So, I am currently sitting at the end of a real whirlwind of a 9-months in my life. As of May 22nd 2010, I was a Bethel graduate with my plans set to enter into a 27 month adventure with the Peace Corps somewhere in Sub-Saharan Africa. Well, it didn't quite end up that way. As I sit here February 8th 2011, I am typing in a blog to track my time teaching English in Southern Korea. What a change in plans. You may (or may not; if this is the case sorry for the following long story, but I need to get it down so I don't forget the roller coaster) be wondering how this incredible change of plans came to be... here it is.
Once upon a time in the land of Apple Valley Minnesota, I came to the realization that the abscess at the base of my spine (a.k.a. upper buttcrack) that has come and gone throughout the last 8 years of my life would need to be taken care of, because if found in the preliminary physical in Africa with the Peace Corps, I would be terminated form the program immediately. With further investigation, my pilonidal cystectomy would push back my Peace Corps endeavor 9 months from surgery date. My thoughts: I'd rather not sit around for 9 months. However, I have had the joy of getting to hear about and share the thoughts of a Peace Corps experience with my dear friend Ross (miss you dude).
In my "what do I do now" time span, I was thankfully pointed in the direction of teaching English in South Korea by Matt Runion (thanks Matt) at D-Strucks wedding (thanks for getting married, if you didn't I don't know that I would be going to Korea). However, it was not a simple suggestion and then boom I got the job. From this point to actually getting the job was such an adventure.
To start, I went to the career center at Bethel and got a few leads to start my process of applying to teach in Korea (thank you so much for all your help Miranda). In addition to this, I posted my information on Dave's ESL Cafe. In the next few weeks, I had e-mail after e-mail from different recruiting agencies telling me about all the good jobs that had in store for me; this turned out to be false. I did quite a few interviews and ended up getting a few job offers for schools with teaching hours of 9:30am to 8:20pm 5 days a week... there was no way I was going to sign a year away to that madness. After seeing the same bleak contract time and again, I decided to open up my options and began to look into other possible career and living opportunities.
In many moments, this whole transition seemed so frustrating and straight up depressing however, as I look back there are so many times that I am profoundly grateful for. One of these times that I have to mention is the Superior Hiking Trail turned Montana fishing trip. Nate, I can't thank you enough for all the amazing times we had on trail and in Montana. I would not trade our time of frustration, tears, laughter, and vulnerability for anything. I am going to miss going on adventures with you a lot in the next year.
To explain, a buddy of mine (Nate) who was and is in a similar life transition as me right now, was sharing in my feelings of just utter boredom and uselessness when he decided to plan and proceed to through hike the Superior Hiking Trail (275 miles!). He ended up asking me if I wanted to go and with tremendous pressure from him (wink) I obliged. We got one week and 75 miles in and my feet were utterly destroyed by sub-par hiking boots so we decided to call it quits (Erin, thanks for all your help in getting us home). However, we still had another 2 weeks of camp food and time set aside for this hike so we decided to just pile the stuff in my car and camp and fly fish our way around the good state of Montana; "A River Runs Through It" style. It was one of the most amazing trips I have and expect to ever take in my life.
Onward and upward, after our trip, Nate and I decided that since we both had no idea what we were going to do for jobs or places to live that we would search for jobs in the same area as one another and hopefully find jobs and get an apartment and try to develop community wherever we landed. However, this proved to be far more difficult than expected in a post mortgage collapse economy than expected. In the midst of applying to anywhere and everywhere, I got an e-mail for an interview with Guri SLP: a school in Guri South Korea.
Following the interview, I was offered the job and it seemed infinitely more enticing than prior teaching offers. With a lot of thought, conversations, and prayer, I decided to take the teaching job in Guri. As I sit, I have 11 days till takeoff and I am far from having my life packed up for the new homeland.
P.S. Getting a visa is a huge hassle.
Synopsis by Song: "Hello Hurricane" by Switchfoot
