The Aclipse Blog is produced by current teachers in Korea!

Okay, so maybe Ramen noodles won't become your best friend as a teacher in Korea, but every English teacher has to admit that sometimes the noodles are the best option for a meal. I cannot believe I just wrote that sentence, because before Korea, I was a Ramen snob. I looked down on the noodles and would not even consider eating them no matter how hungry I was. Things have changed and here' s why....

I love movies but going to the movies while teaching English Korea is an interesting experience that requires some advice.

Garosugil, located in east Seoul, is one of the trendiest streets in South Korea. This tree-lined street is full of boutiques, restaurants, and cafes.

Being in a long distance relationship, I quickly figured out different ways to keep in touch with Neil while I’m here teaching English in Korea. I’m not talking about calling cards and emails, but other methods of communication.This could be a double edged sword in that it could help you keep in touch with your friends and family, yet also leave you missing them even more. I want to share with you what Neil and I did to make our long distance relationship work.

One goal that I have had during my stint as an English teacher in Korea is to learn how to cook some Korean dishes. I am not a great chef by any means and even when I lived in the United States, I rarely found the time to cook. I wanted to change that when I came to Korea because I would be living alone and I knew I would have ample time to experiment in the kitchen.

This weekend some friends and I ventured to Damyang for their famous Bamboo Festival.  Because of the close proximity to Gwangju, where I teach English, this was a very convenient festival for me to attend.  After a mere hour long bus ride (and it only cost me 2,000 won), we arrived at the festival.

When living and working in a foreign country sometimes we look out for the feel of something familiar. But, the familiar in a foreign country becomes places you want to spend more time at. During my time teaching English in Korea I have found a few places where I have found comfortable more than any other and here is a small list of my favorite places while in Korea.

       It’s been a little over 11 months since I’ve started teaching English in Korea with Chungdahm, and already my one year contract is coming to an end. I must say the time flew by. I remember before coming here, I wasn’t exactly sure what I’d get out of it other than a new experience. My friends and family assumed that I was going for fun and thought that it wouldn’t benefit me career wise. However, I knew there was nothing to lose and that there would be something to learn. In fact, teaching English in Korea has been more rewarding than I expected. 

I went to Seoul this past weekend with one thing on my mind: pet cafes. Wow, that sentence sounds a bit crazy so maybe some explaining is in order. Pet cafes are not restaurants that specialize in serving various types of pets. (Sorry for the gruesome picture.) On the contrary, these are cafes that serve normal café fare, i.e. coffee, tea, and expresso drinks, while surrounded by friendly cats or dogs. In several locations throughout Seoul, one can find dog cafés, cat cafes, and fish cafés. (or so I had been told). I decided to spend an afternoon investigating whether these pet cafes were real and to see if I enjoyed drinking a cup of coffee while a pack of dogs ran around my feet.

        Do you enjoy a good cup of coffee and art? Urban Soul Café and Gallery is the place to visit. While teaching English in Korea, a friend of mine that I met here took me to this spot. Since then, I have been regularly visiting the café for the past 3 months now.