THe orientation was good, everything was laid out, planned, and presented well-it went off without a hitch. That lasted for nine days. On the tenth and final day we got our city assignments, school assignments, ect-this is where it went down hill. I had started applying back in February (2011) and didn't find out where I was going until I got out of the car, it is a small middle of nowhere town with nothing to do. After that I was set up with my apartment which is outlandishly expensive given it's size, my utilities are through the roof, and I found out that unlike the EPIK website says, things are not cheaper here in Korea-in fact, they are more expensive. So, thank you EPIK, for that lie. As previously stated, my utilities are ridiculously expensive. I have to scrape and save every penny I can just to make being here worth it as far as making money goes. You really need to update your website and pit the true information on there so people know what they're getting themselves in to. The one saving grace has been my school. I am actually glad to get up and go to work in the mornings, other than that I have not had an enjoyable experience here and I would not reccomend your company.

In the past I never thought of myself as a particularly adventurous spirit, and the thought of moving to another country seemed unfathomably huge. But somehow I got the bug to teach English in Korea, and working with Reach to Teach I always felt like I was well cared for. Everyone there has been or is currently a teacher in a foreign country, and not only do they know what you're going through, but I just had the feeling all along that they really care, and I felt informed and supported and reassured about all my concerns. And complicated paperwork is usually completely overwhelming for me, but they laid out the process and patiently worked with me step by step till it was all done. I just wish they would help me with my taxes. When my friends back home find out that somebody they know is interested in teaching overseas, they pass on my email address, and I consistently recommend Reach to Teach Recruiting because of my 100% positive experience with them.

Reach to Teach has been very helpful in my experience with them. They were very professional as a recruiting agency when it came to answering me questions and keeping me informed throughout my application process. However, I beleive that some things could have been done faster as it sometimes took up to three days for me to receive a response via email. Reach to Teach did successfully get me a job in South Korea and I currently love where I am located. I originally wanted a city positon but my location is only a 25 minute train ride to Daegu so I have the best of both worlds. I can vist Korea's third biggest city any day of the week and I have the luxory of living in the country when I just want to relax and maybe visit the local wine tunnel in Cheongdo. Overall, I am very happy with my life in Korea and I have Reach to Teach to thank for that.

Having come to Korea by myself and applying by myself, having RTT there for help and support was really great. Applying directly through EPIK may be faster, but you will not get the kind of support the RTT provides!

So far, I am enjoying living and teaching in Korea. Although I live in a small city (by Korean standards), transportation is cheap and convenient here, so there are lots of opportunities to explore the country. The EPIK orientation was very helpful, both in helping us (especially first time teachers like me) learn about teaching English in Korea, as well as forming friendships with other EPIK teachers. So when difficulty strikes, I have a large network of people I can commiserate with.

My students at my elementary school (although occasionally a bit crazy) are adorable, and their enthusiasm always brightens my day. And most of the other teachers in the school, even though they cannot speak much English, have been extremely welcoming and friendly.

I think, though, my experience would have been drastically different if I had not gone through Reach to Teach. They guided me through the application process, providing helpful information at every step, and assisted me in getting my application in on time, despite the fact that I had a difficult time with the FBI background check (my first background check got lost in the mail).

On top of that, Reach to Teach has been a great resource for me while in Korea. There were some miscommunications and misunderstandings with my school regarding the clause in the EPIK contract that states that the school is supposed to provide certain furniture to the guest English teachers, and I spent a little over my first month without a bed. I tried to handle the matter myself, talking to the school and contacting an EPIK coordinator, but I could not get anywhere. However, I asked John at Reach to Teach for help, and within a few days, the matter was all sorted out and I finally got my bed.

In short, EPIK so far has been a great experience for me, and is a good way to experience a foreign country with a solid support network behind you. And if you are considering applying to EPIK, consider applying with Reach to Teach. They not only assist during the application process, but can be of assistance in Korea if things go wrong (which hopefully they won't, and for most people I know, they didn't, but there is always a chance of misunderstandings).

I graduated with my undergraduate degree in Elementary Education, so I really enjoy teaching.And the EPIK program has been great in providing me with a wonderful school and place to stay. I love the staff and the students at my school. The school system here is so very different from home, but I now understand it better, and hope to understand it even more. I love the classes that I teach and the sometimes craziness of a general day at school. The schools are set up well, and since I am in a smaller school, I am able to send some individual students. The school has been so helpful, and the staff has been great. I love where I am placed. The most difficult thing for me is the communication. There are days that I feel great about the communication between me and my students. There are days that I feel like the lesson or interaction could have gone better. I now know that it is vitally important to understand some Korean. It is hard to settle problems with the students, when you do not know what they are saying. That is really the only problem. The highlights are the students. They are always happy to see me, even though they do not study all the time. They are a great pick me up, on a bad day. The students make effort to talk to me and communicate with me. I really enjoy getting to know my students and being able to teach them. I have a bit of advice though, students know when the teacher really cares about them. You may not think that you can teach, but you might be able to if you try. You just need to let the students know that you care for them, not just when they are in your classroom. Say hello to them in the halls and try to communicate with them outside the classroom. They enjoy getting to know you, as much as you enjoy getting to know them.

