What teachers make

We are in the middle of March, but the weather tells otherwise. Snow in the middle of March? The weather is crazy. When the tracking program ended on last year’s December, I was glad that I didn’t have to walk on freezing days. The students were cold, the volunteers were cold, and the teachers were cold. When I heard that the tracking program will resume in March, I was happier than ever. Just imagine yourself waling through a path surrounded by spring flowers, inhaling the fresh air. However, now is colder that ever. Everyone is trying their best to hold it together.

My point here is that I sincerely respect the volunteers and teachers. I believe that the students are great that they are working in a weather like this, but it would be impossible without those teachers and volunteers. Of course teachers are paid, and volunteers get points, but this is impossible to do when your heart doesn’t want to do it. The teachers have to spend majority of their days with the students. To be honest, it is hard for me to be with them for 2 hours. I can’t imagine how hard it can be for teachers. Despite, teachers never frown in front of the students. They always smile. Teachers are friends, life mentors, and even parents to these students. They don’t simply teach math, but they teach what life can be and what hope you can find it out of it. They show it by action that if you have your heart, you follow your heard, and if you work hard, you will always be rewarded.

The tracking resumes

The tracking program resumed. The track is meaningful, but everything has its costs. I will just say that the tracking is rather tiring. I am in a new class, so I was assigned to a new partner. She was even older than the other students. She was born in 1966. This was her last year in Hyeeun school, and she was really excited to graduate. I talked a lot to her during the tracking at Hee Mang Park. Hee Mang Park has a high slope, so she had to constantly rest. I was getting tired too. Therefore, on the way back, my partner changed. He was two years older than me. He was vey active. He constantly listed the names of food that he likes. The way back was more exciting. He ran and pulled my arms. I had to follow him. I was amazed at how friendly he can get to a person he just met. When we got back, we played at the playground. To be honest, I enjoyed it. He never seemed tired, but surely I was by the end of the day.

Reunion!

Saturday, March 20, 2011, after 2 months of long wait, I finally visited Hyeeun School. I remember mentioning that going back to Hyeeun School is half excited and half reluctant. Well, this feeling prolonged until I reached Hyeeun School. When I reached Hyeeun School, I was assigned to a different class. I used to be assigned to a middle school class before the vacation. However, now I was assigned to a high school class which makes sense because if I went to Korean school, I just turned in to a high school student. Same applied to the Hyeeun School students. Meaning I would be still able to see the friends in middle school in high school. However things didn’t go as planned. I was assigned to a senior class which had students older than me. I felt stunned as if a lighting was stunned on me. Meeting new people is a hard thing, and the assignment was permanent for the entire year. It would had been easier if I worked with the students I know, but meeting new people and helping them is the point of public service at Hyeeun School. I fixed my mind, and decided to try my best.

Reunion?

March 2nd, 2011. Finally, the day I’ve been waiting for has came. March 2nd was the date of Hyeeun school’s opening ceremony. Remember that December 24, 2010 was the date of start of winter vacation. The last time I visited Hyeeun School was during traditional Korean instrument program during January, so it has been 2 months since I’ve been there. To be honest, I am not 100% excited to go back to Hyeeun School, because going there means more work. I rested on Saturday mornings during the 2 months of vacation, and now I have work on Saturday mornings. It is not the best thing you want to do. However, I am excited. I’ll get to see everyone again. Being at Hyeeun school teaches me valuable lessons. It helps me to view alternatively. I have to wait until March 19th which is when I will go to Hyeeun school. I am looking forward to go and learn.