Greenheart Travel - Teach Abroad in South Korea

When I knew that I wanted to teach abroad in South Korea, I didn't know which program or organization to apply to. As I did my research, I stumbled across the Greenheart Travel website. At first, just the name itself, "Greenheart Travel" drew my attention because its name tells me that this organization cares for the whole environment of the world. I decided to read the Greenheart Travel website and learned that it is a non-profit international educational exchange program with a passion of helping others reach their full potential in teaching abroad and other experiences. By learning about their mission, I knew that this was the organization that I wanted to apply through.

I really liked how Greenheart Travel listed all the information for EPIK's (English Program in Korea) benefits package, qualification requirements, teacher responsibilities, schedule, placements, and application process. I especially liked how Greenheart Travel offered a discount to take the TEFL Certificate Course.

While I was completing my EPIK application, I always emailed Greenheart Travel when I had questions about something. A representative from Greenheart Travel always replied back to my messages within the same day or the following day. I was very grateful for their quick responses. Moreover, Greenheart Travel sent an email with details about how to obtain required documents for the EPIK application. Their email really helped me understand where to go, what to do, and how to send/obtain all the documents I needed.

Within about two weeks after sending my initial application to Greenheart Travel to send to EPIK, I received an interview with EPIK. Several days before the interview, Greenheart Travel emailed me a list of sample questions to help me prepare for the interview. I went through these questions and read through the EPIK website to help prepare myself. When the interview came, I was so thankful that Greenheart Travel had prepared me so well. Throughout the whole application process and the time period before I left for South Korea, Greenheart Travel has always been so helpful.

Now, I've been teaching in South Korea with EPIK since August 2011. This has been such a worthwhile lifetime experience for me. I enjoy teaching and living here. My schools are great to me. I live in a nice, cozy apartment that has a view of Mt. Hallasan, the highest mountain in South Korea. I like learning about the culture, attending festivals and concerts, volunteering, trying different Korean foods, hiking the many trails, exploring the beauty around me, meeting both kind locals and other foreigners, and simply making the best of my time here. At the same time, I'm also capable of traveling and saving money.

Overall, I thank Greenheart Travel for helping me get here. Several friends have expressed interest in teaching abroad and asked for my opinion, and I always recommend Greenheart Travel to them.

Teaching in South Korea was a wonderful decision and has given me experiences I never could have imagined. Although navigating the language and customs was and is a bit difficult, Korea is an easy place to become accustomed to and has plenty to offer expats. It's extremely easy to travel all over the country via the bus and train system, the food is fantastic, there are many opportunities to learn the language and the country as a whole is very English friendly.

In terms of teaching, most schools provide plenty of guidance and support. Personally I was put in an apartment that was bigger and nice than I imagined, in a great neighborhood and near many other foreign teachers. The staff was welcoming, my students are great, and I had plenty of resources to work with. I'm very happy I made the decision to teach in Korea.

Going to Korea was the best decision I ever made! I am so thankful I came across Greenheart's posting for the program on idealist.org that fateful day in August 2010! The application process is a little long because of necessary documents, but the Greenheart staff was very helpful and supportive the whole way. Once in Korea, you won't need much support from Greenheart anymore, as your school and EPIK will help you with anything you need. I really enjoyed my school and I loved my adorable students. The job was really fun. I also made a ton of new friends from all over the world, and there is always something fun to do in Korea, whether it is experiencing the nightlife, the cuisine, or the culture.

As far as daily life goes, all of the amenities you are used to back home are available in Korea. They are very tech savvy, the public transportation is fantastic, and my apartment was just a studio but had all I needed. There are certainly cultural differences, but as long as you go with an open mind and are ready to appreciate experiencing a new culture, it will overall be a thoroughly enjoyable experience.