Testimonial by Melodie Leclerc
Canadian, worked for 2 years at Yale Academy in Gumi

So, you’re thinking about coming to teach in South Korea, are you? Well, I have lived and worked in South Korea for two years now so I have a good idea of what you need to know about living, working and traveling around South Korea.
The people of Korea are very warm and friendly. If you don’t know much about the culture, it’s beneficial to learn but Koreans understand you’re foreign and make allowance for that. It really depends on what city you choose to work in; whether or not you’ll see other foreigners on a regular basis. Seoul and Busan are the major cities in South Korea but Gumi, where I stayed, isn’t small. The great thing about South Korea is that it’s a small country with an awesome train system that’s incredibly cheap. It only takes about three hours to get to Seoul from Gumi and about two hours to go from Gumi to Busan. It’s really easy to make day trips all over South Korea on your days off.
As for traveling, there are a lot of things to see and do here. You can go to Seoul zoo, the Korean Folk Village, countless Buddhist temples, (Gumi has three that are easy to get to), Seoul Insadong street, Busan Aquarium, Haewoondae Beach, countless Palaces (not like castles) and a whole lot more.
Living in South Korea is a bit different in some ways. The first thing is the weather. If you come from a hot place in Australia or from Florida, Texas or California in the U.S., you’ll be fine in the extremely hot summer. I’m from Canada so the heat nearly kills me. I find winters mild here and the lack of snow at Christmas is sad, but again, I’m from Canada so short of ?40 degree Celsius, everything seems mild! There are also a lot of places that sell the food you’re used to though I recommend you try “Chamchi,” “Gimbab” at least once. However, deodorant is expensive, clothes are made for stick people (so bring your own!) and it’s difficult to find good English books for reading material (though you can order them on-line). Christmas is a day holiday and Halloween is virtually non-existent in South Korea except at English Academies and classes. I also recommend learning some Korean before you come to make it easier for you but it’s not necessary. There aren’t any poisonous animals, insects or reptiles in South Korea and there’s almost no crime- it’s incredibly safe here though precautions are always good. People here don’t really have ovens (except at bakeries) and they rarely use driers. Taxis are cheap and so are buses as well as food and utilities. It’s a great way to save money and see some of the world.
Working in Korean is pretty interesting. The thing I admire the most about the Korean people is their work ethic. I am no stranger to hard and long work but the Korean philosophy is more along the lines of ‘Life is work’ with the Canadian philosophy is ‘work to play’. As a foreign English teacher our job isn’t too difficult but it can be a bit monotonous and routine. Though the kids are absolutely wonderful, you do have to remember that there are some differences. Though kids here tend not to ask questions or tell you that they don’t understand because of cultural differences, so you just have to keep telling them it’s okay to ask you questions. There are other small differences as well but the Korean teachers (your co-workers) will happily answer those questions.
Overall, my two years spent in South Korea were well worth it and I recommend the experience to everyone interested in new cultures, traveling and teaching.

Contact Information
011-82-11-9693-9718 (Cell)
thewarriorkai@yahoo.ca

Testimonial by Traci McGarry
Worked for 1 year at Sekeoyro Foreign Language School in Gumi

