Two Weeks Into the New Semester

This weekend marks the completion of the first two weeks of the new semester.  I feel like I've "hit the ground running," as we say back in the States. But, I need to be careful in choosing my phrases when speaking with my Korean colleagues and students.  They tend to take each word quite literally.

I'm not literally running.  I'm not in that good of shape just yet.  I am, though, doing quite a bit of walking.  In fact, that is one of the prime factors that draws me to life at Handong.  Here, I can live a walking-paced life.  This morning, I walked to church, and later walked to lunch outside where I "helped" grill hot dogs and enjoyed a beautiful Spring-like afternoon with many who live on campus.

Each morning (or, nearly every morning), I get out and talk a walk-about.  I head down road toward the main entrance and overlook the valley that stretches out between Handong's campus and the East Sea.  If you look carefully at the picture above, you'll see the sea just beyond the rolling hills in the distance.  I then make my way back up the long hill and around the road that circles the entire campus before returning to my apartment.  The whole walk is nearly two miles.

After preparing a breakfast of either fruit and cereal or -- on days when I'm a little more hungry -- French toast, scrambled eggs and bacon, I take another walk, much shorter though, over to All Nations Hall, and up to the third floor where my office is located.  I usually arrive in time to check my email while listening to the latest news from St. Louis via KWMU's streaming audio on the web before making final preparations for my morning class.

After class, its back to the office for meetings with students and then off to lunch, usually with a colleague or two or on occasion, like this past Friday, I'll be invited to lunch by a group of students.  There is a tradition here where students take their professors to lunch or dinner.  It gives the students an opportunity to get to know their prof's in a more informal setting as well as being good practice with English conversation skills.

Following lunch, an afternoon walk tends to keep my energy level up and helps to ward off the drowsiness that might otherwise tempt me back to my apartment for a little nap.  Just a couple of days ago, I noticed another sure sign of spring when walking across campus.  Some of the trees are already starting to blossom out.

Eventually, a whole host of cherry and pear trees across campus will be filled with delicate blossoms.  Some will be white and others pink.  It's an absolutely gorgeous sight!  By then, I'll be walking even more since the temperatures will regularly be in the 60's and the rainy days of the late winter will have passed.

The afternoons are filled with classes on Monday's and Thursday's, a faculty seminar on Wednesday's and a lively round table discussions with other international faculty on Friday's.  My days are very full but not hectic. These first two weeks have begun to settle me in to a pattern and flow that I trust, by God's grace, will be both meaningful and productive as I seek to encourage my students to grow not only in knowledge but also in responsible service to others according to the callings on their lives.