Getting Here - Part 1 of 3

So eventually I knew I would have to cover the reasons why I came to South Korea. Well, after a long day and no other writing backlogged, now is the time. Three parts because I'm lazy and need time to write down on paper the events of the past little while.

South Korea initially came about from me being friendly at a job fair. A recruiter was sitting idle at her booth and I had found very few pertinent jobs at the fair. A little bored and disheartened, I figured I would approach her and find out exactly what company she was representing. It turned out that she was recruiting for an English Language School in South Korea. The conversation started out with me being mildly curious and ended with me really warming to the idea of teaching English in a foreign country. With her being a personable recruiter and the pay/perks being attractive bonuses, I decided to take up the job as a contingency. Should I fail to find any other work after I graduated, I could always teach English in Korea! Frivolous, no?

As it turned out, two of my friends from University took potential positions from this school. However, after going through the interview process, the abandoned the school last minute, leaving me to hold a job with this company all by my lonesome. I was eventually offered a position in an indefinite South Korean location. Despite the work offer I still kept it as a contingency. Really, even though the offer was right there, South Korea was very far from home. I'd have to leave a lot behind to go there, especially for a year. For me, a year is an incredibly long time. It takes a long time for me to live out. My university career seemed to last a decade or more whereas some of my colleagues felt like it was just a flash in the pan. So, a year away from family and friends, permanently away, was a pretty jarring concept.

Exiting my final exams in April, I began my search for a "Real Job" with little stress on my mind. Again, if I couldn't find work, a place would be waiting for me here! Over the next month and a half, I was only able to score a few meaningful interviews. Some offers came from sketchy companies and a lot of resumes and cover letters simply went unanswered. The job search began to really get to me.

By June, I was getting quite depressed. Nobody seemed to want me. Although the job market was indeed dry, I felt that I possessed a number of marketable job skills. Sadly, with little related work experience for many jobs, recruiters and hiring staff simply ignored me. So then I had to make a decision. A few days before my convocation I received an e-mail. You have an offer for a job in Ansan. Interesting...the job has a location now. I did some cursory research and discovered that the city seemed like a really beautiful place. With time winding down on the summer and the summation of me undergraduate career approaching, I took the best option available to me, South Korea.

So with just this as my story, my being here seems a bit frivolous. Well, I was certain that my arrival would shed new insights into why I came and it definitely did.