difficulties that we might have. As I experienced to accept changes, it let me know changes exist because it wants us to develop in our lives.

Accepting Changes

by: ByungJoon Cho

Have you ever changed a school once in your life time? I had this kind of experience 3times. I went to America in 2007. There I had to go to a new school in America. This was a very big change to me. It’s a new condition with different people that I have never met in my life. At first it was frightening, but I got used to it after some time. I call this accepting change. I have few more stories accepting change, so read more to learn about them.

Before I tell you my story there is something that I have to tell you before I start. My father is a professor of GongJu University. He sometimes gets offers to go to America for visitor professor. When I was 9years old my father accepted the offer and prepared to go to America. That that point I was second grade in elementary school. I had a lot of friends in my elementary school. Leaving all of my friends behind was very sad, but I had a belief that I would make good friends in America. The problem was that I didn’t even know the ABC’s I was in very big trouble. That’s why my parents started to teach me English. They found a Canadian to help me. English was very hard and I couldn’t understand a word the teacher said. When I went to America, during the first month I didn’t have to go to American school because it was summer break. I had a very fun time in America. I went to shopping malls, movie theaters, and many other fun places. The best place I went to was ‘Target’. I was surprised at the size of the market. It was really big and had a lot of fun stuffs to look at. My family went to ‘Target’ to buy school supplies for my sister and me. We had to buy new pencils and new backpacks and everything else.

After all the shopping I was ready to go to school. The first look at the school was fascinating. All of the schools in Korea are about 4 stories tall. However the school in America was just 1 story tall. I was surprised at the size of the school too. It was huge. I was so frightened at the scale that I actually didn’t want to go to school. However I was my sister was felling the same thing. Since I was 2 years older than her, so I fixed my mind and went in the class. The school was so different that I thought that I was in another planet. My first teacher was Ms. Villani. She wasn’t very kind to me. I really didn’t understand a word she said when I went there. I bet she knew that but she wouldn’t stop. She started to push me harder and harder. If I made just a small mistake she would be mad at me. I actually hated that teacher.

I had to go to ESLR while other kids were doing fun activities in class. I didn’t like it. I want to speak like the kids in my class. Surprisingly I made a few friends even though I couldn’t speak English. Lucky for me, I didn’t have to sit alone in the cafeteria. Even though I had friends Ms. Villani was still a big wall to me. She was a perfectionist. If something wasn’t finished she would finish it no matter how much time she wastes.

I really had a hard time in that school. My parents knew that and changed my school to Findley Oaks Elementary School. This school was much better than the one that I went to. I didn’t have to go to ESLR anymore. I was very happy to hear that because I could do activities with my friends. My first teacher in Findley Oaks was Mr. Gilbreth. It was my first time that I had a male teacher. It was a whole new experience, but the school life was the same. I had to do the same

amount of school work, but the teacher was very kind and funny so I had an easy time adjusting to the environment. The classes were fun when I stared to understand the words that the teacher was talking about.

My best time in America was the last year. I met the best teacher I have met until now. Her name is Mrs. Miles. I loved her history class it was fun and also it was interesting. I made such a good friends there that I even went to their house to play all day long and sleep, too. It was really fun. It was then that I figured out that hanging along with friends is the best way to enjoy the time there. They teach you the things to look out for and they tell you how to survive in the special environment.

For 3 years I had tons of fun and came back to Korea. MY father wanted us to live in the similar house that we lived in America. So my family went to 향린동산. This place is in the woods with a lot of nature around the house. The school that we went to was called 동막 elementary school. Before I went to America I lived in 대전, but after we came back we started to live in 용인. There was no one that I knew. So, I was a little afraid. For one semester I had a hard time getting along with friends in school. Then I turned to 6th grade in elementary school. I met this wonderful teacher named 김길현. He was my homeroom teacher. He started an innovative teaching method. He made jobs in our class. And students would get paid at the end of each month with fake money. Every month there will be a market only in our class. WE could use our money to buy the things that we liked. However if we don’t participate in class or mass around in class, our pays would go down. No one in our class was used to this kind of rules. So I was able to start from the same starting point as other kids. Because of him I was able to get used to the school within days. He even paid close attention to each student. I think because of him, I could have gone to CCA.

My sister got in to CCA elementary school because she was the 4th place in the waiting list. I couldn’t go to the elementary but I tried out for CCA middle school. As I said before I think the help of my teacher 김길현 made me in there. I don’t know what he wrote in the teacher’s recommendation form, but I believe that it helped me a lot.

