Mental Tug O' War

The last month has been more than a little insane. Let me recap briefly; packed and all set to leave for a year in South Korea, phone call 2 days before departure: "no job, sorry", not going to South Korea, contemplating how to get a teaching job at the last minute, trying to figure out where to go, skeptical to take another teaching job in Korea, narrowed it down to Korea or NYC, Korea or NYC, Korea or NYC, Korea or NYC........................ and finally Korea wins out.

This emotional roller-coaster I have been stuck on has taught me a lot about life and myself these past few weeks. I have realized that not everything is going to work out as you had hoped, and sometimes you get the short end of the stick for no reason. I have also realized that my adventurous spirit is strong and a large part of me craves the unknown. I feel that this was my deciding factor in this instance and it has led me to some of the most amazing experiences of my life in the past.

I have decided to write this blog during my time overseas, not only to keep you all up-to-date with what I'm doing over there, but also for people contemplating coming to Korea to teach, and lastly, for myself.

I have not been able to put down the book I am currently reading, Dark Star Safari by Paul Theroux. Not because it is particularly fascinating or anything, but because of his close attention paid to detail and the experiences that he writes about during his travels. I had not kept a journal during my stints in Africa and I find myself re-reading my emails I wrote while traveling in order to get a sense of what I felt and experienced while abroad. I know that this blog will provide a way for me to journal and I will always be able to go back and remember those experiences again through my writing.

As far as reaching people who are contemplating coming to Korea, I would hope that you can use my blog to view one person's opinions and feelings while living and working in a foreign country. I say this because some days are not going to be easy and some things are going to be hard and I want to write it all.

Here's what I know. I will be teaching at a public elementary school called Neulpureun Elementary School. (click on the school name to get to it's website, although it is all in Korean!) I will be living in Bundang, which is in the Gyeonggi province. It is located south of Seoul. I am just guessing, but I think it is like 20 min./ half hour away from the city. I will have my own furnished apartment close to school. I will be working with a Korean co-teacher to help bridge the gap with the language barrier. I know I will be teaching English, but may end up teaching other subjects as well. I will actually begin teaching the first week of October. Other than that, I will let you know when I do!

I cannot tell you how many times I have heard the old "everything happens for a reason" pep talk in the past few weeks, but I know it must be true. I finally feel at peace and am eager and excited to see what awaits me in the Eastern Hemisphere.

The best travel is a leap in the dark. If the destination were familiar and friendly, what would be the point of going there?

-Paul Theroux-

Dark Star Safari

Namaste