'Tis the season of flowers & friendship

Spring has come and gone but oh, what a lovely Spring it was! If I can sum up my second Spring in Korea in a few words, it would be flowers and friendship sprinkled with new love. But now is not the time to get into that last bit! You have to keep following my blog for when I am ready to tell that story later on.

If there’s something Korea does well, it is the colourful seasons of Spring and Autumn. After the long, cold and icy Winter, Spring came through with all its gorgeous colours and lightness. From the Cherry Blossom season in early Spring to streets lined with roses recently, Spring time does not disappoint in colour and perfect weather.

Taking a walk during lunchtime to look at the Cherry Blossoms...

The beautiful flowers near home...

There were roses everywhere recently, making the streets pretty.

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This Spring season was also wonderful because it appeared to be the time for celebrating friendships, both new and old. I tend to frequent the same cafés and restaurants in my local neighbourhood so I have built quite good relationships with some of the owners. On two occasions, I was invited for a day out, where I was shown parts of Daejeon I had not seen before. A local restaurant owner and her little daughter took me to Daecheon Lake, a man-made lake and scenic area, stretching from Daejeon to Cheongju-si, Okcheon-gun, and Boeun-gun. The area is also famous for a beautiful tree-lined road which at the time was lined with Cherry Blossoms. The following week, Hee, a coffee shop owner, took me to lunch and a popular forest park for some sweet treats. I feel really lucky to have built these friendships, especially close to home. They give me a sense of belonging in our little community which I appreciate. 

Hanging out with Jiangmi and Sumi for a Sunday outing at Daecheon Lake.

On a lunch date and coffee in the forest with my friend, Hee.

“Time doesn't take away from friendship, nor does separation.” Tennessee Williams

One of the best things about my academic job was the friendships and networks I built with people in South Africa and abroad. One of the loveliest surprises I got in April was my friend Gavaza (a Limpopo local and University of Cape Town lecturer) letting me know she was in Korea. I knew she would come sometime this year but definitely not at that particular moment. How wonderful it was to see a friend from home! Gavaza also taught English in Korea years ago and had confidently said I would love it. It was lovely catching up, having her visit my home, and showing her that she was right about me and Korea!

Coffee & cheesecake with Gavaza, my sister-friend in Seoul...

Gavaza came to visit me in Daejeon on the rainiest day. Loved showing her my little neighbourhood.  

“There are friends, there is family and then there are friends that become family.” Unknown

In early May, my good friends and former colleagues from Stellenbosch University, Yejoo and Ross, also visited Korea for work-related matters. We've known each other since 2011/2012 but this was the first time we were in Yejoo's home country together. It was great seeing them after almost five years apart. The three of us have travelled together on numerous occasions while working together, to international conferences as well as on holiday to different national parks in South Africa so they're like family to me. During the visit, I stayed at Yejoo’s family home in Seoul. I was so happy to finally meet her parents and spend some time with them. It was also nice to be in a house with a mom who cooked for you and did everything to ensure you were okay. I was definitely in my element, playing into the role of being like a daughter in their home. Yejoo also showed me around her neighbourhood and where she attended school. How lovely it was to finally see where she grew up! 

Yejoo's mom put out a spread for us when I arrived. So much love in a home-cooked meal. 🖤 

Taking a walk with my 언니 (older sister) along the Han River.

CCS reunion. Catching up over coffee and dessert like old times.

The three of us also did some cool touristy things such as a Temple food-making class, which was really fun; we also visited the Blue House, a public park that formerly served as the executive office and official residence of the president of South Korea. It was an amazing time reconnecting with old friends, sharing stories and experiences from the past five years, as well as making new memories. Yejoo and Ross currently live in Nairobi, Kenya so here’s hoping I get to visit them sometime!

Yejoo booked a temple food-making class for us. This was a really fun bonding experience!

Learning how to make and fold dumplings properly.

The final product of the dumplings. So delicious too!

Squad!

Visiting the Blue House.

A lovely vegetable garden too...

“The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.” Elisabeth Foley 

Lastly, Mbali and I also did some fun things this Spring. For her birthday in May, we went to the Lantern Parade in Seoul, also known as the Yeon Deung Hoe (Lotus Lantern Festival). This festival celebrates Buddha's birthday. It was really pretty, with all the lights, colours and incredible lantern designs. Throughout the country, temples and some of the main streets were lit with pretty lanterns in the build-up to Buddha's birthday.

