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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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dogberry
Joined: 14 Jan 2010
Location: Los Angeles, CA
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 Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2010 11:22 pm Post subject: anxiety about leaving known for unknown |
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how are you managing your anxiety before leaving for korea?
i had major anxiety about finding an esl job. now that i got the job, i'm being wishy washy about leaving my known life here in the states. how do you leave behind the salary you're used to earning in the states? how do you anticipate re-entering the work force after being away from your current level after a year or possibly more?
why do these questions cause sleepless nights???? |
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exercise_in_futility
Joined: 11 May 2009
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| Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2010 11:27 pm Post subject: Re: anxiety about leaving known for unknown |
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| dogberry wrote: |
how are you managing your anxiety before leaving for korea?
i had major anxiety about finding an esl job. now that i got the job, i'm being wishy washy about leaving my known life here in the states. how do you leave behind the salary you're used to earning in the states? how do you anticipate re-entering the work force after being away from your current level after a year or possibly more?
why do these questions cause sleepless nights???? |
this post reminded me of the sound bit they used to play before Star Trek the Next Generation... "KOREA... the final frontier.." |
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sheba
Joined: 16 May 2005
Location: Here there and everywhere!
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| Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 12:24 am Post subject: |
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Mostly I was excited when I left for Korea... then when the plane landed the first thing that went through my head was WTF AM I DOING???? I had anxiety about class every day for about the first 2 months! haha but I realised that the idea was actually so much scarier than the actual event itself. Thousands of us teachers have done it and been fine, and thousands of us have done it and failed. You're not on your own, whatever the outcome.
And remember, you are walking into a situation where everything is handed to you on a platter - a free airfare, a job, a place to live... Its not like you will arrive with nowhere to go and the added stress of trying to find a job. Its up to you to make the most of your situation, but remember, if anything goes wrong, you dont like it and you want to go home - then you can. Its just like any other job where you can give notice, quit, and go home. Or if worst comes to worst, you can do a runner (though I dont recommend it).
Packing up and leaving everything you know can make even the most adventurous of us a bit anxious, but you can always go back. Keep in mind there is a reason you are leaving in the first place, and I think its better to have at least given it a go and possibly fail, then to look back later and regret not even trying. You might just have the time of your life!
Good luck ^^ |
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nautilus
Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Location: Je jump, Tu jump, oui jump!
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| Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 2:59 am Post subject: Re: anxiety about leaving known for unknown |
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| exercise_in_futility wrote: |
this post reminded me of the sound bit they used to play before Star Trek the Next Generation... "KOREA... the final frontier.." |
 Funny thing is...it is in some ways.
Historically the hermit kingdom was regarded as the unknown, the very ends of the earth. The furthest point travellable in the known world from western europe-the epicentre of civilisation. |
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schwa
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Yap
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| Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 3:20 am Post subject: |
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I was expecting the post subject to go opposite.
I would be anxious giving up my nice Korean knowns. |
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English Matt
Joined: 12 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 4:12 am Post subject: |
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| schwa wrote: |
I was expecting the post subject to go opposite.
I would be anxious giving up my nice Korean knowns. |
I thought the same.
OP, as Sheba said, you are walking into a situation in which everything is being handed to you. Moving to another country and having to find an apartment and a job yourself whilst surviving on whatever money you brought with you is far more worrying......believe me I've already done that before and will be doing it again in June.
As regards leaving the US.....if you are on a salary that provides you with a higher quality of life in the States than you are expecting on an English Teacher's salary here in Korea then I would question your choice to move here.....particularly as you seem to want to return in the future.
What field do you work in? Do you enjoy the work? Is your job in anyway related to teaching or Asia? Can your current employer place you on sabbatical and leave the door open for your return in a year's time? For many people, working in Korea is a way of earning the money they need to progress their lives, some people are interested in a career as a teacher and are testing the water, for others TEFL is a career, and still more are just here for the travel opportunities. If you don't need the money or are expecting to earn less here in Korea, if you are not interested in teaching as a future career (TEFL or otherwise), if your career prospects back home are not likely to be lifted by a year spent in Korea then I would really think carefully before coming here. Personally (and again this is just me) if I were planning a year's sabbatical from my career, knowing what I know now, Korea is not the first place I would choose by a long shot. |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Location: Home sweet home
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| Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 5:10 am Post subject: |
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I'm doing that right now. Part of me thinks I'm crazy. I've lived in Peru for nearly six years, have a flat, car, job, husband, dog here. And I'm up and going to Korea, for the second time.
It's because I truly believe that life will be better in Korea than Peru. I've got a month in the US, then off to Korea.
