G'day! I'm Chris. I left my home in rural Australia back in 2007 to pursue a life less ordinary.
I specialize in ambitious travel - bucket list worthy journeys such as the Great US Road Trip, the ultimate African safari, and following the length of the Silk Road.
It’s finally starting to get warm here in Australia after a prolonged winter, and with the warmer weather comes memories of summers past as well as excitement for the adventures that lie ahead. While New Zealand and Fiji lie just three short weeks away, I’m tiding myself over remembering past summer excursions while listening to the very chill Bruno Mars.
Last summer Fallon and I were in the midst of saving every spare penny for my six week tour of the United States, so while others were jetting off to Mongolia or the Philippines – we were sticking closer to home. A side journey to the beautiful Daewonsa temple outside of Gwangju, the weekend junket to Jejudo, and a weekend long camping trip to the island of Bigeumdo – just off the coast of Mokpo.
For the foreigner community in Gwangju and Mokpo, the islands were a short boat ride away and offered some of Korea’s better beaches as well as the opportunity to drink copious amounts of beer in a place that wasn’t the local foreigner bar or the roof of a fellow teacher.
My sister and her husband were in the country at the time trying their hands at the teaching gig and having a bit of a rough time of it, so Fallon and I decided to take them away for a weekend to help them get their minds off of the hustle and bustle of Korean life.
So it was that we found ourselves emerging bleary eyed from Fallon’s apartment at the crack of dawn to traipse down to the Mokpo ferry terminal with bags full of groceries. We’d gone for a rather pricey shop the night before and come back with more than we’d expected. Not only did we have all of the fixings for a few nights of ‘roughing it’, but we’d also acquired a rather large inflatable chair and a veritable horde of cheap Korean fireworks. My sister’s husband David was particularly excited about the fireworks, since it’s nearly impossible to get your hands on them in Australia.
The ferry ride out to Bigeumdo takes about two hours, but when you’re moving out past hundreds of islands you’re too busy snapping photos and soaking in the hot summer sun to really notice. I’m not a big fan of the way Koreans treat their waterways, and you’ll see evidence as to why in the photos I’ll post in a moment, but out there amongst the islands and the green waters – I could almost forget that this was a country with perhaps the worst beaches and waterways I’d ever encountered.
Our rather cute 'pension' on the waterfrontKids frolicking in the 'surf'A bridge to nowhere on the way to Bigeumdo
We arrived out on the island at around the same time as the storm clouds, and spent a while looking around for the van that was supposed to pick us up and take us out to our waterfront minbak. After buying a few refreshments to save us from the humidity, we managed to find a helpful local lady who was kind enough to call the minbak’s owners from her mobile phone. Too often the Korean people get a bad wrap for being a little insular and xenophobic, but it seems like their good qualities are rarely highlighted. I had far more experiences with friendly, curious, and helpful Koreans than I did with racist ones.
Soon the van arrived and we wound our way through the farms and empty lots and out to where we’d paid for a night in a waterfront minbak. ‘Waterfront’ was perhaps a bit of a misnomer. There was most definitely water in front of our minbak, but with the tide low it was about two hundred metres of muddy sand away from us. The muddy stretch of beach fairly roiled with hundreds of tiny crabs swarming all over it – so much so that it looked as if the sand was home to a massive nest of spiders. With the sun now firmly entrenched behind a wall of dour grey cloud, the scene wasn’t the island paradise that I’d been hoping for.
Still, we’d come this far and had no intentions of not having a good time – so we hastily unloaded all of our stuff into a surprisingly nice minbak. Usually these consist of bedding materials on the floor and some creature comforts – but this one had a double bed, a small kitchenette complete with fridge, air conditioning, and even a television set tuned in to the arbitrary nine hours a day of NCIS reruns. The weather wasn’t exactly beach weather, but we hurriedly changed into our swim wear and made our way down to the beach.
South Korea doesn’t have much in the way of surf or white sandy beaches. In fact, we had to negotiate our way around a discarded fridge to get to the water. It was icy cold and utterly still, like swimming in a large bath-tub that has sat for too long. Our feet churned up clouds of dark sand. I tossed my inflatable throne into the water and that enlivened things a little. We were soon fighting over the honor of not being entirely submersed in the water – and that got our spirits up. To our left a long sea wall ran out to an island popular with the locals for fishing, and to our left we could make out the distant wind turbines as well as a newly developed area for Korean ‘campers’ wishing to spend their nights in pre-erected tents with electricity and furniture inside.
