Decisions, decisions!
Trip Start
Dec 11, 2008
1
32
Trip End
Dec 13, 2009
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Seoul, Seoul, Korea Rep.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
China
This would be an intriguing experience, and one that I would relish after my recent trip to Beijing. The pay is reasonable in terms of day-to-day living, but I'd be unlikely to save that much over there. Money has never been my motivation (and hopefully never will be), although it clearly needs to be taken into account. I don't particularly trust Chinese people though, so that could be an issue...
Taiwan
I really enjoyed my brief visit to Taipei in the summer, and one big plus is that I have my friend Lisa there - it would be great to live so close to her. The people seemed a lot more foreigner-friendly than in Korea, and the island is home to some beautiful scenery. The main issue at this moment in time is that the job market is incredibly tight, so there would be a good deal of risk involved if I flew there to look for work.
Japan
The mecca for any sane ESL teacher, with wonderful sights, a fascinating history, volcanic scenery, and the most polite people in the world, which matches my personality. Unfortunately, this is not a secret, and as such it attracts a huge amount of foreigners, all looking for teaching work. The Japanese economy is in a poor state at the moment as well, and the Yen is very strong indeed, so it is clear that a job hunting expedition could be very costly, and potentially fruitless.
South Korea
The people of Korea hold a huge grudge against the Japanese, and in general are quite xenophobic. This doesn't bother me too much as I'm quite content to pull the shutters down and remain in my own little world, oblivious, but it's quite telling that while Japan has a surplus of teachers, Korea has a surplus of jobs - not a coincidence. Without question, Japan is a more enjoyable place to live, but Korea has a lot of economical advantages, so what should I do?
Well, after much deliberation, I came up with a solution that I am actually quite pleased about, as it covers all bases. The plan is to return to South Korea in February 2010, but this time I want to work in Busan because it will offer a change of scenery, and crucially, it is virtually on the doorstep of Japan. It is so close to Fukuoka that a boat does the trip a few times each day, taking a mere three hours! Choosing Korea means that my next employer will pay for my flights, I won't have to pay for my apartment, and I'll be free to visit Kyushu a couple of times a month for weekend breaks! Also, it means that I will be in a perfect location to conduct a job search in Japan further down the line, with no risk involved as I'll still be employed.
Alas, it's great to have a plan in place, and I am now genuinely excited about going home for Christmas and New Year! It's going to be great catching up with everybody after so long...
Comments
Good luck with your new country. When I was younger I briefly thought about teaching ESL in Greece. I'm not sure why I didn't go but I do regret it now. You seem to be having a wonderful time.