The next step

I've been looking for a new job for almost 5 weeks now. Turned in about 16 applications, been offered 7 interviews, and have interviewed for 4 positions.

The first interview I destroyed. Not in a good way. I had taught all morning, traveled for almost 2 hours to get there, had to wait for an hour after I got there, and I got nervous. I don't usually get very nervous during interviews but I babbled, forgot was I was talking about, and blanked completely on a question. They asked me how I would write a syllabus for a class on classroom management and I couldn't think of a thing to say. I think I squeaked, 'Discipline?', after a minute of stuttering. I excel at classroom management. I have opinions about classroom management. They actually called my current employer for a reference but emailed last week to let me know they had offered the job to someone else. Not surprised. I would have too.

Of the other 3 interviews, 2 have offered me the position, and the third informed me I am one of the top 2 candidates and they are hoping to hire us both. The latter is my number one candidate. I should hear something by today or early next week. All three are completely acceptable positions. All pay more than I am making now, have at least as much or more vacation, and the hours are the same or less than my current contract.

The positions
#1 top choice- in Cheongju. 1.5 hour south of Seoul. Conversational English instructor. Best pay, lowest hours (12 per week), 4 months vacation. I really enjoyed my interview, the staff were all very friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. They showed me the apartments, which are being renovated, and it's slightly bigger than my current apt but a better space. On the edge of campus foreign teacher building. The program is structured and organized, plus there is overtime available after my first semester.

#2 choice- in Daegu. Conversational English instructor. 3rd best pay of the three, 18 teaching hours, 4 months vacation. People who work at this uni never leave. Apparently the conditions are excellent. But, they offered me the position 3 weeks ago but will not confirm until February 15. They called me on Wednesday to tell me my paperwork is 100% approved and then called me today to ask if I could get a reference letter from a volunteer org from 12 years ago! Ridiculous. And, when they apologized for the system being so convoluted, they added, 'We know- it really doesn't give much time to find an apt!'. The paperwork, that they have already sent me twice, informed me that housing was provided.

 Here's the thing about getting an apt in Korea- either you have a huge deposit, 'key money', or you pretty much pay the rent up front for the entire year. Sometimes both. Luckily, Daegu is much less expensive than Seoul, but we're still talking about an average of $6,000 to move in. And I have to pay a leasing agent to help me find a place. And, since they won't confirm until the 15th, I would have less than 2 weeks to find a place and move.

#3 choice- actually becoming my #2 choice due to absurdity of the current #2 - in Ulsan. 20 minutes to Daegu, 15 minutes to Busan, and 2 hours to Seoul on KTX, the high speed train. English writing instructor. 2nd best pay, hours and vacation apparently have some flexibility but are listed as 18 teaching hours and 6-8 weeks vacation.

This job is interesting. The university is new and the programs are still being developed. My title is 'Non-credit writing instructor' and from what I understand is it's kind of a stand alone position in the department and I would be working directly with only one supervisor. Korean, got his Masters at Madison, loves Ann Arbor. I would probably only be teaching one or two actually classes. The rest of my time would be spent as a writing tutor, proofreading (for faculty and students), and running the dictation program. I don't know what that is but it sounds like something that put all those applied phonetics classes to good use. I haven't seen the apartment but I'm told it's an Offictel about 5 to 10 minutes off campus.

Soooo, we shall see. I really want #1. I also want the decision to be made so that I can finish planning my move and get on an airplane and go sit on a beach somewhere and/or visit an old friend in Hong Kong. Or both. I'm still under contract at my current job until the 28th, so except for having to move, I'm free until the 29th.

Motivation

My apt is a mess, I have various paper work to catch up on, and other sundry 'need to do' items. I'm not doing any of those things. It's 2:30 in the afternoon and I'm listening to Etta James, reminiscing, and looking through old photos. In my pajamas. Contemplating small changes, considering larger changes.


I haven't been super happy the past few months. Not exactly depressed, but cranky, frustrated, and dissatisfied. My work schedule was extreme and I was travelling for derby every weekend. Due mostly to how busy I was, this turned derby into work again- as opposed to social fun and pressure release. Been feeling sort of isolated, partially from living in the sticks, but also because I have a tendency to hole up instead of reaching out when I'm down.


I finished my last class at Andong National University yesterday, although I'm still under contract until February 28. Looking for a new job. I have options open to me. I want to live in a larger community, be more connected, have more opportunities for growth. Or move to a different country. Will a different place make me happier? Or, do I just need to take advantage of the options that are always around me?


I crave change. I fear change. I dig in roots and then want to tear them out.

Try again

I just checked the stats for this blog and found out people are still reading it! Even though I haven't written in months. So- I'm going to try again.

I'm trying to find a new job. I want to work at a university in an urban setting. The city I live in now is the same size as Ann Arbor- but with 0% of the diversity and cosmopolitan flavor. My top choice is Seoul/Daegu. Seoul is the mecca of Korea but the jobs pay the same as they do in the rest of the country and I know I would spend waaaaaay more. Plus, everyone wants to live in Seoul- the competition is way higher.

