Back in action....sort of...

So I am back to posting on this here blog I started when I was living in Korea. No I am not back in Korea yet....sadness. I am still in graduate school in the US trying not to shoot myslf in the foot from boredom. I have roughly a year until I finish school but I have already started prepping myself for my return abroad in a few ways:

1) Saving $$$

Being that I am not someone with endless amounts of the good ol' green stuff at my disposal (not mary-jane I'm not 420 unfriendly but I don't smoke it myself), I decided to do what I should have done the first time around and start my saving up process early. Previously when I left for Korea I had roughly $500 to survive an entire month. Needless to say I was very poor and without the friends I had would never have left my apartment (or had a bed to sleep on) that first month.

2) Researching jobs

I enjoyed my hagwon teaching experience. I know many friends who had shit-tastic experiences with theirs but CDI always paid me on time, my managers were awesome, the kids were great and my apartment was pretty friggin sweet. I got paid more than average for what I did and though I had little vacation time, I had plenty of time to have a life. I got lucky. I barely did any research before leaving which could have been disastrous. I was naive and lucky enough to have friends teaching with the same company and just got an amazing placement. This time around though I will be checking up on the companies and branches to make sure (as much as possible anyway) that my next placement is bearable.

3) Making a decision...ugh

So the biggest problem I find myself with is choosing whether to go back to Korea right away or to go to Japan to work. I have studied Japanese and Japanese culture since I was in highschool. Japan was always my first love. However, I do love Korea and I have many friends there I want to go back and be with. So now I have to make a decision. Do I go back to where I know how things function (che, even with the K-logic that is illogical in many ways) or do I go to my first love. I told myself that wherever I go next, I will stay for minimum 2 years. I'll need the time to really get settled and start paying back graduate loans that will kick in around November 2011.

So those are just a few things I've started dealing with. I think giving myself a year to really research and make a sound decision is a great idea as I can't hope to luck into an amazing position again.

But for now I am posting again and I will be sure to keep posting about my upcoming job hunt overseas...