How does your work day start? Probably something like turning on your computer at 9am and grabbing that much needed filter coffee. All before you begin your 8 hours of answering emails, meeting monthly sales targets and avoiding your uptight bosses ever watchful gaze. As a teacher, my day is comparatively extremely different.

Ready for class teacher?

By 9am, I am well into my second period and my coworkers, or 'students' as we like to call them, arent privy to sitting quietly at their work stations and sipping a cup of coffee. Walking into my classroom I could find anything from students 'play-slapping', to girls plucking each others eyebrows. The atmosphere ranges from peaceful desk napping to high-pitched sobbing over lost boyfriends. 
Anything is possible.
For your work place, this would be something out of the ordinary or extreme, but for mine, the peace and the chaos is just the standard for the hour.
You better roll with it. Sink or swim, teacher.

What's your morning work routine?

Coming to Korea again has been an awesome crash course in thinking on your feet in the classroom, especially when you belong to 4 different schools at once.  I got on a plane in South Africa being fairly certain I would be at an elementary school this time around, but was surprised to find out that this contract would be at high school level again. I winced a little thinking of the 'typical Korean teenager' -  a body of ragging hormones, with a never quite satisfied hunger and nagging need for sleep. Why couldn't I have sweet singing grade 3's?

However, teaching these 'child-giants' has been an awesome surprise. Most of my student are quick-witted kids, who enjoy learning English and rise to the occasion every week. At a particularly high level school on Thursdays, I keep increasing the difficulty, and the students keep matching it, calling it too easy. I think I didn't realize how low level my previous school was until I got to teach in Haman this time around.

Although there are times when I get a little jealous of my elementary school teacher friends, who get to sing songs and teach fruit - I wouldn't trade the sarcastic, yet clever answers for the world.

Class presentation time!

"Byeong- Ju, why does your alien have no eyes or mouth? It's just a square?" (Me essentially remarking on his laziness).
"Teacher, because it is a superior race, they do not need to eat or talk, they are finished with that", replied my student with an annoyed air, rolling his eyes at my apparent inability to keep up with the intricacies of alien advancement.

Or better yet, when students challenge you. "Teacher, Mars is smaller than earth, not bigger - your thinking of Jupiter". I am forced to stop the lesson and google the size of Mars, in the middle of my ESL class - because this is so much more important than the vocabulary we have to learn.
For everyone's information, Nicky (her English name), is correct.
Mars is almost 3 times smaller than Earth. Nicky laughed and dived to the front of the class to make damn sure I gave her extra points.
"I know teacher...I KNOW" said Nicky loudly dragging me by the hand to the computer for points and simultaneously smacking her friend across the head for ever doubting her.

Discussing their aliens for a class on description.

This week has seen me teaching summer camp classes. Yesterday we ordered the whole class pizza's. I have never seen 16 students faces light up quite as quickly, as when they saw the Pizza Etang delivery man walk into school.  Watching them eat pizza was like watching a strong infomerical-type vacuum cleaner suck up even the tiniest morsel in its path. Or maybe one of those terrifying snakes who eat small animals whole. Regardless, I have learned that the Korean teenager eats swiftly and without hesitation. Blink and your pizza will be gone.

My Students devouring pizza at their English camp.

Regardless, of the teenager-ie chaos I face at work on a daily basis, I am also having the best time teaching them about the world. Here's to a long vacation and a new semester of crazy teenagers to come.

xx

Welcome to Gaya-Eup, Haman, my new home in Korea - 20 odd minutes from the coastal city of Changwon. The best set of directions I could give you is to drive away from Changwon until you see a giant watermelon slice suspended above the road. You see it? You think it looks odd too?
Well done... your in Haman!

A view of the river from Gaya.

Admittedly, at first I was a little shocked by my placement. Ever tried to google Haman? There really isn't much to find. Any photos I could see through a quick internet search, were of farm land and watermelons. Explaining that I would be teaching at 4 different schools, my co-teacher laughed and congratulated another fellow native teacher on a better placement than mine. I hadn't even arrived, and I was already worried. Where on Earth was I going?

