Experience Vs. End Result

I've always wondered about which part of the learning process our society should emphasize, and this article address a number of my questions. When I was in school, good grades were everything. To us honors kids, it didn't matter how little or much we did, as long as we received that A grade at the end of the semester. For some, this meant studying for hours each day. For others, this meant cheating and taking adderall. The thing is, these groups generally got similar marks. The means didn't matter because the end result was the same.

What I got from the article: In order to start something (whether that be to get the top grade or lose weight), an end goal is a great motivator. However, while being results-driven is a positive career trait, people also tend to be less enthusiastic about the process and the overall experience isn't enjoyed as much, possibly resulting in worse results. If the sole focus is on the goal, the act may seem more like a chore. In order to continue something long-term, keep the goal in mind, but focus on the experience of the task at hand.  By focusing on the experience, there tends to be more enjoyment from the learning process, which may eventually lead to your goal anyway. Maybe this is what our parents were talking about when they said that some activities are "character building" (also known as intrinsic motivation).

When I first started teaching, I brought in candy to draw my students out (and hell, to make them like me). It eventually got to the point that they would 1) 'work together' on assessments to get the 90%+ that would merit a candy and 2) flat out not answer questions until I gave them a reward. Well, I eventually decided that this had to stop; kids aren't pets that need to be rewarded with food. So I did. Cold turkey. And those first couple of classes sans sweets were a challenge. But then they started raising their hands again, without the question of "candy?" that was seemingly attached to the gesture before. Instead of doing things for a goal (in this instance, a candy), they were again having positive experiences in English class.

I'm starting to get the feeling that I'm getting more out of this experience than my students.

xo

You're Saving HOW MUCH?!

While Spain was calling my name when I simultaneously applied for the Korean and Spanish government programs, I'm glad that I ended up choosing Korea as my first destination to be a Guest English Teacher. Unlike the majority of the programs in Europe and South America, the Korean government has a pretty legit set up for us here. Not only do we get paid more overall (including a nice year-end bonus), but our housing is taken care of and, pending contract completion, our flights to/from Korea are paid for as well. My expenses have leveled off over the past few months, so I felt the need to post my numbers to share with others and to keep a certain level of accountability with myself. Feel free to comment on how much I'm wasting on soju.


Income: 2,000,000 won
Income generally ranges from 1.8-2.2 million won (not including any overtime), with 100,000-200,000 won coming out for lunch, insurance, etc. by your school. Yes, schools provide delicious, authentic Korean lunches for about 3,000/day. I'm paid 2.1 million won with no overtime. I know, it's weird that my ridiculously short hours don't have some overtime pay thrown in there for good measure! After the above expenses are taken out, I have a little less than 2 million won to play with each month.


Expenses: 685,000-885,000 won
Note: I also bought a gym pass for 210,000/3 months that I don't plan on renewing at the end of July. Damn those cute trainers who sucked me in!
Smart phone (unlimited data ftw): 80,000
Utilities (A/C, heater and electricity): 20,000
Food (Groceries are 70,000/week if you buy fruits/veggies and the occasional pastry; eating out ranges from 2,500-15,000/meal): 325,000
Bi-weekly coffee shop dates (4-5,000/drink): 10,000
Bus pass (to/from school): 50,000
Social outings: 200,000-400,000 -- This is the reason why the numbers above mean little to nothing regarding your overall savings each month. It can be as little as 20,000/month (meaning that you get a coffee and stay in your hometown every weekend) to 300,000/weekend if you decide to go to Seoul. On an average weekend of going to Daegu, Busan, Pohang, etc., it's reasonable to spend 100,000/night, which is why I burned through my income so quickly during the first couple of months. However, we're now traveling less often, but still going out in our own hometowns, which decreases the number significantly. I'm feeling more responsible already!


Moral of the story is that it's rather easy to save over $10,000 by the end of a contract. And this includes summer (Philippines!) and winter (Australia!) vacations. Unfortunately for me, all this post made me do was realize how much more I could and should be saving. For grad school, to take a teaching position in a desirable country with minimal pay for a certain football tournament (cough Brazil 2014) or, if I'm feeling really brazen, a Roth IRA. And now that I'm thinking about it, I should really hide this post from my mother...


xo

Xenization: My Reason for Coming to Korea

Xenization - the act of traveling as a stranger.


Not that the above is the best description, but isn't this exactly what I want to do professionally? Note: FSOs live in a different country almost every two years for a good chunk of their careers. Sorry, but I didn't come to Korea specifically because my heart is set on being a teacher, and a lot of the individuals who I have met didn't either. Most of us came for the experience of living in a foreign country as an immigrant, to travel and to be challenged. My emphasis was on that last bit: to be challenged. In every sense of the word. In mind, body and spirit.


I've never seen myself as a stranger, an 'other', because I've never really been on my own. When I went to university, not only was I always living with people (uh, hello sorority housing with FIFTY OTHER WOMEN), but I was also within an hour of home...and it stunted my personal growth. I readily admit that being alone with my thoughts for extended periods of time still makes me nervous, but isn't that where you learn the most about yourself? In places where you're uncomfortable? It occurred to me that moving to Korea was the first instance in a long time that I did something that moved me past my own comfort zone.


I knew coming into this experience that that was going to be the toughest challenge for me: being alone. How fucking scary does that sound? I'm not talking about having alone time; I mean flying to a foreign country to live in a yet-to-be-determined rural city where all of 20 people speak your language, a place where the role of your support system is drastically reduced and at least one bout of homesickness is guaranteed. All of this boils down to one thing: you're going it solo, my friend. 


After almost five months of living by myself in Gyeongju, which included a solid three weeks of the homesickness dreaded by new and experienced expats alike, I'm getting to the point where I've realized that being alone is not the disastrous terror that I once envisioned it to be. The experience of being an outsider in a place that I'm supposed to call home for the next 7.5 months is still daunting, but it's easier to accept because I have realized that I can handle it. I'm looking forward to seeing how much I've grown throughout this year because I already feel different (stronger? more confident?) after a few months. And before you mumble anything else under your breath, I know that this sounds like a college application essay, but it's true. Friends have said that this type of experience will change your life and I agree with them now more than ever.


The word 'stranger' generally has this negative connotation (my mom taught me and my sisters the phrase STRANGER DANGER! from an early age and we still use it on one another to this day) of unknown individuals who may go against the grain. But I'm learning that I'm addressing the differences in people, countries and cultures here with a more positive outlook. Besides, I'm of the opinion that being interesting is a rather lovely compliment.


xo

Edit: An article on why alone time is important for everyone at every age:

But it's also important to remember that alone time is a crucial, and too often forgotten, part of development. The real world is not a constant party, or a day at camp. Real world includes downtime, and it includes alone time. And your job as a parent isn't to entertain your children 24 hours a day. Introducing your child early on to the idea of spending time alone -- and liking it -- will help your son and/or daughter become a better companion to others and get more from their relationships with friends -- and with you. They will grow to be an adult who can be happy on his/her own, or with someone else. And isn't that the goal?