Additional Coverage:
- I moved to South Korea to save money for a year. When I returned to the US, I hated it and ran back to Asia. (newsbreak.com)
Krissi Driver relocated from the US to South Korea to teach English, prompted by her challenging financial situation. She found life in Korea financially easier and enjoyed it greatly compared to her experiences in the US. After a brief and unsatisfying return to the US, she decided to move back to Asia, where she intends to stay.
Graduating in May 2009 with a Bachelor of Science in psychology and $60,000 in student debt, Driver initially made affordable loan payments while living cheaply in southwest Missouri. However, seeking change, she moved to Denver for a higher cost of living and tighter finances. Her financial strain increased further when she took a sales job in Portland, Oregon, leading her to put some loans on forbearance due to escalating living expenses and accumulating credit-card debt.
Her decision to teach in South Korea came after learning about an acquaintance’s positive experience there. Landing a teaching job in Daegu, Korea’s fourth largest city, by February 2013, she quickly adapted and flourished, appreciating the affordable public transit and her ability to travel.
Driver extended her one-year teaching contract three times, enjoying several years in Korea before returning to the US in 2017 to attempt a freelance writing career. The transition back was challenging financially and personally, driving her back to a full-time job she disliked.
Just a year after her return, an opportunity arose to go back to Korea, which she quickly accepted. Since returning, she’s found more happiness and financial stability there and, despite paying off her debts, has little interest in moving back to the US, contemplating other opportunities in Asia instead.