On the way to Gaya-Eup

Looking back on it, I should have remembered the same stressed and lost feeling I had had on my drive to Yeongju, two and a half years ago. I had been fine before, I would be fine this time around as well. Sometimes this sort of thing just requires a little faith.

Jumping ahead nearly a month to the day, I can quite happily say I'm pretty settled in Haman.
I work at 4 schools that let me teach as I see fit and I get to change my scenery each day.  Most of the schools I visit are set against green rolling hills, with pot plants lining every hallway. My Thursday school rests along a riverside and my Friday one overlooks an orchard. To think, an initially preferred job in Seoul would have seen me commuting to work each day by subway.

Stairs up to my Friday school

Walking to the cafeteria during lunch break.

A view from the parking lot. 

A look out of my classroom window at the mountains and crops.

Luckily, my apartment is huge in comparison to the last one, I am going to buy a sleeper couch and dinning table with my first paycheck. I cant wait to make it more of a home. There are also 4 other foreigners in my building and about 12 in Haman alone. Its not quite as isolated as I had thought.

My apartment when I first arrived

This time I get a full on kitchen.

Whats more, it turns out that Haman is realistically only 20 minutes from quite a big city (greater Changwon) and Busan is only 45 minutes away. I have a scenic mountain view on the way to work each morning, but can also eat Pizza Hut and watch a 3D movie any day of the week. I think that's a pretty good compromise.

A view of Busan at night- a city 45 minutes away. 

Finally, and more importantly my faith has been renewed in wanting to be an educator. 3 months ago I felt totally lost in what I wanted to do with my life. Scanning through lines of coding and online task panels, there seemed to be no light at the end of the tunnel. Thankfully, coming back to Korea has made me realize that this is definitely where I see myself in the future. As a teacher.
I'm thankful that I made the difficult decision to come back after nearly a year away.

My English class at my Tuesday school.

A flower given by the students for teachers day.

Looking forward to the weeks ahead and finding out more about the area and an exciting few months ahead.

So sure that I was of leaving the land of morning calm, that I packed away my chopsticks threw away my animal patterned socks and made a pact to taste fermented cabbage for the last time. Moving forward to normal pizza toppings, a steady 9-5 marketing job. Back to where I came from.

A great two years it had been, as I waved Korea goodbye from a plane in the clouds. I had grown so much in this country and it was time to grow even more back at home.

Yeah.....maybe not.

Sometimes, I have learned, fate unexpectedly deals you a curve ball. It turns out, after 4 years of studying and a portfolio of work, that I dislike marketing and design – rather intensely. Furthermore, it turns out that I am not really qualified to do anything else. Which is quite a pickle to find yourself in as a not so new graduate.

I returned home to the familiarity and comfort only to find that staring aimlessly at the computer all day made me bored to tears. The fast paced deadlines and pressured agency style updates did nothing to inspire me. I missed children and teaching and laughing. Hiding in the toilets at work once again I contemplated, what was I going to do with my life? As I nibbled the almost raw corners of my finger nails– a nervous reaction that seemed to be in constant play from 7.30 till 5 each day. What was I going to DO? What if I died tomorrow and my tombstone read: “Claire – (2016) - who spent her life animating pop up web banners that at best irritate people who haven't bothered to install ad-blocker yet”

It turns out that a quarter life crisis, hits exactly when everyone says it will – at 25 and a half years old. All of a sudden my tall plans for success had come crumbling down and I was forced to realize that despite what my family and peers thought, I could not sit through a 10 hour -a-day job at the computer for the rest of my short life.

I sat there wanting to pull my hair out. How did people, normal people, manage to do this each day? I even googled signs of ADHD in adults to see if that was my problem, it wasn't. Sleep Apnea? Nope Thyroid imbalance? No luck. I was just stressed and un-stimulated of my own accord, no medical reason could be blamed. I couldn't even really hold it against my work place- they were just asking me to do the job I had been hired for. It wasn't really their fault that I found it laborious and overwhelming. I wasn't lazy, I just wasn't invested enough to come to work each day excited for what would happen. Most of all I just didn't want to feel like I was dragging my feet in the sand until I retired in 40 years time. I felt like I had made the biggest mistake of my life.

