English
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English Majors who Teach Abroad
 Sheena Frydrych, '05
After I graduated three years ago, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, but I knew that in order to figure it out, I had to get into the working world. For the past three years, I worked a few sales jobs in Chicago, but never really felt good about of them. After graduation, I always had it in the back of my mind to teach English abroad, but it seemed like such a far-fetched idea. There were too many things that got in the way like being away from my family and friends for a year, leaving my job with bills to pay, being afraid to make the move, you name it. I finally realized that I was putting these obstacles up for myself. All of the things that I thought were unsolvable were really not that difficult, so I made my decision, took an offer at a school, called Choo Choo Train English, and moved to South Korea.
I moved here in October. After only one official month, I can already see that I made the right decision. This is my first time teaching, and I teach kids from age 5 to 13. Everyday is different, and it’s remarkable when you can start to see the kids building a bond with you. Beyond just getting to know the kids, it’s exciting to work in another country and get to know other perspectives and work habits. I’ve enjoyed working with the Korean teachers in my school so far, and I think they will all help me gain some sort life perspective by the end of this trip. This opportunity is going to give me an experience of a lifetime, something that can give me an opportunity to travel, help me learn more about this world, and most of all, help me learn about myself. It’s definitely something I will never regret.
How did you pick your program?
There were many different factors that led to my decision on South Korea. First of all, I have been out of college now for three years, which means I have my share of debt and knew I would need to be able to make enough money while teaching to continue to keep up on my bills in the United States, plus still have enough fun money to see the country. I did a bit of research on countries in Europe and South America, and I found that Asian countries pay the best to foreign English teachers. I had never traveled to Asia before, so I knew this would be an amazing opportunity to see the country and check off another country from my list of places to see in my lifetime.
That narrowed my decision down to China, Japan, or Korea. I really knew nothing about any of the countries, so I figured my best bet was to contact a few other St. Norbert grads that were in South Korea to see what their experience was like. Everyone that I spoke to in South Korea seemed to really love their teaching experience, the new people that they were meeting, the money they were putting away, and being able to travel in Asia. I found out from them that on top of paying your monthly salary, the Korean schools also pay for your rent, round-trip plane ticket, and an extra month of severance pay at the end of your contract year. Everyone seemed to have an easy transition, so I thought, if they can do it, I can do it. I went through Access South Korea Now (http://www.asknow.ca/), which is the same recruiting agency that my SNC friends went through, and they were a lot of help throughout the whole process.
Do you like it?
I have only been in South Korea for about a month now, and so far, everything is going really well. Obviously, my first week here was rough. I got lost on a fairly daily basis, really struggled with the language gap, and felt like I could completely get lost in the shuffle of this world over here. After that first rough week over here, things just started to turn around. I started to meet some friends and got more accustomed to the lay of the land. I realized that every foreigner here dealt with that “lost” feeling, and you just have to accept it. I also found that most of the foreigners are friendly because they understand what you’re going through as the new kid in town.
This is my first time teaching, so I definitely run into some trying times, but overall, teaching here is a very easy job, since I speak English. I teach kids from age 5 to 13 throughout the day, and everyday is different. I really have been enjoying getting to know the kids and a bit about the culture, as well.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of it?
Strengths:
- My work schedule is Monday-Friday, so the weekends are free!
- South Korea is a small country, so by spending a year here, I hope to see most of it.
- The money is good.
- The Seoul Subway system is really good, so it is easy to get just about anywhere in the city by taking the subway.
- Spending a year away from home – time to find yourself, travel, try new things, and meet new people.
- Having an opportunity to explore a country that I may never have traveled to otherwise.
- Communication with family/friends at home through SKYPE and email is easy.
- Doing this makes me feel stronger and more independent than I already was.
Weaknesses:
- I work for a smaller school, so it’s been more challenging to meet people than others that work for bigger schools.
- I don’t have many Korean teachers at my school that speak English very well, so communicating with them about certain work/classroom issues can be difficult.
- Spending a year away from home – missing family/friends.
What do you like and what do you find challenging about teaching English abroad?
Overall, I really like the teaching experience so far. Whenever I get frustrated with things, like the kids acting up in class or having a gap in communication, I look back at the other jobs I’ve had after college. I have worked in three different sales jobs during my three years after college, and I was never really happy with any position. I found the sales world to be stressful, and I don’t think Corporate America is the right place for me. Looking at what I did before usually alleviates any of the minor frustrations that I’ve had to deal with here. I figure that if I worked for three years in jobs that I didn’t like and was able to survive, I can definitely handle a year in another country teaching.
How has it worked out monetarily?
Teachers usually can make about 2.0-2.4 million won/month. In order to find out how that converts, you can check out a currency converter website. I’ve seen it anywhere around $1,600-$2,000/month USD, depending on where the US currency is at that time.
Did you have to have TEFL experience?
I don’t have any TEFL experience, and my school/program didn’t require it.
What is your daily life like?
As far as my work hours go, I work from either 10am or 11:15 am til 6:30 pm or 6:50 pm, depending on that day’s schedule. Some teachers work earlier in the day, if they work for public schools, but usually private school hours are similar to mine and can even be later in the day. I eat lunch at the school with the kids. It saves money, and it gives me a chance to really experience all that Korean food has to offer. It took me about this whole month to get the hang of the chopsticks, but I finally feel really good at using them now.
After school, I obviously don’t have a lot of time to go anywhere far from my local area, but it gives me a chance to hang out with my local friends, make dinner, exercise, or watch the few American TV shows that I can find on my cable. Some people have time to take Korean classes and learn the language, join a gym, or take tae-kwon-do lessons, too. There’s a lot you can do; you just have to ask and get help finding it.
