EPIK

I think that EPIK is an excellent choice if you want to teach abroad. The salary, free housing, medical benefits, vacation time, and paid flights to and from Korea, all make for a very nice contract. Since the EPIK program is through the Ministry of Education, your job is stable and secure. You're teaching with the public school board so you don't have the same anxieties that you would if you worked for a private school that could pack up and close down at any time leaving you stranded without a valid visa or salary.

When you apply to the program you need to remember that each individual teacher's experience varies a lot. On your application, you are allowed to request a city or province that you would prefer to work in. You can also request a level (elementary, middle, or high school) that you would prefer to teach. But regardless of your listed preferences, you could be placed anywhere. Generally, the vast majority of teachers only find out where they will be teaching AFTER they have already signed their contracts. You might teach at one school in a big city where you only have to teach 2 different grade levels. Or, you might live in a rural area and teach at up to 4 different schools. Its very rare, but some EPIK teachers end up in remote areas where the nearest native english teacher lives an hour away. There is no standard EPIK experience. Every position is different and comes with a different set of perks and challenges.

You have to be prepared for any outcome. If you're flexible and adaptable then whatever outcome you wind up with will probably work out fine for you. Most teachers I meet in Korea didn't get what they initially wanted when they applied but they love where they ended up.

This program has given me everything that I wanted as a newly graduated undergrad- I have my own apartment, I can save a little money each month, I have the time and money to travel, and I'm gaining teaching experience and learning a new language. I teach both elementary and middle school at 3 different schools and I live in a rural area. It's challenging but I love my job and I'm so happy that I applied to this program.