I was actually approached last week by one of the head teachers at my school and asked if I would like to renew my contract with them for a second year. With the two year plan being the idea all along, of course I said ‘yes!’ A couple of days after this, I was called to a contract renewal interview (completely last minute and out of the blue, may I add!) to find ‘all the important people’ seated around a big table in the Vice-Principal’s office.
Suddenly feeling a little nervous due to the lack of prior warning, I walked in and sat down to find Korea interviews of this nature are conducted a little differently here. Of course they asked me all the usual questions one would have expected, ‘Are you enjoying your time here? What is your favourite thing about working at our school? Is there anything you find difficult about living in Korea?’ Etc, etc. But very shortly after, this turned into each of them telling me how happy they are with me and the job I’ve been doing and how much they want me to stay (not just for the next year but FOREVER!! Haha!) It was wonderful. And very nice to sit and listen to.
So although the last-minute nature of Koreans can be extremely difficult to handle at times, having annoyed me to the max on countless occasions, I was thankful in this instance for the last-minute-ness of the situation. If I had have been warned, I would have spent however long worrying and trying to get prepared for the so-called ‘interview’ not expecting the very informal, laid back chat that it actually turned out to be. So everyone was very happy and it has left me excitedly planning ahead for my second year in Korea.
And as my first year is drawing to its end, I’m noticing more and more how this experience is changing me. For example, I have spent the last few weeks thinking about and planning my summer trip to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand and on Friday I actually booked the flights. Now, the old Chelsea would have managed this yes, a return flight [x] nice hotel [x] but this is a far cry from the new, traveller obsessed me! I have booked my flight to Vietnam and my flight back from Thailand but all the rest of the travelling along with the hostels; I’ll be booking as I go, while I’m there. Now, I can’t say that I’m a completely changed person because you wouldn’t believe how much the idea of this is freaking me out! This is very different for me but I’m doing it! It will be a complete challenge but hopefully extremely rewarding!
What a great way it will be to end my first year of Seoul searching! I can’t wait!
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