Lessons I will carry with me

I first came to Korea as a graduate student, pursuing my master degree. The two and a half years flew by more quickly than I could imagine, and by the end, I wasn’t sure where I was going to go. All I knew was that I wasn’t yet ready to leave Korea. I looked around for jobs to prolong my stay, and eventually settled on teaching English. I was a little bit worried, as I’d heard that hagwons in Korea tended to either be exploitative or caught in bureaucracy. Good hagwons, where the teachers were treated fairly and were able to make a difference, were far and few between. 

Imagine my surprise when I found a unique advertisement that caught my attention because of how different it was from all the other ones. Talking with Brian on the phone immediately made me feel confident that this was the place I wanted to be at for the next year. Meeting Andrew at the interview, and then the kids that I was eventually lucky enough to have as my own class, made me feel equal parts confident and nervous. I didn’t hesitate for a moment when I accepted the position at Twin.kle, and I will never regret it.

The staff and other teachers at Twin.kle were amazing, kind, and understanding. It’s a place where your voice can be heard. Even as a new teacher, my opinions were welcomed and taken into account, which made me feel valued, right off the bat. I looked forward to seeing my coworkers every day. But for me, the best part about Twin.kle was the kids -- my kids. No surprises there, right? I developed a connection with each and every one of them, and over the ten months that I taught them, I watched them grow -- mentally, intellectually, and emotionally. Nothing will compare to the feeling of watching a student taking something that they learned and using it the next time, or watching them encourage each other to do their best. I was able to show them who I was as a person, to unleash my interests and spark theirs. In return, they showed me their enthusiasm, hard work, and dedication. I truly believe that Twin.kle is a place where the creativity and intelligence of students can be unleashed. They have fun, and through that, motivate themselves to work harder.

Although I have left Twin.kle as a teacher, I know for a fact that the experience I have had here has taught me lessons I will carry with me my whole life. Teaching at Twin.kle has challenged my personal ability to be creative and bold, something I have always felt that I lacked in. My classroom wasn’t just a place for my students to learn English. It was a place for them to make connections and friends, and a place for me to learn from them. 

- Megan Chow