Yesterday, on Sunday, I was thinking about Teacher's day again, because I was trying to eat one of the gifts I had been given. Most of the sweets the students gave me, I regifted to others, but this "Hallabong roll cake" that Minseo gave me I kept and tried to eat because I have a sentimental attachment to this orange-flavored roll cake, because in 2007 I'm pretty sure it was this kind of roll cake that was the very first thing I ate in Korea, given to me as a housewarming gift by my new employer at that time.
The name Hallabong is a reference to Jeju Island, famous for its mandarin oranges and hence various orange-flavored things. It was hard to eat the cake. I probably shouldn't have tried to eat it – it ends up being dry and difficult and I have to wash it down with coffee or something.
On Saturday, however, I received a note from a student in commemoration of Teacher's day, too. It was a touching note.
At first, I thought maybe she had been inspired to write the letter by something her father said about my recent grumpiness – because it just so happens that her father is a teacher here at Karma . Pete is a teacher with whom I have had my difficulties in the past (difficulties which I commemorated, perhaps coincidentally, in a [broken link! FIXME] blog entry for Teacher's day, 2008) but who is no problem now – probably mostly because we don't interact much because he is a high school teacher, which I don't teach.
After asking both him and Habin about about, it, however, I'm pretty sure it was her own idea, and not influenced by any parental promptings.
Regardless, it was an uplifting note to receive from a student. It helps me feel less glum about teaching.
She mentions my character drawings, so I will conclude with some recent snapshots of some whiteboard characters here.
[daily log: walking, 5.5 km]