There are two questions people in Ireland will usually ask before coming over to Korea. The first often comes with a facial expression that suggests the idea is not particularly attractive to the person posing the question.
“Why did you chose Korea?” they will enquire, as if this country is as bland and uninteresting as a small rural town in the midlands. You’ll also find some confusion as to which Korea is the ‘safe’ one – and even when this has been established, the words ‘war’ and ‘nuclear’ tend to follow in short order.
But what they don’t know about is the rich culture and history of this wonderful land. The Irish community in South Korea will often point out the similarities between the two countries, despite ostensibly having little in common: Ireland and Korea both endured centuries of foreign rule and remain divided to this day; they both won independence in the 20th century and spent the first few decades as impoverished and economically impotent nations; both then enjoyed considerable years of prosperity.
Today, South Korea stands proud as one of the wealthiest states in Asia, and the demand for native English speakers has never been greater.
But despite all of this, the main reason most people come to Korea is for the benefits. Free return flights, free accommodation, and a well-paid secure job with close links to both the international community and local Koreans are offered in exchange for one year of your life. All you need are a degree and a clean criminal background check. No experience? No teaching qualifications? No problem. Korea will welcome you at Incheon Airport with arms outstretched and a job for life if you really want it.
The second question often asked is: “Why do you want to teach?” For this I have no answer. I never even considered teaching through my school and college days, and was in fact just looking to get out of Ireland for a year. It can give you sleepless nights wondering if your lack of enthusiasm for teaching will impact massively on the experience of living in Korea.
But after eight months, what has transpired is a desire to remain in this profession for years to come. Kindergarten teaching, as most who have done it will tell you, is beyond doubt the most energetic, thrilling and wonderful job you can do.
And that’s not to mention the hours: I work from 9.30am till 3.30pm Monday to Friday, and can leave straight after my last class. That alone is almost worth the trip over!
The Korean private school industry will throw up a few surprises, none more so than teaching a class of 11 all with English names. Trying to cope with names like Kim Shin Ji, Lee Doo E and Baek Sang Won is terrifying – so imagine the glee when you discover that the little boys and girls go by Sherry, Ann and Mark (but only in school, of course).
Easily the most rewarding part of the job for me is talking with children of that age. When I first arrived, it became clear that many children here believe that westerners are like extraterrestrials. They’ll stare and point at you on the street! But inside the school building, they take little time to trust you and will quickly grow to like you. They may interact regularly with foreigners, but to develop a liking so fast for someone they consider a curiosity is amazing.
It’s also important to be more than just their teacher. Korean teachers tend to be strict, and their job requires it, so they look to the native English speakers for fun and enjoyment. You are a source of candy and stickers, and for this you’ll find your name serenaded through the corridors like a soccer star in a packed stadium.
Andrew Farrell is working as an English language teacher in Korea
