Need A Reason To Travel To East Asia? Here Are 2 Of Them
The writer of this post currently teaches English in South Korea. Before that, he had a corporate job and hated it so much. Ryan loves to travel and once this opportunity came along, he took it. Ryan will now give us some insight and information about his experiences abroad, particularly in South Korea. So here is Ryan, “I only buy portable printer” Johnson.
Already thinking about teaching English overseas? Have you thought about South Korea? Here are 2 reasons why you should at least think about doing so. Actually, there are a myriad of reasons why you should teach in South Korea. But here are just two reasons.
First: Traveling and Culture
When you first sign up to teach in Korea, you have to sign a contract. In the contract, the Korean government pays for your flight, visa, and housing. I know for a fact that the Korean government will pay 1.6 million Korean won (KRW) for you to get here, which more than covers the cost of your flight. I don’t have to pay rent. I also get money when my contract ends. That free rent really adds up! If you like to travel, I recommend teacahing in Korea. What better way to get paid to see the world? For a brief moment, consider your amigos. Your friends. Do a lot of them travel? It’s probably a small percentage. So how many people do you know that have been to Korea? I think only a few. Most of hte foreigners here are definitely either English teachers or in the army. So therefore teaching English in Korea is a pretty unique experience for foreigners. I think South Korea is an undiscovered gem which is sometimes eclipsed by the likes of other Asian countries like China and Japan. South Korea certainly doesn’t get the respect and recognition it deserves from countries like the United States. Some of my friends thought Korea was a third world country. But actually it has one of the best economies in the world.
Most importantly, immersing yourself in a foreign culture for months or a year (or more) is, simply put, an amazing experience. In essence, you just get all kinds of experiences. You get to experience new food and people who you will never see elsewhere around the world. I cannot tell you how amazing that is. Besides learning the culture, you learn a lot about yourself. I hate office corporate jobs. And this gig is way better than a corporate gig. You learn so much more doing this in the long run. This is my opinion. My teaching contract gives me 21 calendar days off per year. Plus sick days. Plus national holidays. Can’t beat that. This is not the case for all teachers, but that allowed me to visit places such as Hawaii, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, China, Japan, and some other places around Korea.
Here is Reason Number 2: Memories
I don’t want to repeat myself, but teaching English in Korea is truly an unbelieveable experience. Teaching English in South Korea has been one of my favorite memories of all time and something I will never forget. I work, and get to see firsthand, how another nation’s public school system operates. I get to witness the kids grow and get better at English and at life. I get to meet people who live from countries all over. For example, I have buddies from Canada, South Africa, Australia, and more! I have been fortunate enough to see beautfil Hawaiii, as well as Hanoi, Vietnam and the Great Wall of China. I’ve also learned a ton about Korean culture and language. I have even been to the military-enforced border of North and South Korea! Korea is one of the most technologically developed countries! I mean it just goes on and on. I think this is an experience you never want to miss. If you are on the fence about teaching here, or you really want to travel, my words of advice to you, are, in the words of Nike, “Just do it.”