With the help of my teacher I went in the CCA middle school. There was another mountain that I had to crossover. I wasn’t a strong believer. I didn’t have a lot of faith and wasn’t ready for the praying day and all the chapels that I had to go. It was a miracle that I went in to the CCA. It’s embarrassing to say this, but I used to sleep while other people are praying. At that time I had very weak belief. I didn’t know how to pray. Kids around me was closing their eyes and praying to god. So I tried the same thing. I closed my eyes and tried to talk to god for 30 seconds and sleep took over. Still I think it was God’s decision to put me in CCA. I wasn’t used to doing QT and other religious activities we do in CCA. At first it was very hard, but after sometime I started to believe in Jesus more and began to like the style we do in CCA. I went to the summer church retreat. I didn’t meet god personally, but I felt the power of God. I was just amazed to learn how mighty god is. Without this amazing experience I wouldn’t be able to live through the time in CCA. That’s my best example of accepting changes and being adapted.

This is all the story that I have for accepting changes. I want to say tis again. The best was to accept changes is to get along with the people who has gotten used to the change. The person will help you to adjust to the environment.

Hold my hand

By: Eun Yool Cho

God allowed communities for us to socialize. When he created this world with his own words, he did not leave Adam alone and sent Eve as his partner. Working together and having faith between our mates is His will toward us. There are many people who give great efforts to us throughout our lives, and among them, there are people whom give strength to us for just being beside us – friends. Honestly, we all know what friendship is: not walking behind, nor walking in front, simply walking beside and carrying each other. My life only has 16 years of time to talk about, and it’s rather short compared to the elders, and therefore there is lack of experience and learning. Yet, I know what friendship is. I experienced it, and I have learned through it. I mean, it doesn’t take long to understand what it is. Even kindergartners would know about it. Within my life, I have had environments that embarrassed me and times that exhausted me. Every time I fell down, it was friendship which grabbed my hand and lifted me up from stumbling. It helped me through risks and opened the path of my life to a wise direction.

“Come and play with me!” It was a legendary moment which I met a memorable girl. It was when I was in Moscow; it was just like being dropped in a mysterious planet in the outer space. I was surrounded by people who had colorful eyes and hair, and it was confusing since I had only seen people with black eyes and hair. The city was big. Not only the actual size, but everything there was huge in scale, like some land of giants. I didn’t want to admit that I had to live in Moscow, nor wanted to admit that I had to go to Hinkson Christian Academy. It was a tidy little school, with a field bigger than the school building. A dark green colored fence went around the school, and it was unarguably a small school. I was eight years old back then, and the circumstances were hard to bear. They totally stressed me out. It was just like a maze. I had to solve out everything, but every single one of the problems were too complicated to work out. I had so many hardships, and my mind was scattered. Finally, I met Katherine. She didn’t hesitate to let her hand out to me. Blinking her gorgeous big brown eyes, she eased my embarrassment with her warm and cozy smile. “Me? Oh… okay!” I answered to her word with excitement and was about to fly in any second. The friendship with Katherine made everything bearable, and shaped the times at Moscow to an unforgettable, precious time. Without Katherine’s pure friendship she gave, everything that I had worked out at HCA wouldn’t have been possible.

It was a pleasant spring, light breeze celebrating my entrance to middle school. God blessed me in many ways in that year. 6th grade did not come to me as a memorable time. It was a tough year that I hardly went through. Yet, God had prepared for me an awesome present after such time. “Are we in the same class?” It was my best friend, with a voice full with excitement. “You’re kidding me, no way!” However, it was true. Being assigned as the same class with her made my heart pound. I was thrilled and pumped up with expectations even before the school began. Throughout 7th grade, I learned and experienced what real friendship presents me. There was no special point, nor any event that I could learn about it. Simply, spending time and sharing common memories with friends whom I love taught me as if it was an obvious thing. Eased with the warm and touching friendship, I got to know that there are no anxieties and mistrust between real

friends. It may sound like a cliché, but I really learned so many lessons. With no doubt, I totally enjoyed the year. The wonderful girls embraced me sincerely and giving faith, which was what I needed the most.

“I’m so disappointed. It’s not the person I used to know.” “I no longer can trust you.” “I can’t understand why she’s like that!” Some words I heard this year, the last year of middle school, 9 th

grade. I saw many relationships being torn out and kids falling apart with friends this year. It is a quick moment, when people turn their back and cruelly walk away from people who once shared common time and life. Kicking someone out of a group, being kicked out of the group and standing alone are both cruel and miserable. Friendship should not be a thing that can easily break. No matter what circumstances or hardships strikes it, it should not change but always stay the same. It could be little shameless to learn a lesson through someone else’s wounds, but the real point I learned encouraged me a lot. Girls around me are mostly whom I have seen from elementary school, and even from kindergarten. I know about them, and they know me well. There are no sources to suspect, or mistrust each other. As it is, we are more like a family, sometimes troubling or arguing, but other times taking care and embracing. Nothing affects our unbreakable friendship. I experienced that those I have around are companions who will walk with me until the end. Facing broken relationships around me, I deeply learned that friendship is unchanging and constant; an invisible promise between friends.

