Teach Abroad: Why I Loved Teaching in South Korea
Teaching gives so much. Every day, you get to directly impact the life of another human. This is the reason I love teaching. Also, it seems like I just can’t get away from it. It’s just been something I have done since I was like, six years old. Teaching abroad has some serious benefits. I’m in Seoul, right now, and it’s amazing.
Students here respect their teachers because they value their education. When it’s learning time, the students are 100% on board. They listen. They ask questions and respond to questions from their teachers. They engage with assignments with ambitions of being the best. Anyone can tell that education is highly valued by the entire society, and the students exude that they value their education by the way they treat their teachers.
Foreign teachers stand out right away. For the most part, we appear and behave differently from the natives of Seoul. This makes everyone curious and transforms every encounter into an opportunity to share culture. I have met so many people who want to know about where I am from, why I am in Seoul, and what my thoughts are about the city. Asking for directions can easily become a twenty-minute conversation which can lead to genuine friendships and ease the “I miss home” feelings.
On the same token, I get to learn a little bit about Korean culture every day. My students are always sharing and explaining the Korean language to me. For example, while I was teaching them about statues and the uses for rocks and metal, they were explaining that one of their favorite statues is that of King Sejong because he is the founder of Hangul. Also, when I go to Korean restaurants, the servers are always happy when I break out the little bit of Korean I know. It is really easy to soak up the culture here. In doing so, I find appreciation in small things like the politeness of a cab driver, or the kindness of a stranger, or the extra 100 grams of brisket on the house.
The people of Seoul are so hard working. Seeing so many people tirelessly pursue their goals is invigorating and inspiring. It encouraged me to finally get back to blogging, and to maintain some consistency. This is also something I notice in my students. They attend my classes after already completing a full school day and additional after-school activities. Many attend because they are interested; some attend because their parents want them to. They may be tired after a long day, but they still tap into their potential and work to strengthen and create neural pathways in their brain that will allow them to be better communicators. They show up every day. And I am sure they try their best. Observing this level of dedication to being the best makes me want to be the best at what I do; it inspires me to keep striving and to keep improving.
Teaching in Seoul has added to my life in so many intangible ways. I appreciate being here, and I appreciate the opportunities for connection and fellowship which have resulted because of my being here. I taught before, and I wanted to love it. But it wasn’t what I wanted it to be. I think part of the reason for that is that I had an expectation without understanding the underlying factors of the situation I was entering. And when I was in it, I was unwilling to change my approach. My constantly applying myself to a situation that left me feeling drained, jaded my perception of the beauty of teaching. Being in Seoul has restored it. I am still here, viewing this is as a drop in a glass. I’m grateful because I now know exactly what to do with it.
I hope this post inspires you to look at your life and see the beauty and potential in it.
