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Happy Birthday and Other Stories

25 Nov

It’s early evening on a Monday night at English Village.  Monday is basically my “Sunday” as I work Saturdays and am off Sunday and Monday.  There is a new crop of students bustling through English Village this week.  I can hear their enthusiasm and giggles outside my window.  They are likely shopping at the EV Mart located just below my new apartment.

It’s been a simple yet satisfying Monday.  It’s already dark outside and the day has turned into night… and I am still in my pajamas.  It’s been one of those kind of days.  A day where playing around in the kitchen led to cleaning the kitchen which led to making some lentils which led to working on my computer.  This led to chatting with a friend on Facebook which led to a string of many other miscellaneous activities, interests and obligations.  Starring just me… in my pajamas.  In my new apartment.  A while ago my sister saw a skit by a comedian who was cleaning up his office.  This simple act led to a barrage of fun and exciting games in his comic skit, playfully discovering new things in the process.  She said that he reminded her of me as when I was a child cleaning out my closet turned into a playful adventure of discovery and a day long event!  It’s been one of those kind of days.

The weather is turning colder and we are all taking refuge in our warmer coats and scarves.  We even had a few snow flurries earlier this week.  With the cold weather brings fewer little students braving the cold and attending the bookclub program that I teach.  Those that do arrive have cold bodies and runny noses.

This week with the itty bitties has been pretty basic as we investigate the world of reading in English.  I continue to explore new ways to engage them as their energetic bodies enter the classroom not quite yet ready to be seated and listen and read.  Sometimes I play with them a little bit with yoga having some physical fun until they can slowly come to a place of a bit… more… focus.

I tried playing Mad Libs with some of my older students this week.  You remember that, right?  You make a random list of nouns, adjectives and words and then fill in the blanks to reveal your silly story.  At first as we approached this in class, it was an adventure in clarifying what exactly is a verb, and adverb, and adjective.  And once we had traversed that landscape, it was their turn to make their list.  And then, at last when we filled in the words for their silly story, the response was a little bit… unexpected.  While they did chuckle a bit, they were not totally delighted.  In some ways there was some embarrassment and a desire to change the words to make it fit better in the story.  Not quite the Mad Lib joy I remembered.

Sunday I congregated with some friends in my Buddhist SGI group in Seoul.  We met at a local Korean chapter meetings as we were one of the featured entertainers at their annual meeting.  It was quite a hoot as we did a simple Zumba dance with flashing lights making us look fancier than we really were.  Despite my resistance to the whole things it was indeed… fun!

Afterward we were treated to a Korean style pork dinner known as Samgyeopsal.  It is a local favorite and pretty simple really. Tables receive uncooked cuts of pork that you cook on the barbecue on your table.  It’s served with an assortment of sides, most of which were off-limits to me with my sensitivity to sugar, a staple additive to most Korean dishes. Before the meal we were all offered a large plastic bag to put our coats and belongings in.  I was told the purpose of the bags  is to keep your coat and personal items from smelling from the thick aroma of  barbecue.  How is that for service? As the meal arrived, everyone busily prepared the food and cut… using kitchen scissors as it the custom in Korea.  No knives here!  And before you know it, our food was ready to eat.

At the end of the meal was a little  celebration to honor my birthday courtesy of the lovely people in my Seoul SGI district.  The night before I received a cryptic text message asking (knowing that I can’t eat refined sugar)… can I eat honey?  What about maple syrup?… “not really, I replied.”  Alas I dampened an earnest attempt to bake a cake for my birthday I could actually eat.  And so, defeated, they presented me with an ordinary birthday cake, beautiful  in style and intact with a candle to blow out.  It was a lovely gesture even though… I couldn’t eat it…  So I took it in visually, cut it up equally and distributed it to the guests.  And I didn’t even lick the icing off my fingers.

When it was time to leave the weather outside had turned to wind and rain.  As this was unexpected, none of us were armed with an umbrella.  In elegant SGI style, the Korean woman’s district leader who was dining with us had someone go out and fetch umbrellas for all of the over a dozen guests.  Happily we received our new umbrellas and headed out into the rain content to be dry.  Soon after I made my return to Paju.

The weekend is coming to a close and I have a few more hours of play before night turns to day and a new week begin.  Please write if you like and tell me what is up in your world.  It’s always good to hear from you!

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New Nest

14 Nov

It’s a chilly day in Paju, South Korea.  I am taking a little break hovered around the electric heater like a campfire.  While true, it is not yet winter, the icy cool Paju weather has begun to make an appearance. The long cold winter is just around the corner.

