Growing up in the Southern tip of Africa leads one to broaden your horizons to new lands, cultures, and memories.
Life is full of the unknown and the what ifs – keep in mind the hungry wolves that try to cheat and steal from you.
I chose this program because I wanted a trustworthy and reliable anchor in the deep waters of finding a job thousands of miles away – a job in a country with different traditions, food, and above all, a different language.
The program assisted me with far more than just what was expected. They gave me step by step instructions from what they need from me (like my CV) and even country specific information.
As I am from South Africa, they gave me the locations and operating times of where I have to go with my documents, step by step. They also provided me with a Teacher’s Manual and a guide for my first few days in Korea.
I would say do not hesitate to ask questions. This is your future that we are talking about. You have to be sure that you understand what is required of you and what is expected from your employer.
The agency normally has a correspondent in your country of choice, so ask all the questions you need. The correspondent will make sure there is no language gaps (and you will have it on black and white, just in case).
I am at a Hagwon so that means this is a private school. I start work at 10 am and then we end at 6:30. In the mornings, I have kindergarten kids. We just play and basically have a great time while learning English. The afternoons are more of a language school setup. This means kids come in and they have books, and we go through it and help out where we can.
Meeting new people - BIG ONE.
I can honestly say, just meet one person and the rest is history. If your co-workers have been there for a while, it is much easier to meet new people. The expat community is really your new family over there. There are groups on Facebook that also help out, with regular meet-ups or events taking place in your city.
The things you miss the most about home is not really the things that you would expect. It is not the jams that you sang along to on the radio or the even the special at your favorite restaurant.
It`s the small things that you miss like the headache pill from back home or your brand of aftershave. The pillowcase in your room and your favorite seasoning.
A sentimental little thing can truly help you through the home-sick days.