We're a group of foreigners living and teaching in Korea, here to share our diverse experiences!
12 Little EPIK candidates, sitting in a tree...drinking soju and eating bulgogi!
Submissions are welcome!
My daughter is teaching in Korea now. She filled out her 8802 in July, went to Korea in August, received her 6166 by mail at home (U.S.) in September and we got it rushed to her soon after. So we're good there. For 2019, at least. But, she is teaching there through next August. So my question is, do we need to do this again for 2020? Do we need to fill out another 8802 after December 1, and wait until the 6166 arrives and send it to her in Korea again? Or is she good for 2020?
Hi! Yes, so as far as I know, the 6166 is only good for one year, so your daughter will need a new one for 2020. However, most US citizens are only exempt from paying taxes on foreign-earned income for the first two years, so that’s something to be mindful of as well. The irs.gov faqs will also have a lot mire info in this if you need any particular details. Hope that helped, and good luck!
So I’m actually deciding not to write a full blown discussion on what will be going in orientation. Instead, I want to write a quick update on what I experienced.
So I was in the Busan orientation which started before all the others. Unlike the other two that start in Incheon Airport, this one starts at Busan’s Gimhae which meant I had to do a transfer over. I however, did spent a couple days in Seoul just to explore a bit.
For me, orientation was a good opportunity to network with other people. There were those who had already lived in Korea, some were ethnic Koreans from other places, but most, like me, were totally new to Korea and without any friends. Luckily, getting a kakao account in America and putting myself in EPIK chat groups did pay off a little. I hung out with people from the chat group who were at the Busan orientation. And because we were already chatting with one another, we already had a sense of who were are and thus we clicked fairly well.
Now for the orientation itself, there were tons of lessons on classroom management, storytelling, teaching theories, etc. It’s kind of a refresher course for those who slept through their TEFL course. A lot was geared towards younger aged students. There were problems with that though. Though the orientation specialized on younger kids, many were placed in middle schools and were not too sure what to do. I’m happy I got an elementary school in the city. And my instructors were totally awesome!
As for the food during orientation...it was good, but not fully Korean! I think because many people were jet-lagged and still trying to accommodate themselves to Korea, the venue wanted to slowly bring us Korean food. There was kimchi and rice with every meal, but the main dishes were sometimes not...well...stereotypically Korean. We had curry one day, katsu the next. They also fed very well. I felt like I was being fattened up before I actually made it into the real world (where they know we’d be low on money and wouldn’t eat!).
But yeah, that’s really my quick blog update on that~
Getting your International Driver’s Permit (from the US)
If you’ll be doing some driving while in Korea (or anywhere else for that matter) but don’t necessarily need a driver’s license, I would highly recommend getting an IDP. It will save lots of hassle for minimal work – seriously, it was the easiest document to acquire through this whole process. Also, don’t go the DMV/DPS like I did (see notes below)
✿ What is an IDP?
An IDP, or international driver permit, is a document that allows you to drive internationally – I know, it makes so much sense. There is a list of covered countries, including ones with stipulations, on the application, but just in case you forget, it is also included in your permit.
Note, the IDP should NOT be used solo; you have to keep both this and your native driver’s license (in my case, my TX Driver’s License) on your person. In addition, you can’t file for an IDP in the country you’ll be using it. It is not renewable, but it does last a year from the start date you list on the application, and you can get a new one the following year.
✿ Why get it?
If, like me, you’re itching to travel the country, you’ll quickly realize not all of S. Korea is as public transport-friendly as, say, Seoul. Even the transportation in other large cities (i.e. Daegu) does not operate 24/7, and they say places like Jeju Island are a pain to go around without a vehicle.
However, I have also heard horror stories about the driving situation in Korea; I’m not super keen on getting a license and joining in the madness. Enter the solution: the IDP lets me get a rental car in Korea + other countries without having to commit to a license. In addition, several rental companies will not let you rent a vehicle without a national license or IDP.
✿ I wants the preciousss~
As I previously stated, I went to the DMV like a goob and was turned away broken and IDP-less after waiting two hours in line. The US only issues them via AAA or AATA. I had no idea wtf AATA was, so I googled the closest AAA office to my house and voila, away I went!
The process takes about ~5 minutes and $20. That’s right, folks, for the same amount of time it takes you to order at a drive-thru window, you can have a fancy (okay, it is actually kind of lame looking) document giving you all the power!! They fill out the permit on the spot, so unless you live in some barren desert with nary a AAA branch in sight, don’t mail in the application – apparently a mail-in can take two weeks. Also, the lady at the AAA office was super nice and helped fill out the application.
Pro tip: you’ll need two 2x2 passport photos to file an application. I highly recommend getting these at a Sam’s or Costco ($5). AAA will charge you an additional $15 + tax to take them for you.
Safe travels, friends!!