My big English Village news this week is that I have moved into a larger apartment.  This is not a small event for me.  As someone who has been traveling for the past three years, often living in the grace and space of other people’s homes in a variety of situations (the most unexpected of which was a mattress lovingly placed on top of a table in an extra storage room)… my two-room apartment (an upgrade from my one-room space of the last ten months) feels like a castle.  I could hardly hide my joy as I was moving in.  So much room.

I have a tub in my new apartment.  It is a most loved addition as it seems I am part fish and need a regular immersion in water.  This is, however, no ordinary tub.  It is a Korean size tub.  Quite simply it means… it is small. No room for long “western” sized legs.  No room to expand and relax or even move side to side.  But it does have a cumfy built-in head rest. The best part is that it holds hot water just the same and, thankfully, at least I can fit in.

I continue to teach, entertain and negotiate my relationships with my new young students. Mostly… they are so cute.  This week I explored doing a little yoga with them to try to focus some of their endless spritely energy.  Their willing nimble bodies moved and grooved happily into a variety of child-friendly yoga poses.

One student who I teach one-on-one I am learning is a bit of a joker and likes to play games with me.  She will often say a different name from what something actually is in the spirit of her own little fun.  The other day she decided when reading a book about a variety of creatures, that I was the octopus and she was, of course, the princess.  Alas, who can argue with that!

One of my student’s loves to play the game hangman.  You know how it goes – you guess a letter and if that letter is not in the word you get a body part drawn on the classic hangman post resembling the number 7. When she plays she adds her own twist.  She draws the hangman in typical Korean cute fashion –  a delicate girl head and body, with fancy hair,  bow and dress.  Too funny. Another student recently showed up for class in a sweatshirt with a Ninja face hood complete with see through eyes on the hood.  I was pretty impressed and very cool as far as kids things go.  And still, another student when drawing a picture of a turtle had to include the much loved Korean ponytail often drawn by little girls in pictures and drawings.

Earlier this week I attended the local Korean chapter of my Buddhist group, Soka Gakkai International.  It is quite a system we have established to negotiate connecting with our obvious language barriers.  There is one young member who went to college in the United States and speaks excellent English.  We begin the journey with her contacting me via text. She lets me know when the meeting is and what time to be ready.  Then a different Korean member picks me up at English Village and takes me to the meeting.  The ride is friendly but often quiet with little to communicate.  A few stops are made along the way, picking up other women SGI members.

Arriving at the meeting, its always a joy to experience the excitement and love I feel from this group even though we can’t communicate.  Often young members are excited to see me and I wonder if some of them have ever seen someone who isn’t Korean before.  And so I listen to the meeting, with the help of my friendly translator who meets me there.  In no time at all the meeting is over and once again I am whisked back safely to English Village.

As the weather turns cooler and with my new big apartment, I find myself more inclined to nesting and staying warm at home. Cooking soups.  Feeling somehow like I want to prepare myself for the winter.

But for now, it’s an afternoon of classes.  It’s just another day at English Village.

Photo: The bright Fall lights on the English Village Campus.

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Settling In

3 Nov

I have been back in South Korea for over a week now.  While my sleep, for the most part, is back on Korean time, it seems my mind, body and being are still assimilating to life back in South Korea.  Admittedly, my six-week stay in the States has me remembering now the things that are familiar and good in my home culture.  The ease of movement in a land where, mostly, I know the rules… and the language. Quality built and well insulated homes.  Easy access to healthy food.

That said, I still feel a certain element of independence and spark of excitement at just being in South Korea. Today was my first trip into Seoul since returning.  I appreciated the foreign familiarity of staring into the many Korean faces on the subway, all of us united in the study of our smart phones.  The recognizable but still indiscernible to me sound of the Korean language.  The simple pleasure of walking in Seoul on a perfectly moderate fall day, catching a glimpse of the Seoul Tower in the background.  Despite missing things about home, I can’t deny that I am also grateful to be here.

My first week returning to English Village has been a bit bumpy for me.  Thankfully my week-long sleep adjustment finally resulted in success – sleeping all the way until 5am… Hurray!  While not quite cold yet, there is a new damp bite in the air… a chilly reminder of the winter months that lie ahead.  A daunting prospect for me at best.  And then there is the mold. My newish work assignment at English Village has me working in a building that has some mold problems.  Since returning, one day I turned on the heater to warm up the place and doing so must have launched a variety of unwanted things in to the air.  What resulted for me was a very painful allergic reaction.  This experience has me hesitant in my new work environment.

