Born to Account

At the employee dinner Jinna told the Korean teachers that I had been an accountant before I came here. The Korean teachers said that accounting was a good match for me. "No, no, no!" I said, a little ashamed that they would think that about me. "Bad fit."

Later I was talking with Annie, one of the Korean teachers, and she explained that accountants are held in high regard in Korea. When they said that accounting was a good match for me, they probably weren't imply that teaching was a bad match. It was probably a compliment, although I still don't like it.

I don't think it is as common a thing here to leave a secure, socially respected job to do soul searching. If I explained that I make more money as a teacher than as an accountant, it might be more understandable.