You can find answers to some frequently asked questions about Korea here:
Living Questions
- Can I buy bed sheets in Korea?
Yes, yes you can. Places like E-Mart sell all the bedding products you can dream of.
- Can I buy my favorite shampoo and conditioner in Korea?
Yes, for the most part. Unless you use something fancy from a salon, you will find most (if not all) the brands you are looking for all over Korea.
- Can I buy western style foods and products in Korea?
Yes and no. It really depends on what you are looking for. Most of the time the answer is yes, but you will pay a little more for it here.
- Is alcohol expensive?
That depends on what you are drinking. If you are drinking Korean booze, you are not spending that much money at all. A bottle of Soju can cost anywhere from $1 - $2. If you are drinking imported stuff (which is everything not made in Korea), you can expect your bar tab to be quite large. Pro tip: drink and love Korean booze. Your wallet will thank you.
- Can I drink in Korea as a foreigner?
Absolutely. In fact, you are expected to drink with your fellow teachers when you get placed in a school. The drinking culture here runs deep and thinking otherwise is silly. Koreans can probably drink any other country in the world under the table. The only thing you need to be concerned about is not making an ass out of yourself.
- Are there open container laws? What about being drunk in public?
There are no open container laws and EVERYONE is drunk in public at least once a night. Just don't be stupid when you drink. This means NO FIGHTING, no breaking things, and no making a scene. Follow those simple rules and you will be just fine while boozed up in Korea.
- How is the public transportation? Is it expensive?
Public transportation here might be the best in the world. If you are in Seoul, the subway will take you to wherever you can think of going. If it doesn't, there is a bus that will probably solve your destination problem. Moral of the story, don't worry about getting around while you are in Korea.
As far as the price goes, I have one word for you: cheap. I think the most expensive ride I have ever taken was just over $1.00 and that was taking a subway from one side of Seoul to the other.
- How do I use the public transportation system?
South Korea has got it down. They have a system to where you can purchase a "T Money" card in any subway. After purchasing the card, or little dangling accessory for your cellphone, you put the card in a machine, load it up with cash, and you are good to travel. You can also refill this card with any amount of money at anytime in any subway (before or after the gate).
Getting through the transit gate is as easy as touching the card to a machine. It even works through wallets, coat pockets, and purses.
- Is dinning out expensive?
Not really for the most part, but it depends on where and what you are eating. Expect to pay $9.00 if you are going out with a group of friends. This means drinks, food, and lots of service for the table. For everyday occasions though, you can expect to pay anywhere from $4.00 - $6.00. That said, there is a $200.00 burger here. I want it.
- What about shopping? Is it different than the U.S.?
I hate to keep saying this, but it depends. There are regular brand stores that we are all used to (Adidas, Nike, North Face, Apple, etc.) and there are GIANT department stores that put Wal-Mart to shame. They have groceries at the bottom, everything you need for living in the middle, and a movie theater at the top. While these 10 story department stores are pretty nifty, a lot of items you find in them can be pretty expensive.
South Korea also has a lot of "mom and pop" stores where you can find some reasonably priced items. This is where I try and go when I want to purchasing anything. Not only will they have what you want for less money, but you can also try and bargain your way into a combo deal or discount. bargaining here can rival a Mexican street store sometimes.
Pro tip: if you are looking for a dollar store in Korea, go to Daiso! We all love this store and you will to. You can find just about anything you need for your apartment for about 1 - 5k won. We constantly joke about going to Daiso and not being able to leave without buying something.
Finally, there are entire areas of Korea that are dedicated to shopping. A couple of these areas are Meyongdong and Gangnam. While they will have all the designer things you are looking for, expect to break your wallet.
- Can I watch Netflix? What about Hulu or Pandora?
No, no, and no. Don't worry though. Your internet connection is fast enough to scratch any media itch you are having ;).
- I hear they have lots of internet cafes. What is the deal with those?
