Guminian Trail

So my 11th Month in Korea is drawing to a close. Its been a long month and a month of many surprises. I have decided to stay another month because I have many answers and hopes that I still have yet to answer. I am not entirely sure where to go to next or what to do but I am desperately praying and just hoping.


My life here in Korea has completed me in many ways. I came here to get a new perspective and to actually see how this part of the world works. I wanted to understand what people on the other side of the planet were like in all regards and I wanted to get away from the boring monotony that surrounded me at home. Now that I am almost done I am not sure how I feel about returning to such a life. I know I will not go back the same. I also hope that my life here in Korea wasn't for nothing I do want everything that I have come to stand up for and believe in to work out regardless of when I leave.

May started out as what would have been my last full month in Korea. It was a month that transformed me like none other.

I have witnessed people with no concept in the classroom destroy the teachers feelings and ended up making for a hectic week in the early onset of May. Its that type of attitude that has made me stand up and fight for change. How can a student so blatantly defy and disrespect a teacher. Foul language is Universal. Most language whether English, Korean or other can be translated. That is proof that we all have like mind and have similar goals albeit a little different ways to achieve them.

Its Spring and the weather is wonderful. Flowers are budding and Korea everything is in full bloom. People are carrying umbrella's around whether for the rain that comes sporadically or to use as a coolant system under the hot soon to be summer sun.

Many of my posts have talked about Yale in a Negative Spotlight. I have discussed many things that I feel are justifiably strange or a paradox of what Life and work are all about. I have come to the conclusion that everyone has their own way of looking at things, our own separate agenda's and in many ways things will stay the same. I refuse to write about weird things at work now because it is a complete waste of time (SSDD). What has happened to me during my time here in YALE is inconsequential. I did what I needed to do at that time.

I will be the first to admit that I do have some regrets about happenings and things I did or didn't do but that's yesteryear and now its time to just focus on Today or Now.

May was a month where Big decisions had to be made. I have chosen to stay until July. While I am not entirely sure about what will happen after July I do know that I will continue to strive for more and more. I got something perfect out of a messy situation. I say messy because I have had to use the word negativity to describe my workplace. I don't know why people get all bent out of shape when I mentioned bad happenings because I have heard just as many from many people as well. Its a fact that people just need to live by instead of feeling awful about things. I choose to worry about things that only I can't control.

I have dealt with a lot in the 11 months that I have been here and this month has marked no different.

Month in Review:
I worked every Saturday. Truthfully, Yale is all about the work and unfortunately I feel no value in my teaching because there is no real day to reflect on what I have done.

I had 2 wonderful weekends with Christina. WE had a nice Seoul Trip. We saw many interesting sites and I can't wait to go back there again. I truly can see myself living and working in Seoul by her side for at least a year if I found a desirable job.

I met Christina's brother. I hope to meet more of her family. I think that there is nothing that can't be overcome. I am familiar with Korean ways of thinking and I have come to lose a lot of my American ways of looking at things in order to better understand Korea. I know I can now live successfully in Korea. Whether I wanted to or not I quit being an American for a year of my life in order to try to fit in here.


At the closure of the month I just want to find something better. My life in Korea has had more to do with just finding myself in the middle of this situation. I have separated my time here in 3 parts: Korea time/Work time/MY time. There is a difference in each 3.

Now I just hope to figure out something before its too late. I look to June with nothing but full of promise. I really want to unleash all of my Dreams and make everything work.