We did something like this in 2011. We kissed our daughter Emily ‘Goodbye’ and waved her off as she set off for Barcelona, to become a teaching assistant for a year in a Catalan primary school. She ended up spending more than four years there, and now she’s a fully-fledged English teacher with a flat in Barcelona, fluency in Spanish, a circle of friends, and a happy life .
But this morning, after her three week break in the UK, we waved her off again. She’s off to South Korea this time, to its second city, Busan. She’ll be teaching English in a school there, for one year only. Or so she says…. Read what she has to say about it in her blog, currently called ‘Speaking Spanglish’ – I imagine it will have a name-change quite soon.
Four years ago, I moved to Spain. In the UK, I had wanted to become a teacher. Applying for jobs and schemes usually had the same result though – ‘looking for someone with experience’. How can you get that experience if you can’t get the job in the first place? However, I soon saw a light shining at the end of a tiny tunnel. A conversation assistant in a Spanish school: great! That’ll give me something to pop on my CV. I’ll go back after a year.
Four years later, and there I still was. TEFL-qualified, experienced, and loving it. Barcelona is full of charms, and I am incredibly glad of my decision to move there. It helped me learn a language, blend into another culture, and taught me so many things.
Four years ago, I was also looking down other small tunnels, in the maze of life. One such…
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From Pyrenees to Pennines 
I find it hard enough having my children in a different *county* never mind a different country!
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Heigh ho. You have to get used to it. The plus side is visiting them in the country they’re in and seeing it as an ‘insider’ and not as a tourist.
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What a fabulous thing for her to do! She will have some great memories. Barcelona is a great place to be.
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Barcelona’s wonderful. It was quite special visiting her there. South Korea next stop!
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It sounds like an exciting adventure for her — And, I can hardly wait to hear about your adventures when you visit her there.
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Me too! She’s on the plane as I type with all my fingers crossed.
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She sounds to be a very good person…good for you, Margaret:)
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Thank you! She’s turned out alright, as they all three have
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Such an adventure! Such an adventurer! I’m impressed with her nerve–this is the sort of thing so many people might dream of but . . . never take the plunge. How quickly can you go visit? I guess you need to give a little time to get settled first . . .
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We thought September- October. High summer is apparently very humid. Can’t wait!
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Very exciting for her and perhaps next time she comes back to stay she’ll be an expert at making kimchi! Lucky you – it’s one of my favourite foods.
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She already makes a mean kimchi – and several other Korean dishes – we can’t wait to try them in situ.
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How exciting for your daughter and for you…South Korea has such a fascinating culture and history – right up your alley!
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