– Boah
P.S. For those of you just rolling in free time, here is a link to the online application so you can mail it in and play a second (or tenth) waiting game:
What you are about to read is a comprehensive timeline of my EPIK application journey for the Spring 2017 intake. I know when I was going through this crazy-long process, it was always helpful to read timelines from various applicants to help me better prepare for what was ahead and to merely put my mind at ease at certain points of the process. Note that each person’s experience with the EPIK application process is different and this only represents my personal one. However, I have included approximate time spans as well as costs for documents, if applicable, at certain points of the timeline to help you get a more general sense of what to expect. I also applied through a recruiter, so my timeline may vary from someone who applied directly to EPIK around the same time I did. I hope this is helpful!
- Tayler
AUGUST ‘16
08.01 // EPIK started accepting Spring 2017 applications; I officially decided I was going to apply
08.24 // Submitted my EPIK application to Greenheart Travel (recruiter)
08.26 // Ordered 2 sets of my official university transcripts- $20
08.27 // Printed photos for my application- $10; Made copies of my degree and got them notarized at UPS- $6.58 total for 3 notarizations (you only need one copy of your degree notarized, I just made multiples to play it safe in case I needed more since it was cheap to do)
08.29 // Submitted my fingerprints for my Criminal Background Check to Accurate Biometrics (channeler)- $45 + Shipping
SEPTEMBER ‘16
Sometime during the 1st week of September // Received university transcripts
09.10 // Received my Criminal Background Check in the mail- took about 10 business days using a channeler
09.12 // Sent my Criminal Background Check to US Authentication Services (channeler) to get it apostilled- $55 + Shipping
09.14 // Received notification that US Authentication Services received my documents and are going to begin processing them the next day
09.20 // Received notification from US Authentication Services that my documents were complete and would be sent out that day
09.22 // Received apostilled Criminal Background Check back in mail- took about 8 business days using a channeler
09.30 // Went to my state’s Secretary of State office to get my degree apostilled- $5 (I live in the capital city of my state, so all I had to do was drive downtown before work and walk in the office. The whole process took about 5 minutes.)
OCTOBER ‘16
10.10 // Started my TEFL course through International TEFL Academy; Finally got word from Greenheart that I had passed the first stage of the application process and that my EPIK Interview would be on October 14th @ 9:20AM KST- took about 33 business days to hear back
10.13 // Had my EPIK Interview
10.20 // Notified by Greenheart that I had passed the interview and was accepted into EPIK (insert happy dance here!)- took about 5 business days to receive the results from my interview
10.25 // Overnighted my printed application documents to Greenheart through FedEx- $35.50
10.26 // Greenheart notifies me that they have received my documents, everything looks good, and are going to forward them to EPIK - the big wait begins! Read John’s post here about ways to deal with the big wait.
NOVEMBER ‘16
11.08 // Received an email from Greenheart stating that EPIK has added a mandatory document this round, a photo release form, that they need us to print, sign, and send ASAP. Luckily, I already had plans to be in Chicago the next day (where Greenheart’s office is located) and coordinated with them to drop the document off in person.
11.09 // Gave photo release form to Greenheart to send to EPIK
DECEMBER ‘16
12.01 // Submitted the IRS-8802 form to apply for my Residency Certificate, the IRS-6166- $85 (basically proves that you pay taxes and formally reside in your home country, preventing you from being taxed in South Korea for 2 years). Need help filling out the IRS-8802 form? Read Kevin’s in-depth guide here.
12.07 // Received an email from Greenheart notifying me that I’m missing an answer on my application and that EPIK needs me to update and resend that page (insert freakout moment here!). Backstory: I had to reformat my whole application as part of the feedback I received during my interview, so I must have forgotten to mark an answer on my new application document when copying everything over. Thankfully, I was allowed to send back a pdf of that page rather than mail a whole new printed document to Korea, so I got it taken care of same day.
12.14 // EPIK started sending out placements
12.23 // Finished my TEFL course
12.27 // Emailed my digital TEFL certificate to Greenheart to complete my documents with EPIK
JANUARY ‘17
01.05 // GOT MY PLACEMENT - I’ll be teaching in Daegu (my first choice) :) - took about 52 business days since mailing my application to hear back
01.10 // Received an email from Greenheart saying that they have received my contract and Notice of Appointment from EPIK- took about 3 business days after hearing about my placement
01.15 // Received an email from EPIK about the online pre-orientation
01.16 // Received my contract and Notice of Appointment in the mail from Greenheart- took about 4 business days
01.17 // Overnighted my visa application to the Chicago Korean consulate through FedEx- $45 application fee + $57 for shipping
01.18 // Booked my flight to Busan!
01.22 // Started EPIK pre-orientation
01.23 // Completed EPIK pre-orientation; EPIK February 2017 Orientation information officially released in the Facebook group, though most of us had heard this information already through the grape vine
01.25 // Received my passport and visa back from the Chicago Korean consulate- took about 6 business days; Got my IRS-6166 form back in the mail- took about 39 business days
01.30 // Received my TEFL Certificate in the mail (all my documents are set for Korea, yay!)
