Rina Factor/ Contributing Writer and Maytinee Kramer/ Opinion Director
Over the years, South Korea has exploded onto the English teaching scene in Asia, jumping to number two of the five best countries to teach English in, and it’s not just because of the allure of K-pop. Teaching English in South Korea will make you rich — not just money wise — in so many ways.
The demand for English teachers in South Korea is high and still growing, so schools throughout the country will arrange and pay for both accommodations and airfare, while providing a generous salary.
An English teacher in South Korea can save up to 75 percent of their wages — that’s often over 1,000 USD a month. It’s no wonder so many students decide to pack their bags and leave for Korea. But aside from the money, they want to enrich their lives.
K-pop and K-dramas are probably a person’s first introduction to anything South Korean, but more than just being exposed to catchy beats and trendy fashion, they are exposed to a culture.
South Korea is a country rich in culture and history, so one of the many reasons students are moving to teach there is because of their interest in learning more about the country first hand.
Korea is filled with numerous Buddhist temples, sprawling Baekje-era fortresses, or Joseon Hanok villages, so any history or Asian culture buff would have a ball exploring the streets of Seoul on their down time.
Another reason why so many students choose teach in Korea is because they want to learn and speak the language. You probably have or know that one friend that is always singing along to K-pop songs, and it’s this exposure to the language that drives people to want to learn and understand the language. And what better way to learn a language than to fully immerse yourself in it?
Glorie Garcia, an FIU alumnus, always knew she would do some form of teaching in Asia, and after twelve years of studying and working in the U.S., she finally made the decision to pursue her dream of teaching English to students in Korea. Her decision stemmed from researching about Korea online and watching videos about other people’s teaching experience on YouTube. From her research, Garcia saw that Korea provided the best accommodations and
had a good reputation for taking care of foreigners. “It was a now or never kind of thing,” said Garcia.
For her, teaching English in South Korea was a great chance to experience a different country in an affordable way. “I’m excited to wake up every morning, go on an adventure, have a good time with the people, and assimilate with the culture,” Garcia said. Garcia signed a one year teaching contract, but once her contract is up, she intends to continue her travels and teach in other countries.
While in Korea, Garcia hopes to instill a love of the English language in the school children while developing her teaching skills and gaining a lifelong experience.
“It’s great to find your place in the world and have a career, but you’re not growing if you stay in the same place. I’m hoping for a great deal of personal growth,” said Glorie.
If you really want to make bank and travel the world, then teaching English in Korea is a great option. You’ll get to enrich the lives of so many young children, but you’ll also enrich your own.
From the super cool K-pop culture to a solid traditional culture and delicious food 24/7, South Korea is not only a great country to work in, but it’s a country will never leave you unsatisfied.
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The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of Panther Press Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community.
Photo by Emile-Victor Portenart on Unsplash.
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