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nerves...
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kalak



Joined: 06 Mar 2007
Location: dublin

PostPosted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 12:38 pm    Post subject: nerves... Reply with quote

So i'm all packed to leave for korea this weekend and my nerves are really getting to me.

Everything was fine until last night and now im kinda losing it! I'm worried im making a huge mistake by coming to Korea, but i know that im being stupid.

Did anyone else feel like this before they arrived??
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bassexpander



Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

PostPosted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 1:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You'll be fine. The only people I see getting hassled here are Irish. They just hate Irish people. Irish men get attacked in the streets. Irish women get raped in their beds, even if their doors are locked -- it's horrible, horrible.

I once saw an Irish man castrated in a sauna.

Everything will be just fine, unless you're Irish.

You're not Irish are you?
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kangnam mafioso



Joined: 27 Jan 2003
Location: Teheranno

PostPosted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i would try not to think about it at this point because it's too late to bail now .... kind of like when the plane starts down the runway --- not a good time to start thinking about how much you hate flying.
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Rteacher



Joined: 23 May 2005
Location: Western MA, USA

PostPosted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 3:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No problem even for the Irish - they have a St. Patrick's Day parade in Seoul every year ...
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Carlyles Ghost



Joined: 04 Jul 2007

PostPosted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 3:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't worry about it. On the plane over for my first tour I was having the exact same thoughts (I recall being close to puking because I was so sick and uncertain). But once you get on the ground those feelings evaporate quickly and you become caught in in just living your life and adapting.

Don't ask yourself if you're making the right/wrong decision. Ask yourself if you can do this. The answer will be yes (thousands of us do it everyday) so hang in there; hell, in 12 months you'll probably be starting your second contract.
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Scotticus



Joined: 18 Mar 2007

PostPosted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kangnam mafioso wrote:
i would try not to think about it at this point because it's too late to bail now ....


While I'd agree that the OP is feeling what many people felt their first time coming over, I would certainly NOT agree that it's too late to back out. Would it be a dick move? Yeah, but it's not like they could do anything to the OP about it.
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ciccone_youth



Joined: 03 Mar 2008
Location: Japan

PostPosted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:54 pm    Post subject: Re: nerves... Reply with quote

kalak wrote:
So i'm all packed to leave for korea this weekend and my nerves are really getting to me.

Everything was fine until last night and now im kinda losing it! I'm worried im making a huge mistake by coming to Korea, but i know that im being stupid.

Did anyone else feel like this before they arrived??


hey, you'll be fine. i was thinking the same thing before i left, i was terrified, even more so when i boarded that plane. the first time you'll wake up here is a bit weird too. but you'll love it, you'll love the culture and the food (hopefully) and you'll have a blast. think about tht fact that you get to experience something that most people don't in their lives.

it's completely normal, don't sweat it!
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Don Gately



Joined: 20 Mar 2006
Location: In a basement taking a severe beating

PostPosted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 5:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You'll do great. Don't let us cranky old bastards scare you. Wish I could go back for the first time. What's the saying? "Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then?"
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blondieLass



Joined: 30 Apr 2007
Location: Yongin, South Korea

PostPosted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 5:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm just about to celebrate 6 months here and I remember really freaking out the night before I had to leave and crying to my mum.

I had planned it so much and said most of my goodbyes but I think deep down I still thought it would fall through or that it wouldn't actually happen.

To this day I am still surprised that I actually came. I remember my mum said to me when I was panicking that nobody was going to make me stay here forever and that I had a free flight ticket over there so I might as well do it, even if I ended up only managing a month.

She made me promise to keep enough cash to buy a flight home so that I could go back if I was hating it and said that nobody back home would think any less of me if I did.

I think it was the figure of 1 YEAR!!! that was overwhelming me, so when my mum said that I kind of relaxed more - hope that helps!

(BTW I hardly even noticed my first month pass and never even thought about going back and I've had the best 6 months of my life)
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crusher_of_heads



Joined: 23 Feb 2007
Location: kimbop and kimchi for kimberly!!!!

PostPosted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 6:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think damn near everyone was a little wound up before getting on the plane-and don't worry if you're Irish the Korean dudes pound the soju and their wives just like the Irish do.


You are welcome.
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Draz



Joined: 27 Jun 2007
Location: Land of Morning Clam

PostPosted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 6:35 pm    Post subject: Re: nerves... Reply with quote

ciccone_youth wrote:
kalak wrote:
So i'm all packed to leave for korea this weekend and my nerves are really getting to me.

Everything was fine until last night and now im kinda losing it! I'm worried im making a huge mistake by coming to Korea, but i know that im being stupid.

Did anyone else feel like this before they arrived??


hey, you'll be fine. i was thinking the same thing before i left, i was terrified, even more so when i boarded that plane.


Just before getting on the final plane (out of 3) to Korea I thought "Maybe I shouldn't get on that plane." But I was already a long way from home, and what else was I going to do?

I don't think I made a mistake.
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JustJohn



Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Location: Your computer screen

PostPosted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mad props to bassexpander. Very clever. Very Happy
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Mi Yum mi



Joined: 28 Jan 2008

PostPosted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 5:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

OP. If you come to Korea and you have a bad time..you can leave. These morons who stay and are getting reamed by their bosses are tools. They'd probably get screwed back home too. If you bail you will regret it for the rest of your life. If you come and things don't work out...at least you tried.

I was the same as you. I almost didn't come. I would have killed myself if I did it and knew what my future would hold.

I have an awesome wife, 2 little 'cuties', good job (even if the office staff are tools). Just come and give it a shot.

Where are you going to be working?
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Kimchieyescream



Joined: 13 Jan 2008

PostPosted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't live life through other people's experiences. Do it for yourself. Everything worthwhile doing (and some things that aren't) seems risky. Live life, travel (even if it is to Korea. Just kidding Laughing ), have an adventure.
Get on the plane and if it sucks go home. You will have at least tried, and it may turn out that you have a great time.
Good Luck.


Last edited by Kimchieyescream on Thu Mar 27, 2008 7:28 am; edited 1 time in total
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BS.Dos.



Joined: 29 Mar 2007

PostPosted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 7:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Did anyone else feel like this before they arrived??


I was still pi55ed when I touched down in Hong Kong after my send off. Felt RAF, but luckily had a 9-hour wait until my connection to Busan.


Be a nice time to arrive as the weather is okay at the moment. It's not hot and uncomfortable so your first week or two should be okay while you find your feet.

The jet lags a bummer so don't expect the fog to lift until the end of next week. If you're meeting your new co-teachers next week, then expect to be made a fuss off. Just bow and smile and remember to hold the glass with both hands when they fill it with lighter fuel, sorry, I mean Soju.

Good luck with it. I'm sure you'll be glad you came.
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