Why Teach?
Why Teach English in South Korea?
- Save more money than you will ever in your life time by teaching English in Korea!
- The kids take the English education seriously in South Korea
- Get out and experience the Asian culture.
- Grow more mature and independent.
- Viewing the world from a more global perspective
- Become an ambassador for your country
- Feel and adapt to a different pace
- Learn to appreciate your origin
- Make incredible and lasting friendships
- Independence, freedom and the ability to prove yourself
The limitations of living abroad are minimal. Developing countries provide you with sometimes many more opportunities than you would ever be able to experience back home. You may find yourself in a high level management position or a capacity of significant responsibility just simply because you are the right “type” that a Korean is looking for.
Where can you live off of several hundred dollars (U.S.) a month in the world and still be well nourished, travel and entertained? The cost of food is ridiculous in Korea (meals from a couple dollars to $5-6 on the high end for most Korean food). Transportation is cheap - subways from a buck to a buck and a half. Taxis get you across the city for $10 and many trips for less than $2. Internet cafes charge you a dollar an hour. Cell phone services are $20-30 a month. The basic tax rate is 3.3%. Try to get taxed at less than 5% anywhere else in the world! People regularly send thousands of dollars home monthly. Many people pay off loans, save money for homes and travel throughout Asia after their year in Korea and if you stay for more, the sky is the limit.
Instead of being held up by gun point, your kids give you gifts on Teacher’s day and regularly give you the respect that teachers should have for educating the future of any country. Koreans hold the teaching profession in high regard. There’s a reason why kids go to additional schooling beyond public schools — simply, Koreans think education is one of the most important elements to society. At CDI, the kids are also usually from elite families who raise their kids to take the education seriously and are normally more disciplined than most kids.
Learn how another culture lives. Instead of just seeing how the world operates from your perspective you’ve gained while growing up in the U.S., Canada, or Australia, become familiar with why another culture respects their elders more seriously, how a country’s citizens can build their infrastructure 10X’s faster than you’re used to or watch food prepared to your satisfaction 10X’s quicker than you’ve ever seen in your lifetime.
You’ll definitely experience various challenges and situations you’ll probably never have imagined. Also, you’ll do many of the things on your own. Living and working in another culture will simply make you so much better at handling situations to survive and prosper. You won’t have some of the conveniences or abilities to rely on easier methods to achieve what you want and may have to become creative just to accomplish simple tasks. However, it will make you so much better as a person.
Instead of seeing how your media depicts the rest of the world, read how Korean media describes how the U.S. or other countries are acting. Witness the opinions of people who may not know what it’s like to be #1 economically or have the pleasure to have as many options as the West may have. Experience how a technologically advanced nation operates via text messaging or other devices faster than you may be comfortable with. Converse with the locals about their Confucious beliefs and how it impacts their lives. See North Korea outside the West and learn if there is another side to the country.
Koreans don’t always have experiences with Americans, Canadians, Australians, English or South Africans. You may be the first westerner they’ve met in their lifetime. At the same time, they may share some of their deepest and most private aspects of their lives to reciprocate. Nevertheless, you can share many of the interesting things you may have not thought were so interesting until you shared it with a Korean.
Korea is known for operating very quickly and making decisions in a heartbeat. It will simply floor you how fast some decisions are made. It may also frustrate you as well and possibly give you an appreciation of how you are used to things.
On the same note, you will learn so much why you might appreciate Seattle, Toronto or whereever you’re from. Experiencing a different culture typically let’s you compare the good and the bad for both cultures. You can literally create a check list of the ideals and perhaps even help you move to a 3rd location which may achieve all the positives. Who knows? You may find Korea satisifies most of the things you want. There are many who have immigrated to the country and are living here permanently.
Koreans are some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet. Many Koreans will invite you into their home just after a 15 minute conversation if they feel they can trust you. For some reason, Koreans empathize or strongly appreciate others and when they feel they have a “Jung” with you, they will sacrifice themselves for you. Koreans can literally become your best friends in life.
Why Teach in Busan, South Korea?
- PIFF (Pusan International Film Festival)
- Busan Hiking & Busan Beaches
- The laid back culture
- Pusan University, Kyungsung University
- Busan Festivals, festivals and more festivals
- The people
- Proximity to Japan and Fukuoka
- Still close to Seoul by KTX (3 hours)
- Reach any part of the city in 20-25 minutes or less
- Get everything above plus have many of the conveniences of a larger city