Monsoon Season
by Jame See Yang, ETA ’20 The remnants of last night’s horror still linger. Large pools of water fill the uneven, cracked cement. The weather is hazy—the old willow tree barely visible. My All-Stars are stained with the earth as I trudge through the trenches. A streak of light peeks through the clouds as they shift, the sky still painted grey. The ground squelches with each step as I raise my lens to scan the war-torn area. Shutter. The field of tall grass has been trampled; the survivors pinned by heavy droplets. An array of petals color the stone path as I set forth towards my destination. The daisies have been shaken up by the wind—their hair plucked away. The roses are nothing but their core. The less fortunate ones lie in the grass among their petals, while the others crouch over to protect their buds. The dull grey filter washes their life away. Shutter. I continue onward over the hill and take a left at the fork. The sun’s warmth touches my back, and I turn to be greeted by a sliver of light. As the clouds pass by, I catch a glimpse of the blue behind them. Despite last night’s heavy rainfall, the meadow glimmers under the sunlight. My tracks come to a halt; I close my eyes and take in my surroundings. The fresh air fills my lungs, and the hint of sweetness fills my mind with ease. Unlike most neatly planted fields of tulips, hues of red, yellow and magenta scatter across the field. Some have their bulbs stretched open, whereas some hold their petals near and dear. The tulips stand proud, resisting the dewdrops that cling to them. Nevertheless, they are still saturated and lively. Their vibrancy shines through the grey filter and through the monsoon terror. Shutter. [Featured Photo by Lulu Johnson]
Korean Snapshots
ETA Thought Bites
Who or what helped you get through the year? “The teachers I’ve met along the way. They’re the ones who went out of their way to invite me on mini adventures to temples and markets and woodworking studios in other cities, the ones who surprised me with boxes of chocolates after I took an important test, the ones who are so passionate about learning that they joined both my English camp for students and my Spanish classes. I’m so very grateful for them, and they make me happy to come into the office every day.” ~ Julia Wargo, ETA ’20 {Gumi} “God, my family, my friends, keeping a positive mindset and my Fulbright Co-teacher.” ~ Brittany Parker, ETA ’20 {Gumi} “I had lovely friends I had and made that I could reach out to for support, some really special coworkers I connected with, and amazing student body that cheered me on!” ~ Nina Horabik, ETA ‘ 20 {Gwangyang} What do you think is a misconception about Korea from Americans and/or vice versa? “I think a lot of Americans still think about Korea like it was during the Korean war. They don’t realize how incredibly far they have developed as a country since then. Their culture and technology has a huge global impact and they deserve more respect, credit, and acknowledgment for their success.” ~ Martha Rabura, ETA ’20 {Daegu} “There’s a misconception when it comes to the distances Americans are willing to travel. I keep being told that a two hour trip is too long. Too long is 16 hours, not two.” ~ Julia Zorc, ETA ’20 {Naju} What is one thing you packed that was unexpectedly useful? “I’ll never regret using a whopping quarter of my packing space for a blanket made by my grandma. A priceless and much needed creature comfort in a foreign space” ~ Madison Weisend, ETA ’20 {Sacheon} “Tide To Go! The combination of white clothing, chopsticks, and red foods in Korea is deadly. That little pen saved many clothes this year.” ~ Julia Zorc, ETA ’20 {Naju} If you could bring your students any meal/food from your home what would you feed them? “I would bring them some Chicago deep dish pizza from Lou Malnati’s. It’s a hot debate, but Chicago deep dish pizza is the best, hands down! I know my boys enjoy pizza and they would literally devour the pizza so fast. Have you seen middle school boys eat? Sometimes I think they don’t even chew, just swallow their food whole!” ~ Melissa Duong, ETA ’20 {Jinju} “I would love to feed them Polish foods! Especially the dishes that are the Polish versions of very popular Korean dishes. I’ve found that Koreans and Polish people have similar cuisine and wish that I could do a cultural cuisine collaboration!” ~ Nina Horabik, ETA ’20 {Gwangyang}