Love is not a feeling. Feelings come and go; they change constantly. A relationship based only on feelings will struggle.
Love is not attraction or desire. Attraction fades and desire is selfish.
Love is not infatuation. Love does not blind people, but rather opens their eyes.
Love is not an escape for the senses; it is an awakening of the senses.
Love is not happy or easy all of the time. It stirs up many emotions and can be immensely challenging.
Love is not exclusive. It does not only socialize with certain groups of people. It is as omnipresent as air, and equally contaminated by human abuse. But we have enough to survive. It is easier to see polluted air (polluted love), while pure air (pure love) is usually invisible to us.
You can find love in some of the choices you make, in some of the people around you, and in many living things. You will not find love in things with imitation life-like qualities: technology, money, entertainment, etc. They are merely tools. We cannot describe technology, money, or entertainment as “loving” or “compassionate”. These adjectives are reserved for living beings, like people.
Love is a puzzle made from many pieces: trust, respect, admiration, devotion, self-sacrifice, patience, kindness, empathy, and forgiveness.
It is the greatest gift we have to give and receive.
Written by Andrew Zeller - December 28, 2011 (Seoul, South Korea)
I’ve been living in South Korea for 1 month and 26 days now. Each day goes by very quickly. My work as an English Teacher for three hundred and eighty-two High School students keeps me busy. I have also been busy meeting new friends and seeing old friends. I have visited the rabito company office several times to discuss future products, videos, and web design with Mina and her talented staff. Here are some more recent things I have done:
-Assembled my PC. I brought the most important parts (motherboard, cpu, memory, 2 harddrives, power supply, etc.) from Canada to Korea. After buying additional parts here (keyboard, mouse, monitor, case) I re-assembled everything. Since those parts were bundled up inside my suitcase for so long, traveling in cars, on the subway, and by plane….I was immensely relieved when I booted up the computer and it worked!!! The feeling of putting together something by yourself and witnessing it “come to life” is truly special and gratifying. Now I have lots of video to edit!
-Played in a game of soccer for the first time since High School. It was a game of students versus teachers at the High School where I currently work. I didn’t score any goals but also didn’t completely humiliate or injure myself (or anyone else). It was a good experience.
-This hasn’t happened yet, but tomorrow evening I will be the opening act for the School Festival. I don’t want to spoil everything, but it involves me dancing solo to the song: “Itaewon Freedom”. Anyone interested in seeing that on video??
-Tried paragliding for the first time in my life with 2 good friends. It was an amazing experience that I recommend to anyone interested in adventure. I felt like I was flying in a dream. It did not feel like we were traveling very fast, so I did not feel too nervous. But one funny thing happened: my shoe came off while I was running for takeoff! So I flew with only one shoe! Fortunately, another paraglider was kind enough to bring my shoe down and return it to me. I’m glad it didn’t fall off later while I was flying and hit somebody on the head.
As you may already know, I was born and raised in Northern California. After High School, I left the USA to attend the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada. Among my High School graduating class, I was the only one to attend University in a different country for my entire degree. Having no family or friends in Canada when I first arrived, I began a new life here on my own.
I have now been living in Canada for over 5 years. When I graduate in May 2011, I will have spent nearly 2,000 days living outside the US. I wanted to reflect and share what I believe I have gained from the past 5 years and how I have changed. I am grateful for the many opportunities that have entered my life. This is not a complete list nor is it ranked in any way, but it covers many of the things I consider important. After 5 years, I…
-grew to love the country of Canada, especially beautiful British Columbia!
-met literally hundreds of new people from over 30 countries, making many very dear friends.
-traveled to China (3 times), South Korea (3 times), and Japan (twice); spending about 3 months in China, 2.5 months in South Korea, and 2.5 months in Japan.
-met 2 of my heroes: screenwriter Charlie Kaufman and Muppet performer Dave Goelz.
-worked as an English Teacher, Private Tutor, Journalist, Film Writer, Vancouver Tour Guide, Chinese language learning video series Actor, Photography Model, Documentary Filmmaker, Video Editor, Cinematographer, and Assistant Director on several 16mm film and HD video projects.
