ESL Teacher Q&A: A glimpse of life in South Korea

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!

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