Program Reviews

I started my ESL career with AT, following the advice of my friends who went into a similar field.

First off, the requirements are quite clear, exactly what is needed, what needs to be notarized, etc. The agent wanted updates every week, but when I asked questions with the hope of more details I never got back more than a sentence. The agents in Korea appeared a lot more professional and helpful than the overseas agents, writing with more details and useful information. Once I got an offer everything with the Korea office went smoothly.

As for the placement, AT had little information about the school, other than it was 'one of their favorites'. The contract was very standard, and at the same time vague in some aspects. The situation upon arrival wound up being socially toxic to both myself and the coworker previously placed by AT. The school also didn't seem to have any idea what was actually happening in the school.

I received a very standard email 2 months after arrival, and beyond that nothing except junk mail from the arrival store. There isn't any additional support from AT upon arrival in Korea.

A potential replacement teacher was told by AT that they would interview with me over Skype at my 7 month mark. AT gave my personal skype without permission and didn't even inform me that I was going to talk to anyone, let alone interview.

Several teachers turned down the offer upon learning about the actual situation in the school. AT wrote to my coworkers and asked about what the school was like, and claiming that I was wrong. The coworkers confirmed what I had told the potential teachers. AT completely forgotten that they had put me into the school, and seemed to have lost my email (but still had my skype, and couldn't send me a message any other way). To this day I haven't received an email from AT since the 2 month mark in the contract that I had signed.

I finished my year, and moved on. From my experience I feel AT is very lacking in terms of knowledge about the schools that they place teachers in, and about providing support to teachers that they place overseas.

It is an adventure to go overseas. If you get a good placement with AT, more power to you. I couldn't, and in the end I was just another number to them apparently. I'd recommend looking at other recruiters.

In my experience, I found Adventure Teaching was a good choice. I only utilized AT in my job search, and found Kelly Hogan to be a very helpful placement coordinator. I've heard good things about working with the other PC's as well.

I was placed in a public school a little bit outside of Daegu, and it has been an overall good experience. Kelly was helpful with the interview process and getting my documents together. I decided not to take the first job offer, went with the second job I was offered, and I feel I made the right decision. Kelly was supportive of my decision and helpful in finding a better fit!

It is important to do your own research in finding positions in Korea, even with a reputable recruiter there are no guarantees that any given position is going to be good or bad. With hagwons, be sure to talk to the foreign teachers and do some research. In public schools, talking to the former teacher usually isn't possible, but with PS's this is typically OK. Overall, I found Adventure Teaching to be reliable and fair in their recruiting process.

I applied and went through this process on kind of a whim and a gut feeling, and the next thing I knew I was on a plane to Korea.

Adventure Teaching made this easy. They walk you through everything from the beginning so you know how the application process works and the deadlines and such. It might be a bit too drawn out, but it's very clear with little confusion. They have excellent information about the country and your new personal and social life there - the info itself is personal and delivered by knowledgeable and friendly staff that I felt very comfortable calling at any time. Plus they were always very quick with responding to emails and would answer ANY questions you had about living in this foreign country, no matter how stupid I thought I sounded.

By far the best things about this company was their personable staff, injecting initial confidence and information in a quick, friendly (and user friendly) way, and smoothing out the application process for you.

Their fault to me was that they were a bit pushy for me to sign a contract, saying it was the best offer I was going to get, and their tone switched a bit. I felt like they should have been more understanding considering that this was a big decision for me; however, I recognize that they probably had a strict deadline and for them I was already hooked anyways.

Everything went exactly as planned once I arrived in the country, just like they said it would. I just followed their emailed instructions about where to go from the airport and it was really easy.

I met the greatest people in Korea. I can't begin to describe the people, the food, the hiking, and the experiences there. I miss it so. It is so easy for an open minded foreigner to live there and be involved. The key for me was meeting others in an expat community. I joined a hockey league and got lucky meeting people on bar crawls and in the street. Your social life and confidence will be the best it's ever been. Here's a tip: say YES to EVERYTHING in your first month. It will set the tone for your whole year and you will build great relationships. It's draining, new, and so damn exciting, I'm excited for you!!!

