Be Careful What You Wish For

There are people who wish to win the lottery, and they do, and they end up going bankrupt. There was an idiot little girl who wished to use crutches, and then she broke her leg in South Korea. Sometimes we put these ideas that on paper look really good out into the Universe, and then they come back like a boomerang and knock us on our asses.

For the last few weeks I've been revisiting this concern of what to do after my contract ends. Sleepless nights, binge eating, the works. The big question is, Do I stay at ECC where it's familiar (friends, work, location, Albert), or Do I move on what with the unknown having worked out for me pretty well in the past? Me being me, I flashed the big God-shaped bat signal and did what I could in the meantime.

I went to my supervisor with three requests (none of which included a pay raise), and all three were rejected by the owner. 1) No changing to afternoon teaching, 2) no break to go home for July, and 3) no time off for Christmas. I expected two yes's and a no, which really would have made concluding my contract a lot more difficult.

While I'm glad to see what to do (well, at least what not to do), I feel a little hurt to hear "no" so strongly. I've put in eight months, most of them good, and had months with no students leaving ECC. I work hard, the kids like me, and the parents appreciate the bond I have with their kids. Mrs. Baek would rather throw all of that away and risk getting another teacher with no experience and a complete lack of competency than keep me around. I know there is an influx of teachers running around, but I know who some of them are, and I know why they're running around--and it's not because a school closed.

So, at day 255 of my Korean Saga, I sit back and realize that it all will come to an end, and sooner than I expect. It will come time to pack up my two bags, haul everything through Incheon with 100% humidity, 90-degree heat, and return for a month of rest and shopping. 110 days--will you be ready?