Friends are incredible. Friendship has amazing power to make our lives enthusiastic. For me, friendship is what I respect and prioritize with sincerity. When I look back to the past 16years of my life, I realize that friends were always beside me, giving words of courage and love, cheering me up whenever I was stuck in bad situations. When I had to stand against new environments and had to start out new school life, my beloved ones grabbed my hands and lifted me up with constant effort. Whenever I went through deep, dark situations, they became lights to guide me. It takes times to understand what real friendship brings us, and I too, knew the real worth of friendship through experiencing it in my life; actually going through impressive circumstances. As the previous stories of mine states, I learned friendship is a message of love, which eases stressful hardships and is unchangeable and continuing. Faith, which forms friendship, now takes place between the relationships with my buddies. Going through all the times, I now truly agree to Barney Stinson’s words, “Whatever you do in this life, it’s not legendary unless your friends are there to see it.” Friendship makes our lives legendary.

A Teaspoon of Loneliness to Grow Up

by: Jimin Park

I’m an island floating on the sea of tears. The only thing I hear is the sea splashing. Nobody knows who I am and nobody ever tries to listen to me. Sometimes the fish come nearby and say hello, but it just swim away, ignoring my shout to come back. My sky is always dark, and my clock stays at night time. I’m not always so lonely because the clouds, stars, and fish are my friends but they don’t stay near me. They are so free but I am not. Nobody understands me. I am an island, waiting for you to come.

I’m an only child and I’m happy about it. However, when I go on family trip or to the water park with my parents, I sometimes feel lonely. When I was in fifth grade, I went to Caribbean Bay, the water park, and I was so jealous of others who came there with their friends. I was playing with my parents, but they were talking with their friends, sharing their common topics of life. There are some kinds of topics that I can’t talk with my parents so I felt lonely that time. The people next to us were talking about some gossips in their school. One said, “Hey you saw the boy of her class? He’s handsome1” “Yeh, I saw him, but he has a bad sense of humor.” “What matters? He’s handsome!” I know it wasn’t a interesting topic or a good topic to discuss about, but it’s not some kind of a topic I can talk with parents. Of course, I like to talk with my parents, but when I see other girls having a brother or a sister, I feel a different kind of loneliness. That’s not what I’m totally alone in the world but I feel lonely seeing others. My friends who have brothers or sisters say that they don’t like their siblings, but I’m even jealous of them saying those things. I want to have an older brother who cares so much about me and make others jealous, but I’m so sad that I can’t have one.

I’m not a student from CCA elementary school, so when I entered the school, I had no friend. I was totally alone between our classmates. I was like a small island in the Pacific Ocean that nobody cares about. I was always with other friends but I was just standing there, feeling loneliness. On the first day of school, I was so excited to meet new friends, but when a week passed, I was so afraid if I would be an outsider forever. I missed my elementary school friends so much and I cried a lot. I talked to myself, and when I think of it now, I was just like a looser, and a crybaby. I asked myself, “Don’t you want to go back to your elementary school?” “Why should you stay here? You have no reason to stay here! Nothing’s worthy if you aren’t happy!” I was lying on my bed with no more power to cry. Every single day was like a nightmare, but then, I was rescued by some good friends. When it became June, I suggested a group of friends to be friends and they had let me to join their group. Now I’m enjoying my happy life with friends.

It was maybe when I was 8 years old. My parents asked me to go to E-Mart together after dinner. I can’t remember why, but I said I’ll stay home alone. I thought it would take about an hour, but after 2 hours passed, they were still not home. I started to feel scared and lonely because the house was too big for an 8 years old kid. I turned on the TV volume so I can feel like someone’s next to me talking. It was a talk show and the topic that day was so funny. Idol stars and comedians were the guest of the show, and they talked about some episodes happened in their concert. People in the talk show laughed a lot and I felt comfortable hearing people talk. The

light of the TV filled the room colorful, but I still was so lonely like I was totally alone in the dark Earth. After about 4 hours, my parents came home, and I ran straight to them and I cried. I promised myself never to be home alone again, because I learned the importance of my parents. Seeing me cry, my parents said, “Sorry for coming late, we had lots of things to buy.” I felt a bit resentment, but I forgave them saying, “Next time I will follow you. I’ll never be home alone.”

Now, when I think of some episodes about loneliness, I can say it as a joke, but back then, it was an endless time and I was in a deep dark. Now, as a teenager, a bit grown up, I learned that when I face troubles, it seems to last forever and it feels like a high mountain that will be never moved, but after time passes and when I look back, it will take just a small part of my childhood memory. While living, I might face bigger troubles, and loneliness, but reminding my childhood, I will never be afraid to face them.

