Teaching English in Korea

Thinking about teaching English in Korea?

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Video transcription:

Teaching English in Korea is a chance to experience something new. You can get free airfare and free housing, you can make 1,800 to 2,000 bucks a month or more. Then there is severance pay and pension pay for some at the end of the contract.

You can save a thousand bucks a month pretty easily, but what is it like to teach English in Korea?

How do you like Korea?

I like it has its ups and downs. It has good parts and bad parts. Okay what are the good parts?

I like teaching the kids they're fun.

So how do you like it?

It has some hard times, but there's many many good.

How do you like Korea?

I have everything I need, but uhh life is difficult the culture is a little bit difficult at times and it's nothing you can't handle, but it's always there always feeling culture the difference yeah and also similarities.

Management is usually pretty poor.

I'm at a Christian school so it's a little different than a normal school but yeah...

The language when I first got here was definitely the language and adjusting but maybe my school they've kind of been a little shady but I've loved it.

Patience for the kids, patience for the culture, patience for the people.

FOOD. I don't like the food at all so it gets kind of expensive because the food I don't like spicy food very much so learning how to make what I want to. A lot of things are gonna be different in Korea the foods different the language is different the culture is different a lot of things are different.

As far as food goes you will have fewer options and you can't expect this to be home everything is different, everything. I think just being away from home, family getting to know people here. Getting the gumption to leave your country, to leave your comforts I think that's a pretty big challenge just working with kids, like kids are the same anywhere they have a lot of energy you have to be able to control them.

So I often do struggle with coming up with creative things to keep the class learning and entertained.

I am Korean American so everybody expects me to speak Korean...

Expect to work hard.

But I always do like I was a teacher beforehand so I I know...

But when I was looking at the internet there was a lot of information about or make sure you get a TV and holidays and all this, but really it is a teaching job so you know especially coming out of university or taking a year out...

So I would just take it seriously take your job seriously.

Be your co-teachers best friend - she helps me so much and I'm so thankful to them and be flexible because Korea is dynamic and everything is going to change at the last minute so you just got to go with it a lot easier teaching here than back in the States.

I would just say take time researching into the jobs and research your school, research what you're getting into don't always believe your recruiter. Talk to your school yourself.

Living abroad is very different and know that it will be different. Be able to handle a lot of [ __ ] a lot of BS here. If you can put up with the stress you'll be fine. Just remember you are in a different country that's all.

Figure out if you want to do public school or hagwon.

It's all about getting out of your comfort zone. If you want to teach abroad then you got to get out of comfort zone because the comfort zone is like... that's where you are right now and if you want to get anywhere... if you want to start anything new or make a change in your life it means getting out of your comfort zone.

Do you have any of these questions about teaching in Korea?

• What are the requirements?

• How much are the salaries for English teachers in Korea?

• What are the best programs?

• Hagwon or public school?

Learn more about teaching English in Korea.