Guaranteed Paid Job Placement to Teach English in South Korea

I've been teaching in Korea for about 3 years now. Travelbud was very helpful in helping me prepare and getting me settled with the in-country placement team. Saskia and Kim have helped me so much and always answer my questions. Over these years Kim has been a great support. I appreciate her help and guidance especially when it came to considering where to teach. No matter how much time has passed since our last chat it always refreshing and comfortable to speak about anything. :)
Korea has been such an amazing experience and I'm forever changed from my time here.
I've made lifetime friends. Understand that Korea is really small, so trust everyone will know each other somehow some way! In Korea, there are activities and events for the outgoing and even more chill type of people. While the pay could be a bit better it definitely is enough to live an average lifestyle here.
I lived in a REALLY rural town (even some Koreans haven't heard of it) but the community was so welcoming. Locals get to know you and aren't afraid to help you or invite you to eat with them, do traditional crafts etc. even if they can't communicate in English well. Rural placements can offer you more heartwarming opportunities with locals. I had times where a parent would see me walking and offer me a ride. Or farmers I see on the way to work offer me some of their harvest. Getting a free invite to a enjoy some BBQ and local foods. Koreans do really show their love with food. Rural areas get tons of government funding. After getting more involved with the locals I was able to join programs like the multicultural family center. They would do monthly trips or Korean crafts, language and cooking classes all for free! It was a great way to be surrounding by others who were trying to learn and appreciate daily Korean life. The local art center would offer free guitar, dance, and art classes. It was all in Korean so the language barrier was there, but it helped me understand that really communication is about 20% spoken 80% body/facial expression. My friends in the city don't have theses kind of connections. Of course, your options for eating or shopping are limited. In my town we can't even order food delivery service and that's one of the big things you hear about, ha. While getting to the city is possible it can be hard with bus times and the travel time on buses/ trains can add up. If you enjoy more younger and hip scene you may find the rural place boring. As it seems most Koreans want to live in the city for their youth. However, I say take what you can from it. You never know who you get to meet and what you get to do by just being you in a new place!
When you get to Korea I think the biggest headache you'll have is getting everything set up. Phone, bills, wifi and banking in Korea ALL have to connect with your information EXACTLY. The issues comes with our names. The name in the system has to match your ID card. I recommend no matter where you go or what account you make ALWAYS set up your name in the same way. Next, is understand that without a Korean phone number you can't have access to any of the apps or do things like online banking. Once you have your official number making sure its is update with the school, bank and on Kakao. Once you are connected to the world here everything will flow much better. If you get lucky with you co-teacher they may evening be willing to help you set up these things. Thank them with a small gift if you can.
After being here for some time you'll notice it can also be hard to find things you enjoyed back home, like deodorant or snacks. Korean food is great but beef, dairy, fresh fruits and vegetables can be pricey. I looked up Korean food beforehand and knew I would like it, but friends who don't like spicy food or don't eat pork have had a hard time here (especially if they aren't near a city.)
I taught at elementary and middle public schools as well as an English Center during my time. It really depends on your luck with your placements, how your students will be and your fellow teachers. Although, you can expect a lower level of English in the countryside.
In general, Korean students are very hesitant to use their English in front of others; they want to be perfect. Elementary students are very sweet and energetic, but as they enter middle school they are much less likely to be willing to speak. Games are a great way to engage them. They study often for other classes on weekends and after school, so they can be overwhelmed/ stressed at times. At a Center you will teach classes that are more hands on and experience based like cooking and PE. It can be fun to plan but you see new students every few days, so you don't get to create a strong bond with students. The classes at times can be tiring to teach back to back as well.
Overall, I 100% recommend this program to people who can come here with no expectations and are willing to involve themselves with the community and try new things. I got to meet people from all the around the world. I was able to expand my interests and knowledge. You will gain a new understanding of the world after living (not just traveling but LIVING) away from home. If you want that kind of experience and change, just go for it.
All the best on your journey!

When I first started thinking about traveling to teach English abroad I was very intimidated. Luckily I found Travelbud and the amazing people there made my experience and preparation so much easier and less stressful than I could have imagined. This is an amazing and life changing experience! It changed my life for the better and all of the reps were super helpful whenever I had questions! Kim especially was always helpful and kind when I needed help! Korea has been an unforgettable experience! Good food, great people, safe area, good accommodation, fair pay. There are also so many amazing places to go and sites to see. I highly recommend trying this if you’re looking for a new experience or life change.

From the first inquiry to now, this program has been incredible. I have felt heard, seen, understood, supported and cared for this entire process. It is not an easy thing to move across the world, but my coordinators, Kim, SJ and Emma have made an unforgettable impact on my life. Their transparency, patience, relatability, reliability and dedication, to me, is worth more than I can even write into words.

