Teaching Abroad: From South Korea to Saudi Arabia, With China on the Horizon

When I first decided to teach English abroad, I knew I was looking for more than a job. I wanted an experience that would challenge me, introduce me to a different culture, and give me the opportunity to see what life was like on the other side of the world. I didn’t know at the time just how much the experience would change me. My journey abroad began in August 2017, when I moved to Sejong Si, South Korea. I would eventually spend three years there, teaching English at two different hagwons and experiencing a side of South Korea that I never could have discovered simply by visiting as a tourist. I explored cities, attended sporting events and cultural celebrations, tried unfamiliar foods, made friends, and gradually became comfortable navigating everyday life in a completely different environment.

One of the most unforgettable highlights of my time in Korea was attending the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang. I had arrived in South Korea only a few months earlier, so being able to experience the Olympics in the country where I was living felt incredibly special. The atmosphere was unlike anything I had experienced before. People from all over the world had gathered in South Korea, and for a short period, the country seemed to become a meeting place for different cultures, languages, and nationalities.

Being there in person gave me a completely different appreciation for the Olympics. Watching athletes compete on television is one thing, but being surrounded by spectators, volunteers, athletes, and visitors from around the world creates an energy that is difficult to describe. I remember the excitement of travelling to the Olympic venues, seeing the crowds, and realizing that I was witnessing an international event while actually living in the host country.

The Olympics also gave me another perspective on South Korea itself. The country was able to showcase its modern infrastructure, organization, technology, hospitality, and culture to visitors from around the world. For me, it was an incredible way to experience Korean society while also sharing in an event that brought people together internationally. But the Olympics were only one part of my Korean adventure.

When I arrived in Sejong, I had to learn how to make a life for myself. Sejong was very different from Ottawa, where I had grown up. Everything from the language and food to transportation, shopping, social customs, and the pace of daily life required some adjustment. At first, even simple things could feel like an adventure. Going to a grocery store meant learning which products I recognized and which ones I didn’t. Taking public transportation meant learning how the system worked. Ordering food sometimes required creativity when there was a language barrier. Even figuring out where to go for everyday errands could involve a little research.

Eventually, those things became routine. That is one of the interesting things about living abroad. At first, everything feels foreign. Then, little by little, the unfamiliar becomes familiar. You learn where to shop, where to eat, how to get around, and how to communicate. One day you realize that you are no longer simply visiting a foreign country—you are actually living there.

Teaching in a Korean hagwon was a valuable introduction to working as an ESL teacher abroad. My students had different personalities, interests, abilities, and levels of confidence in English. Some students were eager to speak and participate, while others were more hesitant. I quickly learned that teaching English isn’t simply about knowing the language. You have to know how to communicate with your students and find ways to make them comfortable enough to participate. A student can understand grammar perfectly well but still be afraid to speak. Another student might love conversation but struggle with writing. Some students respond to games and interactive activities, while others prefer structured exercises. Learning to recognize those differences made me a better teacher.

I taught reading, writing, speaking, listening, grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation, but some of my favorite moments were the small ones when I could see a student becoming more confident. A student who had been reluctant to answer a question might suddenly volunteer. Someone who struggled with pronunciation might eventually say a difficult sentence correctly. Those moments reminded me that progress doesn’t always happen dramatically. Sometimes it happens one small step at a time.

Outside the classroom, I wanted to experience as much of Korea as possible. One of the advantages of living abroad rather than simply travelling somewhere for a week or two is that you have time to discover the country gradually. I attended sporting events, explored different cities, experienced cultural events, and tried to take advantage of opportunities whenever they came up. South Korea has a fascinating relationship with tradition and modernity. You can spend time in an incredibly modern city surrounded by technology, high-rise buildings, restaurants, and transportation systems, and then encounter centuries-old traditions, temples, markets, and cultural practices. I particularly enjoyed experiencing Korean food. Eating at restaurants and local establishments became part of my everyday cultural education. There is something about sitting down and sharing food that makes it easier to connect with a place. I also learned that food can be one of the best ways to overcome cultural barriers. Even when there were differences in language, sitting down for a meal created an opportunity to connect. My time in Korea also gave me opportunities to attend other sporting and cultural events. These experiences helped me understand that living abroad isn’t only about the major landmarks that appear in travel guides.