A fridge on the beach. I assume it's working on its tanA run down tent restaurant on the water frontThe ominous road out to the fishing islandMongolian style tents on the beach
Soon our enthusiasm for the water wore off and we made our way back towards the minbak. Fallon’s dream of getting a little sun had been dashed  by the weather. A lunch of Fallon’s delicious (and healthy) lentil and black bean burritos made us all a tad drowsy – and we’d soon dozed off in front of the television. By the time Fallon and I woke up the post apocalyptic sun was dipping below the horizon, so we grabbed our cameras and snapped some photos of the beach and its surrounds. We braved the walk out to the fishing island, shuddering at the swarms of cockroaches that would flee the road as we approached in order to seek refuge in the rocks. I’d never encountered insects on the beach until I came to Korea. They seem to go hand in hand with a day at the beach.
Back at the minbak we fired up the BBQ for some hobo stew and busted out the beers we’d brought with us from the mainland. Mosquito coils and liberal applications of repellent are a must in South Korea during the summer. The one area I forgot to cover, my ankles, were completely devoured by the time we’d eaten our dinner and turned our attention to making some s’mores. By this point I just wanted to crawl into bed and forget the day had happened, but David was so damned excited about the fireworks that we made our way down to an unoccupied stretch of beach and went to town on those bad boys. I’m ashamed to say I was completely sucked in by the fun of playing with potentially hand shattering explosives.
Delicious hobo stewDavid is far too excited about fireworksAvada kadaver!
After our brush with accidental dismemberment, we retired to the minbak for some late night Phase 10 before calling it a day. We’d decided against spending a second night on the island. Of course, as these things go, the day turned brilliantly sunny as we boarded the ferry back to the mainland.
Figures.
Would I recommend a visit? You know, in spite of how uninspiring our trip might have sounded, I would. It was an adventure and we found our fun in the company we kept and our determination not to be bummed by a rainy, muddy island retreat. I’ve got friends who swear by a weekend on Bigeumdo (Fallon had been before and loved it) – so I’m not ready to write the place off just yet. Maybe 2011 holds a return visit for me.
The list of ‘must see’ sights in Australia is a lengthy one – but in my eyes the #1 thing that any visitor to Australia needs to see is the Great Barrier Reef. The only living organism visible from space isn’t just big – it’s breathtakingly beautiful and it won’t be there forever.
It’s a sad truth that there’s every chance that our grandchildren won’t get to experience the Great Barrier Reef in its current splendor, so if you’re in Australia and have the chance – you owe it to your as yet unborn descendants to see it first hand.
There are snorkeling trips and glass bottom boats aplenty all the way up the reef, but if you really want to experience it – you need to strap on a BCD, insert your respirator, and descend to where Sebastian and Flounder serenade Ariel. I’m showing my age with a Little Mermaid reference there.
Photo by Simon Starr
Why Scuba?
It’s true that snorkeling affords a fantastic view of the reef’s brightly coloured fish and coral. In particularly shallow areas you can duck dive down and snatch a longer glimpse at a clown fish of Nemo fame or a particularly interesting piece of coral. But beautiful as those moments might be, they’re also far too fleeting.
Getting to know a giant oyster
With scuba diving (dependent on the depth you dive too) you’ve got far more time to take a deep breath and explore the reef from a fish eye view. It’s one thing to float eye to eye with a clown fish just below sea level and quite another to swim in the wake of a sea turtle or watch in delight as a giant oyster closes at the slightest touch.
Scuba is also a passtime that can be tailored to most anybody. Adrenaline junkies can take their early learning and turn it into shark dives, wreck dives, and caves dives – whilst pleasure divers will find no shortage of peace and quiet in the serene silence of the sea floor. While the basic certification (the Open Water) qualifies you to dive all over the world to a depth of 18 metres, further training opens up a whole new world of possibilities when touring a new country.
If over 70% of the earth’s surface is covered in water, how much are you missing by restricting your travels solely to land?
Where to Learn
If you’re not certified it’s easy to get from diving rookie to certified diver. Dive shops all over the country offer courses, but when my girlfriend and I decided that we wanted to learn – we decided we wanted to learn right. The Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s premier diving sites, and we were going to learn there.
It’s no surprise that the city of Cairns, gateway to the reef that it is, has an abundance of companies offering to teach you to dive. Diving Cairns, Scuba Dive Cairns, and Pro Dive Cairns are all viable options with decent reviews.
However, we opted for the Deep Sea Divers Den and found them to offer a great package that isn’t just diving lessons, but a unique reef experience.
