Thread: Teaching English in asia

I'm considering pursuing this as a change of pace, specifically EPIK, or the English Program in Korea.

The requirements are quite simple EPIK Eligibility Requirements | Teach English in Asia but I was just wondering if people had done this or know people who have done this sort of thing and how they found their experiences? I know next to nothing about Korea and I understand that learning this language (or trying to) is generally considered more difficult than others such as French or Spanish for example.

A guy I used to work with has just started doing exactly that in Korea, sounds like he's loving it and seems to think it's quite amusing more than anything else!
I know his old man is in a NZ Military position over there as well though so he's probably a bit more comfortable having family there.

Seeing his daily updates is pretty crack up though. My understanding is that with the Korean and Japanese teaching knowing their language isn't a necesity as they are so hard out about you speaking and teaching english to them.

My cousin does it in South Korea and he loves it. So much that he married a local

Originally Posted by theirlaw

I'm considering pursuing this as a change of pace, specifically EPIK, or the English Program in Korea.

The requirements are quite simple EPIK Eligibility Requirements | Teach English in Asia but I was just wondering if people had done this or know people who have done this sort of thing and how they found their experiences? I know next to nothing about Korea and I understand that learning this language (or trying to) is generally considered more difficult than others such as French or Spanish for example.

You're right about that I was fantastic at French and I'm learning Spanish at the moment and I am shocked at my progress You could go teach Spanish in Colombia?
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?
If *THAT* doesn't sway you, I'll talk to my schoolmate who taught English in Seoul

Scary, I was just thinking about doing this is Japan next year - I've really wanted to do a year over there as a bit of an OE, buy a big Chaser and get a bit of dorifuto on my days off.. Enjoy the Japanese car scene, try get it out my system.

Apparently you don't even need to know Japanese, I'm just more worried about me not knowing shit and going over there and not being able to do anything :\ I do have a mate over there, but I can't have him around me 24/7 doing translating and stuff.

It's either that or hope IBM wants someone to send over to Japan for full time employment, but highly unlikely.

Holy crap okay.

Where did you teach?

How was it communicating, buying things like food, water, cars etc?

Did you have trouble with transport? Did you drive, buy your own car, ride a bike, train?

What was the average price of things, I got quoted about 3 million yen a year + accomodation - would that leave me much to play with if I was to eat traditional (I realise things like fruit is quite expensive)?

a couple i know were in korea teaching english and they loved it...spoke no Korean when they left nz

my old boss was trying to tell me to go do it in
china

id be keen as but my kids are too young to bugger off for long periods just yet.

Im heading over to Japan later this year to teach English. I recently completed a celta course, thats a qualification for teaching English to foreign learners. Im glad i did that course as it has given me good insight and experience for what to expect when teaching. tesol is also another option as well.

My flatmate from two years ago has just finished doing this in south Korea. She was pretty much just teaching five year olds and all she really had to do was speak english to them. She hadnt had any teaching experience before and as has been mentioned its not a necessity to learn korean but it would probably help for everyday things.

Ah that's where I was planning on going, Yokohoma. Purely because I want to experience Daikoku-Futo carpark once in my life. Chiba is a second choice.

Yeah I realise running a car will be expensive, but it'll be purely what I plan to do. Spend my entire time on it, most of my money would be fuel or car parts. Or motorsport events.

That's quite encouraging, assuming I have my apartment paid for so that may free me up a bit of coin.

How about transport? Did you ever go far out, catch trains? Was it difficult knowing where you were going? I know busses you hop on, grab a ticket and can just ride it inot the sunset, I'd just be more worried about knowing where I'm going. Or if there's a GPS for English. (.e.g how easy was it to catch a train to a different city? were driving roads difficult to navigate?)

Also, how often would you find someone speaking English in retail? e.g. at a dealership, car parts place or something like this. It's all essentially so I know how prepared I have to be, wether I should wait a few years and brush up on some Japanese or just go over whenever I have the chance. I'm only 20 so I got plenty of life in me.

Ah well that's encouraging. I have a mate over there, his brother works for Junction Produce etc so he'll be helping me with some things. Japanese speak the universal language of chasis codes so hopefully I can get somewhere.

I have seen a few advertising around Chiba region, but otherwise yeah they're mainly a few hours out. I'm more just looking further into it, but you've given me a good little insight on it and it makes me really keen to start looking hard into it. Think I may need to brush up on a few words of Japanese though, or atleast learn to write it.

Thanks

My advice would be do it sooner rather than later while you have no commitments, going away for a week while still having to pay bills etc sucks! so I say go hard!

Well I still live at home. Only thing I'd have to decide is if I should sell my Skyline and use the money over there or not. Otherwise I've got no real commitments.

The main issue I have is my current job isn't really one to just pass off.

I guess you have to weigh it up and ask yourself it you really want to do it, personally if I was in your position I would sell all my stuff, bite the bullet and do it (after a heap of research first) your old job might take you back when you return and if not at least you a reference and experience for something else. Your only young once, just wait until you see water bills

Yeah well this is the stuff I like hearing about.

I'm actually completely unqualified except for a few computer company qualifications (Microsoft, Cisco, CompTIA) so I guess it's not so much of an issue. I got 5 years working experience behind me at 20, it's not so much wanting to live up the life, I just don't like it here in New Zealand.

I don't expect it to be perfect, I just, frankly hate how small New Zealand is. There isn't enough people, enough buildings, enough cars. Some people like that, me, it bores the shit out of me.

And apart from Australia, there's only really one other place in the world which will support my massive Japanese car porn fetish.. So ye.

Hence the 9 month contract with one of these English things. Try 9 months, come back to New Zealand and see how I feel. I wouldn't dedicate to anything more, and would avoid owning anything important that I can't bring back with me (I'm sure I could bring the car back, but won't be buying a house & a mortgage).

My sister did 6 months in Korea (sounds like a war veteren) and for the most part she enjoyed it. As it says in the requirements you need a Bachelor of something and she had a BA (bugger all) ...

She naturally gets homesick hence why she only lasted 6 months instead of the 12 she was supposed to do, she found it a bit of a struggle to get used to the Korean custom.

As for the teaching she had good days and bad days, their school system is completely different to ours it's more of a regime. The kids could spend more then 12 hours in school each day and because english was not so important by the time they got to her class they just weren't interested in learning.

The pay was good (can't remember any specifics) but due to the fact you're living in a completely different country she found she wasn't wasting as much money on pointless stuff.

Originally Posted by Mr. Shine

To be blunt, 20 years old with no bachelor's degree isn't going to get you a teaching job or a programme placement in Japan

LOL owned

You'll find out soon enough that Asian countries are big on their degrees.