We recently followed up with Harrison, an American teacher, to see how he was enjoying Korea. We asked him these 5 questions and this is what he had to say.
1. Why did you want to teach in Korea?
While I’ve always been fascinated by teaching in general, I was attracted to Korea due to my loves of Tae Kwon Do and Starcraft. South Korea is the birthplace of Tae Kwon Do and has a thriving sports community, so it just seemed like a perfect fit.
2. What do you like the best about teaching in Korea?
The children here are remarkably well behaved, and I really enjoy teaching at my private academy. It’s nice to teach at a private school because I don’t have to create any new material and I’m free to spend my energy on teaching.
3. What surprised you the most about teaching in Korea?
I was pleasantly surprised by my boss, she went above and beyond her duties as a principal and took me to the hospital and government agencies to help me get my alien registration card. She even took me out to help me sign up for a cell phone plan!
4. What do you enjoy the most about living in Korea?
I’d have to say I really enjoy the martial arts culture and the overall politeness of the people around me.
5. What advice do you have for teachers following in your footsteps?
I would recommend trying to get a position at a hagwon before applying for a public school position. Also, GET YOUR DOCUMENTATION DONE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE!