Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
of history, a lot of tradition kept alive, but the rural lifestyle is becoming more and
more exotic, even for Koreans.
Q:
What would be your main recommendations to a foreign national moving to
Jeollanam-do, or anywhere in South Korea, really, to help them have a more positive
experience?
A:
The most important thing to remember is to keep your priorities in mind and
not let anything interfere with them. If you come to teach, then teach. If you come
to study the language, then study the language. If you come to learn more about
Buddhism, or Confucianism, or K-pop, then learn.
If you're coming here as a teacher, learn as much about teaching in Korea as you
can. Adjusting to the Korean idea of what a native speaker of English is supposed to
be is, in my opinion, the biggest challenge you'll face. The other things, the regional
differences, the cultural issues, will sort themselves out.
Finally, be patient and understanding. It is you that will have to come to terms
with Korea, not the other way around.
Q:
Having recently made the transition back to your home country, what kind of
advice would you give expatriates in Korea contemplating the same?
A:
Moving back to the United States was a challenge for a number of reasons.
A lot of the amenities I had gotten used to in Korea—convenient public transport-
ation; safe, walkable neighborhoods; cheap, no-hassle health care—are hard to find
back home. Job-hunting was a very long process and 4.5 years abroad wasn't really
seen as an asset. And the excitement of living and working in a foreign country was
replaced by boredom from the dullness of contemporary American culture. I was 29
when I left but felt much older, as if I had just retired and suddenly switched off a
huge part of my life.
An expat planning to move back will need to start preparing early. Start browsing
job sites today to see what's available, what looks interesting, and what qualifications
you'll need to get into the field you want. Talk to people currently in that field to see
if they have advice for putting your overseas experience to use. It's not easy for ex-
pats to find work back home after years teaching abroad, and it's definitely not easy
for former teachers in Korea to find ESL-teaching work in the United States without
additional qualifications. These things take a while to learn and acquire, so starting
well before you buy that return ticket will save you a lot of time and energy later.
