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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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Here Comes the Sun

4 Aug

It’s a steamy Sunday afternoon at English Village in Paju, South Korea.  I am doing my best to soak up the last day of the weekend before it disappears and “poof” once again it’s Monday and we are back in full swing.

Last week was week one of our month-long special programming at English Village.  Overall I would say it went well.  We had elementary and middle-school students from Japan, Thailand, Russia, and South Korea.  The students seemed to meld well together and some seemed to easily make friends cross-culturally.  It was a hectic week filled with the typical array of unexpected challenges and “snaffoos”.  But all in all, I would call it a success!  And this week we do it again!  We have new students from the same regions  except for the Russian students who continue from last week for a two-week stay.  English Village will be busting at the seams this week and teachers, well, we will be teaching more than usual and likely a little… tired.

I think rainy season may have come to an end as the endless days of rain appear to have diminished.  While we are still getting rain we are also sometimes seeing… the sun. What a relief.  Of course, as forewarned, on the other side of the rainy season is the heat and humidity.  After 13 years living in the sweltering heat and humidity of New Orleans, I feel I can say with some authority that this past week a few days in Paju have been officially hot.  Even on hot days, thankfully, there is often the benefit of a restoring cool wind.

It’s been a typical weekend for me with my continued effort to take it slow and restore myself while preparing for the week to come.   On Saturday I made my regular trip into Seoul.  I went by Hongdae, an area of Seoul, and grabbed some tacos at my favorite taco stand, Gusto Taco.  As usual they were hopping.  Their Hongdae location is intimate and frienlys, but with just enough room for a few folks  to grab a seat.  On my visit yesterday, as there was “no room at the inn” to sit down and enjoy my tacos,I placed my order and then went to the coffee shop next door.  The coffee shop owner is a very hospitable Korean woman who welcomed me to enjoy my tacos there on the condition that I purchased a drink from her.

As I don’t consume sugar or caffeine and she didn’t sell bottled water, this wasn’t an easy feat.  She didn’t speak great English and I don’t speak Korean, so it was a bit of an adventure communicating.  While I have not yet learned Korea, I have improved my speaking of English to people who don’t speak much English.  With some simple sentences, some accentuated gesturing and pointing, we were soon on the same page and I had ordered myself a drink.  No sugar added (and no caffeine!)

This wasn’t just any drink!  It was a kiwi smoothie made of fresh kiwi, seltzer water, some ice and that’s it.  Then purreed to perfection and voila.  A beautiful drink for me.  I was so impressed by its beauty and thick straw.  I had to take a picture of it.  In truth it was so lovely that it made my tacos look ugly.  But I enjoyed them all just the same as I sat in the air conditioned simplicity of her coffee shop.  The guys at the taco stand even delivered my tacos there to me when they were ready.  Fabulous indeed.

I spent my afternoon today at Lotte Outlet Mall just up the street in Paju.  It is colossus. I made the venture with a basic mission in mind – a hair cut.  Several teachers had recommended a place and a stylist to get a hair cut there so I took a leap and off I went.  After a bit of a wait, a little shopping, it was my turn for a cut.

Did I mention I got it cut short?  As I sat there and watched my locks of hair fall to the ground I slowly began the transition of adjustment. The poor stylist was a great guy, but because of language barriers we weren’t able to communicate that well with each other.  As he saw my “I am adjusting to this hair cut – not so sure about it yet” face,  i tried to convince him that it was okay.  In the end, I liked it but… was still adjusting.  I payed my extraordinarily reasonable price for the cut, style and pampering and I was on my way.

Before I headed home I picked up a little take-out, a rare luxury, from an American style restaurant at the mall and happily headed home.  A great way to complete the weekend.

How has your week been?  How did you spend your weekend?  As always, it’s great to hear from you!

Photo at top from a morning walk in English Village.  It was a quiet Saturday morning before the “kids were up”.

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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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Restoration

6 Jul

Ah, a moment of relaxation.  It is 10ish Korea time on a Saturday night.  I am typing on my new to me gateway laptop computer listening to the sweet sounds of Pandora.com.  Elton John is echoing on my computer speakers and I am enjoying a coconut water “juice box.”   I can hear fireworks shooting off in the not-so-far distance, a delayed fourth of July celebration of some English Village American teachers.

This week is a bit of an echo of my previous “Adjustments” entry.  No tears this week, but still the neck is tight.  I have come to the conclusion that mostly I am … tired.  I mean… bone tired.  I have added some regular walking to my weekly routine and it does help me feel better.  Nonetheless I still have the kind of tired that it feels like a good night sleep just won’t cure.  But don’t worry, Mom, I am okay!

