#expatblogger

[drmicrochp]

[gaysie]

i want to live at Camp Chitaqua.

i will spell literature as hippo porn and use patrol reports as sexting. i would watch Spreadsheets on Laptop all night while drinking an Eldritch Horror with my Cabin. i’ll have Chitaqua Toast every day that’s worth 5 bottles of Joe beer. i would go to Ichabod every night. i am also more likely to meet brownies, hot witches, Roman goddesses, and Women with “A” Names.

i wish i was Chitaquan :’(

[camilleauquebec]

[gracereally]

Settling in

It's hard to believe that it's been over 4 weeks since I boarded a plane to come to Korea. I've only been free for half of that time, but I've already explored and learned so much. So far, things are going well! There are still growing pains, but I've been really enjoying my time here despite the strict covid guidelines that prevent me from being able to travel often or teach the way I would prefer.

It's crazy, but even after only two and a half weeks at work, I already feel myself settling into a routine. Routines have always helped me understand what to expect from the days and weeks ahead. This post is a quick rundown of what a typical day looks like for me in Korea.

9:00a: Wake up! I set my alarm for 9 so that I can still have a productive and full morning. Occasionally, I do wake up earlier than this. Other times, I'm so exhausted I only want to lay in bed. Luckily I have plenty of time before work for either option.

9:00a ~ 12:00p: During my mornings, I like to speak with my family and friends, since it is the evening for them. If I don't speak to anyone, I try to do something fun for myself, like read a book or play a video game. I also make myself breakfast every day. While I get ready for work, I watch TV.

Between 12:00p ~ 12:30p: I prepare to leave for work. All of my co-workers live in the same apartment building, so travel to work together. We can walk or taxi. Typically, we like to walk when it's nice out, but taxis are quick and easy (as well as cheap!) when the weather is bad or it is way too hot.

1:00p: Arrive at school

1:00p ~ 3:50p: This is my prep period. It may not seem like a ton of time, but we have a lot of resources for our lessons, so if we use our time effectively there's plenty of it for lesson planning. So far, we haven't been finding out what classes we teach that day until we get to work, which has been a huge downside. I would much prefer to be able to plan ahead or use any extra time for future lessons. However, I think this will change soon and I will get a regular schedule as I and the other new teachers settle in.

3:50p ~ 6:00p: I teach two classes to younger students, typically between the ages of first to third grade.

6:00p ~ 6:50p: Dinner break! Every day my school provides dinner for us. We order from a different restaurant each day and everyone submits their order before classes. Our order is waiting for us during our dinner break :)

6:50p ~ 9:00p: I teach two more classes, this time to the older students. The students in this block are typically between third and sixth grade.

9:00p ~ 9:30p: my co-workers and I try to finish up some grading and other loose ends before we head out. The work day technically ends at 9:10, but we often stay later to finish a few things. I really don't mind since I hate taking grading home.

I typically get home before 10:00p. We usually take the bus, but we can also walk on a nice night.

For the rest of the night, I have free time! I usually do my chores, like taking out the trash (such a hassle in Korea) or going for groceries. I try not to snack too much, but sometimes the convenience store is too tempting! I like to watch TV or do some online shopping to relax at night before I hit the hay around 1 or 2.

But there's fun stuff too I swear!

On weekends I've been exploring and shopping! Below are some more photos I took last weekend. I met up with a friend in Itaewon for lunch, and we also visited the war memorial museum. On Sunday I went to Lotte Tower, which is a mall here in Seoul that spans five huge floors and an enormous underground complex. There's an aquarium, cinema, tons of restaurants, a big department store, and so much more. I spent way too much money lmao

So that's what I've been up to! My day might not seem exciting but it's been very relaxing for me. I know my schedule might seem very different from the normal 9-5 setup, but it's honestly perfect for me. It's a stark contrast to my old job, in which I was constantly rushing to get to work in the morning and working in a stressful environment that I didn't enjoy very much at all.

So far I love teaching, despite sometimes having mixed feelings about the school itself. But that's a post for another day hahaha

Peace out ✌️

Grace

[sorry-i-was-bored]

Nighttime studying for tomorrow's Norwegian class. My partner in crime already gave up... Thanks, Jackson!

