returning a 3rd time?

this is another one of my posts that exists to capture the contents of an article i read and enjoyed and want to keep archived for future access. it's about the lure korea has on the author, an English teacher from England. i've underlined parts significant to me.

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[Foreigner’s View of Korea] Like Magnetic Force, Korea Pulls Me Back

By Stephanie Williams
Contributing Writer

Upon returning to Korea for the third time, I realized what keeps pulling me back.

Sure, the money's pretty nice, but as a qualified teacher in Britain, I could be earning a similar salary there. For the most part, the food is good (except for any form of sea creature cooked, dried or raw), but I'd much rather be eating fish and chips or bangers and mash.

The last time I went to the place I'm inclined to call home (but feel more comfortable calling England), I thought it was for good.

I was done teaching in hakwon and being messed around by dodgy directors who couldn't afford to pay me.

It was time to go back to the real world, complete my requisite year of teaching, try to get my photography off the ground and settle down. With a big plan in my head and my Tongdaemun accumulations on my back, off I went.

Stepping off the plane and meeting my family after almost two years was strange to say the least; it was almost like I'd never been away. Nothing seemed to have changed, so why was I having such a hard time adapting? All I could think about was Korea.

Despite the uncomfortable feelings I was having, I decided to give home a shot. But after two months making half-earnest attempts to get an apartment and a job and creating numerous lists of pros and cons for staying and leaving, I decided to return to Korea.

Only then did it finally hit me _ it wasn't Korea I was missing, but some of the most amazing people I have ever met. I still adore all my friends in England, but I feel like we are in completely different places. I'm travelling the world and meeting new people, and they are at home buying a house, getting married and having babies. It seemed Korea was the only place I could find like-minded people.

Back in 2004, Korea was a short-term plan _ a year to save some cash for travelling. I met people who had been here many years and was perplexed _ why they had been here for so long? ``I'll never be here that long,’’ I thought to myself. Now I can see how easy it is to become a lifer.

It would be easy to stay and enjoy this life a lot longer, but I have realized that being a lifer will not enable me to achieve my goals. I want to travel the world, volunteer in schools across Africa, complete a master’s in education and publish a book of photography.

I plan to leave in July, for good this time. With fond memories and hopefully some friends in tow, I'll leave Korea knowing what a difference people can make.

Stephanie Williams is an English teacher in Seoul.

02-06-2007
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Source:http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/special/200702/kt2007020619561467670.htm