Any tips you have for those thinking about teaching abroad?
You need to find out what is important to you when you choose a program. Money, travel opportunities, being able to get a placement with friends, learning a new culture, being in a specific country…there are so many factors. I chose to go with a placement near Seoul, since I knew being near a big city would offer a lot with travel opportunities, networking opportunities, public transportation, and everything else that a big city offers.
You need to have an open mind and be willing to go with the flow. South Korea can be an extremely frustrating country to live in, and the language barrier can be hard. If you don’t have a positive attitude and open mind, you’re going to be miserable here.
You can’t expect to live in a luxury apartment. Most apartments are small and have a shower, toilet, and sink all in one room, without a shower curtain to block off the shower area. It’s definitely not a pampered lifestyle, but it makes you realize you can handle what life throws at you.
You need to be willing to ask questions, at the risk of looking stupid. If you don’t ask, you’ll go through your whole experience without a washing machine in your apartment. I didn’t have a washing machine at first and thought the country didn’t have washing machines. After about a week of miserable hand washing, I asked, and my school delivered with a washing machine!
You also need to be willing to reach out to make friends. If you don’t take initiative and try to meet a few foreigners, you will definitely struggle when it comes to your sanity and social life.
If you haven’t studied abroad or gone anywhere on your own before, you really need to take a good look at yourself and see if you think you have the commitment to live away from home for a year and if you have the independence to thrive on your own. I studied in Australia when I was in college, but I went over there with a group of friends. This is my first time doing anything completely on my own, and I had thought about this for the past three years. I finally had that moment where I knew the time was now, and I was ready. I think being ready is really important.
Jackie Kleist, '06
How did you pick your program?
My program is called LifeNet and is actually associated with the Lutheran church. My uncle, a Lutheran pastor, suggested it when I mentioned interest in teaching abroad. However, universities in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing,
Hangzhou, (where I am) and most of the larger cities offer independent contracts for foreign teachers, so no program commitment is necessary.
Do you like it?
I love it! This was originally only a one-year commitment, but now I'm back for year three....Life abroad is addicting! Every day is challenging and unpredictable; I am rarely bored. Of course, my study-abroad experience in Santiago, Chile was extremely different but equally interesting. Naturally, students interested in living or teaching abroad should research countries/cultures they are interested in before making a decision.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of it?
Life and teaching in China can be frustrating; things that are totally unacceptable in the States (cutting in line, shameless plagiarism, and frequent invasions of privacy) are the norm here, so it can be tough to acclimate at first. The language barrier may also pose problems. I came here without any knowledge of Mandarin, so for the first few months everything was exhausting-grocery shopping, ordering food, navigating the lines at the post office and bank, etc.
Of course, life in the Far East also has its perks-most Chinese people LOVE American pop culture, so Americans are treated like celebrities. Local people as a whole are extremely friendly and helpful (unless you are all trying to board a bus or squeeze into an elevator...) and are easily impressed with blue eyes or any knowledge of Mandarin. I would definitely recommend China for people who enjoy public speaking and don't mind being the center of attention.
What do you like and what do you find challenging about teaching English abroad?
Teaching is both rewarding and taxing; while the students are eager to practice English with a native speaker and learn everything about the Western countries they idealize, they have been literally trained NOT to think for themselves. This can be frustrating when trying to facilitate a discussion-based course or lesson. In accordance with the party line, conformity is almost mandatory in the education system/society as a whole, so the students are reluctant to participate in class debates or express their opinions in regards to a written work or controversial topic.
How has it worked out monetarily?
I make $500 USD/month. Here in China this salary more than covers food, clothes, (and the occasional Starbucks latte) as well as frequent weekend trips to neighboring provinces. Since housing and utilities (and sometimes even a bicycle!) for foreign teachers are provided by most of the larger universities, the income we make is all disposable and stretches pretty far domestically. When I come home for summer, however, a month's pay disappears pretty quickly. I figure I'll come out even in the end-no money lost, but no student loans paid off either. My parents have mixed feelings about this.
Did you have to have TEFL experience?
Many universities and private language schools in China's bigger cities prefer their teachers have TEFL certification. I took a 3-week TEFL class in Minneapolis (paid for by my program) soon after being hired by the university.
What is your daily life like?
Daily life is interesting, but inconvenient. Most Chinese cities are severely overcrowded, and Hangzhou, at 7 million, is no exception. Picture hundreds of thousands of bicycles weaving in and out of standstill traffic at rush hour. At first, the food seems unrecognizable, the pollution is disappointing, and the crowds are overwhelming. Everything I buy must be carried home by hand or by bicycle (easy to forget upon arrival, when I bought enough groceries to fill a car trunk and then stared forlornly at the tiny basket on the front of my bike....)
Gradually the city becomes home. After the first few weeks I started making more Chinese (and foreign) friends, and finding new favorite restaurants, bike paths, flower shops, and tea houses in my neighborhood.
After two years here, life sometimes seems routine-teaching, grocery shopping, laundry, dinner with friends.
Any tips you have for those thinking about teaching abroad?
Be flexible! Chinese universities are infamous for having "surprise" lessons on weekends (supposedly to make up for time off during holiday vacations...) and for repeatedly changing class and payment schedules.
Chinese logic is frequently illogical to the Western observer. Sometimes it seems the administration, traffic policemen, or restaurant employees are doing things the most difficult way possible. Patience, resilience, and a sense of humor are helpful. Be adventurous! I've known a few foreign teachers who remain terrified of the unfamiliar and spend their year abroad stationed in front of the computer, glued to MSN and Facebook. Get out and meet local people! Embarrass yourself trying to learn their language and culture. It's all part of the experience.
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