Birthday girl enjoying the open streets in Seoul...

The lanterns were beautiful...

Charlie Brown doing his thing...

It was also important to spend some fun time together as Mbali has recently relocated to Jeju Island for a new job. Jeju Island lies in the Korea Strait, south of the Korean Peninsula, and South Jeolla Province. This new location means I’d have to fly if I want to visit! I am sad my friend has moved so far but it will also be a wonderful opportunity for new adventures as island life means mountains and the ocean. I wish her all the best in the new job and that she may achieve everything she hopes to through this new phase of her journey! 

A new school year at Maebong!

So far, I’ve had a great start to the new school year. It’s been a busy period of getting to know the new students and adjusting to new co-teachers (4 in total) and their teaching styles. I have also taken on a few after-school classes, one for English speaking and the other a reading class with a co-teacher. Playing Uno with my afterschool class and showing them my competitive spirit has been fun! Making them laugh at my reactions to being 'skipped' and how they gang up on me to ensure I don’t win is hilarious!

I have two periods per week with one Grade 7 class, which we call ‘Disney class’ as I usually do a Disney song worksheet with them in the first period. This class has been the most hectic, energy-taking, ‘maak my mal’ class but also the most fun I have during the school week! They are the babies of the school and so they have the most energy. They need lots of attention and need you to tell them everything they need to do. Often twice or thrice! At the beginning of the term, one boy was really excited about the class and kept shouting whatever he had to say to me. I found it hilarious but the girl next to him was not having it and would give him a side-eye (glare) in annoyance that would make any woman from the Cape Flats proud! I made sure he felt encouraged to be himself and stay enthusiastic despite his classmate’s animosity towards him! In this class, we’ve also had students in tears, a new experience for me, and with my sensitive heart, having to teach while girls are crying (silent tears and sobbing at times) was something else. I just wanted to hug them and make them feel better but luckily my co-teacher steps in and tells them to take a moment, drink water and wash their face. How must one teach when this is going on?! Shame man. 

'Teacher, you like... what?' 'Teacher, colour... you like... what?' After I told them what I like, students kept coming up to me in class to give me the origami designs they made.

Jimin drawing a picture of her and me LOL

It’s also been awesome to observe the changes in students as they get older (specifically the Grade 9s, who I taught last year), and as their English improves. A few jokesters from last year seem to have done a complete turnaround and are really keen on improving and speaking English to me. I've also implemented a stamp system with my classes. If you read the dialogue, give answers in class, or win games, you get a stamp. For every ten stamps you get a candy and the student with the most stamps in their grade at the end of the year will get a prize. Just adding this element to how I run my classes has made a big difference in participation and some more willing to speak up now than they were before. 

Sports Day! One of my favourite days in the school year. So much fun was had.

For one of our Friday English Club, we had a cookie decorating class. So messy and so much fun! 

Lastly, there are a few classes with special needs students in them, which has been a very interesting and humbling experience for me. At first, I wasn’t sure what to do or how to engage with them in class, as they don’t follow what I am teaching nor are they expected to. From what I have learned, parents want them in public schools, though they’re unable to engage with the material or lessons. However, I have learned to interact with them regardless of this, even if it’s just through a high five, walking around to personally greet them, asking what they are doing or giving a worksheet to make them feel part of the lesson. Also, when the class needs to listen to a recording, I’ll stand by one boy and keep his attention as he likes to shout things out. In these moments, he’ll hold my hand and try and chat with me in Korean. It’s also been lovely to watch how some of the other students patiently engage with these students and make them feel part of the class. 

"May you live all the days of your life." -Jonathan Swift. 

On June 6, I turned 36 and had a wonderful birthday as it falls on a public holiday in Korea. I wrote this on a WhatsApp status... "35 has been wonderful! Living in answered prayer... Finding purpose in teaching teens, finding freedom abroad, reconnecting with a close friend, sharing, deepening connections at home via WhatsApp, making new friends, writing freely and becoming a blogger, healing, travelling, trying new things, learning a new language, online dating and falling in love. What a year it has been!" Here's to 36. May it be everything and more.

Till next time!

Meryl Joy Burgess