Advice

Q&A: FAQs About How To Get A Job Teaching English In Korea

QATeachingWhen I woke up this morning needing to reply to three separate messages (and I’m sure one or two comments I’m forgetting) asking about resources and information for teaching in Korea, I decided to just write this blog post for once and for all.

In this instance I’m just adding my one little voice to the thousands of great resources and guides that already exist. With a little Googling you’ll turn up far more information than you know what to do with! That being said, the requirements seem to change all the time, so maybe my experience in 2014 will be helpful and relevant to you. I’m going to start from the premise that you already want to teach abroad, and specifically in South Korea, specifically at a private school or hagwon. Please note: I am by no means an expert on this topic. All the information below is based on my personal experience applying from Canada (but I will include information relevant to other countries when I can).

Resources

Why Teach in Korea?

How To Teach in Korea

  • FAQs from That Backpacker
  • FAQs from Great Big Scary World
  • FAQs from Around the World in 80 Jobs
  • FAQs from An American Teaching English in Korea

DSC_0002Documents

This was the area that caused me the most stress and confusion. Ultimately, you want to get an E-2 Visa from the Korean government, so the easiest way to figure out what you need is to go to the website of your local Korean consulate and they should have a section detailing what you need for the E-2 visa (for example, here’s the section for Toronto). Go East Recruiting has a great – and as far as I can tell, up-to-date and accurate – guide to what documents you will need and the different requirements based on the country you are from. You can find it here.

The first thing you need to do is order sealed transcripts from your university. Depending on where you went to school, these may cost money or they might be free. You’ll probably need 3 all together. When they arrive, don’t open them.

You’ll also need to order a police check. This is the thing that takes the longest and can really stall your applications. You can start applying for jobs before your check arrives, but the process will move a lot quicker if you are an applicant with all their documents in hand. For Canadians: as far as I can tell you can order either a local police check or an RCMP police check. For both, you’ll want to check off “Vulnerable Sector Search”. The VSS isn’t a separate check, it’s merely included in the regular police check. You can get more information on specifics for different countries using this guide.

Then, make a copy of your university degree at your local printing shop on standard 8.5″x11″ paper. Find a notary in your area and ask them to notarize the photocopy. You have to bring your original degree, but my notary barely even looked at it. Most notaries know all about the process of applying to teach in Korea and should understand what you’re talking about when you ask for your degree to be notarized. It cost me around $30. You should make a couple copies of the notarized photocopy of your degree just in case.

Once you have your police check, transcripts and notarized degree in hand, head over to your nearest consulate. Again, check the website for detailed specifics (example here) but you will probably need around $10 in cash, your passport or driver’s license, and your original degree. (That’s right, even though you got your degree verified, you still also need to bring it along! Lots of red tape.) In my experience, you do not need your criminal record check notarized by a notary, but you do need to have it verified at the consulate.

Once these verifications are complete, please note that you do not have a visa. These are just the first of several steps in getting a visa. Once you get a job offer, you’ll courier your documents to your school and they’ll complete the necessary paperwork for you in Korea. When that’s completed and processed, they’ll get back an E2 Visa issuance number from Korean immigration. They’ll send you the issuance number and you’ll take it to the consulate to apply in person. Your visa will be stamped into your passport within a few days.

Another note on documents: in my experience you do not need a TESL certificate. Some schools will want you to have one, and so if you find an awesome job that you desperately want, you’ll have to decide if it’s worth it to you to do a certification. I had one job offer from a school who said it was mandatory and two job offers from schools that didn’t mention it even once. In the end, I went with the best offer and didn’t need to get my TESL. I became skeptical about getting it when I learned that, while you might learn something helpful from your course, the certification isn’t regulated by any governing body and so anyone can technically set up shop and teach TESL – you can get them online, for $200. You can also do in-person courses that are considerably more expensive, but which (so I’ve heard) teach you a lot more practical, hands-on lessons about teaching. It’s up to you, but don’t feel that it’s necessary. Some schools will want it and (most) others won’t care.

