This whole idea of teaching English overseas started in my junior year at Bethel. It was probably Chinese classes that made me consider it in the first place. I received mixed reactions from others about this, so I shelved the idea.
Thanks to my roommate Danielle, this idea didn’t actually go away even after I sidelined it. She talked about JET, a government program where you can teach English in Japan for a year. I considered this for a while, too, since I was in the midst of the existential vacuum that so many college students experience during their senior year. It’s the one about what you do with the rest of your life. That was my fall semester in an feeling.
I didn’t think that teaching English in a foreign country was what I wanted to do with the rest of my life (I still don’t), but it was a start.
I left for a month-long study-abroad trip to Europe. I came back with a little refresher on what it’s like to be an outsider in a country (and a tourist, no less), a reminder of my love of travelling, and beautiful new relationships with several lovely people. One of these people was the wonderful Stephanie Ramin!
Steph was in the same existential-vacuum boat that I was in. As for me at this time, I had an idea that I wanted to go into counseling, or maybe positive psych, but I wasn’t totally sold on either idea…
Luckily, Steph has way more gumption and communication skills than I do, and she got in touch with a few people about teaching English abroad, particularly in Korea. This was shortly before graduation. Finally, the night before that wonderful, glorious day of commencement — I remember this very clearly — Steph came into my empty dorm room where I was preparing the showers for inspection the next day. She told me that she had a contact who had worked for a company in Korea, and would I be interested in doing that too, and should she ask this person to put us in touch with the company.
I know I didn’t say yes right there. I was hesitant, and I didn’t give her a straight answer at all (sorry Steph :P). But I think it was an example of my heart being gently manipulated by God — right place, right time. It was an example of his providence, and, I think, a glimpse of the wonderfully fulfilling plan he has for us. (If I didn’t believe that, there’s no way I could have the guts to go halfway across the world for 13 months, with or without Steph. I would never go alone.)
It was probably a month or so later when both Steph and I finally agreed to pursue employment with YBM. We were put in touch with the recruiter from a school in Seoul who practically hired us on the spot. It was the first of many times that we asked each other, “Are we REALLY going to Korea?!” We must sound like broken records at this point.
After a delay of about ten weeks waiting for our FBI background checks, we’re finally back on the fast track to Korea. The company received our documents today, and we should be able to schedule an appointment with the Korean consulate in Chicago in about a week. Then we’ll wait three or four days to get our visas, book our flights, pack, and hop on the plane to Seoul. If all goes smoothly, we should be leaving in the third week of October.
