Teach English in South Korea with Greenheart Travel

Greenheart Travel has been a blessing and a half. They were so helpful in getting our paperwork together and in order. Any questions were answered within 24 hours, and they provided us with a TON of information. We really felt prepared when we left for Korea. Without Greenheart travel, this process would have been close to a nightmare. And best of all, they do not charge for their services.

I would highly recommend Greenheart travel to anybody looking at teaching abroad.

When I knew that I wanted to teach abroad in South Korea, I didn’t know which program or organization to apply to. As I did my research, I stumbled across the Greenheart Travel website. At first, just the name itself, “Greenheart Travel” drew my attention because its name tells me that this organization cares for the whole environment of the world. I decided to read the Greenheart Travel website and learned that it is a non-profit international educational exchange program with a passion of helping others reach their full potential in teaching abroad and other experiences. By learning about their mission, I knew that this was the organization that I wanted to apply through.

I really liked how Greenheart Travel listed all the information for EPIK’s (English Program in Korea) benefits package, qualification requirements, teacher responsibilities, schedule, placements, and application process. I especially liked how Greenheart Travel offered a discount to take the TEFL Certificate Course.

While I was completing my EPIK application, I always emailed Greenheart Travel when I had questions about something. A representative from Greenheart Travel always replied back to my messages within the same day or the following day. I was very grateful for their quick responses. Moreover, Greenheart Travel sent an email with details about how to obtain required documents for the EPIK application. Their email really helped me understand where to go, what to do, and how to send/obtain all the documents I needed.

Within about two weeks after sending my initial application to Greenheart Travel to send to EPIK, I received an interview with EPIK. Several days before the interview, Greenheart Travel emailed me a list of sample questions to help me prepare for the interview. I went through these questions and read through the EPIK website to help prepare myself. When the interview came, I was so thankful that Greenheart Travel had prepared me so well. Throughout the whole application process and the time period before I left for South Korea, Greenheart Travel has always been so helpful.

Now, I’ve been teaching in South Korea with EPIK since August 2011. This has been such a worthwhile lifetime experience for me. I enjoy teaching and living here. My schools are great to me. I live in a nice, cozy apartment that has a view of Mt. Hallasan, the highest mountain in South Korea. I like learning about the culture, attending festivals and concerts, volunteering, trying different Korean foods, hiking the many trails, exploring the beauty around me, meeting both kind locals and other foreigners, and simply making the best of my time here. At the same time, I’m also capable of traveling and saving money.

Overall, I thank Greenheart Travel for helping me get here. Several friends have expressed interest in teaching abroad and asked for my opinion, and I always recommend Greenheart Travel to them.

Arriving with EPIK really was the best option for me. They provided all the essential initial administration processess which come with working abroad; bank account, health insurnace etc. I wouldn't have known wear to start and the bilingual staff were really dedicated.

From talking with other teachers, it seems that every teaching job is different. I got lucky and really liek my school. I have a whole classroom and high tech facilities to myself- however, I didn't have a clue how to use any of them when I arrived to figuring it out was a challenge. I have creative license to teach my own syllabus, and I really enjoy that, but I have no collaboration with my Korean co teachers so I rely heavily on the expat online community and it really helps.

The expat community is really tight here, people need each other, so making friends wasn't difficult. There is always someone about to grab dinner or coffee with or have a moan about stuff- which is needed sometimes.

The great thing about Korea is that public transport is so cheap and efficient, so getting about at the weekends is easy. But, learning to read Hanguel and speaking some Korean is essential to getting by. Like knowing which town you're headed to on the bus (many of them look and sound very similar, and I have found meself at the wrong end of the country before!). I learnt Korean at a free language exchange programme and once I could read Hanguel, I found that life became so much easier, and it's really not as difficult as it may seem!

The downside is that school can feel a bit isolating at times, as you will be the only native english speaker in public schools. I found that really making an effort with my colleagues helped me to feel more at home. I'm in my second teaching year and still get a buzz out of new food and visiting new places. It's worth the effort in the beginning in making new friends and putting yourself out there in learning new skills.

Teaching in South Korea was a wonderful decision and has given me experiences I never could have imagined. Although navigating the language and customs was and is a bit difficult, Korea is an easy place to become accustomed to and has plenty to offer expats. It's extremely easy to travel all over the country via the bus and train system, the food is fantastic, there are many opportunities to learn the language and the country as a whole is very English friendly.

In terms of teaching, most schools provide plenty of guidance and support. Personally I was put in an apartment that was bigger and nice than I imagined, in a great neighborhood and near many other foreign teachers. The staff was welcoming, my students are great, and I had plenty of resources to work with. I'm very happy I made the decision to teach in Korea.

I absolutely love South Korea. I was well prepared by Greenheart for all the cultural differences and difficulties I may experience here. I have experienced many differences - the food, the social scene, the language and many more - but having been pre-warned I was able to take them in my stride!

Going to Korea was the best decision I ever made! I am so thankful I came across Greenheart's posting for the program on idealist.org that fateful day in August 2010! The application process is a little long because of necessary documents, but the Greenheart staff was very helpful and supportive the whole way. Once in Korea, you won't need much support from Greenheart anymore, as your school and EPIK will help you with anything you need. I really enjoyed my school and I loved my adorable students. The job was really fun. I also made a ton of new friends from all over the world, and there is always something fun to do in Korea, whether it is experiencing the nightlife, the cuisine, or the culture.

As far as daily life goes, all of the amenities you are used to back home are available in Korea. They are very tech savvy, the public transportation is fantastic, and my apartment was just a studio but had all I needed. There are certainly cultural differences, but as long as you go with an open mind and are ready to appreciate experiencing a new culture, it will overall be a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

This is a review particularly for Greenheart Travel. I knew I was interested in applying to EPIK, but when I saw the paperwork gauntlet that I had to jump through in order to do so, I became a bit wary. Greenheart Travel helped me put two and two together- they made the process more clear and answered all my questions right away, sometimes even within the hour. I was very impressed by their professionalism; they were very knowledgeable and supportive. I knew exactly what to expect when I arrived. Thank you very much! I love my job now!