Jill's "Thanksgiving" Post.
I spoke with my sister today ... and after our conversation it REALLY hit me that my life is pretty stress free right now, with very few demands on me. My greatest concern is how to keep my teaching interesting and of course getting to the bank each month to wire money home. I occasionally struggle with taking the best subway route ... but hey, if I am a few minutes late for a Museum or Palace ... it doesn't really matter too much. Although I was late for Church last month ... and missed my reading ... but someone covered for me so it all worked out!
I am really having the time of my life right now and I wanted to put it in writing that I know this and I am extremely grateful for it! I did struggle during my first few months here ... a new country, new profession, new friends (both local and visitors), etc ... but things have really come together and for that I am extremely thankful. There is a great group of teachers at my school and we are having lots of fun, site seeing and hanging out ... I am even dog sitting tonight for a friend who is in Seoul partying ... and who doesn't like to dog sit a toy schnoodle?!!
Don't get me wrong, I do miss my family and friends and look forward to seeing them at Christmas ... but I would not trade in this experience in for anything.
I am learning so much about myself - the good, the bad and the ugly. The biggest lesson to date is probably this "Everywhere you go, there you are"... I have finally learned to lighten up and not to take life so seriously ... it's only life after all ... I have to throw a special thanks to Sonja L. for some of that, my roomie prior to moving across the Pacific Pond!!
Some of my teaching days are a huge, huge struggle -- after all I am trained for teaching high school math and science ... But I know that many lessons (and probably most lessons) can be transferred so I am trying to embrace them with that attitude. Trying to garner enthusiasm out of Tweens is a challenge at the best of times, even when you speak the same language as them. When speaking a different language ... it can seem impossible and overwhelming ... I do my best and hope that they are learning. Especially the students I see at 6pm three days a week who are coming off long days and while they want to learn English ... they don't always want to do the work. Especially learning is English Grammer ... but alas I do my best to make the delivery and the class as "fun" as possible.
My Kindy kids are adorable and I absolutely love them ... the pics here and on Facebook certainly prove that ... but there are times when I would like to bop them over the head too.
The last 6 weeks have been crazy with late nights at a new local "restaurant", site seeing, site seeing and more site seeing. Getting out and around country has been fun and I look forward to doing more of it and posting - both here and on Facebook (which is more user friendly for uploading pictures)!
Love to everyone and ... Happy Thanksgiving!!
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