DSC_0002Recruiter

I recommend shopping around when it comes to a recruiter. Do not feel obligated to stay with one, even if they get you an interview or two. There are a ton of recruiting agencies and they often don’t have your best interests at heart. That’s not to say that they want to put you in a horrible job, it’s just that they want to place you as quickly as possible in a pretty good job and move on to their next client. You really have to be your own advocate here. Decide what city you want to teach in, and do a little research to find out what area of that city you might like best. When I said I was only interested in teaching in Busan, my recruiter tried to put me in the outskirts of Busan, at the end of the metro line. Know what you want and be firm.

I used Tony of Gloii Recruiting initially, but he stopped responding to my emails after my first job offer fell through. I do have friends that were placed successfully with him, but other friends had the same experience as me.  You could also use recruiters like Teach Away, Footprints or Korvia. Note: I applied to some of these, but when I had a hard line on the area I wanted to teach in they didn’t have any job listings for me. If you’re flexible about where you work, you could get a job in less than a week. If you have a particular area in mind you most definitely can still find a good job, it just might take you slightly longer.

In the end, I worked with Kate from My Etec and she got me my job here in Busan. I found her by looking through the Jobs listings on KoreaBridge and applying to postings that looked good. She was totally awesome throughout the whole process and I ended up in a really great job in a great location. I would definitely recommend looking on the job boards on KoreaBridge and Dave’s ESL Café to see what’s out there and applying for things on your own, even if you’re already working with a recruiter.

Interviews

There’s not much to say here, except be enthusiastic. They mainly just want to see you or hear your voice, check that you can speak English and make sure that you seem like a nice, normal, energetic person. Be prepared for them to possibly ask you personal questions, like what your parents do for a living or how old you are. Be prepared for the possibility that you won’t be able to see them in the video call or that they won’t be able to see you. Be prepared to do your interviews at 10PM. They will likely offer you the job on the spot at the end of the interview, or you’ll hear one way or another from your recruiter right after.

IMG_2964Timing

If you’re planning to teach at a hagwon, you can apply at any time of year. The “semesters” usually start in March and September so there may be more listings then, but since these are private schools it’s quite a loose designation and most schools are hiring constantly depending on need.

There were about 2 months from the day I applied for my police check to the day I flew out of the country – early January to early March. I would recommend beginning the process about 3 months before you want to leave because it can be very stressful waiting for your police check to arrive, finding a recruiter and getting a job offer that seems fair, and you don’t want to feel rushed on top of the stress you’ll already feel.

Don’t settle!

Trust me, I know exactly how stressful it is applying for these jobs from home. You usually just want the process to move quickly and are totally ready to take whatever job comes your way. Don’t. I know it can feel like you won’t get a better offer or that the details that seem sketchy about your offer won’t be a big deal in practice. But they will be! Decide on the things that are the most important to you – for me these were location and salary – and then don’t compromise. It can be scary to turn down a job offer without a backup, but I promise that:

  1. You will not be happy if you compromise on the important things.
  2. It’s a full year of your life! I know once you make the decision to move to Korea, you want to get here ASAP, but take the time to do it properly and you’ll have a much better experience.
  3. Another job offer will come along. A better one.

Currently the job standards (at least in Busan, where I live) are a salary of 2.1 million won, a 7 or 8 hour work day, 10 days of vacation during the year, a furnished apartment, flights to and from Korea covered, and a year-end bonus equivalent to one month’s salary. You don’t have to settle for less, these jobs are out there.

***

Good luck! Coming to Korea to teach English has already been such a rewarding experience. While my job isn’t the highlight of my time here, it opens the door to so many other possibilities for me. It’s given me the money, the time and the space to pursue other passions, have lots of lovely adventures, and start to figure out what I want my next steps to be. I would highly recommend it to anyone who feels stuck or unsure about their next move.

If you have any other questions, let me know in the comments below! You can also send me an email at stephanie @ lifeinlimbo.org. I’ll try to keep this post updated as things come up.