So, I have made a decision.
Well, I made this decision in the work bathroom I suppose on a fairly stressed Monday morning, trying to dab away the tears. Something I had contemplated but hadn't had the balls to do. To many people in my opinion, spend their lives doing shit, mundane boring crap, because it covers the paycheck. Because then you can buy a new car. Because then your kids can go to private school. Because then you have stability.

Well, I don't need a new car. I don't have kids to send to school yet and I realize I don't desperately need stability at 25. So I waited for my one on one corporate style weekly meeting and resigned, still within my probation period. I would have labeled anybody else a 'complete flake'.

It got to the point where caring about what others thought needed to matter less than my happiness. I realize now that I am 25 years old. I have every right to take my time to be in a career that I love. Not one that just allows me to buy a new car. So I am going to do just that.

Next year I will be going back to University to Study a PGCE to qualify me as a teacher allowing me to do something I actually love. I may never be rich, but who needs money when they are too miserable to happily spend it? In fact it feels very good to put in writing finally the way I have felt these months and what my new path will be.

So this brings me back to Korea. Here I go again for a while. Because teaching makes me happy, passionate and enthused. Something I haven't been able to say a lot of lately. And whats more? I am proud of myself for sorting things out before I am 40 and too old to actually enjoy my decision.

So Korea, 1^st of May you will be seeing me. Step one you may ask? Buy some more socks with characters on them. My collection has become so mono-toned these past months.

Our last two nights were spent in Ubud, inland on the Eastern side of Bali. Although we were not there for very long, I genuinely loved Ubud. I would definitely go back. The area is covered in lush jungle and surrounded by rice fields. On every street there are Hindu temples and small bamboo baskets full of offerings to the gods. 

The temple and wishing well at Monkey Forrest- Ubud, Indonesia.

The main tourist street, Jalan Raya as well as everyone's Scooters. Its pretty common to hire scooters and travel around Bali. -Ubud, Indonesia.

One of the highlights of our stay was 'Ketuts place', a bed and breakfast up the hill from the bustling street of Jalan Raya. As it was our last stop, we decided to chuck in a extra $5 each (hardly a sacrifice) and got a place with a pool. It felt like moving from camping to the Four Seasons. It was in stark contrast to our roach infested hovel on Gili T island. I would recommend Ketut's Place to anyone visiting the area. As part of the $22 dollars each a night, we got fresh pineapple and coconut pancakes as well as freshly squeezed juice served to us on our own private balcony each morning. It also included a king sized bed over looking the Balinese gardens. Ketut himself was extremely friendly and helped us to book taxis and recommended places visit. He appears to be the second generation living on the land, as their was a private Hindu temple exclusively for his parents. 

For booking at Ketuts Place click here.

On first evening we went to watch a traditional Balinese- Hindu dance. The dance is called a 'Kecak" dance (said like chuck chuck). Essentially over a hundred men, dressed in traditional clothing, sit in a circle around lit candles and create a rhythm with their singing. Although the dance has no explanation or words, the story is fairly easy to follow as a Hindu princess is kidnapped. The highlight for me was watching a man run across hot coals and not have burnt feet afterwards. I wont lie- we cringed and looked away a moments as his feet dragged across the red hot embers.

The dancers in their intricate costumes. These particular characters were members of the royal family. -Ubud, Indonesia.

On our second day we went to 'Monkey Forrest', about a 20 minute walk down the road. The forest is full of naughty monkeys and their babies surrounded by ancient temples in the jungle. It felt like Tarzan would swing by from vine to vine at any second. At only $3 dollars for entry, its a fairly decent and affordable stop.

A bridge at Monkey Forrest. We were impressed at the roots hanging off of it - Ubud, Indonesia.

A male monkey, sitting as cool asa cucumber. Not remotely worried about the people around him. -Ubud, Indonesia.

Entrance to Monkey Forrest -Ubud, Indonesia.

The Monkeys, sitting on top of a cement monkey (Gabi called it 'Monkey-inception' - Ubud, Indonesia.

