Why teach in Korea

One of the most common questions I get asked is "Why are you going to Korea" or "What made you choose Korea?" This does not have a lone simple answer. I wish it did, because that would make it simple.

For the last nearly 2 years, I had been working in a law office as a paralegal/admin. I got the job because originally I was planning on going to law school and I wanted to test the waters to see if I was ready to make such a commitment. I took the LSAT and applied to one school. As my work went on, I started to realize that law school while still something I am interested in for the future, is not something that is right for me at this place in life. The debt a person incurs and the commitment needed to get through school and then as an attorney is just not something that I was ready for. On top of that, the one school I applied to, I was not accepted at. I had letters of recommendation from graduates and my boss, and everyone thought that would be enough to get me in (I was completely average with my LSAT score). So... maybe it was fate about me not going to law school. Almost every attorney I have talked to said do not go to law school, do not become an attorney. Maybe it worked out as it was supposed to...

Anyway, in early August (or late July), I met a friend and her friend (Both OSU people) out here in NY. We spent the day together, walking around, talking, and just chilling. My friends friend was an English teacher in China, and this is the first time that teaching overseas really ever shown up in my radar. So I asked all types of questions and really started to think about it. The ball was rolling in my head.

Since I was not going to law school and I had no direction of what next to do in life, this idea was actually something that was plausible. I love NY, but it is so expensive to just be living there aimlessly. If I knew what  career I was working toward, I would have no problems being in the trenches, being broke, living in a small apartment, and working a ton. I have no family in NY, and nothing that physically tied me to it (other than friends and organizations). I am single. I can be mobile and I have no problem in getting up and moving to a strange place not knowing about it. I love adventure. My apartment lease was coming to an end. One of the careers I am interested in is teaching (though I know teaching at an Academy in Korea is completely different than teaching at a school in the US- but it is still the experience of being in a classroom).

All of the stars were aligning.

Korea... why Korea? Why not? There is no one real absolute reason. I think it is a mesh of many reasons:
I love Korean food (or at least Americanized Korean food),
I walked through K-Town nearly every day for 2 years,
I have had Korean friends growing up,
The firm I worked for was right next to the Korean department of the firm we leased from,
K-Pop makes me giggle,
Karaoke is something I love and is extremely popular in Korea,
As I was starting to settle on Korea, I started going to a church that is mostly Korean membership.

Again, all of the stars were aligning.

So I am starting to look into places to teach. Low and behold, one of my friends from OSU also taught in Korea. I talked to her, got advice from her, and she helped me contact the place she used to work. I did, they told me what I needed to collect to be able to obtain my visa ( BA/BS degree photocopy with apostille certification affixed or stamped; Nationwide Criminal Background Check with apostille certification affixed or stamped;  Passport with at least 12 months of validity;  7 passport size color photos ;College transcripts). 

Once I got all of these documents, I had 2 phone interviews with the company (YBM ECC) and we decided that we would submit me for one of their locations in Seoul. Seoul he told me is more competitive that some of their other locations. I wanted Seoul because I like big cities, but also because I have several Korean friends that are from in and around Seoul, and they still have family there. While I do not know their families, if my friends ever go to Korea to visit it will be easier for me to meet with them. Or they could always hook me up with their families so I would have some form of acquaintances/support network. Or worst case, if something bad ever happened to me in Korea, there would be a direct link through my friends and their families to the US.

December 13 I got the email from the company that told me I was accepted and I would be starting March 4th in Mok-dong. I was put in contact with the school, and have been working with them.

So... this is a little about what led up and is bringing me to Seoul. A complete 180 in life. From getting the idea around August, Deciding on Korea mid August, starting the application process in September... Getting the job offer in December, moving out of my apartment at the end of January, and now, leaving the country on Feb 20th....

Wow. Life is a ride!!!