One more fault was that once I was there, communication from Adventure Teaching pretty much stopped, save for a two month check in. I understand that some people get lonely easily while on this adventure, and so I feel like AT could give better recommendations on foreigner friendly clubs, areas, events and so-on. I'm sure that if I would have emailed and asked them, they could have given me some recommendations, but I didn't need to because I met so many people in the first month.

As I see it, their job is to find you a job and prepare you for Korea, it's up to you to do your own research about the various contracts and schools that will be offered to you, while including their (perhaps hasty) opinions. They excel in getting you prepared for your new life there, and for making the lengthy and confusing application process as easy for you (a beginner) as possible. They could be more helpful once you're in the country (but I never needed it so...) and they could give you better information about the schools you're placed in, as well as giving you a few contact options once you land - preferably your head foreign teacher - just in case anything goes awry. Most bad experiences I've heard from are where someone's co-workers or bosses are terrible, and that's hard to gauge until you've been there a few weeks.

Adventure Teaching is a great resource for new teachers looking at South Korea. They have all relevant informatiin you might ask for or not even know to ask for in a convenient, concise and organized system. The recruiters and Korean liasons are on the ball when it comes to finishing paperwork and keeping in contact.

The drawback for me, as an experienced SK teacher returning, was the overload of already known info and the pretty vague job search results. I was, admitedly, picky customer, but my resume was shown to several schools that weren't even in my desired province.

On the whole though, comparatively impressive recruiting company with friendly and effcient people. I eventually found the most amazing school and love working here!

Adventure Teaching was responsible for helping me begin a new career. I had just finished college and like many recent graduates I was having a tough time finding a job. Thankfully I did some internet searching and found Adventure Teaching. Their application process was easy and while the process between initially applying and flying over is as naturally long as you'd expect (roughly 5 months or so), AT was there to help me every step of the way and they helped me be as best prepared as I could be for my first full time job, helping me with everything from getting an online TEFL certificate to getting packed and arranging and preparing for my flight.

I am so very happy working at the school they had me interview with. IT was the first school I was interviewed by and obviously I got the job. I am literally working my dream job right now and I don't want it to ever end! I love my day-to-day life, seeing the happy children's bright faces in the morning to helping the elementary school students in the afternoons. I love everyone at my workplace and I have made some friends. My manager, director, and vice director are very pleasant people. If I don't feel like working for myself I can just look at them and feel motivated to try my hardest to put my best teaching efforts for the sake of my school and of course my students. And thanks to AT, it's possible, and I can experience my dream of living and travelling in Asia.

Well, this is my first and only experience with a recruiter, but they are the reason I could decide to get a job in South Korea in December and be working full time in March.

Adventure Teaching were the first ones to reply to my email of interest. I was impressed that THEY wanted to interview me to see if I was a good fit for them as a company, instead of just plastering my resume everywhere. They sent me a variety of job positions to interview for and got the ball rolling on the one that wanted to hire me so fast that the visa process barely had enough time to get their side of things done. I made it within the estimated time required and was on a plane the same week. They kept me abreast of all the comings and goings so I had enough time to visit my family and friends before departure.

I am 7 months in to my first year of work in Seoul and the only things I would change come from me now having a better understanding of what I want from a teaching position than I did, staring at school websites on the other side of the world looking for a change in direction of my career. I plan to be staying on after my contract is done and I will definitely hope to use them again.

I consider myself very lucky to have found Adventure Teaching. I had tried my hand at a few recruiters, and none of them seem interested in finding me a good job; one that suited my needs and was going to be a good fit for me.

My AT recruiter and I spent a lot of time on the phone discussing pros and cons, sharing experiences, and chatting. The recruiters have taught abroad and been through all of the searching, waiting, and mild anxiety before. They know what to expect, and they made it a point to prepare and gear me up for all that was ahead of me.

