Siobhan R. Morgan

First things first, Hey! I’m Siobhan Ryan (some students call me Siobhan and others call me Ryan) and I currently teach English at two schools in Seoul (one general and one special). I’m a certified Special Education teacher and this is my ninth year teaching. I came across EPIK by way of Korvia Consulting.

I never dreamed that I would be here, but after the paperwork, emails, and interviews here I am living in Seoul, South Korea teaching and learning another language. The adjustment period for me is ongoing. I do feel comfortable and have a routine, but I’m not fully adjusted. I still have my days when I can’t believe that I’m here.

Teaching in Seoul brings me joy just like it did in the states. My students have my heart! They try their best on a daily basis and are enjoying this adventure as well. This year I have the luxury of teaching at a visually impaired school and one of the first things my kids said to me was that I have a radio voice. I had to ask if that was a good thing and they said that it’s a great thing. I was happy because I have to explain things differently to them instead of showing them due to their range of abilities. I love how we have conversations in our own forms of Konglish and we understand each other. They have also started bringing their parents to meet me and I get to share my joy of teaching their kid. My main school is super cute and helpful. My co-teacher is simply amazing and I’m grateful to have her during this adventure. I share an office with the other exploratory teachers. I walk to the main office just to say hey to the principal and vice principal almost every day because they were worried about me when I first arrived. I teach 3rd-6th grade students at this school as well. We talk about current events and their extracurricular activities in order to make the content more relatable to their lives. I was even invited to an orchestra concert that my student was in and it was AMAZING! My students also forced me to participate in Sports Day. The things that we do for our students. The homeroom teachers invite me out to random excursions with them which include restaurants and Lotte Tower!



Transportation was one of my biggest adjustments. I’ve never relied on public transit before I moved here. I’m used to driving everywhere. During the early weeks of my arrival I was worried about going the wrong way and being late to work and at the time my phone was not working correctly. I think I added a few gray hairs to my mom’s head with that. The subway has gotten so much easier and plus I have a nice BTS T-Money card. I still haven’t figured out the taxi system and that’s okay because the subway system works well for me.

The best part so far has been immersing myself in the culture. Whether it’s through food, music, fashion, sports, palaces, museums, or the language I have enjoyed it all. I was worried about the food, but I quickly realized that things that I can’t have in the states I can have here, which was very exciting. Music seems to come from everywhere. It’s coming out of store fronts, restaurants, and in the middle of streets of Hongdae from random people performing on the streets. My students also burst out in song a lot because I do and we have fun sing-a-longs. The language was tricky at first, but with the help of my students, co-workers, and Korean class, I’m learning more words and phrasing on a daily basis

Would I choose this adventure again? Definitely! This experience is like a “choose your own adventure” book, it’s what you make of it. I’m a regular at a few restaurants where I live, I have a Korean class every Saturday, and I try something new at least once a week with my friend Ireland who is also an EPIK teacher. I hope to enjoy this adventure for the next few years! Happy Winter!