I honestly believe I have the most engaged readership of any personal finance blog out there. I mean, I write a silly blog post about tax deductions and it gets over 70 comments. It’s insane. It makes me happy. And it makes me want to keep writing.

Sometimes I sit back and think to myself, “Why the heck have over 2,000 people subscribed to my blog?” I’m clearly a terrible writer and I’m obviously not the most financially savvy of the PF bunch. Why do people keep coming back?

Then it hits me. You don’t come to PDITF for my contributions, but for the contributions of the PDITF community. It often only takes a few minutes to read one of my posts (this one included), but it can take 10 times as long to read through the comment section.

A few weeks back I wrote a post titled “What kinda debt you got“. It quickly became the most commented on post in PDITF history. That says to me, you all don’t mind getting vulnerable and sharing a little bit of the “ugly” side of your financial situation. Heck, even some of you long time creepers came out of hiding and contributed to the dialogue. Thanks creepy lurkers!

Since this went so well last time, I figured it’s only fair to give you all a chance to tell the other side of your story. We know how much debt you have from the post a few weeks back. Now it’s time to get vulnerable and talk about how much you’re bringing in. I shared this in my budget just a few days ago, so now it’s your turn.

How much do you make per year?

Remember this isn’t a contest. I don’t care if you are making more money than you know what to do with, or if you’re an underemployed college graduate living with your parents. This isn’t about who makes more. It’s about finding out where your peers are and getting a realistic feel for where we stand against the masses.

You should also probably include your age and general geographic region for context. If it makes you more willing to share, don’t be afraid to fill out a fake name or email in the comments section to keep your identity anonymous (even from me).

Today or tomorrow –not exactly sure– marks the half way point of my nearly two month business trip to South Korea. Figured I’d spend a little time today reflecting on my experiences.

Six Foot Two Inch White Guy:

I guess I fall on the taller side of the height spectrum being 6’2, but when my Dad is 6’5 and my little brother is 6’7, I’ve never really felt that tall. That was until I stepped off the plane and entered Incheon Airport. I guess I’ve never really realized just how much of a melting pot America really is. No one stops and stares in America at someone for being Asian, or Black, or Hispanic. We are so accustom to diversity, we don’t even think twice about it.

South Korea is a different story. I stick out like a sore thumb. It’s really odd being the only person at a restaurant with Blue Eyes or Dirty Blonde hair. In fact, I had my feelings of “that guy doesn’t fit in here” confirmed when a random Korean citizen came up to me and asked if I was an American. When I told him “Yes.”, he asked if I would take a picture with him (which I did). Definitely the minority here

Subway rides really are THAT crazy:

I remember years ago, passing around a video I saw on YouTube of a bunch of people trying to cram on a train in Japan. Here’s one such video…

I guess I’m kind of naive because I always figured the video was fake. Boy oh boy was I wrong. I had to take the train one day and everything in that video happened on my ride. There is no such thing as personal space when it comes to public transportation here. Hop on an American bus or train and you know that every other seat is going to be open because  Americans hate sitting next to each other. Definitely not the case here. In fact, the dude next to me on the train was so uncomfortably close to my “no-no” zone I’m pretty sure I’m pregnant. At least I was entertained by the other American on the train who was having a mild panic attack due to the claustrophobic conditions.

There is no guessing in Korea:

I’ve done some time in Canada, Aruba, Mexico, France, and Germany. While I only speak English, I was at least able to reason my way to what some of the local words meant. It doesn’t take a genius to guess that “aereopuerto” means “airport”. But how in the hello am I suppose to reason my way to 닭고기 meaning chicken? If it isn’t in English, I’m out of luck. Sucks having to hope they can speak my language, when I should be the one speaking theirs (I am trying to learn though). This was the sign that welcomed me off the airplane, something tells me it was probably something important to know…

Cold does not equal snow:

I love skiing. I haven’t been able to do enough of it over the last eight years since San Diego is obviously not known for having epic powder sessions in the winter months, or ever for that matter. On one of my weekends I decided to go be adventurous and hit the slopes Korean style. Hyundai Sungwoo Resort was the closest mountain and I figured it would be worth a go.

It’s been really cold here (Suppose to be 2˚F on Wednesday) so I assumed the mountains would have plenty of snow. I got to the resort, put my skis on, and started treading my way to the chair lift. I was pumped for a day of skiing. It wasn’t until I got to the top of the chairlift and looked at my surroundings that I realized the resort was all man-made snow and the neighboring hills were completely snow-free. I died a little inside. I would have never taken the trip had I known I’d just be skiing the Korean equivalent of Big Bear (the closest skiing to San Diego). Here’s a shot I took from the top of the lift…

Food:

I have stepped out of my comfort zone and tried some of the local Korean dishes like Spicy Beef Bulgogi, which was actually pretty good. I was also told I had to try some Kimchi while I was here. I gave the Kimchi a shot, but after a few bites just couldn’t convince myself to keep eating. It wasn’t so much the taste that bothered me, but more the fact that I was eating fermented vegetables. Psychologically freaked me out .

