So, I wrote this a while back for Union College Mission Week and I randomly came across it today as I was searching for a file totally unrelated. For all those who have ever thought of or are thinking of going abroad and read my blog, this is meant especially for you. I don't have a huge amount of experience, seeing as I'm merely one year out of college, but I hope it helps or enlightens or inspires or guides in some way. So, without further ado . . .
Teaching.
It’s what my classes prepared me for. It’s what my Bachelor’s
degree certifies me to do. It’s what I never dreamed I would be doing in a
foreign country. Yet, here I am, an English teacher in Korea who now has ten months of never before dreamed of experiences under her belt. What a way
to start life after school.
Each day here has been a learning experience. I quickly
realized that, while I may be a teacher of English, I am a student of a vast
multitude of other subjects – culture, adaption, flexibility, and getting
enough sleep are just a few among many. I probably learn as much from my
students as they learn from me. So even though child and adult alike call me
‘Ashley Teacher’, I feel like I should be calling them ‘[insert any Korean name
which I can never pronounce correctly no matter how many times I try] Teacher’
as well.
I am continuously finding reasons to laugh with my students.
Conversation time never fails to bring laughter as one student says the wrong
word and totally changes the meaning of the sentence or if another student makes
a humorous response to a question (don’t worry, no one laughs at anyone – we
all laugh together, including the person who made the mistake). I will have
stories to tell for quite a while about Korean co-teachers or students
unknowingly causing me convulsions of laughter on the inside while on the
outside I gently guide them to the correct word or response with only the hint of
a smile on my face.
- “Look, that baby is shaking at
us!” “No Michael, she’s WAVING.
She’s waving at us.”
- “I ride the short bus.” “The what bus?” “The short bus.” “Please say it one more time, a little
slower.” “The shuttle bus.” “Oh, got it.”
- “My mother is delicious.”
- “I am boring.”
“You are?” “Yes, I am
boring. And this class is bored.”
- "She is a smart man." "She is a smart man?" "Yes, she is a smart man." "SHE is a smart MAN?" "Yes." "She . . . Man . . ." "Ohhhhh, no! HE is a smart man . . ."
Hmmm, advice? Well, first of
all, if you are thinking of going abroad, pray. Ask for guidance and continue
asking for guidance from the Father who knows best. He knows you inside and
out. Just keep asking and eventually you’ll figure out what He wants you to do.
If you do end up taking up the call to become a missionary, here’s a few other
pieces of advice for you. Leave this country without expectations. I had a lot
of expectations upon my arrival to Korea. Korea has not been all that I
expected it to be, but it’s also been more than I expected it to be. Immerse
yourself in the culture and try to understand it as best as possible. Firstly,
it will make your time much easier if you know why the people you are with do
what they do. Secondly, it will impress and shock your students AND most likely
give you ways to teach them better. Don’t find the negative in the situation,
but instead find the positive. It makes being alone for the first couple of
months much easier. TRAVEL – enough said. I have a lot more I could say, but this is already getting long and I know some of you have short attention spans and over-explaining can also make something seem more confusing, so
I’ll end with this. Being in a foreign country and teaching isn’t a walk in the
park. It can be difficult, lonely, confusing, scary, frustrating, overwhelming,
and sometimes make you feel like giving up. But the times that make you feel
happy, loved, respected, culturally aware, accomplished, amazed, and overjoyed
are much greater in number and are the ones that stick with you longer. Keep
your focus on those and your year abroad will be the experience of a lifetime.
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