Joys of July

Probably everyone has better things to do than read a blog, but still...this is something of a journalling for me too, of my time here in Korea.  So, I'm sorry I've neglected this.  I've spent most of my free time sleeping or just "checking out" in between pretty big happenings.  You know how it is--I hope!

First biggie for July began about 3 years ago.  I still remember the first time I saw Karli, in the auditorium where my son TA'd for Intro to Film.  I believe I've used the word before, but I'll use it again: she sparkled.  Tall, leggy, with intelligent and compassionate eyes, I thought she was exquisitely lovely and chock-full of life.  "That's Karli," Jordan said nonchalantly, with a "she's just a friend" look.  I wondered what was wrong with him.  Now they're engaged.  Ha!  Once in awhile it's appropriate to express an "I thought so."

There are milestones in a mom's life: first steps, first words, discovering your kid's intellectually gifted, not "challenged," graduation from High School, acceptance into a good college, FT mission call and then completion (if you're LDS), college graduation, graduate school graduation...when you're a divorced mom w/one kid, these milestones are felt pretty intensely, with lots of tears and joy.  The biggest, though, by far, is having your son finally wake up and fall for the girl you thought was perfect from the moment you first saw her.  Even though I didn't get the job I flew out to interview for, I remember thinking how lucky I was to be around when my son fell in love.  We both flew in and out of Utah the same week w/o planning it that way.  Karli, you've no idea just how welcome you are!

Two days later it was "officially" my birthday.  Although the engagement video chat was the real celebration, one still likes to have some sort of remembrance happen on the actual day.  Jordan sent me an email letter--the guy's a writer and I'm always, always happy to receive one of his epistles.  Earlier, because I try to make something of a "ta-da" for each of my student's on their birthdays, I'd mentioned to a couple of them that my birthday was around the same time as theirs.  I'm glad I did now.   2nd grader, "James," kept following me around and saying "Happy Birthday, Joanna teacher," which alerted the rest of the school staff to the fact.  So I got sung to and ate cheesecake with chopsticks, and then received little notes, gifts and so-forth through out the day!  It was lovely!  Sherry Anderson made a rich chocolate cake I want (as opposed to need) the recipe for and the Andersons treated me to icecream on fresh waffles that evening too.  The various notes I received from the students moved me to tears, especially from some of the boys, like this one:

"Nicholas"is a particularly insightful, intelligent boy who's approaching those difficult adolescent years, so getting this meant everything--it's amazing how much my students have changed in a single year.  I've watched several of them mutate from adorable 5th or 6th graders to obnoxious, too-cool-for-you middle-schoolers.  I adore many of my middle-school-aged kids, but when you watch them go through the change, it's like watching the invasion of individual "body snatchers" at work!  Nicholas is right there at that age, vacillating between ridiculous trouble-maker to profound philosopher, writing things like the following in response to the question: "if you knew you were going to die tomorrow, what would you do?" (btw--I think that's an idiotic question to pose to 6th graders as a rule).  I copied down what he wrote verbatim (his English is beyond good).

"If I was going to die tomorrow, I'd play computer games.  I'd say "I love you" to my parents.  And I'd watch TV.  I hate death.  I want to be a god, because gods do not die.  All people want to be a god."

I need to get another picture of this boy--he's the one closest to the camera.  I expect great things from him.  I privately said good-bye to a couple of my favorite middle-school students this week who're headed to the Philippines for a few weeks and won't get back until I'm gone.  I cried after they left the room.  I've talked about Jamie and Jerry before.  They're so very different from each other and I think I'll miss Jerry most.  He's such a creative soul.  If I get my idea for introducing musicals in Korea and Japan up and running, it'll be because of Jerry.  I only have videos of him up on Facebook, bc. I don't know how to post them here.  Anyway, Kelly teacher, who's Mr. Lee's main assistant, was responsible for the cake and had each of her classes write and deliver notes to me through out the day.  Again, I teach nearly all of the Korean teachers' students once a week and these notes meant more than I can adequately express.  Here's just a couple more:

So, I'm headed home in less than a month and so much to do--hence the lack of blogging. ;-) 

        Hmm, some odds and ends before I fall asleep.  I'm tutoring a couple of very bright minded middle-school girls on Saturday mornings who just need to learn the nuts and bolts to earn better grades.  The ability to think is solidly in place, as are their English skills, so it's lots of fun!

Sang a duet w/Sherry Anderson for a musical gathering last night--lots of fun and plenty of jitters.  Also, just learned how to make fun fans w/paper, pens, glue, glitter-glue and chopsticks.  I patterned these 2 after the black one in the middle and we made them together in our little women's Relief Society craft group last week.

REALLY fuzzing out now--fell asleep about a dozen times sitting here trying to finish this--because I woke up at 2 am today for some reason.  Now, 12 hours later, I can't stay awake any longer.  Besides, it's Sunday.

I'll close with a diary entry that I find particularly lovely (edited a bit, for legibility):
"My precious things are... 1. family, 2 friends...
My family is by my side every time.
If I cry, my family notices.
In joy and  in sorrow, they are by my side.  My friends ar precious too.
They gladden me everyday, so I am joyous."

Indeed.