Most of all, I enjoyed haggling in Ubud. I was able to buy a painting that was priced at 400 000 Rupiah, and reduced it all the way to 110 000 Rupiah  ($11). Gabi and I tried to see it as a sport. I think because I'm a pale skinned and freckly foreigner, many of the locals assumed that I had a lot of Euros to spent. With the ever dipping South African Rand, my haggling skills had to be on point. Gabi managed to bargain a Ukulele down to a 5^th of the price. She hadn't even originally wanted a Ukulele, she just didn't want to miss the opportunity! I think we have been watching Suits for too long. My advice, never take the first offer and go in with a strategy. We had a guy follow us down the street a few blocks trying to sell a set of carved chopsticks. He said it would make our food taste better (we'll have to let you know when we try them).

Fried noodles and prawn crackers anyone? -Ubud, Indonesia.

As sad as it is, Our time in Indonesia has come to an end. I had such a blast with my sister, Chris and my old college friend, Gabi – we have made some unforgettable memories (que 'Time of My Life' from Dirty Dancing lol). But... whats left to do now? As reality kicks in, I need to go back to South Africa and look for a job hopefully in design (a genuinely scary concept). However, after this awesome month in the sun surrounded by beaches, stingrays, turtles and temples – I think I will be okay!

After backpacking through the main land of Java, we decided to give Bali – and the island of Gili Trawangan, a try. I forgot to mention previously that I have done all my traveling with my old uni buddy, Gabi (said gaahhrr bie – like a pirate because shes Afrikaans). We have spent the better part of the last two weeks in the sun with heavy backpacks on our shoulders. 

A restaurant on the beach overlooking the sea- Gili T, Indonesia.

Gili T is a gorgeous spot of land off the Eastern coast of Bali, full of backpackers, beach bars and places to snorkel. If your looking to sit back, relax and drink Bintang (Indonesian beer), Gili T is your place. The Gili's consist of three islands between Bali and Lombok – Gili Trawangan, Gili Air and Gili Meno. While Air and Meno are seen as the quieter of the 3 with family resorts, Gili T is full of tanned 20-something backpackers looking to soak up the sun and party – often on a tight budget.

Umbrellas and smoothies! -Gili T, Indonesia.

The beach- Gili T, Indonesia.

Bintang beer at a beach bar - Gili T, Indonesia.

The island takes approximately a hour to cycle around and no cars are allowed on it. There is the almost constant click-clacking of horses hooves against the cobbled streets, dragging tourists in carts to their hotels while locals try to sell you coconuts and beaded bracelets.

For one the days we hired bicycles and cycled around the islands. The bikes cost us about $5 dollars for the day and the cyle took about an hour to circle the entire island.- Gili T, Indonesia.

We spent four days soaking up the sun and snorkeling off the islands reef while having too much fun playing beer pong against Finnish surfers. We have to sadly admit that we suck at beer pong – but really enjoyed all the beer we got to drink... paid for mostly by two Finnish backpackers. Score.

Cocotails on the beach- Gili T, Indonesia.

Obligatory knee shot while tanning- Gili T, Indonesia.

One of the only negative moments of this leg of the trip was the accommodation. Although we are already able to laugh about it, we were less than impressed that they decided to close our hostel for renovations during our stay. Eventually we were put in a Homestay. I would suggest that anyone who enjoys sanitation and electricity avoid Bannera Homestay. For all intensive purposes I have nicked named it 'Buthole Bannera'.

We found more than one cockroach in our room, there was no hot water and we were never given sheets, blankets or towels. Eventually we took the curtains off their railings and slept under those. The bathroom was the type of place where you can brush your teeth, have a shower and take a dump all in the exact same position. The best we could say is that Bannera has character. We laughed every time we saw someone new moving in, “ Enjoy...your in for a lovely surprise”.

The curtains we slept on.

Gabi sleeping under the cutrains

However, despite our gross little home, we really enjoyed our stay. We took a package tour (it was only $15) to go island hopping and snorkeling at three different spots. The price included fins and a snorkel set. We really enjoyed getting to swim with fully grown turtles in the open ocean and diving down to see a Japanese ship wreck. 

Gabi having her feet cleaned by the fishies. I wouldn't do it because I am far too ticklish- Gili T, Indonesia.

Baby turtles at the turtle sanctuary- Gili T, Indonesia.

$1 sweet corn. We ate these as snacks many times during I stay. They roast the hob over hot coals and cover it in butter and garlic. -Gili T, Indonesia.

