Tag: life
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Goodbye, Phillip Teacher
Leaving Korea meant leaving behind a toxic workplace, and children I had come to love.
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The Week of Lasts
This is the week I have anticipated for months. My last Monday at Maple Bear. My last Tuesday. My last Wednesday. My last Thursday. And, finally, my last Friday. I imagined this week mostly as a countdown to freedom—each “last” another door unlocking, another day survived, another step away from a place that has consumed…
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Running Toward the Blank Canvas
September 4 will be my final teaching day in Korea. After six months here, I will leave the country and travel to Switzerland. The Swiss Alps have called to me for as long as I can remember. As a teenager during the Gulf War, I learned that Switzerland had remained neutral during World War II.…
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Good Moments, Hard Days
What Is Going Well Something clicked last week with my four full-time six-year-olds. Out of nowhere, their English just…leveled up. Their comprehension is better. Their speaking is better. It honestly caught me off guard. I don’t think they realize how proud I am of them. Every day, they surprise me. They’ve also gotten more attached…
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Settling In, One “Ah-choo” at a Time
Life in Korea just got a lot easier—thanks to my Alien Registration Card (ARC). With my official ID in hand, I’ve opened a Korean bank account, gotten a SIM card, and finally escaped the tyranny of international transaction fees. I can also use Korean apps now—ordering taxis, shopping on Coupang (Korea’s Amazon), and generally functioning…
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The Week My Voice Quit Teaching
This past week at school felt a little less chaotic. I’m finally starting to get the hang of my schedule, my students, and my coworkers. Things are starting to feel slightly more normal—which of course means something else had to go wrong. Unfortunately, I came down with another cold. On Tuesday, I started losing my…
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Phillip N. Patrick 