The to-do list

Over the past year I've really slowed down on my blogging. I can't point to one specific thing as to why. I am in school, which does tend to take up a bit of my time but I wouldn't say that that is why. It seems to be a collection of things one of which is my inherent laziness about such things. Oh well, hopefully that will change as I have enjoyed blogging over these past few years. I understand that the number of people who actually read these words approaches zero quite consistently but I find that it helps me to work through some things, and it also provides me with an opportunity to express myself without unleashing it all on one person.

Recently I've been investigating the possibility of going over to Korea for a year or two after I graduate. I've been in my job for too long now. I find it very depressing and it just constantly wears on me. Not so much the work but the atmosphere. It's very negative, very corosive. Once it happens I'll be so happy to be out of here.

I had been trying to work out whether or not I should worry about trying to figure out a way to go on to the supply list in May once I've completed all of my placements and class work. In some ways it seemed a very daunting thing. Supply work would pay me more than what I currently make, but its not like I could afford to quit my job in May and bank on supply work to get me through. Besides, what would I do during the summer if I were to quit? So I figured that worrying about the supply list this spring wouldn't be worth the headaches and the hassle of it all. But what about the fall? The same problems would still exist.

It could all work out if I were to magically land a full time or even an LTO (long term occasional) position starting in the fall but that would be magical indeed. I figured that if I were to place myself in such a situation I would either have to turn down supply work because I couldn't get out of my current job in time or I would have to call in sick to my current job every time I wanted to take a supply day. Obviously teaching would be my priorty but I would run the risk of simply pissign off my current employer to the point of getting fired. Alternatively I could upset the supply people enough that they only call me as a last resort. The problem is money. I need to pay my bills and as such I can't afford to simply rely on supply work to get me through at this point.

This is partly where Korea comes in. The very practical thing about teaching abroad in Korea is that one has the opportunity to save up a decent amount of money over the course of a year. I have one friend who is currently in Korea and he estimated that he would be able to save twenty thousand plus in his first year there. If I could duplicate this I would be debt free in a year. That is a strong lure to be sure. If I were debt free then the need for a consistent full time job would dramatically decrease and living off of supply work a couple days a week would be a serious possibility.

The other aspect about going to Korea is the opportunity to travel. Travelling is something that has been a growing desire of mine for the past several years. I've gone on vacations a few times in my life. I've been to Florida twice, Chicago, Las Vegas and Jamaica. I'm not complaining but none of those really provided me with any insight into life or a different perspective on life. Well, Jamaica did for a moment. The one time we ventured out of the resort I was admittedly taken aback by the level of poverty, but this was brief and fleeting once I was back in the safe and cozy confines of the all-inclusive resort. I know that there are different perspectives on life and its challenges. I know that there are different ways of doing things and tackling life, but neither where I live or my limited travelling experiences have provided me with much in that regard. I want to get out and see the world, and to see how other people live. I know how Canadian's live, I want a different perspective, I want a perspective that comes from getting to know another culture and life perspective.

Korea provides me with both things. A vehicle that I can use to save money and get myself out of debt and a way of experiencing the world and life. So to that end I have contacted a couple of recruiters, one of which arranged to have a phone interview with me this past Friday. From my perspective the interview went well, but that doesn't mean anything. I now have to wait for a couple of weeks to find out if I passed or some such thing. I hope that things go forward from here as the job and their part in it sounded appealing. So hopefully by the end of the summer I'll be jetting off to Korea to finally start an adventure.

So this brings me to the to-do list. I was thinking the other day about things that I'd like to do before I leave. So I thought that I'd create a list of things and see how far I get.

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THE LIST

1. go camping - I haven't been camping in years, since I was a kid in fact, and I'd like to spend a few days out in the wilderness.

more to come ...