Sunday Afternoon at a Korean Bath House

If you are moving to Korea, there are many things you have to experience before leaving. Call it the English Teacher in Korea Bucket List. Obviously there are things like the Boryeong Mud Festival, trips to Busan, the Korean War Museum, the DMZ, and maybe a quick trip to China or Japan, but there are other important must-do's that are far more convenient. What I did today is definitely on on the English Teacher in Korea Bucket List and that was a trip to a Jjimjilbang. You can take a look at what they say on wikipedia, but I would just describe it as a traditional Korean Bath House. 

Since it was my friend's birthday and this is all that he wanted to do, we decided to take a trip out to Yongsan Dragon House Jjimjilbang. 

(Immediately after entering, we became so excited it was difficult to compose ourselves.) 

It was 12,000 won for admission, which is a little higher than usual, but this Jjimjilbang was definitely on the higher end. When you first enter, you are given shorts and a T-Shirt to wear around the common areas. You are also given a handy bracelet with a key for your locker to store your clothes and valuables. The bracelet also serves as your tab, and so if you want to buy snacks, drinks, or lunch, they simply just swipe the bar code, so you don't have to carry around cash. 

Korean Bath Houses are gender segregated for obvious reasons, and so you must be comfortable in your own skin. I was very impressed by cleanliness and the number of spas, saunas, steam rooms, cold rooms, hot rooms, etc. 

(The hot rooms, where anybody can enter. It was so relaxing that I fell asleep.)

(After the heat, we checked out the Cold Room. Believe or not, there was actually a lady napping in the corner.)

After a few trips to different spas with varying temperatures and a lunch break, we decided it was time for the Main Event.  I call it the Main Event because it really was the reason why I was looking forward to the bath house and should be required for all foreigners. For 13,000 won you can get a deep, deep scrub over our entire body. Although at the time, it was painful, and I definitely made some funny faces, it was so worth it. The goal of the Scrubber is to wipe away any old skin off your body and to make you feel extra, extra clean. They also aren't shy and don't hold back on where they go with their brush, so that's why you have to be comfortable in your skin. However, when you come out, you will feel how all the parts of your body are SO much softer. 

It might seem a little strange to us foreigners, but the Jjimjilbang experience is a requirement. Being uncomfortable and trying something new is why you decide to teach in another country. Even if you know you prefer to bathe in your privacy, a Korean bath house is so relaxing and fun for everyone. At the Yongsan Dragon House, they have an outdoor pool, arcade games, screen golf, a cinema, and many other features. 

After a very enjoyable Sunday with my friends, I know that I will have the right mindset and peace of mind for an awesome week of work.

6 Tips to Pass Chungdahm Training

6 Tips to Pass Chungdahm Training

Congratulations! You got the job you wanted, packed your life’s belongings in two suitcases, said goodbye to friends and family and have finally made it to Korea. You found the right bus to get (either the 4a or 10b terminal), and made it to the hotel, where you will be staying for training. Still a little nervous? Well, that’s okay because everyone is.

Since I am a new teacher with Chungdahm Learning, I thought it could be helpful to pinpoint 6 helpful tips to pass training. These are solely just things that I wish someone would have told me before I got to Korea. Please comment below if you have any other questions or ideas.

1)   TAKE TRAINING SERIOUSLY. Although you may have your contract and VISA, you technically still don’t have the job at your placement. Going into the week, many of us thought that training would just be training, and it wouldn’t be that demanding or stressful. However, Chungdahm really wants their teachers to be ready to teach from the first week, so they really make you practice teaching in front of others. You will pretty much have to MOCK teach everyday, except the first day, and so you will definitely want to bring your “A” Game each day.

2) TAKE MANY BREAKS DURING TRAINING. Some people that I trained with stayed up into the night practicing their skills and remembering what order to do the steps. Chungdahm wants to see if you can teach and relate to the students in a classroom setting. Simply prep on your tablet the night before and practice with your teammates, but don’t stress too much. Take training seriously, but rely on teamwork and good energy to improve each day.

3) BE LOUD AND SHOW OFF YOUR DYNAMIC PERSONALITY. Ever had that teacher that was loud and funny and awesome and you still learned a lot? Being loud is so important to teaching English as a Second Language. HAVE FUN, while mocking because the trainers want to see if you got what it takes. Make jokes, make mistakes, and have your own style. Basically, just do what you know you do best.  

4) TRY NOT TO GO OUT TOO MUCH DURING THE TRAINING WEEK. After a day of mock teaching, you definitely deserve to have a drink or two,with dinner and friends. However, I would advise against going out and doing some real drinking that will leave you tired or hungover the next morning. Since you will be in a hotel with 30 or so young, fun people from all over the world, it can be tempting to have a wild night. Just get through training and once you pass, you can all go out to celebrate. Teaching in Korea is really fun; you will have plenty of time for that.  

5) MAKE FRIENDS. Most people won’t know a soul in Korea, so being friendly will definitely bring you good energy. Also, once everyone goes to their own branches, it is really fun to stay and touch and have friends all throughout Seoul. There are also Chungdahm branch get-togethers, so you will have more opportunities to see and meet people from other branches.  

6) PREP WITH PEOPLE, BOUNCE IDEAS OFF OF EACH OTHER, ASK FOR HELP. The trainers primarily want to see if you can start and lead discussions in class. When you are mocking, the other people in your group act as students, so it’s much easier to mock when you have practiced it with your group. Also, don’t be afraid to email your trainer for help. They WANT you to pass, and so asking them for advice will only strengthen your performance.

Chungdahm Training is definitely manageable for any capable college graduate. Just stay focused on the week; do the things they tell you to do, and you will be ready to teach! Always remember to stay relaxed and enjoy being in a new country. If you have any questions about the training or tips that I missed in this post, please let me know by commenting below. Thanks.

GOOD LUCK! Believe in yourself!