Well. I am going to write a blog while I am in South Korea for the next year and I feel that it would be best to start out with a FAQ section regarding how this all came to be. The answers should encompass the story fairly well, while the story alone wouldn’t answer everything.
Frequently Asked Questions (in no particular or particularly sensical order):
What are you doing in Korea? Teaching English as a second language to 8-13 year olds at a small private school!
Are you going to be in the “bad” Korea? Nope. Couldn’t go there (to North Korea) if I tried. South Korea is very safe and relations between the two countries are pretty good right now from what I hear.
Are you scared/nervous/excited?
The part of my brain that feels fear may be damaged, but no I’m not scared or nervous at all! I am extremely excited and ready for this move! Though I’m fine now, I fully expect to be overwhelmed with apprehension and nervousness as soon as I sit down on the airplane that will take me to my new life.
Aren’t you going to miss your family/America/me/taco bell?
Yes, yes, yes, and Seoul got a Taco Bell last year, so no. I’ve known since I was seven years old that I would not be a hometown American girl. As a Cross-Cultural Studies graduate it should not be a huge shock that my next step involves moving to another country. I am sure that I will miss many things, but I am excited for the adventure and challenge of adapting to an entirely new sphere of life. Also, South Korea has one of the fastest internet connection in the world… So hit me up on Skype!
Do you speak Korean?
Nope. Well, I know a few random words such as; pencil, God, love, to read a book, to eat food, silly, etc. It’s not necessary for the job that I will be doing. Howeverrr, I really really really hope that I learn Korean while I am there!
How did you get this job?
I was searching for a job in West Palm Beach through PBA’s network and I scrolled by a job teaching English in South Korea. A few days later I went back to research it some more and ended up applying with an organization called Travel and Teach. They did a phone interview with me (from Canada!) and said that the experience I have working with children would be very helpful in getting a job teaching. So essentially this organization created a profile for me and contacted me when a school was interested in interviewing me. I did a phone interview with the director of a school in Korea and accepted the job a few days later! This all happened surprisingly fast!
Do you know how to teach ESL?
I have no formal teaching experience, or English as a Second Language experience. The school assured me that I would be trained in Korea and said that I didn’t need to pursue any kind of certification while here.
Are you going through some kind of ministry or organization?
Travel and Teach is the organization that connected me with the school and has been the intermediary between us. Once in Korea I hope to find ministries to connect with in a volunteer capacity.
How long will you be there for?
My contract is for one year. I leave on Monday (May 30th) and my start date is June 1st.
Can I come visit you?
Yes!
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