But bumpy as its been, I can’t help but stop to smell the roses.  I continue with my pre-US departure work assignment now teaching small classes of young children learning to read.  This is quite a change from the busloads of adolescent youth I was teaching in my previous assignment.  Days now include a quieter tone and the innocence and genuine enthusiasm of the children I work with.  Additionally, we get to see the same kids each week, so I have some time to get to know them.

Most of my students are really sweet and enthusiastic.  They range from a very young age of about four years old to 9-year-old.  Their English level spans from still learning their ABCs to quite conversational.  As I get to know them, its fun to consider what they like to do and choose activities and games that best suit them.  At times they are wild with their unbridled childlike energy… which can be fun and contageous… and other times a bit of a challenge in the classroom.

This week’s adventures in the classroom included a bit of a scavenger hunt – roaming the campus looking for words we read in our book “Under the Sky”.  Along the way, we stumbled upon the two resident turtles at English Village.  They were a big hit with my little student who found them while looking for rocks.

Also, while the leaves are changing color here in Paju, some of my students created some colorful trees of their own.  I was impressed with their bold selection of colors!

Today I made my way to Seoul for the chapter meeting of my Buddhist SGI group, known as Morning Sun.  I can always count on this group to provide a friendly face, a good hug, as well as some wisdom and inspiration.  Three years into this practice, I continue to appreciate its consistent message of never give up and of making the impossible possible.  I also am fed by the reminder that part of the happiness of life is the joy and growth in overcoming life’s challenges. It helps me to keep an attitude of never give up when surrounded by the spirit and energy of this Buddhist group.  I particularly appreciate the spark and enthusiasm of this Seoul SGI group that to me feels so vibrant and alive.

After my day in Seoul, I am now settled in a bit for a little relaxation.  On my way home, I stopped at the local Home Plus store and treated myself to a few familiar goodies.  Sometimes the little things make a difference.

And with that I will leave you for now… settling in for the night on a quiet cool evening in Paju City, South Korea.

Top photo is a snapshot of some bright bold Fall leaves on the English Village campus.

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Update from the Heartland

7 Oct

It’s a quiet Sunday afternoon in small town mid-west USA.  All is good.  The air is fresh and  crisp.  The scene is quiet.  There is a hint of Fall color in the trees and Halloween is not far around the corner.

As you may know, I am immersed in an unexpected detour from my life in South Korea, now in the mid-west USA where my family resides. I learned recently of some serious health challenges of a family member and since have ridden the wave that landed me back home in the States for a visit. When I say home, I suppose I say that loosely.  I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri but haven’t lived there for nearly 20 years. I spent my last thirteen years in the States living in New Orleans. Almost ten years ago, my parents left St. Louis and diverted to a different neck of the woods to be close to family and grandchildren.  So my visit home, while surrounded by family and a place I have visited, is in many ways unfamiliar to me.

Daily life here is simple but not without some much-needed joy and exploration.  How fortunate I am, particularly without a vehicle, that my parent’s church just down the street offers a yoga class three days a week!  I have also connected with local members of my SGI Buddhist organization.  They have been so friendly and supportive. One member even picked me up this morning to attend the monthly World Peace Gathering. It did me a world of good to spend a little time out in life connecting with new people and chanting as well.

It continues to be an easy breeze being back in the States.  My body and being are more than grateful for a big helping of cushy conveniences and American luxuries.  That said, there is certainly a part of me that now feels in some way at “home” in South Korea.  I noticed this when an SGI member today bowed and said “annyeonghaseyo” which is Korean for hello.  My heart leapt and my eyes lit up in recognition.

I was seriously tickled the other night by my youngest nephew, now 7 years old.  We were playing a game of charades of sorts.  He would act something out and I had to guess what it was.  One time he did a dance… and I was thinking… there is no way I am going to recognize this dance.  I am so out of touch with young American culture.  I asked him to hum the song and still didn’t recognize it.  “Okay I give up!” I said. ” What is it?”  It was none other than “Gangnam Style” the mega-hit by Korean pop star Psy.  “That song is from South Korea!” I told him.   “Did you know that?”  His eyes lit up and he took off in excitement to tell his brothers.

Life here has been good but also challenging.  There are the basics challenges of the health issues that are facing my family right now.  Additionally are the challenges (and blessings) of three adults (that would be my parents and myself) living together when we haven’t done so since they were the parents and I was the child. While we have had a few ups and downs in our adventure of co-habitation, it is still certainly worthwhile to be here at this important time.

And so with that I will depart from my nearly weekly update of my gypsy life, looking less gypsy-like nested comfortably in the heartland of the States. Please feel free to write and share what is up in your life.  It’s always good to hear from you!

