Teaching in Korea

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There's a reason I put this in the social skills forum. Hear me out.

I heard about this thing where they send people to Korea to teach English as a second language. I'd be there for a year. The program isn't hard to get into so long as you have a clean record and say you've never suffered from depression (which is a lie on my part but anyway...) I'm not worried about the job description. I'm worried that I'll be in a foreign nation for a year with hardly anyone to talk to. What if my coworkers don't like me? What if they're all cliquish and start talking about me? There's a contract involved, so I couldn't just leave. And to make it worse, I read on the ESL Cafe forum that Koreans aren't really looking for a teacher, but an entertainer rather- Korea favors the class clown types. (NO OFFENSE IF YOU'RE KOREAN)

So what are your thoughts? Or have you known anybody who's done this program?

Back in 1989, I worked as an English teacher in Taiwan and Korea. I wasn't on any special program--just travelling through Asia, and looking for a way to have a little fun and make a little money. I also don't have any ESL or teaching qualifications--they'll take practically any American that happens by. The pay is low, but a lot of people there are eager to learn English.

I highly recommend Korea. It is a beautiful country, with a lot of great scenery.

My younger brother has been teaching ESL in Asia for many years. I think it depends on the teaching situation what the pressures will be. He loves it because he can teach for 9 months and then travel for 3. pandabear is right, the opportunities are there. I would worry about stress being a trigger for depression though. My brother lives in Taiwan and finds the health care system there to be affordable.