Mary McCusker is currently teaching for EPIK in South Korea through Reach to Teach. She has kindly shared with us her experiences and pictures in an interview. She had so much to say about her experiences that we have made this into a two part interview.
The attitude, the rebelliousness, and the constant pushback teachers get from their middle schoolers often leave them with a bitter taste of those classes. I, however, find these classes incredibly satisfying. Here’s why.
Recently, I used a long weekend in Korea to travel to Japan, a destination also easy to access from China and Taiwan. With cheap flights readily available (Peach Airlines is probably the most popular), a few days is well worth the trip. Here are a few pointers on capitalizing on the opportunity.
Commissioned in 1395, the wall is rumored to have seen its first iteration complete in only three months, employing nearly 200,000 people to construct 97 600-foot sections. Additional defense of the city would be provided by Bukhansan Fortress to the north and Namhansanseong Fortress to the south.
South Korea is a fantastic place to start for new English teachers because the country is very welcoming to foreigners, its location in Asia makes it a great launching pad for additional travel, and the pay and benefits are quite generous. That said, many of us first-time teachers will end up at one of the ubiquitous private academies called “hagwons”. While these offer great opportunities, there are a few things you may want to consider before consigning yourself to a year in one of these schools.
It had been about 10 months since I’d arrived in Daegu, South Korea and I hadn’t left the country since. It’s funny how over time you can change without even knowing it. I went to Japan expecting to have a pretty great vacation (because come on, it’s Japan), but I wasn’t really planning on coming back with a whole list of new lessons learned.
Taking a deep breath, I instantly recognized the salty undertones of the scent of a port city. The ocean has a certain calming effect, even when we can’t see it, and Busan is a city under its spell.
What’s better: One year, one country or one year, many countries? I definitely agree on the latter, which is why we put together this list to help English teachers in Korea decide how best to use their vacation days while living abroad. Asia is huge, beautiful, and exploding with must-see destinations.
Click here to complete your application to teach abroad with Reach To Teach.