I have, however, had some incredible Italian and Turkish food. Oh and what would a trip to Korea be without getting some Mexican food…haha. Took me a while to track a place down, but I was super pumped when I found myself some steak fajitas. Oh and to make it worse, check out my view from the Mexican joint….

Street vendors: 

Everywhere you go there are  a million street vendors selling just about anything and everything you can imagine. It seems like some of the most common items I see for sale are American sports team jerseys, mink blankets, scarves/beanies/gloves, leather jackets, custom tailored suits, and fake purses. American money is highly desired here. So much so that one of the places I bought something from refused to take Korean Won when I offered it. Kinda weird being in Korea and not being able to use Korean money everywhere.

The most incredible thing I’ve seen so far is a painting a local vendor did that is so realistic and detailed it looks like a picture. Homeboy’s got some mad paintbrush talent and I’m seriously considering hiring him to paint something for me. Check out his work…

That about wraps it up for now. I still have another 3.5 weeks in this place so I’m hoping to take a tour of the DMZ and do some shopping in Seoul before I head back for the states. While it’s pretty cool here (both figuratively and literally), I think Germany takes the cake for coolest business trip location so far

]]> http://www.punchdebtintheface.com/2012/01/korean.html/feed 50 http://www.punchdebtintheface.com/2012/01/oddest-young-professional.html http://www.punchdebtintheface.com/2012/01/oddest-young-professional.html#comments Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:54:15 +0000 Ninja http://www.punchdebtintheface.com/?p=5246

Being a twenty something, in a land of “older-somethings”, is pretty stinkin’ interesting. I’m the youngest (not newest) agent in my field office and many of my coworkers have done this job longer than I’ve been alive, literally. The coworker I went out to dinner with last night has 27 years under his belt (plus eight as a police officer before that).

Even though I am treated respectfully by my colleagues, I rarely get that same respect out in the field. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve introduced myself as Special Agent (Insert my name here) to someone and had the person say something to me like, “Aren’t you a little young to be working for the government?”

It’s a pretty awkward question.

Being repeatedly asked “How old I am” during my work day is pretty weird. But nothing, I mean nothing, fascinates me as much as people who let my age convince them that they no longer need to act professional.

Basically, I’ve noticed people seem to use a lot more profanity in their vocabulary when I’m interviewing them than they do when my supervisor or an older colleague is.

I don’t know if I should be flattered or offended by people who casually drop the F bomb in mid conversation with me. Maybe my youthful appearance makes them feel comfortable and like they can be themselves (good thing)? Or perhaps, they have zero respect for me and could care less if I find their potty mouth inappropriate (bad thing)?

It’s possible I’m just being hypersensitive to the situation. I gave up profanity many moons ago, as have most of my friends, so I’m not around it all too much. Maybe I’m just caught off guard by the way many people throw the “F word” around like its going out of style?

Let me see if this example helps…

My everyday vocabulary consists of some pretty juvenile words; epic, sick, freakin’, and tight to name a few. I use these words when talking with friends and even some of my coworkers. But I never, ever, ever use these terms when I’m out dealing with people on a professional level. If I did people may not take me seriously.

Just as though you may not take me seriously if I drop the word “radical” in to a conversation, it’s extremely difficult for me to take you seriously when every other word out of your mouth is a four letter one.

I’ll never understand why people thinks its okay to curse in front of complete strangers. Is there anything about your professional life that just makes you scratch your head and go “Why”?

p.s. I should make it clear that I could care less if people swear in their personal life. It doesn’t bother me when some of my friends curse, nor do I think I’m better than them for not cursing. Just like I don’t think I’m better than my wife for not drinking alcohol. I’m simply trying to say I’m surprised by the situations in which people are comfortable cursing (during a federal investigation), and not necessarily by the curse words themselves.

Applying to a private school was something I said I would never do. I grew up in public school (until college) and saw value in the education and experience I had. Private school teaching (although it is in line with my faith) went against my philosophy of why I want to teach, bringing hope and love to students who may not get it elsewhere.

In San Diego, I worked in a tough urban area. It was literally down the street from a well-known intersection called “The four corners of death”. Child protective service agents were in and out of our doors weekly. We had class pets…cockroaches (yuck!). Some students lived in hotels, some came to school on the city bus or in a cab, and rarely was education something to be valued.

This is what drew me to teaching.