At the beginning of my search, I had my heart set on a specific area in Korea. There were some issues and confusion with another recruitment agency and I ended up rejecting a job offer I got. I was feeling a little discouraged. I remember the exact moment when I read a very enthusiastic email from my recruiter, Mindy. She said she had found a great school that was very interested in my application. Even though the school wasn't in my "desired" area, she made everything about it seem like it was my dream job. She was so happy that this school wanted to interview me, she got me psyched about it too. AT has a great relationship with the schools they recruit for. They trust them, and I trusted Mindy.

I have been working for that school upwards of three months now, and I am happy with my decision everyday. I often hear horror stories of other teachers at hagwons (private schools) with less than desirable work environments. Fellow teachers out here always ask who I recruited with. I'll be honest, I always boast about how awesome my recruiters were.

Adventure Teaching is a great company with a great foundation and wonderful philosophy. Anytime anyone asks, I always recommend looking into Adventure Teaching.

The one thing to understand before setting out on your 'adventure' is that you will be very much under the authority of your employer from the minute you get to your destination without necessary protection from your contract. It's important not to get too eluded by the adventure aspect Adventure Teaching pushes. Whilst pushing contracts at you they'll claim you'll have the time to travel, yet with only 8 days vacation which can't be taken consecutively how can this be possible? Sadly the answer is that it's not. Especially when your Hagwon director may chose not to inform you in advance - making it impossible to secure reasonable tickets anywhere. The photos of people traveling on Adventure Teaching website: don't assume this will be you. It's important to remember the agency is looking to place as many teachers as possible because that's what makes them money. They really don't care about your experience. Don't let them smooth talk you into signing just anything. If the contract is vague then what can you expect? Always get the information from the horses mouth. If the school director doesn't speak English then get the agency to provide amendments to the contract. AT will steer you away from this claiming you are jeopardizing the job but in reality they just want you to sign without a fuss. I have seen it from both sides. The school wants to sign someone and the agency wants the money - why would either party stall this? It's up to you to check, and check again confirming exactly the hours you will work, times you will work and vacation days available along with their allocation and your accommodation etc. You truly have to look out for number one. Don't be diluted into believing that the agency will! That's my number one piece of advice.

Adventure Teaching have one of the best looking websites and the initial application process is clearly detailed although needlessly long. Whilst they make big claims there is nothing tangible they provide over any other agency. The one thing I could say for a random Seoul based agency for example is that at least it does exactly what it says on the tin without superfluous claims and ridiculous promises of community and ongoing support. I believe that Adventure Teaching is dishonest by claiming it (A) it cares about the placement and will support teachers and (B) the claim of support during your job: It's quickly apparent that there will be no real support once you sign a lengthy disclaimer holding them responsibly for absolutely nothing. Fair enough enforcing any kind of law internationally is difficult but AT provide 0 effectual guarantee of ANYTHING. Consider this.

I took part in a year long contract which I completed. Once we had signed the contract things changed quickly. There was no more personal support. Finally arriving in Korea the basic promised driver who would meet us at the airport was simply not there. There wasn't even an excuse as to why not. We were told merely to get on a bus. This is not how to muster a good relationship. After working at the Hagwon my collegues and I faced problems with our employer as he simply disregarded the contract we had signed with AT. AT's response would always be patronizing standard paragraphs about the importance of diplomacy abroad. Many of us had lived and worked in other counties before including myself and had been operating to unparalleled diplomacy and flexibility only finally contesting our employer's demands where they were actually affecting our jobs! Such as not allowing us to eat, not providing any kind of break during a 9 hour day etc. Throughout all of this it was clear that Adventure Teaching only cared about their relationship with our employer who would continue to pay them $1000 US per placement. We were basically told to 'suck it up' which is shocking considering these were problems affecting all the staff.

