Teaching in the Land of Kimchi: Discovering South Korea As a Working Ground

There has been an exploding demand for native English speakers to come and teach English in South Korea. English programs and English academies have been spreading like wildfire, and in the ups and downs of the economy, university graduates, travelers, and people from all walks of life are packing their bags and taking advantage of the English boom.

Korean institutions are paying good money and offering excellent benefits to Westerners who are willing to explore the unfamiliar, pack up their bags, and teach Korea

Melissa Christine Karpinski has spent five years traveling on and off through East and Southeast Asia. She has become quite familiar with South Korea and its culture while working as an English teacher for nearly two and a half years and for six different institutions. She has taught English to employees and CEOs of big companies such as Texas Instruments Korea (currently Sensata), Samsung Electronics, and Namyang Aloe. She has also taught elementary and high school children of all ages in Korean English academies and an elementary school.

After her first year living and working in South Korea, Melissa recognized there was not enough information or publication material available about the opportunities in the country. Most books about Korea were geared for the traveler and sightseer and focused mainly on tourist destinations. Melissa wanted to compile useful information about how and where to get a teaching job, what to really expect while living and working in Korean culture, and what to be aware of when choosing a contract. Aside from her own, she also wanted to share other teachers