HEART TO KOREAN HEART

“I feel that you are not my co-worker, but more like my friend…”

Those words from one of my co-teachers just melted my heart. To know she feels the same way means a lot. To know we all feel the same means even more.

It is hard to believe my second semester at Bibong Elementary in Ochang, South Korea, is coming to an end. It is even harder to believe how close I have become to my Korean co-teachers.

Last semester I did not get the opportunity to open up as much with my former co-workers. This semester has been entirely different from the start.

We laugh together all the time. Cry some too. We have deep heart-to-hearts on Friday afternoons. We share secrets with one another, and talk about the tough stuff in life—just as friends would do.

A failed attempt to request a Visa extension at the immigration office in Cheongju this afternoon turned out to be a beautiful bonding moment with “Cat Teacher”. Even though we come from such different backgrounds, our personalities, thoughts on life, love, and everything else in between seem so similar.

It will be so hard to say goodbye to ‘Cat Teacher’. She has taken a teaching position at an International School in Taiwan. I encouraged her to apply, and am excited for her adventures ahead. But, I cannot help but think our time together will be cut short. She departs in August.

A simple reminder to make the best of every moment you have with the ones you love. You never know how long your lives will get to walk along the same path.