ACCEPTING CHANGE

by: Jinkyung Huh

All people experience changes during life time. Some people accept those changes and some don’t. “Don’t be afraid to change. You may lose something good but you may gain something better.” At first it would be awkward afraid to accept changes. However, like what the quote says, you can lose something precious and good, but instead of it, you can gain something better. This is the story about how I accepted changes in my life.

When I was in elementary school, I had lots of time and also there wasn’t much homework. So I could spend more time with friends and spend more time on my hobby. I usually talked with my friends and read at least 5 books a week, and I could sleep before mid-night. However after I became middle school student, I have been gotten lots of homework and less time to complete those assignments during the day time than elementary school, so I often slept after midnight. Therefore my mom couldn’t sleep because of me so she always screamed, “Jinkyung, are you done with your project? It’s already two in the morning!” and I always got irritated at these shouting so our relationship was breaking. At first I was too tired from a long day and I got into really deep sleep and couldn’t wake up next morning. Usually I didn’t get up on Sunday so I often couldn’t attend the chapel. Steadily, I got used to it and now I’m okay even though I practically sleep at dawn and I recover the relationship between my mom by reducing my irritation and complains to mom.

When I was in 7th grade my hair was really long which was almost at my hip. My friends always teased me that my hair is like seaweed. However I didn’t feel anything wrong about it. But my mom didn’t like long hair much. “Jinkyung, your hair is a bit long and it is hard to take care of. And the weather is getting hot.” “Mom, I can take care of it!” I shouted confidently. However, gradually I felt my hair annoying, so I determined to cut hair. During summer vacation, I cut my hair up to my shoulder. When I cut my hair, I felt kind of begrudged to cut my long hair which it stayed with me for almost 2years. After cutting my hair, I felt awkward because it was too light and make me look much older. So I started to think that cutting my hair was wrong choice. But as time pass, I accepted my short hair and I’m pretty satisfied with it.

After I became 8th grader, lots of things around me had change. When I opened the new classroom and there is new faces who I never talked with and new homeroom teacher. History, Chinese…. Subjects are changed and curriculums got hard. Every time I talked about my school life I complained, “I like 7th much better than 8th grade.” I complained and complained about the changes, which I couldn’t accept it right away. Then after few weeks, I made new good friends who care about me and stay with me. Therefore I started to enjoy the changes. I like 8th grade life than 7th grade life by then.

Even though I didn’t like to get change, I gradually got accustomed to many changes that happened in my life. The changes are not great things, but it improves my life quality a little. Now I am satisfying with my life and I am trying to accept many challenges that happen in daily life.

Impossible to Forget

by: Woojung Cha

It was a sweltering, sticky, summer day at home in Korea. I was six years old at that time. It was summer vacation, but I was already counting the days until back to school. Things were starting to get boring after a few days with nothing particularly special.

I woke up that morning thinking it was going to be just another ordinary day—but I could not have been more wrong. When my parents came home from work and announced they had news for me. “Well, Woojung,” my dad said after clearing his throat a couple of times, “we have something to tell you.” He and my mom exchanged glances. After a short pause, they both said in an excited voice, “We’re moving to Bulgaria!” “We already enrolled you in school there,” my mom added. I was ecstatic to escape my boring vacation life, but the thought of going to a new school and making new friends gave me butterflies in my stomach.

It was my first day of first grade at a new school, at a new country, Bulgaria, where I didn’t know a single person. I was so nervous that day I could practically hear my heart thumping in my chest as I walked into the classroom. I could not say a single word to anyone because I was afraid. During recess, I was by myself in playground with no one to play with. Then, suddenly, a girl in my class came up to me. She had curly blond hair, and freckles all over her face. “Hey,” she said cheerfully. I mumbled hi, but it was so soft that it probably sounded like, “hi”. “You’re new girl from Korea, right?” I shyly nodded yes. “I’m Grace, and I’m from America. Do you like cats? ” “Yeah,” I whispered. “Me too!” said Grace loudly. “We have four cats and two dogs at my house.” My jaw dropped open. “Really?” I exclaimed. We bonded over our love for cats, and suddenly we were best friends, just like that. Grace moved away to Pittsburgh in fourth grade, and we haven’t seen each other in person since then, but I still FaceTime with her and will always treasure all the fun times we had together.

In the beginning of fourth grade, after Grace left, I was kind of worried. Sure, I had lots of other friends, but my BFF who could totally understand me was at the other side of the world. However, it turned out that I didn’t need to worry at all, because the girls in my class kicked off right away. Our class was only thirteen people: eight boys and only five girls. When you have eight boys to handle in your class (back then I still thought boys had cooties), you can’t help unite. I recall the during the first PE class, when we were supposed to play soccer divided into teams; none of the girls would touch the ball because it was infected by cootie-infested boys. But, after a few weeks into fourth grade, and a very displeased PE teacher, we got over the fact that boys were disgusting. And, I will never forget the day when the whole class pranked our homeroom teacher. No one showed up for the lesson; we all hid in the bathrooms. Our class became famous throughout the school because of that, and we definitely became like family planning our pranks and being mischievous. Those days were probably the highlight of my childhood.