I’ve written an entry about our experiences learning to dive, so by all means go and read that for a more detailed account of the experience. This entry is about the nuts and bolts rather than the emotions and sights.
The Den, situated a little off the Cairns’s backpacker trail, does offer pick-ups from most hostels and hotels – and you’ll be grateful for their well air conditioned vans if you’re in one of Cairns’s hot and humid patches. These come in between the tropical downpour patches.
The Den’s facilities offer all you need to go from rank amateur to seasoned veteran. A well stocked dive shop greets you as you enter, and outside there’s a heated and covered pool for training; classrooms for the theory; and even a doctor’s office for the all important dive medical. Having everything located on site makes the whole experience a bit less daunting and before too long you’ll feel comfortable waddling around in your wet-suit and fins.
Their staff, a friendly bunch of diving enthusiasts from all around the world, offer language support for those speaking Korean, German, Japanese, Italian, and French.
Yes, Yes – But how much?
Photo by The Lightworks
The Diver’s Den offers a range of introductory packages (as well as refresher courses for experienced divers who are a little long out of the water). They also support eLearning, which allows you to complete the theory at home and cram the normal four day course into a slightly more manageable three day chunk.
The starting rate is for four day course. That’s two days of classroom and pool training, and two days (one night) out on the boat.
This includes all of your gear; training; all accommodation and food while out on the reef, is a very respectable $665 for a double cabin. That entitles you to four training dives on the boat as well as the option for additional dives (one free and additional ones at the cost of equipment here) as well as two lunches, a breakfast, and a dinner out on the very comfortable Ocean Quest.
This course gets you fully accredited, but if you’re after more dives on the reef there is also a five night package for $810. If you want six nights, that also gets you your Advanced Open Water certification – but weighs in at a handsome $1180.
Can’t afford the live-aboard experience? $570 gets you the four day course with day trips instead of an overnight stay. Not a bad option if you want to save some extra pennies and just slum it in a hostel.
The Nuts and Bolts
As I said above, you get quite a bit for your buck in there. Having done the online learning course to cut the excursion down to three days rather than four, I can’t give an appraisal on the classroom – but I’ll say right off the bat that the pool training is harder than virtually anything you’ll do out on the reef.
That should be a big comfort. By the time you’re out in the ocean and preparing to go under, you’ve already done more unaided swimming and floating than you’ll do out on the reef. Following the health check and a quick refresher, you’re put to the task of swimming 200 metres and floating for ten minutes. It’s a tad draining, but it’s not a race, so take your time and tough it out. It gets easier from here.
The view out on the roof. Photo by Karin Knaus
Pool training starts with learning about your equipment and how to use it and then you’re in the pool for a long time. You learn everything from the basics of clearing your mask underwater (an important one) to the more advanced techniques such as the CESA (Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent) for use if you somehow run out of air and your buddy isn’t there to help out. You’ll be working in a group and people are going to make mistakes – so my advice is to just have fun, pay attention, and don’t sweat it if you stuff it up the first time.
Your time in the pool and in the classroom is how you earn the more relaxed days out on the boat. An early start sees you jetting out to the reef where the crew put on a pretty respectable cold meat and salad lunch buffet. These tend to be pretty standard across the board with day trips to the reef.
You’ll do three dives on your first day out – two from the day boat and a third once you’re settled in on the overnight boat. These dives vary depending on where you are and who your instructor is – but at the end of the day you’re out exploring the reef, doing a few skills to show you paid attention, and meeting new people.
Regardless of who your trainer might be, I can safely say that every single crew member and instructor we met over the course of two days was a pleasure to meet. They’re a bunch of colourful characters who aren’t too busy to stop and help you out or have a quick chat. A fine example of this was Fallon’s brush with seasickness on the way out that threatened to derail her whole experience. One crew member stood with her while she was sick and even after she’d stopped vomiting, different people would stop by to check on her.
It went beyond common courtesy too. With Fallon missing two dives due to being sick, the guys took time out of their scheduled free time to take her out on dives of her own – one of them at the ungodly hour of 6am!
The cabins are small but comfortable. Photo by Arlette Ka
After your three dives you’ve got a chance to clean up and get some rest. The cabins all have showers and bathrooms, and there’s TV and electricity so you can charge your iPhones and unwind a little. No telephone signal out there though, so don’t get any ideas about updating your Facebook status.
Dinner for us was a good old fashioned roast in the rather elegant stateroom, and it’s a great opportunity to get to know more of your diving buddies. We were lucky enough to strike up a friendship with a pair of Dutch boys, a Swiss girl, a German lass, and a friendly businessman from Hong Kong.
