- ESL Partner
ESL Teacher Q&A: A glimpse of life in South Korea
Updated: Mar 10, 2020
Q: How long have you lived abroad?
A: I'm currently back in South Africa, but I lived in South Korea for 3 years.
Q: How long did it take to find a job in Korea/China?
A: It took about 2 weeks to find a job. However I got the job in October while the start date was in January.
Q: What was your biggest fear before moving abroad?
A: I was afraid of getting to South Korea and then regretting the move for whatever reason.
Q: What convinced you to take the step?
A: The longing to travel, plus the fact that I knew someone who'd made the move to South Korea already.
Q: Looking back what would you do differently to make your transition to living abroad easier?
A: I would definitely be more social and open to trying new things, and building relationships with people who are different from me.
Q: How did you experience settling into Korea?
A: At first it was utopia, then after the first 4 months I hit a slump because it hit me that this was actually my new life, I wouldn't to see my loved ones whenever I wanted to. I came face to face with the reality of having to sink my feet into a new environment with totally different cultural norms.
Q: What interests/hobbies have you been working on since starting your new job?
A: I discovered my love for digital marketing, content creation and curating, as well as my love for teaching. I'm currently doing my PGCE thanks to South Korea!
Q: What advice would you give someone interested in teaching abroad?
A: Don't overthink it. Just take the leap!

