TWICE with CIEE: Kayleigh in Korea (PART 1)

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO TEACH ABROAD? WHY CIEE?

I first decided to teach abroad because I wanted to figure out my career path. I had never taught before, so before committing to further education, I really wanted to try my hand at teaching. Additionally, I have always been interested in travel, particularly to Asia. I thought that teaching in South Korea would be a great way to give me an opportunity to see if being a teacher would be a good fit. I chose to go with CIEE because they’re a very reputable company. When discussing with a friend my desire to work abroad, she mentioned that someone else she knew taught through a CIEE program. After further investigation, I decided that it was a great option. I particularly liked the help participants received when it came to applying for visas and seeking out work positions.

LOCATION:

For my time in South Korea, I was placed in Gyeonggi province outside of Seoul, about an hour subway ride from the city. For me, this was a perfect location! It gave me the ability to go on walks in nearby parks and eat out at restaurants and cafes without having to compete with many crowds. However, it was just close enough that when there were events I wanted to visit in the capital, it was a quick subway ride there and back, easily doable for even a dinner out. In fact, that is one of my favorite things about South Korea; there is always something going on. Regularly, there are pop-up stores in Seongsu or Hongdae you can check out and exhibitions at the DDP (Dongdaemun Design Plaza) to attend, and there is an innumerable amount of cafes to be explored! Their immense quantity and affordable prices make going to cafes either alone or with friends such a great space to hang out!  

TEACHING EXPECTATIONS & COLLEAGUES:

While in South Korea, there was quite a lot of responsibility when it came to teaching. I had one group of kindergartners (maximum 12 students) that I was in charge of teaching the whole year. Then, there were different sets of after-school students I would teach, and they would change every quarter. In total, I would teach 36 students in one day. For the kindergartners, I was in charge of teaching all subjects. The material was already chosen by the company to maintain consistency throughout the campuses. This meant that there wasn’t much lesson planning to do. However, it can take a while to feel comfortable with all the materials that need to be taught, especially during the first few months. In addition, there were other school events that had their own routines to be learned. 

When it came to other colleagues, I mostly interacted with the other foreign teachers of the same kindergarten level. We would have meetings every week to discuss the curriculum and make sure that everyone understood what needed to be accomplished. Also, I would work very closely with my Korean teacher, whom I shared the classroom with. I was mostly in charge of teaching the materials, while she was responsible for communicating with parents and discipline, if needed.  

COMMUTE & PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION:

Personally, the ease of transportation was one of the big advantages that South Korea has. South Korea is a relatively small country in relation to the United States. Thus, when there are events like festivals happening in other cities, even on the opposite side of the country, it’s at most a 5-hour KTX (bullet train) ride to get there! Furthermore, I am someone who enjoys a leisurely stroll. It is so easy to explore different areas of South Korea, or simply Seoul for that matter. No matter where you end up, it is very easy to locate a subway station, bus stop, or call a Kakao Taxi if needed. My walk to school every morning would take me 20 minutes. I found this walk to be a great way to get mentally prepared before starting the day. There was also a bus available that some of my colleagues would ride, but I preferred the walk. 

HOUSING & ACCOMODATIONS:

Living in South Korea was my first experience of living alone. I loved it! Each foreign teacher was provided with their own studio apartment that came with basic furnishings: a bed, a table, and two chairs. Also, as other teachers were leaving the school, I was able to snag some additional furniture free of charge! Moreover, nearly all the foreign teachers lived in the same building. Even though I never lived in the dorms during college, I assume this was very similar to those circumstances. This made it very easy to hang out with the teachers who I had become friends with.

LEARNING KOREAN:

Before moving to South Korea, I had only studied enough to learn the sounds that some of the Hangul letters make as well as read the majority of letters. Part of my moving to South Korea was to immerse myself in a culture and language I knew close to nothing about. I was curious to see how I would do having to learn a language based on necessity rather than in a formal classroom setting. I did try to take lessons for a few months; however, my work schedule made me feel too tired to continue. Despite the stint of a few short Korean lessons, I found that I gained so much vocabulary by simply taking in the culture around me. Through reading Hangul and repeating phrases, I would hear people say around me—including my foreign friends who were more advanced than me—I would say that I have my basic necessities down when it comes to Korean. 

FRIENDS & COMMUNITY:

While in South Korea, I was pleasantly surprised with the community I built, and the friendships I made. Since we all worked at the same place, it meant that we had the same schedule. It was easy to walk to and from school together. Additionally, getting together outside of work was incredibly convenient. This made living abroad so much more enjoyable. Perhaps I just got lucky with the stupendous people I happened to work and live alongside, but they truly were the highlight of my time spent in South Korea.

DIFFICULTIES ABROAD:

One of the biggest difficulties I encountered in South Korea was the difference in work culture. There is a very large emphasis put on the results from one’s work. Hence, it was common for me to work outside my time at school, including on the weekends. Also, the hierarchy within the workplace is very important within Korean culture. This means that the balance of power can be skewed, but it is all dependent on those with authority. Personally, I had to realize that there would be certain parts of the culture that I could not change. However, that didn’t mean that I couldn’t ask for respect or give suggestions.

ADVICE AND FINAL THOUGHTS:

Personally, I had such a blast while in South Korea. So much of the lifestyle really fit my hobbies, and I had an amazing experience making friends. Moving and teaching in South Korea really helped to give me guidance as I think more seriously about my own future. Additionally, it gave me a new experience in learning a language founded on daily necessity. Without any background knowledge nor prior learning, the words and phrases I learned while in South Korea have really stuck with me because they are the vocabulary I needed to get by every day. My time in South Korea was formative and delightful. It is definitely a place I hope to return to in the future. 

The most important thing for people to keep in mind while considering teaching abroad in any country is to simply have an open mind. You’re stepping into a new culture with the purpose of leaving what is comfortable. It exposes you to a new language, customs, holidays, family dynamics, and so many more aspects that are uniquely distinct to each location. I would suggest trying to try and take in the differences that you will experience with a receptive mindset and hopefully have fun and appreciate them.