When I made the decision to move to Korea to teach most things seemed to fall into place. I found a school quickly; they arranged my visa and flight. There was little to worry about except for packing. I consulted dozens of forums and blogs. I have now decided to compile my own list as I disagree with many of the sources I originally consulted. This mostly applies to women.
If you are going to be living in a reasonable sized city in Korea then packing should not cause you much stress.
Toiletries:
You will be able to buy deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo, tampons and just about any facial care product known to man (Korea is the land of skin care). I wasted so much time and money buying ridiculous items like oil-absorbent face wipes and Lush hair products when all of these things were available (literally!) across the street. While tampons are not as common in Asian countries as they are in the west I saw them in nearly every grocery store. Don't pack a year supply! Do consider bring condoms. Condoms sold in Korea are often of poor quality and western men complain that they are too small (take that with a grain of salt). So only pack enough basic toiletry items to last you until you build up the confidence to brave the Korean supermarket.
Clothing:
Korea loves stylish clothes and the prices are comparable to what you would see in America. Western brand clothing is also widely available (H&M, Forever 21, AE, The Gap ect). While you should dress nicely to make a good first impression when you have just arrived, you will likely be able to dress reasonably casually at work. I would avoid shorts, and tank-tops are a no-go in Korea, but I rarely ever wore slacks to work. If you are over a US size 10 or have a shoe size greater than a US 9 you might want to consider bringing clothing to last you a year, otherwise you should be able to buy clothing with little difficulty. The exception might be bras. Pack plenty of bras. Remember that Korea is blessed with four seasons which means summers are terribly hot, winters are very cold, and it rains the rest of the time. Plan to bring or buy clothes for every season!
Household items:
I would recommend against bringing any household items. You will likely end up with an apartment previously occupied with generations of western teachers. Even if your apartment is bare I can't really think of any standard household item that is not commonly available in Korean stores. The exception might be western style sheets. Koreans tend to use thick, quilt like sheets that can be hot in summer.
Food:
Some westerners go home and bring back suitcases of food. While I found that Korea was able to supply enough imports or Korean equivalents some people are picky about a certain brand. If you cannot live without Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing then bring some. Most of the foods you will find unavailable in Korea are foods that won't travel well, such as cheeses, sour cream, or salt-and-vinegar chips. An exception might be spices. If you love to cook you might find the kinds of spices available in Korea to be limited.
School supplies:
Don't bring any! There is a stationary store on ever corner here. Your school should provide you with all necessary teaching materials.
I suppose my most important advice is to not stress too much and don't over pack. You aren't moving to the middle of the Gobi. Korea is very wealthy and industrialized and it is not lacking for luxuries or amenities. Bring personal items that you need and use every day back home to make the transition easier.
Showing posts with label Korea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Korea. Show all posts
Monday, March 9, 2015
Saturday, March 7, 2015
So You Want to Teach in Korea
Teaching abroad is a great way to spend time in another country while gaining work experience and earning pretty decent money to boot. There are lots of great teaching options all over the world. I have friends who have taught in Peru, Germany, Indonesia, and Japan. There are ups and downs to all locations and different motivations to chose each one. I'll be dedicating this post to teaching in Korea and will probably do a follow up about teaching in China.
There are a few things you should know about teaching in Korea-
Korea is a slightly different market than other opportunities to teach abroad. The qualifications are minimal but generally non-negotiable. The pay is pretty solid but there is often very little upward mobility. Teaching in Korea is safe, convenient and easy, but you are very much limited to teaching. If you are looking to transition into something other than teaching Korea might not be for you. But lets circle back to the pay-check again- it is totally reasonable to save $10k a year teaching in Korea. And honestly, it isn't hard to get hired having never spoken to a child before.
A job in Korea should always include these things: a flight to Korea and back home at the end of your contract, an apartment, health insurance, and a monthly pay-check of about 2 million won. Pay may vary with qualifications. If you are offered a contract that does not include these benefits you should decline. You should carefully consider your contract before signing it. It will determine how much you work, how much you get paid, your living conditions, and what benefits you get. Your contract can be enforced to the letter and any promise not written into the contact is not guaranteed.
Korea has tighter restrictions on visas than some other countries. To obtain a work visa you must a have BA degree. Unlike China this cannot be faked or by-passed because you need a copy that is certified by the government that issued the degree. You must also hold a passport from an English speaking country: those being Canada, US, UK, Australia, NZ, Ireland and S. Africa. Being a native speaker but holding a different passport won't cut it. To do anything in Korea you need an Alien Registration Card, which can only be obtained with a visa, so trying to teaching in Korea without a visa is not a viable option. The only other solid requirements are that you need to be able to pass a background check and a health check. If you have a BA, a passport from a native English-speaking country, a clean back ground check and don't have AIDS you are a shoe-in. If you don't meet these qualifications check out China.
