I have been planning on going to teach English in South Korea since April, and finally, I will be leaving in 13 days.  It's been quite a long process, and not the most fun I've ever had! For someone like me who is probably over-attached to her friends and family, it's been very easy to keep putting off.  I finished University over a year ago, hadn't saved up money to go travelling, and haven't got any kind of 15-year career plan.  The obvious answer to that, is Korea. Of course.

People keep asking me "Why Korea?" I try to give them a proper explanation about how it's an amazing country etc, but the real answer is just that my friend (currently working there) linked me to the company he used, and I decided to do it too. Initially, I had my doubts, and thought perhaps I should have looked into some other countries to go and work in, but as I researched more and more about Korea I've discovered what a cultural, modern, ancient, fascinating country it is.

As for the planning, it's felt as if I've had a ton of things to over the last few weeks, but all I seem to be able to do is write lists. A list of things to take, a list of things to buy. Helpful things, those lists.  I've been doing an online TEFL course of which the assignments are a bit trickier then I thought it would be, and I also have to clear out my bedroom as my parents will be doing big house renovations whilst I'm away (exciting and sad all in one.) I bought a Korean phrase book and CD but I got too irritated with it to make any real progress. The extent of my Korean now is "Hello." Very helpful.

This whole experience is terrifying, exciting, new, scary, and pretty much every other emotion all rolled into one! Stay tuned to see if I make it through the whole year, go travelling afterwards, or get horribly homesick and come back after 3 months. Hopefully not the latter.