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
Feeding off the last blog of Savory Street Foods, this list is for all the sweet savory street foods!
Tags: food in Korea, Hof, dinner, cheap goods, what to buy in Korea, snacks in korea, what to do after
Being that there are so many food choices in Korea, being able to eat a lot of it and the best of the best is very much needed. In addition to the traditinal ddukbokki, fish cake, and fried goodies you can find at almost every stand, the special ones on my list for a salty and more filling taste include:
Tags: food in Korea, Hof, dinner, cheap goods, what to buy in Korea, snacks in korea, what to do after
In precisely two months, I will be back on U.S. soil; it’s been ten months that I’ve been living and teaching English in Korea and I must say, I’m ready to go! I’ve already begun the process of packing and shipping things home as well as selling some household items to new teachers arriving in Korea in February. Shipping boxes home can be incredibly costly if you ship via airmail; a large box will run you about 140,000 KRW (weight 10 Kg). However, shipping via ship (sea) is much more cost effective; about 40,000 KRW. A big difference!! As for selling (and giving) household items, the waygooks (foreigners) in Pohang created a local group on fb dubbed “Pohang Bazaar” which is useful for buying and selling used (but useful) items for relatively low costs while packing up to leave Korea. This one thing has been immensely helpful to me as I’ve already sold many of my things there.
The decision to leave at the end of my contract wasn’t an easy decision. I’ve been contemplating what to do next since January. It’s not an easy decision to make and anyone who’s spent a year in Korea exploring and experiencing so many new things, will agree. Having acquired a hunger for adventure, I looked into options to teach elsewhere, including China, United Arab Emirate States and even Japan. Having relocated to Miami in late 2011, teaching elementary education in Miami was also an option. Renewing with Chungdahm Learning for a second year was another good option. Honestly, I’ve been able to make enormous strides in terms of paying off debt and with a second year round with Chungdahm, I’d be completely out of debt with quite a bit of cash saved up.
Having contemplated all of this, I thought that staying a second year with Chungdahm was the best and most responsible decision. Getting our of debt would give me an enormous sense of satisfaction. Afterall, how many people you know can say that they’ve gotten completely out of debt in two years? No one I know, that’s for sure! Still, I missed my family and friends and the comforts that go along with that.
While packing up to leave Korea, I hadn’t fully made up my mind when a fellow teacher suggested EPIK. After some consideration, applying with EPIK would allow me the freedom to head home for three months during the summer and head back to Korea in August. EPIK is a government run program in the public school system in Korea; teachers teach English at the public school system. While there are significant differences between teaching at a private school (academy) and public school, I decided that I was willing to take a chance. I had made a decision, and I was excited! I am excited!!
I’ve already made plans for the summer. I intend to spend my summer in the caribbean. Being a natural planner, I’ve mapped out most of my summer vacation. Definitely on the map, Japan, St. Vincent, Tobago and then Trinidad. I may also spend a little time in Key West, Florida with a good friend before I head to the West Indies. I’m so looking forward, it feels like I’m already there. Nevertheless, I will miss Korea. I’ve been looking over some old photos and it’s been quite an experience; I’ve haven’t been able to complete my bucket list but I’m sure that my second time around will give me the opportunity to do so much more.
Teaching with Chungdahm has been an incredibly rewarding experience. The students are bright and eager to learn English. Problem behaviors are at a minimum, the curriculum is already set for you, great hours and great pay. I can’t complain. I would encourage anyone to apply with Chungdahm Learning; it’s sure to give you immense job satisfaction. Wish me luck!
Nailah Rivers was born in Trinidad and Tobago. She moved to the United States with her family at the age of seven. She graduated Rutgers University in 2011 with a degree in psychology. Her sophomore year in college, she knew for sure that she would pursue a teaching career with a focus on elementary school. After a risky move to Miami, Florida in 2011, Nailah decided to take a chance and apply to teach English in South Korea with Chungdahm Learning. She is currently teaching in Pohang, South Korea and is having a good time teaching and learning. Follow her blog to get the inside scoop on teaching abroad.Follow Nailah on Pintrest!
Tags: Korean shipping, teaching in Korea, living in Korea, leaving korea, year in Korea, what to do after
Coming to Korea is not only about an opportunity to teach, to learn a new culture, to learn about yourself, but it is also the place to start a career. Going through Aclipse and Chungdahm, I met a lot of new people, a lot of folks that definitely taught me something new, especially this guy, Pinnacle. From the first day of being in Korea, he taught me something that I would never forget, how to teach Memory Giga. Pinnacle TheHustler (Jason Waller), was one of my two trainers when I first came to Korea to teach English.
Tags: Korean culture, things to think about before coming out to korea, living in Korea, Korean students, advice, music, music in Korea, tips, teaching at Chungdahm, teacher, what to do after, meeting people in Korea, performer
Taiwan has been nothing but amazing for me on my vacation from teaching English in Korea. My one week trip, which should have been so much longer, was just a week of eating and adventures with a group of close friends. Okay, maybe I stretched the truth a little, it was more eating than anything else! I mean you can't blame me because the food was just so good. From the Taiwan delicatessens to the random street finds, I think I spent 80% of my time eating. Even at all of the tourist locations, there were so many good eats that we would walk a few steps, grab a new goodie and munch our way down the rest of the street. I would've put on a lot more weight had I not walked everywhere instead of taking a cab, but I'm glad I was able to eat everything on my list of foods.
Tags: teaching in Korea, a year in Korea, vacation, taiwan, what to do after, term break
So as my contract winds down as an English teacher in Korea, I am beginning to plan my immediate next move. It seems that the majority of English teachers choose between one of three options:
