A Thought Or Two

At times I think I have been here in Korea too long to really be shocked by any of the many cultural differences between what is considered 'normal' here and at home in Ireland. One thing about teaching adults is that it comes to a point when you can almost predict student responses on topics such as career, family life, food, politics, etc. Sometimes the danger is that, as a teacher, you then miss an opportunity to explore similarities and differences between your culture and theirs. A kind of apathy sets in, where maybe your ears are open to the language used, rather than the content communicated. I narrowly avoided just such a situation in class this morning.

Our topic was 'cosmetic surgery', something that is thought of quite differently here compared with at home. The opening exploratory questions revealed what I could have predicted; both students saw cosmetic surgery in a positive light because of the benefits it brings in terms of career, finding a partner, and so on. I almost left it there and went on with the reading activity but, for some reason, I told them how surprising those views were to me when I first came to Korea, and a little of how people think on the topic back home. The results were probably to be expected but, because of my own acceptance of the differences, I hadn't realized how interesting my students would find it all. They were particularly surprised at the idea that people would get breast reductions/implants and my vague suggestion that surgery might be viewed as vain by some people, and so less likely to be talked about openly. Of course, those are just my own views and I can't be sure how perceptions have been changing over the past five years or so.

The lesson from it all for me, as a teacher, was that, although blabbing on all class is not and never will be good teaching, there are times when it's right to point out some different ways of looking at things with one's own perspective. I'd normally try to plant ideas and hope that students elucidate new ideas themselves, however, I get the impression that our class today will stick in the minds of the students longer because they were opened up to views they may never before have encountered. I suppose, for those of us living and working abroad, that's something we might sometimes take for granted.

Jumping topic completely (it wouldn't be like me) to the heartbreaking story in the news these days of the murder of 27-year-old daughter of a well-known Gaelic football manager, Michaela Harte, on her honeymoon in Mauritius. It's just one of those totally unjust situations where the very worst thing imaginable happens to someone who, by all accounts, was one of the very best imaginable types of people. It has resonance for me in the memory of an acquaintance of mine who lost his life in tragic circumstances whilst stewarding at a rally around ten years ago. Like Ms. Harte, he was someone who lived life in such a way that he only brought positive things to the lives of those he loved and who, in turn, loved him. I'm also touched by the relationship between her and her father, reminiscent of my own sisters devotion to our Dad, perhaps even, "to a fault." It definitely makes you question the justice of it all, and I'll be honest in saying that sometimes leads me to question the point of it all, too. I suppose the only constructive way of dealing with the discrepancy between what ought to be and what is, is to appreciate the good things in life and live in such a way that you wouldn't have any regrets if this day was to be your last. My thoughts, and the thoughts of so many in Ireland, are certainly with the Harte family, her friends, colleagues and, of course, her husband. I hope she rests in peace. Sorry if I got a little carried away there, I hadn't intended to say so much.