FEBRUARY ‘17
02.17 // Arrive in Korea
02.19 // Team 1 orientation starts in Busan!
So about $439 and 169 days later I am finally going to Korea! Also, note some fees not mentioned in this timeline include: fingerprinting for the CBC- $30, the second set of passport photos I needed printed for the visa application- $12.99, and other printing fees at FedEx- $33. I hope this timeline helps those of you about to start your EPIK application or are already in the thick of it all! Feel free to comment if you have any questions!
In 2011, I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, a type of autoimmune disease. Now in 2017, I'm about to embark on an adventure of a lifetime as a teacher with the EPIK program, and for once in my life I'm not letting my disease come between me and following my dreams.
In my last post, I talked about the EPIK interview process. Although that was a tough hurdle to jump, the hardest is still to come. There are three different waiting periods after the interview: waiting for the results, waiting for placements, and waiting for your notice of appointment (NOA). The most stress inducing of them all is undeniably waiting for placements. This is the longest portion of the EPIK process. It’s no wonder why we call it “the big wait” (why we don’t call it “the EPIK wait” to be puntastic is beyond me, but I digress).
I’m sure throughout this waiting period, you’ll go into panic attacks, refresh your email every 10 seconds, and maybe even become an emotional wreck. I sure as hell did. But I ended up working around that by keeping myself preoccupied.
One thing I first did was browse other blogs that have done the EPIK process. While all of them are great, I realized their advice became damaging to my situation. Take for example the recommendation to watch K-Dramas or to create a packing list. While these are nice and helpful, these connect back to Korea, which in turn links to EPIK, which forces you to remember you’re in the big wait, and thus you relapse and begin refreshing your email every 10 minutes (in fairness, it’s no seconds, right?). This is a detrimental cycle we need to stay out of as best we can!
So, what is the answer to this? Balance.
LEARN KOREAN
I love this advice and even if it creates the detrimental cycle that we want to avoid, it’s all worth it. However, try to make it as appealing as possible. You want to destress. Don’t turn this into a college course. I would recommend not enrolling in classes. Instead, find a language exchange. Your main goal is to come to Korea with the basics, not discuss the theories behind how Silla Korea fell to the Koryŏ dynasty. Do some edu-tainment!
Here’s some lessons you can do:
· Memrise: Both for iOS and Android, Memrise is a wacky Korean learning app that uses a quiz based method while following a story line on trying to talk to an alien race that only understands Korean. There are minor setbacks to this. The transcriptions can get annoying and the phonics are sometimes weird, but for a simple learning app, it’s worth a check.
· Udemy: This website is amazing. Not only can you find Korean language lessons, but you can find other useful world knowledge too! Right now, it’s having a sale for some lessons, so it’s a good time to try it out. For learning Korean, my two favorites are by Jeremy Brinkerhoff and Danny Lin. Jeremy’s method is more like watching and responding back to a gameshow, using fun mnemonics to catch on. Danny gives you the basic outline to get started with learning Korean. Both are great for beginners.
· Talk to Me in Korean: Everyone looking to self-learn Korean has heard of them. They’re awesome, ‘nuff said!
PLAY TOURIST
If you’re planning on living abroad for at least a year, why not play tourist in your hometown (or wherever you’re currently living)? Always wanted to visit a certain spot, but never got to? Do it now! Coming from Seattle, I’ve never actually tried Molly Moon. Well, because of the big wait, I finally got around to trying them (and yes their honey lavender is worth living!). Are there places that you love visiting, but are just too touristy? No shame, do it now! I hardly ever visit Pike’s Market, but now I’ve visited a couple of times these past few days and I’ve made my way up the Columbia Tower more times in the past few weeks than I’ve ever done my whole life!
If you live in a small rural town, you can still play tourist! Check out that walking tour run by the old lady from the historic society!
HANG OUT WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY
Speaking of playing tourist, you can do this by yourself. But with others is always fun. Invite a buddy on a lunch date to some place you haven’t tried. Go out to a local pub. Ask your friends to have a soju party with you to test your soju tolerance (I legit recommend this). Get that quality time in and you’ll forget all about checking your email.
SORT OUT YOUR LIFE
Get rid of stuff. If you’re in the decluttering mood and haven’t read it yet, pick up Marie Kondo’s The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. And if you’ve already read that, read her second book, Spark Joy. Then get to work. To be honest, I haven’t done this as I’ve been too preoccupied with the top stuff, but hey, I might get to do it soon.
You can also sell your stuff.
TRY TO LIVE NORMALLY
By this, I mean do everything you normally do if you weren’t applying for EPIK. Do you game? Do that instead. Do you love to knit? Why not begin knitting a sweater (which may come in handy for the plane ride there!). Do you watch K-Dramas already? Continue doing that.
