“Living Ehglish Language Foreign” was the title that caught Adam Flanagan’s eye while browsing through a bookstore in South Korea.When he realized it was a book teaching the English language, he chuckled to himself, but he also understood the importance of his role as an English teacher in a foreign country.”I just wanted to teach English and get out of [America]. I never traveled before in my life,” Flanagan said. “I didn’t study abroad in college because I worked it out that I could finish college early and then try to make money teaching overseas and have that whole experience of actually living somewhere for a long time.”            Flanagan, a 2009 Point Park University alumnus with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, returned to campus Friday, Feb. 18 to speak of his experiences and offer tips to students interested in teaching abroad. The event was hosted by Confluence Psychology Alliance, which Flanagan co-founded as an undergraduate student. For one year Flanagan taught English to Korean students at the Deokdu Elementary School in Busan, South Korea, a position he acquired through the English Program in Korea (EPIK).Teaching experience or knowledge of a foreign language is not necessary to qualify for EPIK; the only requirement is to have a bachelor’s degree in any subject and to be a citizen from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa.With no knowledge of the Korean language and no professional teaching experience, Flanagan decided to take a risk and left for Korea in February 2010. Although the new experience was overwhelming at first, he said, “It’s amazing how easy it is to pick up a language once you get there.” During the school week, Flanagan taught students between the ages of six and 13 basic English phrases with a Korean co-teacher helping with the teaching process. One of Flanagan’s favorite activities, he said, was teaching the children a “phrase of the week.” At the time when South Korea was competing in the World Cup, Flanagan taught his students the phrase “We are the Champions” and introduced them to the music of Queen.          Being a foreign English teacher did not come without its difficulties, however, and the position had its ups and downs.  “Sometimes the kids hate you, and sometimes you’re like a superstar. Sometimes they run up to you and say, ‘Hey, teacher, I love you!’ and I’ll have random kids asking me for my autograph,” Flanagan said. “If you don’t look Asian and if you don’t look Korean, you’re interesting [to them].”            As an American in Asian culture, Flanagan was subjected to vast cultural differences, including a rigid social structure. At one point, Flanagan’s grooming habits came into question and coworkers suggested he shave before coming into school.”My beard actually was a big sense of disharmony in my school system. Coming from an American perspective, I’m like, ‘Well this is my beard … this is who I am. This is who I want to be. I like my beard, so why do I have to change it?'” said Flanagan.            However, Flanagan soon learned from the principal of his school that only old men have beards in Korea and by sporting his facial hair he was presuming a title of authority, which was viewed as disrespectful. For the year Flanagan lived in South Korea, he was also exposed to many cultural quirks, such as Korea’s most popular food, kimchi, a type of fermented cabbage, as well as the phenomenon of public baths, where he bathed for the first time with hundreds of Korean men and learned that nudity is less taboo in Asian culture.           Although these experiences may seem odd or undesirable from an American perspective, Flanagan said the two cultures, in essence, are not entirely different. “I feel like in Korea, and in humanity just in general, we have so much in common. It’s just different levels,” Flanagan said. “I’ve never experienced something in my travels in the last year that was just totally out of this world that didn’t make sense to me … and couldn’t happen in the United States … Different parts of life are just accentuated.”CrystalAnn Jones, a junior interdisciplinary linguistics and arts major, expressed interest in studying abroad and agreed with Flanagan that living in another country is an enriching experience that one cannot have through a brief vacation.”I would just like to stay somewhere for a long period of time,” said Jones. “When I’m traveling, the longest I’ve ever stayed in a foreign city is two weeks, and you really don’t take as much in those two weeks as you would in a year.”Students can also apply for a program where a bachelor’s degree is not needed. Similar to EPIK, Teach and Learn in Korea (TALK) is another teaching recruitment program in Korea. Flanagan, who returned to Korea for a second year of teaching last Sunday, advised interested students to apply soon, as both of these programs operate on a first-come, first-serve basis.Confluence Treasurer Kelly Smith believes that more students may be interested in following in Flanagan’s footsteps if they were aware of the teaching programs available in foreign countries. “I had never heard of anything like this [program],” said Smith, a senior sport, arts and entertainment major. “I think if more students heard about it, and early enough, … I think they would enjoy that – a chance to make some money, experience another culture, just another thing to add to a resume, another thing to add to life experience. I think that’s very valuable.”