When I first came to Korea, on my first day I experienced a medical emergency. They were so attentive and helped me with everything from the taxi to ensuring I submitted medical claims properly.
My best memory so far is wearing a Hanbok. I really enjoyed connecting with other expats living here.

Second, the school they partnered me with has been a wonderful experience. I love my kids dearly and I have been able to see them grow not only in their academics but socially as well.

I can't thank you enough for helping my dream come true ❤️.
감사합니다~
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I truly enjoy teaching here in South Korea. There have been many ups and many downs in this process, but Travel but really helped me by always being there to answer my questions and listen to me when I had any concerns. With Travlebud, they not only helped me with planning my trip steps, but also putting me in contact with some amazing people from around the world. The staff workers are so kind and they told me the truth of what I would face, both pretty and ugly truth. I felt a lot more safe and secure using this program.

I can be a bit of a scaredy cat when it comes to rollercoasters, but I went on despite the highs and lows and got off without any regrets. Going abroad to work in South Korea was definitely a memorable experience with a balance of positive and negative moments.

*I will start with the negative moments first because they never outweighed the good times and I will be completely honest about it because I feel people paint a very fantasized version of going abroad*

Prior to leaving, although the application process took a bit longer than expected, it was pretty straightforward! It was a stressful time, but from what I can recall it was the easy part of this whole program. The travelbud/gooverseas peeps were so supportive and helpful! The only thing that hurt was the cost of all the paperwork )':

I can only recall two rough times I had throughout the whole year, the rest of the bad were very minuscule to me. I originally had been placed in Daejeon, but a few days before my departure, I was relocated to Cheonju, which made things trickier for me because I had already done so much research about Daejeon. I wish that was handled better with enough time as well. The first night in SK was the most difficult. Many things could have been prevented if it wasn't for unpreparedness because 1) I was alone, 2) My Korean was still rough 3) I had no sim-card which meant no service and 4) I had no proper directions to get to my apartment. Although that was the case, the employees were very patient with me and some would direct me to my next location. There was also wi-fi practically everywhere and was able to contact my director and recruiters. I do want to say that on my way to my apt during one of my train transfers, there was staff helping people board while lifting their luggage; I don't know what happened for my case, but one of the helpers yanked me down the train steps and started angrily yelling at me. I still don't know why that happened, but it left me really shaken. At that moment I questioned whether I should have come to Korea because it was only the first night and it was already BAD. Glad I stuck it out in the end! (:

Regarding what work was like, it honestly still feels so surreal! A fever dream. My school was completely new, and by new, I mean everyone working for the school showed up on the first day only to see it was still sort of under construction. I find it funny because I didn't know what to expect and it sure would have never been that. The first month just consisted of cleaning, setting up equipment, and preparing for opening day. Since the school was new, all the higher-ups only focused on attracting parents so they can enroll their kids and as of result, none of us teachers had proper training. Me, my coworkers, and our co-teachers (Korean teachers) were teaching blindly, but the best that we could for our students. It was a very "here's the teaching materials, here's your schedule, figure it out on your own." We had no idea what any of the subjects we were teaching, let alone how they wanted us to approach it or what the goal was. For some reason, I thought that by being an English Teacher, it meant that I would be teaching English as an elective, but it was actually teaching all subjects in English. I wasn't aware that I had to be teaching 1st graders 5th grade level science. Luckily my 5-6 year olds new a bit of English, so teaching and communicating with them was never an issue. If there were times I didn't understand, my co-teacher would help out, so the assistance was great! The second most difficult time I had was when my director placed me with the youngest class for the new school term. They were 4 turning 5 year olds (international age) and they came in not knowing any English. I couldn't even teach and was frustrated because it felt more like daycare. The most important thing during that time wasn't for them to learn English, it was really about building connections with each one of them. Once they finally got used to the class routine and opened up, it made teaching a lot easier. Although teaching was the main point of this program, I realized the most significant thing about teaching was forming bonds with your students. Once you and your class form that bond, you can understand the strengths and weaknesses in yourself and your students better. This helped my actual teaching because I was able to focus on areas that needed more improvement while reinforcing the strengths. I got so attached that I still miss them now because I grew together with my students and witnessed their improvements.

