Feb. 2015

Ok, it's a year and a half off, but barring something ridiculous like some $70,000 a year job it is when I will leave Korea.

My dissertation starts in February and I want to be able to focus on that. I have a few options when I leave. Go somewhere like Taiwan, the Philippines or Cambodia, work p/t and write/research. Go back to Canada and work and write or a third location like the Middle east to work.

Those options are also the order I am considering them. I can make more than enough to sustain myself in a place like Thailand working 3 days a week. Taiwan offers p/t work but often wants year commitments. I can rent an apartment in Cebu city or Phnom Penh for $200/m and the length of my visa is determined by the size of the bribe I wish to offer (at least in Cambodia).

Canada is an option but I would need to secure work first, plus being that it'll be late Jan/early Feb a choice between SE Asia and Canada seems easy. However Canada is a good long term bet (like a job in Vancouver or Toronto = a career). But for now at least, this living in Asia thing is fun. Not sure I'll be ready to give it up that soon.


My other reason is that I have been here too long. Not because Korea is notorious for 1-2 year expats (cause in Taiwan the average expat is 6 years apparently and Japan is 4) or because the work isn't good, but it is getting played out. It no longer feels like an exotic place. Daegu is just where I live now and if that is the case better to go back to Canada. The long term expats here are either married and working at a university or own their own business (which is great but not what I want to do) or they are washed up. Feb 2015 will have me here a bit over six years, which is long enough.

Anyway, it's in print now.