I'm heading home to the USA after 8+ years. At some point I think everyone here should have an exit plan back to the real world. I have no desire to continue teaching in public school programs that ignores their NETs and/or downsizes them, and I don't want to be in a typical 2.1m hagwon hell gig that doesn't provide any career advancement. There are plenty of broke college grads out there willing to accept worse and worse positions.

....

I did but kind of regret it. It's not that my life is worse here or better. My carrer and future are better here I guess but that's not certain either. It's just not who I am. Who I am is someone who enjoys living in Asia, even though it's very tough there. If that's you, I think you should stay in Asia. Life isn't easy anywhere.

I envy the version of me living in Korea from 2006-2008/9, badly envy. It's like the nexus. Wish I was in those times again. Overally I was very happy there for the first 3 years, and although it's gone now, being far from Korea just makes my youth feel even farther away now. Never leave!

Current plan: Stay in Korea until 2020 to pay off all student loan debt and save up money. Then travel the world for a year or two. Then maybe move back to the States. However, it'll probably be a temporary solution (stay for a year max) before I try to find either another teaching job abroad or a way to be location independent, so I can travel and live abroad.

In America, the economy's getting better, I do believe?  In Canada, it's pretty mediocre?  Maybe some places are improving?  Some parts of Ontario, some parts of BC, the west, outside Calgary and Edmonton seem to have lower unemployment rates.  some friends say the oil patch is slowly picking up again.  Out east in the Maritimes and much of Quebec seems a permanent write off.  (But one of those provinces has a new upstart party that seems to have a good economic plan if it can get itself elected from what friends are telling me.)

Canada is still a mixed bag with high rents in a lot of places.  It's pretty much high all over the place due to a lot of hidden taxes charged in many provinces, along with ridiculous land restrictions, zoning requirements, etc.  Anyways, if you take the long view and have a good cash cushion saved up, it can soften the transition.  I don't care a whole lot what I do, except a call center (I despise those with a passion).  All I want is a middle class wage. 

In America, your fundamentals seem to be getting a lot stronger.  The stock market and small business confidence is soaring due to more business friendly policies coming out of the new administration.  Meanwhile, we're stuck with (PM) Turdo and a lot of provincial idiots who tax the hell out of people!  At any rate, I'll take a stab at home soon, try it for a year, and then see after that.

In the boat of I have no idea if i will be going back home, make Korea my home, or make some other country my home. I may or may not have made the initial mistake of coming to Korea due to my relationship , but thus far I'm pretty content with my life thus far. I don't make amazing money, but it does beat some of the work stress I had previously to this job.

Don't get me wrong, sometimes my kids drive me insane, but I wouldn't trade that for another job so easily . I have always wanted to teach overseas so this has crossed off one thing on my to do list. Will i do this specifically for the rest of my life...? Hmm... Only time will tell.