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Trust in the Flame

18 Aug

It’s a sleepy Sunday morning.  I already went to the pool, conveniently located on the English Village campus, to get a little exercise.  As I jumped into the refreshing water, I was greeted by the cutest little Korean girls eager to test their English skills.  They looked at me with their full attention like I was a combination between a diamond and a creature from another planet.  “Hello” they exploded exuberantly while they kicked and splashed in the water.  Within seconds they offered me their names — their English names that is.  It is not that unusual in Korea to have a traditional Korean name and an English name like Mike or Sarah.  We happily conversed for a few minutes until, alas, it was time for me to begin my morning swim.

While last week was a traditional summer break for much of South Korea, English Village was in full swing with a multitude of English programs for students.  Yes in South Korea, even during the summer holiday, it is a time for learning and a time to study English.

Two weeks ago I finished up my final week of teaching a special program for elementary and middle school Korean, Japanese and Russian students.  Teaching at English Village is not a typical classroom experience.  As we have many students at one time here for the short-term, we lead a variety of classes comprised of many new faces.  In these circumstances,  I have tried to dance the dance of creating some discipline while still having fun and learning, all within a very limited time frame.  Sometimes, admittedly, the strategy is “let’s get through this class” as the room is filled with boisterous yet tired, hungry, homesick young students who have been in classes all day in a language mostly foreign to them.  Not always easy – for the teacher or the students!

I had to laugh last week when I was in the final class of a week-long program with a group of elementary aged students literally bursting with energy.  We were completing one final activity before the class and the week-long program was complete – filling out a simple survey.  As the students often don’t have their own pencils, we do our best to keep a healthy supply in the classrooms to hand out when needed.  When the students realized they needed a pencil for this last activity, they started calling out desperately to me for pencils like animals in the wild, like starved souls in the desert reaching for salvation.  “Pencil teacher, pencil!”  they cried with urgency on their faces and in their eyes.  With my modest supply of pencils, I did my best to ease the masses and hand out pencils as they swarmed around me like locusts, hands reaching in the air.

Shortly after that, while I was answering a question for one student, I felt another young student tug on my arm.  I couldn’t tend to her just yet, but put my hand on her arm to acknowledge her and let her know she had my attention.  While I was still talking with the first student, the other student went behind me, reached her arms way up high (as she was quite little compared to me) and gave me a gentle massage precisely on the spot on my shoulders where I had locked in my stress like a stone.  She did it for just a minute and after that I heaved a big sigh of relief and for that afternoon I felt… better.

Admittedly, I am feeling stressed lately. I am doing my best to relax and take it easy when I can.  But the truth is,  I need a vacation. Yesterday at my chiropractor appointment when he finally got to my neck he made his typical comments of “oh my God.  So tight.” I felt the urgency in his words mirror my experience.  “Help!” I said, “I need your help” as I feel myself holding on tightly and can’t always find a way to let go and relax. He did his best to work a few kinks out in the last few minutes of my appointment and then I was off.

While this work and the recent persistent schedule has been challenging for me, there are benefits in the challenges as well.  Working with kids challenges me to be the best person I can be.  Sometimes the kids I work with bring out the good in me.  And sometimes they push me to my limits – forcing me to practice negotiating that space with loving kindness, not always easy for me.  This past Thursday I made my first attempt to teach a yoga class to kids.  It was the 28 kids in our Global Leadership Program, the current two-week program that I am now teaching. While perhaps a more mature topic, the participants are certainly all kid with ages ranging from about 9 years old to perhaps 13. Attempting to teach them yoga was no easy feat for me.  We did our best, me and my co-teacher for the hour, to transform the classroom into a yoga studio while the kids ran around feverishly on their break, then introduce them to some yoga postures, only to return the classroom to its original states, all within a 50 minute time frame.  This was their last hour of a long day and their spirits were perhaps ready to go wild.  I did my best to rope in their wild energy, played some soothing yoga music overhead, relied on the poses that had appealing “kid friendly” names such as cat stretch, cobra, downward facing dog.  In the end, some played along.  But some continued in the spirit of their wild nature.  They are not to be blamed for their child-like exuberance, but it was challenging for me.  And while some students earnestly attempted the poses I led, it was a far cry from the beautiful, peaceful gift of yoga I know and depend on.  Perhaps I need to see a new face of yoga when teaching kids.

Yesterday at my SGI Buddhist meeting in Seoul I read the introduction to the meeting.  As I started to read the words I had to fight back tears as I was reading.  It began ” ‘The flame in a child will be like a great sun in the future’ so declared the great French writer Victor Hugo. Our responsibility is to trust in the flame of home that burns in the hearts of the young, to foster it and enable it to shine its brightest.” And continued later “A child who is giving you problems now is helping you become a Buddha.”  Another member in the meeting, also an ESL teacher in Korea, called out for me to repeat the last sentence… a big lesson indeed.

