Hello good people. Its been such a long time since the last time since I have been able to share with you. A lot has changed for me. The main reason I couldn’t post things wad because...I didn’t have a laptop. Yeah, but after going home for the holiday break, my lovely mother got me one as I was too cheap to by ME for myself.
ANY BIG WAY, I’m still in Korea and I’m still in Daegu. However, the biggest change is that I am no longer with EPIK or the English Program in Korea. As you may or may not know, last year, 2015, the Fall EPIK program was basically fired. YEAH GIRL, FIRED.
It didn’t matter of you came in the Fall of 1999 or 2013, you were cut. It was a huge deal and a lot of teachers, including myself was scrambling for the remaining 20 positions with EPIK in Daegu. A lot turned to Hagwons or private academies, others--very few--got university jobs in other cities, and others decided it was time to pack it up and go home. There was a mass Exodus out of Daegu and it hit the social scene really hard. Well, to be fair, I’m rarely out these days...well cause my group has transitioned out. And downtown eating bad food, drinking, and inhaling cigarette smoke is not my thing. Not hating, just saying.
Anyway, I was not ready to leave Korea and so I was scrambling to find another place to work. If you have been following me, you know how much I loved my school and how great that school is. SO, I was lowkey sad. I say “lowkey” because honestly, I was feeling frustrated with one of the male teachers...and the terrible 8th graders so I think me having to leave was all for the best. The principal and other teachers scrambled to find me another position. They were amazing during this time and were really helpful.
A little info, my school was private--not hagwon--consisting of a kindergarten, Elementary, Middle, and High School. I was at the middle school for two years. The elementary school is the most famous and one of the top three elementary schools in Daegu. They do not even use EPIK to hire teachers as the parents pay for English teachers. So, they have 6 native english teachers. My principal, God bless him, got me a part-time position at the elementary. Although I would take a huge cut in pay, loose my benefits, and have to pay my rent, I accepted the position. Long story short, things were tough for the last six months, but I made it through and right before I was going to throw in the towel I was offered a full-time position with my own classroom at this school. So, I’m no longer a guest English teacher under EPIK, with 35 kids in a class, I’m now an English teacher in Korea, with no more that 14 kids in a class, no co-teacher.
Quick update: Cellphone Guy is done...story for another time. I am dating and I love it. Life is good and I’m ready to start some new adventures. So stay tuned.
kianamaiart
snowghoul
gummygunk
blakekathryn
theartofmadeline
