Its been another full week of teaching here at English Village in South Korea. Once again we have hosted hundreds of middle school S. Korean students. Once again we have spun in a maze of English classes ranging from “Survival English” to Badminton (a favorite with Korean girl students, but not so much English taught here) to classes about Movies, Science, Drama, Culture. I have handed out more stickers (a tool we use to increase student participation) than I can count. And now it’s the weekend.
Teaching at English Village is a good challenge for me with the practice of being a good, interesting and compassionate teacher in the face of many and varied new Korean students. Some days, some classes I think… I am a pretty good teacher… and other classes with more challenging behavior… I feel less confident.
The volume dial of our work week has been turned up with the steady flow of hundreds of South Korean students. Generally we receive groups of good kids here at English Village but the fact remains that they are young adolescents (a phenomenon that has no cultural boundaries), they outnumber the teachers, we don’t speak the same language, and they are here at English Village as a field trip to have some fun… which is sometimes fun for the teachers, sometimes not.
As Friday drops in I find myself depleted from the week. Once again, I find myself receiving the thank-you letters from the students at the end of the week which automatically lifts my spirits. In the spin of so many students and the mixed behavior and challenges throughout the week, it makes a difference to be acknowledged and to be seen by the students as a “good and kind teacher.”
In the midst of the blessings and challenges of this week, I find it is important to return to the basics and take time to smell the metaphorical flowers. For me that begins with gratitude. As I write from the chilly Winter-like Spring of Paju, South Korea pretty darn close to N. Korea, here is my ode to gratitude… and the simple things in life that I will now give my attention and thanks… I am grateful for…
1. Chocolate “pudding” made with greek yogurt. This may sound a bit callous and overly simply, but as someone who is sensitive to sugar and must stay away from it, chocolate has typically been something I have to go without. Lately I have been purchasing homemade Greek yogurt from a local business in Seoul. Their website is medfoodinkorea.com. I recently acquired a new treasure from the local “foreigners” market… unsweetened Hershey’s cocoa for the bargain price of about 7.50 USD. The other night relaxing after work a new idea popped in… Greek yogurt, Hershey’s cocoa… Greek yogurt, Hershey’s cocoa… is it possible there is a place where the two can come harmoniously together? And so I googled… and found a simple recipe of just Greek yogurt, cocoa, and a little natural sweetener (I used just a touch of honey). Without hesitation, I went for it and easily created a simple and satisfying chocolate snack. Did I mention I added fresh strawberries? Ah, delish!
2. Veggiehill.com. I have mentioned them in my blog before. They are a recent find that sources organic foods grown not far outside of Seoul. What a treat it is to easily order my food online and have it shipped to my door. Not only does this free up a little more time in my life, but it provides me with chemical-free vegetables that you just can’t find in the grocery store. The vegetables I receive look ten times better than what I see in the stores and taste great. Hooray!!
3. Quiet Relaxing Evenings. I’m a sensitive soul and after the big energy of teaching dynamic middle school kids during the day it is highly needed and satisfying to have some quiet and private down time in the evenings. I often treat myself to a good meal, an extended Reiki treatment, a little yoga. Ah, just what the doctor ordered! And before I go to bed? Usually, a little shameless video watching… my recent pleasure is watching old episodes of House then some chanting before bed. How grateful I am for this time and my spiritual practices to balance my being and my day and prepare me for the day to come.
4. I am teaching a yoga class! Wow, it is amazing to me that I am teaching a yoga class at English Village. As someone who has practiced yoga for over 8 years, relying on it as a spiritual tool to move my body, mind and spirit through many challenging circumstances, it is a real treat to share it with others. The situation sort of found me…it began with one of the head teachers at English Village asking if I would teach one yoga classes during the work week for teachers. After that many teachers asked when the next yoga class would be… so we planned it. Our first weekly yoga class was this past Monday evening. We had a great turnout! So many teachers were there that we almost need a bigger room. Fabulous.
5. I am at home. This may sound overly simple, and isn’t necessarily referring to S. Korea or English Village… but it’s a growing sense in me that no matter where I am or what I am doing, I am at home. Not that I don’t sometimes feel “homesick” or long for a life that might be more rooted… But the challenges and blessings of life – losing all of my belongings to Hurricane Katrina, being dramatically uprooted, deciding to travel and the challenges and blessings of that life, have supported the development of my home within. It’s a spiritual place really and even thought I still feel and experiences successes and challenges daily, it is ever apparent in my life.
And with that… gratitude in the midst of challenges, growth and new opportunities in South Korea, I will say good bye for now.
In the meantime I am curious, what are you grateful for in your life? I’d love to hear from you!
Photo above is a snapshot taken in Seoul of a road barrier… that has planters on it filled with flowers. Finding beauty in the most unexpected of places.
Gypsy Woman 
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