Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Milwaukiedave]

I agree with the person who said to arrange to have some of your family come and visit. I also tend to agree with ESLtrainer's comment that you might find yourself on a plane back home within a week.

Prepare yourself not only for any culture shock, but also from being away from your family for an extended period of time (which won't be too bad if they come visit this Summer).

Now I really am suprised I'm made it almost three and a half years (frankly I'm probably a person most would have said would end up on the next flight home). It takes a brave person to adjust to the differencs of living here.

I'd really sleep on it and make sure this is what you want to do. Too many people come here and decide they can't hack it.

[SuperFly]

Prepare yourself for....diarreah!

[tfunk]

If you were getting married in the morning your father would cry but that doesn't mean that he wants it any other way. He wants you to be happy but that doesn't mean he is sad; he'll miss you but it gives him a sence of 'job well done' to see you going in your own direction; to be a mature adult capable of making your own decisions.

You aren't abandoning your parents by going abroad.

Sometimes crying is the most appropriate emotion for an occasion and it doesn't mean a person is sad (my mother cried when I got my degree). You'll see your family again soon and in the meantime it'll make their day when they hear from you.

[pdx]

You go. and you deal with it.

I, for one, am incredibly homesick, but I'm dealing with it. I'm looking forward to going home and being with my friends and family, but for now I am here, and trying to live it up in a foreign city.

The things that have helped the most are skype, myspace, and imovie.

I skype with my family occasionally, along with calling my grandma out of the blue to surprise her.

I talk with all of my friends through myspace, and we created a private group on there just for us (which, as much as you want to hate myspace, is incredibly awesome).

And my roommate and I make movies about our life in Seoul. We use our digital camera, edit it all together in imovie, and share crazy stuff with friends back home.

Other than that, you use the post office a lot, and tell people you want to get stuff in the mail. Sometimes it sucks being away, but keep your head in the game and you'll come out alright.

Also- if your parents are sad, then milk it for all its worth and drop two words "care package".

[pdx]

ha! i just wrote that whole thing out, read the title of the topic again, and realized I just went off about my OWN homesickness, when all you were talking about is how everyone went ballistic over the fact that you're leaving.

My parents were all up for it, and even encouraged me to go to India. Considering that my parents left the country just about the same time as me sure helped out a lot.

I just reasoned with my mom. When she was a college graduate she moved with her college buddies to San Francisco and lived in a big house and found jobs and lived away from home. Now, the world seems so much bigger to our generation, and this is just my post-college-be-an-adult getaway.

I still feel guilty, though. All I can thinking is why am I a world away from those that I love to live in a country I could read about? I know. Go ahead. "flame" me.

[tesseract]

JongnoGuru wrote:

[swetepete]

Right on, sounds like this weird little country will benefit from having you in it--cheers dude--

[Milwaukiedave]

[eamo]

You're 29!!

For gods sake just get on the plane and let your family deal with it. You've been an adult for 11 years now. Nobody should expect all their family to be around all the time. That would be weird.

[Dancing Bear]

When I made my decision to come to Korea, my then 79 year old father was excited for me. He had traveled around the world and understood my wanderlust. He mastered e-mail and was always excited to read my messages and view the pictures I would send him. The day I left for Korea from our little county airport, he stood where I could see him from my airplane window and waved goodbye. That was the last time I saw him alive.

I am an older teacher with insular tendendcies. I had issues with leaving my little town and family members, especially my young adult children. They strongly support me and are very happy to come and visit when I pay for the plane tickets. (Their Dad is cool!) We stay in continuious contact via instant messages, webcams and email.

I have been here for six years. The strange thing now is that when I return home to visit, everything has changed. Older friends have passed on, children have grown up. My small town is now populated with strangers. The world (back home) has continued without me. I no longer feel part of it. I can't even imagine living there again. Korea is my home now.

My advice.. Get on the airplane. Give it a try. If it's not working for you,
get back on the airplane and go home. It's no problem!

[i_teach_esl]

i email my mom (and dad, but really its just to quell momma) every single day. she cant use a computer for sh*t, but my pops prints it out at work and gives it to her, and i know it makes her happy.

it's not always long, often it's just the end of the day i write a little note telling her ive eaten that day and that im wearing my tsinilas in the house like she told me to.

[MissSeoul]

[pdx]

I don't think that just because your family cries when you leave and you miss your family means that you'll be on a plane in a week.

I miss my family and friends like HELL but i'm sticking it out. I made this move for myself, and I'm glad I did it. I'm looking forward to going back, but while I'm here I'm loving it.

[Milwaukiedave]

[the1andonly]

Don't feel guilty for leaving for Korea, to have your little adventure. Feel guilty when you decide to stay longer a year from now.