After 12.5ish months working as an English teacher I've finally decided to do some reflection on the experience. I can only say that I haven't even begun to really understand Korean culture, on year is not enough for this.
As an athropology major I was waiting to get out in the "field". Teaching English in Korea was a good choice for me for the money and for my resumee. So, I kept in contact with a friend teaching there and ended up applying through Adventure Teaching based in my home town Seattle. I adapted as well as I could my first two weeks, Seoul seemed fairly "Americanized" to me. Suddenly, after one too many failed "mock teachings" I was let go from the hagwon (after school English program) Avalon.
Depression consumed me the next two days after being fired. I decided I couldn't go home and applyed to any post for English teachers I could find.
Luckily I got a call for an interview (which for foreign teachers in Korea, its basciallly a job offer) and met a public school recruiter the next day. I took a job at an Elementary school in a town 1.5 hours south of Seoul. It all happend for a reason, I was in need of some good karma
I met people in my new town right away. They welcomed me into their foreigner community more than I expected.
At this point I could go on and describe the major events of the year. However, next post I will go into more details about being a foreign woman in Korea, which would more interesting.
