Hapuna Beach

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Moments for Rejoicing

As concluded in an earlier post, the joys in my life do outnumber the moans and groans; hence, as a counterpoint to my previous moanings and groanings I shall now recount some of my celebration moments of the fall:

1.    The antibiotics worked!  I have felt so much better in the last ten days than I have felt in at least six weeks.  Add to this glorious condition of general health the fact that mucous no longer secretes unexpectedly and perniciously from sundry facial orifices on random days and you may more fully appreciate my jubilation.

2.    One morning in early December, I decided to brave the cold and walk to work.  Certainly an auspicious influence for my rationale did include the realization that the temperature had risen several degrees to achieve a position closer to "freezing".  Upon entering the street that morning, even noting a smattering of flakes moseying in a generally downward direction did not deter me.  About a block away, I thought saw a flash, and to confirm my thought, a few moments later I heard the distinct rumble of thunder.  Soon my walking commute became enveloped in a thunder and lightning snow storm.  After a particularly clamorous clap of thunder, the snowflakes pushed themselves as close to a pelting velocity as flake structures can muster.  Having retrieved my umbrella from my backpack, I was actually feeling rather giggly--such joyful wonder at this unexpected juncture of events.  At the traffic light I met up with a soldier decked out in winter PT gear who was whooping and hollering in glorious disbelief.  He escorted me to the gate in gleeful good cheer, and this walk to school has since become one of my most favorites during my time in Seoul. 

3.    I really enjoy my students this year.  They are lively, fun, and generally self-motivated to learn.  They make me laugh.

4.    I like teaching English Language Arts.  With all these years of teaching collecting behind me now, I realize more fully that English Language Arts really is my favorite subject to teach.  I am in the right place.

5.    My colleagues in the English Language Arts Department this year are all good teachers dedicated to both students and their subject—not always a given any more these days.  Our conversations teach me and entertain me.

6.    Being under the weather, so to speak, for goodly chunks of time this fall has reintroduced me to the enormity of what I can watch via the television screen, Netflix, and my own private collection.  For the first time in Korea, I watched two of my best-loved movies—My Brilliant Career and Out of Africa—in close succession and wandered through the first two seasons of Downton Abbey.  Each fully transported me into its world.

7.    Over the Thanksgiving break, I journeyed to southwestern Korea to the city of Gyeongju, where the ancient Silla Kingdom placed its capital.  In the Korean Culture and Language Course I took my first autumn in Korea, the professor claimed that this city was the one we most needed to visit during our time in Korea.  I finally made it, and the experience created some distinct visual memories.

Tumuli--burial mounds.



Bulguksa Temple, first constructed in the sixth century.




Truly I am very blessed.

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