December 1999-March 2000: For four months, I taught English to South Korean students ranging in age from preschool to high school at an English immersion school in Seoul. My school was located in suburban Illsan, and I lived in a small room rented from a Korean family who owned a restaurant above the school. Teaching English in South Korea was my first job after college, and it was the perfect opportunity to combine earning money with travel.
However, living and working in South Korea had its challenges. I struggled to adapt to a new culture and often felt isolated and lonely, especially since it was the longest I had ever been away from home. I was also new to teaching, and many of my students, who spent all day in a highly pressured academic environment, chose to misbehave during our classes rather than focus on learning—particularly the youngest ones.
Despite these challenges, I grew to love my time in Korea and, for the most part, my students. I made many friends, reconnected with a childhood friend I’d met in the US Army, and even spent Y2K New Year’s with him at the DMZ near North Korea. I developed a taste for Korean food, joined a baseball team as a pitcher, and even got to be Santa Claus for my students. Although I faced constant stress—and was regularly scolded by my school for breaking cultural taboos—I remain very grateful for my time in Korea. I eventually left the country—or more accurately, absconded—when I lost trust in my employer and missed my American girlfriend.
My students
My students
Living so close to North Korea meant that I often heard practice bomb sirens and listened to Koreans share stories about their divided families, which left me constantly wondering what life was like on the other side. I even stayed with my childhood friend Billy on his army base near the North Korean border at Camp Stanley during New Year’s Eve on Y2K—a time when many feared North Korea might invade amidst the global distraction.
Was North Korea really as dreadful as people claimed? I became obsessed with learning about it, although at that time, Americans weren’t welcome there. Still, I managed to visit the demilitarized zone, where US Army and South Korean soldiers patrol Panmunjom—a series of small structures used for negotiations between the North and South. I even visited a hut within the complex that straddled the border, stepping briefly into North Korean territory. It wasn’t until five years later that I was officially allowed to enter North Korea on a proper trip-Visiting North Korea As One Of The First American Tourists Since The Korean War | Venture The Planet.
North Korean soldiers at the DMZ
Me standing in North Korea with a ROC soldier in Pamnojon.DMZ
My childhood friend Billy in the US Army posing with Secretary of State Cohen
One of my favorite memories as a teacher was delivering presents to my students dressed as Santa Claus. Although Christmas isn’t widely celebrated in South Korea, my English school embraced it as part of a Western cultural and language experience. I donned a playful red suit with a tacky beard and brought joy to the kids with my gift-giving, an event they absolutely loved.
Me as Santa
Me as Santa
Me as Santa
After several unpleasant encounters with the school’s management—and after hearing about their broken promises to other foreign teachers—I decided it was time to leave. I also missed my American girlfriend, so one night I confided in one of my Korean friends (whom I had given unauthorized private lessons) and his family, who helped me get to the airport. Technically, I needed my employer’s permission to leave the country because I was on a work visa, and without it, I would have owed them an unspeakable amount of money. I managed to bluff my way past immigration officials and flew to Japan for a few days before eventually returning home.