What To Pack For A Weekend Trip To Tokyo

Tokyo PackingRead my other packing guide, What To Pack to Backpack Through Europe here. 

The Trip: This weekend, I’m spending 2 days in Tokyo, Japan! It’s going to be Spring-like weather, about 18 degrees Celsius both days. I’m travelling with just a purse because I love to travel light and because we’re going to be hitting the ground running from the moment we land on Saturday morning. We don’t want to have to stop to drop our things off at the hostel, so I’m going to be keeping everything I need on my person at all times. 

Great Resources: I was inspired by these packing lists for carry-on travel in both summer and winter. I also love this post about how to pack for a trip in a purse. Lifehack has a few great tips for packing light for a weekend trip. And as always, I am inspired by the philosophy and attitude behind One Bag. 

The List:

Clothes

Tokyo Packing 2

Our time in Tokyo is short, and really, 2 days in a city that big and that wonderful is not even close to enough to do it justice. But my friends and I are all of the belief that going even for 2 short days is a million times better than not going at all, so we’re planning to make the most of it. With that in mind, I wanted to bring clothes that are casual and comfortable, and shoes that I know I can walk in. I won’t be having many “costume changes”, but what I’m wearing isn’t the most important thing for me. I care way more about where I can go, and what I can see and take photos of and eat. 

  • Khaki pants
  • Sleeveless top
  • Cardigan
  • Toms

Tokyo Packing 1

And these are the clothes I’ll be packing in my purse: 

  1. Extra t-shirt
  2. Change of underwear 

Tokyo Packing 3

  1. Jacket
  2. Sunglasses
  3. Fabric bag
  4. Purse (what I’ll be packing everything into)

Toiletries

Tokyo Packing 4

I’m keeping things intentionally minimalist on the toiletry front. We arrive Saturday morning in Tokyo and leave late Sunday afternoon, so I actually don’t need a lot. 

  • Mascara
  • Concealer
  • Lip balm
  • Eyeliner
  • Contact case
  • Blush
  • Toothbrush & toothpaste
  • Deodorant (not pictured because I forgot)

Miscellaneous Necessities

Tokyo Packing 5

  1. Wallet
  2. Earphones + iPhone charger 
  3. Granola bar
  4. iPhone for navigating
  5. Notebook + pen
  6. Passport, credit + debit cards, alien registration card, metro card
  7. Japanese yen
  8. Nikon D90 + 35mm f1.8 lens (not pictured because I was using it to take these photos!)

And there you have it! A weekend trip to Tokyo, packed into my purse. When I initially began planning for this trip, I was sure I needed to go out and buy a mid-sized backpack to fit all my stuff properly. But when I sat down and wrote out all the things I would actually need, I realized I could rely on my trusty purse to see me through.

Carry-on travel probably isn’t for everyone, but it has quickly become one of my all-time favourite things. Travelling can be so stressful, but I find that packing light reduces so much of that stress for me. And having less stress leaves me free to be flexible and spontaneous and to focus on other things, like finding the best green tea ice cream in town. 

What do you pack for a weekend trip away? Do you love carry-on travel as much as I do? Do you have any tips for packing light? 

Let me know in the comments below! 

Q&A: How to Find Your Tribe and Make Friends At University

QA1-2

Don’t suppose you have any wisdom to pass down now that you’re on the other side? I’m off to university this September – I’m ridiculously excited but oh-so-nervous. I’m way more of a read-a-book, movie-on-the-couch, pizza-night-in kind of girl than an out-all-night-clubbing one. I’m scared everyone will think I’m boring and lame.       –Ruby

I can totally relate to this question. In the months before I left for university, I was terrified. I was worried about finding “my people”: people who would understand me and who I could just be myself around. I was equally worried, like Ruby, that people would think my interests made me boring and lame.

I’m happy to report that I found a small group of people with whom I can have deep conversations, laugh until I cry, and who make me feel truly accepted for who I am. And I have a not-so-secret secret for you: you will too. It might not happen right away, but eventually you will find your tribe. I want to share with you what I’ve learned about this process.

