The highs and lows of work and play

Arriving with EPIK really was the best option for me. They provided all the essential initial administration processess which come with working abroad; bank account, health insurnace etc. I wouldn't have known wear to start and the bilingual staff were really dedicated.

From talking with other teachers, it seems that every teaching job is different. I got lucky and really liek my school. I have a whole classroom and high tech facilities to myself- however, I didn't have a clue how to use any of them when I arrived to figuring it out was a challenge. I have creative license to teach my own syllabus, and I really enjoy that, but I have no collaboration with my Korean co teachers so I rely heavily on the expat online community and it really helps.

The expat community is really tight here, people need each other, so making friends wasn't difficult. There is always someone about to grab dinner or coffee with or have a moan about stuff- which is needed sometimes.

The great thing about Korea is that public transport is so cheap and efficient, so getting about at the weekends is easy. But, learning to read Hanguel and speaking some Korean is essential to getting by. Like knowing which town you're headed to on the bus (many of them look and sound very similar, and I have found meself at the wrong end of the country before!). I learnt Korean at a free language exchange programme and once I could read Hanguel, I found that life became so much easier, and it's really not as difficult as it may seem!

The downside is that school can feel a bit isolating at times, as you will be the only native english speaker in public schools. I found that really making an effort with my colleagues helped me to feel more at home. I'm in my second teaching year and still get a buzz out of new food and visiting new places. It's worth the effort in the beginning in making new friends and putting yourself out there in learning new skills.