another work related post (but with some good stuff at the end)

well I'm in to my last 3 days at SEI, but there's no classes for me. This means that I will spend the next 3 days reading, playing Travian, studying Korean and organizing for my new job..... sweet. However, with so much to do over the next two days I kinda wish that they'd just let me go to get it all done. Being here is actually very surreal. With the Daegok branch closed their director has been demoted to head teacher here. Our head teacher has been promoted to director and our current director is off to Siji branch to be their director (no idea what happened to their director). All this means that I now have a new boss, there's a new system going in to place and I am not affect one bit by any of it. It's strange but also kind of fun to see a hagwon from this perspective. Anyway, that aside there's a lot going on, so here's the news:

I've been offered a contract with a Canadian school (yes, I'll be working for Canadians again!). It officially starts August 1st but they want me to work from May 11th-July 31st as well, because one of the two teachers has to return home (no runner, I talked to the guy and it's a personal issue). I told them that not going home was out of the question so they threw me a counter offer. Work May, June and July and have August and half of September at home. Well that is close to my original plan anyway and they would count my first 10 weeks as time worked, meaning that my contract would end June 30th 2012, right in time to hit Indonesia and get in to full time school (or something like that). It puts a lot of stress on me over the next three days, but once it's done I should be set. I've also had an offer from a school in Seongseo. That would have me keeping my original May 17th departure date and coming back July 1st. Ahhhh the stresses of bureauocracy.

One nice note is that I no longer need a re-entry permit for my visa. After going to immigration and waiting 30 minutes I found out that I don't need to pay the 50000 won ($45) fee. While my Monday morning trek across town was pointless I was happy to hear that the Korean government has actually streamlined the process for travelling and working on Korea. I was also happy to save the money. I then went to DongDaegu station to get my bus ticket for Incheon airport for Wednesday (read below) and then I was off to the phone shop and I am now expecting delivery of a new phone. My new, high-tech cell phone with a 21st century touch screen doesn't work, so SK Telecom has agreed to swap it for a new one. I'll have a phone again :P

Finally, On Wednesday night I grab the overnight bus to Incheon to get a 9am flight to Taipei for a six day break. If I had know what work sh*t was going to hit me I probably would not have booked it, as it puts a lot of pressure on me for the next three days. However, it is a MUCH needed holiday and I feel that I'll enjoy it all the more for having had so much stress on my shoulders the last three weeks. Hiking in Taroko Gorge is exactly what I need right now. It will also give me fun and interesting things to blog about, rather than the collapse of a Korean academy chain.

Anyway, I hope others are having a more restful week.