Figure out where you get your energy.

My first piece of advice is to figure out whether you are an introvert or an extrovert. A free, easy way to do this is to take a Myers-Briggs type test. Knowing which type you are will help you determine your own social needs and style of interacting with others and it may also help you avoid some of the mental drama that comes with feeling like you’re “different”, “boring” or “lame”.

I’m an introvert. As a general rule, introverts need time alone to recharge their energy levels, whereas extroverts get their energy through interacting with other people (learn more here). Being introverted does not mean you don’t like spending time with other people. It simply means that (in general), you will need less social interaction than extroverts do, and more time alone. Knowing this up front can make your transition into university a lot easier, since universities (especially university residences) are environments more suited to extroverts. When I went away to university I didn’t realize I was introverted, so I didn’t respect my own needs and I burned myself out trying to do everything and interact with people all the time.

Know your needs.

Once you know which type you are, you can more easily figure out what your social needs are. Obviously you will naturally veer towards certain types of friendships and levels of social interaction, but again, trying to figure out your needs can be reassuring and can help you sidestep mental drama. Ask yourself questions like: Do you want a large group of people you can call if you need to vent or are you happier with just two close friends? What does your ideal Friday night look like? 

Finding the answers to these kinds of questions often involves trial and error, but having even some idea of what you want or need can help you direct your friend-finding energies more efficiently. It’s also important not to be ashamed or feel guilty about what your own personal needs really are.

Beware of your assumptions.

Notice how I keep mentioning mental drama? That’s because I consider it a huge part of what makes the first year at university so difficult for so many of us. I define mental drama as the pain, self-judgment and guilt that can come up for us when we realize that our likes, dislikes, habits and personalities might fall outside of what’s considered “normal” for people our age.

Please know that normal is a myth. What’s considered “normal” isn’t in any way wrong or bad, but just know that it does not apply to all people, or even to most people. We’re told that most “normal” university-age kids are constantly partying, drinking, having casual sex, staying up til 3AM, and doing drugs. Some are, and some aren’t. Some do some of the above, sometimes, and a lot of people have wildly different interests than those listed above. University is typically much bigger than high school, so there is usually more room for variety and diversity. The point is, you aren’t alone, whoever you are or whatever you choose to do. You might be in a minority, and it might take you longer to find your tribe, but I promise, you’re not alone. The most important thing is to not be ashamed of who you are and what you like.

It’s also important to remember: everyone just wants to fit in, and sometimes people go along with what they think is the status quo just to try and be accepted by others. So while sometimes it can feel like you’re the only one who thinks that a pub crawl starting at 9AM on a Wednesday is a bad idea, if you don’t go along with it, you’ll probably find there are a bunch of others extremely relieved to find out that they weren’t the only ones to think so either. Those just might be your people.

DSC_0047

Push your own boundaries. 

Ha! I tricked you. I told you to figure out who you are and what you want, and now I’m going to tell you that you should ignore that knowledge (or at least push it to the back of your mind) and try new things, get outside of your comfort zone, and hang out with people you don’t think are your “type”.

The reason I recommend this course of action is because when we head off to university, we’re usually still young. We know a lot of things about ourselves, but we don’t know everything. My favourite writer, Cheryl Strayed, says this better than me:

You are so goddamned young. Which means that about eight of the ten things you have decided about yourself will over time prove to be false. The other two things will prove to be so true that you’ll look back in twenty years and howl. 

So try things that don’t necessarily feel totally natural. You think you’re more of a “pizza-night-in” kind of person, and you probably are, but sometimes we label ourselves because we’re too scared to try new things. Of course I don’t recommend living your life just trying to fit in or be “normal”, but it’s also very important to question your fears and your own beliefs about yourself. University is a great time to experiment and re-invent ourselves. And we can define ourselves as a multitude of things! We can be book nerds who sometimes love going out dancing, for example. We get to write the rules about how we live our lives. So yes, absolutely be true to yourself, but first do a little exploring to figure out exactly who that self really is.

