The Sequel Rules

Something that got me thinking, when I was watching some random stuff on Youtube the other day.

There are certain rules that one must abide by in order to create a successful sequel. Number one: the body count is always bigger. Number two: the death scenes are always much more elaborate - more blood, more gore - *carnage candy*. And number three: never, ever, under any circumstances, assume the killer is dead.

Yeah, Randy's rant about the rules of a sequel, and it made me think about my 2nd time in Korea.

Rule 1: the body count is always bigger
Well, I haven't killed anyone, but I feel that I'm wasting a lot more time than I used to in my previous job in Korea. My main issue is that I have to be at school from 9 - 5 (40 hours a week), when I don't have enough work to justify being here for 40 hours a week.

Also, with my previous job in Korea, I was there for 3 years, in a hagwon, in the middle of nowhere. Now, I'm in a Korean public school, and handed in my resignation after 3.5 months.

Rule 2: the death scenes are always much more elaborate
This is the first teaching job I've ever resigned from. All the other teaching jobs I've had, I've just seen out the contract (in a few, I have been offered/been told to re-apply for but have decided not to).

Rule 3: never, ever, under any circumstances, assume the killer is dead
I've decided that It will very unlikely that I will be coming back to Korea for work in 2010. My next challenge in my life is to get my life started in Australia. Long term job, house, car, etc... I'm 30, i gotta start acting like it.

So here's the deal...

Have decided to leave Korea early. Gave my letter of resignation to my school on Monday, stating that my last day will be February 28. I didn't realise that it was a Sunday, but they are cool with it. The teachers handling the situation are being very understanding and supportive. Since Feb 28th is exactly 6 months, I don't have to pay back the re-imbursed airfare and settlement allowance of 300,000won. Also, since it's exactly half of my 1 year contract, they are allowing me to have half of my holidays. I've got 5 days in Jan (the first full week of Jan, so 1st through to the 10th), and then 5 days in Feb (from Lunar New Year - Feb 13 to Feb 22), and then the last 4 days at work, preparing things for a new (possible) replacement.

It wasn't a decision that I made lightly. I haven't been enjoying my job pretty much since I got here. I have no big regrets (small ones, yes, but not big ones) about taking this job and trying something new in a place I've been before. One thing that this experience has emphasised more for me, is that you're the only person who can truly look after you. I now know that Korean public schools aren't my thing. Outside of work, I am enjoying my life here in Korea, but to have to go to a place you don't want to go to 5 days a week, is hard.

I've got issues that I have to deal with back at home as well, and I'll be honest, if these issues didn't come up, I would have tried to stay in my job for 12 months, and I think I could have. But, this is just the way it is. You gotta do the best with what you've got.

As Kenny has said:

You gotta know when to hold 'em
know when to fold 'em
know when to walk away
know when to run

For my own sake, it's time for me to fold 'em and walk away, so I can come back feeling better than ever.

Yeah, I do want to come back to Korea. This chapter in life has taught me to look before you leap, test the waters before jumping in. I think a part of me was so eager to get back to Korea, that i jumped into this job a bit too quickly. If you have to go to a place 5 days out of 7, you should may as well enjoy it - and I'm not.

So this is how it works:
Feb 26 (fri) - last working day
Feb 28 (sun) - last official day, and moving out of apartment day
Mar 1 (mon) - public holiday (independence day)
Mar 2 (tue) - first day of the new semester
Mar 3 (wed) - meet my co-teacher in Suwon so that I can cancel my visa/sojourn properly
Mar 5 (fri) - get to incheon airport by 9, so that I can check in for a flight that leaves at 11am.

From my experience, Koreans can plan stuff pretty well, when they need to. I've given them more than 60 days notice as to when I'm going to quit (sure it's only 10 days, but any bonus is good), so that they have a bit more time to try to find a replacement. I've told them if they would like any help from me, then all they have to do is ask - it's the least I could do since they're helping me out too.

I've also sorted out places to stay from Feb 28 to Mar 5. Friends are awesome when they help out - I'd like to think that they know that I would do the same for them as well.

It's been a while...

Well, I've been in Anseong for 2 months now. I'd say that I've adjusted pretty well. I just wanna write an update to let people know what's going on.

1. The job.

I thought it would be different (in a good way) to my old job because it was in a public school. It's not. It feels worse. I feel that I have less support in my current job, than I have ever had as a teacher. I had more support from my hagwon boss back when I was in Korea the last time - and a whole lot more support from schools/teachers when I was in australia.

