Living and Teaching English in Korea - Habits, Customs & Curiosities ---- Budget for Teaching English in Korea South Korea is one of the most popular markets for teaching English as a foreign language. Thousands of teachers decide to live and work in South Korea each year, but how much money do you really need in order to make the leap? Consider that you will need at least a four-year degree in order to obtain a work visa in Korea. You will also need 2 university transcripts, an FBI background check, 6 photos and enough money to get you through until your first paycheck arrives. A TEFL certificate and high school transcripts are often required as well. All your documents will need to be apostiled. Additional costs for your visa application and plane tickets can amount to around $4,000 USD. SOURCE: http://travelsuras.com/budget-to-teach-english-in-korea/#comment-2528 mBsuXSR6cxU ---- Differences Between North and South Korea Korea has suffered from a cold-war-like division since the end of World War II when the country was split in half, with the north of the country under the administration of the Soviet Union and the south administered by the US. The Korean War (1950–1953) left the two Koreas further separated by the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). With over 70 years of separation, the two countries have developed big differences to one another. The most obvious differences are within the political systems with North Korea being a Communist dictatorship and South Korea having a democratically elected government. While Korean is spoken in both countries, the language has changed tremendously due to the influence of technology and ‘Westernization’ in South Korea. On top of that, the life expectancy in North Korea is significantly lower with an average of 69.5 years while South Koreans live until the age of 81.37 on average. SOURCE: http://domandhyo.com/2015/08/11-differences-between-north-south-korea.html 3KSUEJHC_dI ---- Types of Teaching Jobs in South Korea South Korea is a very popular destination for teaching English abroad. When applying for teaching positions, keep in mind that there are two sectors for English education in the country: private language schools and public schools. The two systems differ greatly in various aspects including, coworkers, working hours, class size, vacation days, salary and more. Public schools often only have one foreign teacher, while private academies have multiple. Public schools have set working hours from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., while academies often open on weekends and start classes later in the day. Class sizes in private language schools are also much smaller compared to public schools. Public school teachers enjoy slightly more holidays, but the starting salaries at academies are slightly higher. SOURCE: https://www.gooverseas.com/blog/how-to-get-a-job-teaching-english-in-south-korea 0T8ZWK5cafo ---- Traveling South Korea South Korea is located on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. It shares a border with North Korea and is surrounded by seas to the east, south, and west. The largest city and capital is Seoul located in the northern part of the country. Some of the best tourist attractions in Seoul include Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung Palace, Dongdaemun Market, and Namsan Tower. The rest of South Korea is filled with beautiful scenery, including a total of 22 national parks, countless Buddha statues and temples, and scenic beaches. Generally, South Korea is a great country to explore year-round, although July and August are extremely hot and wet due to the monsoon season. When in Korea, be sure to try kimchi, BBQ, bibimbap, Korean fried chicken and soju. Don’t forget to take your shoes off when entering Korean people’s homes and pour drinks for others. SOURCE: http://www.wandershare.com/ X5Im7hqh1KM ---- Guide to Drinking Culture in Korea It might surprise you to hear that South Koreans consume more hard liquor per person than any other country in the world. Therefore, it is very likely that you will encounter its unique drinking culture when moving to South Korea. To make a great impression, it is important to keep a couple of rules of etiquette in mind. Always pour and receive drinks with two hands and never fill your own glass. It is also important to always drink on the first round, especially when someone offers you a drink. If you aren’t big on drinking, don’t let your glass get empty or it will continuously be refilled. SOURCE: https://www.dramafever.com/news/infographic-short-guide-to-drinking-culture-in-korea/ 1JsmcvbxOVY ---- Meaning of the South Korean Flag Have you ever looked at the South Korean flag and wondered if there was any meaning behind the red and blue circle surrounded by four blocks of black stripes? As with any flag, the South Korean flag incorporates several different meanings. The white background signifies brightness, peace and love. The symbol in the middle represents the famous Yin and Yang and, indeed, it also stands for balance on the South Korean flag. The color red represents the positive and blue the negative. The four so-called trigrams stand for