I've actually been home for a while now and I'm only just getting around to writing a review.

About the TEFL course:
It was scary leaving Scotland and hopping around the world solo to a new continent. I knew I wouldn't know anyone, the language or the area. I threw up my guts on the 2nd flight from Doha>Incheon (nerves or food poisoning idk). Then, I was picked up from the airport and brought to the guesthouse which was walking distance to our TEFL training area. I met all the new folks going through the same thing as me - we were a mix of different people. Canadian, Scot, American, Aussie, Kiwi, English, Indian etc. We became friends fast. Nights out in Hongdae.Itaewon to the early hours, many meals shared together, random walks and hikes, shopping and spa days... yeah it was memorable. Some of us have completed our teaching and moved home but we all still keep contact and send each other random memes sometimes (speaking about YOU Josh).

Orientation was fun. A full week of tours, classes and hanging out. The palace is VERY touristy but we had great weather to go view it and wore the hanbok rentals. Korean summer is no joke actually and I'm a redhead so I nearly died (kidding). My personal favourite area was Insadong in Seoul. It's more arty and has the traditional tea houses, artist shops and hand craft goods if you're into that kind of thing. We had a cooking lesson making some korean food and I'm gutted I burned my kimchi-jeon :(... this is why I don't cook. Shout out to Carla for putting up with us all, Eddie for showing us around Korea on days out and Enzo for putting it all together. We all had a taster to plan and prepare for our own classrooms. We all had different takes on being a teacher. We were together for 1 month doing all of this and then eventually it was time to leave our shared house and move to our destinations around the country. I was unlucky as I got my job in Ulsan which is South East of Korea. It's near Busan and is a short bus journey away. The others got jobs in or near Seoul so it was tough being so far from them that when we did meet, we had to plan in advance and book things like trains, activities etc.

Being in Ulsan :

I had just got used to Seoul and Incheon and then here I was moving again to a new place and having to re-orientate myself. I didn't have my accommodation immediately and had to live in a hotel for a week or so. Meeting my new colleagues and kids was also scary. But the kids I was in charge of already knew English and I just had to improve and build on their knowledge so far. My class was also the one's who were graduating at the end. We had many field trips for golf days, museums, kid's cafes etc. A highlight was our graduation trip to Gyeongju World. It's a bit like Lotte world but more low-key. We celebrated many birthdays and when mines happened in December, the kids surprised me with chocolate cake and LOADS of cola because I'm a soda fiend who drinks nothing but cola.

Trying out being a teacher showed me I could do it if I wanted to. Many people commented to me that I seemed most happy when I was doing like an art based lesson with the class or something where we were practical instead of sat at our desks, writing in textbooks. I liked to add variety to their lessons as the books became boring after a while. I had the kids watching David Attenborough's "Our Planet" and we learned out eco-systems and all the animals. Or we had to read Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" so I'd get up Youtube for them and show them clips from the movies. Then, I would get more videos up of real chocolate factories and how they worked. Whatever the lessons were, I would improvise a bit but make sure it was relatable to the content.

About being in Korea:

I really liked their transport options. If you don't drive, then you have choices for getting around and to be fair, metros are very easy to use (if your city has them). Ulsan didn't have metros and it took me like over 1hr to get from my home to downtown where the shopping mall was or decent hangout spots. I also liked the bus stops in general and how they had heated seats for colder weather. And automated voices that told you a bus was approaching. Then there was the service in restaurants. You go in and get seated fairly fast and they would bring over the side dishes or "ban-chan" (not sure I spelled that right). If you are a person who nibbles before the main food then this was so good having the side dishes. Mostly made up of pickled veggies, kimchi, and sauces. Service was mostly fast and efficient in most places and cheap to eat depending on where you went out. Coffee culture is a big thing in Korea too so MANY coffee shops scattered around and cheap enough to get one en route to work. Back home in the UK, I just wouldn't dream of getting a coffee before work unless I sold my kidney first.

I also liked their clinics if I got sick. It was rare I got ill but there was once where I got sent out of work cause I looked ill as hell and they sent me to a clinic to get an IV and check-up. I got a private room, IV for 1hr, medicine prescription afterwards all for like 55,000krw. My colleague wrote my symptoms down for me in korean and I handed it over to the lady at reception which made it easier. I was in and out of this clinic very fast and back in to work the rest of my shift because the IV made me feel a tad better.

