From a few days ago...

Greetings again,
I’ve decided to undertake the writing of these following words without any certainty as to what will be said. If truth be told, I’ve been struggling to think of what to write for this blog entry. It’s not that Kat and I are devoid of things to say, or recent developments to share, it’s just that I feel empty on the inspiration front. The storm troops of apathy have broken through my barricades of ingenuity, and now threaten to capture the last remnants of creativity standing on guard. Although I lack a rhyme or reason, the raw desire to write trumps my presumption to leave the page blank.

I think my problem might have something to do with my surroundings.
Being an English teacher isn’t a bad gig, but recently it has dampened my passion for teaching, particularly in this context. Maybe it’s the rigid structure of the curriculum, or the need to push through a lesson regardless of whether or not the students are actually retaining what is being taught, or maybe it’s merely the daily grind of teaching class after class after class… Whatever it is, it’s left me feeling like a nearly finished bowl of soup, or a stale piece of bread.

Fortunately, this feeling was temporarily removed last Saturday, when Kat and I were able to get away from the buzz of the urban jungle and visit a local Buddhist temple. Nestled in between the mountains which surround Busan, Beomeosa temple is one of the most celebrated and visited temples in all of Korea. The term temple doesn’t do the site justice since it really is more of a complex of buildings rather than a single structure. Despite the harshness of the cold wind attacking our bodies, it was nice to walk along the cobblestone paths and simply absorb the beauty of each building’s unique architecture. Noticing that some visitors were removing their footwear and entering the main temple, I decided to follow suit. When I entered the sanctuary an older Korean women gave me a welcoming smile and handed me a small mat to sit on. The interior of the building was replete with vibrant murals and an ornately carved wooden altar. Men, women, and children bowed in worship. The mild aroma of incense lingered in the air.

Sometimes the smallest occurrences can have just the right effects. Our visit to Beomeosa was short, and not overly memorable, but it let me catch a refreshing breath of fresh air and perspective.

Soon to come: This past weekend’s Seoul expedition, with a guest appearance by the venerable Jason Bongiovanni.