Korean Job Discussion Forums

[aweitzm1]

So I accepted a job and I am excited about coming to Korea to teach. I love children and teaching. However, I am starting to get nervous and think what have I gotten myself into. I am leaving a decent career to teach in a foreign country with little teaching experience.

My goal is to make teaching my career, but there are no jobs where I am in the US. So I thought to myself why not experience teaching abroad. I plan while I am in Korea to start working on my MA in TESOL or Applied Linguistics so when I return to the US or leave Korea for another country I will have some credentials to take with me. I am not licensed in the US so I thought a Masters would help me when I return from Korea.

I am planning on staying in Korea for at least a few years. My biggest thought that keeps running in my mind is WTF am I getting myself into. I have been in my career for 5 years and I am just going to up and leave it. What will I do with my life and career when I return to the States?

Does anyone ever feel this way? I know in my heart I will love teaching abroad and this is the right decision for me. But the unknown of what I am doing with my life and how I will support myself throughout my career is worrying me. I am not a spontaneous person that says "All will work out..." I am more of the person that needs to plan everything ahead of time.

With the way the economy is I just worry about not being able to support myself and saving money for the future, because you never know what will happen in life. Am I nuts to think this way?

[boatofcar]

You're not strange for feeling this way. I felt the same way when I left a steady public school teaching job in the states to go to Korea. Take heart, though. You seem to have a good plan, trying teaching in Korea to see if you like it, if you do, getting a MA TESOL and making that a career. Just try not to worry and go for it!

[PigeonFart]

The fact that you're worrying is not a sign you've made a bad decision, its just a sign that you're a normal person. Tiz' very natural my friend to feel nervous embarking on a great voyage. In a few weeks when you've settled into your new life, you'll be greatful you left home.

But i won't B.S. you. It will be kind of nerve-wracking at times. 'Forewarned is forearmed' as they say. So when you feel like you've made a wrong decision, then just understand that those feelings are natural and you'll get through to the other emotional side.

[Janny]

First of all, you need to relax.

You have made a decision to come to Korea, so just do that and make the best of it. You may love it, you may hate it, but whatever happens you can never say it WASN'T a worthwhile life experience.

You didn't say how old you are..so I assume you're in your 20s. Anyway, you don't have a teaching degree yet. If you are young, then take this time in Korea as life, travel and cultural experience. Don't dwell so much on your career. Stay, make money, go to Thailand... If you're older, you may reconsider staying for more than a year. Get your butt back to the US and get your teaching degree. Teaching experience in Korea does NOT count for much when applying for jobs in the States.

You plan on furthering your education while in Korea, that's a great idea. Hope that works out for you. But I reckon that will work only if you have a positive experience in Korea. You need to have some good coping skills to deal with living and working in Korea, or any foreign country. I hope you read through this forum and some blogs so you'll be prepared for the culture shock.

I must repeat...stop worrying and let life pan itself out. We all go through periods of crisis where we second-guess our decisions. NOT weird at all!

Don't regret anything...because it's all what was meant to be. The more you trust your instincts, the better they will serve you.

[aweitzm1]

Thanks for the advice. I guess it is starting to feel real for me and that has me nervous. I am 26 years old now and I currently work in the legal field. For the post that asked my age.

I do plan on returning to the States once the job market improves to obtain my teacher's certificate so I can work at International Schools and possibly the Middle East eventually.

Just reading the posts made me feel better.

This will be an experience of a lifetime and I will find ways to improve my qualifications while I am in Korea. My goal is one day work in the Middle East so Korea is a stepping stone for me to get the experience that is required to teach in the ME.

I am looking forward to meeting a new group of people, learning the Korean culture and history, and challenging myself on what I can and cannot handle alone.

[.38 Special]

That's some great advice given to you. However, I should caution: If you come to Korea, you will die. They're cannibals. They will dice you up and mix you in with their kimchi!



What, you think I'm kidding? I read it on the lolinternet. It's true.

Seriously, though, you'll be fine. Korea is among the most accessible countries in the world for rookie teachers for no better reason than because many thousands of rookie teachers have preceded you, establishing massive infrastructure for teachers to be eaten in kimchi.

So relax, have a beer, and eat lots of peppers. Koreans like it spicy.

[gregoriomills]

Slow down with all that talk of "I plan on being in Korea for at least a few years....."

Come here and try it out, but don't make long-term plans for working in Korea until you've been here a while. I'd say at least 95% of teachers who come here leave within 2 years, and there are many reasons for that. It's not a completely bad place, just not so attractive as a long-term ex-pat option.

So bottom line: come here, have a beer or 3, get 6-9 months behind you, THEN decide your long-term Koera/ESL plans.

[Nick Adams]

aweitzm1 -

Your plan to work at an international school in Korea for several years before heading to the Middle East is totally doable. That's what I did.

The problem is, what next? The M.E. offers the best money but far from the best quality of life. After you pay off loans, how much money is enough to give up quality of life? Double? Triple? Quadruple?

When you do your certification try to find a school that offers certification plus master's degree in one year. It can take two, three, even four years.

[aweitzm1]

[Depths of My Soul]

[Noella]

[djsmnc]

You've really screwed up, OP. The fact that you're even questioning your decision marks you as a wishy-washy person who has a hard time holding up in real life. Korea will be hard. Real hard.

[oldfatfarang]

Well done OP for seizing the opportunity to change your life. I'm sure that you'll have a very positive experience in Korea. Teaching Korean kids can be great fun - if you get a supportive school. But as the forums show, not all Korean schools are supportive. However, don't let that put you off coming here and changing your direction in life.

Try not to think too long term about teaching/living in Korea. One year in Korea can be a very, very long time, and as you become more adept at living in this very traditional Confucian culture - you may find that one year is enough. Many people do their contract year - and then take their Korean expat experiences and new teaching skills to move on to other climes.

Good luck.

[mariposita]

I too work in the legal field and quite frankly I am tired of working for attorneys and in an office. I just barely made the decision too and there are times my confidence in my decision falters, BUT I am going to be 30 in a few weeks and I keep reminding myself that now - when I'm young, single, no mortgage, no kids, drowning in student loans - is the perfect time to go abroad and have an experience that will change my life.

Legal jobs will still be there when you return and you will still have all that legal experience on your resume if you decide teaching isn't for you. It's better to just go and try instead of wondering WHAT IF??

Best of luck...

[sallymonster]

I know how you feel, OP, I too recently accepted a job in Korea. I'm really excited, of course, but I'm also scared since I have never traveled much (I've lived in two US states and been to 3 others plus BC in Canada) and I've never traveled alone. I do not know anyone in Suwon, the city where I'll be living, though I do know a couple of people from college who currently teach in Seoul and Gangwon-do. I worry that the kids will be little monsters or the co-teacher will be horrible (we did exchange emails though and she seems nice so far).

I will miss my friends and my pets, and I suppose my family too, and I'm scared of the culture shock that I will almost inevitably experience in Korea.

It doesn't help that my dad doesn't support my plans. He thinks teaching abroad is useless and that I should just settle down here in the US and find a "real" career. I don't agree, of course, as I think that teaching abroad will be a priceless experience that will help me grow in so many ways. . . it just sucks when an important person in your life doesn't agree.