It's actually pretty weird to go away to another country and start a life there for a year then and leave again. Making friends and having a support group is different when you leave somewhere where most people do not speak English or their English is pretty limited. I've been lucky so far and my fellow English teachers English is very good.
The other teachers I've met here have also been very helpful and friendly so far. People have definitely gone out of their way to show me the city and help me figure out how to live here. I met one teacher, who I feel very lucky to know because he knows so much about Korea and Korean culture. He also has been teacher in Korea off and on for awhile and managed to land a college teaching job which is pretty good. He showed me how to take the bus, where a bunch of cool places were and some yummy Korean food. He also speaks pretty good Korean which is handy when you speak little to no Korean.
The other girl I met who I'm happy to know is a Canadian girl who has a bunch of stuff in common with me! (Yay). We're also about the same age and both have two younger sisters (what a coincidence!). She has shown me a few places and has invited me to come out and do stuff with her, she also has other English teachers at her school so she knows other expats which is always nice. We also spent Canadian Thanksgiving together because we were the only other Canadian each of us knew. I feel like it could go like that for other holidays too. And we've already talked about going on a few trips together, which should be fun.
The teachers at my school have also been incredibly awesome, especially my fellow English teachers. One of the teacher's I've been working with is 26 so we are very close in age (Korean age 26, so 25 western I think). She is so friendly and has helped me out so much. I'm glad she's so patient with me and has offered so much good advice for teaching. Most of the Korean teachers are older, including my co-teacher (not the one I mentioned above). I work with about 7 or 8 English teachers between my two schools so there isn't a lack of company for me at work. I really enjoy how inclusive they have been. All the English teachers go to lunch together and after lunch we spend the rest of the afternoon in our office (which I share with my other teachers). The only thing that is hard is not knowing any Korean so someone often has to translate for me, or I get left out of the conversation.
Overall, I do recommend learning some Korean because it will be easier to meet people, easier to interact with coworkers and definitely easier to get around. But it is not necessary for surviving, only very very helpful. So far I've figured out my way around the city, bus and where things are (sort of) with out any or very very basic Korean. Hopefully I will learn more soon, but more about that later. Wishing everyone back home a happy thanksgiving!
The other teachers I've met here have also been very helpful and friendly so far. People have definitely gone out of their way to show me the city and help me figure out how to live here. I met one teacher, who I feel very lucky to know because he knows so much about Korea and Korean culture. He also has been teacher in Korea off and on for awhile and managed to land a college teaching job which is pretty good. He showed me how to take the bus, where a bunch of cool places were and some yummy Korean food. He also speaks pretty good Korean which is handy when you speak little to no Korean.
The other girl I met who I'm happy to know is a Canadian girl who has a bunch of stuff in common with me! (Yay). We're also about the same age and both have two younger sisters (what a coincidence!). She has shown me a few places and has invited me to come out and do stuff with her, she also has other English teachers at her school so she knows other expats which is always nice. We also spent Canadian Thanksgiving together because we were the only other Canadian each of us knew. I feel like it could go like that for other holidays too. And we've already talked about going on a few trips together, which should be fun.
The teachers at my school have also been incredibly awesome, especially my fellow English teachers. One of the teacher's I've been working with is 26 so we are very close in age (Korean age 26, so 25 western I think). She is so friendly and has helped me out so much. I'm glad she's so patient with me and has offered so much good advice for teaching. Most of the Korean teachers are older, including my co-teacher (not the one I mentioned above). I work with about 7 or 8 English teachers between my two schools so there isn't a lack of company for me at work. I really enjoy how inclusive they have been. All the English teachers go to lunch together and after lunch we spend the rest of the afternoon in our office (which I share with my other teachers). The only thing that is hard is not knowing any Korean so someone often has to translate for me, or I get left out of the conversation.
Overall, I do recommend learning some Korean because it will be easier to meet people, easier to interact with coworkers and definitely easier to get around. But it is not necessary for surviving, only very very helpful. So far I've figured out my way around the city, bus and where things are (sort of) with out any or very very basic Korean. Hopefully I will learn more soon, but more about that later. Wishing everyone back home a happy thanksgiving!
Sounds like you are getting settled in, Terri, very good! happy belated Thanksgiving.... after a year you will be speaking Korean.......not that I would understand it :)
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