the four elements of nature: sky/wind, earth, water and fire. SOURCE: http://www.scribblelive.com/blog/2013/09/25/flags-of-the-world/ _fJOYdfwK78 ---- Emergency Numbers in South Korea If you choose to teach English abroad in South Korea, it is very unlikely that anything bad will happen during your stay. However, in case of an emergency, you should know who to call. You should dial 112 to report violence, abuse, missing persons, and hacking, while 119 is used for medical emergencies. Your calling location is tracked and they also have English, Chinese and Japanese interpreters available. To reach the government call center, dial 110. You can ask about things like bills, fines, civil complaints, as well as receive counseling for youth or senior citizens. To report terrorism, spies, employment fraud and international crimes, dial 111. For tourism information on public transport, shopping, hotels and interpretation in English, Chinese, and Japanese call 1330. SOURCE: http://domandhyo.com/2015/04/emergency-numbers-you-should-know-in-korea.html Tmz1DR8HyWU ---- Dining Etiquette in Korea South Koreans take great pride in their food culture. That’s why it’s important to respect and be aware of the local dining etiquette. Koreans do not have their own meal but rather share a variety of main and side dishes amongst the people at the table. The many small side dishes are called banchan. Never start eating before the oldest person at the table. It is also considered rude to blow your nose during a meal. Unlike other Asian cultures, Koreans do not lift their bowls off the table to eat with the bowl in their hands, but prefer to keep it on the table. Avoid reaching across the table for distant food by asking for someone to pass it to you. Never use your hands to pick up food. SOURCE: http://visual.ly/asian-dining-etiquette-series-dining-korea q1oSvWyVJS8 ---- Differences Between Seoul and Busan Seoul and Busan are the two largest cities in South Korea. Seoul, the capital, is home to around 10 million people, while Busan counts a mere 3.5 million citizens. Seoul is located in the northern part of the country, whereas Busan is situated on the southeastern coast. Home to five grand palaces, government buildings and lots of temples, Seoul is the historic capital of the country. Busan is home to Korea’s largest port and is an important economic hub. It is also a popular vacation destination due to its beaches and delicious local seafood. While most teachers coming to Korea consider Seoul as their new hometown, Busan is also worth considering, as well as many other cities across the country. SOURCE: http://domandhyo.com/2015/04/7-differences-between-seoul-and-busan2.html ZaNWg8m6a6M ---- Fun Facts About South Korea South Korea is an exciting country for teaching English and living abroad, but before you make the journey over there are a few fun facts you might want to know about the country. As no peace treaty has ever been signed, technically, North and South Korea are still at war even though the Korean War ended in 1953. Around ¼ of the women in Seoul have had some form of cosmetic surgery. The two most common aesthetic procedures are the double eyelid and nose surgery. In South Korea, babies are considered 1 year old on the day they are born and everyone ages one year on January 1st. There are many more interesting facts to learn about South Korea in this infographic. SOURCE: https://9gag.com/gag/aZBBWrp?ref=ios.s.others k0DGjr2-3P4 ---- Major Holidays in South Korea Major holidays in South Korea vary quite a bit from common holidays back home. The year starts off with Seollal celebrating the Lunar New Year. It lasts three days and is usually celebrated in January or February depending on the lunar calendar. One of the most important holidays of the year is Buddha’s Birthday which is celebrated in the middle of May. To mark the holiday there are many parades and festivals held at temples throughout the country. Chuseok is the Korean harvest festival which is celebrated in September or October according to the lunar calendar. Check out this list of holidays to see what other national celebrations you will get to enjoy during your stay in South Korea. SOURCE: http://domandhyo.com/2016/03/life-in-korea-major-korean-holidays.html yhfkzxEjJVQ ---- 10 Korean Superstitions South Korea has a range of superstitious beliefs that are often unheard of in the West. For example, the number 4 is said to be bad luck. Just like in China and other Asian countries, you can find many elevators with the number 4 replaced with the letter F. It is important, especially for teachers, to know that writing a person’s name in red is said to bring bad luck and even death to said person. You should also avoid whistling at night after 10 PM as it is said to attract bad spirits or ghosts. Dreaming of pigs lately? In Korea this could mean that you will get money in the near future. Check out other Korean superstitions in this fun infographic. SOURCE: https://domandhyo.com/2014/08/10-korean-superstitions-you-may-or-may-not-have-known-about.html QNjETWh1q5s ---- Types of Kimchi Kimchi is the number 1 side dish in Korean cuisine. If you have ever eaten at a Korean restaurant, chances