I just finished packing and I don't know whether it's great or pathetic that I put nearly 6 years of my life into a backback, medium suitcase and a carry-on. |
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dogberry
Joined: 14 Jan 2010
Location: Los Angeles, CA
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| Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 9:47 am Post subject: |
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| i work in the fun sector of financial reporting/accounting. totally glam i know. i've been an animal in cubical farm for past 10 years and on the cusp of going to next stage of managing people but it doesn't appeal to me. i didn't have a chance to do the study abroad thing during undergrad. i just received my mba in 2008 and if i was a diligent person, i would stay and be a rat but i'm so tired of all that. i just want a different lifestyle. so i thought i'll give myself a year off and try doing esl. i plan on resuming my life in the states afterwards. but my mind is fickle and giving me doubt whether i should do this. |
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benji1422
Joined: 02 Jun 2009
Location: Los Angeles & Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 1:31 pm Post subject: |
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Just as soldiers about to be sent to Iraq are sent to a fake Arab town in the Mojave desert, you should go for a training course in K-town Los Angeles.
Take the subway to Western and Wilshire and go to Galleria supermarket or Koreatown Plaza mall (google these on yelp.com) and walk around where you will experience: being the only non-Korean, shoving, staring, ambiguous pricing, rude merchants, dwaengjang nyuh's, ajumas, etc. Walk down Wilshire and go into Mr. Pizza, then go to a karaoke parlor on 6th street. Take a stroll through California market at buy a hhottok (pancake). Finally cap off your day by going to the bar "Donsangsa" on 6th street across from Pink Berry.
For an advanced course go into the Velvet Room or Circle nightclubs on a friday or Saturday night.
If you can survive this training, you will be prepared. |
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SoCalRich
Joined: 17 Jan 2010
Location: Los Angeles and San Diego, CA
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| Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 2:11 pm Post subject: |
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| benji1422 wrote: |
Just as soldiers about to be sent to Iraq are sent to a fake Arab town in the Mojave desert, you should go for a training course in K-town Los Angeles.
Take the subway to Western and Wilshire and go to Galleria supermarket or Koreatown Plaza mall (google these on yelp.com) and walk around where you will experience: being the only non-Korean, shoving, staring, ambiguous pricing, rude merchants, dwaengjang nyuh's, ajumas, etc. Walk down Wilshire and go into Mr. Pizza, then go to a karaoke parlor on 6th street. Take a stroll through California market at buy a hhottok (pancake). Finally cap off your day by going to the bar "Donsangsa" on 6th street across from Pink Berry.
For an advanced course go into the Velvet Room or Circle nightclubs on a friday or Saturday night.
If you can survive this training, you will be prepared. |
Haha, good idea! |
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Triban
Joined: 14 Jul 2009
Location: Suwon Station
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| Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 4:20 pm Post subject: |
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| I cannot relate; I was ready to leave and go on a new adventure. |
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SoCalRich
Joined: 17 Jan 2010
Location: Los Angeles and San Diego, CA
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| Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 4:33 pm Post subject: |
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| naturegirl321 wrote: |
I'm doing that right now. Part of me thinks I'm crazy. I've lived in Peru for nearly six years, have a flat, car, job, husband, dog here. And I'm up and going to Korea, for the second time.
It's because I truly believe that life will be better in Korea than Peru. I've got a month in the US, then off to Korea.
I just finished packing and I don't know whether it's great or pathetic that I put nearly 6 years of my life into a backback, medium suitcase and a carry-on. |
"We are defined not by our material possessions, but our experiences and the people we shared them with." - Some guy |
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air76
Joined: 13 Nov 2007
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| Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 4:36 pm Post subject: |
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| naturegirl321 wrote: |
I'm doing that right now. Part of me thinks I'm crazy. I've lived in Peru for nearly six years, have a flat, car, job, husband, dog here. And I'm up and going to Korea, for the second time.
It's because I truly believe that life will be better in Korea than Peru. I've got a month in the US, then off to Korea.
I just finished packing and I don't know whether it's great or pathetic that I put nearly 6 years of my life into a backback, medium suitcase and a carry-on. |
It is not necessary to leave your dog behind....our cat travels with us and she traveled from Chile via the US to Korea without issues.
With regards to the OP...just chill out, it will be fine. It's only a year and if you've never done something like this it will change your life forever for the better. You don't want to die old and wrinkly having never gone on a real adventure in your life....the bottom line is that Korea is quirky and weird, you will find some of the weirdest people you've ever met in your life (both locals and ESL teachers), but the infrastructure here isn't all that different from home. HomePlus will sell 90% of the products you can find at home, you can eat at Western restaurants when you want to, most of your friends will be foreigners. There are roads and buildings and cars and more or less everything you're used to...don't get me wrong, it's different...but for the most part you can re-create life at home if you want to. The only inescapable thing is that Korean beer is putrid, but you acclimatize to it eventually. |
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elavndrc
Joined: 15 Oct 2008
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 5:39 pm Post subject: |
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Just depends on the person I think. Before I left for Korea I wasn't really anxious...excited was more like it. I'm more anxious about what I'd do when I have to leave Korea, which right now...I never want to do.  |
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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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| Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 5:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Triban wrote: |
| I cannot relate; I was ready to leave and go on a new adventure. |
+1 |
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