Another day at the office

G'day, Brett here.

I thought it was about time we told you a bit about our jobs here in Korea, considering that is one of the main reasons we are here.

We work at a private English academy, otherwise known as a Hogwan, called Yale Foreign Language Institute. Yale was established in 1993 and has since expanded to 5 campuses across the city of Daegu. It has a reputation for being one of, if not the best Hogwon in Daegu and employs over 60 foreign teachers.

We work at the Siji branch with around a dozen foreigners (4 Americans, 3 Englishmen, 2 Canadians, a Scot, an Irish lass and an Aussie) and about 15 Korean teachers. It's a good crew with plenty of characters who enjoy a good time and a few drinks. Amongst the other branches we are known as the "party school', not that Cindy and I can take much of the credit/blame for that!

We currently teach 24 forty-five minute classes over 6 days. Most days we start at around 4pm and finish just after nine. Class sizes vary between 4 and 12 students. Children come twice a week for reading, writing, and conversation classes.


The students are mostly well behaved and enthusiastic about learning. Although, the older they get, the more pressure they have placed on them and the less eager they become. I nearly gave my first detention last week.. Heaven forbid, one of my 6th grade kids hadn't done his homework! Luckily for him, it was my last time teaching that class and I didn't want to waste my "detention free" record on him. Added to this, my dad had just been telling me that he has suspended 6 kids from his class in the first 3 weeks of school and lets just say, it was for a little more than incomplete homework!

Of course, it's not all beer and skittles. There are plenty of frustrations and annoyances and like any job, most days we don't want to go! Regardless, we often remind ourselves about our jobs back home, getting up at 6am, the 45 minute drive, the class of 30 hooligans, the parents, the staff meetings, and think... it ain't so bad.