Last week I signed my Contract Renewal Renunciation Statement. Even though teaching in Korea was never going to be more than a year-long commitment for me, I stared at the Renunciation Statement with doubt. Questions buzzed around my head. What would I do at home? How long would I be unemployed? When would be the next time I'd see the friends I've made here? And, most importantly, why would I leave a life of security, a life I know and love, for the question mark of a life that awaits me at home.
The truth is, I could actually see myself staying in Korea for another year. I've built a life for myself, and I've fallen in love with the culture, friends, and lifestyle I've made here. However, just when I was about to ask my coteacher for an extension to make my decision, I remembered a promise I made myself in December to NEVER miss another Christmas with the family. With that in mind, I signed my Contract Renewal Renunciation Statement with a confident (but shaky) hand.
Today, May 25th, means I have 3 months left of my contract. While I'm going to miss (almost) every aspect of my life in Korea, there is so much to look forward to at home. Whenever I have doubts about whether or not I'm making the right decision, I remind myself of everything I miss from home. Homebaked cookies, egg plant, target, trader joes, and burritos rank high on the list, but I know I could survive another year without them. What takes the cake and never fails to end the ongoing "to renew or not to renew" argument inside my head is that I know I absolutely would not survive another year without my family.
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