I came back to Korea in sixth grade at the end of February. Saying that I was a little nervous would be a total lie—I was probably a hundred times more nervous compared to my first day of school in Bulgaria. I was so worried about how I should act in a Korean school. The first few days at my new elementary school in Korea were extremely awkward. For instance, all of the girls were talking about G-Dragon (a KPOP celebrity), and I’d be like, “Is that some kind of animal?”, and kids would look at me like I was a spy (Gan Chup) from North Korea. But, everyone was nice to me and explained stuff I didn’t know really kindly. If that isn’t awkward, I don’t know what is. Pretty soon March rolled around, and the teacher announced we were going to change seats as it was a new month. I got assigned to a seat next to a girl named Suhwon. She was really pretty and had these doll-like eyes. Suhwon was actually one of the popular girls, but not the mean kind. I liked her right away because she didn’t treat me like the new girl. She was the first person there to talk to me like a friend. As we talked to each other, I found out that she was a Justin Bieber fan. I was so happy to find a fellow Belieber in the midst of all these K-POP fans. We listened to Justin Bieber music together and hung out after school. Even though I’m not a Belieber anymore, I am thankful to him because he helped me become friends with Suhwon.

Back to the present, here I am—your typical Korean teenager. My life is all about studying, studying, and more studying to get into one of those “elite” high schools. Sometimes, I don’t have as much time for my friends. Recently, when I was on Facebook, though, I saw one of my friends had posted on my wall, “Good friends are hard to find, harder to leave, and impossible to forget” with my name tagged. Those words made me recall all the fun times I had with my best friends. I realized my best friends are one of the best things that has ever happened to me, and I will cherish the memories with them forever.

True friends are impossible to forget.

Changes ahead

By: Ji eun Kwon

I feel the thin layer of grayish dust as I softly touch the books on the ivory colored bookshelf. I carefully let the grayish dust on my fingers fly off from me. Maybe this can be the last touch of everything. The creaking desk with scribbled words on it was connected to a caramel striped bookshelf, which makes it, look like a tree had just been cut. Shabby, color faded memos on it, along with scribbled notes, used for memorizing confusing parts was hanging on the shelf shaking with the summer breeze. Whether a few books or many, every one of them are dog-eared and ramshackle, shaken and loosened by continual use, marked with post-it notes and scribbled in from front to back, full of traces of me throughout. I was dripping wet with the reminiscence of my childhood. After several hours I will be standing on the whole different place with new, unfamiliar scents. My own place with biography of memories floating is the most important land in the world. Someday, the original structure of my room might be changed and remodeled; the scent of my own memories will never be changed.

Yes. I’m moving. It is not grandiose moving like immigrate aboard or leave a place never to return. I’m just moving to another city. However, house removal represents much to me for everything around me changes, except my families. I moved to my house in Gwonseon-dong when I was 1st years old. There was a library, Lotte mart, and fire station around my apartment. I was excited to move to a new house but I also missed the people, house I lived I was excited to meet new friends and people around me, but I also missed the previous neighbors and the house I lived since I was born. Living and accepting the whole new environment around me was difficult. The ways to that heading toward my house was confusing because I couldn’t’ remember the new ways since I was young at that time. Also because almost every road to the house was intersection, it was much more dangerous to cross the traffic signal. The new placement of furniture in my house made me feel awkward. However, I could learn how to accept the new changes around us more easily and fast.

New house, new school. It is kind of a natural result of moving. I moved my school when I was 1st grade and 3rd grade on elementary school. One of it was the result of moving to Gwonseon-dong. Being in a whole different class with new teachers, desks, students, and buildings were difficult to adapt easily since I was young. When I said hello to the classmates in front of the class, sixty eyes were gazing at me like they were investigating me. Actually, I am not good at making friends. So the first time I moved my school, I was just sitting on my desk reading books. And I also tried to look like a good girl. I didn’t talk much to the students. However in the break time, some friends came to me first and talked with me that my hand writing was very good. That was just a little compliment, but I felt much comfortable. So I could make lot of friends in that school. And when I moved to CCA which is my second transfer to another school, I tried to approach to the new friends first. I learned how to make friends and make a good impression to them by experiencing “Accepting Change”

I entered CCA middle school by some kind of audition and that made me feel more nervous about entering the middle school. The life as a middle school student was totally different. The first difference was my class is on fourth floor. I have to climb all the way up to the fourth floor. Second, I felt get treated differently as a middle school student which is not CHILDREN. Teachers became friendlier and let us consider or chose the things we have to do with our whole classmates like choosing class shirts or something. Because of that, we also began to elect the class president. But on the other hand, the amounts of tests and performance evaluation just suddenly increased and it made my life become busier and stressful than before. Sometimes, I just want to leave in the South Pole alone when there is too much homework to do. Still, I like the life in CCA middle school and I don’t regret the choice I chose this school.

