As you get ready to teach English abroad, you will probably feel a mix of excitement and anxiety. This is totally normal. Teaching English in Korea will be one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences of your life. You’ll be exposed to people and experiences that are drastically different from back home. You might discover that your favorite comfort foods (like Rice Crispy Treats or Cool Ranch Doritos) are tough to find in your new country. You could feel a bit of homesickness or culture shock at times.

But if you keep an open mind and a willingness to immerse yourself in your new surroundings, you will grow to love your new country and the people in it. Though you’ll probably still crave Cool Ranch Doritos, you’ll grow to appreciate Asian snacks like Nong Ship Shrimp chips or dried almond fish. You’ll make loads of friends, too. Most of all, you’ll leave with an increased appreciation for world cultures and an ability to quickly adapt to any situation. Both traits will serve you well for the rest of your life.

When you teach in Korea, it is your first priority. However, you will still have plenty of time for exploring your new country, and we encourage that you take advantage of all that South Korea has to offer. It’s up to you how you’ll spend your off hours, but you’ll never lack for things to do. In addition to sightseeing and sampling the local food, you’ll have the chance to meet people in your host country and to immerse yourself in a new language and culture. You could spend your weekends participating in a language exchange, hiking through the countryside, attending arts festivals, scoping out the nightlife, or all of the above. Whatever you decide to do, you’ll gather plenty of stories to share with friends and family when you return.