Some of my strongest memories came from simply being part of everyday life—walking around a neighborhood, attending an event, discovering a new restaurant, meeting people, or exploring somewhere I hadn’t been before. After completing my first year in Korea, I became more comfortable adapting lessons and finding different ways to engage students. I also became more aware of how important patience is in teaching. Not every student learns at the same pace, and not every lesson goes exactly as planned. Sometimes you have to change direction in the middle of a class. That flexibility is something I carried with me throughout my teaching career. My second year in Sejong also allowed me to enjoy Korea without the uncertainty I had experienced during my first year. I knew how to get around. I knew where to go. I understood more of the culture and had developed a routine. It began to feel like home. Then, in 2020, the world changed, I would eventually have to return to Canada. Like so many people around the world, I had to adapt to circumstances that were completely outside my control. My international teaching journey was temporarily put on hold. But the experience I had gained in Korea stayed with me; I continued teaching English through private online tutoring. Teaching online was different from teaching in a physical classroom, but it allowed me to continue working with students and developing my teaching skills.

Then came another opportunity to return overseas. In September 2022, I moved to Saudi Arabia to teach. Moving from South Korea to Saudi Arabia was almost like starting another adventure from the beginning. The two countries are dramatically different in their geography, history, culture, traditions, food, and daily life. Once again, I found myself learning how to adapt to a new environment.

But this time, I was more experienced. I already understood what it meant to live abroad. I knew that there would be an adjustment period. I knew there would be cultural differences. And I knew that being open-minded and willing to learn would make the experience much more rewarding. Teaching English in Saudi Arabia became another important chapter of my professional life. By this point, I had years of ESL teaching experience behind me. I had taught students in Korea, worked with private students online, and developed a much stronger understanding of how to adapt lessons to different learners.

But Saudi Arabia taught me different things. Living there gave me an opportunity to experience Arab culture more closely and to learn about the traditions, hospitality, food, and everyday life of the country. As a teacher, I also had the opportunity to interact with students and colleagues and learn from their perspectives.

One of the things I appreciated most about living abroad was discovering how much you can learn when you allow yourself to be a student as well as a teacher. When I entered a classroom, I was the teacher. But when I stepped outside the classroom, I was still learning. I was learning about the culture around me. I was learning how people lived, communicated, celebrated, socialized, and viewed the world. I was learning that there are many different ways of doing things, and that different does not necessarily mean better or worse. It simply means different. That lesson became one of the most valuable parts of my international experience. Looking back at my journey from South Korea to Saudi Arabia, I realize that the most important memories aren’t necessarily the ones I expected to have when I first left Canada.

Of course, I remember the classrooms and the students. I remember lesson plans, conversations, challenges, and the satisfaction of seeing students improve. But I also remember what it was like to live in Saudi Arabia as a practicing Muslimah, an experience that was both deeply personal and profoundly enriching. Living in a country where Islam is woven so visibly into the rhythm of everyday life gave me an opportunity to experience aspects of my faith in a way that felt different from practicing Islam in Canada.

From the beginning, I was struck by how naturally religious observance was incorporated into daily life. The rhythm of the day was influenced by the prayer schedule, and the call to prayer could be heard throughout the community. Rather than being something confined to a particular place or occasion, faith was an unmistakable part of the social and cultural landscape. For me, there was something comforting about that familiarity.

As a Muslim woman, I also became more conscious of the relationship between faith, culture, and personal identity. It is easy to assume that Islam is experienced in exactly the same way everywhere, but living in Saudi Arabia reminded me that religious practice and cultural traditions are not always synonymous. Saudi society has its own customs and social conventions, shaped by its history, geography, and interpretation of Islamic traditions. Learning to distinguish between culture and religion was an important part of my experience.

I appreciated the opportunity to live in an environment where many of the practices that are important to me as a Muslim were not unusual or unfamiliar. There was a sense of normalcy in observing religious practices as part of everyday life. During Ramadan, for example, the atmosphere of the entire country changed. The month was not simply something that individuals observed privately; it affected the rhythm of communities, businesses, meals, gatherings, and social interactions. Experiencing Ramadan in Saudi Arabia gave me a deeper appreciation for its spiritual and communal dimensions.

There was also something meaningful about hearing the call to prayer and knowing that millions of people around the country were observing the same religious rhythm. As someone who had grown up in Canada, where Muslims are part of a multicultural society but where Islamic practices are not necessarily reflected in the wider public environment, I found this experience particularly significant.