-learned how to handle finances by living alone, budgeting films, and working as Treasurer for UBC Perspectives Newspaper/Magazine.
-learned how to cook!
-put together a customized PC and created this website! (with help).
-learned to speak conversational Mandarin Chinese, and read, write, & type Simplified & Traditional Chinese.
-improved my writing by studying Western Philosophy, Classical Chinese, Chinese Philosophy & Literature, Japanese Literature, and Korean History & Cultural Writings.
-earned a TESL Certificate with Practicum Teaching Experience in Japan.
-wrote and directed 4 short films (this number will increase soon) as well as 1 feature-length film.
-became accustomed to and even comfortable in humid or rainy weather! (perhaps my greatest achievement?)
One thing I was thinking about recently is how written communication has changed in the past decade. With the explosion in popularity of typing, texting, emailing, messaging, etc., the focus in wealthier countries has moved almost entirely away from writing by hand with pen or pencil. How does this affect our society? How does it affect our lives?
It affects education immensely, as teachers and education boards must decide how to manage the teaching of both typing and handwriting. Clearly the newer technology seems essential in certain social or business related contexts, but is handwriting a thing of the past? Is it still necessary to teach this skill? Why or why not?
I’m sure many will suggest that writing by hand does inherently contain its own unique values, and while I agree with this, I wanted to share another thought. With this shift from an older to a newer means of written communication, there has also been in a shift in emphasis in using 1 hand versus using 2 hands to communicate. Students are taught to write using one hand, and in many countries, left-handed people have experienced some challenges living in a “right-handed culture.” But to type more quickly/efficiently, students are taught to use both hands when typing. (Texting involves only using the thumbs, which is a whole other issue where one should consider the effects.)
My point is that this 1 to 2 shift can be considered a positive change in that it helps us overcome the limitations of the original dichotomy. But it also can be challenging to people with only 1 arm or any physical disability that prevents them from using a keyboard. As technology evolves, so do they ways we use our bodies. In some cases, we have to adapt to meet the needs of the technology, but hopefully the technology is built to meet our needs first.
The Olympics are currently taking place in Vancouver. I haven’t been to any events, but I’m enjoying watching them on TV. It’s amazing to see how the city has changed and how crowded it has become. I’ve been doing some filming and writing to keep myself busy during the school vacation. For those interested, here are the current Olympic medal standings:
I’m cheering for ____________ to win the most medals!!
These days, so many people make themselves ill.
They work harder than their bodies can work.
They think harder than their minds can think.
It’s as if both our minds and our bodies have forgotten how to be still,
and the only thing driving them onward is the unquenchable mantra:
“More, more, more!”
Perhaps the saying, “Less is more,” is something we need to remember.
A house can only fit a certain number of guests.
A balloon can only hold a certain amount of air.
A jug can only hold a certain amount of water.
If you let too much inside, it will break and overflow.
But if you don’t let anything inside, it remains hollow, empty…incapable of fulfilling its inner purpose.
So remember to balance, especially during times of high stress.
A belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all. Over the winter holiday, I was fortunate enough to be able to spend time with my family & good friends while in California, USA. I’d like to share with you some of the photos from this trip. Hope you enjoy them! Wish you a joyful 2010! -A.Z.
This first set of photos is from San Francisco.
A Korean Canadian tour bus in S.F.
Large fries.
Pigeon on a burger.
S.F. Wax Museum - Room of Movie & TV Stars. This figure of me looked quite realistic, don’t you agree?
Normally, when we read about news from China in our comfortable North American home, it tends to be negative or depressing. So I wanted to share some news I read in China Daily, which reveals another side of China. In fact, I believe we’ve grown used to hearing about people doing bad things from the news. So, in a small attempt to restore your faith in humanity, here are two stories of people (heroes) doing good things.
Taekwondo coach runs barefoot to nab thief
A Taekwondo coach ran on foot for more than 700 meters to catch a thief on a motorcycle in Xuchang, Henan province, last Tuesday.
The man was in the middle of his coaching class when he heard people screaming, “Thief!”