If you’re not taking the optional night dive, there’s also the opportunity to have an icy cold beer and retire to the large living area to watch some TV on the flat screen or play some cards out on the deck.
Your final day on the boat consists of your last training dive, after which you’re certified and free to go on a free dive without an instructor. There’s also the opportunity to take your Deep Diving course, which extends your maximum allowable depth down to 30 metres and lets you play an interesting game of keep away with hungry fish and an egg.
Letting Fallon know I'm ok before going down for my second last dive
Alas, we weren’t staying on for another night, and so we had one last lunch on the boat and headed back to the mainland where we were dropped off at the front door to our hostel.
I can’t recommend the Deep Sea Diver’s Den enough when it comes to seeing the Barrier Reef and getting scuba accredited. They offer advanced courses, rescue courses, snorkeling, and even introductory causes without the rigor of full scale training – so don’t be put off if you’re not interested in sitting in a classroom. There’s plenty of variety for all walks of life.
The crew and staff are fantastic; the food on the boats was great; and the entire experience turned me from a scuba skeptic into a scuba addict. I can’t wait to get out again, and I might someday make a return to Cairns to do it all over again with the guys and girls of the Diver’s Den.
Caravella Backpackers: For affordable accommodation on the mainland that is serviced by a good cafe, a pool, and friendly staff – it’s hard to beat Caravella. Right by main drag and close to cafes and night spots.
So, you’re interested in taking the plunge and spending a year teaching in South Korea and experiencing a fascinating culture all at the same time? Let me help you out on your short but involved road back to South Korea.
Posing with my favourite class. November 2008.
I spent three years teaching English in South Korea, so to say I’ve got a little bit of experience in negotiating the sometimes frustrating path to South Korea is something of an understatement. The how of getting a job in South Korea and arranging your documents for the E-2 teaching visa can be a bit overwhelming at first glance, so I’m going to break it down for you in steps.
Finding a Job in South Korea
You’ve bitten the bullet and decided that South Korea is your destination. You might have come to this conclusion for a number of reasons. Maybe you’re bored with your humdrum existence back home or maybe you’ve become a massive fan of the Wonder Girls and want to see where it all began. Maybe you’ve got student loans or credit card debt that needs paying off, or maybe you want to use a year in Korea to act as a launch pad for future travels.
Or maybe you’ve just stumbled across this entry and you’re giving it some thought. If you are, I’d advise checking out my entry on the 10 Reasons to Teach in South Korea.
Now that you’ve made the decision, you need to find a job. There are basically three ways to go about this.
Recruiter: A lot of Korean schools will pay a commission (usually around 1,000,000 won) to a recruiter for finding a new teacher and assisting them in arranging their documents. There are a number of excellent recruiters out there, and I’ve listed them at the bottom of this entry. These are ones I’ve had experience with or know people who have dealt with them before. One thing to watch out for is that no recruiter should charge you for the service. If they ask you for money, look elsewhere.
Job Boards: There are a number of job boards in which schools advertise for positions that need filling. The best of these is Dave’s ESL Cafe, but lately Korea Bridge has gained some ground on the original and the best.
Word of Mouth: My first two gigs in Korea were both arranged through friends. If a Korean employer can avoid paying a recruiter’s hefty fee, they’ll gladly do it. If you’ve got friends in South Korea or know people who do, it might be worth asking them to put out feelers and see if they can find you something. A lot of great schools hire this way, trusting that their current employee will be able to find a replacement.
What to Look For in a Teaching Job
Public Schools
What you’re looking for in a job depends greatly on what kind of Korean experience you want. I know a lot of people who swear by the public school system, and there’s some good reasons to look at working in the government run program.
The most obvious is that it has the security of being a government initiative – but there are a few other key benefits as well. Public schools offer regular 9-5 hours, a decent amount of sick days (a luxury in Korea), and far more holiday time than a private school job generally will.
An average public school job tends to pay between 1,500,000 and 3,000,000 per month ($1200 – $2500 USD) depending on experience. Most public school jobs are done through EPIK – which has a long and involved application process and places teachers on a first come, first served basis.
Private Schools
Private schools (hagwons) are a mixed bag. You can luck out and find an absolutely fabulous school or you can be like my mate Drew and have two terrible schools in a row.
Hagwons tend to pay a little worse than the public schools (anywhere from 1,900,000 to 2,300,000 won) and offer hours that better suit a night owl. My first job ran from 1.30pm to 9.30pm and my second ran from 2.30pm to 7.30pm. They will offer less holiday time than a public school and only occasionally have a set syllabus.
