Tips for travelling and working abroad

Applying for a job teaching English at a private school in South Korea is surprisingly easy. There is rarely a shortage of jobs, even though hundreds of graduates from all over the world are applying for teaching jobs throughout the year. You can apply to various agencies for a teaching role in South Korea and the turnover of applicants is extremely fast. Agencies advise that you apply 2-3 months prior to your ideal leaving date. When applying, you should gather your documents together as soon as possible, ready for when you receive an offer. The agency should also help you with this.

Don’t be worried about any previous experience. Most travellers teaching in Korea have never taught before and have simply had part-time roles; the important thing is that you have a degree. Currently, most schools in South Korea do not require a TEFL, but if you want the flexibility of moving around Asia and teaching in other countries, a TEFL is a must. In addition, as the popularity of teaching English in South Korea increases, you may find a TEFL can help guarantee you a placement.

A Hagwon is a private English school which children attend in the late afternoon/evening, after their public schooling. Therefore working hours range anytime between 1pm – 10pm. If you want to work in a public school, this would be through an EPIK program, where your hours are normally between 8.30am – 4.30pm. Both have their benefits. However, if you don’t mind finding out where you are placed in South Korea with short notice (as with EPIK you find out 10 days prior to starting your job), choosing EPIK will provide you with more school holidays. At a Hagwon, you only have 10 days entitlement, in addition to the national holidays. Personally, I have found that by working 3.00pm – 9.30pm I have been able to do a lot of activities in the morning before going to work. In the end, the choice depends on your own preferences.

Packing is another important element to think about when living abroad for a year. South Korea has four seasons like every other country, but they can be very different to those you are used to. For example, in the winter it is extremely cold but there are always bright blue skies and a lot of sun.  It rarely rains during the winter months. Therefore, when packing for a year in South Korea, bring thermals for the winter (with ski gear if you are interested in skiing) and plenty of wet gear for the monsoon season. It also gets very warm in Korea, so plenty of summer wear is needed. Girls,  keep in mind that it is generally unacceptable to wear clothes which reveal your shoulders or cleavage. Therefore, light cotton tops covering your cleavage and shoulders are a must in the summer. However, extremely short skirts are completely acceptable and you will see students wearing miniskirts and shorts all year round, so there will be no problem bearing your legs in warm weather. I’m not aware of any restrictions on male clothing.

In addition, you need to consider special items that you prefer from home. Items such as face wash, hair products, toothpaste, deodorant, female products etc, are slightly different in South Korea. Roll-on deodorant is also extremely hard to find.

Lastly, try to bring as many easy slip-on/slip-off shoes as possible. When entering most houses and most restaurants you are required to take off your shoes.

Although teaching English in a foreign country is not for everyone, the benefits can easily outweigh  any travelling concerns.  Benefits include reduced income tax;  only 3.5% of your pay, flights to and from Korea paid for by your school, housing allowance and the ability to travel while saving money.  Wages are extremely competitive compared to low living costs. Furthermore, when completing a years’ contract with a school, you will receive a months’ severance pay and a return flight home.  Due to the low living costs, an activity such as taekwondo (Korea’s national sport) is far cheaper than you can ever expect at home. You can also ski in Pyeongchang ski resort at very low prices – this is where the winter Olympics are due to be held.

Lastly, festivals and events held in South Korea improve your travelling experience, as you can work through the week and visit surrounding areas for important cultural festivals and events during weekends. For example, every year in July, a famous mud festival takes place, attracting visitors from afar. The festival is an experience not to be missed and rolling around in mineral-rich mud is completely acceptable!

Questions to consider when choosing a TEFL are: Do you want to travel to other Asian countries and teach English after finishing the course? Do you learn better through interaction with teachers, or using online materials? Questions such as this will determine whether you take a TEFL or not and the type of course you would be most suited to.

There are lots of sites online which provide TEFL courses – the more reviews and research you can do, the better! Ask around for recommended websites.

Overall, teaching in Korea is a once in a lifetime opportunity and although it can seem daunting and overwhelming at times, it will provide you with a vast range of skills and experience. Imagine sitting down in an interview and describing how you can use the skills you have gained in your year abroad in the job your are interviewing for. Prospective employers value candidates who show they can thrive within a vastly different culture, build relationships where communication is sometimes difficult, deal with unexpected problems (highly likely in a classroom of children), flourish in situations which demand complete independence and self-sufficiency, learn an extremely different language, manage time and think on your feet. This list is endless! If you are unsure about the direction your life should take, or you want to travel the world but have no way of funding it, consider teaching English in a foreign country – it is truly a once in a lifetime experience!