Our SGI meeting this week, our district typically comprised of English-speaking foreigners from the US, Canada, Japan, and Korean-Americans, welcomed a few new guests this week – three members from the young men’s division of Korea’s SGI Group.  It was really a treat to have them there.  Their spirits were so earnestly participating in the English discussion and their enthusiasm for connecting with us in English was touching.  The foreign/English-speaking chapter of SGI in Korea is currently making an effort to more seamlessly connect with the Korean members of SGI (KSGI)… despite the sometimes challenges of a language barrier.

Earlier this week I attended my first KSGI meeting in the Paju area where I live.  There is a hearty and healthy Korean SGI chapter right in my town with a substantial community center and regular meetings.  The local members were so lovely to me and assisted me in attending my first meeting.  They came to pick me up at English Village and invited a local member who spoke excellent English to assist me in understanding the meeting.  They asked me questions at the meeting through the aid of translation and also had me read a small segment of the weeks lesson in English for the group.

SGI Center near my home in Paju, South Korea.

SGI Center near my home in Paju, South Korea.

As SGI District meetings are traditionally held in members homes, it was a great experience to be in a Korean home and feel a part of their more intimate space.  Additionally, at the SGI meeting in Seoul on Saturday, I felt really satisfied to be connected to and be a part of the world.

And then, when it was all done, I was also grateful to depart on my own and return to a little peace and tranquility in my little home in Paju. Grateful to have some time connecting with others – but also needing time on my own… to just tend to the little things in my life.  Visiting Seoul helps me appreciate the gift of Paju with its wide open spaces, fresh air, rolling hills and green trees and land.

As I prepare for a new work week, I will be keeping in mind what my intuition whispered to me a few days ago in the midst of my own overwhelm and fatigue. “Persevere,” it declared.  Indeed.  I will also keep in my heart the message from the meeting this week of trusting the flame in the children. And so I prepare for another week at English Village, myself and other teachers tired and worn out from the work and the heat of the sun.   But ultimately, a loving time of transformation.

Image at top, a sunflower beaten by the heat and the sun with shadows of English Village Students playing in the background.

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At Home

28 Jul

It’s a rainy Sunday afternoon at English Village in Paju City, South Korea.  It’s one of those days that I am grateful for rain.  Somehow it gives me permission or sets a good mood for spending a day relaxing at home. It seems we are nearing the end of the rainy season.  After almost a month of mostly cloudy skies and rain, this week we’ve actually had a few moments of sunshine.  But not today.

I just finished chanting “Nam myoho renge kyo” for about two hours.  My SGI Buddhist group in Seoul meets today to chant together for five hours.  Those who want to join can stay for as little or as much of that as they like.  Today I opted to stay in Paju and chant “with them” from home.  I enjoy going to Seoul, but some days I just need a more relaxed day in my own “hood” without the travel to and busy-ness of Seoul.  Plus I am still in my “restoration” phase, so I continue making an extra effort during free time to take it easy.

Today while chanting I had a really interesting experience.  About half way through my two hours of chanting I got so tired I just couldn’t stay awake.  So I stopped for a few minutes and closed my eyes to take a little rest.  I quickly fell into a sort of “sleep” for about five or ten minutes.  When I woke up I had the feeling that I was at “home” (the home from when I was a child) just hanging out with my sister. The feeling was so relaxed and easy and I haven’t felt that good and at ease in a long time.  I woke myself up and continued chanting. When I was complete I had this very satisfying feeling like I just spent time with friends and loved ones.  Really great.

As I nurture my current mission of restoration, I continue to bring more exercise into my life.  I have either done yoga, taken a brisk walk, or gone swimming nearly every day this week.  Slowly, my body seems to be coming back to life.  It feels good to move… even when at first my body is balking otherwise.  This weekend I saw a glimmer in my eye that I haven’t seen in a long time… a look and a feeling of being more at “home” with myself. I think this is in part to the added exercise.  I re-watched the movie “American Beauty” this weekend.  I had to laugh as many years have passed since I last watched the movie and I am now the same age as the main character in the story, Lester, who is 42.  At the beginning of the story he looks old, depleted and defeated by life.  As the story unfolds, in addition to many other distractions and  eccentricities, he begins to exercise again.  As the movie continues, you see a new spark of life on his face and in his eyes. It was a good reminder really of the importance of exercise, especially as one “grows older”, and its power of rejuvenation.

