Familiar Faces: When Students Come to Visit

I learned early on in my career that the rewards from teaching are prospective, meaning that they come much later, usually when you are no longer teaching those students.  I have had students who vocally despise me do a complete 180 and reach out to tell me how much they miss my class.  Perhaps the most humbling reward I have received from my years of teaching are not the occasional lamentation of nostalgia or retroactive compliment, but that ex-students from Singapore still keep in touch and want to spend time with me when they visit Korea.  Almost every winter, summer, and spring vacations I have students from Singapore coming to Korea and reaching out to me to hang out.  Such was the case this last week as my Singapore students were on their Spring Break.  Two students whom I was especially close to came to Korea together and we got to spend some good times experiencing Korea life.  Likewise, over the last Winter vacation, I got to hang out with another student who I was especially close to.  These visits remind me why I got into this profession and I really value these relationships I have built over the years.  It is good to know that they don't go away.

Wonwoo and I

WonWoo and I at the Trick Eye Museum 

Can't visit Korea without some Korean BBQ

Carissa acting like she knows how to use chopsticks

Julie looking "natural"

So many memories with these two

Carissa conquering her fear of dogs

Making friends

*I was told I had to include this picture