Be prepared to do a lot of lesson planning.
I personally prefer the hagwon experience, but it’s not perfect. A lot of it hinges on your boss – so don’t hesitate to do a little research and see what others have to say about the school. A bad boss can utterly ruin your Korean experience, so it’s in your best interests not to just blindly accept the first position that is offered to you.
I found this out the hard way in 2011, and had to do a midnight run to get out of a toxic workplace.
A good place to check is the Korean Black List, but don’t let the list frighten you. Bear in mind that sometimes the problem is the teacher and they’re just too narrow minded to see it. Don’t let all of the nay-sayers and the ‘I hate Korea’ brigade turn you off.
Basic Requirements
As for what you’re looking for, that all depends on what you want. The two options offer different holiday packages, pay rates, and hours. What you want to take out of Korea is going to play a big part in which you lean. Regardless, the key things to look for are:
Pay: Aim for at least 1,800,000 won. If you’ve got experience, you can aim a little higher.
Holidays: Make sure the job offers at least 10 working days of vacation a year. This is standard.
Flights: Most Korean schools will pay for your round trip to Korea. Some will ask you to pay this up front and will reimburse you. This is fine, although obviously them organizing it is better for your bottom line.
Apartment: All Korean jobs will provide you with a furnished single apartment. Make sure it’s close to your school. If it’s not, make sure it’s near public transport.
Medical Insurance: It’s a government requirement that your school pays 50% of the cost of your medical insurance.
Number of other teachers: It’s a scary thing stepping into a classroom for the first time, so it helps to know there are others there. Current or past employees also offer the best idea of what the school is like.
Number of students per class: I’ve taught anywhere between 2 and 16 students at a time. Anything more than that can be a bit unmanageable in a hogwan, but public school classes are generally around the 30 mark.
Age of students: This is a big one. If you’re not comfortable teaching 4 year olds to speak English from scratch, don’t take the job!
Applying for a Job
Whether you’re going through a recruiter or you’re directly approaching the school from their ad, you’ll need to submit an application. I’m only going to cover the process from the perspective of a private school, but a lot of these steps will also apply to a public school application.
Resume
An example of a suitable photo to send to prospective employers
Your resume should be clear and concise. Bear in mind that a Korean employer will need to read it, so don’t be too wordy. Some potential employers speak fantastic English and might have studied abroad, but others have a far more basic level of understanding. Don’t turn them off with a confusing resume.
Highlight your relevant teaching experience or, if you don’t have any, make a point of highlighting desirable traits you might have developed from your past employment and studies. These include conflict resolution, working in a team environment, creativity, past publications (even if they were in a local newsletter or college paper), working with children, and working with other cultures. Even a call centre job can look good if you word it right.
Photos
You’ll also need to send along a photograph of yourself. Since you aren’t likely to interview with your actual employer and definitely won’t do it in person if you do, this is going to be a potential employer’s first (and potentially only) way to form an impression of you. Make sure you look presentable in the photo (clean shaven, hair done, no visible piercings or tattoos, well dressed).
Cover Letter
It’s also worth including a brief cover letter explaining why you want to teach in Korea and why you think you will be a good teacher. Again, keep this simple enough to read while highlighting your relevant experience and skills. Be passionate! No potential employer wants to hear that you’re in it for the money or that you’d ‘really like to meet a Korean girl’.
Video Introduction
A final, but optional, step is to also create and attach a video interview. This is something that more and more recruiters are asking for and I think it is a fantastic idea. I’ve included mine here for you to take a look at. Mine isn’t a great example, but it got the job done.
Interviewing
Even if you don’t interview with your prospective employer, chances are you’ll be having at least one interview with a recruiter. If the job you’re gunning for is particularly prestigious or cushy, you might have more than one interview as they look to narrow down their field of options.
The interview can be a little daunting, but it doesn’t need to be. I’ve done quite a few myself and had quite a few offers as a direct result of my interview technique – so I’m going to offer you a few pointers.
Be passionate: As far as a recruiter is concerned, you are passionate about everything. You are excited to experience Korean culture, you are passionate about teaching English, and you are passionate about working with children. Believe this and make them believe it.
Be articulate: Try and cut down on the umming and aahing. You’ll be teaching people to speak English, so it’s not a good look if you can’t speak it yourself!
Speak slowly: A lot of recruiters and employers are Korean and they might not be accustomed to the way we tend to rush through our sentences. Speak slowly but naturally. Don’t talk to them as if they’re deaf and you’re letting them lip read.