My co-teacher, who doesn't co-teach, has approached me twice and said that he wants to be included in the lessons, and wants something to do rather than just stand around (and he just spaces out - a few times i've seen him just staring into oblivion, so I've just done behavioural/class management myself in Korean, which I can deal with, because I was working in a hagwon for 3 years, where I had to do it myself). But, when it comes to actually planning together, he never shows up, and the one time he did, all he said was "Is there anything I can do?". If he had shown some initiative, and picked up a book and said "I'd like to look at the lesson for tomorrow, so we can plan something together.", I'd be a lot more impressed. He's a nice guy... but... yeah...

So, I have 6 classes with the co-teacher. They're the official curriculum classes. Then there are "bang-gwa-hu" classes (방과후 means the dismissal of class for the day), but these classes are basically after lunch anywhere between 1pm and 4pm. I have 2 of these with every class, and 1 with kindergarten. They're basically hagwon-style classes, where I'm by myself doing my own thing. Which I'm also used to doing, because of the hagwon thing. At first, I had behaviour issues with Grades 1, 2 and 3, but grade 1 and 2 have settled down, and are getting better, but there are some students who have some issues, and are really testing the limits of my patience and my skills. Still have a few things up my sleeve, it's just a matter of finding out what what's gonna work.

I also have a teachers' class on Friday afternoon. It's meant to start at 4pm, but if they turn up, it's between 4:10 and 4:20. Last Friday, only my co-teacher turned up and after seeing that he was the only one to turn up at 4:20, he thought that he should call the other teachers that normally come and remind them. I told him not too, that it's their responsibility to come on time (and gave him a bit of a look, since he turned up 20 mins late).

I've also got 3 mornings of no class, so I'm very bored at times. I've been using a bit of that time to study Korean.

2. The lifestyle

One of the first things I did was join a Gumdo place, and started doing Gumdo again. I'm in the 6:40pm class, which a good bunch of kids (and a couple of adults). It's my winding down from work time, where I can get a bit of exercise, and enjoy Korea. My teacher is pretty cool as well.

This week, gumdo is closed for the week, due to the paranoia around swine flu (and that the teacher decided to close for the week, since Anseong Elementary is closed for the week as well).

I've been travelling around to see old friends, which is nice, and have made some new friends here in Anseong too. Since I'm living in another place in Korea, I'm able to go to places that weren't easily accessible compared to where I was last time in Korea. The plan is to travel to a few of those places to check them out.

3. The future

I've got 10 months to go in my job, and I'm considering what I want to do after that. I don't think I can stay for another 12 months, if I'm offered. The plan is to save a lot of cash, and maybe even study Korean for 6 months at a uni here in Korea. Or, go home and get a "real" teaching job. I am starting to regret giving up the teaching job I had before in Mildura, to come here to work here.

Just gotta seriously think what I wanna do, and the means of which to do it.

I like Korea, just not the work.

Post from Adelaide

Came to Adelaide this weekend. To meet some friends, and to do some shopping. IKEA, Marion, Harbourtown, and possible Rundle Mall...

Lately, I've thought about my options for 2010, and I've come up with my Top 3. These are no particular order:

1. Stay in Mildura. This is the most boring option. This is the "life" that I would have had a few years ago, if I didn't go to Korea. I would have bought a house, and started to settle down. Mildura isn't a bad place, but it's damn boring. This style of middle-agedness is not for me.

2. Move to Adelaide. I've been to Adelaide a few times this year, and it's not too bad. But, It just reminds me of just a bigger version of Mildura. There are things to do, but eventually, it would get boring as well.

3. Go back to Korea. I really miss Korea, and until recently, I saw going to Korea as putting my life on hold, and then would restart it when I'm back in Australia. I've realised that that isn't the case. Life is life, no matter where you live it. Compared to now, my life in Korea was simple, enjoyable, and even though there was bullshit to deal with (everything has bullshit to deal with), it was different bullshit to here, and it doesn't feel as bad as the bullshit here.

and seriously, I'd rather get middle-aged in a country where I'm enjoying myself, rather in one that I'm not.

Lately?

I haven't had much to blog about lately, just going to work (which isn't too bad). I joined a gym, but recently, I've got a bad cold, and haven't been going. Once I'm better, I'll go again.

But, a few weeks ago, I ordered a new 17" MacBook Pro, and I got it yesterday. It's a big improvement on the previous Black MacBook I had.