This week has been a  mostly typical English Village work week.  We had two different groups of 300 or so Korean children spend three days and two nights with us. Our first group of kids were elementary school children.  They really were an exceptional group with excellent English skills and generally well-behaved.  Our second group were middle school students who, aside from their own tiredness from recently finished exams, were in many ways above average middle school students.  They were mostly fun to teach and when they weren’t asleep, they were good English speakers and participated well in class.

After the previous two weeks of teaching adult and college age students, it was very clear to me this week that children, no matter how good they are, just take up so much more energy.   It is typical when we begin our classes with new students for them to ask us questions about ourselves.  They will usually ask where we are from, if we have a boyfriend/girlfriend, and our age.  When they ask my age I often ask them to guess.  At the beginning of the week, they will guess years below my actual age of 42 and will gasp and be shocked when I reveal my actual age.  But by the end of the week, as my face and body have experienced some wear and tear from the week, their guesses creep close to my actual age. By that time I am indeed worn out.

This past week we have been piloting new lessons in my content area.  At English Village all teachers are assigned to one content area.  Mine is Media and Entertainment. Collectively, we learn and teach two or three lessons related to that topic. Every 6 months or so we create new lessons for the new term.  Currently we are phasing out our previous lessons and introducing the new ones.  I created one of the lessons for the new semester.  It teaches our students about animation.  In the lesson they are introduced to three different types of animation – traditional animation, computer animation, and stop motion animation.  They are given examples of all types and learn the basics of how they’re made.  Then they get to make their own flip book! I found a great flip book example of local music superstar Psy’s song Gagnam Style.  We show it in class and the kids love it! It has been satisfying, sometimes challenging (and dare I mention… tiring…) to practice and introduce this new lesson.  So far the students have been really engaged with the lesson and it seems to be a success!

I did my best to treat myself to a little outing today in Seoul – exploring what exactly it is that will help me relax a little bit and “take the edge off”…  I went to one of the local palaces in Seoul known for their traditional architecture, Changdeokgung Palace, built in the 1400s.  When I arrived as there wasn’t an English tour for another two hours, I just bought a general ticket and took a look around.  It was a good reminder of the history and tradition of Korea and it was nice to take a little break in the city and see something different.

 

But in the end… I was still tired.  My intention for tomorrow is to  just take it easy.  Really.  No bus trips to Seoul.  No cooking up a storm, cleaning the bathroom or rearranging the drawers in my apartment.  I promise.

So tonight I leave you… tired… but hopeful… for restful and restored days to come.  How are you these warmer days of summer?(unless of course you are in Australia!)  It’s always great to hear from you!

Top photo is a snapshot of a cute little painting featured in a calendar I saw in our student health clinic.  I just love its simplicity and color palette.

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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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It’s a Small World

22 Jun

It’s a Saturday afternoon in Paju and I have to say… I feel lighter today than I did just a week ago.  Why is that you ask?  Well, I recently took a two-day journey to Busan and a quick escape was just what the doctor ordered!  This wasn’t just any excursion, however.  I met up with a friend from elementary school who I haven’t seen since about the 6th grade!  She is Korean-American and her parents recently returned to South Korea after living in the US for 40 years!  We reconnected through the magic of Facebook and the rest is now all history.

Busan is located in the Southern-most part of South Korea.  The “B” in Busan actually sounds more like a combination between a “B” and a “P” but because of the limitations of the English language in expressing Korean sounds, “Busan” is the best we can do.  I was told it is the second largest city in South Korea, but it’s less crowded, more easy and laid back than Seoul.  Still, it has a population of three million people! Despite it’s more Southern location, it has a breezier and lighter temperature then the now thick humidity moving into Seoul and Paju with cool breezes moving in off the coast.

My elementary school friend was traveling for two weeks in a quick visit with her and her husband’s family living here in South Korea.  I was lucky enough to connect with her at the tail end of the journey and spent two days with her and her parents at their new apartment home in Busan.  I received stellar Korean-style hospitality and got the special  “mom and dad” tour of Busan.  It was great!

I took the KTX from Seoul to Busan, Korea’s high-speed train.  I read that it reaches speeds of 300 km/hr (190 mph) but to me it didn’t feel as fast as the bullet trains I traveled in Europe.  But it was fast enough as it only took me three hours  to make a journey that by car would take at least five.  I read a little, took a nap, listened to some music and before you knew it… I was there!

When I arrived off the train, my friend and her son and mother were there waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs.  After nearly 30 years I could still see reflections of my fun young friend in the grown Korean woman standing before me.  Her mother, who I instantly recognized, whisked away my bag and led us in the direction of the parked car.  As she lead the way she called out “bali bali,” Korean for “hurry, hurry”.  We quickly made our way to the parked car with my friend’s dad at the wheel and within seconds we were off on our quick adventure.

As my trip was to be short, they wasted no time in beginning the tour.  First stop was Haedong Yonggunsa Temple, a beautiful temple by the sea.  It was a maze of winding stairs, beautiful colors and patterns, and lovely views.  It’s known for its large gold Buddha and a place where many still come to pray.  We stayed long enough to explore a bit, begin to reconnect, take some pictures and then we were off to our next destination, Haeundae Beach!