The temples are a big must to see if you want to check any out. I saw many in my time in Korea but the temples just give a sense of like peace? You walk around the grounds taking it all in and admiring the views and architecture. Many have animals carved into the walls, statues etc as they were viewed as protectors from demons.

Some lesser known places to visit instead of the "tourist" cities - Gyeongju, Gangneung, Sokcho, Paju, Gangwhado Island.

I think I'll leave this now as it's a lot to read.

Teaching abroad in South Korea, specifically on Jeju Island, has been such a blessing in disguise. I can recall originally being really against Jeju when the placement location was proposed as I thought I would be isolated from the mainland and not have much to do. However, I soon realized Jeju has both aspects of the city and island life. There is so much to see and explore here. The staff at my school have been friendly, supportive, and laidback. As a first-time teacher, this feels like a good starting point. There are also many social groups available for other foreigners to join and make friends. For many people, Jeju is a vacation destination, but I'm glad I get to call this place a second home as I have had the opportunity to work and live here. Thank you to all the staff at Xplore Asia who played a role in getting me here!

My name is Alyssa. I'm from Canada. My overall experience in South Korea is truly unforgettable. It is a place that I was able to find my passion, being with kids and the community. I was able to learn a lot of different, refreshing values and culture. I was able to improve on myself in many different ways as being here taught me the life that I never experienced before. I found my purpose in teaching and being with the kids and community every day shaped me the way I am today. I've realized that I have become a better version of myself. We may be teaching the kids English but they showed us their love and pride in their culture and language.

My overall experience in South Korea has been absolutely fulfilling and rewarding despite of the language barrier challenges I face. In the few months that I have been here I have done a lot of travelling and content creation for my social media pages. Korea is truly breathtaking from the countryside to the city nightlife to the hiking trails. I am super excited to experience the winter here! I am also a huge K-pop and K-drama fan so it has been a dream come true attending concerts here and going to filming locations.

The workplace culture is very different from my home country but I am really enjoying my time working with kids. It is quite rewarding and heartwarming. I have become more understanding and appreciative of the Korean culture.

Xplore offers a great opportunity for you to experience living, working and traveling in and to another country and helps you every step of the way with immerging yourself in the culture. I really like all the help they offered me whenever I got stuck with something. They have a lot of knowledge of how things work in Korea, so I could ask them a question and they would help immediately. For instance with reserving a train ticket or getting a taxi. They were really fast to respond to every question. I highly recommend!

I brought my students to XPlore Asia's South Korea program in May 2025 as part of a new Study Abroad program. My goal was for students to obtain credible TEFL Certifications while simultaneously earning college credits at Georgia College & State University. I partnered with International TEFL Academy and XPlore Asia because it was by far the most organized, efficient, and friendly program I found during my search. The entire team was knowledgeable, efficient, and thoughtful, and the facilities were excellent. My team of university students got to explore Seoul, develop multiple lessons, interact with people from all over the world, and most importantly, work with English language learners every single day.

To anyone looking to expand their personal or professional portfolio, or any university aiming to integrate TESOL into its academic goals, I recommend XPlore Asia.

I’m currently living and working in Korea and my time here has been very special: full of new experiences, challenges, and growth. But what made everything even more meaningful was Shannon.💯

Shannon was so much more than just a point of contact she was someone who really listened, supported me every step of the way, and always kept me updated. Her kindness, attentiveness, and support made such a difference in my life here in Korea. I always felt like I had someone I could count on, no matter what.🌹

I’m so grateful to have had Shannon by my side. Thank you so much, Shannon!

So I truly recommend giving this great new experience a try 🤗 it can really enrich your mind and life.

Put simply, the quicker you get stuck in and dive into the deep end, the quicker you’ll feel more settled and comfortable in your new environment. It may feel a bit overwhelming and stressful, but doing this sooner rather than later will mean that you can actually enjoy each day and the new experiences a lot quicker compared to if you’re thinking ‘I’ll do it tomorrow’. Time goes by a lot quicker than you think, even if you're here for a year, I’ve now been in the country for 4 months and I feel like time is flying by.