Step one: Don't count the steps

Welcome to the blog of my new adventure! To start off, I am writing this first post prior to leaving the US. This is because the process of getting myself to the airport with a one way ticket to Korea is an adventure as well.

I first began thinking about teaching English in South Korea in August of 2013, after the glow of getting a college degree had receded enough for reality to set in. My thought process went something like this:

 So I don't have a job and I'm not yet tied down to a lease, what do I want to do with my relative lack of adult responsibilities? Go abroad!

The decision of South Korea as my destination of choice came relatively quickly and from there I began my research.

Note: Looking for teaching jobs in Korea is a rather time-consuming and confusing task. It took me the better part of three months to research the types of jobs available, what I would need to prepare myself to apply, prepare (by getting a credible TESOL certification and as much in classroom teaching experience I could get), and finally apply to my top choice jobs with precision.

Oh but it didn't end there. After the application (which was comparable in length to most grad school applications) was submitted, there was waiting. For the month of December and the beginning of January I waited for my interview, then the results of my interview. Both of my interviewers told me, " Great, well we will contact you in the first or second week of January, in the meantime, relax and happy holidays!" Needless to say, relaxing was quite difficult while my fate was being decided.

Fortunately on January 12th  I was offered a teaching position with EPIK in the city of Busan with a departure date of February 19th. The past month has been a blur of preparation, more paperwork and saying goodbye to friends and family. Over the course of this now 6 month process, I have been asked many questions about Korea and teaching English. Anyone who is reading this probably has similar questions, so I decided to do an FAQ of my favorite questions thus far so that you have a better idea of what I'm about to do.

FAQs about Korea!

Sooo….are you going to North Korea or South Korea?

South Korea. You can’t, in fact, visit or live in North Korea if you aren’t a North Korean or Dennis Rodman.

Why are you going to Korea?

Some of my closest friends have been Korean immigrants/of Korean descent so I know a bit about Korean culture (such as they listen to K-Pop, eat Kimchi and speak Korean for starters). I also wanted to live in Asia and South Korea seemed like the best option in terms of secure teaching positions.

Where are you going to be living?

In an apartment in Busan. I have zero idea where it is exactly as my school decides where I live, but I will find out as soon as I arrive in Busan. Busan is 2 hours away from Seoul via high speed train and a ferry ride away from Japan. There is also a giant beach and everyone has told me that Busan is a great place to live! It is known as the “summer capital of South Korea,” has the famous Haeundae and is known for amazing seafood/street food and beautiful seaside temples. Basically, its great during the summer and probably pretty cozy in the winter as well.

Will you have internet?

Yes, Korea actually has the fastest internet in the world and it's also available everywhere. Except in my apartment for the first month, as I have register as a foreigner and get a residency card to set up internet/phone/bank accounts. The Koreans prioritized internet speed almost a decade ago and so are leagues in front of us. Check out this CNN article, it’s pretty interesting and explains why its faster there than in the US.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/03/31/broadband.south.korea/

What exactly are you doing there?

I will be teaching with the EPIK teaching program. Its a government program that hires native English speakers from around the world (England, Ireland, Scotland, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand), to teach English in public schools throughout the country. They hire us, the teachers, then they ship us out to Korea, give us some tips and such and assess our teaching style. After orientation ends we are assigned a school and leave to meet our Korean co-teacher who will help us get settled in our apartment and school. Oh and they help us buy food and bedding, which is really great as I know that will be a daunting task right away.

Are you qualified to teach in a classroom?

Well that is debatable, but I think I am as qualified as I can be. I am armed with a quality TESOL certificate (which was not taken online and came with graduate level credit, already on my way towards a masters!), years of experience teaching swim lessons, being a child myself and working in several ESL/ELL classrooms for the past 5 months. I feel comfortable teaching any level of student and can create lesson plans without fear. I guess I’m a bit qualified but with teaching there’s always more to learn! If you are curious about my TESOL certificate or what that means, check out the school where I got it, the School of TESL, which has many excellent resources if you are looking for a place to get your TESOL certification or just take some classes.

How long are you going to be gone?

My contract is for one calendar year (February 25, 2014- February 23, 2015), however I am hoping to either extend my contract for another year, or find another job in Korea so that I can really immerse myself in Korean culture.

Can you speak Korean?

Nope! I am trying though. Currently I can say “hello” “I’m an English teacher” and some other phrases, but I don’t remember which ones are which. I will make progress though and intend on taking a Korean language course once I get settled in Busan. I also want to take music lessons and join a kickboxing gym in order to force myself to use Korean. Plus I need musical and exercising outlets.

What is the weirdest Korean food you've heard of so far?

Eating live octopus. That sounds awful and scary, because the suckers can get stuck in your throat and people have died from this. However Korean food is quite delicious in general, so I think I will have a good edible experience.

What is the one thing you’ll miss from the US?

My friends and family. Luckily I will have this blog and the many means of communication that the internet offers to stay in touch. Please feel free to send me emails, comment on this blog or message me while I am away!

If you have made it all the way through this first entry, thank you for reading! The next installment will come once I have finally arrived in Korea, stay tuned!