"Last" Day of School: Class Photos With Most of My First-Grade Students

To say that today is the "last" day of school is not accurate for two reasons: 

1. There are no classes held today. Students are just to come in in the morning to attend an official end-of-the-year ceremony. And clean the school grounds. 
2. Though today marks the end of the semester, students will continue to come to school to continue learning throughout the summer, everyday (Monday through Saturday, though with a bit more truncated study times from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.). 

With these considerations in mind, today is the "last" day of school because it is the last day for me. It is the last time I will officially come in as a teacher at Yeongdo Girls High School. It's proving a bit difficult for me to feel the finality of the situation seeing as how students and other teachers alike are overwhelmingly continuing on with the educational grind. Despite the emotional disconnect, intellectually, I knew that the end of my contract was approaching, and thankfully managed to take photos with all 12 of my classes. Here they are, with the unfortunate exception of one class photo that didn't quite turn out. 

CLASS PHOTOS

Photos courtesy of co-teachers: Hye Gyeong, Mr. Seo, and Ju Mi Yeon

Thursday 1-1/2 A Class

Friday 1-1/2 L Class

Monday 1-3/4 I Class

Monday 1-5/6 L Class 

Thursday 1-3/4 L Class

Thursday 1-7/8 L Class

Tuesday 1-5/6 A Class

Wednesday 1-3/4 A Class

Wednesday 1-5/6 I Class

Wednesday 1-7/8 I Class 

I will miss my students, and more so when it finally hits me. While I am saddened that my time as a teacher in South Korea has come to an end, I feel an excitement, too, at the thought that a handful of  recently-graduated young Americans are currently gearing up to take my place and continue the mission of Fulbright as they start their own journeys as ETAs and U.S. cultural ambassadors.

Future ETAs, be excited for the next steps you will take! Whether you feel prepared or not, you are about to impact hundreds of young lives - make it for the better!

Fighting!