We’re 3 ½ weeks in, rapidly approaching the halfway mark, and I feel saddened to think that our time here is slipping away. We only have a couple of weeks left at Jiguchon, and I’m finding my heart aching more each time I think about having to say goodbye to the kids. Three weeks has been enough time to form attachments that I already know will be painful to shake. Even in the after school program of older students who were clearly uninterested at first, we’ve learned how to appeal to them and in turn have created relationships that are even more rewarding. After classes ended this past Friday, a student from my previous after school class approached Angel and I. He told us that before we came to Jiguchon, their after school classes were unenjoyable, but that our English class was a huge improvement and the students were having fun learning from us. Throughout the program we have all felt the most insecure and uncertain about how to approach the older students, so hearing that we were doing something right made me incredibly happy.
Not only have I become fond of Jiguchon, but I’ve found so many things to love about Seoul. The food is incredible, the clothing beautiful, the atmosphere exhilarating. It’s wonderful to be in a place where you can never run out of things to explore, but we’ve also found comfort in special spots that keep us coming back. We plan classes every week at our favorite cafes, sipping on sweet iced coffees to mend our exhaustion and taking bites of each other’s cakes until we’ve tasted the entire menu. On the weekends, the subway carries us back to Hongdae where we blend into the bustling streets that flow steadily with foreigners and always carry a promise of something fun to do. My feet have memorized the path through Daerim station where we transfer every morning on our hour commute to Jiguchon, my nose all too familiar with the sweet smells of the bakery we pass every morning but never stop to try, too caught up in the brisk pace of our surroundings. While I’ll miss living in a city where I can never be bored, I think I’ll miss these familiar places the most.
We’re nearly halfway, and I have had a share of both good and bad experiences here. But there’s a feeling in my gut that tells me in another four weeks I still won’t be ready to go home. I’ve learned so many things already, about culture and communication and so much about myself, that I worry when I leave my life will feel a little dull compared to how much I’ve been experiencing. Nonetheless, I know that the beauty in all of this is its impermanence. For the remainder of our time here I plan to continue being brave, always pushing myself a healthy distance outside of my comfort zone, and hopefully by the time we have to say goodbye I’ll have no regrets.
– Ryan Copeland