are you have come across this intense taste bud adventure. While the most common type of Kimchi is made of cabbage, there are numerous other varieties to try. If you can’t handle spice, you should choose white kimchi as this type is prepared without chili powder. Cucumber kimchi, eggplant kimchi, and garlic chives kimchi are also very popular. There are even some sweet kimchi variations including pumpkin and sweet potato. If you like the sound of kimchi, check out this infographic to see more popular variations of the dish. SOURCE: https://domandhyo.com/2014/07/17-different-types-of-kimchi-infographic.html G6RbdolxMTE ---- Korean Street Food Guide South Korea has a fascinating culinary scene and a big part of it is made up of street food. Walk the pedestrian streets of any major city in the country and you will find a selection of popular snacks to try out. Mandu are Korean dumplings filled with different flavors from meat and vegetables to sweet red bean paste. Another popular snack is Korean style rice cakes in spicy chili sauce, called tteokbokki. If you have a sweet tooth try bungeobbang, a fish shaped pastry filled with red bean paste, or hotteok, a small Korean pancake with honey sauce. Whatever taste you prefer, you’ll find it in Korean street food. SOURCE: http://domandhyo.com/2015/01/infographic-korean-street-food-part-1.html 2ti3Z3mkWdk ---- Hand Gestures in Korea Explained The immense power of South Korea’s pop culture has brought about a series of new hand gestures in the country that can be unrecognizable to foreigners. Often introduced by famous Korean singers and groups, they quickly catch on and are widely used by younger generations in particular. For example, using your arms over your head to shape a big heart is often used to say “I love you”. Squeezing your index finger and thumb creates another popular heart shape allegedly created by Kpop icon G-Dragon of Big Bang. Cross your arms like the letter X in front of your chest and you signal that something is not possible. Find out more about Korean gestures in this infographic. SOURCE: http://domandhyo.com/ 6kaYaOQ7ITg ---- Korean Regions and Food South Korea is proud of its distinct cuisine. As the country is surrounded by three seas and covered in mountains, Korean dishes are often filled with seafood and mountain herbs and vegetables. Added to that, Korea has been relatively isolated for much of its history which has allowed its cuisine to develop in a unique way. You will also find a lot of fermented preservation used in Korean cuisine. This method was used to withstand harsh winters and still plays an important role in local food today. Bibimbap, Kimchi and Korean BBQ are only a small taste of the large variety of food available in this relatively small country. Check out this infographic on Korea’s food by region. SOURCE: http://robin-ha.blogspot.kr/2014/08/a-brief-map-of-korean-regional-food.html CP4auT_JtP4 ---- The DMZ Border The border between North and South Korea is not only a reminder of the Cold War, but it is also one of South Korea’s most interesting tourist sites. The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is around 150 miles (240 km) long and 2.5 miles (4 km) wide. While it is heavily guarded with soldiers from both sides, it is also the perfect location for plants and animals to thrive. Due to its isolation, several endangered species can be found in the area, including reports of the rare Siberian tiger. SOURCE: http://domandhyo.com/2015/02/infographic-8-facts-you-may-or-may-not-have-known-about-the-korean-dmz.html Z1wbhZocUmg ---- The Korean Alphabet If you decide to teach English in South Korea, you might decide to learn some of the local language during your stay. While it might seem like a daunting task, learning how to read Korean is actually quite straightforward. Unlike Chinese, the Korean language uses a simple alphabet that was specifically created to make it easy to learn. Because the Korean alphabet (called Hangul) was specifically created to have fewer letters that always sound the same, it is unlike many other writing systems that evolved over generations. Take a look at this guide on how to read Korean in 15 minutes for a fascinating introduction to the language SOURCE: http://koreantutor.tumblr.com/tagged/lessons fjXHcn00EK8 ---- Korean Soju Guide South Koreans love drinking alcohol and it is something that is also deeply engrained in Korean culture. Soju is by far the most popular alcohol of choice across the country, with bottles containing anything from 16% to 45% alcohol by volume. Soju is also incredibly cheap costing only $1-3 USD per bottle. Foreigners who are new to the country should be aware that many points of etiquette around drinking soju have evolved over the years, such as never pour your own drink and always hold your glass with two hands when receiving a drink from another person. There are 10 large producers and countless smaller makers of soju in South Korea so you will find plenty of varieties to try during your stay. SOURCE: http://domandhyo.com/2013/10/some-interesting-factsyou-may-or-may-not-have-known-about-soju.html j47USnDvdag
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