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Why Choose Korea
The rising importance of English in Korea
Korea is now well and truly a part of the international community and as such the people of
Korea have become increasingly interested in learning English. Globalization has resulted
in English now being regarded as the second language in Korea. It is very important for
Koreans to master skills in English conversation as it provides them with more opportunities,
both socially and professionally. In employment, it is increasingly important for Koreans to
have English speaking proficiency. Currently, resumes are judged by the strength of
the English skills of the job applicant.
Parents want their children to learn English from kindergarten through high school. All
public and private schools offer English. In colleges, admittance is also greatly influenced
by high English proficiency scores. Everywhere in Korea people have a passion to learn
conversational English and also a passion to meet and relate to English speaking
foreigners. English education is booming!
Benefits for the teacher
It is possible to save more in Korea than in many other countries that offer ESL positions.
This is to a number of reasons.
| 1. |
The cost of living in Korea is relatively low compared
to neighbouring countries in Asia. It is also generally less than in
Canada. You will be paying less for food, transportation,
utilities, phone bills and entertainment. |
| 2. |
Free accommodation is provided to English teachers. |
| 3. |
Wages are competitive and it is possible to save a
considerable portion of these wages. |
| 4. |
There is no initial outlay of money as the schools
provide teachers with a return airline ticket. |
| 5. |
Taxes on wages are extremely low: about 4-8%. |
| 6. |
50% of the cost of health insurance is provided by the
employer. |
| 7. |
10-14 days paid vacation per year. |
| 8. |
You will be paid extra for any overtime hours you work. |
| 9. |
One month's extra pay on completion of your one-year
contract, which is called severance. |
The stature of English teachers
Korea is a very conservative country and status is important in most
relationships. If you are older, your status is higher. If you are married, you
status is higher than that of someone who is single. Of course parents have a
higher status than children and in like manner teachers have a higher status
than students. In fact being a teacher is one of the higher status jobs in this
society.
A good place to live
Korea is full of attractions for the would be teachers of
English. Positions exist in both city and country. The cities are extremely
modern and easily accessible by subway while the countryside abounds with
beaches and seas, mountains, parks, temples and many historical structures. In
addition, the Korean people are extremely warm and friendly towards foreigners
and it is common to be overwhelmed with the warmth of their generosity and
hospitality.
Availability of teaching positions
There are a tremendous number of positions available in many
possible locations around Korea, both in cities and in small towns. All public
and private schools want to employ native speaking English teachers. Teachers are
required for kindergarten, elementary, secondary and colleges/universities. There
are also many private schools. Children commonly attend many different private
schools each week, in addition to their public school classes. Professionals,
business people, teachers and parents also want to become proficient in
conversational English. Adult classes are generally held throughout the cities.
Class size may vary from 3 or 4 students to about 15
students in large classes.
Money and Wages
Have you ever wanted to just pick up and go, but were held back because of
financial obligations? Whether you're a former student with a close relationship
with a government loan collector, or a homeowner that is battling a mortgage,
Korea may be the solution! The advantage of Korea over other Asian countries is
that the wages are high and the cost of living is reasonable. Some teachers save
60% of their salaries every month.
Cultural Differences
If you are looking for experience a culture that has not been totally
westernized but is aggressively making attempts to globalize, Korea is your
choice. The country itself only opened itself to the world in any substantial
way with the Summer Olympics in 1988 and FIFA World Cup in 2002. Since then development has been
fascinatingly rapid. At the same time, Koreans are maintaining a unique cultural
integrity that has evolved over the last 5000 years.
Traveling In and Out of Korea
Many people come to Korea looking to travel in and around Asia. Transportation
both domestically and internationally is very affordable. Korea has a vast
bus/train system that is fast and cheap. It's also a good jumping-off point for
visiting other Asian countries.
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