I'm in Korean!

Literally. This is the first chance I've had to do much of anything on the computer. I've signed on to my blogspot site and everything is in Korean! I can't read a word of it. Fortunately it's letting me type in English, so I'll see if it will post in English as well.

Dr. Lee has been working me to death! It's been a very, very good week, though, so I guess the hard work is accomplishing something. Here's a summary of our schedule for this past week --

• MONDAY -- I arrived, after flying from Capetown to Johannesburg to Hong Kong and then finally to Seoul. A VERY long trip! We had dinner with Rev. Sung Gon Lee when I arrived, and finally checked into the guesthouse at Yonsei University around 10:00 p.m.
  
  
• TUESDAY -- We spent the morning and afternoon at Seoul Jangshin University, where we attended chapel, had lunch with the faculty, and I lectured to a large body of the students (probably 200 or more). Dr. Lee translated and we had fun. I have no idea what he said, but they seemed to like whatever it was! Tuesday evening we had dinner with the pastor and elders of Saemoonan Church (a very large church--I believe it is the "mother church" that Horace Underwood started--if I remember correctly).
  
  
• WEDNESDAY -- We spent the morning and afternoon at Yonsei University (founded by Underwood). I lectured in the morning -- to doctoral students this time, all of whom were proficient enough in English so that I didn't need to be translated. They asked really tough questions! It was a very good event. Then we went to chapel and had lunch. Dr. Lee then lectured in the afternoon. In the late afternoon we met Mr. Il Young Yoo, who took us to the cemetery where the Underwoods are buried (and other Christian martyrs as well). The picture at the top of this post is of Joon and me at the cemetery. Then, that evening we had a marvelous dinner with Dr. Kyong Bae Min, a church historian.
  
  
• THURSDAY -- We spent the day at Janshin Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary, a seminary that many of our Korean students have attended. I lectured again, this time translated by a member of the Janshin faculty. Late in the afternoon, we left by train for Kwang Ju City (in the southern part of the peninsula, about 3-1/2 hours from Seoul) and had a delightful dinner with Dr. Cha, president of Honam Theological University and two faculty members there.
  
  
• FRIDAY -- I lectured at Honam Theological University; we met with faculty; and then we returned to Seoul. Friday evening we spent with the dean and faculty members from Torch Trinity Graduate School of Theology.



• SATURDAY -- Today:
  
  


• Finally, Dr. Lee gave me a day off! It was the first (and only) day that we've had to do a few "tourist-y" things. We went to a fabulous marketplace (Insadong) where I spent too much money and then to Gyeongbokgung Palace (the Palace of Shining Happiness), which was Taejo's residence and seat of power. He and his successors used it until 1592. The throne hall was rebuilt in 1867. I'll post one picture of the throne hall and one of the palace guards.
  
  
  
  

• Maybe I'll have time to post more pictures when I get to Vancouver...
  
• SUNDAY -- Tomorrow: I preach at the English service of Myung Sung Church in the afternoon and then at the Shin Sung Church Sunday evening.
  


• MONDAY -- Dr. Lee flies back to the States and I head to Vancouver. I'll try to blog again once I get settled in at Vancouver.

Missing you all!