This has been my first experience abroad and I have to admit, that it has gone rather smoothly from arriving at the airport and getting to where I needed to be at orientation, to arriving at my apt and meeting the teachers at my school. It is also nice knowing that I have support of reach to teach and they are concerned with my well being while I am over here. And since this is my first time abroad, I have felt homesick, but even getting that article about culture shock and how it manifests itself has really helped. I didn't really think about going through this:"culture shock" I just knew I felt homesick and kind of alone in the world. But just like the article said, the more you explore and the more you do, the less you should feel homesick.

Overall, my experience has been great so far. The staff at my school is very helpful, and the EPIK orientation was very useful. I had a smooth transition from new arrival in Korea to English teacher, and I enjoy teaching.

My only suggestion for improvement is more activities from DMOE (or the relevant Office of Education for your city) for English teachers. It'll help us get to know each other in social settings better. I've only been in Korea for about 2 weeks, so perhaps there are more events to come.

My overall experience with EPIK is a positive one. From when I landed in the airport to the release of orientation the EPIK people took care of us.

Although it was not paid orientation they provided unlimited food for breakfeast, lunch, and dinner plus snacks during the day for 10 days. They provided helpful classes to help prepare us for what was to come in the future. I thought some of the classes could've been a little bit more exciting, like Korean History and Text Books. They also provided room and boarding and any transportation that was needed. EPIK did prepare us for much as possible of what it would be like once we actually got to our cities/schools.

I would recommend the EPIK program to anyone if they asked.

I have been in Korea for about 2 months now and so far I am really enjoying my time here. I met a lot of great people at orientation and so far we have gone to Busan and Muuido, been hiking, gone to clubs, seen temples, and so much more. It's really been a great learning experience and an excellent chance to submerge myself into a new culture. I love my students, they are totally sweet and I haven't had many discipline problems. My co-teachers help me out a lot with everything from setting up a bank account and getting a cell phone, to helping me pay my bills online and order furniture. My apartment was kind of dirty and I had little furniture when I first arrived, but after a good cleaning and some minor purchases the place looks and feels like home now. Although I have had a great experience, it is important to note that everyone will be in a different situation. I have heard people venting their frustrations about having difficult co teachers and about having issues with their apartments. This is the honest reality of coming to a new country and I would be setting people up for disappointment if I said things were wonderful all the time or that it isn't a bit lonely now and then. The good news is that after orientation, you meet a lot of great people and you build a strong support system with one another. People always seem willing to help each other and so far I haven't heard of anyone encountering any issues that couldn't be dealt with. If you are adventurous or just wanting to try something new, I highly suggest taking a gamble and coming to Korea. It will change your life.

ive been in South Korea for about 2 months now and would definitely say Im in what they call the honeymoon phase. I love the food, the social scene, the people. I love the convenience of the public transport (Im from South Africa. We have no public transport worth mentioning). I love having the fastest internet in the world and that everything I could want for is easily available (well. Besides biltong).

Most of all, I love my job. Id never taught before arriving in Korea so I was very nervous about whether Id enjoy it or be any good at it. But I felt that EPIK really catered to that during orientation. Their lectures, apart from being a great place to make all my friends in this strange new - massive- city, were also really helpful education-wise. Furthermore, my coteachers have been very understanding of the fact that Im an inexperienced teacher and appreciate it when I work hard to improve.

As for enjoying it... I can have the worst day, struggling to get my students to stop talking and pay attention, and all they have to do is say "Hiiiyeeee, Teacher!" when they see me in the corridors to make my day. Korean kids are indisputably the cutest in the world.

The EPIK program has been both wonderful and professional in helping native English teachers make a transition to Korea. The program itself is well run. This was quite evident during orientation where pick-up services, class training, and activities were fun, engaging, and interesting. After orientation, EPIK was also kind and gracious enough to send us to our respected cities and help us settle in. The school, co-teachers, and teaching environment have exceeded my expectations. Not only are teachers professional, but they also are helpful in making sure native English teachers are adjusting to K orean life. I can honestly it has been three weeks since I have arrived in Korea and I am still enjoying my Korean life and teaching position..

Reach to Teach has gotten me to this wonderful program in South Korea. Even though I was worried at time, the recruiter, Gillian, eased me by answering my question in time and with clarity. I felt comfortable every step of the process.

Life in Korea is fantastic. It is also similar to my expectations as my recruiter, Reach to Teach gave an honest, open account of what life may be like teaching in Korea. The fact that Reach to Teach prepared you for ups and downs, culture shock and different teaching situations made settling in much easier. Throughout the recruitment process I felt that all my questions were answered and I was kep up to date on the progress of my application. Upon arrival in Korea is was lovely to be met by a smiling Reach to Teach face and have follow up emails to check everything was ok a few weeks down the line. I highly recommend teaching in Korea and using Reach to Teach to get you here.

Gillian at Reach to Teach is 100% responsible for keeping my sanity in check over the arduous 5 1/2 month EPIK application process. She gladly (and promptly) answered all my tedious questions within 24 hours of being asked. She didn't sugarcoat the process of moving abroad and was realistic about the risks - I appreciated this the most. Even after I arrived in Korea I continued to receive emails, inquiring about my experience and if everything was satisfactory. I've recommended Reach to Teach to many people interested in teaching abroad (and also to friends who ARE teaching abroad but want a change). This has been, by far, the best year of my life and an experience that has changed me in so many ways and forced me to grow, not only as a teacher, but as a person. Thank you Reach to Teach!!