“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the lord, who is the spirit” 2 Corinthians 3:18

Run towards it!

by: Jumi Yoon“Jumi, are you ready yet?” I remember mom shouting from the kitchen. I was in my room,

which was totally empty -- except for me and my small, green suitcase. “Well…” I looked around my room and mumbled, instead of giving her a clear answer. I sighed deeply. Was I ready? Well, I’ve packed all of my clothes, the good-bye letters from my friends, old books, and even some dried mango (my favorite) to eat them in Korea. My carrier was completely full of all my belongings, and I definitely looked “ready.” However, I wasn’t so sure. I couldn’t imagine my life without my friends in Malaysia. I couldn’t imagine myself in a boring Korean school, instead of a good old Christian international school with a huge campus. I had to admit, to myself, that I wasn’t ready yet. That’s why I couldn’t answer back to what mom had asked me earlier. I felt miserable at that time – that’s how I felt when I had to leave Malaysia. My family was always moving to new places – every two or three years– and I had to go back to my home country, Korea. After a few experiences of moving in and out, I was finally getting used to the whole process of adapting to a new environment. However, there was a time when I wasn’t.

As a young kindergartener, I didn’t fully understand the idea of “moving into a foreign country.” When I moved to Singapore, around the age of four, I had no worries or concerns. Until then, all I needed was my family – with my mom and my dad beside me, I had nothing to fear. However, when I started going to an international school, everything was different. Kids would giggle about jokes I couldn’t understand at all, and I couldn’t get used to taking classes with people who has green eyes and curly blonde hair. “Hi, who are you and where are you from?” they would ask – it was only a simple question. However, because I couldn’t understand them, I just shook my head solemnly, feeling miserable. It felt like being left all alone in a deserted island.

On the first few days of school, my mom had to force me to ride the school bus. I would burst out into tears when she did – I refused to ride the school bus at all. “I don’t WANT TO RIDE TO SCHOOL BUS!” I would cry out, with tears all over my face. “I’m sorry, Mr. Hsu,” mom would say to the bus driver, looking pale and worried. “Don’t worry, Mrs. Yoon. I’m sure she’ll be fine. I’ll take her school safely.” However, I didn’t feel safe. I sobbed and sobbed all the way to school, feeling small and lonely inside the huge bus full of strangers. On some days, I would start crying when I leave, and would still be crying when I came back home. Days of misery seemed like it would go on forever.

Adjusting to my new life in Singapore was pretty hard at first. However, when I learned to speak English, I made many friends. I really liked to draw and color, and I was pretty good with it. With a crayon in my hand, I felt like a movie star that everyone admired. “Wow, look at what Jumi is drawing! Could you draw something for me?” asked a girl called Margaret, who later turned out to be my best friend. “Sure! As many as you want.” I felt joyful and cheerful, when kids would gather around me when I was drawing. “You are an awesome artist, Jumi!” my friends would complement with awe, and I felt like I had the whole world inside my hands. Although the life in Singapore wasn’t a very good start, I eventually got to enjoy the rest of my kindergarten life.

“Jumi,” my mom said, “what do you think about living in Malaysia?” It was a humid summer day, and I was trotting along next to my mom, with ice-cream in one hand. “I don’t know,” I answered, “are we moving again?” My mom shrugged, and told me, “maybe.” A few weeks after that day, I was in an island in Malaysia, called Penang. It was a completely new environment, which was very different from Korea. I could see palm trees everywhere, and could hear the sounds of the waves, from the not-so-blue sea. Lizards were commonly seen, and sometimes, cars had to stop in the middle of the road to wait for an Iguana to pass by. I especially didn't like eating the cheap, Malaysian noodles in a not-very-clean market.

Although I didn’t really miss my friends in Korea, school was tough. The first school I had attended in Malaysia was a non-Christian, British school. Even though I enjoyed my drama classes and my after-school art club, building relationship with people there was hard.

“What in the world are you doing, JUMI YOON!” my teacher screamed. “Miss Kaur,” I replied in a tiny voice, “what have I done wrong?” I looked at my teacher in fear, wandering what in the world was going on. A friend of mine was next to her, crying. “Do you really not know? Jane says you’ve said some bad things to her today. Stop acting like you don’t know!” Wow. That really hurt. It totally wasn’t true – what would I have said to my best friend? We got along really well that day, with no problems at all. I burst out into tears, and ran out of the classroom as fast as I could. Hiding in the toilet alone with nobody standing up for me, I felt a great amount of loneliness. ‘Malaysia is the worst place ever,’ I thought, ‘I want to go back to Korea. NOW.’

