Nemesis watch: Final word

One of my best mates here and a co-worker, Mark, left this morning - the office will be very different over the coming months. Everyone at work wishes him the best for his future and he certainly has an exciting one lined up. Whilst departures like this are an unfortunate consequence of my job, some exits are welcomed more easily. A couple of weeks ago my nemesis left. Well not really my nemesis but a co-worker who was 'different' from other teachers.

A co-worker who spoke to the English teachers at work a handful of times over the course of two years. Indeed she only seemed to speak to her partner teachers when they spoke to her in Korean. Maybe if I was Korean then the working relationship would have been better. A favourite with our manager, at her leaving party everyone was requested to say some words on her leaving. This was bizarre and uncomfortable for me. How can you talk about someone who simply does not talk to you and is on the surface, a cold person. I managed to say something but was my insincerity noticed?

It always felt strange to me that someone who seemed to dislike interaction in English would actually choose to be an English teacher. And then go to Australia, where she would have to speak English. Some Korean teachers grasp the opportunity to get to know co-workers, learn about other cultures and improve their English but not her. Perhaps she is destined to join the ranks of Koreans tourists who venture abroad on vacation only to hang around fellow Korean travellers and eat only ramien and ignore the whole point of travelling.

Her replacement has spoken more English in the staff room in two weeks than she did in two years.

ESL teacher life. Constant vs variable

On Friday the assistant manager at work said her goodbyes. She's received a promotion to be the manager at another branch in Daegu. She has been one of the friendliest, kindest and most helpful co-workers (Korean or Western) that I've had the pleasure of working with.

After some four years of working as an ESL teacher here in Korea I've seen many people come and go. From teachers to managers, receptionists and of course students. These days there is little or no affect on me. This time it was perhaps slightly different.

Now, at my academy, everyone I work with joined after I started. In effect, I am the senior teacher (by the way that means NOTHING, other than the fact that the longer you work the more pay rises you get). Right now I have some nine, ten or eleven months left on my contract, depending on a few things, before I hit the road for pastures new. I know that in that time maybe half of my co-workers could also have moved on.

I remain a constant rather than a variable. Have I wasted my time here? Should I go now or should I have even left earlier? Am I making a mistake by being 'stuck' in this job? The answer to all of those is no. Though I still feel I need to ask myself those questions. Emphatically, being where I am now is the right place to be and the right thing to be doing. No matter how I feel at the inevitable low points this is the best option.

My days as a constant end this calender year (I hope!). I look ahead, passively at times, yet in anticipation of the unpredictable variables that lie in store. The safety net has to come down eventually.

New faces

Only two days into the New Year and already major changes at work. Three co-workers have left, two of whom have departed for adventures in Asia before returning to Canada whilst another has left for a different branch. A couple has already started work and someone else joins on Monday. Another departure was our Manager. Some excuse was given for her departure, but that's what it felt like. I guess I'll never find out the truth nor ever need to.


The new manager has been in this week and will my fourth one at my academy in the past thirteen months. I don't know how things will work out but am hoping for the best. I can't say I have really enjoyed working with any of my managers at this academy because I hardly see them and have very little interaction with them either which I am sure will continue come Monday. Personally I just hope my schedule doesn't change too much as I like the levels I teach right now. The atmosphere has changed radically as we all get to slowly know the new teachers. Before it was certainly livelier but maybe changes are for the best. I have seen so many people come and go since I first came here that I've lost count but it's always nice hear from new faces with different perspectives on life. One of the hazards/benefits of the job is that you meet a lot of people but also say goodbye many times too.