Summer Camp, Blogs and Korea ... Oh My!

Greetings from hot and muggy Mission Lake near Wausau, Wisconsin!

I sort of promised everyone I would start keeping a blog as I headed into my year as a public school English teacher in Seoul, South Korea. Well, this will be the the home of that blog which I have aptly named "Badger in Korea" (clever, I know). I'll be posting semi-regular updates on lots of different things as they pop up from my time in Korea. I've got a camera so I'll incorporate pictures and movies in as many posts as possible.

The purpose of this blog is simply to keep connected with you all, my friends and family, while I am across the Pacific Ocean. I want share with you and give you my perspective as a 23 year old Wisconsinite pretty much implanting myself into a foreign country where I am totally unfamiliar with the culture, the language and the people. It should be an interesting ride...

I've recently learned that I'll be meeting for some training in Chicago on August 29 and then flying to Korea the following morning, August 30. Other than that, I've yet to get my age group assignment or the exact locale of where I will be teaching. The U of W ESL department seems to really like to keep you guessing, but as soon as I get this information I'll be sure to let everyone know!

For right now, Korea seems far away... about a month and a half to be more precise. Until then, I'll continue to spend my summer enjoying sights like this every day:

Camp at Waypost has been a great experience. The people are fantastic, the scenery is breath-taking and the daily challenges have been rewarding and inspiring. It's truly one of those jobs where you forget that you are getting paid to do it. Working with families and youth from all around Wisconsin has been a nice primer for my job and has really gotten me motivated to be a teacher in Korea.

Camp was always such a special memory during my youth and probably the most important week of my year. Meeting new friends, learning from positive role models, challenging myself in all manners- physically, socially, mentally and spiritually- all of these things are a part of a week of summer camp. To have the opportunity to work on a summer camp staff at both Pine Lake and Waypost has been invaluable. I never tire of watching people of all ages come in and share in the same experience that I had- a week where you arrive often feeling weighed down with the baggage of everyday life but almost always leave as a stronger, motivated and happier individual. If nothing else, a week at camp is a great "pause" for everyone and a great time to reflect and re-evaluate life in a peaceful environment surrounded by simplicity, nature, and a community atmosphere. Definitely a place I enjoy spending the summer before an over-sea adventure.

Alright, that's about all for now. Until next time...Happy Trails!

-Mike