I wanted to show love and hope, and invest in lives that many deemed “a lost cause”. This was way more difficult than I ever anticipated. I went through an exhausting year filled with poorly behaved students, a severe lack of support from my administration, and ultimately a feeling of inadequacy in my abilities to be an effective teacher. Fortunately, I had the support of Ninja when I came home. He’d often prepare dinner so I didn’t have to, he’d listen as I cried over my exhausting day, he’d take me out on dates to de-stress, or he’d just fill the bathtub and give me time to relax.

In my job hunt last spring, I was ready to apply for any and every teaching job available. (Teaching jobs aren’t necessarily in surplus right now. This is how I ended up in my current private school job)

The good news is, in the last 3 months of teaching, I have come home from school crying only twice (and once was because I missed San Diego). I get positive feedback and encouragement from my principal and coworkers, the students’ parents are involved and supportive, and I was even given a stipend to help cover costs associated with setting up a new classroom. Until this year, I never realized how neat it is to teach students about the depth of God’s love for them. I get to incorporate God into all aspects of our day. Obviously, this wasn’t allowed when I taught public school. It is such a gift to see the faith of a child, and to experience their forgiving and deep love. Two years of teaching kindergarten, and two totally different experiences.

It seems like a no-brainer; I am so much better off emotionally this year, right?! But let’s not forget I started teaching to make a difference. I have a heart for kids that are in need of hope and love – kids like those in my San Diego classroom. Instead, I am working in a place where most of my kids come from supportive and loving homes, homes where parents are more financially and emotionally invested in their child’s education. Amidst this environment, I have found ways to help, shape, and influence my 20 five-year olds in practical ways. I am learning that I can still make a difference, just in a different way than in public schools.

As the year goes on, I will be faced with the decision of sticking with my lower paying private school job ($10,000 less than public school position) where I am supported and have a better work/life balance, or stepping back into the less stable public school system so I can meet the needs of those who need it most. I still don’t know what I’m going to do.

Ninja’s thoughts: As GN mentioned, she had a very difficult year in San Diego and often came home extremely upset. This year, she has had a much more positive experience. I’m torn. Honestly I could care less about the pay difference. It has been awesome having Girl Ninja come home, excited about teaching, and with plenty of energy to enjoy the rest of the evening. But another part of me, wants to encourage her to give public school another shot. As she stated she wants to “bring hope and love to students who may not get it elsewhere.” We both also agree that the majority of her ill feelings towards public school are probably the result of a lack of support from her Principal (who actually got demoted at the end of the school year) and administration and not from the “challenging” students. She’s got a heart for public school, but has thoroughly enjoyed private school. How the heck do I help her make a decision!?

What are your thoughts on public school? What about private? Any advice for us?

If you’ve been following the news lately I’m sure you’ve heard the federal government is due to shut down on Friday at midnight as the stopgap funding runs dry. If you’re not familiar with a shutdown, it basically means all “non-essential” operations of the federal government would cease immediately. 

That means most (if not all) National Parks would be closed. It would be darn near impossible to apply for a passport. And it would make visiting offices like the Social Security Administration a nightmare due to limited staffing. The last significant government shutdown occurred during the transition from 1995 to 1996, lasting 21 days total. For 21 days federal employees were furloughed and forced to stay at home.

What are my feelings on the shutdown? I guess if the government can’t afford to continue operations it should probably be forced to reduce its financial obligations. Just like any private business that can’t afford to pay its bills must make take drastic measures to reduce spending, the government should be no different.

I guess the scariest thing about a shutdown is you don’t know how long it will last. If you aren’t working, you aren’t getting paid. That could put a serious strain on federal employees that don’t have adequate savings established to cover their expenses for a few weeks.

How will the shutdown affect me? Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on how you look at it), my position is considered mission essential and therefore even if the government shuts down, I still have to work. I do get paid for that work though, so it’s all good.

This might make a bunch of you angry (and rightfully so), but the reason I wouldn’t mind being furloughed is that during every other shutdown in history, Congress has always authorized back payment to all the furloughed employees for the time they couldn’t work. Do you know what that means? They basically got free vacation! That’s depressing to have to keep working, when you know others are kicking back, relaxing all cool, shooting some b-ball outside of the school…and will get paid for it.

I’m thankful I have a job. Thankful my position is important enough to keep around even in the event of a shutdown (job security). And thankful that the government has to figure its stuff out before it can keep writing checks. Just like I wasn’t complaining when our salaries were frozen, I won’t complain if the government shuts down.

Do you have any opinions on the government shutdown? How long do you think it will last, do you think employees will receive back pay, etc? What cut backs (if any) have you faced at your work over the last few years (reduction in force/hours, elimination of some benefits, salary freezes)?

p.s. I’m doing my best to coerce Girl Ninja into writing a guest post during her Xmas vacation. You all should totally peer pressure her in to doing so in the comments below