I receive a lot of emails containing questions about teaching English in South Korea. Unfortunately, I’m notoriously bad at replying to unsolicited emails in a timely manner. I’ve decided to solve this problem by writing a series of posts addressing these questions. This is Part One. (Also, if you have questions you think should be answered over the course of this series, please comment!)
Part One: Should I Go To South Korea?
So, for whatever reason, you’ve started thinking about getting a job in South Korea teaching English. Well, before you hop on a plane, there are some important questions you should ask yourself. “Why?” is a good question to start off this introspective. Once you have an answer to “why?” check out the questions I have for you below:
Are you looking for easy money while getting a chance to see Asia? So many people come to Korea to teach thinking that’s exactly what they’re going to get – easy money and a chance to see Asia. If this is all or part of your reasoning, you should keep the following in mind: Jobs in Korea are just that – jobs. Koreans tend to have an extremely high work-ethic and will expect the same of you. The Korean peninsula is small enough that you can see a lot of it on the weekends, and you will be in a good position to “see Asia” once your contract is finished – just don’t expect your time here to be a paid vacation.
Do you like working with children? While there are certainly jobs available in Korea teaching English to adults, the majority of the ESL/EFL jobs available to foreigners involve children. I teach kids in first through eighth grade; many foreigners teach kindergarteners and preschoolers as well. Keep in mind that teaching little kids requires a special kind of patience that not everyone possesses. If you’re not one of those people who can work well with the little ones, don’t sign up for a job teaching them.
How willing are you to spend a year outside of your comfort zone? KOREA IS NOT A WESTERN COUNTRY, people. This might seem obvious to some of you, but you’d be surprised how many westerners get here and are simply crushed by the differences – and there are MANY differences. They speak a different language, use a different alphabet, and (in many cases) practice a different religion. Unless you’re ethnically Asian, you’ve no chance of blending in. The streets are more crowded – not to mention much dirtier. You’ll have frequent opportunities to use squatty-potties. The food is quite different, as are the fashions. While you can find many Western goods, you’ll have a hard time finding everything you’re accustomed to. (I am so craving some Triscuits right now!) I could easily fill an entire book enumerating the difference between Korea and the West. Certainly, Korea is a modern country, and you can dine at McDonald’s and Starbucks if you so desire… HOWEVER, sometimes life in Korea can be extremely frustrating, even to the most well-adapted westerner. If you’re looking for the comforts of *your* home with different scenery, Korea probably isn’t the place for you; to live in Korea you need to be able to embrace the absurdities, accept the differences, and adapt.
If you’ve read the above and are still interested in coming to Korea, check out Part Two of this series: How To Find A Job.
(To current and former English teachers in Korea: Please feel free to contribute to this discussion! Can you think of any other important questions prospective teachers should ask themselves prior to deciding to come to Korea?)
Part One: Should I Go To South Korea?
So, for whatever reason, you’ve started thinking about getting a job in South Korea teaching English. Well, before you hop on a plane, there are some important questions you should ask yourself. “Why?” is a good question to start off this introspective. Once you have an answer to “why?” check out the questions I have for you below:
Are you looking for easy money while getting a chance to see Asia? So many people come to Korea to teach thinking that’s exactly what they’re going to get – easy money and a chance to see Asia. If this is all or part of your reasoning, you should keep the following in mind: Jobs in Korea are just that – jobs. Koreans tend to have an extremely high work-ethic and will expect the same of you. The Korean peninsula is small enough that you can see a lot of it on the weekends, and you will be in a good position to “see Asia” once your contract is finished – just don’t expect your time here to be a paid vacation.
Do you like working with children? While there are certainly jobs available in Korea teaching English to adults, the majority of the ESL/EFL jobs available to foreigners involve children. I teach kids in first through eighth grade; many foreigners teach kindergarteners and preschoolers as well. Keep in mind that teaching little kids requires a special kind of patience that not everyone possesses. If you’re not one of those people who can work well with the little ones, don’t sign up for a job teaching them.
How willing are you to spend a year outside of your comfort zone? KOREA IS NOT A WESTERN COUNTRY, people. This might seem obvious to some of you, but you’d be surprised how many westerners get here and are simply crushed by the differences – and there are MANY differences. They speak a different language, use a different alphabet, and (in many cases) practice a different religion. Unless you’re ethnically Asian, you’ve no chance of blending in. The streets are more crowded – not to mention much dirtier. You’ll have frequent opportunities to use squatty-potties. The food is quite different, as are the fashions. While you can find many Western goods, you’ll have a hard time finding everything you’re accustomed to. (I am so craving some Triscuits right now!) I could easily fill an entire book enumerating the difference between Korea and the West. Certainly, Korea is a modern country, and you can dine at McDonald’s and Starbucks if you so desire… HOWEVER, sometimes life in Korea can be extremely frustrating, even to the most well-adapted westerner. If you’re looking for the comforts of *your* home with different scenery, Korea probably isn’t the place for you; to live in Korea you need to be able to embrace the absurdities, accept the differences, and adapt.
If you’ve read the above and are still interested in coming to Korea, check out Part Two of this series: How To Find A Job.
(To current and former English teachers in Korea: Please feel free to contribute to this discussion! Can you think of any other important questions prospective teachers should ask themselves prior to deciding to come to Korea?)
