why korea? oh i will tell you...

so you say you are interested 

in teaching abroad?

and you are thinking about coming to Korea?

let me tell you right now,

teaching abroad is not for everyone.

and Korea is probably not for everyone either...

but if your on the fence

about plans for your future,

you should consider this burst of

persuasion.

at least think about it.

number one: 

i teach some of the

cutest kids you've 

ever seen.

number two:

Koreans grow massive amount of their produce

in country.

and let me tell you...

whatever comes with the season...

will take your breath away. 

number three: the old men.

sometimes these lovely old men

 might invite

you to drink a little beer

and eat a little squid with them

because you just happened to be

sitting in their favorite spot 

in the park.

the spot where they have

 sat,

drank,

and munched on squid together

for the past...

the past forever.

number four: rice fields.

because they are just actually so awesome.

so foreign to me.

and so breathtakingly beautiful.

number five:

you get to wear amazing shoes like this...

at work.

typically with socks

showcasing the most popular 

cartoon characters.

and if it's winter...

you get to wear slippers.

number six: 

mogyoktangs. 

i.e. 

korean bath houses.

with separate bathing areas for

men and women

[yes you will be naked throughout this whole experience]

you will discover

something so wonderful

you'll wonder how you ever lived without

such pure

bliss.

picture from this fun blog.

number seven:

Korean co-teachers.

if you are fortunate enough to have them

they will make your life better.

and completely

worth it.

all you must do

is take the time to get to know them.

they've changed my life.

that's for sure.

and i will never be the same again.

number eight: 

after the long winter color emerges in the form of...

cherry blossoms.

and it's just as magical as it sounds.

number nine:

Korean baseball.

best.sporting.event.i've.ever.been.to.

no.question.

number ten:

the special coffee drinks.

best latte i'll ever drink.

made to perfection

each and every time!

and i've only just begun...

are you teaching and living abroad in

Korea?

tell me why you love it.

"just root.root.root for the home team"

i think i startled her.

because i nearly jumped at her

when she walked into

class today.

"what is that on your shirt!!?"

silence. perhaps a gasp.

speaking more slowly,

i try again.

"do you know? your shirt?

do you know what it says?"

she stares.

and giggles

nervously.

she has no idea.

i try one more time,

"my baseball team."

i make the 

universally understood swinging

baseball motion.

"daegu, samsung lions?

same-same...

minnesota twins."

"ok, teacher."

is her only response.

she graciously allowed me

a photograph

to document my

disbelief.

korea is truly amazing.

truly amazing

at copying.

i'm pretty sure you doesn't know it.

but it's rooting.

for my

home team.

colors of a garden.

have you ever walked through

a garden

in spring time?

when the dirt looks hard and tired?

brittle still from remeants of cold that

cling despite the sun's beams?

untilled, rocky at the edges.

torn and cracked from

months of aloneness?

it's hard to imagine.

that something,

that anything

 could

come from: 

grey-ness. dull-ness.

often

i assess the outcome

long before the

growing as even taken place.

i often desire the end, first.

without the process.

sometimes i desire to rush things

to rush people

to rush myself

into the potential

that is waiting.

lucky for me.

lucky for you.

farming is left to the wise.

who know better.

this past weekend.

i attended a yoga purification camp

sponsored by Ayurveda Yoga studio.

a group of 40 Koreans and various foreigners

headed up to a quiet hill location in Muju.

among many experiences,

who is in?

tea meditations

PanchaKosha lecture

crying meditation

laughing meditation

yoga nidra

kriya yoga

hatha yoga

various breath techniques

forest walking meditation

all-night mediation

it feels hard to sum up in any respect.

i was introduced to many new things.

my body and mind fluctuated 

moment to moment

in how open and willing i was to push

and test myself.

all the while seeking to remain respectful

and listen to what was occurring

inside.

the balance.

is hard to have.

i couldn't help but think

that

for something to grow 

there must be a cost.

or at least, there must be intention

and time.

always time.

saturday evening arrived

bringing the deep rumbling desires for dinner.

as we made our way into the

dinning area.

never.

have i been greeted with a meal

so divinely pure.

breathtakingly beautiful.
creatively simple.

the colors.

bright.

the forms.

natural.

the concept.

simple.

so simple.

i don't think

i've ever enjoyed or rejoiced

over each bit of raw food bliss.

celebrated each

color for its color.

each taste for its taste.

each juice for the juice.

"well done. you grew splendidly."

my mind wandered to the 

grey-ness. dull-ness.

of the garden in spring.

the dirt, still caked and tight.

for as far as i could see.

and i was reminded

that sometimes it takes time.

and it's unfair to wish the growing

process away.

because it all belongs.

the slowness.

the dullness.

the aloneness.

the greenness.

the gradual life.

the intention.

sometimes we get to chance

to experience the end

even if we are in the middle.

and sometimes it might seem scary,

the end.

but sometimes

it might be as wonderful

as eating the colors 

of a garden.

and so i remind myself,
be present to the process.
and the colors.

the earth reminded me.

this morning.

i was talking to my roommate.

about how spring is on its way.

its nearly march, she exclaimed.

spring is. right. around the corner.

but sometimes i forget.

sometimes i forget.

to just be

right where i am.

and sometimes i need 

a reminder.

as i stepped out of the gypsy den [the apartment]...

the whiteness made me catch my breath.

  

snow. was. everywhere.

a warm flow of energy trickled through me

beginning in my neck,

ending in my toes.

the snow.

it must had begun falling

since the morning's earliest hours.

with Regina Speckor as my morning soundtrack,

i stepped out into the street.

to become apart of it all.

my roommate called to me from the door,

"happy valentines day nat!"

men and women strolling one by one

or with a companion,

under plaid umbrellas

decorated the streets of my neighborhood.

snow clung to pine branches.

and it knew it was beautiful.

as i walked.

the earth reminded me.

and was busy surrounding me with

small white beauties to keep me company as i walked.

remember where you are.

the earth whispered.

and love where you are. in this moment.

 

so today, on this day of love and hearts.

i am reminded.

it is winter.

and i wonder if you can feel reminded...

to love where you are at.

in this exact moment.

because right now is wonderful.

but sometimes we need a reminder.

to be here.

just here.

and maybe we will learn:

here

is the very best place to be.

  

with a full heart,

and lots of love,

happy valentines day.

 

it was yesterday.

just yesterday.

i was sitting in the front seat of my boss' car.

on the highway.

in traffic.

somewhere in the middle of daegu city.

 

my boss, mrs. lee

speaks very little english.

i even less korean.

a great combination.

mrs. lee's two grown daughters

were crowded in the backseat next to

lumps of teaching supplies and winter coats.

the sun shone in through the front window

warming my stomach and throat with its insistent beams.

then it happened.

my boss...began...

to sing.

"i havvvve a drrrreeeaaaam. a soooong to siiiing"

i hestitiated.

unsure of just what exactly was taking place.

in the next moment, when the backseat daughters

chimmed in with harmony, i knew.

i knew this experience,

this whole experience...

was unlike any other i would ever have.

and i was grateful.

so grateful,

that i joined in for the following song

a rendition of sound of music, 

'do re mi'.

because not everyone get to sing

classics with their boss.

with the sun shinning.

on a wednesday afternoon.