Desperately.
I love Korea. Really, I do. I send home a ridiculous amount of money each month to pay bills, do and buy whatever I want to do during the month, and yet when the next paycheck comes there is still money in my bankbook. Where most people here have an alcohol budget, I have a food budget. a clothing budget. a dermatologist/dentist/acupuncturist budget. a zip lining and concerts and celebration budget. a whatever-I-want-to-do budget. And there is always money left at the end of the month. That’s awesome. And really dumb at the same time.
I am purposely avoiding all the news about our country and it’s swift downward spiral towards bankruptcy. It’s not going to help matters if I read it. It’s only going to frustrate me and make me even less motivated to return to the States. Nothing good can come of that.
A friend and I were talking last night about how it is quite possible to live here for two years and pay off about $20,000 in debt and still walk (fly) home with another $10,000 in hand. And that doesn’t include any additional money you saved while here, that is just end of contract bonuses and pension payouts. Again, awesome, yet dumb. Incredibly dumb. I have no better word. Why it is so difficult to find a well paying job that you enjoy while still being able to take care of yourself financially in America. The land of dreams and possibility, right? Why did I have to (even though I am so glad I did) fly all the way around the world to a country that most people wouldn’t even consider traveling to to get this kind of opportunity. d.u.m.b.
I think a lot about my friends at home, people that I am close with and others that I haven’t spoken to in years, that are in the constant struggle that so many people are in right now. Paycheck to paycheck. Hand to mouth. Credit cards. Student loans. Mortgages they can no longer afford. Hopefully you haven’t suffered from all of the economic drama of the last several years and that you still have a job to go to everyday.
This is not at all the direction that I intended for this blog to go in. It really just was meant to be a passing comment. I ramble. Sorry.
I’m gonna have to write another blog.
Amy,
ReplyDeleteno need to apologize. I've thought the exact SAME thing (and I'm Canadian...we aren't experiencing such dire straits here, but yes, there has been an effect because of your wobbly economy). This seems to be the unfortunate circumstance, and I find myself wondering the EXACT same question. Why does it feel like I need to fly halfway around the globe to get a job that will pay me decently, where I can actually SAVE and live comfortably?? It sounds ridiculous. The Irish and Asians are immigrating here en masse for jobs, and Canadians are moving to Asia for jobs. Is this a dream? Needless to say, I totally agree with your sentiments...glad you voiced them.