You don’t need to find a new hobby, just do the hobbies that you currently do. And if you don’t have one, preoccupy yourself with the things you’ve already been doing, whether that’s work, browsing the internet, or what have you
DOWNLAD KAKAOTALK
And if you end up in the detrimental cycle, just download Kakaotalk (iOS and Android) and join or start a group with other EPIK applicants. Having others who are going through the same process as you is a life saver. You can end up doing meet ups with them during the big wait as well!
There’s so much more you can do. You can begin a new hobby if you want. You can go on day trips somewhere. You can take hikes or start meditating. But really, do you see a trend here? The trend is making sure you go out, get some fresh air, and live life. I don’t want to put “don’ts” in my post, but man, DON’T STAY COOPED UP PRESSING REFRESH!!
But seriously, a rule of thumb, check your email once, twice tops, daily for the EPIK placement results. And if you really get the sudden urge to cry or breakdown, just head over to your group Kakaotalk!
For me, the process of getting to Korea has been a revolving door of fear, excitement and forced patience – and I’m sure anyone looking to come through EPIK or a similar program could say the same. In particular, the rush to gather documents and ensure proper shipping arrangements is pretty unforgiving, and that’s without adding the gut-churning days (which feel like years) that you spend waiting for placement, or the interview, or even to find out if you earned an interview at all.
Now that I’m (mostly, but not really) done with all of that, a new sort of worry has taken ahold of me, and it all revolves around one question: Will I like it there? It’s a pretty simple question, but the numerous factors that determine the answer make it into a much bigger concern. It’s not a matter of whether I will like it or not so much as, Will I be homesick? Will I make any friends? Will my language skills be enough to get by? Am I ready?
(Is it possible to be ready?)
The list of fears goes on and on. Luckily for me, I have been blessed with an amazing mother who gives me sound, empathetic advice. Hopefully, it will serve you just as well as it has served me over the years. So... Here we go!
Mommy’s Advice # 1 – Don’t create a self-fulfilling prophecy
I’ve lost count of how many times over the years my mother has told me this. I am, unfortunately, prone to being a big ball of anxiety. Before I start anything, whether it is a new hobby, a new school, a job, anything – the worry just flares up like an allergic reaction. It would be fine if I was good at keeping it in check, but I’m not. The problem is that after a certain point, all the worries I have start to become concrete expectations instead.
If I think nobody will like me, I don’t try to connect with anyone. And if I don’t try to connect, nobody gets the chance to like me.
If I assume I will be too homesick to go somewhere, then I decline opportunities to travel. But, since I don’t travel, I don’t get to find out how quickly homesickness passes and excitement sets in.
If I think I can’t speak the language well enough to be understood, then I just don’t try to speak. But, since I don’t practice speaking, I never get the chance to improve my language skills.
And so on and so forth. The point is, don’t let your worries become expectations. Instead, think of ways to combat them – promise yourself that you will try to make friends, even if there’s a chance they won’t like you. Take every opportunity to travel, and if you get homesick, why not go on Skype? If worse comes to worst, it’s not like home will suddenly stop being there for you to come back to. If you are embarrassed by your language skills, just remember that practice makes (something close to) perfect.
You don’t have to let your worry overcome you. You can do this.
Mommy’s Advice # 2 – Don’t be an obstacle to your own enjoyment
This one has specifically do with culture shock and cultural clashes. This is not to say that I haven’t applied it to other parts of my life, but for now, I’ll just apply it to settling down in South Korea.
Let’s get the obvious out of the way first: South Korea is a completely different country. For a lot of us, it is a completely different hemisphere. Their history is not ours. Their language is not ours. Their people are not ours.
And in order to make yourself happy, the best thing you can do is stop focusing on this. Sounds strange, doesn’t it? But it’s true. If your first reaction every time you encounter a cultural difference is to get a little out of sorts and say “but back home, we do it like this,” then you may not have that great of a time.
I think the best way to settle in is to relax your expectations a bit and take things as they come. Seriously, you can turn these little shocks into pleasant surprises with the right mindset.
A good idea is to take interest how certain traditions or norms came about. Not only will the knowledge help you grow more comfortable with them, but the person you’re speaking to will probably enjoy your interest. It’ll also be fun to compare how things are done differently at home – but without disparaging either of them. It’s a win-win situation.
And if you really, truly, desperately need some sort of familiarity, there are whole Facebook groups of other foreigners that you can meet up with and speak to. They can commiserate with your experiences and tell you about how they dealt with them, so maybe you can get an idea of how to proceed in peace. A word of caution though: if you spend too much time around people just like you, who do things the way you do, how are you going to get any new experiences?
Don’t just hide away in a bubble of comfort... You can do it.
Mommy’s Advice # 3 – If all else fails, fake it ‘til you make it
Here we have it. The ultimate piece of advice. The life saver. There’s nothing complex about this one, really. Is the tteokbokki too spicy? Keep eating it until you don’t have taste buds anymore. Do you have no idea what’s going on in the staff meeting? When your co-teacher smiles and nods, you smile and nod – and ask what the heck was going on afterwards. Are all your students and coworkers raving about some insane new song that makes absolutely no sense to you and has a ridiculous dance to go with it? Time to sing that song and learn that dance.