Last week, I was thinking about going back to Korea for work again, but not so sure about it now. I don't mind my new job, even if it is a bit random at times. In Korea, there isn't much room for career advancement, when it comes to teaching English there (in my opinion), so it would be better to work on my teaching career here in Australia. If I can, I'm thinking about going to Korea for a 2 week holiday in either early July, or late September (just before Chuseok). See how that goes.

Got 4 and a half weeks to go until the Autumn Break, and am planning to go to Melbourne for about a week. Looking forward to it. One thing that was (and still is) hard to get used to, is being in a country where travelling for 4 hours doesn't get you very far (where as, when I was in Korea, 4 hours got me to Seoul or Busan ^^).

Temporary Close

Not much to blog about lately. Life is boring, I'm missing Korea, and can't wait for my new job to start, so I can get some cash. The thought of going back to Korea is still in my head, even the same job with the same boss, if that's possible. But, gonna see how my new job goes first, and how I feel about it.

First term will be getting back into the swing of things. It's been a bit over 3 years since I've been working in an Australian Primary School. I just hope that the main reasons why I left Australia and teaching, aren't at this school too. Like buying my Black Macbook, I regret leaving Korea. Still gonna get a new MacBook Pro (and I hope it's monitor quality will be as good as my old MacBook Pro.

The main things I'm still missing from Korea are my good friends there. I'm missing my simple life in the countryside. I'm missing the delicious and cheap food. I'm even missing speaking and learning Korean, and dealing with all the weird and wacky situations that Korea has to offer. I left Korea because I needed a break.

I've had a break now. I feel like it's time to go back.

But, things can change. I might feel different after working, and getting some cash. But, if it's just the cash that's cheering me up, then I know where I have to go.

Resolutions and Revelations, Part 1

Before, while I was still in South Korea, I was looking forward to coming home, being with family for a while, and getting my life back to the way it was. But that's just it - you can't take a break from life, and then restart it whenever you want. For 3 years, South Korea was my life. As much as I was telling myself that things will be different when I get home (people would have moved on, done stuff, etc), I wasn't really mentally prepared for that.

I left South Korea 11 weeks ago, and to be honest, it feels longer. But, at the moment, I'm really questioning my motivations for coming back to Australia (notice that I didn't say "coming home"). I thought it would be good to be with my family for Christmas and New Year/Birthday, but actually now, i somewhat regret it. Sure, it was nice to see most of the extended family on Christmas, but it didn't do anything for me, emotionally. Put simply, family doesn't feel like family anymore, with one exception.

I also thought that having a birthday with family would be nice too. Basically, it wasn't. I have never felt more alone - even compared to times when I was South Korea. The only real person in my family who made an effort, was my mum (hence my Facebook Status update that said "Andy loves his Mum. She's fucking Awesome"). This also comes back to the idea that I wasn't ready for things being different when I come back. I didn't expect 3 extra people in the house, that I don't really know. But, I also didn't expect one family member to actually forget my birthday as well.

I'm feeling a bit like Ron Burgundy at the moment - in a glass cage of emotion.

Random 2008 Wrap-up

Saw this on Joia's blog, and thought I could do it too, since it's almost the end of the year, and almost my 28th (29th Korean age) birthday ^^

1) What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?

Went to Japan.

2) Did you keep your New Year's resolutions and will you make more for next year?

I didn't make any, but something that was kinda one was to lose weight. Kinda did that, then came home, and put some back on. haha.

3) What countries did you visit?

South Korea, Japan.

4) What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?

Can't think of anything, except get a decent job in Australia, which I have got sorted out already - will be working in a primary school, teaching computers.

5) What dates from 2008 will remain etched in your memory and why?

January 1 - My birthday
January 26 - Two of my best friends got married
April 12 - Went to Geoje Island with Byeongseong
June 4 - Went to Japan *^^*
June 14 - Went to Gongju
June 20 - Got my new Macbook
October 18 - Left South Korea
October 19 - Arrived in Australia
December 25 - First Christmas with Family since 2003

6) What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Going to Japan, Improving my Korean, getting a job in an Australian Primary School after getting back from Korea.

7) What was your biggest failure?

Loosing motivation at the gym.

8) Did you suffer illness/injury?

No.

9) What was the best thing you bought?

New Macbook, New Digital Camera.

10) Where did most of your money go?

Travelling (around Korea and to Japan), Retail Therapy ^^

11) What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Meeting friends, and going to new places in Korea with them.

12) What song(s) remind you of 2008?

나만 바라봐 by 태양, Justify by ATB, anything by 빅뱅 (it was everywhere!)

