Q1: How am I going to teach children English when I don’t speak Korean and they don’t speak English?
A: Although walking into a class of Korean children sounds scary, it’s not quite as intimidating once you’ve got your chalk and textbook in hand. Most children speak a basic amount of English and textbooks are tailored to each level. Moreover, most schools have Korean teachers and foreign instructors working in tandem. Native speakers will cover the basics while the Koreans can review difficult vocabulary and translate text. Also, a trend that is becoming more common is for Koreans to actually join native speakers in class to handle any problems as soon as they present themselves.
Q2: Private schools vs. Public schools?
A: This will come down to individual preferences but the big differences are that public schools will offer more job security, vacation and a 9 to 5 schedule. They’ll also have much larger class sizes, roughly between 20 to 40 students.
Private schools will offer more pay, less hours, smaller class sizes and less preparation for classes. However, you may run into problem schools that may not pay you on time or in a worse case scenario, close.
Q3: How do I choose a location?
A: Again, this will differ widely depending on what kind of person you are but there is one general rule to remember. A small town in Korea will still be small, but the foreign community will be much, much smaller. These are places were you will walk around during the day not see another foreigner. You’ll get much more attention which will come with its ups and downs. You’ll have more job offers, and have no shortage of invites from other Koreans to go out for drinks but there will also be less English and you may find it harder to get adjusted.
Larger cities are quite the opposite, and will have more public transit, amenities and choices for food, recreation, etc. You’ll have a much larger ex-pat community to socialize with but you might not truly immerse yourself in Korean culture if you have a western community to fall back on. You may also spend more money and not be able to save as much of your monthly paychecks. Major cities include Seoul, Busan( Pusan), Daegu, Daejon, Gwangju, Incheon and Ulsan.
Q4: What can I expect with my apartment?
A: Most apartments will be around 475 to 600 square feet. You’ll have a Korean style bathroom, which includes a detachable showerhead on the wall with no allocated space for the shower itself. You just put your towel somewhere it won’t get wet and use the entire bathroom as your shower stall. Trust me; you’ll get use to it. Most apartments will also include a gas range, kitchenware and utensils. The rest is pretty much standard.
Q5: What is the money like in Korea?
A: This was covered on the main page, but expect to make anywhere from 2.0 to 2.5 million won depending on your experience. For first time teachers you can pretty much count on making between 2.0 and 2.2 million won per month.
Q6: Do I need to take a teaching course before coming over, such as CELTA or TESOL?
A: While any certification will help you a great deal they are not required. However, if you have one it will give you more bargaining power when negotiating your salary. Teaching at most schools in Korea is pretty straightforward and sometimes doesn’t allow as much creativity or flexibility as we would like. At times like these you may feel you’re not using your skills as much as you’d like if you did have one of the courses mentioned above. So again, they may come in handy but are not necessary.
Q7: How much does it cost to live in Korea?
A: With rent already paid by your employer, the cost of living in Korea is minimal. Utilities, including Internet and cable will run you around 100,000 won per month. Food, alcohol, movie tickets and other choices for entertainment are all cheaper. Many people can get by on as little as 400,000 to 500,000 won per month.
Q8: Is Korea safe?
A: Korea is one of the safest countries in the world! I would be very surprised if you have any trouble walking around any part of Korea at night. The rate of violent crimes is extremely low. Guns and drugs are completely banned.
Q9: What is the quality like of dental and health care in Korea?
A: Aside from being very affordable, the care provided in Korea is very good. Hospitals and dentists are abundant and you should have little trouble finding one. Most doctors will also speak English because they are required to take their university courses in English. However, this all being said it still wouldn’t hurt to get a reference from someone you know before visiting a health care professional. The World Health Organization ranked South Korea 58th on their list of the top health care systems in the world. (http://www.photius.com/rankings/healthranks.html)