You’re going to get asked a few stock questions such as “Why do you want to teach in South Korea?”, “Give us one example of a situation where you have had to deal with a communication barrier” and “What is your best/worst feature”. Prepare for these. Do a little research on South Korean culture.
Every interview is going to be different, but if you do a little research and a little preparation – you’re going to do fine.
Understanding Your Contract
If all goes to plan, you’re going to be receiving your first job offer before too long. This is an exciting moment, but don’t just leap in with both feet. Go back to my list of things to look for in a school and make sure that the contract you’ve been emailed ticks all of the boxes.
Don’t get too bogged down in the wording of it, often it’s been written by a non native speaker and isn’t brilliantly edited, but make sure the basics are there.
In addition to the things listed above make sure that you’re getting national holidays off; that your apartment comes with basic furnishings (TV, washing machine, bed, microwave, and gas range are the main ones); and that there are no deal breakers such as lengthy unpaid training, weekend hours, or bizarre requirements.
If you are feeling nervous about it, have a lawyer friend or somebody with experience look over it for you. At the end of the day a written contract in Korea doesn’t mean quite as much as it would here – so don’t spend hours fretting over it. At the end of the day, more of your Korean experience is going to depend on your own relationship with your boss than the wording of your contract.
Once you find and accept a job, be prepared for things to move fast. Things are done a little differently in the land of kimchi and soju, so often they’re hiring for a position that needs to be filled within a month.
Visa Requirements
Unless you’ve got some Korean in your family, you’re going to be going to Korea on an E-2 visa. Some employers might try to get you to come over on a tourist visa and then get your E-2 when you get there, but if they want you to do some teaching on your tourist visa, this is illegal. It’s not unheard of, but if you’re not comfortable with it, don’t do it.
Bear in mind that applying for a visa from South Korea involves a two or three day trip across to Japan to collect your visa. If you are required to do this – make sure your employer pays for it. Occasionally you might have to meet your employer halfway – so make sure they cover the cost of getting to Japan. If you have to pay for accommodation, there are plenty of cheap options. I’ll post an entry on the Japanese visa run another time.
The requirements for an E-2 visa change pretty regularly, but the below are correct at the time of writing:
A photocopy of your passport: This needs to be valid for at least another year. If it’s not, you need to arrange this ASAP.
A copy of your resume.
Two sets of academic transcripts in sealed envelopes. This is your University seal, and does not just mean the envelope is closed. Request this specifically when ordering your transcripts.
A notarized copy of your degree with an apostille.
Most of these are simple enough to obtain. The health check runs through pretty basic things and is there to ensure you’re not disease riddled or a risk to children. Feel free not to declare any minor mental health issues such as anxiety or OCD if you believe it won’t impact your work. South Korea is, sadly, quite a way behind the rest of the world in understanding mental illness.
Criminal Record Check
Obtaining a criminal record check differs from country to country, so I’m only going to cover the Australian process. Visit the website of the Australian Federal Police and click on the What We Do link at the top of the page. On the left hand side a menu will appear, select Police/Criminal history checks, and follow the prompts from there.
Print out the form, fill it out, attach a copy of your passport or driver’s license, and post it off with the required amount of money as a money order. These can be arranged at the post office. The cost of the check you are after is $42. The reason code you need to list on the form is 33. It generally takes two weeks to get back your check.
Apostilles/Notarisation
As for getting your documents notarized, this requires finding and visiting a Justice of the Peace. To find one, locate the relevant state listing on here. It takes all of two minutes for them to witness something or sign it, but call ahead and make sure they’re going to be free to see you before just heading over.
An apostille is a new requirement but it’s easy enough to arrange. The Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade website has details on how and where to obtain one. It costs $60 per document apostilled, so you’re looking at $120 to get things witnessed. Your school won’t cover this.
Mailing Your Visa Application
Once all of your documents are in order you’ll need to send them by express (Fed Ex or DHL) to your employer so they can begin the visa process. Once things on their end are in order, you’ll be sent a visa number. You’ll need to take this in to the nearest Korean embassy along with your passport and the required fee. Last time I arranged one it was $80. This is, again, your responsibility – although a particularly nice employer might pay it for you. But don’t expect (or demand) this. It’s a standard cost of getting to Korea. Given they are paying for your accommodation and flights – a couple of hundred dollars out of your end isn’t so bad.
This will take a few days and then you’ll be able to go back and collect your passport complete with visa. Congratulations! You’re almost done!
