How to Guarantee That You'll Have A Horrible Experience Teaching in Korea

Recently I have come across so many people with extraordinary opportunities to work in South Korea, who seem to think that they are "less fortunate"or owed something more than the rest of us.  Occasionally, you will meet a teacher who really has been dealt the shit end of the stick, but more often than not they are just folks who weren't prepared to be teachers in the first place and were expecting to breeze through without doing work. These teachers don't appreciate the struggles of teachers who are actually dealing with corrupt Hagwons, poor or late pay and little to no holidays. The public school experience is actually a very nice set up. Korea can be an absolutely trying and crazy experience, but you really have to make an effort to be totally miserable here! Want to guarantee that you too will become one of those Soul sucking dementor teachers? Follow these steps:

1. Maintain a generally negative attitude about your new country and your surroundings, as well as constantly comparing it to your home country.

2. Hang out with other negative teachers, or even date/marry them for the full pleasurable effect.

3. Never partake in any Korean activities or attempt to learn anything about the culture.

4. Don't make strides towards learning even the most basic Korean phrases, that will help you get by and be accepted as a polite, respectful, member of society.

5. Complain on the largest media platform you can find, in hopes of meeting other soul suckers such as yourself. Chances are you will just alienate your support system (the other native teachers). Of course, a little complaining is necessary from time to time and we all do it, but when it consumes all of your conversations it becomes really tiring, really fast!

6. Don't reach out to the other network of teachers, who are more likely than not, dealing with similar situations in a more mature and positive manner. If you did reach out, they might be able to offer you creative solutions or at the very least, some positive feedback and reinforcement.

7. Don't make your apartment feel like home. That would allow you to get too comfortable or take ownership over your habitat. Instead, you can continue to feel as if you are renting a space in a country you are not too fond of.

8. Do make random, sporadic attacks on people who are enjoying their time in Korea. Insist that they cannot possibly be having fun because you are not, or that they somehow have been "dealt a lucky hand." This will make you the life of the party!

9. Treat your time in Korea as if it is just a gap year or another drunken study abroad session. After all, how much work do you really need to put into teaching?

10. Blame it all on luck and never take your work ethic or attitude into consideration. Sometimes we need to assume personal responsibility, re-evaluate and approach a situation in a different way. As a teacher, this is invaluable!

Did you take note? Great! You are on your way to being the worst kind of person to spend time abroad! Alright, if you didn't pick up on my obvious sarcasm, then you may have just gathered that I  have been put off a bit by some of the negativity in the teaching community. Particularly when I have met such fantastic, positive people, sharing such a wonderful experience! Ups and Downs and all! I have had my share of troubles, but I have learned to face them with positivity and a wicked sense of humor. Sometimes that's all you can do.

Have you made attempts to improve your situation here? No? Well here is my sympathy face...

Want to make the most of your year teaching abroad? Check out these helpful tips for staying sane in Korea!

8 Tips For Staying Sane While Teaching In Korea

Everyone comes to Korea having read the blogs of the bitter teachers and vows to never become one of them. Even before you've set foot in the country, you're thinking about how grateful you would be to even have a job here or have the opportunity to teach. Here is the reality. Korea is an amazing Country to live and teach in, but people who come here to avoid reality or feel like they are "delaying" their adult life will find the work load to be harder than most. Here are a few tips for staying sane.

1. Do as much as you possibly can when you first arrive. Try new foods, meet new people and hell, even occasionally have that cheeky soju on a weeknight. The memories you create and the sense of awe you feel while discovering new places will help to tide you over when you are having difficulties.

2. Do not isolate yourself from other English teachers. I know many teachers here who are hell bent on not wanting to spend time with other foreigners and insist on only hanging out only with Koreans. Now this can be really helpful and reduce your time for learning the language, but it can also feel quite lonely. Other teachers are in the same boat as you, they understand your worries, your concerns and your perspective that a Korean teacher may not understand. Sometimes a good venting session is all you need and it is much easier to vent to a friend as opposed to a member of staff whom you might offend.

3. To my next point...do try to make friends outside of the expat community. It will be an interesting cultural exchange and great opportunity to learn about a culture which is so incredibly unique. For example, the practices for pouring drinks in this country boggle my mind and I could never imagine doing them at home, but I absolutely love practicing here!

4. Don't be afraid to be negative sometimes. Don't worry if your friends are having a completely positive experience and you are having ups and downs. People are too afraid of being labeled the "bitter Epik teacher" and trust me, there are plenty of those! It's best to just try to be realistic. You are living in a new country, teaching in a system unlike your own, of course you are going to have down days and days where you question "Why am I here?" Let yourself have them. There is nothing wrong with that, but always try to end the school day on a positive note.

5. Make your apartment comfortable early on. A bad apartment can lead to a lot of homesickness, especially in the early months. When I arrived, I didn't have a bed and I found myself incredibly stressed about the prospect of getting one. A few days in, I asked my co-teacher, who was able to give me the bed that our school had in storage. With my first paycheck I went to E-Mart and bought colorful comforters, shoe racks and decorations to make me feel more at home. I was also quite proactive after finding cock roaches in my apartment...which is a really horrible situation and a definite deal breaker for many people. A little boric acid and some creative re-arrangement and I basically love coming home to my apartment.

6. Do not create a "us" and "them" feeling between yourself and your students. The best part of my job is getting to know the personalities of the different kids and sharing myself with them. Be firm enough that they understand you are their teacher and superior, but do not scare them so much that they are uncomfortable speaking or see you merely as a dictator os punishment.

7. Spend some time having fun with your students! While it is important that your kids learn English, feel free to have a little fun some times. Lesson planning and constant curriculum can burn out even the best of  teachers, not to mention your students. Occasionally, after a quiz or exam or even sometimes at the end of class, my students and I will watch Kpop star, Korean quiz shows or funny youtube videos. Even with the language barrier we all have a good time and feel much closer bonding over what we are viewing.

8. Take up a sport or hobby! Just because you are in a new country doesn't mean you have to give up the things you loved at home. I have played rugby for a good portion of my life and can't imagine myself without it. Proactively research things to do in your area as there are a plethora of other expats also looking for the same activities!

Korea has so much to offer and there are many excellent things to try if you keep an open mind. You'll only be miserable here if you let yourself be! Well alright I'm off to eat some dumplings, enjoy your weekend everybody!