13) Compared to this time last year, are you:

a. happier or sadder? - A bit of both.

b. thinner or fatter? - If you asked me 10 weeks ago, I'd day thinner... but now, I think I'm a little fatter. hehe

c. richer or poorer? - money wise, poorer. experience wise, richer.

14) What do you wish you'd done more of?

Saved money while in Korea. More travelling (I didn't go to 충천북도 and 강원도... there's always next time ^^).

15) What do you wish you'd done less of?

Being lazy.

16) Did you fall in love in 2008?

Hmmm... maybe *^^*

17) How many one-night stands?

None. I behaved myself this year :p

18) What was your favorite TV program?

Don't really watch TV - I'm more of a movies at the cinema person.

19) Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

Let's just say, there are a few people I don't waste my time on anymore :p

20) What was the best book you read?

Didn't read any good books this year - only bad, or boring ones.

21) What were your greatest musical discoveries?

빅뱅, 태양, 세븐, 더 자두, 'Tell it to my heart' by YMGA, 'Cry for You (Spencer & Hill Remix)' by September, 'Dove' by Moony.

22) What did you want and get?

Wanted to go to Japan, and made that happen. Wanted to go back to Australia, and made that happen. Wanted to get a job in Australian Primary School for 2009, and that happened by chance *^^*

23) What was your favorite film of the year?

Korean movie: 울학교 이티. English movie, Dark Knight.

24) What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?

I can't remember, and I turned 27 (28 korean age).

25) What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Not losing my motivation to go to they gym.

26) What kept you sane?

Friends and travelling (and really fast Korean Internet ^^)

27) Who did you miss?

My good friends in Korea.

28) Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

이효리 is damn hot :p

29) Who was the best new person you met?

Too many to mention.

30) Tell us a valuable lesson you learned in 2008:

You only get one chance on this Earth, so why should you give people more than one chance? ;)

31) Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

That was when you said
"You least expect it"
That was when you asked
How did we get this far
So far

That was when I wanted
To correct it
But I guess there's nothing
Wrong with being wrong
At all

I can't do it any other way
Repeat I'd do it all the same way
And I won't justify
One more time

Christmas Update

My last christmas at home was in 2003, so it was good to have a christmas at home with the family. But, to be honest, I am used to just doing my own thing during Christmas and New Year, especially in Korea, where Christmas isn't really Christmas.

Anyway, since I ate a fuckload bit too much food on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, as of yesterday, i started back on my diet again. The plan is the same as last time - stop eating so much crap, stop snacking as often (and if i do, it's gotta be healthy), have a small dinner, and do some exercise.

I got some cool christmas presents, and also did some shopping on boxing day (boxing day sales ^^), which means I don't have much money until I start my new job in late January - really looking forward to that.

It's been 10 weeks since I've been home. Some of my friends have said that I've got my Australian accent back. But, I do miss Korea - mainly my good friends and hanging out with them, and all the cheap travelling around Korea I used to do. I miss some of the kids from my old workplace, and going to Gimbapnara and chatting with 이모. hehe.

Sometimes...

Sometimes it how you achieve something, then the result at the end...


...but it's always good when you're ship comes in.

Sandwich or Toast

It didn't take long to start feeling overwhelmed with stuff, but it was something simple over bread, when it started to feel a bit weird.

After I dropped my sister off at work, I walked around the shopping centre and did a few things: exchanged some clothes, since the shorts I bought yesterday were a bit too small; bought a new mobile phone; and went to a supermarket for some stuff.

So, yeah, my news phone - a Sony Ericsson w610i. I decided to go on the Telstra network, since most of my friends are on that network. At the telstra shop, most of the phones on Pre-paid options were LG or Samsung, and after my experiences with Korean made electronics, I wanted to keep clear of those, which only left Nokia and Sony Ericsson. I'm not a fan of the Nokia UIs of late, which only left 2 Sony Ericsson phones.

The w610i came with a 512Mb memory card, a 2 mega pixel camera, Bluetooth, and a few other cool features as well, and a headset with the style of headphones that I like, so it's all good. It's also a walkman phone as well, so it can play many different type of audio files.


One thing I'm gonna have to get used to is not having Korean on the phone...


...but I put a few pieces of stuff on my phone. ^^


So, the bread. I was at a bakery, and I asked for a loaf of wholemeal bread...