[ex-injuria-jus-non-oritur]

I can't wait to start travelling again ✈️ IG: flatneedledistillery

[kleinereverie]

Tips for maintaining good mental health when moving abroad

I moved to Germany 6 weeks ago and I just want to share some of the tips to look after your mental health when moving abroad. It’s a huge life event and will undoubtedly affect your mental health, especially during the unprecedented times of this pandemic. I hope this can be helpful to someone out there~

1.       Preparation

If you haven’t already moved or you’re just considering it, make sure you thoroughly plan it in advance. This can be from what you will be doing to work (if you are moving to work) or researching extensively your new university if you’re moving to study. If you can visit the city/country beforehand, even better! Make sure you have the move worked out clearly too, e.g. what will you take, how will you take it, do you have a back up if it doesn’t work out. Also, make sure you have a good understanding of the social norms of the place you move to and the practical elements such as how to set up a bank account/do you have enough money saved, what you will do if you get ill and so on. You really can’t over-prepare, and all of this preparation will give you lots of confidence and reassurance that you’re ready to do this. This is particularly helpful if you’re prone to anxiety. Perhaps take the travel bans as a moment to research more if you were due to move but have now been delayed.

2.       Pre-existing mental health conditions

Ig you have any pre-existing mental health conditions, make sure you have enough medication during your stay (if you take medication) and that you can continue your therapy in some way if applicable. This could be online therapy, using apps, skype calls with your existing therapist if they allow for that, finding a new therapist or support groups in your new country etc. Don’t underestimate the importance of continuing these important tasks.

3.       Keep in touch with your current friends and family

You should consider how others may feel in response your move. Most should feel happy for you, but some may feel upset or left behind. You can’t control for these things, but you can continue to maintain good contact with them through calls, skype, social media – technology makes it much easier! If you’re feeling homesick, don’t beat yourself up about it. It’s a normal feeling to have in this situation and it will really help to find a balance between engaging with your new environment and keeping up your connections back at home. Don’t feel guilty for wanting to call home often. If possible, send them small gifts and post cards to show you’re thinking of them too! Takes measures to allay your family’s fears if they are worried about you and best honest in how you feel – for the most part, they just want to see that you’re happy.

4.       Build a new support network

New friends and contacts in your new country will not only make you feel settled in quicker, but it will also help keep you happy and distracted from negative thoughts and feelings. Take time to find people you click with and invest in a healthy manner in building up those relationships.

5.       Build a routine

No matter what you do or where you go in life, it’s always useful to have a routine. Why? Because humans like routine. Routine means familiarity, a sense of predictability and control. It will keep you busy, disciplined and in check so your mind doesn’t wander so often.

6.       Acceptance

Acceptance is a really powerful tool which will serve you well. Accept that it will take time to settle in. Accept that there will be back days. Accept that it may not work out. No one wants to think that something they put so much time, money and energy into may not work out and no one wants to return home unexpectedly and face the social consequences, especially if you received disapproval about the move in the first place. However, a fact of life is that you can’t predict what will happen. If you have a list of nice activities to do when you feel low and a plan B for if things don’t work out, you will feel more confident to deal with setbacks. If you can accept that there will be some difficult times, but this will be followed by better days, you will be a lot more resilient.

7.       Bring reminders of home with you

I brought several sentimental items with me to give me comfort in a new environment – a pillow from my childhood home, a “blessed” jade necklace from my family (Chinese culture), a small painting one of my best friends gave me over a decade ago and an anime figurine because I’m reformed weeb. Bring what matters to you, however small. Not only are they talking points if you have people over, but they are also gentle reminders of familiarity and safety.

8.       Enjoy the process and your new chapter in life

It’s really easy to get caught up in thoughts about if your making enough progress so that you’re seen as successful to others in your move. It’s easy to forget that you’re in a new country when you’re knee deep in assignments or work but take the time to appreciate your new surroundings and make time for new experiences (budget-permitting) e.g. events, concerts, exploring the city, new foods/restaurants, sightseeing etc. Take a few moments every day to enjoy nice views and feelings. This will help you stay grounded and build a sense of gratitude.

Best of luck to those who are getting ready to move or have already moved too!

Bleib gesund! Stay healthy and happy through these difficult times. xx

[mesmemos]

new video on my channel xx