How to Be a Successful English Teacher – Things I Learned the Hard Way
Teaching in any country can be challenging, even without the added difficulty of a language barrier. Yet as globalization increases, the demand for English teachers internationally continues to boom literally everywhere around the world. Many English teaching positions don’t require experience or a relevant degree, and will accept any graduate of a higher education institute [...]
The Delicate Art of Cutting Hair
I once had a linguistics professor who told our class “The two jobs that can get you anywhere in the world are teaching English, and cutting hair.” While I have yet to meet a stylist who puts this logic to use, truer words have never been spoken. Anyone who has trusted their hair to a [...]
Refunds, and How to Get Them
Unless you’re a pilgrim, today’s traveling woman will likely be taking a lot of flights as they jetset across the world. In a moment of boredom and reflection, I counted up how many flights I’ve taken in the past 12 months, and realized I’ve boarded 15 planes- 9 international, and 6 domestic. While I know [...]
Korea vs. Japan
Ever the naive Westerner, I had assumed that South Korea and Japan would have some sort of ”Northeastern Asia Friendship” going on after spending the last 200 million years chilling out next to each other in the Sea of Japan. Just as Canada and America share some similar cultural attributes and mentalities, I expected the [...]
The Push to Be White
I faced the camera with the air of someone awaiting a root canal. Always preferring to be behind the lens rather than in front of it, and liking to capture the spontaneity of life in my pictures, I loathe posting for photographs. As I stared down the photographer, a cluster of students shuffled themselves around, [...]
What to Know Before Coming to Korea
Even the inexperienced traveler could tell you that there are some significant differences between Asian culture and Western culture, and although I’ve lived in Seoul for over five months now, I still feel as though I understand the tip of the iceberg, and may never fully understand the Korean mentality. It is with the hope [...]
Thoughts from a Nation Builder
In light of President Obama’s recent State of the Union Address (which can be found here, and is well worth a viewing), I thought I would toss in my two cents about the Korean education system, which was highlighted in his speech. For those just tuning in, I am currently teaching in Seoul, South Korea [...]
, I thought I would toss in my two cents about the Korean education system, which was highlighted in his speech. For those just tuning in, I am currently teaching in Seoul, South Korea [...] "Pin It")
Language and Our World
As an individual with a degree in linguistics, it goes without saying that I am fascinated by language use around the world. I love exploring the field so much that I asked for permission to write a thesis on the future of multilingualism in the United States in addition to my senior year course load. [...]
Bringing Korean Food to a Kitchen Near You
It goes without saying that when traveling to a new country, we should all try to experience as much of the local cuisine as is possible. Most people are quite proud of the food they were raised with, and are happy to introduce foreigners to the unique smells, textures and flavors that their country has [...]
Our Global Community
I had about seven different ideas for what to write about this week, but after a thought-provoking New Year’s Eve discussion about xenophobia (which may or may not have been assisted by some $1 bottles of Soju) and re-watching this video for probably the hundredth time in my life, I’ve decided I want to write [...]
 and re-watching this video for probably the hundredth time in my life, I’ve decided I want to write [...] "Pin It")
Allie first fell in love with traveling during a high school exchange program to Russia, where she stayed with a Russian host family, met Russian students and began pining for a life overseas. Five years later, this love for international relations has only increased (which has had an inverse effect on her bank account), and Allie continues to check flight prices more often than her email. In 2008, Allie spent a semester in Peru, studying at a local university and working with the NGO, ProWorld. After graduating from college in 2010, she darted off to spend a year teaching English at a middle school in Seoul, where she could be found making a fool of herself in Korean and wielding chopsticks like a pro.