So does my tale begin, or perhaps I should say, so does a new ‘chapter’ begin within in my tale. This is certainly true in more ways than one.
For those of you that do continue to wander by these pages from time to time you will long know of my heralded termination of my ‘day job’. For the past eight or nine years I have worked as a teacher here in the Republic of Korea. I have in fact been fortunate enough to be an educator of many things despite their obvious association with English. While the past few years have ground along somewhat slowly I did have the pleasure of teaching art for a long period of time along with science and geography (the math class I will gladly consign to that dark, little, box that rests under the stairs which is crammed full of forgetful nightmares — there are reasons for this which are not suggestive of my mathematical ability but are better left forgotten!). I now sit here ‘unemployed’ and full of excitement at the prospect of a new beginning.
I have just returned from a brief visit to Japan and have (since yesterday) been busy writing as I have dreamt of doing for what seems like an eternity. I do not know for how long my bank balance will last me or if I will have to surrender some of my serenity and seek out something that brings in a modicum of money. I will, of course, continue to reside here in South Korea for the indefinite future — a choice that is a sacrifice for the heart. I will be visiting the green and not-so pleasant land of England in a few months where I hope to gain some inspiration (and possibly some contacts?) for the completion of my story. Indeed, the way things are progressing there is a distinct possibility that my novel will be finished in England before my eventual return to these Far-Eastern shores.
Having put the past four-five weeks behind me I have finally been of the right frame of mind with which to complete Chapter 15 and have since embarked upon the tie-in of Chapter 16. I thought it would happen in the previous chapter as I had initially planned, but circumstances and ideas extended parts of the text and made for a natural continuation in this new chapter. In some ways, out of all of the chapters that I have written this new chapter is perhaps the most formidable for me. It is a milestone of sorts.
I will, for now, adjourn and return to my writing.
