Friday, November 11, 2011

Bubble Tea!

I really enjoy bubble tea, but it isn't available in my small town.  Last time I was in a major city, I picked up a couple of bags of tapioca pearls, so that I could make bubble tea at home.  The package didn't come with any cooking instructions, and information online is limited.  But after some trial and error, I think I've got the process figured out.

Friday, August 12, 2011

I miss Korea.

... there, I said it.  All I thought about while I was in Korea was getting back home, but now that I'm here, I realize how much I took for granted in Busan.  There was no need to own a car, because there was a great subway system, not to mention buses and taxis everywhere.  The beach was a short subway ride away, and mountains were everywhere you looked.  Downtown was bustling with coffee shops, boutiques, noraebongs (karaoke rooms), great restaurants, pubs and bars, and an endless supply of things to do.  The food in Korea is amazing and healthy, and it's CHEAP.  Teaching Korean students was both interesting and fulfilling, as Korean students are much more well behaved than American students.  The pay was great.  There was a whole new culture to learn about, and a close-knit foreigner culture to belong to.

Yes, living abroad is challenging, especially in a country where you really look like an outsider.  There are stares, a language barrier, people who are always going to treat you like a second class citizen (because, well, you aren't a citizen).  The apartments are small, but in my opinion that's also a plus because there's less to clean.  The same could be said for not having a yard.  There is smog.  It's crowded.  Teaching children means you'll get sick often, at least for the first few years.  It's definitely different in the extreme from a suburban life in Texas.

But it's also definitely not humdrum.  There's a lot to be said for a job and lifestyle that is both fulfilling and financially rewarding.  To anyone considering teaching English in South Korea, I'd say go for it.  But be ready to roll with the punches, and be ready to be homesick and okay with it.