Steps for a smooth transition to teaching ESL in South Korea

When I first got the idea to move to South Korea in 2012, someone in my job at the time asked, “Why would you move halfway across the world to teach English when Mexico is right down the street?” He had a point. Of all countries, why South Korea? Not Japan, but South Korea?! But it didn’t matter; I was already set on moving halfway across the world. And it wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision either. Of course, I needed a passport—my ticket to the world—but I’d already been culturally preparing myself at that point. (My chopstick skills were better than any Korean I’d met.) If done sloppily, moving to a foreign country can be the worst decision of your life. I mean the worst. With this guide from my lived experience, however, the move can be a piece of cake, or what Koreans say, “like eating rice cake lying down.”

Your passport must prove you’re from one of the seven official English-speaking countries. By the way, having English as your first language has absolutely nothing to do with teaching skills or the ability to converse well. With that said, teaching ESL in South Korea requires a passport proving your nationality is from South Africa, the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, the United States of America, or Canada. I don’t think there is any way around that. It was written in all of the teaching contracts at all of the schools I taught at.

I recommend sharpening your professional development skills before deciding to teach anything anywhere. In the case of South Korea, an online certification in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) or a bachelor’s degree is the minimum for applying for full-time positions. Don’t worry if your major isn’t in direct line with English, education, Asian studies, or any other field you’re sweating bullets about; having a higher education is what matters. It’s most likely the law, just like the passport requirement, but it also shows some skin in the game in terms of knowing how to learn. So, anyone who feels they wasted money on a four-year degree can spend a few years teaching ESL in Asia! I hold a bachelor’s in Communication with a minor in Spanish. (Don’t expect to tener una conversación with me, though.)

To double down on professional development, let’s sprinkle in some ways to sharpen your intercultural communication skills: 

• Make friends with international students at your local university. (I recommended frequenting the international studies department.)
• For extra brownie points, get acquainted with language-specific professors and international professors. (One professor who helped me was a Political Science professor from South Korea.)
• Offer them advice on the best places to eat, how to settle into (college/work/marriage) life in your country, etc.
• Better yet, start your own language exchange club at a library. You may earn the title of Cultural Advisor in your neighborhood.

No matter which country they’re from, they’ll appreciate your efforts and host you at their dinner parties!

Leadership skills will set you free. Let’s be real. Becoming a successful teacher takes getting comfortable speaking in front of people; there is no way around it. Everyone "speaks" nonverbally; even kindergarten ESL students can sniff anxiety from a new teacher. We can all agree that teaching is not an easy job, and being half across the world can magnify the experience tenfold, sending any seasoned teacher on the first flight back to their home country. Leadership skills are crucial in teaching abroad because, technically, you are in their house. Be stern in the beginning, then slowly ease up as the school year progresses. This sets the tone for the classroom, affording you wiggle room to mold yourself into the type of teacher you want to become. Being too nice in the first weeks will lead you in the wrong direction; students will walk all over you and, worse, bring their parents to class to evaluate your teaching practices.

This last point goes without saying: Learn basic Korean at the very least! If you’re lucky like I was and have more than enough opportunity to practice your Korean speaking skills before making the big move, your efforts (and new friends) will thank you later. It goes without saying that learning a new language is not only fun, but it enhances cultural competence and shows your peers (classmates, future employers, co-workers) that you’re willing to cast aside your own culture for a while. Even though you’ll be discouraged from using any Korean in your teaching workplace, you’ll be free to speak to whomever you like everywhere else.

This list isn’t a comprehensive life guide for living abroad, but a few of the lifestyle tips I practiced before taking the big dive. So what are you waiting for?!