This was exclaimed over raw tuna and soju the other night.
My good friend Stephen is treating me to raw tuna, soju and beer partly because I helped him finish a monster of an editing project, partly because he needs an excuse to go back somewhere he hasn't been in nearly a year. He's a three year vet of Gumi, who's probably a lifer. The conversation has turned to contracts and good people, resulting in the exclamation above.
I don't know if I'm leaving, but I don't think I'm staying.
At least not in Gumi.
As of yet, I know I want another year in Korea, the how is the tricky part. I want to go EPiK because they give you a whole month of vacation instead of the pittance eight days we get in Hakgwon. I'm here to travel, provide an extracultural experience for Korean children, and maybe teach a handful enough English to get around (trust me, I wish it were waaay more optimistic, but the Korean system is FUBAR). The problem is my contract ends in March, but the EPiK intake is in Feb, which causes complications. Furthermore, I don't get to choose which city I work in when I join EPiK. That's part of the adventure, but it sometimes causes good friends to cry out during meals.
I feel for the guy too. I don't really want to go. Its nice and comfy here in my little one room, with my little desk and my little secondhand Norebang couch (which thankfully, has yet to give me aids or produce the remains of a dead hooker). My little job is often praised with one of Jimmy's favorite quotes, "It's the devil you know versus the devil you don't." In a way its true. Aside from suspicion that I'm gonna get canned early, its not a bad job. I hope my director gets off my ass about things, but aside from that its good. I lead a charmed life, and my few gripes tend to be when I'm nudged/prodded/rubbed) the wrong way by my director, which isn't often (although alarmingly more common).
But at the same time, Gumi is small, and Gumi is comfy, and I'm not here to settle down. Adventure requires change. I need to leave eventually, and that probably means sooner rather than later. Such is the life of a teacher, and only a rare breed (usually a rather strange, messed up one at that) stays for more than three years. Not sure why, but this isn't something for the normal, average person to do forever. I have to move on eventually, which means leaving all this behind.
Damnit!! Why do I have to leave!!?
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