Being an Asian-American expat in Asia has its ups and downs, as Randy has discovered. This young expat lives in Busan, South Korea, where he's working as a middle-school English teacher, and here he describes what led to his decision to work in Korea. He also shares some of his opinions about the people and the importance of learning the local language and respecting the culture, plus some tips for those planning on living and working abroad.

Randy K.

-Where were you born?

Near Chicago, IL USA

-In which country and city are you living now?

Busan, South Korea. 

-Are you living alone or with your family?

I am living independently.

-How long have you been living in Korea?

I have been in Korea since February 2009

-What is your age?

26

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Korea?

Back in July 2008, I had just gotten laid off (in some ways, thankful) from a company that I felt was holding me back.  The previous summer, I had graduated and came up empty-handed as far as jobs that I wanted.  The job search following my layoff became even far more daunting because it came just as the economy was showing the early signs of collapsing. 

After getting sick and tired of bumming around my parents' home searching endlessly for a job, I noticed that some of my friends had either worked or would be soon working overseas.  The lightbulb finally lit up: "Teaching Abroad." Earlier in my undergrad, I studied in secondary education, but later became disenchanted with the program at my school, and focused on writing instead.  So, the idea of teaching, let alone living abroad was something that took a lot of apprehension on my part.  However, by getting turned down each time for a job, and the hopes of landing a job became dimmer and dimmer, I decided to take that risk.  I first looked at Vietnam, a place where my family is from, but the cost and application process was a bit too much for me.

So I enrolled in the TEFL Institute later in the Fall for my TEFL certification.  There, I received helpful guidance from my instructor and TEFL advisor.  They brought up South Korea as a popular choice.  The combination of westernized and Confucian culture, their growing advances in technology and committment to education, the accommodations and financial flexibility I will gain, plus traveling into a country that is often far too overlooked between its neighbors, China and Japan, convinced me that Korea would be the place to spend my current life in. 

-Was it hard to get a visa or a work permit?

No, not at all.  After accepting the EPIK (English Program in Korea) job offer, I was given directions from my recruiter.  I went over to the Korean Consulate in Chicago and they processed the paperwork within a week.  The visa process was fairly inexpensive and easy. 

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

I think it may be wise to have some kind of traveler's insurance for the first month that you're in Korea, though I didn't do that.  It would be recommended if you have pre-conditions that could pose as a problem.  The health insurance is very accessible, and more importantly, affordable, especially if you're from the U.S.  The over-the-counter medicine is also extremely cheap, and the hospitals provide excellent service. 

-How do you make your living in Korea? Do you have any type of income generated? 

I am currently a Guest English Teacher at an all-boys middle school in Deokcheon Middle School through the EPIK progam (www.epik.go.kr).  My school is located in Busan, more specifically in the Buk-gu district.  I am paid reasonably well as I have been able to save up a good amount of money since being there.  As EPIK English teachers, we are also provided with compensation for our incoming and outgoing flights to Korea, free housing with only utilities to pay ($50), vacation pay, and health insurance.  Compared to other countries, including those in Asia, Korea does offer the best incentives in terms of financial flexibility. 

-Do you speak Korean and do you think it's important to speak the local language? Please add your thoughts on local customs and whether it's important for expats to respect/observe local customs.

To start things off, I am half-Vietnamese and half-Cambodian.  As far as speaking Korean goes, it's fairly minimal.  I do know how to read the hanguel (Korean alphabet).  It's surprisingly easy as each letter has one sound unlike the English alphabet where there is often multiple sounds.  I am currently taking a Korean language class.  I haven't gotten to the point where I can have back and forth dialogue, but that is something that I would like to achieve eventually. 

I do believe it is ALWAYS important to try to learn the local language, and on top of it, respecting and observing local customs is an important step for any expatriate living in Asia.  Koreans, and other Asians can be quite friendly, polite, and accommodating, but they also have a sense of justified skepticism when it comes to foreigners.  They have seen behaviors that they view as inappropriate, but also considered inappropriate in the US, and in western culture in general, so their skepticism is, again, justified. 

To encourage good behavior from future and current expats, one must observe quietly on how locals go about their day, the way they communicate with one another.  It never hurts to ask questions to Koreans.  This shows your willingness to learn their culture, and perhaps, change some of the negative pre-conceived notions they may have about foreigners.  Show your warmth, kindness, smile, and try to speak their language as best as you can.  Remember you're in their country, so don't shove the English language down on their throat.  If they want to speak English to you, then by all means, go for it.  Never be too direct and confrontational.  This can really alienate you from a lot of opportunities and personal leverage with your employer, friends, or people you need to count on to get things done for you. 

