For the Love of All that is Korean...

Well. What do you say when you have fallen in love with your students? I am left speechless by the intensity of their desire to learn, their propensity for question after question which humble my lack of knowledge, and their vulnerability and openness during sharing time. Although my lack of confidence in my teaching abilities is strikingly deep within me, I know that this is going to be a growing time for all of us. I enjoyed today immensely, and although I am officially exhausted, more mentally than physically, I would not want it any other way. For our afternoon activity we watched the movie "The Blindside", which I had not seen before this afternoon. It was compelling but too long(perhaps sitting on the floor had something to do with it). I am amazed by how there seems to be no discomfort in lack of personal space among the students. They fit five on the couch in the lounge, where we would be comfortable with three.

Lunch was, of course, a Korean culinary affair, with delicious fried rice, or pappambob (I know this is NOT the right word for it, but I tried my best), and kimchi. It was wonderful, and I hardly had to eat any before I felt full.

It was my lover's 25th birthday today, so after lunch (which he is invited to attend each day), we served pie in honour of his love of all that is pastry. I hope that he enjoyed it; it was hard to do anything for him today, since I worked 9-5:30, and he worked 3-11, but we did manage to have a delicious birthday breakfast of bacon, eggs fried in bacon grease, and leftover pão de queijo. Jake then prayed a sweet prayer of "commissioning" that stirred my soul, causing me to once again focus on my job for the day. Once again, Happy Birthday my love! Just think, next year around this time we'll be more than six months married, Lord Willing. What a sweet pensamento...

After class, all I wanted to do was crash, and after my nap, I spent the evening with Hee-Sook, making dinner together, a trip to Zehrs, and then a surprise venture at the new Shopper's Drug Mart, where a Russian beautician named Stella tested out some mascara on my lashes. Once I found out (after asking) that she was Russian, would you believe I just had to test out my Russian words on her? Complete with my one phrase of, "Excuse me, young man, where is the cinema?" *sigh* Can't I learn anything more in that beautiful, exotic language? I laughed with Hee-Sook afterwards, as she mentioned that me, being Ashleigh, would, of course, speak to her in her language. It's not nerdy. It's me. And that's just the way God designed me. Uniquely. And with a propensity for language that doesn't. stop. wanting. more. (AND yes, I just used propensity TWICE in this blog.)

That's about it for now. Please keep praying that I will be open to whatever it is that God wants to teach me, and that the students will learn from me.

Love,

Ashleigh