After the semester was finished, I switched schools, to a better one. It was a Christian school with a big campus, where you can see the sea right in front of it. With everyone so friendly and nice, I got to love Penang. I made many new, nice friends, and met wonderful teachers. Going Trick-or-treating, having slumber parties, having pool parties… I could do many things that I weren’t able to do in Korea! I remember a short conversation I had with a German friend. “Jumi, where is your hometown?” she asked. “I would rather say Penang, not Korea.” I replied. Even until now, if anybody asks me where my home is, I would rather say “Penang,” than “Korea.” My three years in Malaysia were the best period of my whole, entire life.

However, the happiness in Malaysia didn’t go on forever. After the wonderful three years in Malaysia, I had to move back to Korea, due to my dad’s job. I really didn’t want to move, because of all the friends I had there. I also enjoyed school very much there, and I loved learning from my teachers there. When my parents told me that we had to go back to Korea, I was shocked. Until then, I had never imagined of leaving all my friends in Penang and going to a new environment. Although Korea is convenient for many things, I missed Malaysia so much. I even had a dream at night, of me and my friends in Malaysia going to school to take classes, and going to the movies after school. After having dreams about Malaysia, I would wake up, feeling down and gloomy at the fact that I no longer live there anymore. Going to a public elementary school in Korea was especially hard, because I had gone to a Christian international school before coming to Korea. With all the kids swearing and badmouthing about others, my school life was extremely boring and irritating –I would just shut my mouth and not say anything at all. I never bothered to talk to kids about the new phone I bought, or a funny joke I’ve heard of. Talking to kids like that – kids who spoke in bad languages – made me feel tired. I felt tired, but not lonely, though, because I had my family that loves me and supports me. After a semester of going to school in Korea, I was exhausted. Exhausted about school, and exhausted about my life in Korea. However, when I came

to CCA for middle school, I got to like Korea. Most of the kids were nice, and the teachers were passionate. Although I still miss Malaysia very much, I’m thankful for everyone who I’ve met in Korea.

After going through a several experiences of moving in and out, I can finally say, I’m not afraid of adjusting to a new environment anymore. Before, I felt nervous and scared of what was waiting for me in the future. Now, I don’t feel scared anymore. I’m not even afraid or nervous about having to go to the U.S. next year. Of course, it will be hard, and there will be many frustrating moments I would have to go through. However, I now know that there will eventually be a time that I can enjoy – after times of hardships and challenges. Adjusting to a new life is not easy, but I believe in myself – that I can face everything and run towards it.

Having Courage When Facing What Makes You Fearful

by: Yeyoung Na

Sometimes we get scared because of the future, which can never be expected clearly. Few unfriendly materials coming to our lives make us anxious and nervous. I also experienced it too. The experiences can’t be reminded as happy memories in my life, but it made me overcome unpredicted and fearful things. The first story is about braces. Since I saw “Charlie and The Chocolate Factory”, a boy with braces who appears in the movie made me think braces make people look uglier. Also it made me get scared of braces because his father treated him strictly with his braces and never allowed him to eat any sweet treats.

When I was thirteen years old, my grandfather, who was a dentist, told me that I have to wear braces. Actually, I didn’t worry about the pain because I was used to going to the dentist. However, I worried that I would look uglier with the braces.

“Father, please, I don’t want to wear them. It will make me look weird. I can live with crooked teeth. The only problem of my whole teeth is just one tooth, which doesn’t come down! Please, I don’t want it. Please tell grandfather that I don’t have to do that.”

“No, Yeyoung. You must wear braces. If you don’t, you will be sorry and regret today. Let’s go to the dentist next Wednesday.”

I could see the dark and gloomy clouds in my future. I could hear the rumble of thunder laughing at me. I literally begged to my father and grandfather not to wear braces, but they were firm about it. Now I’m fifteen years old and still wearing the braces which look like an endless railroad alongside a clear and turquoise beach in a rural town. One stubborn tooth isn’t still coming down, so my whole set of teeth is getting crooked like a seesaw which has a father and a son riding on it. It is drawing a diagonal line and it makes my lips and face a bit twisted like a lump of squeezed clay. These days, I know braces are not fearful stuffs and it makes my face beautiful and balanced. But now I’m afraid about the other problem; my face gets unbalanced and it disturbs me pronouncing.