Follow your interests. 

The very best way (the only way, really) to find your tribe is to be yourself. Express your true opinions, spend your time the way you really like, do the activities that make you most happy, listen to the music you actually enjoy, and go to the events that fire you up. Be your introverted or extroverted self. This is the best, easiest way to find like-minded people who you will actually click with. It seems simple and cliché, but it’s really and truly the truth.

A great way to do this is to join clubs or groups that share your passions and interests. That way, you get to meet up with a group of people on a regular basis, some of whom you’re bound to connect with and want to spend more time with. And if not, there’s nothing stopping you from dropping out and joining a different club. Disclaimer: I was really afraid of joining things my first year of university, so I understand how hard it can be to make yourself go to these events and put yourself out there. But I also know now how rewarding it can be. 

Be the initiator.

If you’re introverted, it might feel unnatural for you to step into this role, and it may cause you some anxiety, but I think it’s very important to fake it til you make it, and sometimes pretend to be more outgoing than you really are. Reach out to people! Get their numbers and ask them on a study date, or invite them along to plans you have with another friend of yours. Plan the events you want to go to, and invite people that you think might share your interests. If that event is a make-your-own-pizza party, then you and I are kindred spirits, and there are more like us out there, I promise!

***

If I had to condense this very long article into two lines it would be these:

  1. You’re not boring or lame. There are some wonderful people out there that want to hang out with you and who like to do the things you like to do.
  2. Be yourself, life has a way of hooking you up with the people you need most.

I am very well aware that might not be the advice you wanted to hear, but I’m afraid there’s no magic bullet. Just be brave, be yourself, try your best, and have fun. Best of luck!

If you have any more questions on this or any other topic, let me know in the comments. And if you have anything else to add to answer Ruby’s question, please leave a comment as well.

10 Tips For Backpacking Through Europe

Backpacking Europe

If you’re travelling through Europe alone, check out my top tips for solo travel!

It’s the new year, which hopefully means some of you are gearing up for a big adventure, possibly one in Europe! I had such an amazing time on my trip: I got a chance to try new foods, make new friends, and spend some quality time with me, myself and I. It was a wonderful learning experience. Along the way, I picked up a few pieces of information that made backpacking through Europe a whole lot easier!

There are a ton of great tips for backpacking through Europe on the interwebs. Nomadic Matt has a great overall guide. Divine Caroline also has a good one here. And of course, James and Susan of The Savvy Backpacker are unparalleled when it comes to backpacking travel tips! Their Complete Guide (which is startlingly comprehensive) is here. Also, Neverending Voyage has a great guide to budgeting while traveling! 

All that said, here are my two cents’ worth! Check out my tips: 

Money

  • DO get a Visa Debit card: Don’t worry too much about getting your currency before you arrive. My best advice is to get a Visa Debit card – a debit card that has Visa-type accessibility. Meaning, anywhere they accept Visa, they will accept your debit card. Once you get to your destination, simply hit up the closest ATM, and you’ll have all the local cash you need. Try to take out money in larger amounts if you can so that you can avoid ATM fees! In my experience, all European ATMs have an English language option, so you don’t need to worry about that too much. (Ps. don’t forget to tell your bank you’re leaving the country!)
  • DON’T look like a tourist: I never carried a money belt, except for a couple occasions when I was physically in transit (for example, in the airport). If you’re are seen fumbling with your money belt, or walking around with your head in a map, totally distracted, you may become a target for pickpockets. Don’t assume that just because you’re wearing a money belt doesn’t mean you can’t be the victim of theft! You can still be distracted and robbed if you’re not careful. Be discreet when looking at maps – you could even sit down at a cafe or park bench to figure out your route before you go. Keep your wallet in a zippered compartment inside your zippered, ideally cross-body bag, and stay alert and aware. 

