Reflections on my work history

The longer people get to know me the more they realize in my life I have had a LOT of jobs.  When I think about all the jobs I have had I start to wonder if I have some form of ADD, but I've come to realize that it isn't a lack of concentration it's just more of a desire to do and see and experience as much out of life as possible and if I can get paid for that experience all the better.  So for my friends out there that want to know what jobs (gonna include paid and non-paid) I've actually had here it goes... in no particular order:

1. Amusement park ride operator
2. Costumed character at Chuck E Cheeses
3. Costumed character at amusement park
4. EMT (really more of an intern before I took the exam)
5. Certified phelbotomist (also helped certify others)
6. In-N-Out burger
7. business to business sales person selling frame posters
8. pizza delivery driver
9. photographer and make up artist for mall photos
10. Cast member at Disney Store (2x)
11. Student staff assistant (basic office stuff)
12. Theatre electrician
13. Stage actor (not paid but gave me experience for other acting jobs)
14. TV/Movie extra
15. Theatre lighting designer
16. Theatre electrics shop assistant
17. Costco membership
18. Executive assistant for wine rack design company
19. Investment banking (job description is a bit long and complex but not a trader)
20. Bartender
21. Waitress (at a country club and at a restaurant)
22. Receptionist (for a wealth management firm and escrow office)
23. Office manager for structural engineering firm
24. Improv contract performer for Halloween at Sea World
25. Contract performer for Halloween at Magic Mountain
26. Volunteer for National Park Service in the Natural Resource Science
27. Intern horse trainer
28. Lab assistant in biogeochemistry lab
29. Research assistant in geology soils lab
30. Wildlife Assistant (got paid to go hiking and survey animals AWESOME)
31. Barista at Starbucks
32. Native English Teacher in Korea

I think that's it. I might be leaving a couple out but if I am they're repeats of something else like the two retail stores I've worked in (The Gap and Gottchalks).

When I return to the USA, I'll be a graduate student and a TA as well as hopefully return to Starbucks during my studies.  After that who knows where the job search will take me... kinda hoping for South America doing some research... but I'm not gonna plan on anything.

Up next ... 2 months left in Korea!

Back to the USA: 2 MONTHS!!!!

On June 24th I hit the exact 2 month mark in which I will leave Korea.  I was at that point that everything started to hit me.  In a very short time I will be leaving a job, friends, and a country that have in some ways altered my perspective of the world.  While there are many things I am looking forward to when I get back there are SO many things I am going to miss about this place.  In some moments the 2 months can't go by fast enough, but for the most part, they seem to be zooming past me in nanoseconds.

This past weekend I got to hang out with some of my dearest friends I have made while being here.  We had a fantastically Wicked weekend doing and sharing some quality girl time; from checking out the horse races in our dresses and hats to dinner to being memorized by Wicked to dancing the night away.  If these women stay in my life I will truly consider myself blessed. (Angie is a given as our bonds are unbreakable.)

As my time here in Korea winds down and my time with friends grows short I wanted to reflect on some of the highlights of my time here.

1.   Orientation - where lots of friends were made and many Korean firsts were experienced such as drinking soju, hanging outside a mini-mart openly drinking, Korean fried chicken, Korean pork cutlets, and norebang.

2.   Daejeon - climbing the mountain in Daejeon with my sister Angie.  We were not as prepared as we normally are and we were exhausted and a bit cold on the way down but the views from the peak were amazing.

3.   Daegu - My first trip to Daegu where I met all my wonderful Korean friends that I have seen far to little of while being here. I have never laughed so much with new friends than I did that night. And it was one of the best rock shows I went to and where I entered my first beer chugging contest thanks to my friend Jin.

4.   DMZ, the first trip - It was on the first trip to the DMZ that I met some of the people I now consider among my dearest friends and sneaking a picture in the 3rd tunnel was priceless.

5.   Holidays at the pension - Holidays spent with awesome friends made me forget some of the things I was missing during that time.  One of the best holidays I ever experienced.

6.   Kim visiting - Kim's visit came at just the right time. She brought a little bit of home and it having Angie, Kim and I together just always makes life better.

7.   Trips to Costco - always an adventure and usually gives me time to hang out with a good friend over samples and hot dogs and sodas.

8.   All other friends visiting from USA - Who knew Korea would be such a draw. It was amazing to share my Korea experience with friends and reconnect with friends I haven't seen in years.

       

9.   This past Wicked weekend - I pretty much said it at the beginning but I'll say it again. I have a dear fondness and affection for the women I spent last weekend with; they have truly made my Korea experience amazing.

And of course...    

Notes from my students

10. Teaching – I love, love, love teaching these kids. Every day I am surprised and amazed. While every job has its shares of ups and downs, and this job is no exception, the highs definitely outweigh the lows.  There is not one, ok there is one, of these kids that I would not go to the mattresses for in a heartbeat.  They are the hardest part about leaving Korea.  The notes, stickers, drawings, etc. they have made for me I will treasure for the rest of my life.

"Drinking" our tropical cupcakes pre-Wicked

Not too bad after not showering.

Back to the USA

I finally did it. I booked my flight back to the USA and when people ask if I am excited to be heading home there is a part of me that says yes but another part that wonders where the heck home is anymore.

I suppose when it comes down to it most recently Colorado is my home, although I never really considered it home per say.  I will be heading back to Colorado when I make my way back, but  I will only be in Colorado for about 5 1/2 days before I head east to New Hampshire to begin the next phase of my life as a graduate student.  Those days are going to be a whirlwind of getting everything together I need to make the journey east including a phone, a car, and my stuff from the storage unit.  I'm also hoping to squeeze in catching up with as many folks back in Colorado as I can before I head east.

As this idea of heading back to the USA and people around me talking about heading home, I'm left wondering if I actually have a physical home anymore.  Honestly, I don't think I do.  I grew up in California and I do have family there but that is my old home, when I left California I can honestly say I don't foresee ever living there again (but you never know).  So California is a part of who I am and I will always have ties there but it's definitely not home.  My parents don't live in a house in my childhood house or anything so I don't consider their house my home.  I spent the last four years in Colorado living, schooling, and working on my own.  I have amazing friends and I did some really cool stuff when I was there but there was always something missing that made it feel like I could stay in Colorado on any permanent basis.  For the past 9 1/2 months I have lived in Korea and well I always knew my time here was temporary whether it was for 1 year or more, so Korea definitely isn't my home.  So where is home? Does this concept actually exist or is it just a relic notion from childhood?

I think I'm still working on that part.  The short answer is home is where my dog, Dunkin', is, so for now I suppose that is technically Colorado.  As I begin yet another phase in my life I'm not sure where exactly I'll wind up or where the road will take me and I kinda like that idea.  As my life progresses the idea of home and the answer to, "Where are you from?" becomes increasingly difficult to answer in one word and I'm beginning to think I like it that way.