Teachers Share their Experiences While Living Abroad!

 

Okay, I know this blog post might be largely inapplicable, but hear me out: prior to teaching in Korea, I tried researching about how easy it would be to maintain my plant-based dietary choices. Unfortunately, I found few sources from which to gather information. Although this blog may only be useful for vegetarians and vegans, it’s important that I offer personal insight on this topic solely because it’s something that would have been useful for me to know prior to my departure. And to be honest, this likely won’t be my last post on the matter! So, if you’re interested in a (non-militant) account of my experiences eating a plant-based diet while living in a country that heavily consumes animal products, please keep reading! Read More

Tags: eat in korea, Vegeterian, Vegan

One of the biggest allures of the teaching in Korea is the opportunity to save money, whether it be for your own personal savings account or for paying off student loans. I am extremely fortunate to emerge from the extravagant nature of the American university experience with minimal student debt, but that does not mean by any stretch of the imagination that I am careless with my money. In South Korea, not only is the general cost of living pretty low compared to living in the United States, but establishments are also quite liberal with dishing out freebies at every turn. Allow me to fill you in some of my own experiences with the magical Korean concept of “service,” and by doing this I hope to teach you about the ways you can eat and drink in Korea for cheap. 

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Tags: saving money in Korea, drink in Korea, eat in korea

It's easy to fall into a pattern of go-to foods -- the easy, comfortable, "normal" ones. Bibimbap, gimbap, donkas, ramen, and of course, BBQ. And there's nothing wrong with eating these foods, but lately I've been challenging myself to seek out some of the stranger foods here in Korea. So, during your time in Korea, here's what I recommend you try that's on the more adventurous side of dining...

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Tags: eating in Korea, food in Korea, eating out in Korea, eat in korea

Napoleon once wrote that an army marches on its stomach. I couldn’t agree more with this statement, as I too wholeheartedly believe in the power of food. I am a proud glutton who is not ashamed to lick his plate or stare hungrily at my friend’s unfinished meal after I have devoured mine. Simply put, I love to eat. Of course I could write about the typical Korean culinary delights (my keyboard is soaked now as I salivate just imagining a plate of extra spicy dalkgalbi), but today is all about the non-Korean options. Daejeon obviously does not have the vast selection of Seoul, but I have still managed to uncover a number of solid options.

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Tags: Foreign Eats, shopping in Korea, food in Korea, eat in korea

So I’m sure everyone has his or her own reasons for teaching English in South Korea. Many people come just for the new experiences and the chance to immerse themselves in a foreign culture, but there is a significant portion of the Chungdahm community using their earnings to pay off student debts. With that financial mountain looming over many of us, we are all looking for ways to save money. Personally, I am not one to spend all my nights staring at my computer screen, depriving myself of fun just for the sake of frugality. But I still do make an attempt (some months I am more successful than others) to save a decent chunk of my paycheck, and here are my strategies for doing so. Don’t worry, they don’t require burning whale oil, living off a ramen and water diet, or using smoke signals to communicate with your friends.

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Tags: money in korea, cooking in korea, eating out in Korea, Costco, eat in korea, Kimbap, Spoiled by Korea, Transportation in Korea

For anyone who has heard of blood sausage, the Korean traditional sausage that scares a lot of foreigners, it is a Korean staple that everyone must try. It is one of those things that you are probably scared of (maybe EXTREMELY SCARED OF), but you should just give it a go. Luckily, there's a place that's very welcoming and serves this not so appealing Korean traditional dish.  Bong’s Food 봉스 떡볶이 is a small chain in Korea with an original location in Sookdae, and they serve up a less spicy version of the Korean traditional dish of rice cakes and it is probably the only place that I recommend for EVERYONE who lives in or is planning to visit Korea. 

Ddukbokki is a popular Korean staple food, along with blood sausages 순대, fish cakes 오뎅, and a variety of battered fried goodies 튀김 (which range from vegetables to dumplings to fish cakes even).

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Tags: blood sausage, food in Korea, restaurants in korea, restaurant, Daegu, eat in korea, cheap eats