When I applied for this placement in January 2020, during a time when the festive season had recently been cancelled by covid and everyone's spirits were low, I never dreamed that a year later I would be ringing in 2022 in South Korea! I am not you're usual adventurer, I think I applied for this purely because of I was bored of being boring. From my first conversation with Jaemi from The Fewer Things team, I was completely convinced that I could do this. He was incredibly supportive and even now continues to be. I probably bothered him with how many emails and messages I sent, but he was always there to help. The process to get to South Korea is not an easy one, but it is completely worth it!
South Korea is an absolutely stunning country! I am based in a smaller seaside city called Donghae-si in Gangwon-do. As an avid hiker this was an ideal destination for me, as I am only a walk away from mountains and beach trails. But, I am also only a 2 hour bus journey away from Seoul. Yes moving to a foreign country is incredibly daunting, but the local people are very welcoming and even if you don't know a single word of Korean a simple 'annyeonghaseyo' will go a long way; and you'll be amazed at how fast you'll pick up Korean phrases.
I can't simplify how much there is to do in South Korea, it's an incredibly cultured country, personally a trip to Gyeongbokgung palace is an absolute must! If you are a foodie you will also love it here as the food is fresh and delicious! Also South Korea is a very safe country to live in, if you are a solo traveller like myself then you have nothing to worry about. My schools have been very welcoming and even based in a smaller city I am never far from a friendly face, as I have met other foreign teachers who have hopefully become friends for life. Also this placement is the most rewarding job I have ever had. If I was to sum-up my experience in one word it would be, phenomenal.
I would highly recommend teaming up with The Fewer Things to come to South Korea, as even though it wasn't an easy process to get here, I wouldn't be here at all without their continued support. I'd urge anyone to apply for this placement as South Korea is the place to be!
What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
I come from a tiny village in the north of England, and even though I don't live under a rock and have lived in bigger cities like Leeds and Liverpool, as well as visited London, the sheer size of Seoul shocked me. It is massive and there is so much to uncover! I would never trade my seaside placement, but Seoul in itself is an experience that keeps on giving.
Response from The Fewer Things
Hey Trevor,
Thanks for such a great review and glad you're enjoying your time in Maha Sarakham; I just wanted to clear something up here for future readers - it would be physically impossible for you to work with your school directly because they would not have the infrastructure or resources to be able to accommodate a foreign teacher on their own, they rely on MediaKids to create the English curriculum and to make sure the teachers who are working at the school are providing high quality lessons to the students. This is also why TFT take care of the whole departure process on behalf of the school as they just would not have the resources to do such a thing.
The extra work you talk of is something the school director and education board of that particular region has requested and agreed with TFT & MediaKids to be implemented in day to teaching.
Looking forward to following your journey more Trevor!
Best wishes