Snow Day!

 

Today as I was doing a lesson with my Kinder class, another teacher came and whispered to me, "It's the first snow and you can see it from my window. Feel free to send your kids over a few at a time to see it!" My first thought was, how exciting, it's the first snow since I have been in Korea! My second thought was, I bet its freezing outside and will be so wet when I have to walk home, I’m wearing the wrong shoes. Its funny how when you are a little older the mystery and magnificence of snow sometimes falls more on the nuisance side. You see I worked all day today even though I have bronchitis, and it's very challenging to keep 6 year olds focused when you feel as bad as I do. So when I heard snow I thought, COLD and WET; not so good for this chick.

Regardless of how much this would distract them for the rest of the lesson, I knew my kids would want to see the snow and it would make them tremendously happy.  I began sending them in two's to the other teachers room. They came back with a look on their face like they had seen Santa out that window! They were jumping up and down yelling about snow (in Korean and English) and basically I had to give up trying to continue our work. I let them scream, dance, and jump around in pure excitement because I remember how happy I used to get about snow. I used to think there was some kind of magic in it, because it was just so fantastic and only came around on the best days. Also, it got me out of school! I used to pop out of bed, peek out of the window, and begin piling winter clothes on top of my pajama’s, so I would be allowed to go out and play. I couldn’t get out there fast enough, and I had to touch it to make sure it was real! Me and my family would sled down hills, have snow fights, and build snowmen. Sure I was cold and wet from the affair after playtime was over, but when you’re a kid you don’t care! You don’t think about silly things like bronchitis possibly creeping into your system! It’s the joy of the event, the escape from reality, the bliss that comes with something so simple and yet so wonderful! Maybe it was also because it was such a rarity where I lived. This made the snow days all the more eventful and memorable.

There is such a peace and a tranquility that comes with snow. The hint of possibility that it brings, the idea of hope, and the way such a gently falling thing can make a big powerful city shut down. Pushing its obvious hazards aside, there is something so serene about this type of weather. It is just so nice walking with snowflakes on your eyelashes and hearing the crunch of snow under your boots.

 

 

As the day went on, the talk of snow was undeniable at my school, it was all around me. People were going on and on about how it just kept falling and the kids were practically giddy throughout my last classes. They would come into class all bundled up with snowflakes on their head and wet snow boots, and then when they left we made sure they were all zipped up tight so that the cold wind would not get inside! They were adorable, and so happy, and I could not find a child without that ‘snow day smile’ on their face.

In one of my last classes, I couldn’t help but look out the window and feel a little hopeful myself. This unforeseen snow day, has put enough of a smile on my own face that I forgot about how sick I felt and I actually made it to 5:30pm. That is no small miracle, and I have the snow to thank for it. So I guess the snow is a little magical after all.