Before I left the US, I was very nervous to come to Korea. I didn't know any Korean and didn't like spicy food. My director picked me up at the bus station in Gumi and took me to my new home. The next day he picked me up for lunch and then we went directly to the hogwan where I began classes right away. I was taken aback because the kids were asking me questions, mostly in Korean and staring at me. They also seemed to have no idea what I was saying. Soon I learned to slow down a bit and use simple English at first and build vocabulary from there. The kids were fairly respectful and if I had a problem the Korean English teachers helped me right away. Soon I had picked up basic Korean phrases to use in the classroom.
For a while I carried around my Korean phrasebook but eventually it was left at home. I learned how to use hand gestures and Korean pronunciation of English words to help me get what I wanted or where I needed to go. If I thought it would be difficult I asked one of my Korean friends or a Korean teacher to write down what I needed in Korean. I would almost always try to say it first but just knowing I had the paper gave me confidence. A lot of my foreign friends have scooters or motorcycles. This year I used public transportation--buses and taxis. They are fairly inexpensive and easy to use. Next year I'm going to get a scooter for a little more freedom.
It took me a little while to get used to the spicy food, but now I love it. I cook a lot now but at first I went to the "orange restaurant" also known as gimbop heaven. They are all over and have a wide variety of Korean food for cheap. I tried a lot of different things on the menu and chose several favorites. It's also easy to get Chinese food, friend chicken, and pizza delivered. If you are vegetarian or vegan, be prepared to know how to say no meat and then list as many different types of meat as possible. Pepperoni, ham and sausage don't seem to be considered meat.
You might also want to get a Costco card, there's one in Daegu.
It's fairly easy to get what you need here, even though Gumi is a smaller town. However, if you are bigger than a size 4, you might consider bringing a decent amount of clothes from home. Larger sizes can be found, they are just a little more expensive. Books can be ordered from whatthebook.com in Seoul or from Kyobo bookstore in Daegu. Many foreigners are more than willing to share.
In Gumi there are a few "foreigner bars" such as Waegook Cook and Psycho. There are also board game rooms, DVD rooms and plenty of singing rooms for things to do. Gumo Mountain is in town and is a somewhat difficult but beautiful hike. There are at least 3 movie theaters and tons of restaurants, too.
I enjoyed my first year in Gumi and look forward to my second.

Contact Information
011-82-16-540-3899 (Cell)
tracimcg@yahoo.com

Testimonial by Bryant’s Testimonial
Worked for 1 year and coming back to work 1 more year at Prime Language School

Coming to Korea always seemed the right thing to do--that is, I didn't harbor any doubt about my 'surviving' in the country.? I knew I'd be fine.? What I was nervous about, was teaching children who could hardly understand what I was saying.? Regardless of which foreign country or region of your own country, such an impending task can seem daunting.?
I'd read books about other's experiences in Korea, but none left me feeling prepared.? I doubt reading can make any but a fool feel prepared for something yet to be actually experienced.
It wasn't easy, upon arrival to adjust to my new role, but it wasn't that hard.? The most important thing to remember, in my opinion, is that they are kids.? They do not understanding reasoning and rhetoric--especially in the second language they do not yet grasp.? They understand strict, unambiguous rules.? It's important to establish such a line, a barrier they are not to cross in the beginning.? And when they understand where they stand, only then do you lighten up, let any possible transgressions--sometimes exceedingly cute--go unpunished.
This said, there is so vast a grey area, that as an adult you will notice and have to negotiate while maintaining the unambiguous environment the students need to establish proper study habits.? They don't know the difference, you do; you have to resist the temptation, no matter the cute, silly and generally irresistible sleight-of-hand they will deal you.? All schools vary in this respect, and depending on how you deal with other people, you may find this terribly interesting.
Perhaps I'm biased.? After a year I feel that Korea is like any other place--people go to work, to health clubs, to restaurants, to bars.? I find it comfortable to live here, as natural to live here as the US.? The food is reasonable and plentiful, though some foreigners complain about the monotonous and ubiquitous use of red pepper paste. Korea has McDonald's, Burger King and other such fast food chains, but to the more discerning Western palette, some foods can be hard to find.? Bringing a few spices if you enjoy cooking, could go a long way to relieve this lack.
Apart from craving Mexican food that tastes like Mexican food, I've really found little problems with eating here.? Gimbop restaurants, Korea's version of the greasy spoon, provide an easy, fast and cheap way to sustain yourself when too busy to cook.
People are generally welcoming, Koreans and foreigners alike.? It's rather easy to make friends, just be outgoing and friendly.? But this is coming from a biased person. ?I'm coming back for another year, with possibilities of another after that.

Contact Information
011-82-10-7217-0560 (Cell)
peripateticb@yahoo.com