Thursday, November 6, 2014

Dear fam and friends,

     This week just flew by…….again.  I'm getting the hang of things more so that's good. haha My companion is the best trainer, because she forces me to guide us around so I can learn.  She makes me do everything on my own, and I have been learning so much and am so grateful for her.  We have no problems at all and get a long so well, and she's one of my greatest friends now. This week was pretty good.  We studied a lot as always and I am learning so much each day.  One thing I want you to know is that I'm learning how to cook.  I've been getting really good at cutting up vegetables and really fast too, that's for sure.  Cooking is probably one of my favorite things to do when I just have a break. (which is only at meal times haha)
     In Korea they don't celebrate Halloween, but we had this HUGE halloween party as missionaries.  They do it every year.  We invited all of our English class members and the ward members and just everybody.  Some missionaries decorated the ward building so well, and it was actually pretty scary.  All the little kids were freaked out!!  The elders made homemade root beer and my companion and I helped paint faces, and they had candy, and music playing.  Many investigators came, even more than members, and they had a blast!!! It was a great night!!
     We had our first zone conference this past Friday which was on Halloween day.  Our mission president's the sweetest man!! I don't see him much, but when I have spoken with him I'm very impressed.
      In this city called Bupyeong, they have churches everywhere, and many are Christian believe it or not.  I'm about 30 minutes from the ocean which is near the city of Incheon.  Everyone's SKINNY and there are no fat people here.  o.k. once in a very great while you might see someone over weight.  I wish America was like this.  The Korean's eat a lot of rice, fish, and tons of vegetables.  It's starting to get a little cold and nippy, and I am wearing sweaters, but it's a beautiful time right now.  It's fall and the leaves are a gorgeous color of red and orange.  The people here in this city do not wear typical American looking clothes.  I don't know how to describe their style but I love it.  Mother, you would love to go shopping here.  Everything is much more modest and just nice and classy, but cute and stylish in their own way. 
     The people still stare at us all the time but that's fine.  There are cats and dogs everywhere, and people just love pets.  By the way, the pillows are terrible here, so I'm soooooo glad you sent me mine!! I love my own pillow!  Someone asked if there are tables and chairs at all in our apartment. NO. No one here, including us, has any table or chairs in their homes.  We all sit on the ground to study and eat. It's weird! 
     I wear my guitar on my back, like a back pack, and it's great!! I sing everywhere a lot.  We haven't auditioned yet to sing on the stage in the subway, because we are still working on getting our songs all together.  We are putting on a Thanksgiving party soon and I was assigned to be in charge of all the music and also play and sing for everyone.  I'm planning to sing alone for a lot of the songs just because that's what my companion wants.  Everyone is in a hurry at the subway but there are quite a few people that stop and listen and video us while we sing. We still have not sung at the park, but we will.
     Now for the craziest story EVER………… ARE YOU ALL READY?………Last Monday was P-Day and I needed the roots of my hair to be fixed.  I am a blonde and my roots were  coming in very brown.  I was excited to stay a blonde in Korea for a reason, haha.  So we went straight to a salon and my companion explained to her what I wanted.  I assumed the lady knew what she was doing.  After she was done, she showed me my hair and she had turned ALL MY HAIR ORANGE!!!!!  I held in my tears.  She and this other man started to laugh at my hair as they were blow drying it.  My companion was laughing too.  I cannot describe to you the look on my face.  I wanted to cry my eyes out.  My blonde hair was completely ruined!!!!!  i finally just got up and left.  I wish I had never paid her but I didn't know what to say.  I walked out the door and turned the corner and grabbed my companion and said while almost crying, "I HAVE ORANGE HAIR!!" She just burst out laughing so hard!!!!  I started to think, "I cannot be seen like this, and this is not missionary appropriate." So we walked straight to another salon and asked for someone that could speak English, and we asked her if she could fix it.  At that point she said it was either put bleach on top of bleach and fry my hair off, or just go brown.  I decided to play the safe way even though it wasn't the way I wanted.  Long story short…. this next lady accidentally dyed my hair JET BLACK!!!!!!!    What a mistake!!! Now I look Korean. I have been blonde since I was 11 years old so I was in complete shock.  I hate it but there's nothing I can do now, and I am stuck with this hair the rest of my mission.  When I get back I'm going to go blonde but now I have to endure this black hair.  So much for my plans to be the "blonde in Korea." haha
     I miss you all and am so happy to hear that you all are doing so good.  I can't wait to meet baby Ethan.  I hope Roxy recovers well.  I love you all soooooooo much it's unbelievable!!  I think about you everyday and pray for you every night.  I wish that you all could enjoy this experience with me.


              Love, Michelle

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