Without thinking, he ran barefoot behind the thief, trying to flee on a (motor) bike, and caught her.
-Dehe News
Man finds 150,000 yuan in taxi, returns it to owner
A man in Kaifeng, Henan province, found a bag containing 150,000 yuan ($21,930) in a three-wheeled motorcycle taxi and ensured its rightful owner got it back last Wednesday.
Wang Kuangwei, 28, who works in a photo studio, earning a meager 1,000 yuan a month, found the money in a China Construction Bank bag.
He asked the taxi driver to take him to any of the bank’s branches and handed over the money to the staff, who contacted the bag’s owner.
The man who had lost the money never got the chance to thank Wang, who left the scene quietly.
April 18th, 2009. “Asia Voila”. Two students from UBC CHIN 208, sang a Chinese song “Beijing Welcomes You” (from the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing) in Mandarin for this event celebrating Chinese language learning. We did not have much time to rehearse (which may be obvious) but we enjoyed making the audience laugh. Many thanks to our supportive teacher, Yang Laoshi, and classmates from 208! Special thanks to Bobo for attending & filming for us.
Filmed in Vancouver, Canada.
I am usually a calm person. I may sometimes feel nervous, but I rarely panic. If I panic, then it must be an emergency.
What do you do in an emergency? Who do you call for help?
Personally, I’ve only called 9-1-1 twice. Both times occurred in Vancouver, Canada, where I am currently attending University.
The first time occurred approximately 2 years ago. A friend of mine named Ewout (a graduate student) chased after a thief who had stolen prescription drugs from a nearby store. He was incredibly brave, and I followed after them while attempting to tell the police what was happening. After a long and complicated chase, the thief eventually got away. This was the first time I discovered how difficult it can be to stop a crime in action.
What happens when we panic?
Our bodies work harder: Blood is pumped to our muscles at up to 5 times its normal rate. Our lungs, throat, and nostrils expand as our breathing rate speeds up. We receive instant energy from fatty cells and glucose from the liver. Endorphins are released (acting as natural painkillers). Our eyes dilate to enhance our vision. All of these things allow our bodies to react more quickly and effectively in an emergency.
So why could I barely speak on the phone to the police? Why didn’t I think faster, act faster?
THE SCENE OF THE CRIME:
March 29th, 2009
Time: 4:05PM
Two Koreans and one American have come to their University gym to exercise. They are all students in their early twenties who exercise regularly, for health and for the enjoyment of girls who secretly watch them. Kevin, who has the strongest triceps of the three, had a feeling the night before that something bad might happen at the gym. But he had promised to come, and it was only a feeling, right? So he came to the gym. Andy came soon after, followed by Calvin.
The three students put their backpacks (containing our laptops) in three separate yet adjacent lockers. We placed our valuables in those lockers, and placed our trust in those locks.
Time: 5:20PM
The three handsome, innocent young men return to the men’s changing room. They approach their lockers. There is a man there…taller than the three of them, in his early 30’s, who does not look like a student. He also appears to be in front of Calvin’s locker.
Andy, the one with strong quadriceps, approaches his own locker, unlocks the lock, and begins to remove his belongings. Kevin has already unlocked his locker. But Calvin, the one with the strongest pectoralis major, notices that his lock is missing, and the door to his locker is partially open. The man next to us disappears for a moment, then return, closing another locker (which appears quite full to Kevin) with a gold lock, which requires a key. Calvin has the key to his own lock, but the lock is missing. He checks his backpack…his laptop is still there. Nothing other than the lock is missing. But why??
