I have been coming back to this site wanting to write something for a few days now, but I find myself with little to write about. For the first time since I finish at SFU I find myself seriously budgeting. This means that I am doing way less, or at least way less worth writing about. But just so people don't think I have died, here's what i have been doing.
May is my favourite month in Korea, and given that this is now confirmed to be my last one, I have been outside enjoying it as much as possible. Temperatures in the mid-high 20s and not a lot of rain means it is a great time to be outside. The trees and flowers are also in full bloom, so with all that green and blue it is hard to stay inside.
However, I have to spend a lot of time inside doing my dissertation. I have around 3500 words down and around 50 sources (though a lot of that comes from two previous papers i have written, so it isn't as impressive at it sounds). I am finding it hard to find much motivation for this final paper, but with less than six months until school is done I am sure I can bang out something that'll pass.
At the end of July I will fly down to Manila with Yen to meet her sister and parents. We were hoping to do a full week vacation but finances just won't allow it. I think we will just go around Luzon a bit and I will head home on Thursday or Friday. After that I am here by myself working on paper until October 24th, when I fly back to Manila and out of Korea for good.
Work is the same as it always is, and while I have nothing but good things to say about Moonkkang, I am very ready to move on.
I managed to watch the Pacquiao/Mayweather fight, and we had a picnic up at lake park last Sunday, so on our budget that is the sort of stuff we are doing. I have been running and lifting regularly, and hiking quite a bit, so am dropping a few kgs. I plan to keep that up through the month and in to June as well.
I read that my friend David is moving with his wife and son from Beijing back to Perth at the end of June. That will bring 11 years of overseas working to an end. I am happy for him, with a wife and kid it makes sense. Well done David.
Otherwise I am just enjoying a warm, sunny May.
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Monday, May 4, 2015
October 23rd
I have been trying to settle when my last day at Moonkkang, and the end of my time as a cram school teacher in Korea, will be.
My contract has me scheduled until October 30th, however, because my visa (good for 13 months) was moved over early to avoid having to get a new criminal record check, transcripts etc my visa expires on Monday, October 26th. Because I have no intention of signing up for another year, I figured it would be easier to just make my last day Friday, October 23rd. Then I can have the Saturday to clean up and do last minute chores, then fly out on Sunday for Manila.
My outgoing boss Chris agreed with my line of reasoning, and in general is just a nice guy who was happy to help me out, agreed to let me out a week early with severance and airfare still guaranteed. All I will lose is that last week of pay, but I am okay with that.
It is great to know when my last day is, and know that it is less than six months away.
My plan is to head to the Philippines, then go to Vietnam for my CELTA, then home to Vancouver for a bit. Then wherever the next port of call is, probably in Southeast Asia (It makes sense in terms of visas and it is somewhere I would love to be for a couple of years before I return to Canada for good). Before that though, I need to finish my dissertation and do anything in Korea that I have not done before, as who knows when or if I will ever be back.
My contract has me scheduled until October 30th, however, because my visa (good for 13 months) was moved over early to avoid having to get a new criminal record check, transcripts etc my visa expires on Monday, October 26th. Because I have no intention of signing up for another year, I figured it would be easier to just make my last day Friday, October 23rd. Then I can have the Saturday to clean up and do last minute chores, then fly out on Sunday for Manila.
My outgoing boss Chris agreed with my line of reasoning, and in general is just a nice guy who was happy to help me out, agreed to let me out a week early with severance and airfare still guaranteed. All I will lose is that last week of pay, but I am okay with that.
It is great to know when my last day is, and know that it is less than six months away.
My plan is to head to the Philippines, then go to Vietnam for my CELTA, then home to Vancouver for a bit. Then wherever the next port of call is, probably in Southeast Asia (It makes sense in terms of visas and it is somewhere I would love to be for a couple of years before I return to Canada for good). Before that though, I need to finish my dissertation and do anything in Korea that I have not done before, as who knows when or if I will ever be back.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)