If you meet these qualifications then the first thing to do is to find a recruiter and decide which sector you want to teach in and what kind of location you are interested in.
About recruiters- schools pay recruiters to find teachers for them so you should never pay a dime for the "opportunity to teach abroad" as they might phrase it. On that same note, always remember that the recruiter doesn't get paid unless you sign a contract so they are more interested in getting you to agree to take the job than they are in making sure you are placed in a good school. Some recruiters promise to find you another school if the school you sign with doesn't work out. Go ahead and apply with a number of recruiters and see who offers you the best options. The recruiter should also be in charge of helping you do all of your paper-work for the visa and arranging your flight. The paperwork is tedious and can take a long time so factor that into your timeline.
There are generally three teaching options in Korea: public schools, private language schools
(Hagwons), and universities. All have advantages and disadvantages.
University jobs can be hard to get, unless you are will to work outside of a major city. Most of the people that I know who held university positions got their job in Korea after having taught for a few years. These are generally the only jobs geared toward teaching adults (though there are some exceptions).
Public school jobs offer more vacations days than hagwons, but might pay less. They tend to be less risky than a hagwon job but you are also likely to be the only Western teacher in your school and you might have huge classes. The jobs are also increasingly unavailable as Korean teachers replace foreigners to cut costs. Public school jobs require a TEFL or a Master's degree. Most people that I know who have chosen this route have been very happy but I think it is an advantage to have already established a friend-base in Korea before working at a public school.
Hagwons are the most popular options but also come with a number of risks. Hagwons are for-profit language schools teaching kids anywhere from pre-K to high school. The image of the hagwon relies on having native English-speaking teachers and they are often willing to pay a premium to fulfill this. It is also important to remember that these are businesses and thus can be prone to taking advantage of teachers or even suddenly closing down without notice. It is important to research your school before accepting an offer!
Beyond considering what kind of school you want to teach in you should also consider where you want to teach. If you are applying from outside of Korea you likely have little choice or knowledge about what locations are open to you but you should consider what conditions you are looking for.
The two major cities in Korea are Busan and Seoul. There are large numbers of jobs in these cities but there are also large numbers of people looking to be placed there. Jobs in big cities often can pay less because they have more interested teachers and you should keep in mind that the cost of living is higher. Your housing will be more limited but your selection of western goods and English-speaking services will be greater.
Medium-sized cities often have a tight-knit group of expats that can be less isolating than a large, anonymous city. Unfortunately, if you don't get along with those expats you might be more isolated than ever.
Rural areas don't often see westerners and as such have added difficulties. You will be stared at, have your picture taken, and pointed at. But you will have plenty of opportunities to learn Korean and be immersed into Korean culture if that interests you.
When considering teaching abroad it is important to do tons of research to understand what you are getting into. You should also consider that what you hear on the internet (say, from Dave's ESL cafe) is going to be disproportionately negative. The majority of people who are in Korea and are enjoying their time there are not stopping to write about it on the internet. It is the people who are miserable who sit at home and complain on forums. I've only known a few people who were unable to complete their year-long contract but do be honest with yourself about your ability to undertake the huge change that is living abroad. You will at times be lonely, homesick, and aggravated with your students/coworkers/boss. Teaching in Korea can also be deeply rewarding and lucrative. It really is what you make of it.
There are a few things you should know about teaching in Korea-
Korea is a slightly different market than other opportunities to teach abroad. The qualifications are minimal but generally non-negotiable. The pay is pretty solid but there is often very little upward mobility. Teaching in Korea is safe, convenient and easy, but you are very much limited to teaching. If you are looking to transition into something other than teaching Korea might not be for you. But lets circle back to the pay-check again- it is totally reasonable to save $10k a year teaching in Korea. And honestly, it isn't hard to get hired having never spoken to a child before.
A job in Korea should always include these things: a flight to Korea and back home at the end of your contract, an apartment, health insurance, and a monthly pay-check of about 2 million won. Pay may vary with qualifications. If you are offered a contract that does not include these benefits you should decline. You should carefully consider your contract before signing it. It will determine how much you work, how much you get paid, your living conditions, and what benefits you get. Your contract can be enforced to the letter and any promise not written into the contact is not guaranteed.
