What I wish somebody told me about teaching in South Korea.

"Soju've been wanting to work and travel 'ay?"

(Sorry I just needed to put a funny pun out there, since this job is NO JOKE.)

I've been living in Seoul for almost 2 weeks now.  The culture is not even comparable to a place like South Africa's.  If I can sum it up in one word it would be: exhausting.  Everything I thought I knew about "not taking life to seriously" and "YOLO" has vanished.  But before you think I'm being the biggest "Negative Nancy" ever, I want to throw you into the deep end and tell you about teaching English to Kindergarten and Elementary kids.

Never in my life have I been this exhausted.  Your hours are from mornings to evenings (09:30 - 19:30).  The language barrier from English to Korean is something I can't even try to explain.  It doesn't help yelling at 6 year old's when they throw pen into another kid's eye, because they don't understand a word you are yelling.

If you're ever considering teaching in the east and you think: "Nah, it's gonna be easy, and I'm gonna party like a first year varsity student who just discovered alcohol"  or "I've always wanted to see the world, this is a dream come true!" think again.  Yes, you will see another part of the world (or just the inside of a pub on weekends, because you're just too tired to go anywhere).

When I started teaching here I also thought that everything will be explained, and I'll know exactly in about 2 weeks time what to do when and where... oh hell no.  Our Korean staff members basically gave us our textbooks, roster and said:  "There you go, goodluck".  You are extremely lucky if the previous foreign teachers are at the school that day to go through everything with you.

I'm not regretting my decision for one second coming here, but I am reconsidering this career. This is really no joke, and if you don' like kids and only want to do this for the money, you're going to go home during the first week. One positive thing is I can swear at all these spoiled brats in Afrikaans (or even in english), and  they won't understand a single word.  At this stage I just feel like passing out on my bed and watching Keeping up with the Kardashians.  If you're planning to teach English abroad in the near future, I truly recommend you talk to people who've been to the same school you are planning on going to.

Maybe by next week something amazing might happen and I will love every minute of 09:30-19:30, but for now I'm hating every second and loving the thought of Friday evening.

Hoekom dit die beste besluit was om Stellenbosch te verlaat.

Presies een week terug het ek in my bed gelê en die ure om gewens om net met 'n nuwe hoofstuk te begin. Ek was (en is nogsteeds) bang, opgewonde, "verlig", en angsbevange om uit Suid Afrika te gaan.  Met my aankoms in Suid Korea het ek onmiddelik besef hoe klein my wêreld is.  Ek het gedink die lewe kan nie beter raak as jy 'n student op Stellenbosch is nie.  Ek meen, dis 'n absolute utopia, al my vriende is daar.  Ek het al probeer om myself op te bou deur by elke liewe organisasie te werk en aan te sluit.   Ek het gedink om deel te wees van 'n groep soos Afriforum sal my laat "deel" voel van iets, en my "ryker" as mens maak. Nu'bar raak nooit oud nie, Bohemia se boks wyn op die stoep laat jou vir 'n oomblik vergeet van jou dosent, (of manager by Big Easy) terwyl jy die hipster oorkant die pad aangluur wat by Foodlovers se deur uitloop.

Jy gaan op facebook, Stellies Rage het jou koerant geword.  Opinies word rondgegooi, en elke tweede student dink om te "comment" gaan hul trots en beter oor hulself laat voel.

Ek wil jou vandag iets belowe liefste Matie (of enige ander stundent), as jy dink jou lewe gaan stilstaan, en terselfde tyd deurmekaar raak as jy by dieselfde plek bly, is jy 100% reg.  Op die oomblik sit ek in 'n piepklein woonstel in Seoul, met 'n industriële gebied rondom my, en gee klas vir kinders, waarvan party nie eers "Hello" verstaan nie.  Dit klink dalk na die grootste nagmerrie, maar hoor my lied:  Daar is geen ander plek in die wêreld waar ek op hierdie stadium anders sou wou wees nie.

Ek wens jy kon sien hoe DOM lyk Suid Afrika op Sosiale Media sodra jy in hierdie massiewe plek is.  Ek wens jy kon sien watse druppel jy (en jou vyande) in die emmer is.  Ek wens jy kon ook hierdie mense se kos proe, en die geleentheid aangryp as dit iewers op jou pad kom.   Die belangrikste van alles wat ek egter nou besef:  Ek wens jy kan besef hoeveel jy werd is.  Jy verdien om die wêreld te sien en vir jouself te sê dat jy elke sekonde ge "own" het.

Protesteer vir nou (as jy regtig wil), of staan hard op daarvoor, maar ek belowe jou... as jy beheer gaan neem oor jou lewe, en besluit daar moet iets groter daar buite wees, gaan jy uiteindelik sien dat daar nie kans is om nog tyd te mors op onbenullighede, skinderstories, dronk studente en belaglike debatte nie.  Ek wil nie klink soos 'n tweede Nianelle wie se "blogpost" lyk soos iets wat eintlik in die Finesse tydskrif hoort nie, ek wil net met jou praat soos iemand wat tuna uit 'n blik uit eet met die uitsig van Seoul se liggies voor my.

Go get 'em.