I have an affliction; some sort of tonsillitis/earbodyneckache. I've been bed/couch-ridden for the past 5 days, aside from two heavily medicated stints at work Thursday and Friday and have had to be content with sucking down freeze pops and noodles (while watching far to many romantic comedies from the 90's). It has given me far too much time to think and a zap on energy so that I can get just about...yeah, nothing done in preparation for Korea or even the upcoming week. I'm sure I will find this all quite humorous at some point once I am able to be off ibuprofen and swallow properly. :)
Moving out of the country is both an exciting and expensive (ad)venture. I mailed a $65 letter yesterday to Korea, what the..?! Thanks FedEx!
Other than that, it's much like last time I prepared for Korea; I had no real set emotional path or feelings, rather I just lived my life daily and kept an open mind. I'm much the same, open and not entirely sure if I understand that I'm really leaving the country for a year+ in 2.5 weeks.
So after I am better I will go on my last shopping safari for shoes, boots, sheets, the "perfect jean" (that I so abhor shopping for), a year's supply of cold meds and ibuprofen, misc spices, a large piece of luggage, and anything else I'm going to need for...well, the next year.
I love this part, the part where life just seems so basic and normal and boring...so boring that you seemingly don't know what to do with yourself.
"What foods will I miss? I should eat them before I go" you say...but you're not entirely sure what you'll miss because you don't miss it yet.
I just need to remember to pack some things that will remind me of home (thanks mom!). Those are quite important.
Girl that has an icyhot patch on her back and if this body ache is what you get when you're old, definitely has decided not to get to that stage. Period.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Crossing t's and Dotting i's
Obviously it can be seen that I had to push back my deadline a bit, but I just was not feeling comfortable with the schools that were set forth before me. The GnB school wouldn't give me direct answers, gave me email addresses of Korean teachers but not English teachers, wouldn't change things in the contract AT ALL (warning flags!), and finally that recruiter stopped contacting me. I found and lost a seemingly amazing school with TOPIA not once, but twice...was jerked around by not one, not two, but three recruiters (that have since all fallen off the map), and had grown increasingly frustrated with the entire job search. Mom had even started talking about the option of starting my masters work in the spring...
Then I was contacted by a different recruiter out of the blue. I didn't put much stock in it, but figured I would at least stay optimistic and look at what they had to offer. To make a long story short, patience is a virtue that definitely tested me this summer but in the end, it turns out they found the best school for me.
So!
I signed a contract yesterday!
I will be in Bundang, South Korea. Bundang is a satellite city of Seoul and apparently a nice, clean, residential city. I'm going to be at HR English school teaching writing, reading, and conversational English. :)
I will be flying over on October 16th so that gives me roughly 3 weeks to get everything done! I'm excited that things are finally getting started for my big move.
Girl who is happy she finally has a school!
Then I was contacted by a different recruiter out of the blue. I didn't put much stock in it, but figured I would at least stay optimistic and look at what they had to offer. To make a long story short, patience is a virtue that definitely tested me this summer but in the end, it turns out they found the best school for me.
So!
I signed a contract yesterday!
I will be in Bundang, South Korea. Bundang is a satellite city of Seoul and apparently a nice, clean, residential city. I'm going to be at HR English school teaching writing, reading, and conversational English. :)
I will be flying over on October 16th so that gives me roughly 3 weeks to get everything done! I'm excited that things are finally getting started for my big move.
Girl who is happy she finally has a school!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Ready to pack my bags...
...but I'm not sure where I'm headed yet!
To catch this blog up to speed, I have been talking with 3 different recruiters, as well as searching on my own since April, for a school in South Korea that I feel comfortable with. 2 of the 3 recruiters just weren't following through for a while, so around 2.5 weeks ago I started talking with Don from Best Teachers International and he has been really speedy and helpful, seeing as I want to be over there this time next month. He has found a school that I have practically fallen in love with in Ansan, South Korea. However, the contract is a bit open ended and I don't want to be taken advantage of while over there, especially seeing as I have slightly naive tendencies.
