Teachers Share their Experiences While Living Abroad!

5 Reasons to Visit Korea from a ChungDahm Alumnus

Posted on Tue, Jan 10, 2017 @ 04:11 PM

Cindy Ung is a ChungDahm Learning alumnus whom I met during our training week back in the winter of 2011. Not only have I had the privilege of being friends with Cindy, she also introduced me to Aclipse Recruiting. Originally from New York City, Cindy studied at Rutgers University where she was able to learn about teaching opportunities in Korea. Wanting to broaden her perspectives of the world, she lived and worked for ChungDahm in Seoul for two years and since leaving ChungDahm over 3 years ago, she has become a successful real estate agent in New York City. However, every year during her vacation she always opts to come back and visit Seoul for the week. When I ask her why doesn’t she go travel to another country, she always says that that Korea has become her second home. For many of us teaching in Korea, I think Korea will always have a special place in our hearts just like hers. Below are Cindy’s top 5 reasons why she continues to come back to Korea.

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Tags: korean fashion, ewha womens university, shopping in Korea, food in Korea, friends, partying in Seoul, hongdae, party, Cafe, Gangnam, myeongdong, internet cafe, fashion, Seoul partying, dog cafes in korea

A Man's Guide to Buying Clothes in Korea

Posted on Fri, Aug 14, 2015 @ 02:10 PM

I am a bigger sized guy. (I’m 6’3, 250 lbs.), Finding clothes that fit me is difficult in Korea and online resources about where to shop for larger sizes are scarce.  This blog is dedicated to you  - the expat males who currently live in, or plan to move to Korea! Beware - you may not meet the average male Korean size. 

Recently while back in the U.S. for vacation, I was thrilled to find a  wide variety of clothes that fit me comfortably.  I replenished my wardrobe to meet my needs for the rest of the year in Korea. If you don't have the opportunity to visit home and stock up while living in Korea,  here are a few tips on where to buy clothes in Korea that will fit and what you should pack prior to departure.

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Tags: shopping in Korea, busan, IFC mall, myeongdong, Apgujeong, Lotte World Mall, Clothes in Korea, men's shoes, Texas Street, Gmarket

Celebrating Christmas and the Holidays as a Teacher in Korea

Posted on Tue, Dec 09, 2014 @ 11:55 AM

Spending Christmas and the holidays in a different country can be difficult for some of us. Growing up, I’m used to having a giant Christmas tree hung with ornaments, presents surrounding the tree, and having a great meal with friends and family. But, this is no reason to feel down during the holiday season. Here are some great places that you can visit and feel the holiday spirit during this winter season in and around Seoul.

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Tags: Teach English in Korea, Teach Abroad, Teach in Asia, teaching in Korea, south korea, shopping in Korea, teaching at Chungdahm, places in korea, myeongdong, Herb Island, Lotte World Mall, Holidays in South Korea

Top Ten Spots to See in Seoul While Teaching in Korea!

Posted on Thu, Oct 09, 2014 @ 10:37 AM

During my time in Korea, I've been lucky enough to have a fair number of visitors. My best friend is currently visiting from back home in the U.S., and as I've been pulling her around Seoul to the spots I deem the most interesting and picturesque, I realized that I've got this tour guide thing down to a science. So whether you're new to Korea yourself or you're expecting visitors during your time here, let this be a guide for the spots you should definitely see. 

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Tags: Teach English in Korea, Teach Abroad, Teach in Asia, what to see, hongdae, ihwa mural village, Han river, Gangnam, what to do, palaces, insadong, myeongdong, dongdaemun design plaza, bukchon hanok village, jogyesa, palaces of korea, bongeunsa, Weekend activities in Korea

Korea's Underground Malls: A Great Place to go Bargain Shopping

Posted on Wed, Oct 01, 2014 @ 09:14 AM

Living in Korea, you will never, ever need to look far for places to go shopping. Even if you aren't a shopaholic and prefer to quickly get whatever you need and get out, you'll find that this is often outrageously convenient. Areas like Myeongdong are widely talked about, as are the malls and massive department stores. One shopping spot that often gets skipped over, though, is the underground shopping centers. Believe me, it is here that you will find some serious treasures.

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Tags: fashion in Korea, Teach English in Korea, Teach in Asia, shopping in Korea, bupyeong, myeongdong, fashion, Engrish, subway, Transportation in Korea

A Shopping Mecca: The Seoul Summer Sale!

Posted on Mon, Jul 21, 2014 @ 08:44 AM

Myeongdong is one of the shopping Meccas of Asia. During the Korean summer its streets are filled with Chinese, Japanese and Taiwanese tourists who bustle into Korea in numbers, stocking up on clothing and brand names. In recent years, Korea has been a growing fashion trendsetter due to the rise of K-pop and the growth of local designers.

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Tags: things to do in Korea, summer in korea, shopping in Korea, Activities to do in Korea, accessories, myeongdong, sales, discounts, make up, patbingsu, mandu, kalguksu, Clothes in Korea

'Tis the Season for Gifts from Korea!

Posted on Tue, Jan 21, 2014 @ 01:15 AM

Ahh, the holidays. While it can be hard, as an expat, to be so far from family and friends during the holiday season, it's also a grand adventure. After all, how many holidays will you be spending in a different country?! For the past two years, I've been trying to make the most of it. And one of my favorite ways to keep myself occupied and in the holiday spirit? Gift shopping! Here's a look into where I'll be headed to pick up all of my gifts this year... 

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Tags: teaching in Korea, shopping in Korea, seoul folk flea market, bupyeong, dongdaemun, insadong, myeongdong, Holidays in South Korea, Transportation in Korea

5 Things to Do with Visitors in Seoul, Korea

Posted on Tue, Apr 30, 2013 @ 04:22 PM

I arrived in Korea last July as a wide eyed and somewhat bewildered Westerner who truly had no idea what she was getting herself into. I’m not sure how it’s happened, but in the last nine months I’ve gone from a frightened tourist to a resident of Korea, and now I find myself calling this place my home.

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Tags: Japanese, family in korea, Buddist Temples, war, Gangnam, visit, places to see, myeongdong, history of Korea, Weekend activities in Korea

A Day of Beauty Shopping in Korea: Myeongdong

Posted on Mon, Mar 18, 2013 @ 04:30 PM

In addition to teaching English in Korea, I blog about beauty products and it is definitely important to share with you my love for Myeongdong, the best place for beauty products in Korea. I blog about the American beauty products tand my obsession with them. Living in Korea, I have discovered that there are many differences between beauty products you find in America and the ones sold in Korea.There are so many differences between American and Korean products that I have been shopping like crazy when in Korea!

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Tags: Tony Moly, Missha, Clio, Face Shop, Banila Co, Nature Republic, Its Skin, Innisfree, shopping in Korea, food in Korea, myeongdong, Beauty Products in Korea, Weekend activities in Korea

Visiting Pet cafes While Teaching in Korea!

Posted on Mon, May 07, 2012 @ 11:12 AM


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.

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Tags: seoul, cafes in Korea, myeongdong, pets

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