Seriously. It’s not nearly as hard as it may seem.
(You can do it!)
These are just some general, all around tips for pushing past any fear you might have and living life to the fullest when you come to Korea. Hope they helped out!
Before we get into this, I’d like to state that I am, by no means, a tax expert; everything I say in this post are from my experiences only and doesn’t reflect any professional tax advice whatsoever. If you’d like to understand everything in further detail, please speak to someone from IRS or your CPA.
Even though it’s not really a requirement, it’s highly advised that you apply to be exempted from Korean taxes in order to avoid double taxation and save more money during your first two years teaching in Korea. The form that you’ll have to fill out to accomplish this is called the IRS form 8802. The U.S. and Korea has a tax treaty benefit that allows U.S. Residents to be exempted from double taxation for the first two years being employed in South Korea.
Form 8802 sheet
Instruction sheet for Form 8802
I’ll be walking you through how I filled out this form. Special thanks and shout out to Shimmering Seoul who wrote a detailed guide on this. I’m basically basing mine off hers.
Alright. Let’s get started.
How this whole things works is that you’re basically filling out a form (8802) to get the form (6166) that you actually really need for this whole thing to work. It’s best to apply for the 6166 by filling out the 8802 about 45 days before your planned departure date as the processing period can take quite a while.
Now let’s take a look at the form and break down some of the terminology. It might seem daunting, but fear not; take a deep breath, sip some Soju (or water), and relax. You’re an adult. You got this.
The “U.S. taxpayer identification number” is basically just a fancy way of saying Social Security Number. So whenever you see that, just put in your SSN.
1. Ignore the upper portion for now that’s not numbered. We’ll go back to that later once we’re done with everything else. Start off with line 1. In this section, simply put in your full name and SSN (Social Security Number).
2. For line 2, just put your current permanent address. I live with my moms and pops, so I just entered our address. Don’t write a P.O. Box number though. The IRS doesn’t like P.O. boxes. They want to make sure that you’re living in the U.S., so make sure you put down a residential address.
3. For line 3a, just put down where you want your form 6166 mailed to. I used the same address that I put down for line 2. Line 3b is optional, but if you want peace of mind, in case things go awry for some reason and you don’t get the form in time before you leave, you can assign an appointee that can then forward you the form 6166 once they get it. In my case, I listed my dad as an appointee. Just put down your appointee’s name and phone number in line 3b if you choose to have one.
4. WOW! Look at all them boxes and options. But don’t let them scare you; simply select the ones that apply to you. I checked option a (individual) and U.S. citizen because that’s what I am.
Oh my! We’re finally done with the first page. Take a quick little break. Get up off that chair. Do some stretching. Sip some more Soju (or water). Watch a funny YouTube clip. Cook a meal. You deserve a little break after all of that confusion! But you survived! Are you ready for two more pages? Good! Because I AM!
5. Before you fill out this line, don’t forget to look up and put your name on the line that says “Applicant Name.” Done? Okay. Did you work and file for taxes last year? If yes, choose the type of tax form that you filed last year and put a check mark in the box that applies to you. In my case, I filed using the 1040 form. If you were a student and didn’t work last year, check other and write “student.”
6. If you said “Yes” and filed last year, you can ignore this line and leave it blank; however, if you said “No” and you were a dependent on your parents’ income taxes, you’ll need to enter what kind of tax form they filed, the parent’s name and address under which you’re a dependent, and the parent’s social security number.
7. Put the current year. In my case, it’s 2016, and I’m applying for the certification this year.
8. For this line, it’s basically the year that you’re basing the certification on. You’re basing the certification on last year’s taxes, so put in last year’s tax period. The format is basically YYYYMM. I filed taxes on 2015, and the last month of the year is 12, so I just put 201512.
9. This one is really easy. Just check the box “Income tax.”
10. But not everything in life easy, so here’s line 10 to make life complicated for you. Just kidding haha! It’s not too hard. The statement that you’ll provide will vary on your own personal circumstances. I didn’t have my contract dates yet, so I just used the “individual” statement. Mine was: “This certification is given under penalties of perjury and to the best of my knowledge and belief, the statements are true, correct, and complete.” After I wrote that, I included the individual statement: “[my name] [my SSN] is a U.S. resident and will continue to be throughout the current tax year.” After all that, simply sign and print your name, put down today’s date, and then put down your phone number.
Boom badadim badaboom! BAM! You’re done with the second page. Wipe that sweat off your brow, homie. You’re going places! Take another break. Might as well finish that entire bottle of Soju (or water). Go walk your dog, cat, or dragon. Cook another meal. Do some push ups. Water the plants. Watch another funny YouTube clip. Done? Arighty, home skillet. We back at it again for Round 3, baby. Time to complete the last page!
Start off by putting your name and SSN.
If you listed an appointee, also include their name here.
