Two Dogs and a Cat. Oh, and They Can All Talk

So, I guess we haven't blogged in a while. Nothing really super exciting has happened, so I haven't felt the need to write. Also, I haven't had any great pictures to post. Usually I like to blog when I have a lot of pictures. The pictures help me focus and getting me writing. Well, I don't have any. The only things I have to write about are grumps and complaints. So, if you feel like muddling through that, by all means press on.

I had previously wrote about all the grumbles and gripes in way too intricate of detail. I glossed over points and summarized, but it was still boring to read. Depressing too. I don't like to be a downer or moan on in a 'woe is me' fashion. That's no fun for any of us.

Let me summarize the situation a bit more succinctly. Here in Korea, teachers' contract are typically quite vague. The governing language is Korean and the interpretation of that language is up to the principal. If you have a great and lenient principal school life tends to be pretty good. You concentrate on the students and classes instead of worrying about vacation days and other job interests.

Throughout my contract, I have been under a principal who looks towards his own interests. These interest usually end up being pretty shitty for me. His interpretation of our contract causes a lot more work and headaches than that of my friends and fellow teachers. Things they take for granted (due to having an awesome principal) are just a blissful daydream for me. So, things have been cruddy in a lot of ways that I really don't feel like detailing.

Most of the time, the teaching isn't too bad. I like interacting with students and enjoy seeing them improve at something through my teachings. Regardless of that, I don't wish to stay at my school. This has caused much debate, between Mel and I, on what exactly we should do next.

So, what are we doing.....?

Melissa here; we have decided as of yesterday that we are 99% sure we are coming home when our current contracts are finished. So sometime in the beginning of March, we will be back in the States.

We're not quite sure yet where we'll live, but what we're going to do is this: take the courses necessary to get our teaching certificates, and do our student teaching. Once this is done, we can get real teaching jobs most anywhere in the states (though probably not Michigan, obviously, as that state is stuck in a hand-basket, on the road to hell) or even teach for the military and travel around the world again.

So we're looking at Ohio, or Colorado, for our year of college courses. We'll have to get jobs so in that case, Colorado might be better, but Ohio is much cheaper as far as living expenses go. Though the thought of having to drive 65 on the highway fills me with pain. Then again, so does the thought of moving all our stuff all the way out to Colorado.

Ohio is closer to home. Granted, it's much closer to AARON'S home, but after going without my family for a whole year, I can't really complain about only getting to see them maybe once a month. I mean, I can complain, but I foresee that most of my complaints will have to do with Ohio itself, and not the (slightly inconvenient) distance from my family. On my scale of disdain, Ohio falls somewhere between being at Meijer on a Saturday afternoon in December, and student loans.

We're not even sure what we're going to teach, either. I'm leaning toward science, but if I can I'll get certified in as many subjects as possible. (Considering my degree is in English and my minors were Japanese, Professional Writing, and Political Science, it's better to have many options, I think) I'm not sure what Aaron wants at this point either. (Probably math, I heard there's a big need for math teachers. Oh, and I rock at math).

For the most part, we are simply relieved that we are coming home. Now that we've made up our minds, a huge load of stress has been removed. Of course, now we have all the new stresses of where to live, what jobs to get, buying a new (used) car, moving our stuff, etc. But we'll get through it.

Anyway, so that's the news. Now you know!

And knowing is half the battle! (The other half is red and blue lasers).

We went through a lot of options. We talked about taking different schools and staying in Korea. However, a lot of the problems we have with Korea would still be a factor.

We were thinking about going to Japan to teach. But, it's super expensive to live there and we wouldn't get paid as much. We also wouldn't be able to save as much as a side-effect.

Our other possibility was getting jobs on a military base and working while obtaining our teacher's credentials. This is a good option because the pay is decent and there is actually jobs. At the end of the day though, we can work a job and go to school back in the States. Then we can be near the people we miss the most :D

So yeah, that's the story. Oh! The title, if you didn't get it, I was slyly describing the 1993 movie "Homeward Bound" ;)