I am not bitter about my experience in Korea. I learnt a lot and there were some great times. I write this review as merely a factual evaluation of the experience so that future applicants may be equipped with realistic expectations and an air of caution which I hope should see the right choice made when working with any agency. Working abroad is hard at times but has great rewards. Agencies like Adventure Teaching whilst facilitating your job are unfortunately very damaging at the same time. Offering a false sense of security through marketing without any real care about placements leaves many teachers upset, disappointed and unhappy. Maybe some get lucky with them, but of the 11 other teachers I know who used them, they all have had similar issues. Sadly AT is never accountable so just moves on again and continues to make money without a conscience. This is why I believe reviews are very important.

I was encouraged to go to Korea with Adventure Teaching after meeting some of their employees at a job fair at my university. I heard good things from other university contacts who had gone to Korea with them, so I was confident it would work out really well. I started the application process in January and was hoping to go to Korea in September of that year. I didn't get any word from them until MAY. I really wanted to get started on collecting things for my visa, but I couldn't do anything because I didn't have any confirmation from them. The person they assigned to help me along the way was extremely short in her replies and rarely answered the questions I asked. Her replies came across like she spent a couple of seconds on her emails - they sometimes had grammar and spelling errors and would be a couple of words or a sentence at most, when I had asked specific questions. Worst of all, she led me astray with wrong information about requirements for students like me who are from America but went to a university in Canada. She told me that I only needed a background check and for my degree to my apostilled in America, but it turns out that I also needed that information from Canada too. I couldn't do that by mail because it would have delayed the process by months and it was already SEPTEMBER when I found this information out, and that was when I was planning on arriving in Korea! So I had to spend all the money to make a trip back to Canada and stay there for a week so I could apply for a criminal record check and get all my documents apostilled. The ironic thing is that I had been living in Canada all summer after my graduation and had only just returned home when I finally found the news that I had to do all the extra Canada stuff. Finally, AT told me that there was a hiring freeze and that I wouldn't be able to go to Korea until possibly the new year, which was bogus because there were tonnnns of Korea jobs being posted by other recruiting companies every day. In consolation, they suggested I go to Georgia?! Thanks, but no thanks. I was so frustrated by everything that I decided to drop AT and use another recruiting company, which was lovely and got me a job within a week. I was off to Korea in October, no thanks to AT. :(

Adventure Teaching was recommended to me by an acquaintance. To begin, AT was extremely helpful and supportive. The interview process went smoothly and I was placed fairly quickly in a Hagwon in Korea. However, as I got closure to my departure date, communication started lacking. It seemed that once they had placed me, they didn't care anymore. I had dozens of questions but felt like I was causing a great inconvenience when I asked them. I also didn't get answers back from them or an acknowledgment that they received my emails for several days.

Additionally, there were things that were glossed over. My school's contract, for example. I requested that after I signed it my boss should sign it as well and send me a scanned copy. I was told that most of the time schools did not sign the contract. I thought that was completely absurd and felt that I had to battle with AT to get them to get the signature. In the end, getting that signature worked in my favor as unfortunately, my boss did not adhere to the contract on many occasions and I was able to point out that he had signed a legal document and could not do that.

Furthermore, I didn't find that they were completely honest with me. After booking my flight I was told that someone would pick me up from the airport. However, a few days before I left, I received instructions as to how to bus from the airport to my small city. Normally, this would not have bothered me but the fact that they told me and sent me a document that explicitly said someone would pick me up from the airport, did.

AT also never once followed up with me. The only thing I ever received from them was an obvious template email that they sent to everyone. Or emails about the Arrival Store. I was told that I wouldn't be able to buy plug adaptors anywhere but a tech supermarket in Seoul and that the Arrival Store was necessary. I was in a fairly small town in Korea and the grocery store definitely sold adaptors....for much cheaper. I really felt that AT was taking advantage of new travelers. Luckily, I had lived in a foreign country before and trusted my gut.

One thing that did impress me about AT, however, were the very straight forward and clear instructions they gave when it came to acquiring the documents necessary for the visa.