Overcoming the Distance

While the miles between my family and my Korean life may be vast, distance will not hold us back. Today I brought my grandfather in to my 9th grade classes via Skype. As an avid poetry reader, my grandfather is a great example for my kids of a person who is genuinely impacted by poetry. My grandfather can recite poetry by memory for hours on end, and this morning he recited a few of his favorites for my class. He also read aloud "The Cremation of Sam McGee," a humorous poem my students analyzed in advance in preparation for his reading. My students asked him questions about the poem and also enjoyed the opportunity to ask about their teacher's childhood. Grandpa took advantage of the opportunity and showed pictures of me, age 5, in a tutu, leotard, and hardhat. Grandma poked her head in for a moment to tell a story as well. All in all, a very special experience indeed :)