Korea - 2002-2007 and beyond?

September 2005 - News Seoul section added!

I arrived in Korea at the end of November 2002 to teach English and am contracted to stay until at least February 2007.

Since March 2005, I have been teaching English at Sungshin Women's University in Seoul, having spent over two years in the city of Changwon, in a southern province.

My first twelve months in the southern city of Changwon were spent working at a private institute (hagwon).

On completion of that contract I took time off, visiting Thailand, Taiwan and Japan, before getting back to work at my new job at Changwon College.

My first few months in the country were very difficult and my job frustratingly not at all what I had expected.

The summer opening of O'Briens, an Irish-run bar that became very popular among the city's many ex-pats, and me dating HJ contributed greatly to making life here a lot more enjoyable.

Having already bought my Portugal tickets, it was Wales' close and late failure to qualify for the Euro2004 that allowed me to stay and sign another contract.

As I neared the end of my one-year contract at Changwon College, HJ and I decided to move to Seoul and I was fortunate enough to get a position at Sungshin Women's University.

HJ and I had our difference of opinions and after many break-ups and reconciliations the relationship ended for the last time after over 20 months together.

Whether I'll stay a few more years, as I intended, or leave as soon as I can, I really don't know.