TEIK: The Secret Sauce for Teaching English in Korea

If you’ve ever daydreamed about teaching English in Korea but felt overwhelmed by the “where-do-I-even-start” syndrome, let me introduce you to TEIK (Teach English in Korea). These guys are the fairy godparents of making your teaching-abroad dream come true. And Bradley? Oh, he’s the fairy godparent in chief. Let me break down my experience for you. Spoiler alert: it was amazing. From the moment I sent in my very hesitant, very “do-I-really-want-to-do-this” application, Bradley was on it like kimchi on rice. This guy knows his stuff. He answered all my questions—even the dumb ones—like a pro. Visa confusion? Solved. Housing worries? Poof, gone. Scared about your lack of chopstick skills? Bradley’s got you. He is the Obi-Wan of teaching in Korea!

What really blew me away was how patient he was during the whole white-knuckle process of sorting paperwork. If you’ve ever tried applying for a visa, you know it’s like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube with your eyes closed. But with Bradley guiding me, it felt more like assembling IKEA furniture with a very detailed instruction manual. He even threw in tips for surviving Korean winters (pro tip: buy the heat packs).

So, here’s the cherry on top of the teaching in Korea experience: the TEIK-hosted networking dinners. Absolute gold. Imagine a room full of newbie’s who are just as nervous, excited, and clueless as you. It’s like finding your long-lost tribe of English-teaching warriors. Over steaming plates of pizza, hot wings, fries, and spinach dip, we bonded over our shared terror of teaching teenagers and our mutual love of K-dramas, while downing beers and hard seltzer. And if you’re worried about showing up alone, don’t be. Bradley works his magic here too, making introductions and ensuring no one feels like the awkward kid at prom. I made a few new friends in different parts of Korea, so now I have weekend trips planner to explore Korea while couch surfing.

Once I actually got to Korea, everything was as promised. My school was great, the apartment was cozy (though, yes, small by Western standards), but clean, and the support from TEIK didn’t stop after I got on the plane. Bradley gave me arrival instructions and how to get to my APT and the door key code, so I could let myself in and the school checked in to make sure everything was running smoothly, and honestly, it felt like having a safety net in a foreign country where I knew approximately three words: “annyeong,” “kimchi,” and “soju.”

The best part? Thanks to Bradley’s tips and the connections I made at the networking dinner, I wasn’t just surviving—I was thriving. From learning how to order coffee (essential) to mastering public transportation (intimidating at first, but now I’m a subway ninja), TEIK had set me up for success. If you’re on the fence about teaching English in Korea, let me save you the mental back-and-forth. TEIK is the way to go. They take care of the heavy lifting so you can focus on the exciting stuff—like deciding what to pack and how to fit “visit every Korean fried chicken spot” into your schedule. Cheers again mate!

Eric S. UK