Andy: I'd like one loaf of wholemeal please.
Bakery Girl: Which kind would you like?
A: Wholemeal.
BG: I mean, which type would you like? Regular, Poppy Seed.. *and a few other that she mentioned but I forgot*
A: Just regular thanks.
BG: Would you like that sliced?
A: Yes, thanks.
BG: Sandwich or Toast?
A: Sorry?

It was at this point where she gave me a bit of weird look, and I was getting a bit frustrated about all these damn options when all I wanted a loaf of wholemeal bread.

BG: Sandwich or Toast?
A: Ah, you mean the slicing? Umm... what's the difference?
BG: *still with the weird look*, Sandwich is sliced thinly. Toast is sliced thickly.
A: Oh, ok. Well, sandwich please.
BG: Sure.

After looking back, I realised that I went thought the same process before I left for Korea, but since I didn't have to go to a bakery and go though all that, I completely forgot. Also, from this point on, it's when I realised that things were getting a bit overwhelming. During the day, I've been sending emails back and forward to the Korean embassy about getting a Criminal Record Check to go with my Teacher Registration, and then being explained the whole process, which could take about 4 weeks.

Then I remembered which country I've gotta deal with *^^*

One last thing: This is one of the t-shirts I bought yesterday:


It has some random Japanese on it. It made me think about all the random English t-shirts in Korea. In Australia, mainly for design purposes, (same reason for English on t-shirts in Korea) there might be some Chinese or Japanese on the shirt. Made me laugh for a bit, thinking "I don't have any idea what it says - must be like Koreans when they buy a t-shirt with English on it".

It's only a number, right?

I came across this table just now, while I was surfing the web. It's the "Human Development Index", which the UN uses to measure the quality of life in countries around the world.

Here's the Top 30:

1: Norway
2: Iceland
3: Australia
4: Ireland
5: Sweden
6: Canada
7: Japan
8: United States
9: Switzerland
10: Netherlands
11: Finland
12: Luxembourg
13: Belgium
14: Austria
15: Denmark
16: France
17: Italy
18: United Kingdom
19: Spain
20: New Zealand
21: Germany
22: Israel
23: Greece
24: Singapore
25: South Korea
26: Slovenia
27: Portugal
28: Cyprus
29: Czech Repupic
30: Barbados

I was surprised to see Australia in the 3rd position, and was also slightly surprised to see Korea in the Top 30. So, I guess Korea isn't that bad at all. But, moving to a country that is 22 places below yours... lol... I won't finish that sentence :p

I put Japan is bold as well because I've been there, even though it was for a holiday, I could really notice the difference between life in Korea and life in Japan. Just as I came to Korea for work after a holiday, because I wanted to experience the "real" Korea, I am tempted, after a break, to try to live in Japan for a year, and see how it goes. I think, after 3 years in Korea, it would be very interesting.

Pride

I totally agree with George Carlin. I'm proud of what Australia has accomplished (and not so proud of the things it's fucked up), but it's just a chance that I was born in Australia to Australian parents at the time *^^*

I'm not a big user of the word "we" or "our", and because I agree with George, I never use it, and it hear it all the time (in Korea, and from others as well), it makes me cringe. For example, many of my Korean friends will refer to Australia as "my country". I don't own Australia. I didn't buy Australia, and I didn't sign a lease to rent it. It's not mine, therefore not "my country". It's just the country where I was born, therefore Australian my nationality, because of people's need to categorise and label everything (especially here in Korea, through my experiences).

For example, when the Australian cricket team, or my favourite football team wins or loses, i don't say "my team". I don't own the team. I will use the name of the team. If I own something, sure, it's mine. My MP3 player, my MP3 player, my emotional baggage *^^*

If you own it, it is your duty to take responsibility for it.

Pride

I totally agree with George Carlin. I'm proud of what Australia has accomplished (and not so proud of the things it's fucked up), but it's just a chance that I was born in Australia to Australian parents at the time *^^*

I'm not a big user of the word "we" or "our", and because I agree with George, I never use it, and it hear it all the time (in Korea, and from others as well), it makes me cringe. For example, many of my Korean friends will refer to Australia as "my country". I don't own Australia. I didn't buy Australia, and I didn't sign a lease to rent it. It's not mine, therefore not "my country". It's just the country where I was born, therefore Australian my nationality, because of people's need to categorise and label everything (especially here in Korea, through my experiences).

For example, when the Australian cricket team, or my favourite football team wins or loses, i don't say "my team". I don't own the team. I will use the name of the team. If I own something, sure, it's mine. My MP3 player, my MP3 player, my emotional baggage *^^*

If you own it, it is your duty to take responsibility for it.