At the beach we took in the sand and the beach nestled in the busy scenes of the city.  My friend’s father told me that the beach used to be much larger than it is now, but over the years has gotten smaller and smaller.  Today sand has to be imported from Vietnam just to fill up the beach.  My friend’s son enjoyed a little wading and playing in the water while we did our best to stay clean and dry.  When we had our fill of the sand, we cleaned up a bit and soon made our way to dinner.

My friend and her family were so generous and gracious with my “no-sugar” needs and general diet concerns.  We decided on a Korean family style barbecue restaurant.  Her parents were wonderfully thorough in being sure that everything we ate didn’t have any sugar in it. We all ate and talked till our hearts content and then we went home.

Her parent’s apartment is in an apartment complex in what seems to be modern Korean style – a collection of high-rise apartments.  They were very proud of the beautiful landscaping in the complex with green space and fountains intertwined in the pathways beneath the towering buildings.  When we arrived at their 19th floor apartment I was impressed by its simplicity and spaciousness.  It is a four bedroom apartment home with a spacious kitchen and a view in the living room looking away from the city to the  surrounding green hills. I was generously offered my own room for the night and slept deep and restfully in the graciousness of their hospitality.

The next day was an early start with a tour of the apartment complex grounds and then back in the car to travel to “the best rest-stop in South Korea”.  My friend’s parents are just mesmerized with the contemporary rest stops in South Korea.  They are complete with plenty of places to eat traditional Korean-style snacks and foods and comfortable places to rest and relax… way beyond the standards in the States.  This particular rest area was indeed beautiful, nestled above expansive scenes of the water and islands in the distance.  There was even live musical entertainment!

Next on the tour, we took the worlds “deepest immersed roadway tunnel” and bridge on our way to Geoje Island.  Within minutes we arrived on the island and made our way through the small island villages to pebble beach.  At pebble beach we spent a little time collecting the beautiful stones and pebbles and tossed some of them into the water.  There was still a cool breeze in the air and it seemed it wasn’t tourist beach season just yet.  By late July when Korean students have a break from school the beach will be filled with guests indulging in the warmer summer air.

Buson, South Korea

We continued to wander by car through the hills of the island, stopped and enjoyed a few scenic views and then once again we were off.  We returned to Busan and stopped at a local store with traditional Korean food for lunch.  I haven’t eaten much Korean food as much of it has sugar added to it.  I am still uncertain which Korean foods are okay for me to eat.  With the help of my friend and her family, I selected bibimbap (with no added chili paste) and happily enjoyed the popular Korean dish.

My elementary school friend and I had a good time catching up… recollecting childhood stories, our grade school teachers and classmates.  She told me that the first time she ever had french toast was when my mom prepared it for her at our house and that today it is still one of her favorite breakfast dishes.  She also shared that I gave her first record album, Stix Mr. Robato.  A true classic.  I told her she was the inspiration for me beginning to take piano lessons.  When we were children she played Fur Elise on the piano and I thought it was so beautiful I just had to take piano lessons and learn how to play it.  She confessed that every Korean child learns how to play Fur Elise.

It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other… but as we talked I saw glimpses of the familiar friend of 30 years ago.  She currently lives in LA close to the large Korean community there, Koreatown.  She had some interesting and helpful perspectives to share on Korean life, culture and beauty.  Raised by Korean parents who moved to the US, she clearly identifies herself as American… but also has obvious close ties and connections with Korean culture.

In no time at all… it was time to leave!  It was so great to reconnect with a childhood friend, receive a little ‘taste of home’ here in Korea and be hosted by the generosity of her parents.  It was a relief to spend a few days where I had to make no plans or decisions and just go with the flow.  We nearly lost track of time before we departed for the train station.  The KTX arrived in timely fashion and in the next minute I was off!  A good visit with a childhood friend… in South Korea!  Who knew?  Indeed, it is a small world!

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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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Is It Summer Already?

9 Jun

It’s a Sunday morning here in Paju City, South Korea.  The weather is creeping into summer as the temperatures are tipping into the upper 80s.  That didn’t take long.  Yes, it is June, typically nearly summer weather in some parts of the world.  But it seems that winter just recently… ended.  I could swear it was just a few weeks ago that I confidently tucked away my winter coat for good and took an extra blanket off my bed.  It was not long ago that I finally unplugged and put away my room heater. And here we are greeted with summer weather.  I am told the heat and humidity here will give New Orleans, my former stomping grounds of 13 years, a run for its money.  We will see.  When I lived in New Orleans my last job was working at an outdoor farmers market.  During New Orleans summers the heat and humidity is like a wall.  At the market we would sit there with towels dipped in florida water, a cool refreshing cologne water, hung around our necks and try not to move while the sweat rolled down our foreheads.  Hopefully the summer in Paju is not that bad.