What to Pack for South Korea
Packing for your year in South Korea can be a bit of a stressful experience. You’re basically condensing your life into 20kgs of checked luggage. It’s not cheap to ship additional things to South Korea (you cannot do surface mail from Australia, so you’re looking at paying for air mail) – but don’t stress if you’re headed over in winter and can’t fit your summer clothes. You’ll be saving enough money over there that you’ll be able to afford to ship some clothes if need be.
I’m not going to give you a blow by blow list of what to take with you. The few things I will suggest are ones that, through experience, I have learned are quite difficult to track down in Korea unless you’re based in Seoul and able to befriend a member of the US military to acquire it for you.
Bring deodorant – it’s not cheap or easy to find in Korea.
Bring your own condoms – it’s a stereotype, but wearing a Korean condom is akin to wearing a tank top.
Ladies should bring tampons as they’re not common in South Korea.
Bring your camera!
Bring photos from home. They’re a great conversation starter.
Bring a few small touches of home. Your apartment will be a scary place for a little whole, and having a few pictures or items from home can make all of the difference.
There’s a wonderfully detailed list available at this site for you to peruse. Don’t panic if you can’t fit it all. Korea isn’t a third world country and you can find a lot of things there or have them shipped if the need arises. There are a lot of foreigner groceries that will have foods that you’ll be missing, and the larger cities have ‘large size’ outlets at which you can buy regular sizes.
Helpful Resources
I’m sure I’ve missed a thing or two, so don’t hesitate to ask a question if you’re unsure of anything. There is a wealth of information out there on the topic, and if you’re going through a recruiter than it’s part of their job to help you get to Korea. Don’t be afraid to ask them questions if you’re not sure of anything. The aforementioned Dave’s ESL Cafe and Korea Bridge also have discussion forums if you want to start a dialogue.
Below you can find some links to recruiters that I’ve had experience with. Good luck!
Footprints Recruiting: I have had a really wonderful experience with these guys. Footprints have a big network that includes China, eastern Europe, the Middle East, and South America. They’re very hands on and great to work with.
Teach ESL Korea: Dan is another former Gwangju native who has helped a lot of friends find good jobs in South Korea.
ASK Now: One of the best known recruiters, although from my experience their size counts against them. They typically take a long time to get back to you, so it might be best to look elsewhere.
Dave’s ESL Cafe: The go to place for all of your ESL teaching information and discussion.
Korea Bridge: A rising star for ESL teaching in Korea. Has job boards and discussions.
Go Overseas: A fantastic resource about living, studying, and working overseas.
This is part two of my trip to Jejudo in August of 2009. You can see the first part, including our visit to Korea’s famous Sex Park, here.
The stunning Seongsan Ilchubong and a black sand beach
A visit to South Korea’s Jejudo isn’t complete without exploring some of its many naturally stunning locations. The most popular of these is Sunrise Peak (or Seongsan Ilchubung – above), but there’s plenty of other fascinating sights to see on the volcanic island.
Our second and only full day on Jejudo started early, as we met our chartered cab (a bargain at 80,000 won for the day) and immediately got things underway with a visit to the imaginatively titled ‘Mini Mini Land‘. If you haven’t guessed what this entails yet, it’s basically a park full of miniature replicas of famous world sites. They seem to be constantly adding to their list, and even some lesser known locations (such as the New Zealand House of Parliament for some reason) are there. Then there’s a whole bunch of random things such as human sized Smurfs, the characters of Shrek, and a pair of pirates. It’s delightfully Korean, and we had a lot of fun posing in front of the many landmarks from around the world.
Fallon poses in front of mini Bayon. She was in front of the real one a few months earlier!Mini Forbidden CityAn impressive replica of the Statue of Liberty
The randomly placed life sized pirate recoils from Cody's advancesTruly terrifyingComing Soon: Something from New ZealandFallon posing in front of the Sydney Opera House.
Mini Mini Land was a fun little excursion, and despite the presence of a truly obnoxious group of students bullying and generally harassing the unfortunate woman who was in charge of them for the day – we had a good time. Aside from the random replicas and statues, there’s also a decent souvenir shop and ice cream & snacks are available on site. It’s not a must see by any stretch, but Mini Mini Land has a few good photo opportunities and would be a good spot to take the kids.
From there we headed for a more traditional tourist location – the Sangumburi Crater. Let me just say that while this crater was quite beautiful, it was completely underwhelming. So much so that we spent the first fifteen minutes of our walk wondering where on earth the crater actually was. Like the other famous craters on the island, Sangumburi was formed by a volcanic eruption, but unlike the rest of them Sangumburi exploded quickly and so did not form the usual hallmarks of a volcanic crater. In fact, aside from the fact it’s lower than the land around it, it’s not particularly easy to spot.
