People ask, "How did you come about this idea?" Check out these websites: gone2korea.com eslcafe.com
I signed up through this website: http://www.epik.go.kr/
I am working for the Korean Government for their Department of Education through the English Program in Korea.
My place of residence is Busan (Pusan.) It's on the southeast corner of South Korea. It is like San Francisco in the fact that it has tons of fishing. I'll be minutes away from great skiing, mountain biking, scuba diving, hiking, etc. 5 weeks paid vacation should give me some time to explore. I'll be teaching English to elementary school kids. I don't know one word of Korean yet. I will have an assistant that will act as a translator for me. My job is to help create a lesson plan and to talk. I've been told it is very easy.
South Korea is modern. There are more people per capita on the internet there than any where else in the world. 15th largest economy on a peninsula the size of Indiana!
The Plan:
August 9th 12:15 p.m. - Leave Denver
August 10th 10:10 p.m.- Arrive in Taipei
August 11th - Check out Tower 101, the tallest building in the world in Taipei
August 14th- Take a boat to Green Island off the coast of Taiwan
http://www.greenislandadventures.com/
Go scuba diving for the first time in my life. Cruise a scooter around, sit in a hot spring, go hiking.
August 19th- Fly to Seoul South Korea
Start the 10 day orientation.
August 29th- Check out my new apartment that will be assigned to me in Busan.
Eventually: Hit up Japan, Philippines, Thailand, and who knows where else. I've always wanted to go to Russia...
There are stories out their of employers defaulting on paying their employees. The employees find themselves w/out a source of income. This is why I decided to go with an actual governmental organization. For the finance dorks, I picked a job that has the risk of a treasury bond with a return of a corporate! There are a lot of great programs out there though.
Volunteer positions take money. With student loans and credit card debt, I need some sort of income at all times. Have to pay those minimum payments! It's crazy how banks can tie one down. There are ways out. Drive an 84' Grand Marquis, don't buy the Audi. Live w/ Mom and Dad for a while. Free meals!
I recently went to Vegas. There was a huge tour group with people from Taiwan, China, South Korea, etc. They told me I will have a great time. Can't wait!
I will be posting pictures here and on Facebook through out the whole adventure. Thanks for reading!
This guy has the craziest travel blog, it's better than a book:
Check it out. He gave me some motivation to go for it. He trades a soldier in Tajikistan a ride on his bike for a chance to shoot his machine gun on this page: http://www3.utsidan.se/corax-e/travels/log4.htm
Crazy...
