Celebrity...
Today has been a weird day here, in the sense that it hasn't been at all. It has been a school/work day and a genuinely good day. With the exception of the Halloween parties that is something that hasn't happened in months. There are other things that may add to this perspective - the fact that yesterday was such crap, the fact that this is the first day in a month and a half that I haven't felt sick at all, the fact that my neck hardly hurt at all today and the knowledge that as long as nothing else goes wrong, starting today we're finished doing extra shifts.
The goodness of the day started with my favorite preschooler coming into the office excited that I was teaching him and eager to show his brilliance in knowing the word of the day. I hugged him and tickled him and we laughed and then as I went to the classroom about 5 of them were hugging me and kissing me and just playing. Then the rest of my classes went decently well - I didn't feel that sense of no purpose and waste that I so often feel here. My final class, which is usually a draining one wasn't that bad and during the break we even had some fun as one student was recommending a movie to me and drilling me on my Korean.
Then as I was preparing to leave I found a text from Jovita asking what I was doing. So I gave her a call and we decided to meet up for some 'coffee' downtown. We ended up going to dinner and here's where feeling like a celebrity comes in, haha. The restaurant was beautiful and we were each served a beautiful platter with various side dishes and sauces and the waitress stayed near us cooking the ShabbuShaboo in front of us, just at the right speed for us to eat. Tons of fresh vegetables, and plenty of meat all cooked in soup before us. She was so excited. I know we made her night. She was asking us questions and telling us the order to eat, teaching us Korean words for things. Probably the friendliest waitress I've ever had. She just seemed so genuinely joyful to be serving us. Almost like we were doing her a favor! Then as it was time for the second course an older man and woman who I assume were the managers or owners came and were helping with the cooking of our meal. They were all so pleasant and happy - full of pleasing comments and smiles. It felt like we'd stepped into a home where we were honoured guests and the hosts were delighted to spoil us!!
Beyond that, it was just so good to sit and talk and enjoy this beautiful cultures food. It's times like that I wonder if I've made the right choice. . . But I won't bother going there at the moment. I have made a choice and though I feel that I could change it - I also want to follow this new path wherever it takes me. There are most certainly things I will miss about this land and this life though... I think I'm glad I'm recognizing them so when I leave I will see this as much more than just a learning and growth experience but also an enriching one that I will be able to look upon fondly, remembering the good rather than the bad.
(I'll include a pic from another delicious meal on Saturday. A vietnamese one. (We had rice paper which we cooked in the hot bowls of water, then we took the vegetables and meat in the centre and wrapped them in the moist rice paper. So yummy! And healthy - like the meal tonight)- I didn't have a camera tonight though.)
The goodness of the day started with my favorite preschooler coming into the office excited that I was teaching him and eager to show his brilliance in knowing the word of the day. I hugged him and tickled him and we laughed and then as I went to the classroom about 5 of them were hugging me and kissing me and just playing. Then the rest of my classes went decently well - I didn't feel that sense of no purpose and waste that I so often feel here. My final class, which is usually a draining one wasn't that bad and during the break we even had some fun as one student was recommending a movie to me and drilling me on my Korean.
Then as I was preparing to leave I found a text from Jovita asking what I was doing. So I gave her a call and we decided to meet up for some 'coffee' downtown. We ended up going to dinner and here's where feeling like a celebrity comes in, haha. The restaurant was beautiful and we were each served a beautiful platter with various side dishes and sauces and the waitress stayed near us cooking the ShabbuShaboo in front of us, just at the right speed for us to eat. Tons of fresh vegetables, and plenty of meat all cooked in soup before us. She was so excited. I know we made her night. She was asking us questions and telling us the order to eat, teaching us Korean words for things. Probably the friendliest waitress I've ever had. She just seemed so genuinely joyful to be serving us. Almost like we were doing her a favor! Then as it was time for the second course an older man and woman who I assume were the managers or owners came and were helping with the cooking of our meal. They were all so pleasant and happy - full of pleasing comments and smiles. It felt like we'd stepped into a home where we were honoured guests and the hosts were delighted to spoil us!!
Beyond that, it was just so good to sit and talk and enjoy this beautiful cultures food. It's times like that I wonder if I've made the right choice. . . But I won't bother going there at the moment. I have made a choice and though I feel that I could change it - I also want to follow this new path wherever it takes me. There are most certainly things I will miss about this land and this life though... I think I'm glad I'm recognizing them so when I leave I will see this as much more than just a learning and growth experience but also an enriching one that I will be able to look upon fondly, remembering the good rather than the bad.
(I'll include a pic from another delicious meal on Saturday. A vietnamese one. (We had rice paper which we cooked in the hot bowls of water, then we took the vegetables and meat in the centre and wrapped them in the moist rice paper. So yummy! And healthy - like the meal tonight)- I didn't have a camera tonight though.)
posted by Charles at 6:03 AM
1 Comments:
Sounds like a wonderful, enjoyable meal...I was looking for something at the bottom which indicated that maybe they thought you were both movie actresses or something...Also happy that your kids gave you some special recognition...that's always so nice.
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