Still, we managed to snap some nice photos of the grounds and of the crater, but it wasn’t really worth the trek. I’d have preferred to check out Jejudo’s famous waterfall or to have spent a few hours lying out on the beach.
Long grass at the base of SangumburiThe somewhat underwhelming craterLong grass obscures the view as I look up towards the buildingsMy attempt at a Christian rock album cover
Our trip at Sangumburi had helped us to work up an appetite, so we had our driver take us to a nearby town where we could get a bite to eat. We searched in earnest for a Kimbop Nara (a chain that sells basic Korean foods such as kimbap and bibimbap) but eventually settled on a restaurant that seemed to be run out of the person’s living room. While we waited for our food her kids were stretched out watching TV and from to time her husband would duck his head into the ‘restaurant’ and mutter something in Korean too her. Still, we couldn’t complain. The bibimbap was decent and the kimbap was of a good standard – and soon we were full of food and on our way to Jejudo’s most famous landmark – Seongsan Ilchubong.
The aptly named Sunrise Peak offers truly stunning views of the ocean and (at the right time of day) the sun rising over the island. If you can survive the somewhat grueling hike to the top, you’re in for an absolute treat as you take it all in. On the way up you’ll pass some nice photo opportunities that afford a good view of the city below, and there’s a store that defines convenience as it sells water, snacks, and sunscreen about a quarter of the way up the mountain.
After you’ve snapped a few shots and made your way back down, you can detour down to one of the gorgeous black sandy beaches to see the famous women divers. These remarkable ajummas (married women) free dive to bring up oysters in a way that would wear out even the fittest young go getter. When you consider most of these women are on the downhill side of fifty, it’s a pretty amazing sight. Even if that doesn’t do it for you, you’ll find plenty of good photo opportunities as you stroll along the beach and take in the beauty of it all. It’s somewhat diminished by the thousands of nameless insects that scurry away in terror as you near the rocks, but in a country that doesn’t exactly boast beaches, it’s a picturesque change from the murky norm.
The view out over the crater. I didn't do a great job of capturing it.The view out over the oceanThe home of the famous women diversA closer view of the black sand beach
Our day of adventure wasn’t over just yet, and with the sun coming out, we sought the shade in a souvenir shop and picked up some of the famous Jejudo chocolates as well. These are basically generic chocolates with interestingly flavored fillings such as cactus. Quite good. We also grabbed a delicious potato twist, which anybody who has ever been to a county fair will be familiar with.
The next stop on our trip was a visit to the lava tubes. After descending into the cold darkness from the increasingly humid heat outside, you’re basically left to stumble your way through the watery dark with only a few ghost lights to guide you. It’s a lot of fun, and while it obviously doesn’t provide a lot in the way of photo opportunities or things to see, it’s still a fun experience to be walking through a tunnel that had once been filled with liquid hot magma.
One last look out at the light before entering the tunnels
By this point in the day we were more than a little tired, but we had paid our driver for another hour and a half, so we decided to hit one last destination before we returned to our hotel. That destination turned out to be the Gimnyeong Hedge Maze. Designed by an American man who settled in the area, the Hedge Maze is a pretty spectacular way to spend an hour or so. There’s panic bells and a map if you want to cheat, but the maze isn’t terribly hard to navigate – and you get a real sense of achievement when you finally emerge from its arboreal depths, climb to the top of the catwalk that overlooks it all, and ring the bell to signal your triumph over nature.
Girls lost in the mazeAn example of the maze's intricate designA pair of Korean lads find themselves at a dead end
Thoroughly exhausted by our day of trekking around Korea’s island paradise, we decided to head back to our hotel and shower before heading out to explore the area around our hotel. We found a cute little seaside carnival which was, sadly, closed – and then found our way down to the waterfront which was a hive of activity in the setting sun. Kids riding around on their bikes, families out for a walk, and even a busker with an army of adoring fans populated the area. We got into the spirit with some fairy floss and some store bought KGB Vodka and Asahi before heading back to our hotel where we discovered a most wonderful thing…
Drunk foreigners savouring home delivered McDonalds!
Korean McDonalds delivers!
We whiled away our last night on Jejudo eating Big Macs, drinking ourselves silly, and watching terrible 1980s Jean Claude Van Dam movies. The next day it was back to the ho-hum of mainland life, but I don’t think Jejudo has seen the last of me just yet.
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