1. There is an abundance of jobs
The market for teaching jobs in Korea is pretty good. It's one of the more popular places to teach English abroad since the government is really pushing English education. Teachers often find jobs through recruiters or directly through job advertisements working in private or public schools.
China also has an abundance of jobs.
2. It's a good place for first time teachers
With the right qualifications you shouldn't have much trouble finding a job here even if you are a first time teacher. It's also a good place to start off since the start up expense is so low.
3. You're broke and/or you want to pay off some debt
The financial situation in Korea is pretty good for ESL teachers. Teachers can make pretty good money and save it since the cost of living isn't much and there are a lot of benefits.
4. You want to become a "millionaire"
The average salary for teaching in Korea is around 2-2.3 million Won a month. That's about $1,800-2,200 (USD) a month.
5. You'll get free housing
Most contracts for full time jobs will provide free housing. If they don't then they will give you an allowance.
6. You'll get a free airline ticket
If you sign a contract for a year then you'll get a free ticket. It depends on the school, but if you break the contract you'll have to pay some or all of it back.
7. You'll get severance pay at the end of your contract
If you complete one year you'll get one additional month of pay at the end of your contract.
8. You might get pension pay
If you are a US citizen or from another designated country you'll also get a pension refund at the end of your contract. This can be another $1000 or more.
9. You might even get a settlement allowance
This is not common, but if you get a job through a program like EPIK you might get a settlement allowance of a few hundred dollars when you arrive.
10. You like to drink alcohol
You won't be alone here if you like to drink. Koreans like to drink alcohol. Soju is the national favorite alcoholic beverage. It's not only young adults who like to drink, but older adults too.
11. You love K-Pop
Pop music is big in Korea.
12. You want to learn Korean
Korean is said to be relatively simple, compared to Chinese or Japanese. If you are going to live in Korea it's recommended that you learn Korean.
13. You like hiking
Korea is mostly covered in mountains and hiking trails are very accessable. Even big cities like Busan have easily accessed mountains around the city.
14. You like kim chi and don't mind a little stankiness
Koreans eat kim chi with every meal. Kim chi breath is common and at night time you'll get on the subway and it will smell like a mix of kim chi and soju.
15. You like spicy food
Korean food is generally pretty spicy. They tend to use a red sauce that's common in many foods. If you like to eat Mexican, Thai or Indian food then I'd say you might not find it that spicy. Some people have problems with the food.
16. You like video games - especially Starcraft
The kids are nuts about video games here. And it's not only the kids it's the young adults too. There is even a TV show here dedicated to Starcraft.
17. You like public transportation
Public transportation in Korea is pretty good. It's efficient and inexpensive.
18. You are a B-Boy or a B-Girl
B-Boying is popular in Korea. You will see many performers doing this on the street or on TV.
19. You want to lose weight
Many fat and overweight foreigners moving to Korea lose weight. The Korean diet tends to be healthier than what many Americans eat.
20. You want to learn Taekwondo, Hapkido, Kumdo or Ssireum
The most popular Korean martial art is Taekwondo. Hapkido, Kumdo and Ssireum are other Korean martial arts.
21. You have an open mind
While this is not specific to Korea it is towards teaching abroad and enjoying it. You have to have an open mind because things are going to be different.
22. You want to learn how to teach
Traveling to Korea can look appealing, but soon after that newness will wear off and you will have a job probably teaching kids.
Teaching English to kids is hard.
Most kids:
- are high energy
- have a short attention span
- are not tame
That's quite a powerful cocktail and it can be stressful because on one hand you are trying to teach (w/ no experience) and on the other you have these kids that are high energy, have a short attention span, etc.
And the less you know about how to teach them correctly then the more problems you are going to have.
So if you want to feel more confident in that classroom and ultimately have a better year then take this course.
22. Life is short so...
You are going to die.
So is teaching in Taiwan something that you want to add to your life story? Will you regret it if you don't do it?
It's normal if you feel anxious or hesitant. But teaching abroad is not for everyone. See the above reasons to see if it is.