I remember the day I left for Korea like it was yesterday. My stomach was flying with nerves as I began unpacking my bags at the airport. I recall my luggage weighing too much and I was frantically throwing things in and out of my suitcase. At that time, I hadn't traveled much and I knew nothing about teaching and had very little knowledge about Korea and Korean people. Even though I tried to do as much research as possible, no travel book could have prepared me for the journey ahead. Below I offer three tips about things you should do prior to departing to teach in Korea.
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In 2016, Korea is still one of the most popular destinations to teach English. Teachers can save while travelling and enjoy an excellent standard of living while meeting foreigners from all over the world. Over the past 5 years, Korea’s expat community has almost doubled, and plenty of job seekers from Eastern Europe and the USA are finding more and more opportunities for career growth on the Asian continent. With the release of Gangnam-Style and K-drama/ K- pop becoming increasingly popular, more and more foreigners haven been drawn to Korea.
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As a bank manager in the U.S., I was in complete shock with how convenient banking in Korea is. In the U.S., it seems that there was so much paperwork and red tape that you needed to do just to get tasks accomplished. Shortly after you arrive to teach in in Korea you will quickly realize how convenient and efficient banking is compared to back home.
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As the late Freddie Mercury said, “Another one bites the dust…” Of course in this classic tune the legendary Queen singer was referring to the start of a new term at Chungdahm. So we come again to that tri-monthly ritual of welcoming yet another crop of new students to our classrooms. While I have had a few problem children during my time teaching, at the same time it is quite difficult to lose your favorite students, both those that were naturally gifted from the start, or those that had to scratch and claw their way just to be able to proudly exclaim those magical four words, “Teacher, I leveled up!”
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A new job is always simultaneously exciting and scary, but especially so when your job is on the other side of the world. After working at Chungdahm for the past ten months, I’ve picked up one or two things that you can expect to encounter while teaching English in Korea that I wish I’d known before. So, allow me to be your Chungdahm spirit guide. Here’s what you should know:
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One of the great things about teaching English in Korea for Chungdahm is that instructors have the opportunity to make extra money during the students’ summer and winter breaks. During this time, Chungdahm offers Winter/Summer Workshops which are three hour classes in the morning usually from 9:30am to 12:30pm. Depending on your branch, class schedule may be a bit different. The class subjects range from basic reading, listening, and comprehension to TOEFL test preparations.
It’s a great way to make use of the extra time Instructors have in the morning. Instructors performing these workshops will have the option to work as little as 2 days a week, and if you’re ambitious up to 6 days a week. Currently I am doing 6 days a week. I admit, it does get intense and tiring, but the good thing is it’s only for a month. The good chunk of money I’ll be making is worth suffering for only a month.
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There were many factors to consider before making the final decision to come to teach English in South Korea. I probably thought about it for a good 6 months. Here’s a list of concerns I had and the reasons why I chose to come to Korea to teach English. Hopefully this list will help you decide as well or just calm your fears.
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As I prepared to come to abroad, I worried plenty about my actual job of teaching English in Korea, but I also gave a great deal of thought to how, and with who, I would be spending my free time. Chungdahm does a pretty good job of preparing you for your job, but with anything outside of work, it can sometimes feel like you are on your own. Fortunately, there are thousands of expats in Korea that were once in your shoes and are willing to help; you just have to know where to find them.
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Recently, I have been getting a lot of questions regarding the week of training that ChungDahm requires you to go through upon arriving in Korea. I remember at first I was perfectly confident and excited to get started, but then I heard rumors of how intense training week is, and I started feeling nervous. To dispel any rumors I will tell you right now that the level of intensity of training week is relative and depends entirely on your level of preparedness. So let me give you my own personal breakdown of it all so you know a little of what to expect.
In the first couple days that you’re in Korea, you will have to study for four short quizzes. You will be asked to watch a few videos to help you prepare. The four quizzes include:
- The History of ChungDahm
- ChungDahm’s Code of Conduct
- Grammar Review
- Reading Skills Review
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As you are preparing to teach English in Korea, it might be helpful to know exactly what types of clothes to pack and what you should leave at home. I know in my case it would have been helpful if I had some guidelines on what to bring. Even if you do forget an item, rest assured that you will have no problem finding most any style or size of clothing in Korea, but you will save yourself a lot of time, money, and energy if you are aware of what to pack before you travel to Korea.
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