By now, COVID-19 has made its way around the world, disrupting work, school, and social lives. Like so many others, my day-to-day life changed. I go out less, I haven't been on a plane since returning from Bali. In fact, as I write this, I can't help but realize that I would have been waiting…
Continue reading ➞ Teaching During COVID
Disclaimer: Christine in Korea is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Since making the decision to move to Korea I have gotten a lot of questions. Some of these questions come…
I still remember my first two weeks of teaching. More specifically, I remember how much of a train wreck I felt like. I always seemed to have extra time at the end of class and I didn't know how to explain grammar structures in a way that made sense, nor did I include enough activities…
Day in and day out, it's easy to lose track of how much time has passed. As each day comes and goes in my new life, I sometimes forget that it's already been over two months since I first arrived in Korea: excited, hopeful, and a little overwhelmed. Now, as I sit in my 4th…
When I first applied to teach English in South Korea I had no idea how lengthy or intense the process would be. While the first few steps went quickly, there were weeks spent waiting before I could progress further. If you have considered teaching English abroad, don't become discouraged. While the process was lengthy and…
After two weeks of teaching, all I have to say is that teaching is hard. Quite possibly, it's one of the hardest things I have ever done. I tried not to kid myself going into it; I knew that my babysitting experience and time as a tutor for other college students would pale in comparison to what…
Continue reading ➞ Adventures in Teaching: My first two weeks as an educator
I'm sure you're expecting that me to say that when I arrived in Korea I was overwhelmed with culture shock. That these last few weeks have been an endless series of events that shocked and unnerved me, or even just caught me off-guard. While for many people, culture shock is common when visiting or moving…
Continue reading ➞ Korean Doctors, Elementary Night Owls, and Culture Shock
Every morning I wake up and the thrilling thought goes through my mind: I am living in South Korea. While it was a long and winding road that brought me here, I know that the underlying factor that ultimately landed me in Jinju is the fact that I chose to major in something I loved, despite the…
I can't believe an entire week has passed since I touched down at Incheon Airport in South Korea. Getting here was enough to make me avoid getting on another airplane for a long time, but I am happy to report that I have settled into my new home in Jinju quite nicely. After arriving in…
Although I arrived in Korea about three days ago, today was the first day I really had a chance to get out and explore--not for lack of time, but lack of energy. My travel was mostly sleepless, and my first night here was the same. I spent the first night unpacking my bags in the…
