Piggy Bank Update

It was back in 2012 that I did a calculation of how long it would take to pay off my student loan debt at the rate I was going. The calculation came back with a punch to the stomach…60 years. It was going to take me 60 years to pay off my $30,000 debt at the rate I was going. 60 years! Would I even be alive for that!? I was working full time with a second job and donating plasma twice a week to survive. SOMETHING had to change. That is what made Korea look soooo great.

Sooooo, 4 years later, where am I with my debt you might ask. Pretty good actually! I came to Korea with a little over $40,000 in debt if you include my credit cards, student loans and my car.

April 19, 2013                                              $39, 641 in debt.

August 25th, 2016                                      $12, 638 in Debt

Debt Paid Off:                                              $27,003

Savings (Pension, Apart, Savings):     + $18,700 (with a few month months I should leave Korea with a little over 21,000 USD)

Basically, I could be out of debt if I decided to pay off the rest of my debt but have pulled back with the idea that I might need that money for some other plans I have in the works. If those all fall through a good chunk of my savings will go to that last 12 grand and then I will be totally freeeeee….sort of.

Some would look at that number and think WOAH! That is so much! Others, might think how do you not have more!? I KNOW I could have easily paid off more if I decided to be a hermit for 4 years and not experience things. I decided that experiences were more important. I also am REALLY bad at saying no to things.

“Want to go to Seoul for the weekend?” SURE!

“Want to sign up for boxing classes!?” SURE!

“Want to go to a music festival and spend all of the money in your bank account!?” Abso-fucking-loutley!

…see the problem?

I also love to travel. In my 4 years here I have gone home to the states twice. Each being a month, unpaid. I also went to Japan, Taiwan (twice), Beijing, The Philippines and all over Korea. I have also been very social. I go out almost every weekend and don’t worry TOO much about money. If I would not have traveled, drank or basically did anything fun for 4 years I would have a lot more money. But…experience is almost always better. SO, I chose experience and am happy I did.

Could I have a lot more money? Fuck Yes. Do I regret any of my trips or experiences in the last 4 years. Fuck no.

I personally think that $27,000 in debt in 4 years was pretty damn good considering all the travel and fun. However, on the flip side of all the fun, I did work hard to pay off that money. I worked a lot. Sometimes too much. I have worked almost every Saturday for the past 2.5 years. I have worked added morning jobs and late night tutoring sessions. I did make sacrifices to pay off those bills but I don’t think I will ever get paid $25 an hour to sing the ABCs and dance to “How’s The Weather” so I might as well take advantage of it while I am here!

60 years turned to 4 years. I could still be living in Arizona, donating plasma twice a month trying to get by…but thankfully I decided against that and made the jump to do something else.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long Time. No Blog.

Uhhh…Hi. How ya been?

I feel like I am meeting up with a friend for the first time after a big fight and not speaking for 3 years. THREE YEARS! How has it been three years since I touched this blog!? I am so sorry. I maybe had 2 viewers outside of my mom but seriously…to you two, I am sorry. By September 2013 I guess I was blogged out. I legit just dropped the blog and walked away…for three years.

I could make tons of excuses but I guess after blogging for 3 years, I needed a 3 year break. I was also finding that my life in Korea was becoming common and mundane. There was nothing excited to blog about when all I did was work and socialize. Then I kinda just forgot about it.

Anyone want to guess where I am typing this three years later…….

drum roll please…..

Korea! Haha, nothing has changed in three years. Well, actually, everything has changed except my job type and location. I am still teaching English, I am still living in Busan, South Korea and I am still enjoying life. However, I have changed. I have changed drastically from the girl woman who started this blog in 2011. I had just graduated from university in 2011 and starting this big girl life. Fast forward to 2013 when I moved to Korea and then go forward another 3 MORE years and here we are.

August 22, 2016. Hi. How you doing? (Said like Chandler). Me? I am doing great horrible okay fabulous. Ok, so maybe I don’t know how I am doing. Maybe that is why I wanted to start blogging again. To remember this next chapter of my life. I am sitting here with 4 months until my 30th birthday and 4 months until I leave Korea forever. I know, everyone is shocked with that news. How could I be turning 30 AND leaving Korea in the same month? I am trying to see how many life changes I can make in the shortest amount of time without crumbling into a ball of anxiety. Who am I kidding? Anxiety attacks are part of the weekly schedule. They usually fit in right between dinner and Spanish class…or anytime I am alone…or awake…or breathing. If you want to find me I will be in the dark corner in the fetal position waiting for 30 to hit me.

Ok, maybe it isn’t THAT bad. But, yes, I am scared. I am scared shitless of leaving this place. Less scared about turning 30. I am already 31 in Korean age…sooo.. that ship has sailed. But leaving Busan and Korea are causing a bit of a spaz attack. This is home now. I have my friends, my neighborhood, my coffee shops. I have my spot on the beach, bar owners know my name (should I admit that?), I know the subways, I know the buses and I know how to recycle the trash(a big deal here). I know where everything is at the Costco and Homeplus. I have a great loft apartment. I have a hamster who I adore. I have no trouble finding a job that pays the bills..wait…shit…why am I leaving….

Because I have to. I have to move on before this place sucks another 5 years from me. I want to TRY to do something else. I want to add to my resume. I want to travel. I want to spend time with my family. I want to not work every Saturday. I want to understand the cashier when she asks me if I need a bag (that is totally my lazy ass just not learning Korean). I don’t want to be stared at on the subway anymore. I want to blend in. I want to go to the doctor and not have 40 year old women giggle when I use the small amount of Korean I know to tell her what is wrong. And the thing I want the most, I want to be unemployed.

So that is the plan. Unemployment. Sweet, sweet unemployment. Most people are afraid of not working. Me? Well, ok, maybe I am afraid. I have had a job or usually multiple jobs since I was 15. Even in England I had a catering job. In college, at one point, I had four jobs at the same time. I like to work. I’m kind of obsessed with it. How many jobs can I have at one time? I have mornings off? I can fit another job in. These are my thoughts. In my 4 years of Korea, I have chosen to work on Saturdays for extra money. I have chosen to work 12 hour days because I like the money. I like money. But I have been saving now for 4 years. I have paid off a large chunk of debt and have a decent nest egg. Let the unemployment begin!

My grand plan is to leave in late December/early January and to travel. I will be doing South East Asia for an unspecified amount of time. Either, until I am tired of travel or my funds run out. Whichever happens first.

It also just happens to be coincidence that my last day of teaching will be my 30th birthday. What a way to go out! I actually believe highly in signs and listening to the Universe. I have been listening more and more to the universe lately instead of telling it to go shut its mouth. And I find that having my last day of work on my 30th birthday is the universe telling me to “GET THE FUCK OUT WHILE YOU CAN. RUN! BITCH! RUN!” I am sorry for the bad language, my universe has quite a potty mouth on her. But, as much as I love and adore this country…it can suck you in. I am not saying I will never come back. That would be stupid. Of course, Korea is always an option. It will always be my fall back if I find myself homeless, unemployed and out of options. To say I will never come back would be foolish. It feels like I have been in Korea for a week but really it is coming up on 4 years. 4 friggin’ years! It has been 4 amazing years and I will be blogging more in the next few weeks and filling in my fans…readers…my mom (Hi mom!) on what I have been doing for the past 3 years. But for now, I have to run and go teach.

Stay tuned for some blog entries where I will cover fascinating topics such as, what it is like to date in Korea, what I have been doing for the past 3 years, what I have learned in Korea, how much money I made and how I much I paid off and probably some other stories of the comedic shit storms I have been through.