Notable Reactions

Today is my last day of work at Seokho Elementary School.  It has been a smooth five months, and I have worked along side some wonderful teachers - two of whom I know outside of work.  

I am so grateful for the opportunity to have been employed here since October.  The teachers have made the transitions into and out of this school seamless for me.  They held the position open for me, refusing to fill the vacancy until my prior contract ended and I was available, and provided excellent phone and written references to other schools when they realized the funding was cut for this next year.  

I am both sad to leave and excited for a new beginning.  I think the most accurate way to put it is that I am hesitant to leave something good for something unknown.  

Undoubtedly, the new school will provide its ups and downs, but I'm trying to stay positive and enthusiastic about it.  

Regardless of what is to come, the staff and students here at Seokho left me with a smile.  Some of my students wrote me little notes (in Korean, which I later had translated) thanking me for my kindness, stating their sadness at my leaving, and proclaiming their love for me.  My vice principal even offered me a hug and picked a single red rose from the arrangement on her desk to give to me!  Her parting words, as translated by my co-teacher, "You eat well, so you are pretty.  It is good.  I am sorry you have to leave."

While these are all notable reactions to my departure, it was one specific boy, who struggles with English more than most, that gave me the warmest fuzzies of them all.  With my co-teacher's help, he stammered out the following words:

Take care, teacher.

I will miss you.

I respect you.

His words were simple, beautiful, heart-felt, and much appreciated.  Being told you are respected is a wonderful thing.  It really, really is.