It’s Gone, It’s Done: Two Years in Korea & Why I’m Leaving Early

Well, folks, after two years and two jobs, I’m finally leaving Korea. I made the decision to quit my job teaching high school in Asan and am heading home on the anniversary of my second year. I’m hammering this entry out quickly in a coffee shop, so it’s pretty brief. I get emails from people every day asking about Korea and for tips- you guys can keep them coming! Even though I won’t be here, my experience is vast, from how to live through a crime and court case to how to transfer a title of a car in Korea. I’ll always return your emails.

Why I’m Heading Out

I came to Korea in 2013, a recent college grad who majored in English who was bright eyed and naive. Through a recuiter I found online, I got a job at Avalon English Academy in Jinju. It was terrible. I worked there for 4 months before I couldn’t stand it anymore. (To read that post on how they cheated all the teachers, stole our money, and how everyone quit by searching Avalon in the search bar).

After that, I emailed 4 recruiters to find an immediate opening for any school. I wanted to stay in Korea, I just needed a new job. I was lucky enough to get an interview at a brand new high school in Asan. I passed the interview (teaching a demo class in front of the principal and English dept. staff) and was hired. I rented my own apartment close by and had a amazing and tough year.

I was renewed the next year for 2015. I agreed to stay. However, the schedule became tougher as 2/5 foreign teachers at the school were fired and we had to keep going with 3 native teachers covering 5 people’s classes. I was pulling 12 hour shifts and was incredibly stressed. Office politics abounded. My health declined severely and I was never allowed a sick day because there was no one to sub my classes. I spent 3 months with bronchitis. The kids were just plain rude. The proximity of our ages didn’t help. Due to these-and many more personal reasons-I gave up. I quit. I chose to take care of my health, and I put in my notice.

It’s been a crazy two years, not including the work. I was the victim of a brutal sexual assault by 5 Korean men, 3 of which are now in prison. That is a blog post I am not ready to write. I soldiered on and kept working, but it did a number on me and is a big reason why I stopped being able to handle the stress that comes with living in a foreign country. I switched jobs. I switched provinces. I bought a car. I bought a dog. I moved to 4 different apartments. I went to 6 foreign countries.  I was robbed of all I had in the Philippines on a misguided vacation. I fell in and out of love. I lost friends. In two years I lived more than I had in my entire life before Korea. I’ve learned so much about who I am here; what I can handle; who I can rely on.

Would I take it back? Some parts, yes.

Would I come here if I had known what I’d go through? I can’t answer that. I still need time.

What I can say, though, is that it’s over. I leave in two days, and I don’t think I will ever return.