With summer weather comes summer wardrobe.  We have a pretty laid back dress code here at English Village and really we are quite lucky to have such a casual atmosphere.  We can wear shorts and tennis shoes and sandals that are at least a little dressy and have a back strap.  We cannot wear sleeveless shirts or tank tops which seems reasonable for work life.  I am still exploring what is appropriate summer dress in general in South Korea. Wearing tight tank tops that reveals shoulders and skin, a summer staple for me, may not be considered appropriate in regular public life.  I asked a fellow teacher about this and she suggested that some girls in the city wear tank tops but it’s still not all that common just yet.  You often see girls and women wearing a very light almost see through cropped cardigan over sleeveless dresses and shirts.  Still learning the nuances of culture.

It’s been a pretty light teaching week here at English Village, although myself and some other teachers are still busily preparing new lessons for the upcoming “semester”.  This week we have several different programs including a group of young Russian children here for two weeks.  I am not one of their “regular teachers” but did have the opportunity to teach them for one class last week.  They range in age from about 9 to about 13.  They are a great bunch of kids with spunky spirits.  But they can, as other teachers have noticed, push the boundaries.  They are fiestier than the Korean students we have in a way that is both inviting and challenging.  When I arrived in the building to teach them on Friday, four of them were downstairs making a train with rolling desk chairs pushing them around the room.  When I arrived in the classroom upstairs students were drawing pictures on the board during the break, some nice and some… not so nice.  It was quite a first impression.  We spent about an hour together playing a game and while the time did have some ups and downs, generally it went well.  I teach them a few more lessons on Monday and Tuesday.

We had an interesting staff experience on Friday afternoon…. Korean Village.  Yes, all of the English teachers at EV attended a class taught by a Korean teacher using Korean language only. The idea as you can imagine is to give us a sense of how some of our students may feel when in our classes taught only in English.  The question this rose for me was “Don’t our students have years of training in English when they come to us?”  That answer…some, yes, but as it turns out not all.  Undoubtedly we see a range of English-speaking skills here from practically fluent to barely any English at all.  But I had always assumed that their training had tucked away some English somewhere and perhaps they were just shy about speaking it or uninterested.  But apparently this may not be the case.  It seems that economic level does play a part in students English-speaking exposure and participation in quality English lessons outside of the “regular school day”.  Also I was told that some students in public schools take little interest in English and are allowed to slip through the cracks.  So its possible that we get students who really understand and speak almost no English.  This is new to me and certainly puts a slant on trying to teach English in English.

I spent my Saturday in Seoul.  I visited my chiropractor and am happy to report that after a fall in France a year ago, my ankle seems to be getting better.  I went to an area of Seoul called Hongdae, a lively neighborhood near Hongik University.  My favorite taco stand is there, Gusto Taco.  I grabbed two delicious fresh chicken tacos, complete with hand-made corn tortillas and soaked in a little of the international atmosphere.  There were customers from S. Korea and the US, a Spanish-speaking couple, an American owner, and French radio streamed over the internet. It was love.

While in Hongdae I also saught out one of the few thrift stores in Seoul and South Korea called The Beautiful Store.  As noted by other visitors and explorers of South Korea, Koreans aren’t really into buying used clothes.  And so the thift store scene is not too grand.  But The Beautiful Store, a local chain, has locations all over Seoul and their proceeds go to charity.  If it wasn’t for the help of a nearby friendly Korean-American, however, I would have never found the store.

I exited the subway, exit 8, and began to scan through my maps and information on my smart phone.  Seeing my lack of clarity with a friendly voice she introduced herself and asked if I needed any help.  Fortunately for me, she speaks Korean and is able to navigate her ways through the maze of symbols and words known as the Korean language.  With just a little misdirection, some guidance from her smart phone, and her knowledge of Korean we found the store just steps away from the train station.  The store sign is written in Korean so it wasn’t visible to my English reading eyes.

It was a tiny shop but a true thrift shop nonetheless.  My new companion for the moment joined me and we both found just a few clothing treasures for low prices.  If you are in South Korea and would like to go there yourself, here are basic directions:

  • Take the subway to Hongik University Station exit 8.  When you arrive at the top of the stairs, look to your right.  There is a building with a door at the corner of the street.  Enter that door and go downstairs.  The shop is on your right.

Today is a simple Sunday for me.  I intend to enjoy a little luxurious walking in the still fairly mellow summer heat, run a few errands, and do a little cooking for my upcoming work week.  I believe I have another lighter teaching schedule for the work week ahead, much needed after so many crazy weeks and more to come in the future.

Good-bye for now from the slowly becoming balmy land of Paju!

Photo at top a quiet evening at English Village at sunset.

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