Off I Go!

Just 9 months ago, after graduating with my B.S. from the University of Illinois, I was yearning to do something more in life and wondering where my next step would be. I had toyed with the idea of continuing onto grad school or applying for full time positions working with children or within the social work field. But more school and getting into a mundane daily routine just after graduation seemed a little bit 'un-interesting' at the time (to say the least). That's when I remembered how many people I knew that had traveled overseas and taught English as a second language and loved every minute of it I began doing some research and instantly found CIEE, The Counsel of International Education Experiences. Long story short, they are an awesome program that provide English teachers to countries all over the globe and provide these teachers with creditable working institutions (with salary included) and endless benefits such as free housing, visa assistance, job placement, and even in country assistance once their teachers are in their new country. Best of all, I was able to apply to work with Kindergartners (which is what I love doing)! After discovering CIEE and researching their programs in various countries, I knew that this was my next step in life; becoming an English elementary school teacher in South Korea.

Breaking it down, the past 8 months have been filled with paperwork, documents, becoming ESL certified, road blocks, getting turned down by some school in Korea while turning down those that I wasn't happy with. All seemed to be a never ending process of new contracts and late night Skype interviews until one night I spoke with the school that fell in love me and I the same. The Baum Kids School in Suji-Gu, Yongin City (just 30 minutes south of the capital of Seoul) is where I am officially hired as an English speaking Kindergarten teacher. I am on a 1 year contract running from Mid March 2012-March of 2013. I will be working alongside a Korean teacher who will split classroom responsibilities. I am so excited to finally be working with children in a country that I have fallen in love with both before and after partaking in this opportunity.

What first intrigued me about applying to teach in South Korea was the fact that I had numerous Korean national friends who I had met while in college. Hearing their stories, seeing their photos, and partaking in their festivities here in the states was always something I enjoyed and figured I would most likely never get to experience the 'real thing'. However, that is about to change.....today is the last day I will be in the U.S. until March of 2013. I'm ridiculously excited, nervous, worried, and anxious to discover and experience all of what my life will be within the next coming year. Working at the school aside, I am going to be introduced to new foods, music, movies, media, people, sites, sounds, and who knows what else! The city of Suji-Gu is supposedly very beautiful and very modern...and one major highlight that I'm looking forward to is how many mountains are scattered all across the country of South Korea. I'm sure many day hikes are in store for me, as well as late nights out in the city, and laughs will be had in the classroom.

With Korea in mind, I'm also going to be missing out on a lot here in the U.S. My closest friends and family mean more to me than anything, and I'm sad to be apart for a year (possibly more if I re-new my teaching contract). But I also know that because we are all so close that when we all meet again it will be as if I had never left at all.

 I will for sure have much more to say soon, and within my time in Korea, but for now the abundance of random thoughts running through my head I feel a little scatter brained.  Today I leave hopeful and optimistic of my new life in South Korea!

Much Peace,

Patrick

Links: Yongin City - http://en.yongin.go.kr/en1/message.asp
           CIEE - http://ciee.org/teach/south-korea/