As an Asian-American, and non-Korean, there are advantages and disadvantages of being in Korea.  The advantages that I've had was being able to fly under the radar.  Unlike some of my friends who are non-Asian, I don't have the pleasure of getting stared at by locals, and having the luxury of roaming around Korea without any fanfare. 

One of the disadvantages that I have had is that many Koreans think that I'm Korean so this can cause some confusion whenever I'm at a store, restaurant, or in certain public places as they are genuinely shocked.  It can be quite amusing, but sometimes frustrating on my end.  Plus, I don't have the ability to conjure up random conversations with strangers like I used to at home.  I find myself more intimidated and awkward at trying to initiate conversation with Koreans so this might have costed me my opportunities of making more Korean friends versus some of my fellow non-Asian friends. 

-Do you miss home and family sometimes? Describe your favorite recreational activities there or those that are available.

I don't miss family as much as many of my friends do.  Don't get me wrong, I do miss my mom's home-cooking, and the comforts of my own neighborhood, but I enjoy having an independent life for the first time.  I enjoy having the ability to come home peacefully, and travel around Asia.  Back at home, I do miss being in Chicago.  The food, diversity, my favorite sports teams (Go Sox and Bears!!!), and many things associated with the Windy City are things that cannot be replaced. 

However, to cope with that stress, is traveling, taking on new challenges.  I currently play basketball, sometimes with my students.  I have been taking an interest in Buddhism, my family's background, so I've been visiting various temples.  I have been hanging out with my new friends, and continued documenting on my current journey.  It's been a blessing so far.  I hope to take up dancing, and working out at the gym, and do some further traveling before it's said and done. 

-Do you have other plans for the future? 

I hope to travel to Thailand and Cambodia this winter, and Japan very soon.  I hope to make another follow-up trip to Vietnam next year.  I also hope to stay another year in Korea.  Beyond that, I don't know if I'll continue working abroad, but I hope to be more involved in non-profit, specifically with museums or student programs, or working with ESL students or immigrant refugees. 

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it? 

I am living in an apartment free of rent.  It is a tiny studio.  It is brand-new, and I live with other fellow expatriates in the building.  My apartment is nice and cozy, despite its miniature size. However, many of my friends have bigger apartments there.  I only pay for the utilities.  I believe that if your school has trouble finding an apartment or if you choose to find an apt. independently, you will receive $400,000 (in Korean dollars) a month as compensation which is pretty reasonable from what I've heard. 

-What is the cost of living in Korea?

The cost of living is fairly reasonable.  With the exception of electronic goods, food and other living necessities are fairly simple and affordable.  I find it to be cheaper here than in the U.S.

-What do you think about the Koreans? 

I've pretty much answered this question earlier, but to reinforce what I've said, I've enjoyed being around many Koreans.  The locals here have treated me very well.  The teachers, staff, and students have treated me wonderfully since I've been here.  I find them to be more honest than any of the people I've encountered prior to my arrival here.  Case in point,  I have lost or left many things, only to realize that I have retrieved all of them because they were so honest and made the effort to contact me. 

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Korea?

To sum it up:

Positives: Affordability, technology (PC Rooms, a country heavily wired on Internet technology), the locals, the combination of the urban and countryside, closeness proximity to other Asian countries, transportation, a well-developed country that is democratic, and many others.  Also, many signs are also in English so this makes things much easier to those who have not mastered the hanguel. 

Negatives:  This I have already mentioned earlier.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Korea?

Never start comparing the country that you're living abroad in, to the country that you lived in prior.  Don't get too attached to your friends and family back home.  Join clubs, make new friends (avoid being around too many of your foreigner friends, but learn to explore and make mistakes on your own).  Avoid being around the negative foreigners (be a supportive friend, but realize that this is THEIR experience, not yours).  Always respect and make the effort to practice the local customs and language.  Be open-minded, flexible, and know that things are not always going to work accordingly to your routine. 

Also, avoid working at the hagwons (private institutes), at least weed out the bad ones.  They are oftentimes littered with shady directors.  If pursuing one, you must do diligent research on that school before accepting their job offer. 

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Korea?

www.justlanded.com, www.transitionsabroad.com, www.eslcafe.com.  To seek a job in Korea, I would look at www.eslcafe.com for job postings. 

I have my own blog which you can read at:  www.randall-kimball.blogspot.com. Keep checking back in for more updates.  Thanks!