If your looking to stay on an island full of life and European tourists, Gili T is a beautiful and affordable option.

Next stop – back to Bali to see Ubud.

One of the stops along our way backpacking through Indonesia, was the city of Yogyakarta (said like Jog-ja-karta) to see the temple of Borobodur as well as some of the coffee plantations in the area.

This Buddhist temple, which was built in the 9th century is about the oldest establishment I have ever visited. The pictures couldn't quite capture its sheer size and intricacy. Along every shelf and stair is detailed engravings carved into stone. Each engraving tells a story about the people of the time and what their lives where like. There are engravings on everything from worshiping the gods through to children and what they did for entertainment.

The temple of Borobodour facing the East side - Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

The entrance to Borobodour temple as well as a Japanese man trying desperately to take a selfie with his selfie stick. - Yogyakarta - Indonesia.

But what exactly is Borobodour? Essentially it is a temple built on the many layers of Buddhism. A birds eye view of the temple, shows its structure in the shape of a mandala (often used in meditating) with 3 different spheres, the highest being a sense of 'nirvana' (or complete peace- and not the rock band as I had first thought lol).

A view from the top of Borobodour Temple - Yogyakarta - Indonesia.

Walking along the second tier of the temple. All the walls have engravings representing stories from the time the monument was built - Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Laughing at all the Korean tourists carrying umbrellas and hats to hide away from the sun. Yogyakarta - Indonesia.

The bells at the top- Yogyakarta- Indonesia.

'Fuhisment'-  was punishment 'fun' back then?

More than anything, I was in awe of the sheer size and magnitude of Borobodour. I couldn't help but imagine thousands of Indonesian slaves in the early 800's, dragging rock after rock up the temple stairs without any machinery or electricity to aid them.  It was only years later in 1815 when British forces (aka Sir Ruffles - try not to laugh at his name) found the temple and commissioned the restoration of the monument to its former glory. There are still places in the temple that have mis-matched blocks. However, for the most part it looks fairly untouched and ancient. It sort of made me think of the 'Jumanji' movie.

A view from afar of Borobodour- Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

After the temple our tour guide- Budi, took us out into the jungle to see a coffee plantation. Budi is a part time tour guide as well as a part time fully qualified civil Engineer - a bizarre combination that seems to work for him. He explained that he does tours on his down time to improve his English before he goes to study in Finland. I would recommend that any visitors to the area go along with Budi to see a coffee plantation. He took us out to a tiny coffee farm in the jungle where there were no other tourists and fed us delicious traditional Indonesian food on banana leaves and freshly ground coffee while telling us all about the history of the area. It was a pretty fantastic day.

Across the jungle and coffee plantation - Yogyakarta.

Eating lunch at the coffee farm. The owners cooked us traditional Indonesian food and served it on banana leaves along with fresh coffee. - Yogyakarta- Indonesia.

Coffee tasting time - Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Cooking the coffee beans- Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Grinding the coffee beans - Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

The coffee farm we visited. It is a small coffee farm way out in the Indonesia jungle. This particular farm is supported by our homestay as a way to encourage local business and community growth - Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

While we were in Yogyakarta we decided to sleep at a homestay simply called 'Chilled Homestay', booked off of AirBnB. Although there was no hot water, for the most part our hosts were very friendly and helped us with any questions. The owner is a British expat called Andy with a fairly colourful vocabulary and a love of international beers and motorbikes. He was very friendly and got up to say goodbye to us at 5 am saying “If you get caught in the shit, let me know”. If your looking for a cheap stop along your way and a fantastic live-in tour guide called Budi, 'Chilled Homestay' is your place.  Click here for their AirBnB profile: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/2787004 

Prawirotaman street - the main tourist area where our AirBnB homestay was situated.

Lastly, is the city of Yogyakarta worth the trip? I would say it definitely is but only for a maximum of 2 nights to see the temple and surroundings. A longer stay than that is not necessary as there is not that much to do within the city as a tourist. The area we stayed in was pretty lively with many Indonesian and western restaurants combined. We drank a beer at quite a few of them! However, for the most part I would recommend Yogyakarta to any traveler looking to see something ancient and unforgettable.

Next stop along the way – Gili T island off of Bali! Getting the bikini out for sure!