EPIK Orientation in Korea

Orientation is mandatory for all new EPIK teachers. The purpose of orientation is to help teachers better assimilate into Korean culture and prepare for their new EPIK teaching journey. Required training consists of an online pre-orientation, an onsite orientation, and an in-service training program. This is a run-through of the entire EPIK orientation along with my personal experience.

EPIK Pre-Orientation

Prior to actual onsite orientation there was a pre-orientation that had to be completed online. It was 15 hours worth of modules which gave an overview of the EPIK program, Korean culture, the English curriculum in Korean schools, and more.

I finished mine on February 11th and was issued a certificate of completion to print out and submit at my in-person orientation.

EPIK Onsite Orientation

My orientation included the Seoul/Gyeonggi spring intake and was scheduled for February 22nd- March 1st at Kongju University.

The university was located in Chungnam which is approximately 2 hours south of Seoul.

Orientation was a total of 9 days but the first day was just pick up at the airport/registration and the last day was just drop-off to your office of education so it was technically more like 7 days.

Schedule

Date	Itinerary
February 22	• Arrival at Incheon Airport • Registration at Kongju University
February 23	• Campus Tour • Opening Ceremony (Welcome Performance, Introduction to EPIK staff, Overview of Orientation) • Lecture (Korean History and Culture) • Class Meeting • Welcome Dinner
February 24	• Medical Check-up • Lectures (English Comprehension, Afterschool & Camp) • Survival Korean Language Class
February 25	• Lectures (EPIK Duties & Regulations, Cultural Differences, Korean Language & Korea Today) • Lesson Preparation • Survival Korean Language Class
February 26	•Korean Cultural Experience (Gongju National Museum, Royal Tomb of King Muryeong) • Hanji Craft • Networking
February 27	• Lectures (Elementary English Curriculum, Storytelling, Co-teaching) • Survival Korean Language Class
February 28	• Lectures (Lesson Planning, First Class, Secondary English Curriculum, Cooperative Learning) • Lesson Preparation
February 29	• Lesson Demonstration & Feedback • Meeting with MOE/POE Supervisors • Closing Ceremony • Farewell Dinner
March 1	• Bus transport to each MOE/POE

Transportation

Upon arrival in Korea, EPIK provided free shuttle services from Incheon airport to the orientation site.

I had a super early flight which landed at around 5am so I caught the very first bus at 11am.

Dorms

After registration we were all paired up with roommates by order of our place in line and assigned dorm rooms.

I was last in line and there was an uneven number of girls so I didn’t have a roommate for a majority of the day. I actually thought I was going to end up without a roommate but she eventually showed up in the evening.

The rooms were small but cozy with a large window. There were two beds, a bathroom, two closets, a table, two chairs, a shelf, and a cabinet.

Daily Itinerary

We were each given an EPIK tote goody bag containing our orientation handbook, a pen, a calendar, two snacks, a juice, and a water bottle.

A reminder of our daily schedule was posted on the bulletin board every day.

Lectures were given by different speakers touching on a variety of topics. We also had Korean language classes, activities, and networking opportunities. In addition, we went on a field trip and did a craft project.

Our days started at 9am and typically ended at about 8pm. There were breaks in between in which we were given the freedom to explore. There was a daily 12am curfew. 

Meals

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were all provided with an allocated hour and 10-minute timeslot. Meals were served buffet style and were quite delicious!

My friends and I took advantage of the free meals for the most part but occasionally went out and ate at some of the local eateries.

Medical Exam

A mandatory medical assessment was taken during orientation. It entailed a blood and urine sample as well as a chest x-ray.

We were required to fast prior to the medical exam and were given a snack afterwards.

Lesson Plan

As part of our training, we were required to make a lesson plan and teach a mock class towards the end of orientation. We were paired randomly with a partner and had to choose one topic for the lesson plan.

We taught the mock class to our peers and were given feedback afterwards.

School Placement

The most anticipated part of orientation was finding out which school we were placed in. That also let us know which neighborhood we would be living in for the next year.

Most of us got placed in elementary schools but there were a few that got placed in middle schools.

I was placed in an elementary school in Nowon-gu (a lively district in the northeastern side of Seoul).

Drop-off at MOE/POE

At the end of orientation were all given a certificate of completion (45 hours).

On the last day we were dropped off at our office of education where our co-teachers picked us up to bring us to our apartments.

We started work the very next day and that is when the EPIK journey officially began.

EPIK In-Service Training Program

A few months later we had to complete an in-service training program. It was15 hours worth of modules that went over different teaching strategies, examples, classroom environment, and so on.

I completed it on June 13th and was issued a certificate of completion which I had to give to my co-teacher.

Overview

I thoroughly enjoyed my in-person orientation. I think it definitely helped ease my nerves and helped me better prepare for my EPIK adventure. Some of the friends I met at orientation have remained my closest friends till this day.

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I taught English abroad in Seoul for 2 years from March 2016- February 2018 and had a phenomenal time.

Please keep in mind that some changes may have been made with the EPIK orientation through the years.

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For additional EPIK content, check out my breakdown of the EPIK application timeline, my EPIK interview questions along with tips, and my overview of the benefits of teaching with EPIK.

Read about how I came to the decision to drop everything in America and move to Korea for an adventure of a lifetime.

Do you think orientation would be beneficial for you? What do you hope to gain out of it? Let me know in the comments!

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