This paper describes an educator's decision to change careers from that of foreign service officer to teacher of English as a Second Language is traced to a December 1985 event in Korea in which the American Cultural Center in Kwangju was occupied by protesting Korean students. Analysis of this event and its effect on the educator focuses on the interaction of culture, language, and personal identity within an individual in such a cross-cultural crisis. The event is described, and the ways in which public institutions and figures (American and Korean), the Korean press, participating students, and the Korean public responded are examined. The sit-in is then analyzed in terms of the language used by the protesting students, and the educator examines his own behavior during the event. It is concluded that the educator resolved his own personal crisis within the context of this international/intercultural crisis. Appended materials include reflections on the event written immediately after its occurrence and a list of questions for discussion of the paper. (Contains 22 references.) (MSE)