Working in Korea 5 - Pros and Cons

Pros and Cons:

One of the hardest parts about working in Korea is that you are on a one year contract and usually cannot go home to visit during that year. You could go on your vacation but it is very expensive and the jet lag is very bad. Plus everyone will want to see you so you will be very tired when you return. Most people stay for the year and visit home when their contract is up.

This can be very hard! I have missed many weddings and family get togethers because I am here and cannot go home often. If you don’t think you can make it a year without visiting your friends and family in the states then this might not be the job for you.

I have found that Facebook and Skype have been very helpful for keeping in contact with people back home.

You will work harder in Korea then you most likely ever did in the states. Their work ethic is very different than ours. For example if you are sick you are expected to go to the Dr. right away even if you just have a little cold. The doctor will give you meds so that you can get through the work day and then you are expected to work even if you are sick (This happens more in Hogwans then other work environments). It does not matter if you are teaching children and might get them sick. I have seen teachers teach with pink eye. I once had to teach when I did not have a voice. Taking a sick day is extremely frowned upon, unless you have some designated sick days in your contract.

A good thing is that you can save a lot of money while you are here. The average person can easily save 10,000 US dollars during a one year contract in Korea. This depends on how well you save versus spend.

You get a chance to learn about another culture. The Korean culture is very different from western cultures. Not only will you learn about Koreans but you will also meet many other foreigners from other countries. We currently work with people from Canada, UK, Ireland, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

It is easy to take trips to countries close by. It is common for people here to vacation in Japan, China, Taiwan, Thailand, and the Philippines. Plane tickets are usually pretty cheap to fly to those countries.

Korea is also a great place to gain teaching experience. Depending on your employer you may get a lot of training or very little. Some schools send you to trainings for a week others put you in classrooms to teach the day you arrive. Ask lots of questions and find out what your working conditions will be like. Also, try to fly in on a Friday or Saturday so that you will have the weekend to recover (a little) from your flight/jet lag.