I feel like perhaps I am in the “homestretch” here at English Village.  We are about to begin a month of special programming.  The month of August is school vacation time for Korean students.  And of course, with parents ever eager to educate their students in English, Korean students will be here at English Village attending a month-long intensive program during their break.  Simultaneously, there will also be a series of one-week programs with elementary and middle school students visiting from Japan, Russia and an international school in Korea. If that isn’t enough to keep you busy, there is also a two-week program the second half of the month called Global Leadership Program.  It is a program teaching basic ideas of leadership (teamwork, global awareness, exploration of self) to mostly middle school students.  The first two weeks I will be working with the international programs and the second two weeks I am one of the three teachers working with the Global Leadership Program.

Shortly after all of the excitement, we have a week of vacation in mid-September for the Korean holiday Chuseok.  After that we are told things will slow down a little bit.  We will see.

Ah, well the day has slipped into late afternoon.  As I am enjoying some lighthearted tunes on Pandora, a restful afternoon and evening are beckoning to me.  It is time to take my  leave and enjoy the rest of the day.

As you know, please write if you like.  I am always grateful to hear from you!

 

Photo of the view from my room of English Village on a rainy afternoon.

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Full Moon Over Jincheon

22 Jul

It’s Monday morning in Paju and the new workweek has begun.  This weekend slipped by all too quickly, but not without much benefit and restoration! Wow, what a great time I had this weekend.  I went on a retreat with my SGI Buddhist group here in South Korea.  We met up with our chapter members, an international and mostly English speaking group, living all over South Korea at the SGI Training Center located in Jincheon, South Korea.

When I heard we were going on retreat… it brought up childhood images of church related retreats – simple settings and a little bit of “roughing it”.  How surprised I was when we arrived in the bus from Seoul at the training center greeted by a beautiful setting of rolling hills and surrounding lake as well as two impressive and welcoming buildings.  It was great to be out of the my regular surroundings for a bit and even better to be someplace beautiful and grand.


As we were welcomed into the building, given our nametags and room assignments… I had no idea what to expect for my lodging… did we have our own rooms?  Were they lovely and luxious?  What I found was a bit unexpected, but totally suitable just the same.  My room was shared with two other female SGI members and our respite for the evening was a Korean style mat that we pulled out of the closet and placed on the floor.  Despite its simplicity, that evening I had a restful and restorative night sleep and easily and naturally shared the space with the other members.

The training and activities of the weekend were a great inspiration and continued my education in the practice of SGI Buddhism.  The philosophy of SGI emphasizes happiness through overcoming obstacles and a “can do” spirit and attitude.  The benefit of the chanting that is the heart of the practice is that it leaves me feeling physically, mentally and spiritually shifted, restored and lifted up.

SGI is an international Buddhist organization with a strong and committed Korean community in South Korea.  Fortunately for me, there is also a zesty English speaking chapter here.  At the retreat I met members living in South Korea from the UK, neighboring Asian countries, as well as Cananda and the US. There are quite a few members who like me are living here teaching English or are American serving in the Military.

I am truly inspired by the generosity and commitment of the SGI members I met – willing to be available and to be of service to make my stay just a little bit better.  The Korean staff at the center even brought out telescopes on Saturday night with easy views of the bright nearly full moon… as well as a good look at Saturn, rings and all.

I left the retreat and returned to my Paju/English Village life shifted in a positive way and more committed to my own life and journey.  It also left me refreshed and inspired by the SGI spirit – rooted in deepening my practice of chanting and overcoming the obstacles in my life with added vigor for living a life of victory!

Photo taken on my cell phone camera through the lens of the telescope at the SGI Jincheon Training Center, staring at the bright light of the almost-full  moon.

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Here Comes the Rain

14 Jul

It’s a Sunday morning here at the rainy English Village in Paju, South Korea.  I am slowly waking up preparing for a day of restoration before Monday arrives and a new work week begins.

It is rainy season here in South Korea.  As this is my first year here, it is also my first experience with rainy or monsoon season.  So far I have to say it is… rainy!  I am not sure how long rainy season will last, but the past few weeks we have been submerged in water with an occasional sunny day.  The upcoming weather reports show all rain this week and no sun in sight.  Sometimes it is a light misty rain and other times it is a serious downpour. The climate, while not that hot,  is crazy wet and humid.  I am running my air conditioner lately not because I am hot, but because the space needs a break from the humidity and dampness.