Languages

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  • DO learn a few key phrases: You will go such a long way if you can say “hello” and “thank you” in the language of the country you are visiting. When you’re backpacking Europe, I think it’s important to show some respect when you visit a new place. A new city might seem like just another exotic locale where you can have fun, but it’s also home to a whole group of people with a culture that you should make an effort to understand or at the very least, acknowledge. Take the time to learn how to greet people! Also, if you have any special needs, learn the words for those too. For example, if you’re a vegetarian, like me, you might want to learn the correct word, so as to avoid awkward situations.  
  • DON’T worry too much: Incredibly, I very rarely had an issue with language. This is a product of all the tourism that happens in Europe, for better or for worse: everyone seems to speak English. If you visit smaller, less touristy places, you’ll find there is less English, of course, but in that case you can always download the iCOON iPhone app (which is a picture dictionary), use Google Translate if you have wifi, or just gesture wildly (a personal favourite). 

Packing

  • DO pack light: My #1 tip for safety, efficiency and speed! Read more about my decision to travel with a carry-on here. You can also see my full packing list here!
  • DON’T bring books: Maybe you’re not a total book nerd like I am, but reading was one of my favourite activities to do on my trip. Of course since I was travelling with a carry on bag, there was no room for books! Invest in a small e-reader (I traveled with my iPad mini) and download books as you go. If you can’t afford it, then bring one book with you and trade it in at hostels. Most hostels have a small library where you can take a book if you leave one! Bonus tip: if you belong to a library, download the OverDrive app to one of your devices or access your library’s ebook library on the browser of your computer. That way, you can borrow books from the library even if you’re in another country, get to read new things and save a lot of money in the process!

Navigation

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  • DO download Ulmon apps! If you have a smartphone, download the Ulmon app whenever you visit a big city. Inside the app you have a fully loaded city map complete with restaurant listings and major sightseeing spots. You can “pin” addresses or locations with bright colourful dots so you can find your way to them later. The best part is, all the information is available offline, when you have no wifi or 3G service. Actually, no, the best part is that you can actually navigate using the app even when you have no wifi or service. That’s right. It can find where you are and act as a compass as you walk towards new sites. Don’t ask me how it does it, but it does, and works wonderfully, and it’s free! Definitely download as many of these as you need. 
  • DON’T forget to plan ahead: Not every city has an Ulmon app, and even if it does, it won’t be much use to you if you don’t know the address of your hostel. Remember to write down the names and addresses of where you’ll be staying prior to arriving in a new city, as well as instructions on how to find them! One thing I liked to do was research instructions and addresses ahead of time, and then screenshot the page on my phone so I could have all the information for later when I had no wifi or service. Taking photos of important information like door codes, locker numbers or parking spaces can be really helpful. 

Hostels

  • DO ask fellow travellers for recommendations: Hostels can be so hit-and-miss, and even though HostelWorld and other booking websites show reviews of people who have stayed there, there’s no substitute for getting a recommendation from a fellow backpacker. I stayed in some of the best hostels based on suggestions from other backpackers, which is really useful in cities like Rome or Paris where there are a hundred hostels to choose from. So if you meet someone who has been somewhere you’re going, get their opinion on where you should stay. 
  • DON’T forget locks: I’m not going to try and scare you, because I never was stolen from, but I think that bringing your own locks is important. Remember to bring a small suitcase lock and a padlock. The suitcase lock is great not only for your suitcase while in transit or at hostels without lockers, but is also great for lockers whose clasp is too small for a bigger padlock. Also, hostels will charge for locks (and some won’t even have them) so you’ll save money if you bring your own. They don’t weigh much, but they’ll give you some peace of mind if you feel strange about leaving your stuff unattended in a hostel without lockers all day.

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And there you have it, my favourite tips for backpacking through Europe. A trip like that is a heck of a ride, and the better prepared you are for it, the more fun you’ll have during it. One last set of do’s and don’ts: do take the leap and plan an adventure + don’t let fear hold you back! Yes it’s scary, but it’s totally worth it.

What are your top travel tips? Are you planning any travel adventures for 2014?  

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