Korea has tighter restrictions on visas than some other countries. To obtain a work visa you must a have BA degree. Unlike China this cannot be faked or by-passed because you need a copy that is certified by the government that issued the degree. You must also hold a passport from an English speaking country: those being Canada, US, UK, Australia, NZ, Ireland and S. Africa. Being a native speaker but holding a different passport won't cut it. To do anything in Korea you need an Alien Registration Card, which can only be obtained with a visa, so trying to teaching in Korea without a visa is not a viable option. The only other solid requirements are that you need to be able to pass a background check and a health check. If you have a BA, a passport from a native English-speaking country, a clean back ground check and don't have AIDS you are a shoe-in. If you don't meet these qualifications check out China.
If you meet these qualifications then the first thing to do is to find a recruiter and decide which sector you want to teach in and what kind of location you are interested in.
About recruiters- schools pay recruiters to find teachers for them so you should never pay a dime for the "opportunity to teach abroad" as they might phrase it. On that same note, always remember that the recruiter doesn't get paid unless you sign a contract so they are more interested in getting you to agree to take the job than they are in making sure you are placed in a good school. Some recruiters promise to find you another school if the school you sign with doesn't work out. Go ahead and apply with a number of recruiters and see who offers you the best options. The recruiter should also be in charge of helping you do all of your paper-work for the visa and arranging your flight. The paperwork is tedious and can take a long time so factor that into your timeline.
There are generally three teaching options in Korea: public schools, private language schools
(Hagwons), and universities. All have advantages and disadvantages.
University jobs can be hard to get, unless you are will to work outside of a major city. Most of the people that I know who held university positions got their job in Korea after having taught for a few years. These are generally the only jobs geared toward teaching adults (though there are some exceptions).
Public school jobs offer more vacations days than hagwons, but might pay less. They tend to be less risky than a hagwon job but you are also likely to be the only Western teacher in your school and you might have huge classes. The jobs are also increasingly unavailable as Korean teachers replace foreigners to cut costs. Public school jobs require a TEFL or a Master's degree. Most people that I know who have chosen this route have been very happy but I think it is an advantage to have already established a friend-base in Korea before working at a public school.
Hagwons are the most popular options but also come with a number of risks. Hagwons are for-profit language schools teaching kids anywhere from pre-K to high school. The image of the hagwon relies on having native English-speaking teachers and they are often willing to pay a premium to fulfill this. It is also important to remember that these are businesses and thus can be prone to taking advantage of teachers or even suddenly closing down without notice. It is important to research your school before accepting an offer!
Beyond considering what kind of school you want to teach in you should also consider where you want to teach. If you are applying from outside of Korea you likely have little choice or knowledge about what locations are open to you but you should consider what conditions you are looking for.
The two major cities in Korea are Busan and Seoul. There are large numbers of jobs in these cities but there are also large numbers of people looking to be placed there. Jobs in big cities often can pay less because they have more interested teachers and you should keep in mind that the cost of living is higher. Your housing will be more limited but your selection of western goods and English-speaking services will be greater.
Medium-sized cities often have a tight-knit group of expats that can be less isolating than a large, anonymous city. Unfortunately, if you don't get along with those expats you might be more isolated than ever.
Rural areas don't often see westerners and as such have added difficulties. You will be stared at, have your picture taken, and pointed at. But you will have plenty of opportunities to learn Korean and be immersed into Korean culture if that interests you.
When considering teaching abroad it is important to do tons of research to understand what you are getting into. You should also consider that what you hear on the internet (say, from Dave's ESL cafe) is going to be disproportionately negative. The majority of people who are in Korea and are enjoying their time there are not stopping to write about it on the internet. It is the people who are miserable who sit at home and complain on forums. I've only known a few people who were unable to complete their year-long contract but do be honest with yourself about your ability to undertake the huge change that is living abroad. You will at times be lonely, homesick, and aggravated with your students/coworkers/boss. Teaching in Korea can also be deeply rewarding and lucrative. It really is what you make of it.
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Korea vs. China
I have been meaning to write this post for ages but haven't been able to organize it. A question I am often is asked is whether I like Korea or China more. Both have advantages and disadvantages and I have decided to try to write a post exploring them.
While I was born in Germany and have traveled in Europe my first real experience living abroad was Korea. Moving abroad can be overwhelming. The culture shock and homesickness and knowing you have made a commitment that may trap you for the foreseeable future creates a great deal of pressure. I felt positively sick during the weeks before I left for Korea. I was certain that teaching in Korea was the wrong decision and that I would spend the year just trying to make it through.
