"Full Moon", Acrylic on Canvas, 60 X 90cm, 2011.Painted for the International Artist Communities group exhibition "Erotic Fantasies" at Cafe Blind Spot in Hongdae. November 26 ~ December 17, 2011.
As my first semester as a full time Professor begins to decend into a frenzy of panic and marking, I have to say that I've never felt quite so happy and content with myself and my life since coming to Korea. I am actually happy here!? How did this happen? How is it even possible that I could come to a place of acceptance and contentment when for so long I was miserable, homesick and literally sick from culture shock and a lack of regional anti-bodies?
I suspect a lot of it comes from the previous mentioned job sattisfaction and actually feeling like I'm doing a worthwhile job on some level. I also feel as though I am being challeneged in new ways and that push is so refreshing after floating in a sea of pure bordome for so long. But it's more than that. I feel at home in my little appartment. It's so quiet and cozy. I enjoy my co-workers not only for their talents and genuine friendliness, but also because for the first time since grad school I feel like I have peers. They can teach me new things and help me become a better teacher and worker. I hope to continue learning and developing professional relationships and friendships with a bunch of them.
Maybe the words I'm looking for are positive outlook and posibly also brighter disposition and sense of meaningful purpose? In any case, it has led to a bit of a transformation for me in the last months. A renewal of energy and determination to continue doing things that I enjoy and becoming involved in activities. I have begun painting again and drawing more and it feels good. I really want to keep working towards having enough paintings to put on a solo show before the end of the school year. Who knows? Anything is possible right?
With the New Year on the horizon, I've been recently thinking of things that I should add to my list of goals and while some goals have been achieved since last year and some others have still not changed and or been acheived, I'm happy to find that I do have new goals to put down on that list that I think will bring new meaning to my life in Korea.
And while it could be the left over turkey sandwhiches (from the staff American Thanks Giving we had yesterday) or the residual paint fumes from painting in my very tiny appartment, I think that the feeling of contentment that I have comes from a deeper degree of having made a good stable situation for myself here. I can all of the sudden start to see my future here as something not to dread but rather, as something to look forward to. And that, well that is something to be both thanksful and excited about.
Here are some links to the exhibition and some reviews of the show.
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