09 May
I’m 23 years old and graduated college with a music education degree that I didn’t know what to do with. I was working at a book store and I was not really sure about what I wanted to do next. I always had an interest in travel and other countries’ culture (especially food and film). The idea of teaching abroad was something I had considered before, but never seriously looked at. My girlfriend surprised me by putting in an application for both of us with Aclipse! After talking about it together, we decided to pursue the opportunity together and see what happened!
Applying To Aclipse
Within a week of applying we had interviewed, sent in video introductions and other information, and were quickly hired! When we started the hiring process it was the end of the intake period, so we didn’t get a placement right away. After about two months, however, we got an offer to start teaching at RISE. We were so happy to finally have a solid offer and start date, and happily accepted. RISE stands for Reaching Independence through Structured Education. RISE’s belief is that the best way for students to learn English is the same way they learn their own language, through conversation and from a young age.
The Curriculum
At RISE Guri, I teach the “Ivy Class 6-1” (Korean 6-year olds in their first year at our school). The main portion of the day is called “MK” which means “Morning Kinder.” My class consists of six students who all have their own personality! We’ve been in school for a little over two months now, and it’s been a blast learning about each and every student. Our morning starts every day with circle time where we learn a variety of English words. We learn anything from feelings/emotions to the seasons and fruit and much more. For the rest of the day we learn phonics, reading, science, math and art. The students also get to experience music class, P.E. and playroom so they have lots of fun at school! On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays we have “QSD” (“Quest For Self Discovery”) after school which is older kids that come to us for after school English practice. With these classes we practice reading, speaking and writing.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays we have “AK” (“After Kinder”) after school which is younger children that go to a Korean kindergarten and come to us for English learning after school. In those classes, we do circle time, phonics, science, and art. Here’s a video of our digs! Just another reason why I like teaching at RISE.
The Kids And The Fun!
At first, it’s a lot to take in at once, but once you find your groove it’s really fun! Personally, I was worried about how hard it would be to teach English considering I didn’t know any Korean. However, with all the support from my Korean teacher and lots of repetition, the kids improve every day! The language barrier between me and my students has not been an issue, and sometimes is even beneficial to their learning because it makes them try harder to communicate in English. We also have monthly birthday parties, holiday activities, and even field trips! Our first month we went to a strawberry farm and ate fresh strawberries off the vine, and got homemade strawberry jam. This past month, we went to the Children’s Grand Park Zoo. I can honestly say my job has been a blast and the days fly by! It has challenges like any job, but teaching at RISE is very fulfilling work.
Living In Korea & Cost Of Living
Now that I’ve told you about work, let me tell you about my experience living in Korea! I really enjoy it here. Just about anything you could imagine you want to do, there’s somewhere you can do it here! The area we live in is a bit more rural, so on the weekends we go to the bigger city areas like Hongdae, Itaewon and other parts of Seoul. There’s so many arcades, restaurants, attractions, scenery, and of course, shopping! There’s also lots of pop-ups all the time. Just this past weekend, I went to a giant Pokemon pop-up and got a very rare Korean exclusive Pokemon card! I’m a big fan of anime and collectibles, so believe me when I tell you the selection here is like nothing I’ve ever seen!
Also, everything is very affordable. Almost every time we eat out, I am pleasantly surprised with how affordable the meal was. We are able to buy mostly what we want, eat what we want, and still put a large portion of our check into savings! As much as we’ve done already, we still have a list of so many things left to do, so every day feels like a new adventure.
Getting to live abroad like this is a once in a life time opportunity. You have plenty of time in your life to devote to the other things, but I feel like never again will I have this chance to be totally immersed in another country’s culture in this way. If you’re thinking about taking the leap, I say do it! I know I’m happy I did!
William Alvis, Teacher at RISE Guri
William has always had an interest in the rest of their world and their culture so he decided it was time to experience it for himself. After graduating with his bachelor's in music education from the University of Southern Mississippi he was unsure what to do next. He decided getting to teach in Korea was exactly what he was looking for to broaden his horizons. Since arriving in Korea in March of 2025 he has made great connections not only with his students but with his Korean and native coworkers as well. He is having a great time and is still very excited for the rest of his journey.