Small Victories

A dear friend of mine, Caitlin K., who I knew for too short a time, sent me a letter talking about small victories. She has recently returned to the United States from her time abroad in Germany and told me about how she would try to find the small victories she had everyday. This seemed to help with her cultural adjustment, which she said was difficult despite the fact that she knew so much German already and was in a Western culture. How much more so must mine be, she commented. The example she gave was checking out a library book. My small victory today was even smaller, but I feel just as worthwhile.

I needed to use the restroom today. I remembered where the restroom was from my tour of the school buildings, so I proceeded in that direction. Lo, and behold! Upon arriving at the stall, I noticed there was no toilet paper. So, I proceeded back to the teacher’s lounge and walked boldly up to the first person I saw and said, “In the bathroom, there is no toilet paper.” She understood immediately and helped me procure some. [She also said that I speak very well. I am beginning to understand that this means that what I can say, I say well. It does not have anything to do necessarily with actual facility with the language.] It was a small victory, but a relieving one. I’m just glad I noticed before I sat down. Think of having to ask the first person to come into the bathroom in stilted Korean, “Um… hey, there! You don’t have any toilet paper, do you?”

May I find other victories in the future.