Imagination vs. Reality: Job Edition

 My imagination can get away from me sometimes and when reality comes around it can suck.

After talking with the current teacher at my new school, I had these grand designs about the job/apartment, etc. It's not his fault, my head just got away from me. 

Visiting the school this week was great. It's really cute and not sterile like my first job. The rooms are all named after planets: Jupiter, Mars, Uranus (haha), etc, there's a library filled with YA novels, I won't begrudge them the Twilight I saw and other education centric work books. The curriculum seems interesting and it'll be fun to teach. 

The kids were cute and were very interested in seeing the new teacher! My co-workers all seemed nice and supposedly super helpful according to the vacating teacher. The director was nice, a little awkward, his English wasn't THE BEST, but we were able to communicate. 

I'm moving up a week early for (paid!) training and living in a hotel for the week, 'cause the teacher's leaving on the 1st. At the motel there was something about having my bags in the room would cost extra, because they have to clean or something. Seems fishy, but it'll get sorted when I move in. 

Now the most important thing: The APARTMENT.

All in all, I really can't complain. I've got a big bed (less than Queen more than a double), a decent sized bathroom, a kitchen with many cabinets, a double sink and usable pots and pans. 

I can still assemble my "dream Korean apartment." A couch will fit nicely, maybe a kitchen island for additional appliances like the toaster oven I'm getting.

Minor complaints (had to make them):  No actual closet, just a hanging rack which counts apparently; a dorm size fridge, no racks/cabinet in the bathroom. It seems I was very spoiled in my tenure on Jeju at Marion House. 

So, I'm still excited for my job. I will choose my battles. As my BFF told me yesterday while getting day drunk because we on vacay (!!) she will slap me if I complain. Especially since at the the end of the day: I'm getting paid more, my job is easy, my apartment is decent and even though I'm on the outskirts of the boonies, my area is central and 2 minutes from the subway/bus into Seoul!!! 

With my imagination now grounded in reality. I'm excited for the new year, meeting new people and continuing on my project: Eggs Benedict Seoul!

-kilmosnaps

Why did this TAKE so long???

I was gonna start one when I first got here and it was gonna awesome. I was going to post pics of my Jeju Island adventures and my friends and family would and could live vicariously through me. It/my life was gonna be awesome! Yeah that didn’t happen.

Instead I got a job that… didn’t PAY! I can deal with no communication, inconsistent scheduling, wrong books, but I needs to get paid. Long story short, inconsistent payment and warnings from half the island about terrible work practices does not make a great time happen. Eeeeeee.

Turns out I’m a worrier. I had braids when I got to the island and braids are supposed to promote hair growth. I was to unbraid them and all I had to do was get to Seoul to work that out. Instead I got stress alopecia!

Alopecia means loss of hair on the head and body (thank you Wikipedia!). Anywhoo, my body decided to do patches. Not the best look. So, in the 3 weeks it took me to detangle my hair with hair product assistance from a friend, it was done. It did not look great, in fact I wore a (cute) hat all the time, I was that girl. BUT it was getting too HOT to keep going, so I shaved my head.

I figured it would be  a bigger existential crisis, ala an ‘America’s Next Top Model’ makeover episode. Not so much, I looked good with a mohawk and I was badass for the volleyball tournament.

Yada yada the job went under and I got screwed out of money. Though, I did get to experience the Jeju Labour Board on multiple occasions. They were actually really good and my old boss got fined and a criminal record!

Upside: I met the best people who ate cheese with me, kept me sane and had crazy amounts of Eggs Benedict at Winnie's Brunch/Pub with.

Anywhoo, so 6 months on Jeju Island, 1 month in Waegwan squatting (lol) at my best friend’s place looking for a job, and 2.5 months in basically Daegu at an English Village that pays on time. BEST JOB EVER! My standards are quite low, lol.

So, let’s see where this thing takes me. I’m getting paid (!), my hair is growing in and “The Vampire Diaries” and “American Horror Story” are back on tv. My life is going awesome, LOL. Actually travelling around the next 2 weekends. Seoul shopping trip next weekend (I have no pants!) then a Seoraksan & Sokcho East Coast Tour. Seoraksan is a national park so tons of pics!

-kilmosnaps