Prince Charmings

There were so many Prince Charmings in my classes this semester...so many students who wrote about yearning to win the hearts of their loves! :) I've been surprised by the level of vulnerability in my students' writing assignments. More so, I have been quite amused, sometimes smiling and chuckling to myself, and often touched by their expressions of love, particularly coming from some students who seemed pretty serious or shy in class! 

I'll give you a glimpse of what I've read...(Keep in mind that English is their second language, and this is probably their first writing class ever! And now that I'm studying Korean I realized that the languages are so different!)

---Sometimes I think about if I confessed my love for her, she agree my confess? I know that I'm very stupid, but I really love her until now...If I can go back to last year, I must say for her, "I love you." If she didn't agree my confession, I don't care about that. I just want to confess.

---When I was 17 years old, I met my first love in the private educational institute. I fell in love at first glance when I first saw her. I dashed to her aggressively, but she didn't take my heart. However, I didn't give up to dash to her. I decided to show her all of my sincere heart. Finally, she taked my heart, and we became a couple. 

These are just two humorous excerpts from the hundreds of papers I've ready this semester. I have felt honored that my students trusted me to share their hearts with me through their writing. Perhaps writing is a mode in which people can feel a sense of privacy and safety. I theorize that somehow writing in a second language, despite the inherent difficulty in using a foreign vocabulary and grammar system, can provide an outlet in which many students can express themselves with perhaps greater transparency not having to worry about the social regulations attached to their first language (for example, Korean language has different levels of formality that must be used depending on the age and position of the person you're talking to). Anyhow, I love teaching English Composition. It gives me a window into my students' hearts. :)

My Father's Day Card

Dear Dad, 

On this day, I wish I could give you a gift. But leaving a legacy is the greatest gift a father could give. I hate that you left, but I'm so thankful for your legacy. I'm honored that I can proudly think of you, remember you, speak of you with my head held high in amazement of the perseverance of your strength and your faith. I wish I could have kept you forever, but I'm thankful I had a father whom I loved and trusted with my whole heart. I knew you, and you knew me. I more than loved you. I adored you. You were my superhero, my warrior, my champion, and my best friend. I pray God hosts a huge BBQ for you today with steak on the raw side and a big corn on the cob, and I'm sure you can beat everyone else in eating it faster! And maybe there are oceans in heaven and you can body surf today too. Perhaps conclude the day with some deep discussion, a backgammon or chess match, and munch on some snickerdoodle cookies or vanilla wafers or fig newtons, which I never ate because you said they were mashed up bugs! :) Maybe Father's Day is even better than I can imagine in heaven. But at least it better be as good as I can imagine down here. I love you, and miss you Dad. 

Happy Father's Day. 

Love,

T

A Culture of Togetherness

"Mourn with those who mourn; Rejoice with those who rejoice." -Romans 12:15

I've seen this verse in action in Korean society these past couple of months. As many of you may know, there was a horrible tragedy in Korea on April 16th as a ship sunk and around 300 passengers, mostly high school students and teachers, died on their way to a school field trip off the Korean coastline. I was obviously here during this national tragedy as the whole nation anxiously hoped for good news of rescue and then mourned the loss of so many lives, especially young lives. I got to see deeply into the heart of Korean culture, as it was a collective loss and the society visibly changed as a result of it. There was a heaviness and silence and then rage and depression felt among the Korean people. For example, the doctor's clinic I visit is usually bustling with voices as patients chat emphatically in the waiting room, but during those days as the tragedy unfolded, everyone sat in silence, eyes fixed on the TV screen, everyone holding their breath that at least one life would be saved. It was very heartbreaking to witness this tragedy that felt very close to home for me. When I looked at my students' faces, I thought of the young students who were lost; when I saw mothers and fathers on my subway, I imagined those waiting at the shore crying out their children's names, sleeping on the gym floor for days and weeks, just to trying to survive the minutes that turned into days and weeks as they waited. 

Witnessing this national tragedy, gave me the opportunity to observe how the society responds to tragedy. Korea is very much a communal society, so they believe in mourning together. I think grief in western society is often privatized, creating a deeper sense of loneliness than loss already naturally brings, but here in Korea, the grief was shared among all. For example, most foreigners found it surprising and extreme, but as a result of the national tragedy all entertainment channels ceased, all 'social' events were cancelled at all schools in the country, and even Samsung sent out a notice to all employees not to golf or drink to honor the losses. As we celebrated my friend's father's birthday he said normally he loves to do karaoke on his birthday, but this year we wouldn't, because it wouldn't be right as many families were in mourning. 

Here is an excerpt of one of my student's writings (from an intermediate level sophomore English class) in which she talks about the tragedy...

"If I could go back to a time and place in the place in the past, I would go Inchon and April 16th. The date is passenger ship sank. Many people were dead, and worldwide people are sad. The passenger ship is in too much young people. They are 17-18 years old. They are going to Jeju island. If I could go back to some time and place in the past, I would go back to when April 16th in Inchon, so I can save our children. I was really much crying since this accident happened. Because too much young people were dead and the dead's family is very sad. I really want to go back to this accident. If I couldn't go back to this time, I would go when maritime police rescue people. If I were maritime police, I would rescue people fast, or if I were captain or crewman, people in boat rescue first. I'm so sorry to many student didn't do their dream. I think a worldwide people sad by this disaster. If I could go back, I would rescue the people in boat."

All over Korean buildings and schools hung yellow ribbons representing hope for a miracle. Ribbons still are hung at my university entrance upon which students, faculty, and staff have written messages to the students. As painful as it was to witness this tragedy, I am thankful I was here, because it gave me a window into the heart of Korean culture. I developed a deeper love for the Korean people having experienced the emotions of this loss together and was touched having witnessed much beauty in the nation's communal response.