Tina & I met in Seoul, South Korea in November 2006.
Tina was studying in Sukmyung Women's University's Graduate TESOL certificate program when she was assigned to interview a foreigner teaching in Korea. Tina's best friend Sunny told her, "I met this guy, Jon, at church who teaches at Dongduk Women's University-- you should interview him."
Tina and 5 group members came to interview me at DWU, Tina enjoys telling everyone the fact that she thought I was "weird" when she first met me.
And I'll admit, my eyes were half-shut and red from a long day teaching and really all I wanted to do was finish this interview and go home; but then I met Tina and things started looking up! ^^
Tina & her group took me out for coffee-- after getting some caffeine & talking with this group of girls, led by Sunny's cute best friend with a smile like the Chestershire cat from Alice in Wonderland, I got my second wind. So much so, that the interview lasted 2+ hours & afterwards all of the SMU girls took me out for Chinese dinner to say "thanks."
After that, Tina decided I wasn't so "weird" & even started coming to my church's English service-- to "see Sunny" of course ;-)
But then she started being a regular attendee of my Sunday English Bible Study that was held 1 hour from her house-- "to study English and learn more about God" (and about Jon^^)
After about 6 months another major event happened-- Tina's best friend Sunny's marriage to Dan (another foreigner ^^). After seeing Sunny & Dan's relationship grow and love blossom, Tina decided dating a foreigner might not be such a bad idea...
So, we started spending more time with each other, going to movies & dinners and then on May 19, 2007 at their wedding reception, Sunny & Dan saw us holding hands and our dating was official.
Last summer, Tina flew to Seattle to visit me and then go on a romantic excursion to Vancouver, Victoria, and Whistler, CAN & also to meet my mom & friends in Seattle.
But then it was off to New York City to study in the MA/TESOL program at NYU for a year for Tina, while I flew back to teach another year at DWU in Seoul. We knew this year was the test for our relationship...
Thankfully, with the help of a Christmas rendezvous in Montana where Tina met much of the rest of my family, our relationship has weathered the test of time.
We made it through a year of being literally halfway around the world from each other...
And on May 19, 2008 (Sunny & Dan's anniversary) we were engaged!
Tina now loves saying I was her best homework assignment ever!
The moral-- "always do your homework!"
Korean Wedding:
12:00 pm
Sokchon Catholic Church
Jamsil, Seoul, South Korea
Seattle Wedding:
7:00 pm
Holiday Inn Issaquah
Issaquah, WA
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hotel/seaiq/welcome
If you are planning on coming to either of our blessed union of souls, please check out Jon's travel website and compare the rates to those you find elsewhere-- if the rates are comparable or cheaper, please book your travel there because in addition to booking travel to bless us with your presence, you can help us build our family nest-egg! ^^
Go Greener Travel:
http://www.ytbtravel.com/jongreener
Also, if you're planning on staying at the Holiday Inn Issaquah for the Seattle celebratory shindig, here is the link for the Holiday Inn so you can book your rooms. Just ask for the "Kim/Greener wedding block/group"
Holiday Inn Issaquah:
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hotel/seaiq/welcome
