Korea: The 7th Month Itch

Wow that title kinda sounds as though I need to invest in some sort of ointment.  Well I am happy to report that that is not the case, however this last month in Korea has been one of the hardest I have experienced since coming here.  For the past month I have been sick, I've moved and I've told my school I won't be re-signing.  These three things have sorta made me a bit grumpy, which means all the small annoyances of living in Korea (such as constantly being stared at, being treated like I don't exist, being randomly accosted by drunk men, and of course being treated like a talking monkey) have gotten to me a bit more lately.  Supposedly this is right on schedule.

First off it started with me getting sick, yet again!  I was sick from around my birthday to just before St. Patty's Day.  I apparently had an upper respiratory infection that clung to me like barnacles on a grey whale.  While I was sick I was also on my vacation which sucked and I was hosting a friend from back home which really sucked.  While he says the trip lived up to his expectations, I still feel a bit bad that he had to deal with me being a bit grumpy and lethargic.

I also moved my apartments this month.  My new place is now what we would consider in the West to be a true 1 bedroom apartment.  I have a ton of space and have started to do yoga in my living room to help keep me active. Yep I have a living room.  I have other friends with 1 bedrooms but they are generally smaller and while normally I wouldn't mind having a bigger apartment this one just feels too big for me.  I know it sounds like I'm complaining and I really am grateful for the new space, but I think I just felt more of a homey feeling in my old apartment.

Speaking of home, all of the native English teachers, including myself, were recently asked their intentions on re-signing for another year.  My mentor Korean co-teacher sort of hijacked me during lunch and told me I needed to let her know at that moment.  When I told her I had decided not to re-sign and to return to the US, she was very disappointed and no reason I gave seemed to make her understand.  The main reason I am returning to the US is that I recently turned 38 years old.  If I want to pursue teaching as a career I am going to need my MA.  Pretty much no matter what I decide to do when/if I grow up I am going to need at least a MA. MA programs in the US are 2 years, which means at best I would be 40 years old when I am starting a career.  There are still things I want out of life and I just don't feel I can put them off anymore.  While I am certain that the US is not my home, there are some things I need to tidy up there before I get on with the next stage.  Plus, I've already spent one year away from Dunkin' and I'll be damned if I'm gonna be without him for another year.

On the bright side, after being here for 7 months I have finally got all my banking stuff both here and back in US straightened out!  I am also starting to put together a list of stuff I want to still do with my time left here in Korea.  While this month has been tough, with a lot more middles and downs than ups, I am hoping that the next 5 months have a positive trend.  While this rough patch is expected, I am thankful for the friends I have made here that are helping me get through this and keep me laughing!

What's next? Well next post will probably involve a cherry blossom festival and participation in a dragon boat race.