I’ve been keeping quiet about this for a bit, but I suppose it’s as good a time as any to start writing about it!
I’ve been looking to return back to Asia in the fall, specifically South Korea.
Why? Well, I’d like to eventually go to teacher’s college, and that’s a year away. I need to do something, and Brockville just isn’t cutting it for me. No offence to everyone in the area, but for a recent graduate with feet itchy for travel, Brockville doesn’t offer much for work or social times. So I’m back looking for work! I have absolutely no interest in going to China, and when I was in Japan, Korea was beginning to catch my eye. But it won’t be the kind of place I want to live forever in, like Japan is. So South Korea it is!
So far, I’ve been applying to different companies with my specific requests. The company that has responded with the most enthusiasm is Korvia, a recruitment company who works mostly with EPIK, GEPIK and SMOE. Those are the three government run programs in Korea. The English Program In Korea, the Gyeonggi English Program in Korea, and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. In my experience, I have found that if you really want to work in the public schools, getting into a government funded program is the best way to do this. In Japan, this is JET. I’ve applied to the GEPIK program, because I would like to be located in one of the more modern suburbs, like Bundang (a planned city, which is a huge huge plus for me).
So far, I’ve had a phone interview, and it went really well. I know that my year overseas has been a huge advantage for me, because the hiring process has gone very quickly so far. Currently, I’ve been given a scavenger list of things to get for my visa. Some things are easy. Some, not so much.
Of course, at the same time, I’ve applied to a handful of other companies. Lesson learnt when in Japan: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. I depended too much on the company last time, instead of my own research. So this time, I know where I would like to live, the age group, and the requirements I have for getting me over there. I’m not asking too much, but it should be nice to be able to shop around.
Anyways, look forward to some posts regarding my trip to Toronto and tips on how to beat homesickness once you finally return to your home country. Had a great time last weekend recreating a Tokyo weekend, and I can’t wait to share it!