11/07/11
Hello, I hope that everyone is settling in to the new season. I’ve heard the weather in New York and in Colorado have been entirely unpredictable again this year. I saw pictures of beautiful leaves that passed quickly into snow nearly a foot deep before the end of October.
Meanwhile, in Chungju, South Korea I am still wearing a light sweater and playing tourist in colorful destinations. It’s beautiful here in Autumn. The leaves turn a wide variety of colors and smell oh so woody as you walk through them. I have so many wonderful Autumn memories of living in New York during the season of changing leaves. The feelings return to me here in Chungju. SO many familiar things.... apples growing in the orchards everywhere, colorful leaves; the weather here is changing slowly though. No matter what the temperature, the humidity is normal at 75% and it takes about 5 min. to break a sweat when I go out to take a walk. I can’t tell you how that affects my sunny disposition, never mind my intensely curly hair. But I bet you can imagine.
School is going well. I had a few days back in October that were difficult, my feelings were very much like disillusionment. I guess the honeymoon was ending, and life in Korea was becoming a little more real. I’m finding that while Korean school teachers are kind most of the time, they too have bad days and find ways to let you share them. On these particular days, I have shed a few tears, wiped them away, got up the next day and had it happen all over again. I was brave enough to face my fears and go back, so I guess I won that battle. My best guess is that the language barrier is frustrating for everyone, including me. Everyone needs a break from the frustration of culture shock and our inability to communicate, so we retreat to our corners and rest. When we have regained our sanity, we come back together and are fine. All of this took some time to sink in. When I put the cultural shoe on the other foot, I’m able to be compassionate instead of insulted, and I get over it. I now realize that developing these friendships will take time and patience. I trust that they are developing everyday that I am here.
Students in my 6th grade classes are preparing for the transition to Middle School. In Korea, that’s a big step. This is when they begin rigorous studies in the after school programs and academies. I’m told that school for these students lasts from 8:30 am until 10:00 pm. These kids pretty much live at school for the next six years of their lives. I’m very glad that I teach elementary. Elementary students still love school and want to learn. They don’t come to school too tired to hold their head up, as I’m told their older siblings do. I just can’t imagine their lives.
If any of my former classmates are reading this, you totally understand what I mean. We would have all been street sweepers. That’s a fact. To their credit, Korean students place 7th in educational achievement and 98% of Koreans are literate. Every Korean public school student receives instruction in English as a second language beginning in third grade. I’m really a little afraid to check how Americans compare. I’ll leave that to you.
Enough of the weather, my cultural mood swings and the Korean National report. I have to get some sleep. I have to work tomorrow. The next time I write, I’ll be shouting for joy because Ben will finally be joining me here. Please comment if you have something to add or ask. I enjoy hearing from everyone. Ta ta for now...
