A turtle travels only when it sticks its neck out. (Korean Proverb)

안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo)! Hello!
제 (je) 이름은 (ireum eun) 첼시 (Chelsea) 입니다 (imnida).  My name is Chelsea.

Welcome to my blog. :) Many people have asked me to keep a blog during my Fulbright experience in Korea, and I'm going to try really hard to keep this updated, especially with pictures. I know from my student teaching experience, though, that teaching can get very hectic (especially with lesson planning!), so please forgive me if I am not updating my blog as much as I should.

I have one week to go until I board a plane for my "adventure in the great wide somewhere." Right now, I am feeling a little bit of everything--excited, nervous, and scared. It seems so surreal to me that I'm going to be spending a year teaching in another country so far from home, but it has been a dream of mine for a long time. Being home has definitely been relaxing and it has been so wonderful to see my friends and family, but I am also very restless here as I prepare for my next step. My bags are (mostly) packed, I have memorized hangul, the Korean alphabet, and have plans to see many of my favorite people over the next week. The only step left is to find courage. Like the turtle in the Korean proverb, I tend to be shy and very cautious and slow to do things (I was actually nicknamed turtle in high school!), but it is time to "stick my neck out" and try new things. Besides, I have lots of protection following me:

Sandy (my second mom):  "The people better treat you well and keep you safe over there, or else there will be a whole band of Marlette hillbillies ready to jump on a plane and kick their a****. They won't know what hit them!"

An elderly lady from my church: "When you feel a warmth in your heart, then you'll know that we're all praying for you back home in Michigan."

^"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  --Jeremiah 29:11

Here are some links to youtube videos to see a little bit of what I'll be doing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQxFmVM865Id (Fulbright Korea Info)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ac4GYcSZ5C0 (Party Rock Anthem with elementary Korean students made by former Fulbright English Teaching Assistant)

So, here I go! If you have any book titles you'd like to send me, I love to read and am sure to read a lot during my down time and traveling time in Korea, so I would appreciate it. :) To anyone reading this, I love you with my whole heart and I carry your love with me wherever I go. Thanks for being you! <3