KIND OF A BAD ATTITUDE

I feel like I’ve had kind of a bad attitude about meeting people lately. It’s not that I’ve been mean or negative to anyone. I just haven’t felt as excited about making new friends as I usually am.

I can’t keep up with the friends I have, so why make new ones? Of course I don’t fully agree with this thought. Meeting new people and making friends is fun. But, I already struggle with maintaining healthy, balanced relationships with most of my closest friends, and even family members. Do I really need to make more friends?

I don’t have time. This is only true because I don’t make time for friends. I focus on other areas of my personal and professional life, and leave little time to simply hang out and enjoy time with friends.

There’s plenty of opportunity to meet incredible people in Korea. Many other Guest English Teachers share the same passions and interests as I do. However, I’m not diving into these relationships as I normally would. I’m not asking the extra questions. I’m not putting forth the effort it takes to develop deep and meaningful connections.

An entire day spent with friends in Cheongju helped bring about this realization. It has been seven months, and I hardly spend any time with this group of fabulous people. I need to change that.

We celebrated St. Patrick’s Day by eating pancakes (and donuts), wearing bits of green, and watching Attack the Block—a recent movie about a teenage gang that defends a London neighborhood from an alien invasion. Sláinte!

Coffee helped us chatter the afternoon away, and to finish the day we went out to eat a deliciously massive Korean meal. It felt so good to just be. I did normal things! I wasn’t lesson planning. I wasn’t writing. I wasn’t on Facebook. I wasn’t taking photos. I wasn’t cleaning. I wasn’t doing anything but strengthening relationships.

I need to remain thankful for the people surrounding my life now, and not take them for granted as I so often do. I need to dig a little deeper, and push myself to get out there and meet more people. Thanks for this reminder, Cheongju friends! I look forward to many more adventures with you.

Comments

  1. Anonymous6:44 PM

    I felt the same way after that day. I know how blessed we are to have the friendships we have in Korea and especially in Cheongju. Why always search for friendships when we have such great friends right in front of us? Thanks for this post! I truly appreciate you and I'm thankful for our friendship! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ryan, you know how much I appreciate you! Although, I'm still failing at balancing my life and relationships.

      Delete

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