To all those thinking about coming to Korea to teach...here is my experience...
If you decide to teach in Korea here are...
My top ten things I wish someone told me before I came to Korea
1.You cannot be sensitive, really at all, about anything or you will go nuts...the sights, the smells, the staring, the ignoring, the lack of support, get ready.
2. You cannot care if you get to put your two cents in about decisions being made regarding YOU
3. You cannot care if the Principal only addresses your male counterpart,
4.You cannot care if you don't teach anything to anyone for weeks at a time
5. Even if you thought you could "go with the flow" check in with yourself and make sure you really can flow more then you ever dreamed you could
6.If you have any, any feminist tendencies,.. um...don't? Just don't be surprised that you won't really be heard or able to speak up for yourself and it seems to help if you are modelesque depending on which Korean males you are dealing with.
7. I think it would really help to know more Korean, much more Korean.
8. It helps if you eat meat and drink...I don't...I am simply put, one of the strangest creatures the folks in this tiny town have come across....maybe I am not quite human due to my healthy habits. Oh and animals don't seem to be highly regarded so if you have a bleeding heart, either ignore all the cold homeless cats and puppies and dogs in cages on mountain trails, and possible/probably dog ingestion, or don't come or cork the bleeding for a year.
9. Forget you knew what the sun looked like...
10. Oh shit...the won fluctuates, a lot....Doh!
Okay that being said...I came...here I am...in South Korea. I am all the wrong things for Korea. Oops! I am a over sensitive, animal loving, alcohol abstaining, vegetarian, bleeding heart, hippie with a nose ring, who likes to be in charge of myself and loves to teach and thinks everyone should be equal...
It's time to go home. And so I am. In three weeks I start the exodus home, the 12 hour flight to Denver CO where I can be all the things I am. I have been told by many people throughout my life how strong I am, over sensitive and a bit nutty, but strong and kind, playful and high spirited. So I thought I could get down with Korea...almost.
However...I was placed in a very small town that is quite cloudy and full of smokey something in the air, my apt is freezing cold all the time, the people I work with think I am weird but do seem to like me (small bonus!), I hardly ever really teach, which is a huge bummer because I actually enjoy teaching when allowed (aside from the awesome camp Michael and I did...so much fun..if only...), and my spirit is slowly drying up. Michael has watched it and I have seen it in him too. It really happened. Note: Just looked at pics from our trip to Thailand, we were both surprised to see how my eyes sparkled and how healthy I looked. I see that in ,most pre Korea pics as well.
This, as many people have parroted, is a crap shoot. Maybe your school will be great, maybe it won't. You can't know. You come and you try and it either kicks your ass and you go home or you suck it up, make the best of it and stay.
The government seems to spend a tremendous amount of time and money putting English teachers in EVERY school in the province I teach in. Many of these schools have either never had foreign teachers or have only had them part time. Now there are two teachers in every large school and the Korean teachers don't know what to do with us. I really think that EPIK ought to have had an orientation for the Korean teachers too. Many of them, as I have previously posted, were not even aware that we were coming until the day before. Oh the hierarchy!! Also the innovative English villages we were told we would be working in have been either non existent or off limits. There are some good ideas here but bottom line is we need to be allowed to actually teach English not just be tokens.
Understand that though I feel all the above there are some really nice things about South Korea. My most recent blog is about why I will miss it http://adventuresingangwondoland.blogspot.com/
So to balance things out....
My top ten things to do and see in Korea (for the sensitive Soul)
1. Hike...hike wherever you find it. Trails are beautiful, well marked and soothing if you avoid the big parks on holidays and weekends. There is usually a trail in the town you live in somewhere, just look.
2. Bi Bim Bap is so good. Really...and everyone seems to make it a little different. Treat yourself to the fancy kind in Insadong if you get a chance. Yum! And banchan!
3. Many Koreans are very generous. I met many sweet ajumnas and little old men and ladies, and esp parents of students who will bend over backwards to help you. Amazing! One family gives me free acupuncture!
4. When you actually get to teach...it's loads of fun. The kids in the small towns fall in love with you and love to play!
5. I really like Seoul...esp Insadong (a quaint, quiet, artsy district, with tons of tea houses and musical instruments). Seoul is easy to get around (or maybe it just seems that way of you have a Michael) and relatively tolerant of foreigners).You can get burritos in the district next to Insadong that are close to the original! Go on the Shamanistic Temple walk.
6. Naksan Temple and the HUGE statue of Kwan Yin will humble you and make you forget about your woes.
7. There are gardens everywhere, everyone seems to grow vegetables somewhere. I think that is awesome.
8. You get enough vacation time (if you do EPIK) to travel to gorgeous places and get paid while you are there. Yea Thailand!
9. Getting exposed to another culture is really important for self development. It changes you forever for the better and makes you appreciate what you have back home.
10. And...wait for it...I like radish Kim chi a lot.
Conclusion: If you think you can do it...give it a shot, You can always leave. But really think about it hard before you make the decision to go. But if you do come and it's tough remember to be self reflective, work on the bits that look like they could be HUGE growth opportunities. Take that new strength back home with you, even if you can't take back as much Won:-)
And now here's your moment of Zen...
Mmmmmmm! Mmm yum! Fluffy candy!
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