I like Daegu a lot, it's an actual city, I have lots of friends there, and I know where I to buy cilantro. Plus, the universities I applied to would be the kinds of places that would help me develop as a teacher and be forward moving positions for my career. As opposed to 'just a job'. I had an interview for a Deagu uni on Tuesday, that I thought I bombed (seriously- I opened my mouth and gibberish emerged) but my current boss told me they called him for a reference! Maybe I said something intelligible. And, I have another interview tomorrow with a different uni in Daegu. Both places seem like they would be pretty alright to work for, have places for advancement, and good reputations.

Wish me luck! 

Disease

I try so hard to ignore that I have lupus. But at this moment it's impossible. I want to scream, yell, and cut my feet and hands off at the hands and ankles to stop the swelling, burning, rolling overly sensitive tingling like sensations. Plus- I'm stumbling all over the place and keyboarding like a well trained chimpanzee.

I forgot to bring what ibuprofen I left home from my office, so stupid- these sensations are always worse when I have my period. In the past couple of months I've developed a delightful new symptom of a rash that appears as a light bumpy rash- itchy of course- all over my body.

I went to sleep at 12:30 but woke up at 2am because to the burning tingling in my feet and hands- it's so uncomfortable. Excruciating. This symptom I've actually experienced since I was a kid but it' so much more extreme now. So, now I'm awake, totally exhausted, rubbed campo phenique and hydro-cortisone over all my extremities, and have slammed 3 glasses of wine in 20 minutes. Starting to feel slightly better- I think mostly due to the booze.

Also, I finally, after a year and half, went and talked to doctors here in Korea. Unfortunately, they are in firm agreement with my American doctor that I do, indeed, have lupus. Silver lining- I joined several online support groups and I'm reading about a bunch of people with the exact symptoms I experience. Comforting in a misery loves company kind of way. Plus some good advice on coping. None of which includes the wine I'm slamming, most of which says to take anti inflammatories. Which I left at work. So wine it is. Along with the hope that it starts to let up by tomorrow because there is no way I'm strapping on skates when I'm this stumbly, fumbly.

Oh ye weary freshmen

Completely not going to win the blogger of the year award.

I'm really tired today. Not sure why- I've had plenty of sleep, food, exercise, and whatnot- but I can't stop yawning. Maybe it's the excitement of the cracking, booming thunderstorm that knocked out the power for a few seconds and then turned into monsoon like rainfall earlier today. Maybe it's having to force myself to pay attention during 170 city reports. On countries. Or Manchester United. I'm even yawning through my 'This is worth 10% of your grade, I am not happy so many of you did not complete it' lecture.

The kids are just worn out. Spring semester, March 1- June 15, is the first semester of the school year as opposed to fall semester. This the first time most of them have had to be on their own and definitely the first time they have been away from the watchful eyes of their parents. The university has a ton of events, all of which involve heavy drinking, to welcome them to campus life, each freshman has a senior- who also encourages heavy drinking, and their new friends- who also want to drink. Unfortunately for them- they also have a full load of college classes and I think the hammer has come down on most of them. Even through my yawns I think I managed to convey how much they were risking from slacking off and started to look nervous.

Gone are the bright eyed, sparkly, excited faces from 3 months ago. They been replaced by dazed zombies. 'What's wrong with you?', I asked a class who responded to 'How are you?' with 'Very very bad'. A moment of silence and then a girl responded with a quiet wail- 'College is HARD'. Yep. Welcome to the almost real world kids. Just wait until finals next week.

What did I do this last week? Hmmm.
Prepared the finals and studied for them with all 7 sections of conversational English, reviewed what they needed to do for their homework presentation (college is hard). Had ladies night with pina coladas, wine, and some of my neighbor ladies and then went to a bar called Kaokao in Okdong, which I keep wanting to call Kakao like the free text app everyone uses here, and got just drunk enough to be hungover for the 10:30am elementary, middle school physical education class we are now taking turns doing on Saturdays. It was fine- lessons plans got tossed and we sang the Hokey Pokey and played Duck Duck Goose and got yelled at by the people running the huge ceremony for, something, in the next room (who's bright idea was it to put 30 9 yr kids next to a ceremony? I do not know). Saturday I stayed home, cooked, organized derby stuff. Sunday I went to derby practice in Daegu and came home and got a couch from my friend Ian, who got it from our friend Scott (expat community of rotating possessions). Monday night I rearranged my apt so the coach would fit and last night I went out for Chinese with my Korean dr and pharmaceutical rep friends . Delicious! Wish I had taken pictures- first really good Chinese I've had in Korea. 'Set' meal with about 10 courses and we drank Chinese whiskey, Baijiu, not for the timid. Really good time. Tonight I need to call derby girls but I'm le tired and might just watch le tv and do le laundry and put the l'art back up on my walls from the le furniture rearrangement.