It’s a Monday morning at English Village in Paju, South Korea. My work week is complete and I have a few days break before it starts all over again.
This past week was bursting with middle school students and a few extra surprises. On Thursday morning I walked out my door to find a parade of serious looking Korean men wearing black suits and ties. I didn’t think too much of it as I have learned to expect the unexpected here. As I walked further into campus it was soon clear that something out of the ordinary was happening. English Village is often a hot spot for an assortment of activity – wedding photo shoots, movies and television shows, commercial shootings. What was the excitement today? None other that EXO.
Who is EXO you may say? In the land of Korean K-pop, in the company of top stars like Psy and his world-famous “Gagnam Style“, is EXO. I know of EXO mostly by way of their doting fans, our adolescent Korean students, mostly girls. On more than one occasion a student’s art project of the day has been dedicated to EXO. From time to time as they map out their future life for a class assignment it includes a marriage to one of EXO’s members. And there they were… at English Village.
The guys in the ties and black suits were security. It was a good thing too as I am sure you can imagine what happened. Many of our Korean girl students have a tendency towards high-pitched screaming and excitability. It was not uncommon throughout the day to hear bursts of girls screaming in enthusiasm as they leaned their bodies at the edge of the security barricade trying to get just a little closer. During class break, and sometimes during classes, you could see their faces glued to the windows just hoping for a glance.
EXO was at English Village for two full days until at last… they left….returning to our regular irregularity. That is until two of the students were diagnosed with the swine flu. This required a quick health check-up for the entire visiting student body. Then mostly healthy and drama free, it was time to go home.
As I have mentioned in previous posts, it is an adjustment for me to return to the bustling world of our mostly adolescent young learners program after my brief hiatus in the more serene world of Book Club. I am doing my best to have a relaxed attitude with myself and the students and classes but sometimes I find this challenging.
We have had to adjust our attitudes towards programs at English Village as they have morphed and changed over the past year. What originally was a one-week program that was fun spirited but still had some academic intent has shifted into a two-night three-day program with more of a fun camp-like feeling. It was a necessary shift. Our students arrived expecting and being sold a fun class trip. They were ready for a few days of fun and good times – not to study English. Also our students are tired and overworked from the rigors of school and academic expectations in South Korea.
It is easy to have compassion for our busy overworked students. As you may know, life for a student in Korea is very challenging. They are in school during what I would consider regular school hours. Most students, however, also have a busy “after school” school life when they study English and possibly other disciplines. They attend an after school, have dinner there, and stay well into the evening. I have heard stories of parents typically picking up their child at the Library at midnight… on a “school night.”
When they come to English Village ready to have some fun, however, this is not always fun for the teacher.
This past week I had a group of students who were very challenging for me. They pretended they didn’t understand or speak any English when I know for a fact that they did. They wouldn’t respond to even simple requests like stand up… and acted like they didn’t know what I was talking about and continued on with their own personal parties. They wouldn’t answer questions. Didn’t participate. Not all classes are like this. But it wasn’t the first time, and it won’t be the last.
And so continues the busy spring world of teaching at Gyeonggi English Village. It seems like a good time to visit some tools that I find useful to ease the mind with the ups and downs of regular life. They are the Reiki Precepts.
Reiki as some of you may know is a Japanese healing art and a practice that I have participated in for about ten years. Once one attends a Reiki class and is initiated, what follows is a simple but powerful practice of laying ones’ hands on yourself or another and allowing the healing energy to flow through. The precepts are sort of guidelines, or friendly reminders that support a life of happiness, well-being and balance. It’s always good to revisit them.
I like to consider them one at a time, reintroducing them into my mind and life as a daily reminder. Here is the first Reiki Precept.
Just for today do no worry.
This is a great one. Simple and true. I often forget to be mindful of this basic but powerful precept as I go about my worrying ways. Sometimes when I feel that my life is out of my control, I think I actually worry to give myself something “to do” about it. Recalling this precept is a good reminder to let it go and just practice… just for today… do not worry.
I created original images for each of the five precepts. The image you see here is from that series. If you’d like to view them all and possibly purchase a print or card for yourself, you can visit my on-line gallery.
How about you? What do you think of this precept? Do you have any experience or related insight that would be fruitful to share? If so, please do. It’s always good to hear from you.
While it’s a day off for me, it is also the start of a new week at English Village and the next crew of students is arriving. I can hear the wheels of their suitcases and happy voices rolling down the street outside my window. And so begins another week at English Village.
Featured photo, a day off in Seoul strolling down a quiet street in Itaewon.
Gypsy Woman 
Hi Nancie, as always I enjoy your blog. in regards to one day no worry, I have been using Jesus’ being with me 24/7 and not to worry take things just one day and don’t think about the future. He’s with me and its working. Love Dad
Hi Dad! That is beautiful. Thanks for sharing. 😉
Pointing out that worrying is a way of feeling like you’re more in control (which is an illusion) is a great insight. I’m going to see if I can remember that and worry less!
Hi Bob! Thanks for the note! It is a good reminder for all of us!
I wonder if we hang on to our problems so we’ll have something to worry about.