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runaway
Joined: 05 Dec 2005
Location: Suwon
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 Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 3:37 am Post subject: Am I doing the right thing? |
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This is so weird. I'm sitting here at my computer on a VERY hot summer night in Aus, with my four kids watching TV and in two nights i'll be leaving them to follow a dream i've had for so long it's become a bit of a blurred reality.
Yeah, I always wanted to teach overseas and after giving birth to four amazing kids, surviving a failed marriage and then working my butt off to get my degree and teach at a uni here, i've decided it's time for that dream to come true.
So I guess what i'm asking is... am I doing the right thing? I'm not some young kid with stars in their eyes (not ancient either -I had my kids very young) and I've read the stuff you guys have written about the dodgey recruiters and bosses - but when all is said and done, if you're willing to work and just want to do something different - is it ok?
I'm only coming for a couple of months this time (two winter camps) and then in a few years when the kids are more independant, i'm planning on a longer committment. I guess it's a bit of a recky mission this time and besides i'm due to teach at uni here in Aus again in March.
So for those of you who may have done a similar thing, can you tell me if i'm nuts or if this is going to be ok!
I'm leaving my kids with their grandma for two months which will probably be like boot camp, so I guess i'm just suffering from a little guilt and loking for some confirmation that i'm not going to regret the first time in 17 years that i've left them alone |
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Shooter McGavin
Joined: 22 Nov 2005
Location: ROK
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| Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 4:04 am Post subject: Re: Am I doing the right thing? |
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| runaway wrote: |
This is so weird. I'm sitting here at my computer on a VERY hot summer night in Aus, with my four kids watching TV and in two nights i'll be leaving them to follow a dream i've had for so long it's become a bit of a blurred reality.
Yeah, I always wanted to teach overseas and after giving birth to four amazing kids, surviving a failed marriage and then working my butt off to get my degree and teach at a uni here, i've decided it's time for that dream to come true.
So I guess what i'm asking is... am I doing the right thing? I'm not some young kid with stars in their eyes (not ancient either -I had my kids very young) and I've read the stuff you guys have written about the dodgey recruiters and bosses - but when all is said and done, if you're willing to work and just want to do something different - is it ok?
I'm only coming for a couple of months this time (two winter camps) and then in a few years when the kids are more independant, i'm planning on a longer committment. I guess it's a bit of a recky mission this time and besides i'm due to teach at uni here in Aus again in March.
So for those of you who may have done a similar thing, can you tell me if i'm nuts or if this is going to be ok!
I'm leaving my kids with their grandma for two months which will probably be like boot camp, so I guess i'm just suffering from a little guilt and loking for some confirmation that i'm not going to regret the first time in 17 years that i've left them alone |
Would you regret it if you didn't try it? Never live with regrets. |
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runaway
Joined: 05 Dec 2005
Location: Suwon
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| Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 5:00 am Post subject: |
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Absolutely!
That's the thing. There are many regrets and this one I don't want to live with - just fighting with the other half of me that has always been here for them I guess.
But I figure in two months they won't die - right? |
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Roch
Joined: 24 Apr 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 5:49 am Post subject: |
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I say that you should go for it if and only if the deal is real. Check it out as deeply as possible.
Keep trying for a real deal if it is not cool with you, etc. |
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Lion Brown
Joined: 06 Sep 2005
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| Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 7:12 am Post subject: |
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The only regret you may have is leaving the lovely Aussie summer behind and coming to this cold place. Bring some woollies!!
Nah seriously, if you are ready to do it, go for it!
No one here knows your home situiation like you, but i think most (well some of us) feel it was a great decision to come here. |
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joe_doufu
Joined: 09 May 2005
Location: Elsewhere
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| Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 7:20 am Post subject: |
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| Don't come to Korea if you don't need the money... that's why most of us are here. If you just want the "experience" for a couple of months, I'd consider China or Thailand, or perhaps Japan if you're interested in the language or culture. Go somewhere you're going to have free time, decent weather, and an interesting experience. Just my two cents! |
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Bee Positive
Joined: 27 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 7:58 am Post subject: |
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| joe_doufu wrote: |
| Don't come to Korea if you don't need the money... that's why most of us are here. If you just want the "experience" for a couple of months, I'd consider China or Thailand, or perhaps Japan if you're interested in the language or culture. Go somewhere you're going to have free time, decent weather, and an interesting experience. Just my two cents! |
I agree with this for the most part.
However, Korea makes a great introduction to East Asia in a lot of ways.
The language alone is worth it. Learning even a little Korean puts you in a much stronger position to learn both Chinese and Japanese than you'd otherwise be in. I did a little Chinese character study earlier this year, and it just amazed the heck out of me how many of the characters had Sino-Korean cognates that I was already familiar with. It was like, well, going from Spanish to Portuguese. Slight exaggeration, maybe, but still . . .
Even down in Thailand, you'll make connections. When staying in a seedy flophouse on Sukhumvit soi 13, I was amused to learn that I was on "soi sip sam" in the local language. Sip sam, ship sam: whaddaya know?
I whine and moan about Korea as much as anyone (and if I ever get banned from this board, it'll probably be for some sort of "Korea bashing"), but I really don't at all regret the time put into Korea and the Korean language, in particular. It's just such a great gateway into Asian languages and cultures.
BEE POSITIVE |
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thursdays child
Joined: 21 Sep 2005
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| Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 4:06 pm Post subject: |
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| I say go for it. BUT, don't judge what life would be like here after doing a camp. Some camps can be a nightmare - some are fine..... but you'll be experiencing a very weird element of the culture from working on a camp. |
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runaway
Joined: 05 Dec 2005
Location: Suwon
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| Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 4:24 pm Post subject: |
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joe_doufu...i'm the single mum of four kids - what do you think?  Yeah I need the money as well as wanting the experience.
Thanks so much to all of you for your advice. I'm pretty happy with the job offers and I figure it's only two months and then I get to see if it's really something I want to think about again later.
So, today i'm going to the beach to soak up the last days of beautiful Queensland sun and then i'll come freeze my butt of with you for a while.  |
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