The man leaves, carrying a large black bag over his shoulder. Suddenly, Kevin notices something. Though his lock was not broken and still works, his laptop is missing. It has been stolen from his backpack, from his locker with the unbroken lock. Could the man next to us have taken it? What appeared ridiculous at first suddenly seemed more realistic. We three students rushed out of the locker room. We split up and ran in opposite directions. Where did the man go? How will we know for sure if he is the thief? Do you just ask him, “Hey, did you steal my laptop?” How would he respond to that? No time for answers now…
Andy runs to the bus loop. He guesses the man would want to leave campus if he did steal the laptop. The 99 B-Line bus is the fastest and most commonly taken. Bus drivers don’t check for your bus pass. So Andy walks alongside the outside of the bus, scanning each face inside. THERE…at the back…Andy recognizes the man. Andy pulls out his cell phone and dials 9-1-1. If only Kevin or Calvin had phones, then he could call them! Andy circles the bus and considers running back to the nearby gym to find his two friends. Then the man does something odd…he gets up and gets off of the bus. He starts to cross the street. Andy follows. Without looking behind, the man begins to run. Andy runs after him, while on the phone with the police, attempting to explain what happened. The man does a second odd thing: he enters the front doors of Gage Towers Lobby, a student residence.
What do you do in an emergency? Do you follow logic or instinct?
Andy enters the residence a minute after the man entered. He would need a key card to enter any of the towers. Probably, he simply used the exit. Andy asks the woman at the front desk if she saw the man. She did not. Andy tells her the situation. The police tell Andy to call Campus Security. They tell Andy the number. Andy repeats it. Andy then forgets it. He runs back to the gym and finds Kevin and Calvin. Andy tells them what has happened and asks Calvin to keep watch at the bus stop. Kevin and Andy return to Gage residence. The woman has called Campus Security. Campus Security arrives.
Campus Security:
…is a kind man with a limp who humbly describes himself as “out-of-shape.” He asks Kevin twice, “Are you okay?” We give him a description of the man and the event. There is a small problem: we didn’t see him breaking into a locker, nor did we see the laptop in his possession. But why did he suddenly get off the bus after getting on? Why did he run into the residence?
The Campus security man searches around the building, and uses his radio send out reports to other units. Andy brings Calvin to the residence, while another security man takes his place watching the bus stop. Andy conducts his own quick search around the residence, as well as checking the men’s washroom for any locked bathroom stall doors.
Kevin’s Laptop:
…is an LG IBM, an old model made in Korea, but one that contains all of his personal files. Kevin says to us, “It’s lucky he stole my laptop instead of one of your’s, since mine is much older.” Also, the number 4 key is broken. You have to press it 3 times to work.
Security Camera:
There is fortunately a security camera which films the front entrance to Gage Residence. So, there is a very good chance the man’s face would be on this tape, in clear digital quality. But none of us can access this tape without police permission.
Back to the SCENE OF THE CRIME:
Campus Security leaves. We decide to return to the gym. There is a young guy working behind the front desk, eating some kind of crunchy snack. It doesn’t look healthy. He also doesn’t look like a person you would expect to see working in a gym. And he looks bored. But our story is fascinating to him. Suddenly, he becomes a detective working on our case. Kevin reveals a new fact: his cell phone is also missing. However, the joke is on the thief….Kevin’s cell phone no longer works.
303:
…is the locker number with the gold lock. Why was it so full? Could it possibly contain Kevin’s laptop and cell phone, or other stolen belongings? The gym guy/detective grabs a pair of special keys. We return to the locker room. He opens 303. There is a very nice bag: Sauder School of Business. Inside is a laptop…but it is not Kevin’s. There is a wallet (fortunately, Kevin took his wallet with him when he went to exercise). Inside of this wallet, we find a student ID. The picture reveals a different man. Is this the locker of the thief? No. So what does that prove? It proves that the man we saw was indeed a thief who could break into lockers (without damaging locks).
On the Phone:
The police line for non-emergencies was busy for 15 minutes. So, we decided to try calling again tomorrow. We will file our report then, and hopefully they can take a look at the tape so we can identify the thief. Otherwise, we’re considering starting a “Buy Kevin a New Laptop” fundraising campaign. This could include a bake sale, marathon race, or something even more exciting.
And if you’re the thief using Kevin’s laptop to read this…you can keep the cell phone, but please return the laptop ASAP.
What should you do in an emergency?
Perhaps we can learn from Kevin’s example. Rather than worrying about the object stolen from him, he thought about his friends. Be thankful for the material possessions that you have. But when one of them is stolen, consider this: Is it really so valuable to me that I should risk my life to retrieve it? After all, things are just things. But people are people. It’s profoundly simple, yes?
