I’ve not only been thinking about my current situation in life a lot lately, but also about the last few years and the things I have predicted or planned for myself. I spent the summer before I left for Austria in Minneapolis, and moved in with my dad for a short period after my lease ended and before I left for Austria. It wasn’t very long. They drove me back up to Minneapolis that morning for the airport, where I was flying out of, and in the car we had a long conversation about what exactly I would do after college. At that point I hadn’t really thought about too many options. The previous girlfriend and I had talked a lot about going to Japan, and the JET program, and what we would do after college. It was the only thing I had thought of at that point, so I replied that I would probably go teach English in Japan.
Now I’m teaching English in Korea, which is not Japan but IS part of Asia. Not exactly what I had planned, but close enough for me. I just often surprise myself when I look at all the things I’ve predicted or half-planned etc and to see that these things have actually come to fruition. A friend of mine in Minneapolis told me that he was surprised that I applied for the program in Korea after the discussions we had had about it. When I asked him why he explained that he often talks about things but then never does anything more. Basically, he was surprised that I follow through and do the things I talk about doing. To me, it’s just security and good sense to know that I have things planned for myself after other things.
Now I’m at the point where I have 3 possibilities in my mind after I return home from South Korea.
I’ve decided I have to go live in Vienna, or at least Austria, for a while. I miss the hell out of Austria and I never realized how big a part of me German had become until I left Minnesota, all my German-speaking friends, the German immersion camp weekends, and, finally Austria. Austria comes last because when I left it I just wanted to get the hell out of college and on with my life, but I couldn’t do that until I returned home and finished up my last year at the U of MN. So, these 3 things are the fulbright program, teaching English to older students at a private business (Berlitz, for example) and finally the global studies masters program at the University of Vienna. If the Fulbright doesn’t work out I will be taking a mini-vacation of about 3 weeks or so to Europe and seeing some friends while I look around some local schools, Berlitz and a number of public schools, and see if they would be in need of a native speaker. I just learned about the global studies masters program at the University of Vienna today, and I’m not even sure at this point if I want a MA. At this point that is 3rd on my list of reasons to go back to Austria but I will give it some time and put in some more research. There’s an informational PDF but its 26 pages and all in German so I’m going to need some time to get through it all.
I had a a conversation with my head teacher about my performance so far, and she thinks that I would do much better with older students (high school and above) and indeed that is really where my experience lies, so I am hopeful to improve my skills with younger kids as well as finding a job with older students later on down the road.
In any case, I’m sure that whatever happens will be interesting and fun, and I look forward to looking back on these times and saying “Hah, I knew it!”
I think its cool. Its an experience to do something totally out of your depth and experience a culture so deeply missunderstood.
You have got good ideas to travel and work while your young.
Keep it up.
Pierce
November 23rd, 2009