Top Ten Thanksgiving Thanks

This week in my masters course, we were given the opportunity to write about what we were thankful for. I thought I'd share what I wrote. Ed and I miss you all and love you all...we are thinking of you!

First of all, what a great opportunity you have given us to reflect on our lives and what we are thankful for. You are right, Staci, we rarely get the time to sit down and think about what helps make our lives special. I am thankful for many, many things. I feel that I now have the opportunity to appreciate things more so because I am living in another country. My move to Korea has affected every aspect of my life and well, I think that it has already made me better understand myself and who we are as human beings. So, because I have a feeling that I could ramble on and on about what I am thankful for, I wanted to present the information in a Top Ten list. Most of my list refers to what I’ve experienced here in Korea, but it relevant and it is now. I may make some jokes in this list, but my intent is all serious. So with out further delay, here is my

Top Ten Thanksgiving Thanks.

10. Care packages. No matter what age you are, they still are amazing. I am surprised at the generosity of my family and friends. It is not a cheap thing to send items from home to here, and it takes time and thought. Not only am I super excited to get care packages here, I am truly grateful because I know that it is more than just food and magazines that go into the box. They really make my day, week, and month.

9. Internet. The internet has made this whole experience so much easier to bear. I am able to talk to friends back on a regular basis. I am able to see pictures of home, friends, and their babies. Although I can’t be there physically, I feel that I am there mentally because of the internet. It has made my world a whole lot smaller and for that I am thankful.

8. Korean kindness. I have never in my life met a group of people who are more kind than Koreans. I feel that in America, I took for granted my ability to speak the language. I didn’t take the time to think how it was for someone who didn’t. In Korea, even if I appear to look confused, I receive help. In most cases, my helper does not speak a lick of English, but they will help me. I have been driven up mountains, given food, taken shopping, had food cooked for me (they even cut the food for me), and many more things. I think that if the world would treat each other a bit more like most of the Koreans have treated me, then we wouldn’t have as many problems as we do.

7. My students. My students are my joy. Many times they are my frustrations too. They take the time to help me with my Korean. They show me around my neighborhood. They smile and make me laugh, even if it telling me that I have ghost hair (I have no idea what that student meant, but it made me laugh). They are sometimes the first people I go to when I need help with anything Korean. If they were not such amazing workers, I don’t think my time here would be as valuable. Plus they have introduced me to K-pop for which I am forever thankful for (K-pop is Korean pop music—utterly ridiculous but strangely addicting).

6. My co-teachers. They make my job so much easier. I actually have it pretty well here. They come to every class, they translate, and they fix my Korean problems. They are my ultimate support system here at school.

5. My Korean Friends. This is about all my friends in Korea, western and Korean. They understand what life is like here. We are each others support systems, both for social and professional life. If I had not been so lucky to find such a wonderful group of friends, well I think this life would be a lot harder.

4. My American Friends. It is all about support, and my friends give me tons of it. I miss them terribly, but I am thankful that they keep in touch with me and post their pictures so I don’t feel like I’m missing out on too much.

3. My health and the health of my family. This has been a tough year for some of my family, but I am extremely thankful that everyone has pulled through and continues to be healthy and regain their health. I am lucky to have strong genes, but even luckier that my family does too.

2. I am thankful for my family. My entire family has given me nothing but support and love during this adventure. It has truly made me value them that much more. I know that initially they were worried, and so was I. Yet, as time goes on here in Korea, I am even more thankful because I know that they will always support me in what ever I decide to do, and well I couldn’t ask for anything better than that.

1. My husband. I would not be on this adventure if it were not for his constant support and assurances that everything will be alright. He is my strong hold and my best friend. I am very grateful that he accepts me for who I am, and pushes me to be better.

So there is my list. I know I still rambled a bit, but I feel that this experience has made me value what I have that much more. So I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.