To be completely honest, my school was very disorganized and mismanaged because of my director(s). The horrors you hear about hagwons felt like my school hit all the marks and ranked them all. Contracts were broken, pay was at risk, rumors spread, etc...There were so many lies and trouble caused by management + higher-ups which led many people to quit. My school didn't make a one-year mark and had about four different directors, three supervisors, and many co-teachers coming in and out. I kid you not, there was always a new problem each month, but Korea's work style is very fast-paced we just had to continue on like nothing. At one point, I became unphased that work didn't seem that bad anymore because I was alongside my then co-workers now friends. I think because it was a collective struggle, no one was going through all the mess alone, and that made things easier for all of us. Which now leads me to the good parts:

KOREA WAS SO MUCH FUN! Despite what I went through at my school, I am so thankful that I was placed there, especially at a school with more than one foreign teacher, and fortunate that I clicked with not only them but the Korean teachers as well. We took advantage of every weekend to explore and travel. I think if I was the only foreign teacher, Korea would feel a lot lonelier. Making friends can be tricky because some people already have their friend groups formed while others are struggling to find people they can vibe with. I used facebook, bumble bff, and travel bud's interactive teachers map to reach out to people. It's either a hit or miss, sometimes you hang out with a person once, and with others they instantly become family. There are many opportunities on facebook group pages offering meet-ups that can lead to potential friendships. At least for my experience, I'm grateful that my coworkers became my friends.

Getting the jist of traveling around was super easy! All it took was one try to understand it all (thanks to naver maps, kakaotaxi, ktx app, bus shuttle app, and papago) and the tickets were also cheap! Also if you get shy speaking or practicing your Korean, almost every shop and station had a kiosk machine which made it simple to buy tickets or food. Convenience stores were the best ever! Hungry at 3am? Trip to GS! and the best part was that they were everywhere. When it came to shopping, I had to resist wanting everything. It was all so appealing to the eye. I will warn anyone who's on the bigger side that it's a lot more difficult to shop because every clothing store seemed to only carry small sizes.... even the so-called "free size" would fit too small on me. There were some stores dedicated to bigger sizes, the only thing was that most of these were in Seoul (or any bigger city that wasn't Cheongju).

Everyone was so friendly and kind too, the locals would make sure to help you despite the language barrier. There was a day me and a friend were starving, but it seemed like all the restaurants were closed, until an ajusshi insisted on helping us find somewhere to eat to the point where he walked us to a food court (all communication done was through gestures and broken Korean). Or another time when I had to get my wisdom teeth pulled out. Since I grew close with the Korean teachers, they were always more than willing to set up important appointments for me. It was figuring out the location and building that I had to do. The orthodontist did his best to get his message across to me so I could understand my dental procedure. I did feel alone during this moment, but one of the dental assistants stayed with me throughout the whole process while reassuring me everything was going to be okay. Sometimes I would walk with friends and the locals will wave at us. Korea is very welcoming and open to anyone. I never once encountered any discrimination of any sort. Every person I met was super kind and accommodating.

One of the things I liked about Korea was the safety. Being a woman, there are moments I feel inferior, such as traveling alone, walking by men...I can't help but feel scared. In Korea, I never felt that way. I was placed in the outskirts of Cheongju which meant at night, it would get really dark, quiet, and empty.... my fear should have heightened but nope! I would go on 10pm walks and never once felt afraid. I could travel to a different city and feel confident on my own. I think because I had already traveled miles away from home on my own, there was nothing to be afraid of and everything I had to overcome was possible (does not mean I let my guard down). I always went out with friends, but one of my favorite memories was exploring Gyeongju on my own. I had one goal: See Bulguksa Temple. I didn't plan for anything else such as where I was going to eat, or what other sites to explore, nor did I arrange a timeline for that day. I really enjoyed that about Korea, it felt as if everything was accessible and convenient to do despite the spontaneity. It was relieving to know I didn't need to stress about any of that and could easily figure it out on the spot when the time came. I will also never forget bike riding in Ulsan OR running to the top of a mountain to get to the cable cars before they closed in Mokpo OR going to a free concert on a workday, but having to walk miles back home on a rainy day because there were no taxis available OR being exhausted in hot Jeju OR going to Gwanju just to see a penguin village OR laughing so much at work because of my friends and students OR getting covid from one of your students because your director didn't have anyone take safety protocols to prevent it OR photobooth hopping OR going ziplining with the school's team leader that quit because they're your friend now OR watching Doctor Strange at 1am in Daegu...and the list goes on!....but it only means that anything can happen!

I was only there for a year and I got to see almost all of Korea. All the good and the bad of it, but mostly good of course! I could still go on and on because this isn't even half of everything I experienced, it was a "short" summary of my time there. Overall living-wise, Korea was a great place to go to for this program. It was the first time I felt like I lived my life and it was such a great feeling. I grew more confident, independent, and adaptable. I would recommend this program to anyone willing to get out of their comfort zone and take a risk! It is life-changing for the better and would do it again in a heartbeat!

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.

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!