I continue on my recent mission of restoration after recently hitting a wall of  fatigue.  Wow…so tired.  This week I am feeling better.  I am still seeing my chiropractor in Itaewon who is assisting with lifting the tension and adjusting the tight spots in my body.  I spent the better portion of the day yesterday with my my Buddhist SGI group in Seoul.  So good for me!  We had our chapter meeting, always an inspiration.  Following I went with a few of the members to chant at one of the local SGI Community Centers.

We traveled to a center that was more on the outskirts of Seoul where I had never been.  When we arrived inside I felt my whole body heave a big sigh of relief.  There was something about the energy of the place that just felt like… home.  We took off our shoes  by the door and stored them in the provided cubby holes, standard behavior in Korea.  We then went to the second floor and headed for the chanting room.  The chanting room is a place where people come and chant for as long as they want whenever they want.  There are mats on the floor to sit on and chairs around the perimeter for those that don’t prefer the floor.  My fellow members where there for the long haul – 6 hours of chanting!  I stayed for two and left feeling more centered, restored, happy and energized.  What a relief it was to just take a break and chant… a time when I didn’t have to think about anything else or worry about whatever may be on my mind.

While chanting I was charmed by the graciousness and gentle hospitality of my fellow members…. making sure I was comfortable and at ease, bringing me a back rest to sit on, making sure I had water and knew where the bathroom was, offering a kind and gentle smile.  It is these things that truly make a difference for me and warm my heart after what sometimes feels like a rough and tumble kind of work week.

Today, I plan to continue to stoke the fires of gentle spirit, recovery and relaxation of the weekend before a new workweek begins.  I began my day with some chanting and yoga.  Later today I will take a swim at the English Village indoor swimming pool.  I have been swimming more lately and it feels so good to stretch my body and move and be submerged in water.

How about your life?  Any calling for restoration?  Any gentle offerings or practices to offer yourself as you prepare for a new week? Feel free to write, it’s always good to hear from you!

Image at top,  a soggy sunflower making its way in the persistent rains of the Korean monsoon season.

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Adjustments

30 Jun

It’s been over two years now since I left New Orleans and took a leap and headed for Germany.  Who knew that original six week adventure would extend into a transformative journey… first in Germany, next in France and now nestled in the hills of South Korea.  You know what they say, wherever you go… there you are.  And here I am!  In Paju now for over 6 months! As my international escapade continues, with all the new people and experiences, new food, and new languages, the one common character cast in this odyssey is… me.  So it seems for my own good I had better pay attention and learn my lessons as I travel the road of this “Grosse Lebenscchule”, German for “big school of life”.

I went to the chiropractor yesterday.  My typical weekly appointment in the ebb and flow of healing my injured ankle.  But this week there was something a little different.  My neck… it was so tight!  I generally have a habit of holding my stress in my shoulders and my neck, but this was something a bit over the top.  I could feel myself holding on so tightly in my neck and feeling like I just couldn’t relax or let it go.  My chiropractor dug his hands into my neck, made a few adjustments and then expediently shot some sort of gun into my neck a few times.  He instructed me to put an icepack on my neck when I got home and then sent me on my way.

Immediately after I met a friend from my Buddhist group in Seoul for lunch.  I was still reeling a bit from my chiropractor appointment and preceding 30 minute massage.  As she asked how I was I found I couldn’t offer a cheery smile and say “great”.  My body wouldn’t allow it.  As we began to talk tears started to flow down my face.  You know the kind – the tears that are going to come out no matter what you do, the ones you can no longer hold back and that a fake smile just can’t hide.  How fortunate for me I was met by her kindness and compassion.  We continued to chat as we ordered the much-loved food at a local Mediterranean restaurant in Itaewon, Seoul.

As we talked the day continued to pour open.  We were joined by two other members of our group, both women, all of us about the same age.  We departed shortly from the restaurant and went to our local SGI community center.  We chanted together for about an hour and then gathered to practice a dance routine for an upcoming retreat.  Afterwards we sat and collected and talked.  It was all light-spirited conversation, but in light of my earlier tears and the tight kink in my neck it was also informative.

At the end of the day it was clear to me that I was in need of a little life adjustment.  On this journey of mine, it seems there are times of rapid growth, times of challenge, and times of relief and new territory.  There are also times when something needs to be done just a little bit different to continue the journey and take things, myself and my life to the next level.  After listening to the conversation mingled throughout the afternoon, I could see clearly that it was time for some change in my life and I could see what it was… I needed to get more exercise and I needed to chant more.

As you may know, chanting is the basic practice of SGI Buddhism.  Members chant sections from the Lotus Sutra and also chant “nam myoho renge kyo“.  Anyone can do it.  I was first introduced to it by a friend in New Orleans just over two years ago.  At the time I was selling organic mushrooms at the local outdoor farmers market.  She said “Chant for your mushroom sales”… so I did and you know what… my sales doubled quite easily and unexpectedly with no additional effort on my part. I began chanting regularly and shortly after my life set sail on this journey.

