The Gypsy packs up for another university...

Kyung Hee University

English Department

(Image from Wikipedia)

I hadn't previously mentioned this place by name so as not to jinx my chances, but I can now state that I'm heading to Kyung Hee University for a new position on a two-year renewable contract in the English Department. In fact, I'm to go in this afternoon to sign that contract.

I'll be teaching mainly composition and reading but perhaps an occasional literature-oriented course of my own design ... a possibility hinted at in my interview some weeks ago. We'll see how that turns out.

I'm pretty sure that I won't be teaching much Medieval literature or Western history, unlike at Korea University, but otherwise, the positions are comparable, and I'm quite happy with how things have turned out.

For those longtimers who recall earlier expats teaching here in Korea, you'll know to whom I refer when I note that I'm assuming the position that Kevin O'Rourke held. O'Rourke is the fellow who used to write a poetry column for the Korea Herald, "A Poem for Breakfast," which provided a short daily shijo poem translated from Korean. I used to read it my first time in Korea, way back in 1995-96. I think that it was still appearing when I returned in late 1999.

I won't be publishing any poetry columns, however, and the only Korean-to-English translating that I'll be doing is with my wife, who currently has a grant-supported project translating a prominent, contemporary Korean writer ... but enough on that.