I just have to remember to stay calm and centered, wait for the email addresses of current teachers at the school (DnB chain school) so that I can find out the actual conditions of the school, what the work day is like, being paid on time, etc. If I get back positive information from them I probably will go ahead with this school because it seems like a great deal, if everything they've said (though not all of it is in the contract...hmm...) is true.
No journey abroad is going to be "perfect"...just "perfect for me!" :)
Girl getting tired of waiting...but won't just settle...
To catch this blog up to speed, I have been talking with 3 different recruiters, as well as searching on my own since April, for a school in South Korea that I feel comfortable with. 2 of the 3 recruiters just weren't following through for a while, so around 2.5 weeks ago I started talking with Don from Best Teachers International and he has been really speedy and helpful, seeing as I want to be over there this time next month. He has found a school that I have practically fallen in love with in Ansan, South Korea. However, the contract is a bit open ended and I don't want to be taken advantage of while over there, especially seeing as I have slightly naive tendencies.
I just have to remember to stay calm and centered, wait for the email addresses of current teachers at the school (DnB chain school) so that I can find out the actual conditions of the school, what the work day is like, being paid on time, etc. If I get back positive information from them I probably will go ahead with this school because it seems like a great deal, if everything they've said (though not all of it is in the contract...hmm...) is true.
No journey abroad is going to be "perfect"...just "perfect for me!" :)
Girl getting tired of waiting...but won't just settle...
Thursday, July 31, 2008
The mumbo jumbo of getting my ducks in a row.
After blundering my way through the originally-meticulous plans for my move to SK, I find myself around 6 weeks away from the plunge and...still don't have a job. I am talking with both recruiters currently; however, due to a blooming social life (and a few dead-end dates with a few not-so-tasteful-males *cough*), the phone/email tag I play with my recruiters, not to mention the semi-full time job I already am employed with...I haven't been entirely on the ball about doing much job searching on my own. Leaving my life in the hands of recruiters that flat out aren't measuring up to the performance level I was expecting just makes me cringe a little in displeasure at my own overly-trusting persona.
I'm trying to get back into job hunting again though (see, I'm even staying home tonight instead of getting rowdy with friends out on the town!) and will hopefully make some headway here pretty soon.
Essentially RtoT has been shoving me in the direction of EPIK (which I'm sure is a good program, but that's exactly what has me hesitant--it's another program I would be applying for--not an actual school), and my guy Brandon from IPR...told me a few weeks ago I would be hearing from him in a week (and I did not hear so much as an exhale in my direction since). I shot him an email a few days ago and missed a call the next evening, so will have to call him back hmm...maybe tonight.
I'm just tired of getting jerked around and re-explaining myself a dozen times about where I want to be and my expectations of the school. All in all, I know this is going to be a great experience for me (but my heartstrings are getting little tugs). Now that it's really coming down to the time where I set out on my journey and everyone here...forgets about me. Ha! I really hope not, but to a certain extent this is sadly (and assuredly) true.
Eternally the optimist though, right? Now that I do look at the clock, I COULD call Brandon back right now, exciting! Okay, off to try and make some progress. :)
Girl who just wants to hop across the water (and to stop attracting/falling for assholes).
I'm trying to get back into job hunting again though (see, I'm even staying home tonight instead of getting rowdy with friends out on the town!) and will hopefully make some headway here pretty soon.
Essentially RtoT has been shoving me in the direction of EPIK (which I'm sure is a good program, but that's exactly what has me hesitant--it's another program I would be applying for--not an actual school), and my guy Brandon from IPR...told me a few weeks ago I would be hearing from him in a week (and I did not hear so much as an exhale in my direction since). I shot him an email a few days ago and missed a call the next evening, so will have to call him back hmm...maybe tonight.
I'm just tired of getting jerked around and re-explaining myself a dozen times about where I want to be and my expectations of the school. All in all, I know this is going to be a great experience for me (but my heartstrings are getting little tugs). Now that it's really coming down to the time where I set out on my journey and everyone here...forgets about me. Ha! I really hope not, but to a certain extent this is sadly (and assuredly) true.