Few months ago, I was returning home alone after hanging out with my friends. It was the day when the final exam ended, so I had a really fun time with the friends. We watched a movie, Sowon, the Korean movie based on a real story and it was totally touching story. We drank bubble tea which made me feel like I tasted grapefruit-pink clouds in heaven up in the crystal-clear sky. We also bought girly things like glittering rings or tinted lip balms which colors seems like sweet cherries and dazzling-red poppies. I arrived home at dinner time and it was a bit dark like a surface of a cup of hot cocoa. I live in an apartment so I have to ride an elevator to get into home. Near the elevator, there was a man who seemed to be 50 years. He wore a black and orange uniform which seemed like a delivery man’s, and his gray cap was half covering his dirty face. He was sitting and smoking on the ground with his phone on his hand. When I was walking into the apartment, he kept staring at me as if I wore hundreds of lightbulbs. Then I got into the hall- Korean apartments have a hall with elevators on the first floor. Few seconds later, he followed me

and also got in to the hall. I kept my eyes on the elevator, and it was coming down. Suddenly, I felt some sort of fear.

‘Please, elevator, come down faster. Why are you so slow like a snail with a big house on its back? Please, I can still feel the strange man’s eyes.’

I thought in myself.

He stood behind me and suddenly, I felt fear again, rising like thick, black clouds. I rushed hurriedly to get out from the apartment. I heard his footsteps walking out from the hall and was still afraid that he can come and find me. My heart beat like night party drums which made me sweaty. After I assured that he had certainly gone to the other place and saw a woman with a little girl going into the hall, I went to the hall again and guess what? The elevator was still at the first floor, which means the man wasn’t living in the apartment but just followed me.

When I was young, I once had a dreadful nightmare. I can’t remember all the specific details of the dream, but I was chased by some people in an open field. My ears had become deafened because I ran so hard. Hot blood hovered in my mouth and an invisible person kept shouting on a microphone. Nothing was there except me and the chasing people. I was so scared that I cried sadly-I usually don’t cry loudly because I think it is embarrassing- after I woke up. My father prayed for me and it made me comfortable.

“Dear God, please let my daughter not have fearful night mares anymore and overcome what makes her afraid in Jesus’ name. Let her know you are always with her.”

Recently, I got interested with psychology and I’ve learned from my experiences that dreams are just another way of my brain meditating memories. Then I determined to control my dream as I want. My first nightmare made me scared, but I made my last nightmare fun. Also I was chased by the last nightmare- I think I easily become terrified when I’m chasing by unknown creatures- by black gorillas which are as same as the ones appeared in Temple Run, the game. One difference is that I was wondering in a big, blue maze. I dashed for my life and suddenly, I realized that I’m in my dream. I don’t know how it exactly happened, but I just knew it. Then I changed the rule of the game playing in my dream. I said to myself that if I want to jump high, I can over jump the wall of the maze. As I thought, it really happened in my dream! The wall was as tall as a building. However, I almost flied and landed softly as I wanted to go over the wall. Still the black creatures were chasing me, but I was no more afraid of them and the situation. I would like to change more rules or escape the maze, but I’m still proud that I overcame with things which made me afraid.

Memoir Title

by: Alvin Kim

Some may know the story of the female humpback whale that was tangled in crab traps and lines. She was barely able to keep herself buoyant when a rescue team came. It was a life threatening rescue. An animal that size could easily kill a person. But the rescuers did not give up and freed the whale. The whale showed gratitude by nudging each rescuer before returning to her home. Something similar happened to me except I was the female whale that was never freed from the crab traps. In a way.

When I was younger, my family and my cousins would often go to Las Vegas and stay there for a few days. It was a family holiday. Once we went in a souvenier shop at a hotel and saw the cutest stuffed cat, Before 2nd grade, I had this huge collection of animal figures and stuffed animals. I had bears, lions, tigers, and just about every animal imaginable. I later realized I had to throw all of them away. But anyways, it was a cute cat and I wanted it. So I think I had something like a tantrum. I got on the floor of the shop and started wailing because my mom wouldn’t get me the cat. I mean, that’s what most kids do, right? Out of embarrassment, she got me the cat and we headed for our hotel room. I was dragging the cat all the way long. Its long fluffy fur mopped up all the spilled drinks on the hotel floor and its hard plastic eyes scraped along. Animal abuse? I’m pretty sure Mr. Cat didn’t feel a thing. So we were almost there and this man told me that I dropped my stuffed animal. It was in my hands a second ago and now it wasn’t. The man left and I traced back our footprints along with Mom who was pretty fed up. We did everything we could to find my cat but we couldn’t and I eventually ended up with a stuffed tiger. So it didn’t really matter to me then, or now. So my theme is gratitude. If Mr. Random Guy didn’t tell me about my lost kitty, I would have been sad and wouldn’t of have even got the tiger I have now.

I was the female whale in the story that received help, but couldn’t escape from the crab traps. Mr. Random Guy told me I had dropped my cat so I looked for it but eventually didn’t find it.