A birthday gift from my students

The best thing about any job is the people you come in contact with. Some people are nice some are mean some are simply stupid. Although we tend to remember all of them after we have moved on, we tend to remember the people that were nice to us more often than not. The reason for this is because joy is one of the three strongest emotions that we long for. The others being truth, and love. Read my journal for more on this. I am updating it tonight. Anyhow, I teach kindergarten to adult students. Although I enjoy most of my classes, I have to admit that the adult class that I teach three days a week is the most enjoyable because the discussion can go anywhere and they tend to share everything. Not only do they teach me as well about Korean customs and history, they bring breakfast, take me to lunch occasionally and teach me Korean. On my birthday four days ago, they amazed me once again with their generosity.

I have a total of six students in the class. Some were not able to make it that class but the more consistent ones did, Amy (on the right sitting, Min (next to Amy sitting, Sylvia (above Min), and Lyn (above Amy). Amy owns the dunkin donuts were are in in the photo. She and the others wanted to take me out to lunch elsewhere but I had only thirty minutes for lunch that day. So Amy anxiously got a nice sandwich for me as part of my gift and a drink.

This is my birthday lunch Amy got me.

The other gifts they got me were two shirts. They were a pink and light purple shirt.

First they got me a strip shirt in place of the purple shirt but Amy and Sylvia took it back and exchanged it because they said it did not look good on me while I ate my lunch and talked with Amy and Lyn.

Sylvia having a cold ice tea after walking in the hot sun to exchange my gift with Amy.

It was a good day. The staff I work with also got me a ice cream cake that was very good. The students in my afternoon classes too were hilarious because they would give me fruits and candy. Some were half eaten but it is the thought that counts right? I would just take it, put it on my desk and say “camsa mida,” which is thank you in Korean; it is borderline rude and offensive denying something from children in Korea. They get upset. It is a cultural thing. I am glad the parents in my class informed me of this before hand.