When new teachers first arrive in Korea, they usually spend a lot of time in these internet cafes, called PC Bangs, because they don't have internet in their apartments. These places are filled with gaming systems, loud teenage boys, and smoke. Also, most of the games at these PC Bangs require you to have a Korean ID and the ability to read Hangul (Korean).
The prices for using one of these computers is pretty cheap. Usually it costs around 1 - 2 dollars per hour.
- What is the exchange rate like in Korea?
Click here to get the most current exchange rate. Usually it stays around 1100 won to 1 dollar. To give some perspective, a coke costs about 1000 won here.
- Do I need to speak Korean to live in Korea?
No. it is harder if you don't know the language, but you will find that most native teachers coming to Korea don't know a lick of Korean. I am personally trying my best to learn the language and it is making life much easier.
Also most, if not all, signs have English on them. English is such a widely spread language here that anyone who speaks it will be just fine. Just don't expect to walk into most stores and have anyone understand what you are saying. English may be on their road signs, but that doesn't mean that everyone speaks it.
School Questions
- If I apply to teach through EPIK, what are my chances of getting high school, middle school, or elementary school?
The fact of the matter is this: you will probably be placed in elementary school no matter what you put on your application. Most people get placed in elementary, then middle school, and then high school. The trick is to not have your heart set on any one of the three. I came hoping for high school and found out later that it was a small pipe dream with little to no experience teaching beforehand.
- What do I teach in class?
The answer to this question can vary depending on what school you get placed in. For the most part you will be teaching out of an English textbook that the government has put together. It is a pretty good book, but doing your own activities in class is okay too. Other schools might let you teach whatever you want all the time. This sounds good, but you will probably run out of ideas after the first month. Getting placed in a school that uses the textbook, but isn't afraid to change it up here and there is the ideal situation.
There is also TONS of material online that EPIK will hook you up with. This is really one of those "no reason to reinvent the wheel" kind of situations. People post their games and lessons online for you to take, so steal away...your kids will appreciate it!
- What are the working hours like?
I get to work at 8:50 and leave work at 4:50. I teach 22 hours a week (which is the norm) and have the rest of my time for planning and other activities / clubs / classes that the school wants me to conduct. Any teaching time over the 22 hours is counted as over time and I am paid accordingly (which is around 30,000.00 won / hour).
During the summer and winter breaks I have to teach two camps (one for each break). These camps can last from 2 - 3 weeks, so they kind of eat up your vacation time. They aren't that bad though because you only have to come to school for a half day.
- How does lunch work?
Your school will either have a cafeteria where all the students and teachers eat or you will have a private teachers dining room and the kids will eat in their home rooms. You will also usually get 50 mins. for lunch.
You have the option to either signup to eat the school's food or you can bring your own food from home. I wanted to get sucked into the culture, so I decided to eat lunch at school. This means that I pay 1 -2 dollars a day for lunch and am subject to whatever strange food they are serving. If you are a really picky eater, I would not recommend doing this. However, if you want to experience eating what the Koreans eat, then signup. So far, I have been pretty happy that I did....except for one day.
- Do I need to speak Korean to teach in Korea?
I came to Korea not even knowing how to say hello. The schools don't want you speaking Korean in the classrooms. They want you speaking English...that is why they hired you.
You will have a co-teacher that will help translate anything you say to the kids. While this is nice, most of the kids can already understand what you are saying to them. You'll be amazed with how smart they are.
I will also mention at this point that there are plenty of kids that have no idea what you are saying. Don't worry about this. That is why you have a co-teacher.
Activity Questions
- What is the hiking culture like in Korea?
To put it bluntly, everyone hikes. When I say everyone, I mean everyone 50 and up. You will occasionally see a 20 - 30 something on the mountain, but for the most part the Korean baby boomer age group floods the mountains on nice days. They also have the nicest gear in town. Expect to see thousands of dollars worth of hiking gear on the subway if you get anywhere near a mountain town.
