Packing for Korea
Tips From the EPIK Office For a Successful Year


David Pennell
English Coordinator, National EPIK Head Office

So, you¡¯ve passed your interview, and after weeks or months of preparing documents and studying TEFL in your spare time, you¡¯ve finally received a contract to teach in Korea. You still need to finalize your visa and maybe take care of a few personal things before booking your flight, but you¡¯re ready to bring your luggage out of storage and start thinking about what you¡¯ll bring with you to Korea. EPIK teachers are committed to teaching in Korea for at least one year, so, naturally, one of the most frequently asked questions from first-time EPIKers is,¡±What should I pack?¡± There are numerous resources online which address this question at length and offer detailed guidance for the uninitiated, but the question is asked frequently enough that we thought it would be helpful to offer some assistance from the national office.
Certain things, of course, are absolutely essential. For instance, if you forget to bring your passport, you won¡¯t make it very far, let alone to Korea. Forget to apply for a visa? You¡¯ll be looking at long lines at the Immigration office and heavy fines after you arrive. Also, you won¡¯t be receiving your Entrance Allowance or first pay check until the end of the first month of your contract, so you¡¯d better have a good sum of cash (about 1 million KRW) to live on until then. And don¡¯t forget to bring any extra documents you need to submit (such as an apostilled diploma, criminal record check, final transcripts or TEFL/TESOL certification). Finally, you should have the second copy of the contract you received from EPIK, and it should be signed in ink.
Then, there are other things which are maybe not quite as essential, but are either not easily obtainable in Korea, more expensive, or just comforting. Deodarant is one often-cited item that is rather ubiquitous in most Western countries but scarce in Korea. Summers in Korea can be hot and humid, so if you tend to sweat, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to bring a few sticks of your favorite brand of deodorant with you. If you suffer from alergies, or if you take any kind of prescription medication, it would be wise to bring a large enough supply of your medication to at least give you some time to find out where to get it in Korea. Bring an empty bottle with you so you can show the label to someone at the hospital or pharmacy.
Then, there are other useful things like fluffy bath towels, English language books or magazines, electrical adapters or converters, small gifts to show appreciation to your co-teachers or other administrators who will help you get settled (small keychains, pencils or pens or something your home country or region is well-known for are always well-received), and, of course, any English curriculum materials or supplies for activities. All of these things will help ease your adjustment to Korean life, or at the very least, provide some comfort if you start to feel overwhelmed.
While these material items can certainly help ease your transition and help you live more comfortably in Korea, there are a few other things you should keep with you that are less tangible, but equally important for your success. I suggest to you that certain things should not only be with you when you arrive, but should be kept with you every minute of every day, and are even more essential to making your life in Korea as successful and meaningful as possible. They are:

1) An open mind. It sounds cliche, but the importance of being open-minded can not be overstated or taken for granted. No matter where we go in life, we will inevitiably come into contact with people who think, act, and approach work in ways that are very different than we are accostumed to. It goes without saying that this is doubly true when working in another country, particularly one as different to Western society as Korea. Teaching in Korea is a great way to cultivate the skills of adaptability and open-mindedness that will help prepare you for any profession you ultimately choose to pursue. However, you will have to work and be challenged daily to fully develop these skills. Being open-minded is more than simply acknowledging the cultural differences that exist between Korean and your home country. The challenge of adapting to these cultural differences comes when we have to reconcile differences in your approaches to problem solving, conflict resolution or communication. Being open-minded means perceiving these differences without automatically criticizing them because they seem strange. It means trying to understand a situation from someone else¡¯s point of view. It also means having a willingness to do things differently and having an appreciation for the positive aspects of the culture. Don¡¯t be afraid to ask questions if there is something you don¡¯t understand, and be prepared for unexpected situations.
2) A positive attitude. Having an open-mind is a good first start, but this should be reflected in how you carry yourself and how you react to setbacks or inconveniences. This can also be more easily said than done, especially if you face consistent challenges, but I can say with certainty that the ease with which you overcome these obstacles is determined to a large degree by the attitude you approach the problem with. It can be difficult, for instance, if your co-teacher frequently asks you to teach a class with very little time to prepare. Or, it might be difficult for you and your co-teacher to agree at times on the best way to conduct a particular class or structure a lesson plan. Learning to be flexible, cooperative and positive even when things do not go 100% according to plan is the best way to keep miscommunications and other potential setbacks to a minimum and to enjoy your time in Korea as much as possible. More than anything, your students will be much more receptive to your lessons if you can maintain a positive demeanor. Learning how to deal with stress constructively is an important part of keeping a positive attitude and not getting discouraged if problems arise. If conflicts arise, always be quick to sincerely apologize for your mistakes and to forgive others if you feel like you¡¯ve been wronged.
3) Enthusiasm for teaching and a strong desire to learn. Whether you have years of teaching experience, or you have never taught before, your effectiveness as a teacher may be determined to a large degree by the enthusiasm you demonstrate. There is much more to being an effective teacher than just being enthusiastic, but you may find that your own enthusiasm for your job will affect your students¡¯ interest in your lessons and their willingness to participate. Experienced EPIK teachers consistently say that one of the most challenging aspects of the position is getting students to practice speaking. For a variety of reasons, students are often shy about speaking English in class, and your own enthusiasm for teaching them can help everyone feel more at ease and more willing to interact with you. Also, you may not have had a great deal of teaching experience prior to coming to Korea, but you can still improve and teach effectively if you have the drive to learn and work hard to improve. If you can maintain your enthusiasm for teaching throughout your time in Korea, you¡¯ll have better relationships with your students and co-teachers, your lessons will be more engaging and you¡¯ll have a much more rewarding experience overall. So, come ready to work hard, but don¡¯t get burnt out by doing too much too quickly. Try to balance your work and private life as much as possible.
4) A sense of humor. Of course, there is also much more to effective teaching than just being entertaining and engaging. You should certainly approach teaching with an attitude of professionalism and be prepared to work hard to improve at it. However, don¡¯t take things too seriously. Make your students laugh, make your co-teachers laugh, and don¡¯t be afraid to laugh yourself. Teaching is hard work, but it should be fun. You should look for ways to foster a more enjoyable classroom environment to make your students eager to learn. In this way, you¡¯ll not only be helping them learn an invaluable skill, you¡¯ll also be giving them a strong impression of people from your home country. Having a good sense of humor can go hand-in-hand with maintaining an enthusiastic attitude in the classroom. Enjoy what you do as much as possible, and the risk of becoming burnt out will be greatly diminished.

These are just a few common sense examples of things that we at the national EPIK office feel are important for the success of EPIK teachers. Teaching in Korea can be one of the most enlightening and rewarding experiences of your life. We are committed to supporting teachers as much as possible to ensure that their life and work in Korea are successful, but there is no substitute for your own initiative and drive to make your time in Korea meaningful. We wish everyone well with their preparations, and we are looking forward to meeting everyone soon!