TNKR Member Jeff Villa: Finding Opportunity in Adversity

Jeff Villa recently returned to TNKR. He has been a Track 1 tutor, Track 2 speech coach, fundraiser, donor, and event attendee.

He is enthusiastic, the kind of person who tackles life. But as he writes below, life (with the aid of the coronavirus) tackled him back.

--Casey

Finding Opportunity in Adversity

"It’s amazing how quickly plans can change. I was supposed to start a new job this month in Europe, contract was signed, plane ticket reserved, new apartment deposit was paid. I was also going to wrap up graduate school alongside. I was happy, excited, anxious to get started. I was already saying my goodbyes here in Seoul, and my friends had a going away party for me. I just couldn’t wait to get on the plane and start my new adventure.

"I woke up one morning and read that Europe was closing their borders to non Europeans just days before my arrival. Later that day my flight was canceled. I got a call from the landlord of the apartment I rented saying they need to cancel the contract. Every hour it seemed like more dominos just kept falling. The company initiated a hiring freeze, so the job was off the table. College campus was closed, so the classes I was enrolled in canceled. Nobody giving me a refund. Korean visa about to expire.

"Fast forward a bit and I am now staying in Korea for another year at least, all previous plans a big question mark. Admittedly, I wasn’t feeling well. Not to mention as my plans were falling apart I was stuck alone in my apartment. Where am I going to refocus all of that energy now? Feeling like the whole world was against me, it dawned on me to contact TNKR and see what was going on, and sure enough a matching session just around the corner. I am so thrilled to be back with TNKR and helping these amazing refugees learn English! The matching session was very exciting, I now have three students! I thought two would be enough, but this group was so eager to learn, they laid out well defined goals, and expressed a serious desire to study hard, how could I not take a third?? Now I have my work cut out for me, now I have something meaningful and positive to focus on, so I can’t wait to get into it!

"There is always opportunity in adversity. TNKR offers such opportunities, not just to the refugees, but equally to the tutors to undertake something truly meaningful in life. If anyone is experiencing adversity during these difficult times, I encourage you to get involved with TNKR and turn that into one of the most fascinating, unique, and meaningful opportunities you just may ever have." --Jeff Villa

Jeff joining TNKR, April 2018.

Jeff with Thae Yong-ho at a TNKR event in July 2018. Mr. Thae recently became the first North Korean defector to be elected to South Korea's National Assembly.

Jeff with TNKR student and author Sungju Lee. Jeff won a free copy of Sungju's book by having the most successful fundraiser in his Matching session group.

Jeff (sitting next to me) was also a speech coach for a special contest TNKR helped facilitate for the Hana Foundation in 2018.

Support TNKR: www.lovetnkr.org/donate

Jeff Villa's fundraiser for TNKR: https://give.lovetnkr.com/en/fundraisers/Donate-to-help-North-Korean-refugees-learn-E

"Yoegi Anjuseyo!"

* I have a short reflection in today's Korea Times about an encounter with an unfriendly looking Korean man on the subway. It was a reminder not to be too quick in judging people in Korea. 09-13-2011 16:47 'Yeogi Anjeuseyo!' By Casey Lartigue Jr. The recent incident in which an American English teacher bullied an elderly Korean man and other passengers on the bus reminded me of a more pleasing incident from years ago. I was on the subway, taking the train outside of Seoul for a work assignment. I have the habit of standing on the subway to strategically position myself near the doors in case my stop magically appears. On that particular day, there was a Korean man STARING at me. Not just looking at me, but intensely staring at me. He had an incredible frown on his face. Not just for one stop, but for several stops the guy just kept staring at me. If I had known more Korean then I would have been able to curse him ...

Rich talking back

The rich are talked about very often in negative terms, but how often do the rich respond in kind? Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart, who inherited most of her money but apparently has also done very well with it, recently railed against class warfare and had some advice for the non-rich : "There is no monopoly on becoming a millionaire," she writes. "If you're jealous of those with more money, don't just sit there and complain. Do something to make more money yourself - spend less time drinking, or smoking and socializing and more time working." She complained about politicians raising taxes, regulations that slow investment, and other anti-business policies that harm the poor. "If you want to help the poor and our next generation, make investment, reinvenstment and businesses welcome."

Michael Breen discussion at 10 Magazine

Yesterday I attended a discussion with writer Michael Breen, hosted by Barry Welsh. Very often, when I attend a speech or discussion about a topic I know a lot about, I often think about ways the speaker/facilitator/discussant could have done better. But I didn't feel that way about Breen, it was one of those times that I really felt like I had a lot to learn and should listen more than talk. He's been in Korea for three decades, working as a reporter, commentator, communications specialist. He reminds me of Andrei Lankov in that his analysis seems to be based on observation of how things work rather than trying to get the world to fit his biases. I don't know him, so his friends may say he is a raging ideologue, but that's not the impression I had yesterday and based on his writings. Michael Breen (L) and Casey Lartigue I first read his book The Koreans about a decade ago. It was a delightful read, that was both warm to Koreans but also critical at times. Yes...

Humanitarian with a guillotine (Korea Times, February 1, 2013) by Casey Lartigue, Jr.

Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan said the nine most terrifying words in the English language are, `` I’m from the government, and I’m here to help .” For many well-intentioned activists, politicians, and intellectuals, that should be updated as: ``We are here to help you. You’re under arrest.” For example, ``sex workers” around the world oppose anti-prostitution laws. Prostitutes may not know the theoretical arguments but they do know in reality that prohibiting prostitution means they lack protection in dealing with abusive pimps and madams, violent patrons and crooked cops. Locally, a Korean woman busted for prostitution recently appealed to the courts pleading , ``I cannot survive without this job. I don’t want to be treated as a criminal for making a living the only way I can.” How should someone who genuinely wants to help her respond? If you say ``arrest her” then you are qualified to be a “harmful humanitarian.” In your desire to help, you have elimin...

2014-02-14 Yeon-Mi Park`s debut

Yeonmi Park, February 14, 2014, making her debut! Yesterday I was one of the speakers at a special session on North Korean refugees at the Canadian Maple International School. Wow, it was a wonderful time! * Yeon-Mi Park delivered her first major speech in English. She was wonderful! She told her story (35 minute speech without notes), discussed different aspects of North Korea, and then handled questions from students for more than an hour. She did seem to be nervous at the beginning-she took a deep breath just as she started, looked at me, then told her story from her heart. * Returning from the speech, I told Yeonmi that she had star potential. She told me that she didn't believe it, but I told her that the way she handled Q&A and told her story, I would be lucky to have her still returning my phone calls within a year. * The students had many questions. They have been learning about North Korea. They are now reading "Escape from Camp 14" featuring Shin Dong-h...

The Casey Lartigue Show!

Search This Blog