That afternoon in Seoul, I was so inspired to hear about the challenges of these women and fellow SGI members and how chanting has ushered them through it.  I heard stories of amazing growth and transformation in their lives and families. I saw living proof in front of me of obstacles overcome in the bright spirits and faces I saw.  The afternoon of sharing wasn’t directed towards me or intended to convince me of any correct action.  As I listened and rode the tide of its wisdom I was happy to go to its gentle conclusion.  It was time for a little adjustment for me, recognizing that little changes now in time can lead to big changes.

And so it continues… this journey of a thousand steps and little adjustments.  What about you and your life? Are there any adjustments that you need to make, big or small, as you continue on your way?  Any tiny shifts in your daily way that could add up to a big difference in your life?  If you like, please write and share!  It’s always great to hear from you!

Photos at top: A sea  of umbrellas at a local mall in Seoul.

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“Nobody”…nobody but you…

16 Jun

It’s a fresh Sunday afternoon at English Village.  It’s one of those rare days where the sun is warm and inviting but there is still a cool breeze in the air.  I am working today, but that is no problem.  It’s been a light day of teaching as the program for today completed at 2:30pm.  An easy day, even though I am at work.

Today’s students were here for just two days and one night visiting from a town about two hours away.  My class today were all boys ages ranging from about 9 – 12.  They were full of boy spirit and energy with a few rough edges and bullying in the class, but overall a really sweet group.  I co-taught today’s class with another teacher which is helpful in a class full of boys.  What was the subject today?  Rockets!  The first hour they learn the basics about rockets and the second hour they make and launch their own.  Actually it’s pretty cool.  They make the rockets from empty Coke bottles then put a “nose” and some “fins” on it.  We then head outside where the rocket gets filled with a little water, loaded on to the launcher, and with the help of a bicycle pump, is launched into the sky.  It’s unexpectedly impressive and fun to see the rockets dive further then imagined into the distance.

At the end of the class as we headed to lunch, many of the boys were really kind and grateful giving me a high-five and saying thank you.  Thank you is not something you often hear in the classroom and I was really impressed and appreciative of their good attitudes.

It’s been a great weekend for me.  Nothing out of the ordinary.  The typical venturing into Seoul for the day on Saturday, meeting with my SGI Buddhist group and then sojourning around town.  I appreciated the sheer joy of just being out and about for a bit in beautiful warm weather, connecting with people I like and respect and enjoying the practice of Buddhism, and also having some nice quiet time on my own.  What a pleasure it was to experience all of these flavors in a day and then the joy of returning to the pretty green hills of Paju, quiet surroundings and a relaxing evening.  Mmmm.  Feels good!

As I spend much of my time teaching English and working with Korea children, I have noticed certain tendencies and cultural influences beginning to rub off.  On more than one occasion I’ve had a K-pop song randomly running through my head… an “earworm” that I cannot escape.  For those of you who don’t know, K-pop is the very popular music culture in South Korea (i.e. Korean-pop) making a name for itself in Korea and around the world.  Korean children are CRAZY for K-pop! It features stars like Psy who sings “Gangnam Style” and is internationally known.  The top tune currently running through my mind is the song “Nobody” by the Wonder Girls.  Their music video is pretty funny.  Check it out!

I have also noticed other by-products of teaching English in South Korea.  For example, I now hardly ever say “no” without crossing my forearms in front of my body making a deliberate “x”.  The is the common way to communicate “no” non-verbally in South Korea.  When teaching children who may or may not understand what you are saying, non-verbal cues become important.  But now it seems I cannot make it through a single conversation without this added accentuation.

There are other ESL teaching habits that have slipped into my regular ways.  More and more… I act words that I say… pointing to eyes when talking about eyes, moving arms like I am flying when talking about birds.  And of course speaking deliberately, slowly and distinctly.  I also notice I habitually say everything twice… because it’s not always understood… or heard… the first time.  All of these “symptoms” a sure indication… of an ESL teacher.

As Sunday continues to tick away, the day will soon seamlessly shift into Monday, the beginning of a new workweek.  I am doing my best to keep a light attitude about work and “pace” myself as the upcoming summer schedule doesn’t offer much of a break in sight.

In the meantime, it’s still Sunday.  Although the students have left, there are a few more hours to record at work before being compete for the day.

How are you spending you weekend and Sunday?  It’s always great to hear from you!

Photo at top, flowers and fountain on a summer day at English Village.

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