I personally have been hiking a lot as well. It's free, easily accessible to me since I live in the north of Seoul, and I love the exercise / scenery. I can't recommend hiking enough. If you are coming to Korea, bring your hiking shoes. You won't regret it.
Had a great conversation with someone and wanted to share:
Q: About your typical day... you teach the same level 5-7 times? Is that
all before lunch, or do you teach after lunch? Does the school
require you do planning at the school after lunch, or are you free to
go home and do planning there?
A: So let's take Monday for example. I teach 5th grade, starting at 10:00am and ending at 12:20 for lunch. I then teach two more classes after lunch until school ends at 2:40 (of course I can't leave until 4:50). This is my busiest day. Tuesday has me teaching 5th grade again from 9:10 until 12:20, but I have no classes after lunch. This means I can do whatever I want until 4:50. The lesson I teach the kids is all the same for those two days. So I teach the same 5th grade lesson 9 times, spanning from Monday - Tuesday. I can plan whenever and wherever I feel like, but I must meet with my co-teacher before I teach a certain lesson with them. It is kind of chaotic if they are in the dark about a lesson.
Q: How does your vacation time work? Do all the days have to coincide
with the school calendar, or is it possible to take a 2-week vacation
in the middle of March, for example. Do the kids get the standard
2-weeks off around Christmas and New Year's like we do? I saw that
you teach camps during school vacations... is that a must? The 5
weeks of vacation time on the website sounds too good to be true (as
does the rest of the job, to be honest), so I'm wondering if it
actually is true.
A: Vacation can be tricky. You are kind of at your school's mercy here. You can also only really take vacation on days that the kids are off school. This means summer vacation is about 2 weeks and winter vacation is about 3 weeks. Summer vacation is in August and winter vacation is the end of December until the end of January. If you sign on for another year, you get spring break as well (feb. 15 - 29th).
Yes, there are summer and winter camps. Those are a must and will last 3 weeks each....but I only teach for 3 hours a day and we do fun camp things like make ice cream and slime. The camp I am running right now is Harry Potter themed, so that is super fun.
I know what you mean about it all being too good to be true. I felt the same way. I can assure you that it is all good and true. One of the best jobs ever lol.
Q: What food do you miss the most, and what ingredients can you not find
there? Are groceries expensive there?
A: I miss the accessibility of sandwiches. Koreans aren't really in to sandwiches and so there aren't many places to get them around town. Granted, convenience stores sell them in packaging and there is a nice sandwich shop like 10 minutes away from me. You just don't see subways on every corner like back home. That said, there are subways here...just not around me :(.
Food is pretty cheap here. Your local Korean grocery stores don't carry a lot of the items you are used to, but they have GIANT stores like Walmart all over town. They have Homeplus, E-Mart, and Lotte Mart. These are basically like super super walmarts. AND there are Costcos here. So you are not going to want for much. ANNNDD there is a foreign foods market in Itaewon.
The biggest food item difference is honey. It is expensive and tastes weird. Also cream. Koreans aren't really in to cream.
The cost for foreign foods is higher than regular Korean food for sure...but not by much. I just found things I like that are Korean and stick with that. I am also probably spending less on food here than I was at home.
Side note on food: you will eat out ALL the time. It is cheap, easy, and everywhere.
Q: What are the chances of teaching high school?
A: If you are applying for EPIK/SMOE, it is a crap shoot on what grade you get. I can tell you though that you will not get high school. Seoul is firing all the native English teachers in the high schools (it's a political thing). If you want high school, you will have to go outside of Seoul...which isn't too bad at all.
Q: Where do they place you for the orientation period? Anywhere near Seoul?
A: You will be placed in Hyewha, which is right near the middle of Seoul, for you orientation. It is a super fun college town and I loved every minute of being there. Really a great place to start your adventure in Korea. Also, your orientation will last about 9 days. This is where you will make a ton of friends and contacts that you will have until you leave Korea.