For calendar year, simply put the same thing you answered on line 7. In my case, 2016.
11. Now. On this line, you’ll basically put the number of years you wish to be certified in a country. In my case, I only wished to be certified in South Korea, so I put a 5 on Korea, South (KS). I basically was confused on this part, to be honest. I understand that the tax exemption is only good for 2 years, but I plan on staying in Korea for longer than 2, so I just put 5 to be safe.
12. Just add up all the certifications you requested. In my case, it was 5 for Korea, so I just put down 5 as the answer.
Ayyyyyeee. You did it! You completed the last page! Now. It’s time to go back to the first page and fill out that upper portion! Put your name in “Applicant’s name” and your SSN in “Applicant’s U.S. taxpayer identification number.” The two boxes at the very top didn’t really apply to me, so I just left those blank. They shouldn’t apply to you too, but look over the instruction sheet just to make sure.
Now, it’s time to pay for the form. Before you send the form away, it has to be paid for. The fee to process the 8802 form is a non-refundable $85.00. You can pay using a variety of payment methods: check, money order, or electronic payment (debit/credit card). For me, I found the electronic payment to be the most convenient, so that’s how I paid for mine. I’ll only be sharing the steps on how to perform the electronic payment since that’s what I used. If you wish to pay using a different method, please refer to the instruction sheet for Form 8802.
1. First thing you’ll want to do is visit the payment page for the 8802 form. The very first thing you’ll see, IRS Certs, is the payment form that you’ll want to access. Go ahead and click it.
2. Go ahead and go through that form, answering relevant information.
3. Once you’ve finished and submitted your payment, you will receive an electronic confirmation number for the transaction. Enter that electronic confirmation number on the first page of the 8802 form that says “Electronic payment confirmation no.” You can use either the Agency Tracking ID or the Pay.gov ID as your electronic confirmation number. Once you’ve completed the payment and entered the confirmation number on your form, you may now send the Form 8802 to the IRS.
Note that different payment methods will require a different address for you to send the form to. For electronic payments, refer to page 3 of the instruction sheet for Form 8802. Alrighty! Go ahead and send the completed form!
Congratulations, homie! You did it! It wasn’t as hard as you thought it would be, right? It just requires some patience. I hope this post helped you with filling out this form. Thanks again to Shimmering Seoul for inspiring me to write this guide. I wish y’all the best, and I hope y’all receive your Form 6166 forms right away! This is the form that you’ll be bringing with you to give to your school.
You've applied for EPIK and you've passed the first phase. Congratulations! Grab that soju and take a shot! This means the next obstacle: the interview. Cue the nervous breakdown.
For me, that nervous breakdown was intense. Coming straight out from college, maintaining my job for the past 3 and a half years, and not actively job-hunting, I completely forgot how to do an interview. I immediately took to the internet to find anything and everything about the EPIK interview. I found questions, questions about EPIK, regular interview questions, random questions (and I mean random…I prepared myself in answering, "If you were a tree, what tree would you be and why?"). I wrote them down on post cards, then rewrote them on post-its. I practiced interviews with friends. One was informal, the other formal, and another through Skype. I did everything past EPIK teachers talked about doing. I was still kind of a nervous wreck.
So, to boost my confidence, I decided to browse through TED Talks because they're the best at teaching people "ideas worth sharing" and I found Amy Cuddy's Your body language shapes who you are. It intensely helped me and gave me some confidence. But, I was still stressed and it showed physically with a large pimple manifesting on my nose.
The day of the interview came around, scheduled for October 28th, 13:20 KST (October 27th, 8:20 PM Seattle time). I worked my usual 10:30-4:30 shift and returned home to prepare. To make it more interesting, my family decided to schedule our family portrait at 6:30 PM that same day. We literally rushed through the family portraits and I got home at 7:00. I took a shower and prepared myself in my good luck blue suit.
Various vlogs say good lighting is highly important, so I prepared my webcam and lamps in the 3-point lighting method (key, fill, and back lighting). I looked at myself and realized I looked oily and my nose pimple shone bright like Rudolph. In a desperate frenzy, I took baby powder and powdered myself heavily, matting my face and concealing the crimson mountain on my nose. I tested Skype, connecting the Ethernet port to my laptop for better quality. I did a practice interview before show time and used the bathroom.
15 minutes before the interview, I got an invite from the EPIK coordinator and added them as a contact. Everything was going to plan. I reviewed my notes one last time. Then I took out my phone, played some Tinashe while doing my Wonder Woman pose that I learned from Amy Cuddy.
9:20 PM hit. I took my place in front of my webcam. No call. 9:21, 9:22, 9:23…nothing! I was about to stress. So right when I get up to resume my Wonder Woman pose, Skype begins ringing. I rush to sit down, take a deep breath, and answer.
