Korean Job Discussion Forums

Zackback · Joined: 05 Nov 2010 Location: Kyungbuk

How soon is to soon to be counting down the number of days left in your contract? I don't mean like saying "I have 7 months to go" but saying "I have 7 months 2 weeks and 3 days to go". Some may even count the hours, minutes and seconds (?)
I used to think that it was unhealthy to go through your time here like that but I suppose for some it helps keep their sanity. I wonder if anyone was precise about the time they had left but then just renewed their contract anyway.

ChrisLamp · Joined: 27 Jul 2010

I have four months and one week, minus a week vacation in August. I've been counting down since week 1. Longest year of my life. Can't help it though, job sucks, town sucks, FML.

Zackback · Joined: 05 Nov 2010 Location: Kyungbuk

How could it be that awful?

Colorado · Posted: Sun May 22, 2011 4:46 pm Post subject:

Please post it to your Facebook page as well as continue to give us timely updates here on Dave's, would you?

InDaGu · Joined: 28 Jun 2010 Location: Cebu City, Philippines

I've been counting down since I got to 30 days (13 left!). I've put in 3 years here, but for me it's not so much about leaving Korea, as it is being excited about moving to the Philippines.

ktkates87 · Joined: 13 Apr 2010 Location: Busan

I've absolutely loved my time here and still have been doing the countdown. Im not counting down the days, but I definately know I've got about 16 weeks left to go. I'm excited to see friends and the fam-jam, but also super stoked about a big trip I have planned for when I finish my contract.

DorkothyParker · Joined: 11 Apr 2009 Location: Jeju

I count down in months until the last 2 or 3 months. Then I switch to weeks. I generally don't count down days until the final month.

I do count down for every holiday break, though.
Right now I am already thinking about the upcoming 3-day weekend.

Oh, I count down for normal weekends. And end of the day. And lunchtime.

I am perpetually waiting to be in another time and place.

sallymonster · Joined: 06 Feb 2010 Location: Seattle area

I've been counting down in months since about month 2 or 3. I've been counting down by weeks since this semester started last March. Number of weeks is a lower number than number of days. I have just under 3 weeks left. Including today, I have 13 school days left (18 total days if I include weekends/holidays).

I can't wait to get out of this school and this city!

morrisonhotel · Joined: 18 Jul 2009 Location: Gyeonggi-do

I've been counting down since I renewed - studying/getting on the career ladder starts in 178 days.

outofkorea · Joined: 01 Jul 2007

what a sad lot.

myenglishisno · Joined: 08 Mar 2011 Location: Geumchon

outofkorea · Joined: 01 Jul 2007

live every day like it is your last!

Gnawbert · Joined: 23 Oct 2007 Location: The Internet

For me it usually goes in two segments, counting up and counting down.

"I can't believe I've been here a month already!"
"Wow, three months and I'm not sick of kimbap."
"I should really save more, it's been five months now."

Then at 6 months a little lever in my brain switches and it's all countdown.

"I can't believe winter's not over year yet, only five more months."
"Wow, three months left until I can find potato-free pizza."
"I really should've saved more, only two paychecks left."

At about 2 months it switches over to weeks, then somewhere in a month it switches to days. Currently I have 13 days left and I might as well be counting classes at this point.

Louis VI · Joined: 05 Jul 2010 Location: In my Kingdom

I am 20 months and a week away from moving off of Jeju Island (one month after my next contract ends, January 2013). I don't count down per se, but I am aware of the end date. It actually helps me appreciate the place and get out and do things more. I have never returned to a place I've lived before. You only live once. Don't try to go back, go forward. Counting helps one see the finality of it all. There is an existential joy in realizing things change and one can anticipate when one such big change will occur, to the day. Most happenings in life aren't so easily forecasted.

rainism · Joined: 13 Apr 2011

I count down the days till both vacation periods. They're set in on my cellphone and it's something I look at every day. It helps, believe me.
Yes, the end of the contract is also in there, but I always keep track of the first vacation period upcoming instead.

a family member who's a professional teacher in the US does the same thing. She has a running countdown of days until vacation time.The difference is she counts only working days, while I count all days even weekends. We didn't coordinate this, nor ever share ideas about doing it, it just turns out we recently learned that we both happen to do almost the same thing. and obviously we both work for public schools.