A year ago today, I left South Korea, my home for over 5 years. Those of you who know me well will be aware of the circumstances under which I left, but some pretty messed up things happened to me that tainted the good memories I had of the country. I was betrayed by the person I loved, trusted, & confided in, & I severed ties with a lot of people who turned their backs on me & showed loyalty to him when I needed their support, even after witnessing up close how much hurt & damage he caused. For these reasons, Im doubtful Ill ever return there as I have very little to go back to. I travelled through South East Asia for 2 months but it didnt feel long enough as I was still coming to terms with everything that happened & wasnt in the right headspace to fully appreciate my surroundings (although I met some of the most incredible people on my journey who Im still in touch with). I returned to the UK last September & attempted to draw on my writing, music, poetry, teaching & voice acting experience to pursue a career as a freelance artist/workshop facilitator, but the scene back home is pretty competitive & I struggled to find work in any field (even as an office temp), plus I was battling with depression & anxiety, largely triggered by all of the transitions Id been going through. Before I completely ran out of money, I made the decision to return to SE Asia & get back into ESL teaching, something Id told myself I would never do. I now have my CELTA certificate & feel more confident about my teaching skills than ever before. I never thought Id be back here a year later, & I certainly never thought Id be looking for teaching work again. My backpacks heavier & my wallets lighter, but I am so happy to be travelling again. I dont want to teach forever, but Im hoping that when I do eventually return to the UK Ill be able to find a part-time job in a college or language centre & continue to freelance until I can afford to do it as my full time career, plus Im going to apply for the Edinburgh Fringe again next year, & Ill have more stories to share. They accepted me once, so hopefully they will again, & if they dont then at least Ill have a finished script to pitch to other festivals & theatres. Sometimes its difficult to see the silver lining when the sky is constantly overcast, but its out there.
Posted on: Mon, 07 Jul 2014 02:52:42 +0000