TravelBud

This program has been supportive and attentive to to your preferences on where you want to reach and how old the students are, although I was limited in choices due to COVID. It does the anxiety inducing work for you in finding a school due to their connections, and having a guaranteed placement is reassuring. Advice I’d give to new travelers is it’s easy to say “anywhere” when moving abroad because it’s exciting, but try to narrow your preferences and the why behind them! I think you’ll be more satisfied if you allow yourself to be more specific and not end up in a place you end up hating.

The program was very fun and exciting to complete. It was a new step in my life, and I was very nervous throughout the whole process and before arriving in Korea, but the placement team made sure the transition was seamless and worry free, and I understood everything I had to do before I moved abroad. Every instruction and email that I was given was always clear and simple. It’s definitely something I’d recommend to other future teachers, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity that you won’t regret!

TravelBud was super helpful in helping me become an English teacher in South Korea and made the transition moving to a different country very easy and smooth! Moving to a different country and learning a completely new culture can be very difficult but TravelBud helped me find a very comfortable job and put me in contact with all the right people so when I arrived here my transition has been very smooth and really enjoyable! Would definitely recommend for anyone thinking of teaching English abroad for their first time.

Extremely smooth and informative staff. Saskia Smuts helped me during my application and time in Thailand. I'd definitely recommend this experience. I was a little nervous to go so far away from home alone, but they made the process simple in terms of explaining VISAs and other issues. When i arrived in Thailand, everything was already prepared for me in advance. I loved meeting new people and learning about their culture. Thank you TravelBud for helping me get to Thailand, and for helping me become a certified TEFL teacher!

So much I could really say here but overall, I would say TAKE IN the experience. Being in my 30s, I've found that there's something for everyone to do here in South Korea. The safety is top notch and the Koreans are pretty patient when it comes to the beginner Korean speaking person, such as myself, to be able to properly translate the needs of wants of daily life. It has been a humbling experience on so many levels, from having to depend on public transportation when prior to that I was on my own terms, to learning new ways, the Korean ways of doing things. A major piece of advice that I would give to any future travelers in the problem is be sure you know what is expected of you within your contract and to be open-minded at the same time. Know that the decisions you make from the beginning of the process to your end, will and should be decisions that are BEST for you. It started off pretty rough for me simply because being a veteran educator from the States, it was a bit of challenge to truly understand what a hagwon's expectation was for staff. I did not always agree with their procedures but at the same time, I had to remind myself that I was not here to compare but to embrace the contrast. Once I understood that, I begin to just go with the flow. Again, not being easy as a teacher with experience but it was the weekends and holidays off that really made it all worth where it didn't have to be ALL about work, but some time for fun as well. I do recommend that one knows their contract in and out and really understand what you are signing up for and not just because it sounds good and cute. Do it for the experience, yes, but also do it knowing your true goals and be open-minded because it will get difficult at times. Do it with a friend if you can! But whatever you do, do it because it is in your heart to do! The world is so big. Why not start with exploring outside the 4 walls you are in now?! ENJOY and never be afraid to do what's BEST!