What is your favorite travel memory?
My favorite travel memory is my backpacking trip to Europe. I have traveled to many places in the world, but this was the first time I traveled alone. I was not restricted in doing anything that I wanted to, and was, therefore, able to plan my trip to my taste.
I spent a month traveling to all of the major cities in Europe, meeting new people and experiencing new cultures.
Out of all of the countries in Europe, Switzerland was the most memorable country to me as it had the best scenery out of all of the places that I visited. I fell in love with the mountains that had a different vibe to the Rocky Mountains in Canada.
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
I have learned how to successfully interact with strangers while working at Travel and Teach.
Interacting with new people through my role as a Placement Coordinator was able to help me grow my interaction skills with people. I tend to be a bit shy when talking to strangers, but since I started working with Travel and Teach, I have become much more outgoing.
What is the best story you've heard from a return student?
The best story that I have heard is from a teacher who applied to us about two years ago, who was 'stuck in a rut', according to him. He was working at Walmart full time as he wasn't able to secure a job as a teacher in his city even though he graduated with a Bachelor's in Education. He applied to us and within months he was in one of our schools in Seoul teaching. He has reported back (many times!) that he absolutely loves his job and feels that he is fulfilled living and working as a teacher in Korea. I don't think he will be leaving Korea anytime soon!
If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?
I would love to teach older students in Korea through the Travel and Teach Program. Since I don't relate as well to young kids, teaching older students definitely fits my taste more.
Korea is a wonderful country to live and work in, and I would specifically recommend working in Korea if you are thinking of working in a country in Asia. Seoul and Busan are the two most popular cities, but there are so many other unknown cities that have beautiful scenery and wonderful communities. My advice is therefore to not limit yourself!
What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?
My company is unique because it is always willing to help its employees develop both professionally and personally. No matter the circumstance, my team is always willing to help however I may need it, which makes me feel that they always have my back. From training to the day-to-day work, management has always been very helpful. I am very thankful to them and I highly recommend working for this company.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
I think the biggest factor in being a successful company is how true the company is to their customers. The relationship between a customer and the company is the key to the long-term success of any company, but this is especially true with Travel and Teach. As we have been in business for over 20 years (since 2001), we have worked with thousands of teachers. We have always strived to provide each and every one of them with the best possible experience in Korea. As per our online reviews, I believe we have been very successful at this.
Response from Travel and Teach Recruiting Inc.
Hi Ivan,
Thank you very much for taking the time to write such a nice review! We are always happy to hear when one of our teachers is doing so well and enjoying their time in Korea. It's a special experience to say the least :)
If you need anything at all, you know where to find us!