This was a slightly unusual week for students (and many other
foreign teachers) in Korea. I had a two day mini weekend during the Tuesday and
Wednesday this week. My school is currently in the process of enrolling new
students at our school along with the election of the new president on
Wednesday. This meant two days spent doing anything but coming to work. I did
the two most logical things I could think of: I visited my girlfriend and we
saw The Hobbit.
I had previously read The Hobbit when I was younger.
I was still just a middle school student, and the first part of the Lord of the
Rings trilogy was about to be released to theaters. I was curious about the
source material, so naturally I tracked down all four books and began reading
away.
The Hobbit at the time was a book that I found
enjoyable but a bit simple. It wasn't until years later after taking a more in
depth look at its narrative structure and characters that I realized that this
seemingly simple tale was something so much more than that. It was a book that
went beyond a simple journey to slay the dragon. It was a deeply personal
journey about having the courage to leave your comfortable and familiar world
behind. It was the call to adventure that we all harbor inside us, but
sometimes lack the courage to find.
Watching The Hobbit reminded me of this, and given
the current circumstances, was the perfect time to watch and be reminded of
where I have gone and where I want to go.
As I finish up my first year in Korea and my first
major job overseas I have watched many things change.
Coming to Korea has changed me on many levels. In
just one year I have learned more about myself than any other point in my life.
I learned where I stand on issues and how I choose to interact with people. I
discovered that the purest joys in life come from the little things and most
importantly, I have discovered that my biggest areas of growth came from
discover and exploration. I discovered that curiosity usually always equaled
rewards and that failure didn't always mean the end.
There are several points during The Hobbit where
Bilbo decides to go home or continue on his journey. Always afraid of the
consequences of leaving his comfortable home and having several opportunities
to turn back, he always decides to continue on. He knows that he can die any
minute. He knows that if he returns, he will not be the same person he was
before. He goes along willingly. He knows that opportunity for reward and
adventure outweighed the fear of death and failure.
There are moments that like Bilbo, I miss my home. I
miss the comfort of people and places that I saw daily. I miss the comfort of
lying in my own bed in my own home. I miss the ease of simple tasks such as communication.
The US is, and always will be my home. This will never change. There is not a
doubt in my mind that I will return home one day. Perhaps for a little while,
and perhaps indefinitely.
However, I can also say that I still have a little
time left in me. I still have a yearning to explore and travel. I still have a
yearning to see the world beyond the scope of my own home. While I can still
afford to, while I can still manage too I will remain open and ready for the
next big adventure, whatever it may be or whenever it may come.
I think The Hobbit is such a resonating work of
fiction that still holds up decades later in both print and moving picture form is
that we are all Bilbo. All of us like peace and comfort, knowing that it is
around the corner whenever we need it, but at the same time, there is the yearning to break out
beyond our walls and explore the bigger world. Humans are curious by nature. I believe
that inside all of us, there is a burning need to indulge our knowledge and
wanderlust. I believe that we all need the thrill of adventure once in awhile
to make us feel alive. To show us that we are more than a biological drone that
goes through the daily motions. Some just need a bigger push than others.
Korea was my unexpected journey, but now, I cannot
even imagine my life if I never came here. I have had opportunities that I
could only dream about back at home and have met people who have made a lasting
impact on me. I've learned to be afraid and feel despair. I've also learned to
find joy and happiness from life. I've fallen in love with the adventure and
the people in it. Some of whom I love and cherish more that I thought I was
capable of.
My adventure in teaching continues. One more year
awaits and I cannot wait to see what else happens. As Bilbo said: “I’m going on
an adventure!”
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