Okay, so my first post was a bit gloomy, and returning to America after ten years in Korea, has not been easy, but in the end, after all options have been weighed:

Stay in Korea Pros:

• cash for the whole family
• work for my me and my wife
• entertainment for the whole family
• friendly neighbors and family
• thorough and quality education for the boys

Korea Cons:

• pollution for the boys
• less athletic outlets for the boys
• less natural surroundings for the boys
• long work hours so less time with the boys
• long school hours for the boys
• less educational freedom for the boys
• family obligation for all of us
• limited english language exposure for the boys
• limited opportunities to advance my/mia’s education
• Prejudice or jealousy against the boys

America Pros:

• english language exposure
• multicultural exposure
• comfie suburban living
• little pollution
• support from my parents
• education for me and my wife
• high grades in school for the boys
• chance for the boys to get to know their american grandparents

America Cons:

• little work for teachers
• less pay for teachers
• no respect for teachers
• more difficult to support a family
• violence
• prejudice
• less exotic scenes for me to write about

Two things trump all else. The boys need English fluency, and their parents need more college education.

Posted in Random Firsts