This year has been a rollercoaster, to say the least. The coronavirus pandemic shifted the way teaching is done worldwide. In Korea, from late March to mid September, teachers in Korea juggled teaching online, partially-online, in-person with social distancing, and alternating between which grades will come to school. And due to various reasons, including the COVID-19 pandemic, many EPIK teachers have either transferred out of Korea’s smaller rural towns, into bigger cities, left the EPIK program, or left Korea altogether. The remaining teachers take on new and for some, even heavier workloads. Despite the new circumstances, there was always a bright side. And there still is…
Moving from New York to South Korea to become an English teacher has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. As the one year mark approaches, I marvel at my milestones, accomplishments, and the lessons I’ve learned. Despite all this, it has also been the most challenging year too. It’s normal to face challenges when adjusting to a new culture and lifestyle…