A black screen with the EPIK logo. That's all I saw. You know how nerve-racking it is to stare into the webcam while speaking to a black screen? No? Well I do. It's scary. You can't analyze their reactions. You don't know if they see your baby powdered face and make the look, "Wow…he looks like a vampire from a cheap budget film!" You possibly don't know because all you see on the other end is a black screen with the EPIK logo.
Now keep in mind, my experience is totally different from others. My coordinator told me that he was late because his webcam had technical difficulties. Whether this is true, it happened and I wasn't prepared for it. But I played it cool, continued to stare into the webcam, while smiling like a buffoon.
Turns out the interview was easier than it seemed. The interview began with reviewing my application. Then it shifted, to the Q&A portions. To my surprise, my coordinator asked only two questions, both questions that were totally and utterly expected. But what’s hilarious about this was I threw the script out the window. Instead of answering the way I prepared, I answered how I felt. In the end, I believe it helped me shine through so much more because it allowed me to be my authentic self. And even more unpredicted, he told me that I had a strong application! It gave me pride and confidence. It was good validation. After 23 minutes, the interview ended and it all felt like a dream.
INTERVIEW TIPS
1. Prepare, but don’t over prepare. The EPIK process is a balancing act. And life is a balancing act in of itself. Just like how you shouldn’t overdo it on the fiber, don’t overdo it with preparing for the interview. Just find the basic questions and create your own unique answers. Feel confident in what you’ve done and own up to it.
2. Create the best set-up that fits with you. I’m not saying that you should follow the 3-point lighting technique (although I am bias towards it). Just make sure you’re well-lit and in a presentable space. The space doesn’t need to be bare. I had a rug hanging on the wall that looked like a painting.
3. Dress to impress. This includes pants.
4. On a side note to preparing, print out your application. Read through it a couple of times and highlight key parts. Keep that in front of you during the process.
5. Have a notebook and pencil (or write on the back of your printed-out application). It’s good to take notes and displays you’re taking in knowledge!
6. Remember your coordinator’s name and use their name. Don’t be creepy about it. But saying “Hello, Jeffrey. How are you?” is a nice way to start. Mine was Jeffrey, by the way!
7. Be authentically you. Remember that many people apply, but don’t get the chance of an interview. And if what you said in your application is true, they like you. The interview is to see if you’re alive, engaged, and healthy.
8. Don’t refresh your email immediately after interviewing. Just take the time to stop and breathe (and maybe take a shot of soju).
Packing for your trip to Korea can be a struggle. With the limits imposed on how much you can bring, clothes usually take up the majority of your luggage. Still, there are some odds and ends that can make the transition overseas a tad bit easier.
So, before you make the final decision on what’s going inside, why not check out this list of items that will offer you a little extra peace of mind upon arrival?
#1 - Command Hooks
Command Hooks are probably the ultimate tool for organizing items in small spaces – and, according to general consensus, most Korean apartments do indeed count as small spaces. But what they lack in storage area can definitely be made up by attaching these to your walls, doors, and even cabinets to hang your excess items.
Supposedly, these hooks can hold up to 7.5lbs each at the largest available size. I’m not exactly sure how much my metal step ladder weighs, but it’s been hanging in its new home on my closet door for 4 months now without the hook losing any integrity.
The best part? Command Hooks won’t damage any surface, including one with only the thinnest layer of paint. It’s your decision whether you purchase them or not, but I say it’s an investment.
#2 - A Power Strip
I’m sure you know by now that you need an adapter and a converter to use your electronics when you come to Korea, but why not take that a step further? A power strip hooked up to your converter will let you get the most bang for your buck – and as a bonus, this one lets you directly connect your USB devices!
While you’re at it, why don’t you pick up one of these to carry around too?
#3- Emergency Sheet/Book
This one’s a little self-explanatory. Before you go anywhere, maybe you should take the time to write out some pertinent information that can help others help you if disaster happens to strike.
Mine is pretty simple so far; it’s just got my name, date of birth, country of citizenship, and the contact information for my mother and my aunt. I haven’t got any allergies or medical conditions, but I would list them if I did. If and when I do arrive in Korea, I’ll make sure to add my new address and the contact information for my co-teacher or POE supervisor.
I’ve also got a similar sheet for myself, but this one instead has relevant addresses and phone numbers listed: e.g., the English Helpline # (1-3-3-0), Emergency Services (1-1-9), U.S. Embassy in Korea (+82-2-397-4114), etc. Eventually I’ll write down the address to my school, my apartment, and probably the nearest hospital to where I end up living.
Bonus: If you’re a U.S. Citizen, why not enroll in STEP and register your trip overseas?
#4 - Pepto Bismol Tablets
If you are one of those people with intestines formed from iron, please feel free to ignore this tip.
But if you’re like me, and you catch stomach viruses year-round as often as other people catch the common cold during winter, then this is probably a good purchase to help you through the first month or so of living in Korea.
I won’t go into the gory details here, but it suffices to say that if you have it, and your stomach is causing it, then Pepto Bismol can probably cure it. It comes in liquid, capsule and chew tab form.