Korea turned out to be quite easy. My recruiter helped arrange my visa and plan ticket. The school sent someone to pick me up from the airport and take me to a hotel. The head teacher from the school came by in the morning to take me around and tell me about the school. An apartment was provided for me. There was very little risk or hardship involved. Korea is very industrialized and many of the young people in the cities speak English. Most restaurants have an English menu. While Korea is distinct and different from the US I didn't find the culture shock to be so tremendous. Korea is a very safe and an easy place to teach abroad for the first time.
That being said- Korea is boring. It is nice, pretty, safe and convenient. All of those things have merit, but it is boring. Korean society can be very closed to non-Korean so most foreigners spend all of their time together. Visas are closely controlled in Korea so most of the foreigners there are teachers or students, which creates an insular social group that can feel claustrophobic and incestuous. There is also very little mobility there. You can be a teacher but that is about it. You'll likely never progress much beyond the job you first received when arriving in Korea. The people who have been there for five or six years don't seem to have done much with their lives. But the money is good! With little effort you can save quite a bit of money in a year. I have friends who paid off student loans or paid for Master's degrees after teaching in Korea for two years.
China, on the other hand, is more of a frontier. In Shanghai the opportunities are limitless. You have the freedom to do anything you like and the social scene is very diverse. Only a few of the people I have meet here are teachers or students and many of them aren't from English speaking countries. However, the risks are much greater and the experience wouldn't be as easy if this were my first time abroad. China is much more overwhelming to the inexperienced. English isn't as common, the schools are more likely to be scams and screw you over, friends are harder to make with such a large selection, and there are more mistakes to be made for a first timer. If done right, there is good money to be made here. If you are rash and sign a contract with a school because it seems easy you might be trapped in a low-paying, over-worked job that has control over your visa. I've seen this happen to many people!
My overall impression is that I find Shanghai to be a wonderful place- but probably only because I was eased into it by spending a year in Korea. When picking a place to teach abroad consider what you want out of it. Do you want to make money fast and get out? Do you want to invest in being in one place for a long time? Do you want the freedom to travel? Different counties, particularly in Asia, can offer different things.
While I was born in Germany and have traveled in Europe my first real experience living abroad was Korea. Moving abroad can be overwhelming. The culture shock and homesickness and knowing you have made a commitment that may trap you for the foreseeable future creates a great deal of pressure. I felt positively sick during the weeks before I left for Korea. I was certain that teaching in Korea was the wrong decision and that I would spend the year just trying to make it through.
Korea turned out to be quite easy. My recruiter helped arrange my visa and plan ticket. The school sent someone to pick me up from the airport and take me to a hotel. The head teacher from the school came by in the morning to take me around and tell me about the school. An apartment was provided for me. There was very little risk or hardship involved. Korea is very industrialized and many of the young people in the cities speak English. Most restaurants have an English menu. While Korea is distinct and different from the US I didn't find the culture shock to be so tremendous. Korea is a very safe and an easy place to teach abroad for the first time.
That being said- Korea is boring. It is nice, pretty, safe and convenient. All of those things have merit, but it is boring. Korean society can be very closed to non-Korean so most foreigners spend all of their time together. Visas are closely controlled in Korea so most of the foreigners there are teachers or students, which creates an insular social group that can feel claustrophobic and incestuous. There is also very little mobility there. You can be a teacher but that is about it. You'll likely never progress much beyond the job you first received when arriving in Korea. The people who have been there for five or six years don't seem to have done much with their lives. But the money is good! With little effort you can save quite a bit of money in a year. I have friends who paid off student loans or paid for Master's degrees after teaching in Korea for two years.
China, on the other hand, is more of a frontier. In Shanghai the opportunities are limitless. You have the freedom to do anything you like and the social scene is very diverse. Only a few of the people I have meet here are teachers or students and many of them aren't from English speaking countries. However, the risks are much greater and the experience wouldn't be as easy if this were my first time abroad. China is much more overwhelming to the inexperienced. English isn't as common, the schools are more likely to be scams and screw you over, friends are harder to make with such a large selection, and there are more mistakes to be made for a first timer. If done right, there is good money to be made here. If you are rash and sign a contract with a school because it seems easy you might be trapped in a low-paying, over-worked job that has control over your visa. I've seen this happen to many people!
My overall impression is that I find Shanghai to be a wonderful place- but probably only because I was eased into it by spending a year in Korea. When picking a place to teach abroad consider what you want out of it. Do you want to make money fast and get out? Do you want to invest in being in one place for a long time? Do you want the freedom to travel? Different counties, particularly in Asia, can offer different things.
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