EPIK (English Program in Korea)

I was placed in the province of Daejeon. I love this city as well as the school I was placed. My situation is unique because I have one school and all my co-teachers teach me with. This is unique because some people have two schools AND some people have co-teachers that say they will be in class helping but are not there/don't offer assistance. I would want future participants to know that it is crucial to manage expectations and remember that EVERYONE'S situation is different even though it is under the same program name. So much depends on the school, teachers, area, apartment, attitude of the principle, the peers you meet at orientation, ect.... Prepare yourself for any situation and remember that two people's times here is not 100% alike.

I think that EPIK is an excellent choice if you want to teach abroad. The salary, free housing, medical benefits, vacation time, and paid flights to and from Korea, all make for a very nice contract. Since the EPIK program is through the Ministry of Education, your job is stable and secure. You're teaching with the public school board so you don't have the same anxieties that you would if you worked for a private school that could pack up and close down at any time leaving you stranded without a valid visa or salary.

When you apply to the program you need to remember that each individual teacher's experience varies a lot. On your application, you are allowed to request a city or province that you would prefer to work in. You can also request a level (elementary, middle, or high school) that you would prefer to teach. But regardless of your listed preferences, you could be placed anywhere. Generally, the vast majority of teachers only find out where they will be teaching AFTER they have already signed their contracts. You might teach at one school in a big city where you only have to teach 2 different grade levels. Or, you might live in a rural area and teach at up to 4 different schools. Its very rare, but some EPIK teachers end up in remote areas where the nearest native english teacher lives an hour away. There is no standard EPIK experience. Every position is different and comes with a different set of perks and challenges.

You have to be prepared for any outcome. If you're flexible and adaptable then whatever outcome you wind up with will probably work out fine for you. Most teachers I meet in Korea didn't get what they initially wanted when they applied but they love where they ended up.

This program has given me everything that I wanted as a newly graduated undergrad- I have my own apartment, I can save a little money each month, I have the time and money to travel, and I'm gaining teaching experience and learning a new language. I teach both elementary and middle school at 3 different schools and I live in a rural area. It's challenging but I love my job and I'm so happy that I applied to this program.

I've never once regretted my decision to teach with EPiK. However, there are many factors at play and each teacher's experience is very different from the next. Orientation was informative and helpful but incredibly tiring. There was no WiFi which is kind of a big deal when you've just moved your whole life to the other side of the world. There was also never time to leave orientation to grab a real cup of coffee at a place that did have WiFi. It was non-stop lectures and workshops for 12 hours a day for 6 days.

My apartment and neighborhood was great. I really can't say anything bad about my living situation. Public transportation was very close to my apartment, the neighborhood packed with restaurants, stores, bars, pharmacies, cafes-- you name it!

My biggest complaint about EPiK is that there is very little accountability regarding co-teachers. Some are very helpful, value their native teachers, go out of their way to include them at school functions and strive to cultivate a strong co-teaching relationship from which the students greatly benefit. Others will provide little to no assistance even though that is part of their job (ie: setting up a bank account, going to the immigration office, etc.) and not put any effort into actually co-teaching. This is all a roll of the dice and it can be wonderful or downright dreadful.

1) You will teach alone at times, even though your coteacher is supposed to be there.
2) Your coteacher's level of English may be lower than your students.
3) You should have a basic understanding of Korean if you wish to teach effectively (especially to low level students) and manage a class by yourself.

I'm a pretty positive person, and I wouldn't give up this one year experience for anything since it has tested me in many ways (and I met someone special here). But this experience has been a far cry from what I expected. The biggest issue has been my visiting school, which is a 40 minute bus commute to a rural area outside the city (twice a week). I teach 4 afterschool classes a week without a co-teacher: 1st-2nd grade together and 3rd-6th grade together (the school is really small). If you've ever tried to teach/manage young students (1st-2nd grade) by yourself, you know it's a chore. Add to that the communication barrier and you've basically got a circus going. My 3rd-6th graders are extremely talkative and getting them to listen for longer than 5 seconds is difficult, not to mention finding activities that are level appropriate for all grades. Hence, my first semester was very stressful, to say the least.

Co-teaching is a challenge. Most EPIK teachers' grievances stem from problems with coteachers. You might have coteachers that use corporeal punishment, who can't manage the classroom, who undermine you by speaking solely in Korean, who teach the students incorrect English, or who sit in the break room and enjoy coffee while you teach. Thus, if you actually care about teaching your students English, you might find yourself -somewhat- frustrated. While I've experienced all the above (thus far), I currently have 2 experienced coteachers that I really enjoy teaching with this semester. You get the bad with the good.

With my intake, several issues have come up regarding breaches of contract. In fact, changes have been made to the contract (extending the minimum number of camp days) mid-way through the contract. When I contacted them regarding my summer vacation, they were very unwilling to accommodate my needs on the basis that I must follow the contract. I find it hypocritical that they can adjust the contract boundaries according to their needs but not mine.

As it stands it seems that EPIK offers better pay and vacation days than hagwons do. However, you should be prepared for ANY type of teaching situation, in ANY part of S.Korea. Only apply if you are prepared to be in a less-than-ideal setting.

I have been teaching in South KOrea for about four months. I am enjoying the experience, I live comfortably in my rent free apartment and at my school the students are great. I have travelled so much during my four months year, I have a 12 month contract and have so much more to see and can't wait for weekends which I have free to explore Korea.
A great experience I would definitely recommend to friends.