Farewell Korea

I've just arrived back in the UK and am pretty groggy and jet lagged, so hope this makes sense! It seems strange to have left the place that has been home for the past year. Will I ever go back? Never say never.... for now, its onto pastures new. Next week, I am going on a week's holiday to Gran Canaria and after that it's onto Budapest to do a CELTA course which will allow me to teach in Europe and improve my teaching.

I had a great final weekend in Korea. On Saturday, Robyn, Claire, Abby and I headed over to Nathalie's apartment in Gwanghamun for some German food (courtesy of Nat) and margeritas to get the party started. After polishing off the bottle of tequila, we headed down to Hongdae and found a noraebang where we screeched out some tunes for an hour. We then went to a Ho Bar (there are about 10 of them now) where we decided to have some tequila slammers as we were all a little too sober. As we gagged on the tequila, we realised for sure that our bottle of tequila had not been the real thing as it was nowhere near as strong as the ones which we'd just knocked back! And where did we buy the knock off bottle from? Bloody Homeplus! After a couple of drinks, we went to Jane's Groove for one last boogie. I think I danced until 4am! Finally got back to Bucheon at about 7am and spent the day in bed!

I have mixed feelings about leaving Korea. I've made some good friends and hopefully will stay in touch with them. I've gotten used to feeling like I stand out wherever I go, getting stared at on the subway and having kids run up to me, saying "hi!" then running off giggling! I've found out that I'm a pretty good teacher and its something I want to continue with, at least for a few years anyway. I don't know if I will ever come back here again. I could see myself coming back to do another year, although at a public school rather than a hogwan. I would only want to work somewhere with less teaching hours (30 hours a week, especially when it is mostly preschoolers, is too much) and more annual leave (10 days a year is nowhere near enough time to recharge batteries, I don't know how the Korean teachers do it year after year. They say they are just used to it. I regret not having enough opportunity to visit the rest of Asia - I still want to go to Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and the Phillipines. So, you never know, I may be back...

Things I will miss about Korea

• food - samgyepsal, galbi, jjimdak, rice cake, bibimbap, dak galbi. The list goes on and on.
• friends - I'll miss the friends I've made here.
• travel - I still feel there's plenty of Korea that I haven't seen yet, let alone the rest of Asia.
• lifestyle - living in another country kind of divorces you from all the stuff that usually stresses you out. In the UK, I was always stressed about work, paying bills and 1001 other things. Here, I always make it to the end of the month with money left in the bank (a first for me!) and while work is hard, I teach and that's it. No more dealing with 5 different managers, endless phone calls and the many other demands on my time and coping ability.
• the low cost of living - free rent and cheap utilities = higher disposable income.

Things I won't miss

• food - no more turnip kimchi. That stuff will give you the most toxic farts known to man. Think brussel sprouts and multiply by 10.
• being stared at. A lot.
• The air quality. I'm craving some fresh Welsh mountain air!
• Korean management style. Rearrange the following words: pissup in a brewery organise can't.

I flew out of Incheon early on Sunday morning and organised for an English speaking taxi driver to pick me up from Bucheon. He was such a sweet man, he was originally from North Korea, had defected in the 1960s, but still had family in NK who he hadn't heard from since he left.

I flew back with Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong. Must say that the food was the best I've ever had on a plane and they have these shell seats, so that if the person in front of you reclines their seat, it doesn't cut off your legroom. Great idea!