After being in Seoul for 6 months, I decided it was time for me to learn the language. It can be frustrating wanting to communicate, but not being able to do so because of limited understanding. Luckily, a coworker of mine knew of a place that isn't far and Korean language classes are taught for free.
Read MoreTags: Korean language, learning Korean, working in korea, teaching at Chungdahm, growing with Chungdahm, frequently asked questions
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.
Read MoreTags: Blogs, Best blogs, preparing to teach in Korea, packing, bags, learning Korean, shopping in Korea, teach in Korea, what to buy in Korea, Teaching skills, what to bring, hangul
Living and teaching in Korea creates opportunities to learn a new culture and speak a new language. With this experience arises the chance to make life-long friends across cultural barriers. Like every encounter living abroad, you have to put yourself out there and do what the "Romans do in Rome" and as in Korea..."Do what the "Koreans do in Korea."
Read MoreTags: Korean culture, Korean language, hanging out with friends in korea, learning Korean, cultural experience, teach in Korea, friends in Korea, Korea friends, cultural activities, cross cultural experience, meeting Koreans, friendship, Meetup, korean friends
Arriving in a new country can be really overwhelming. There are many things that need to be done quickly upon your arrival! Your head will soon be spinning, without knowing what to expect and how to go about it. Everyone coming to teach in Korea can better prepare for the time ahead by doing a little bit of research, and having a few conversations with foreigners. By doing this you can feel relaxed and be assured that your transition to life in Korea, will run smoothly.
Read MoreTags: ex-pat life in Korea, life in Korea, learning Korean, teach in Korea, arriving in korea, what to do after, Meetup, new teacher
Learning Korean can be really fun. Although not required for teaching at ChungDahm, I have found that knowing basic Korean has made my life easier during my teaching abroad experience. This blog will focus on both words that you need to know for everyday life and also the top keywords you should know for various social settings.
Read MoreTags: korean phrases, Korean language, learning Korean, dating while in Korea, Taxis in Korea, Transportation in Korea, Korean food, Korean fun, ordering food
For foreigners, South Korea is an enabler. It enables our late night partying, the late wake-ups the next day, and our frequent eating out at restaurants. Being such a Westernized country, it also enables our use of English. You can spend years in this country and never really have to use more than a few words of Korean, which is something that many foreigners fail to appreciate. I shake my head when I see foreigners yelling English at befuddled movie theater attendants or other service staff, somehow assuming that if they yell louder and faster, then these poor Koreans will magically acquire the ability to understand English. Personally, I believe that if you are going to spend a long period of time in another country, you should at least make an effort to learn the native language. Having been here just over a year, I have three tips for all you language connoisseurs out there on how to tackle the Korean language.
Tags: Korean pop music, korean phrases, Korean culture, Korean language, learning Korean, western culture in korea, restaurants in korea, music in Korea, basic korean
While I was preparing for my one year adventure in Korea in May 2012, my recruiter suggested
that I learn a little Korean and offered some helpful websites. I knew that learning a few words in Korean would be beneficial to me but my first encounter with the Korean language however, produced so much anxiety, that I was immediately turned off. “What in the world is this?” I wondered as I watched stick figures greet each other in Korean. Many questions filled my head. I felt overwhelmed and confused. I shut it off, calmed my mind and went on to do something else. However, this experience didn’t turn me off to teaching in Korea. I’ve been living and teaching in Korea for ten months already and though this is my second attempt at learning Korean, I’ve just about finished the alphabet and I am excited!
Tags: Korean language, living in Korea, learning Korean, free, tips, morning activities, communicating in Korea
Tags: Korean culture, teaching in Korea, learning Korean, podcasts, Korean podcasts, Korean news
When teaching English in Korea, it's important to know basic phrases and names of places, but it's also important to know how to address people. As one of my last 'editions' of Korean 101, here's a list of how to address people in Korea.
Tags: teaching in Korea, a year in Korea, learning Korean, basic korean, places in korea
