Retrospect of a semester
- Aoyumi Jung
- Dec 4, 2020
- 4 min read
10:30am Fri, 04 Dec 2020
Good morning!
I have had hours of cleaning, hopefully, trained my body physically to some extent. I walked to the coffee shop to grab a cup of little-sugar latte, my favorite drink. The first semester of my second year in Thailand has officially ended yesterday. There has never been any pain, pressure, hatred, competition nor a sense of low-esteem in my learning environment. Every month is filled with full of glorious moments of studies, conversations and experience. I still journal regularly but I keep my thoughts personally.
If my October was a milestone of my first professional facilitator job virtually, November exposed me to incredible training with JUMP! and December is awaiting a real experiential education program in a mountain with international students. I lost sleep for a while. My excitement and anxiety were literally “jumping” and mingling that midnight. I even watched a Youtube video to learn how to not think too much. It was not that helpful as the advice from a Psychological Teacher at HUTECH university when I sneaked into her course and studied as if I paid for it.
I was like the most energetic and active student among friends who all spoke local dialect. I gave her so many questions about the lectures, her teaching motivation and about my extreme stress for the application into GSSE. It was the time I just completed Development Studies course in Hoi An. Never ever before my brain was that curious about every little thing in life. Never ever before I recognized that human beings have multiple types of intelligence, not only logic or mathematics. Never ever before I gained such momentum to believe in myself and people around me that we are capable of certain things, of course, with efforts.
All that cognitive improvement set me a foundation to move forward with a humble mind ever since. Until this moment, I attentively feel my breath and footsteps everywhere I go. At times, I feel I am a monk, not so shocked by events or scared by strange people unless there must be something called “the first”. “The first” things tend to arouse a diversity of emotions which require myself to stay conscious to cope with tension, stress, danger, alienation, emptiness, self-expression and even excitement. Let see how many “the first” I have had these four months:
I worked as a Tech host for some crucial J! online programs for cross-boundary education
I joined 2 facilitation trainings at JUMP! and facilitated activities for experienced facilitators based in Bangkok but from around the Earth
I wrote a 4500-word essay about freedom of speech and the role of government and got a great score
I attended a feedback session for GSSE program, listened to by a board of directors of the faculty
I participated in a 3-day Retreat Camp organized by a Thai student club (TU Life Balance Club) with only me as a foreigner
I experienced a bus’s tire going flat in the middle of the highway which drove everyone panicking
I became an online facilitator for a group of Vietnamese and Singaporean students and professional businessmen in a market research program organized by School of Gumption
I took out a vital tooth, infected since young, for my future and financial sake and I went through the most painful operation in my life
I was wholeheartedly supported by kind dentists at Thammasat University Hospital that price can never buy.
I had an incredible 3-hour conversation in person with my inspiring Ajarn at a Vegetarian restaurant and a coffee place
I am going to Kayak on the sit-on boat (one person handle) over 20km around old Chaopaya River
I was trusted to work as a professional facilitator outdoor in a National Park for students of a NIST International School
An unexpected first time, I got an opportunity to enjoy all songs of SCRUBB band I have been playing on Youtube in Bangkok Christian College, a long history school celebrating its 168th anniversary
Of course there are many other ordinary events that I can’t tell all about. I am impressed by the number of these first times. How strange that life keeps building up every day although the concept of time remains unchanged. But the essential me also remains unchanged as well. I am still a mindful observant, a curious learner inspired by experiential education and nature, a being that pays attention to details and values family and friends, a being that has no idea of true love yet.
December has arrived, the last month of my 21-year old. I have grown out of my selfishness, ignorance of humankind history, taking nature for granted, consciously, into a person who deeply appreciates the birth of myself and the resilience of beings around. Thank you for always being honest to my true self and to people I meet. The past, present and future are created by my own choice. For a fulfilled present and future, I will constantly look back to see how much privilege, love and challenge I received to grow from an innocent, yet stubborn child to make lots of extraordinary decisions, be accountable for them, and proud of them. Let me continue walking this unknown path because I found the meaning to live – the unconditional love of my family and friends, the power of education, and the humanity of nature and human beings.
I am going to train my physical body at best to get myself ready for the upcoming experiential learning program. In the meantime, I will enjoy every single page of the book “The Last Lecture”.
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