Bonus:
#5 - VPN
Do you like using Netflix? How about playing music on Spotify? What about having unrestricted access to North American YouTube videos?
If the answer is yes, then a VPN (Virtual Private Network) is probably for you.
In this particular case, VPN is basically a bit of software that masks your IP Address and routes your web traffic through another computer or server so you can get around location-based internet restrictions.
All the best ones cost money, but there are free options, although they may cost you browsing speed and ad-free viewing. I’m personally a fan of NordVPN for both my iPhone and my PC, but for a free option, why not check out Spotflux?
There are plenty of options out there for everything mentioned above, of course. If you’re really interested, just do a bit of research and see what suits you. And of course, feel free to add your own tips and tricks.
Thanks for reading!
~ D.
(with credit given where credit is due for Kevin’s intro)
Hello, all. Kevin here! I’ve decided to make a little list of helpful books out there for my fellow English teachers! There are numerous books out there, and I’m sure there are plenty of other great alternatives; however, these books just happen to be what I own at the moment. Have a look!
1. TEFL Lesson Plans for Dummies by Michelle Maxom
This, like many of the other books in the “for dummies” series, is designed for those dipping their feet for the very first time in something--in this case, English teaching. I bought this for the purpose of familiarizing myself with how to formulate TEFL lesson plans.
The book starts off with some basic info regarding the field of TEFL (terminologies, methodologies, etc.) then it dives into the wonderful and fun world of lesson planning. It has sections for various levels ranging from beginner to advanced classes. It contains ready to use emergency lesson plans for your convenience, and each lesson plan may be tweaked to your liking depending on what you want your lesson to focus on. It also provides you with a guide on how to lesson plan in general. The book even provides tips on how to improve your teaching skills and how to make your students happy.
Overall, it’s a very useful book to have, especially for those getting into the field of TEFL for the very first time.
2. English Language Grammar Reference & Teacher’s Guide by C. Neil Linton
Just like the title of the book, this book is pretty much all you’ll need as a teacher of English as a Foreign Language. It’s designed to be used as a reference during lesson planning, as well as in class when a student asks you grammar questions. It goes through pretty much everything you’ll need to know: parts of speech, punctuations, a whole chapter on writing and composition, classroom management, teaching perspectives, lesson presentation and planning, and various resources that teachers of English may find helpful. I’m going to be using this a lot for sure when I begin teaching.
3. The Ultimate Writing Guide for Students by Mignon Fogarty (Grammar Girl)
I looooove this book a lot! I’m a huge fan of Grammar Girl (her podcasts are amazing!), and so it only makes sense for me to get this book! And man, I’m glad I did. With her spectacular way of explaining things, Mignon breaks English grammar and writing down to the layman level.
This book is a perfect way of familiarizing yourself and your students with English writing--a skill that is very important and shouldn’t be overlooked. With her witty humor, Mignon journeys with you through the vast world of the English language in a carefree and relaxed manner. Enjoy the ride!
4. The Elements of Style by William Strunk JR. and E.B. White
This little bad boy packs a mean punch. In about 95 pages, this book penetrates deep into the rules, formalities, and nuances of the English language that have to be observed with utter care. From “place a comma before a conjunction introducing an independent clause” to “a participle phrase at the beginning of a sentence must refer to the grammatical subject,” this book will keep you in line to make sure that you’re observing the rules of written English properly. It might not be necessary for those teaching in the beginner levels, but for those teaching more advanced students, having them look at their writing more intently will help ensure that they are progressing in English holistically.
5. Do You Speak American? by Robert MacNeil and William Cran
This book is amazing. It was one of the required texts for my History of English course during college, and it’s a book that is very eye opening when it comes to understand English’s place in a global scale.
English is one of the lingua francas of the world, so it makes sense that its widespread use is bound to eventually cause certain usage distinctions over time depending on the geographical location. With a variety of Englishes out there: British, American, Australian, Singaporean, and more, it’s important to understand just how diverse the language of English has become. In this day and age, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what the “correct” and “proper” English is due to all of these distinctions. Thus, it’s important to realize that all English is proper English, no matter how scary that may sound.
This book goes over the different types of English used in the U.S. alone (and you thought the list I provided above was crazy enough, right?) From Chicano English to African American Vernacular, the English of the United States has become a diverse source of change that helped the country become the dynamic force it is today.
And just like how the authors of the book so eloquently put it “....if our language stopped changing it would mean that American society had ceased to be dynamic, innovative, pulsing with life--that the great river had frozen up. It would be like Latin, a ‘dead’ language that does not change because it lives only in books and few living people speak it” we must not fear change but welcome it. This book will be an ideal way of injecting some culture into the classroom. Have students understand that the world of English is large, and to understand it, one must appreciate it in its entirety.
So there are the five books that I believe will be especially helpful for all you English teachers out there. These books can be found on Amazon, so feel free to get a copy if you feel like you can benefit from them. Thanks for taking the time to read this post! Peace!