Living in Saudi Arabia also gave me an opportunity to reflect on what it means to be a Muslimah in different cultural contexts. I encountered customs and expectations that were different from those I had grown accustomed to in Canada. Some were easy to adapt to, while others required more thought and patience. Living abroad taught me that cultural understanding does not require abandoning your own identity. On the contrary, being immersed in another culture can make you more conscious of who you are and which values matter most to you.

I also came to appreciate the hospitality that I encountered. Relationships and community are important aspects of Saudi life, and I experienced many occasions when people were generous with their time, food, and kindness. Sharing a meal, participating in gatherings, or simply having a conversation could become an opportunity to build a connection.

Perhaps what I remember most is the sense of perspective that came from living there. Saudi Arabia allowed me to experience Islam not merely as something I practiced personally, but as a living part of the environment around me. At the same time, living as a Canadian Muslimah abroad reminded me that my identity encompasses more than any single culture or nationality.

My years in Saudi Arabia therefore became more than a period of employment. They were a period of reflection, cultural discovery, spiritual awareness, and personal growth. I arrived as a teacher, but I left with a deeper understanding of the many ways faith, culture, and identity can intersect—and with memories of a country that became an important part of my life.

Teaching abroad taught me that travel doesn’t have to be limited to sightseeing. You can experience a country much more deeply when you live there, work there, and become part of the community—even temporarily. You begin to see the country beyond the tourist attractions. You see the morning commute. You see families shopping. You see students going to school. You discover neighborhood restaurants and local events. You develop routines. You meet people who become friends and colleagues. You learn how to navigate the small challenges of everyday life.

Those experiences stay with you. My years abroad also changed the way I think about education. Teaching English is often described as simply teaching a language, but I came to see it as a form of cultural exchange. When I taught students in South Korea, I wasn’t only teaching vocabulary and grammar. I was also introducing them to aspects of another culture and encouraging them to communicate with people beyond their immediate environment. In Saudi Arabia, I experienced that exchange from another perspective. I was teaching English while learning more about my religion.

The classroom became a place where cultures could meet. That is one of the reasons I continue to value my experience teaching abroad. I gained professional experience, but I gained much more than that. I became more independent. I became more adaptable. I developed greater cultural awareness. I learned to communicate with people from different backgrounds. I became more comfortable with uncertainty and change.

Most importantly, I discovered that leaving home doesn’t mean leaving your identity behind. Instead, it gives you the opportunity to understand yourself better by seeing your own culture and experiences from a different perspective. But that is the beauty of living abroad. You leave home with a plan, but the experiences you encounter along the way become the real story. Two very different countries. Two very different cultures. Thousands of miles from home. And countless lessons that I will carry with me.

My next destination will be China, where I hope to begin what may become the longest and most ambitious chapter of my teaching career. I have not yet begun teaching there, but I am actively preparing for the move and intend to spend the next five to ten years teaching English while immersing myself in the country’s extraordinary history, culture, and rapidly evolving society.

Having already taught in South Korea and Saudi Arabia, I am drawn to China not simply because it offers abundant opportunities for ESL teachers, but because it represents an entirely new intellectual and cultural landscape to explore. China’s immense geographical and cultural diversity particularly appeals to me. From ancient cities and enduring traditions to some of the most dynamic and technologically advanced urban centres in the world, it is a country where history and modernity exist in remarkable proximity.

I also see this next chapter as an opportunity for professional maturation. Years of teaching students from different cultural and educational backgrounds have taught me that effective education requires more than subject knowledge. It requires curiosity, patience, adaptability, cultural sensitivity, and the willingness to see the world from another person’s perspective.

I hope to bring those qualities into my future classrooms in China while continuing to learn from my students. Teaching, however, is only one part of the life I envision there. I am already a self-published author, and writing is a significant part of who I am. I intend to use my years in China to devote more time and discipline to my literary work—to continue writing, complete new manuscripts, and self-publish additional novels. There is something particularly appealing about the possibility of spending my days teaching and my evenings writing, allowing two very different pursuits to coexist.

For me, China is therefore more than another teaching destination. It represents the possibility of building a sustained and meaningful chapter of my life around three things I value deeply: education, cultural discovery, and literature. After years of moving between countries and classrooms, I am looking forward to seeing where this next chapter takes me.