The cat is out of the bag!
I'm staying in the Republic of Korea for another year. This time, I'll be in Incheon, Republic of Korea (Korea's second largest city) until August 2020.
Korea was just too good to give up on after one year. Here's why:
The Students
- They aren't perfect but they are easy to love
~ You build genuine relationships with most of your students.
- They're fun
~ I'm always surprised what a great sense of humor they have, even as English is a second or third language.
- They're smart
~ The pressures on these kids are immense. The South Korea education machine is grueling but you learn so much from them and you'll constantly be amazed how much English they know and how quickly they learn.
- They appreciate you
~ You won't be loved by every student and that's part of the job but the ones that show their admiration for you and the ones you strike up a relationship with prove just what a rewarding job it can be.
The People
- Not just the Koreans
~ Korea does a great job bringing in talented, smart, experienced, open minded and unique foreigners.
- Koreans
~ I absolutely adore the curiosity of Koreans. They're interested in YOU and why you're here. They want to hear about your experiences and see your ideas put to use in Korea. The most genuine thing about Koreans is they care deeply if you are enjoying Korea. In my experience, Koreans are a humble, shy, but proud people and it's so easy to appreciate.
So Much To See and Do
It feels almost impossible to see and do everything that's fun and interesting. For a country with a land mass the size of the state of Indiana, it really packs a punch. Korea has a history that dates back thousands of years. It also has some of the best food you'll ever indulge in.
Since space is limited in Korea, Koreans don't live in large homes and they often live with their families. Crowded and small apartments mean Koreans would prefer to be out doing things instead of at home. That means there is almost always something to be able to go out and do!
Life is Convenient
- Great public transportation
~ Seoul's metro system has 291 stations. It's 174 miles in length. That makes it one of the largest and most extensive subway systems in the world.
~ The express bus system can get you anywhere you need to go. They go to all the places you could ever want to go in Korea. Not only that, they get you there in comfort. There are three levels of busses: Economy, Excellent and Premium. As you go up the ladder the price goes up. As the price goes up, so does the comfort. The Excellent busses have lounge chairs and the Premium busses have your own little pod with a pullout table, a seat that reclines as far as you could ask, and a TV.
~ The KTX (Korea's bullet train) gets you across Korea in under three hours as you often reach speeds of 190 miles per hour. In one day when my parents left Korea I started my day in Busan, went to Seoul, then to Incheon, then back to Seoul, and finally arrived in Suncheon. All in just 16 hours time. That's the country coverage equivalent of going from Miami to Seattle, to the coast, back to Seattle and then to El Paso, Texas.
~ The pay here isn't high in it's pure number. But when your bills are pennies on the dollar, you end up saving a lot of money. Plus, foreign teachers don't pay rent!
~ Korea is the most Hi-Tech nation on the planet. It was the first country to reach 5G internet speeds. It's no surprise when it's home to two of the worlds most well known tech giants (Samsung & LG).
~ Korea is very safe. There is virtually no violent crime here. Even the petty crimes, like theft, is virtually non-existent.
~ I'm also covered with great healthcare and coming from a country where that wasn't the case, the stress free life of knowing you're in good hands if something severe were to happen, is quite nice.
Here's the to the next 365 days and all the memories that will be made!