Though the late pay and lack of washing machine continue to frustrate you, you are content with your situation and the Ulsan opportunity is quickly forgotten.

The next few months pass by with the school director-free and a bit direction-less. However, you and the Korean teachers are able to keep the classes going with no real problems.

You and your band continue to practice sporadically, but there is suddenly an opportunity to play at a big festival at a national park a few hours away. At first, you are really excited about it, but over the weeks before the show, details about it become clear.

It is taking place on a Wednesday, during the middle of the day. In order to go, you will have to book the day off.

You go to talk to the owner and he tells you that it would be impossible. He would have to shut the school down for a day and he is not willing to do that. You ask about what happens if/when you call in sick and he tells you that the Korean teachers would fill in the missing time. You ask why that can't happen this time and he just tells you again that it would be impossible.

You leave his office frustrated and a little bitter. After a few days of thinking things over, you decide:

to call in sick on the day of the show and go anyway.

put aside your quest for musical fame in Korea, work that day, and take a really good holiday later.