experience – Page 3 – Simi's trinkets and treats

When I was younger, the last thing I ever wanted to be was a teacher. Although my mother was a teacher. I somehow thought that being a teacher meant that you are unsuccessful.

I have done many types of work during the years. At first I was a florist and I thought that’s what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I wanted to own my own little shop. I thought I was a creative person, although my mother reassured me that I was only about 30% creative, she was right by the way. 268

Then things changed and I went back to school to get my bachelors degree, I developed a profound love for psychology but went to work for a Law firm. I liked wearing business suits because I looked and felt successful even though I only earned $800 a month. Our plan was to immigrate to Australia, but we had to be on their skills list, so I studied a post graduate certificate in Education. To my dismay, the skills lists changed and they no longer needed middle school teachers in Australia. We needed to leave South Africa because the crime and public protest has become too violent and too frequent. I had sleepless nights because I feared that someone would come into our home and kill us, which is what was happening all over the country. 100_3832 - Copy (1)

We then came to Korea, where most foreigners work as either ESL teachers or Engineers. I’m obviously no engineer so teaching it is then. In my time here I have come to the conclusion that although your career sets the tone for your behaviour, example no nudie pics on the internet, you don’t have to label yourself as a specific type of person. You are who you are inside. Your life is what you make it. Just because you have a desk job where you sit in a cubicle all day, it doesn’t have to define you as boring or typical. You can run your own “fight club” during the weekend for all we know. Be true to yourself, read and study things that interest you. Build your knowledge with your interests. The only way a person can be happy is if they accept responsibility for their mistakes and realise that no one is to blame. Its in the past. Get over it and focus on what’s in your life now. No one knows what the future will bring. We certainly didn’t expect our lives to turn out the way it has.

Our first experience with Noraebang was when we just arrived here. It was our second day here and the English teachers from whom we were taking over invited us to meet the other foreigners in Seosan. We started out at a self bar. Self bars are bars where you take your own drinks out of the refrigerator and only pay once you’re ready to go. After that we went to another bar in the same street. Later we found out that the people called this street ‘Bar Street’ because of all the bars in the street. At this bar we could dedicate English songs and play darts. Here we could also drink cocktails and other strong beverages. About 2 hours later we all decide to go to a Noraebang. You know… when you’re drunk your up for anything, even karaoke.

When we walk in it is a medium sized room with cosy couch like seats in a U-shape in the room. There are 2 televisions and 2 microphones. There are even some tambourines if you feel like joining in if you’re not singing. The great thing is you don’t have to sing alone if you don’t want to.. People often join in if they know the song. Furthermore no one judges you. Everyone is there to have fun.

Noraebang has a variety of songs and they provide some snacks and you can buy beers from them.

By the time we walked out the sun was already out.

This kind of experience is not uncommon in Korea.