Korean Job Discussion Forums

[VanIslander]

Tonight, exactly one month prior to my three-year anniversary of ESLing in Korea, I receive an email from my master's thesis supervisor informing me that my leave of absence must end by the end of April (my birthday's May 1st too) because the summer semester will be his last as he is retiring in August. Fate.

That means my long stint at the hagwon here on Geoje Island will finally end, and my days in South Korea are numbered.

(I could technically be back in Canada for only four months but I know I'll visit family and friends and have other job opportunities that will be tempting and that even if I return to teach English it'd probably be at a university somewhere else than this island and just as likely outside of Korea.)

I don't know how to feel about it. I'm more in shock than ambivalence though it's easy to think of the ups and downs.

How should I feel?

For those who have faced a scheduled exit, especially those who've enjoyed their time here immensely, what thoughts and feelings have you gone through?

I gotta sleep on this, and process it in the morning.

[Bulsajo]

Do everything, of course. Or die trying.
How does that famous quote go?
"I'd rather regret the things I've done than things I didn't try" or something to that effect.

[Free World]

Congrats VI!
I know your students will miss you and you will miss the island but think how many great things lie ahead!
Go out with a bang, you deserve it!

[The Great Toad]

You should swim naked in the ocean then go about hopping, shaking, and screaming yourself until dry on the beach... as long as there are no children around... ummm and ahhh start hugging everyone too.

[tzechuk]

OMG... you leaving Goeje Island? And Korea?

Good Luck!

[Tiger Beer]

Do everything you would usually do..

..and whatever you've always wanted to do before you leave.

[Alias]

Have you been back to Canada during that time period?

[plattwaz]

I will also be leaving in 3 weeks, which is 4 years & 9 months since I arrived. It is a planned exit, but planned on very short notice (We didn't plan to leave until next March, this only changed about 2 weeks ago).

Our plan for the next three weeks -- clean up, pack up, get some last minute souvinirs that we've not managed to send home to at least one person already, throw out JUNK that has been accumulated, etc etc.

The other thing I've been doing is coccooning in the apartment a lot -- I find now that I am going, I have a lot less patience with society at large, and people and situations that have never bothered me before, can now get me in a furor, cursing at the stupidity of the whole thing and thanking god I am leaving here soon.