Eternally the optimist though, right? Now that I do look at the clock, I COULD call Brandon back right now, exciting! Okay, off to try and make some progress. :)
Girl who just wants to hop across the water (and to stop attracting/falling for assholes).
Monday, May 5, 2008
The beginning
After a year and change back on the mainland, I'm finally finishing up my undergrad and looking back across the water at South Korea.
I studied abroad there in the Fall of 2006 and fell in love with the country. That 4 month stint essentially 180'd my ideas on what I wanted to do post-college. I said I would head back to SK to teach English when I had the chance. Many people thought it was just a passing "Jesse phase" and that I would snap back into the flow of American life and forget about it.
That was just simply not so!
After teetering back and forth between the prospects of teaching English in South Korea versus Japan, I have truly settled my mind about 95% that yes, I want to teach in South Korea. Some people are asking me why I am heading back to a country I've already lived in (especially when I haven't visited any others) but I have a gut feeling about Korea, and usually go with my instincts on major life decisions. It seems I can make them quite quickly with ease.
So now I've talked with a couple of recruiters and interviewed with (and been accepted by) one I really enjoy: Reach To Teach. After I graduate and receive my degree, I will provide them with a copy and start looking at contracts! ^.^ As of now, I'm looking to leave in September so that I can save up a bit this summer for startup costs in SK, see my family, and essentially get all my ducks in a row before I ship out 7,000 miles away. It's a bit nerve wracking knowing I'll be leaving everything I know and love behind for a full year, especially when I'm used to such a fast-paced, ever-changing life over here...but at this point I have no real strings holding me down in the states: no mortgage, no relationship, etc. Just a chunk of bills that I will be able to take care of throughout my adventure. This really is the best time for me to take a year and really explore whether I want to continue on this trend of my Asian affinity.
This will be my biggest adventure yet: a full year on my own, with my own apartment, living in a different country that's main language ISN'T English, working at a real job, and a clean slate for the friends + family department. I've been looking forward to this for a long time and things are finally starting to shape up. There is still the 4-month stint of time before I head over the water which may not be too exciting. When somewhat interesting news arises concerning my SK2K8 adventure, I'll make it a point to post it.
I studied abroad there in the Fall of 2006 and fell in love with the country. That 4 month stint essentially 180'd my ideas on what I wanted to do post-college. I said I would head back to SK to teach English when I had the chance. Many people thought it was just a passing "Jesse phase" and that I would snap back into the flow of American life and forget about it.
That was just simply not so!
After teetering back and forth between the prospects of teaching English in South Korea versus Japan, I have truly settled my mind about 95% that yes, I want to teach in South Korea. Some people are asking me why I am heading back to a country I've already lived in (especially when I haven't visited any others) but I have a gut feeling about Korea, and usually go with my instincts on major life decisions. It seems I can make them quite quickly with ease.
So now I've talked with a couple of recruiters and interviewed with (and been accepted by) one I really enjoy: Reach To Teach. After I graduate and receive my degree, I will provide them with a copy and start looking at contracts! ^.^ As of now, I'm looking to leave in September so that I can save up a bit this summer for startup costs in SK, see my family, and essentially get all my ducks in a row before I ship out 7,000 miles away. It's a bit nerve wracking knowing I'll be leaving everything I know and love behind for a full year, especially when I'm used to such a fast-paced, ever-changing life over here...but at this point I have no real strings holding me down in the states: no mortgage, no relationship, etc. Just a chunk of bills that I will be able to take care of throughout my adventure. This really is the best time for me to take a year and really explore whether I want to continue on this trend of my Asian affinity.
This will be my biggest adventure yet: a full year on my own, with my own apartment, living in a different country that's main language ISN'T English, working at a real job, and a clean slate for the friends + family department. I've been looking forward to this for a long time and things are finally starting to shape up. There is still the 4-month stint of time before I head over the water which may not be too exciting. When somewhat interesting news arises concerning my SK2K8 adventure, I'll make it a point to post it.
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