Natasha Gabrielle and her husband Nick are currently teaching English to children in a South Korean school.

NICK AND Natasha Gabrielle moved to South Korea to fulfil  their dream of living and working abroad.

We were delighted to get the chance to talk to Natasha about her experiences of the country and what it’s like to share such an adventure with her partner.

Read on to learn about some of the cultural differences she has come across as well as her and Nick’s plans for the future.

You can find out more about Natasha and Nick’s time in Korea and follow their blog at livelearnventure.com.

How long have you had a passion for travel and what inspired you to move to South Korea?

I’ve always dreamed of travelling, but assumed it was impossible due to financial concerns and having to make big life changes. My husband and I both had an interest in learning about Asian culture and talked about moving abroad for a few years. Finally, we decided now was the time to take advantage of the opportunity before ‘settling down’. If we didn’t do it soon, we feared we might never do it!

Natasha has enjoyed many of the relationships she has been able to form with her students.

How much preparation did you have to do before the trip and were things as you expected when you arrived? 

We had to get out of our lease, move all of our personal belongings into storage, make arrangements with family, and then deal with all of the paperwork and visa aspects before moving. I would say that we spent a couple of months really planning and finalising the move – but it was well worth it. Most of the day-to-day things were what we expected. I will say though, that decisions and changes are often extremely last minute in Korea. We are now used to this – but it took a lot of adjusting! You really have to go with the flow here.

What are the children you work with like and how does school compare there to in the US?

Last year, I taught elementary school students. They were adorable and a lot of fun! The English abilities really varied. This year, I’m teaching high school. It’s quite a change, but I love being able to have more conversations with my students. I have yet to teach in the US, so I’m not sure of the differences first-hand. Most students here are pretty respectful and well-behaved. I really enjoy working with them! I highly recommend teaching abroad, especially in Korea!

What have been the biggest cultural differences in South Korea and how hard has it been to adapt?

Life in Korea always seems to be in a hurry – you will constantly hear “balli balli!” which means hurry, hurry! It’s also common not to find out important details until the very last second. These differences took a lot to get used to, but it’s improved my patience. In addition, beauty is an obsession here. Young students wear makeup and people of all ages are always commenting on appearance. It’s normal to be told that you’re too fat or that you should wear more makeup. This was shocking to me at first!

How important is your website, livelearnventure.com, in sharing your journey and connecting with like-minded people over the web?

I love reading, sharing and interacting with others about travel and life abroad. Live Learn Venture has become a great project for me because I can focus on a big interest of mine and I’m loving every minute of it!

Looking to the future: Natasha would love her and Nick’s dream of working and travelling to continue after their stint in South Korea.

What have been your craziest moments in South Korea so far and have you come close to any danger?

Luckily, nothing too crazy has happened here (knock on wood!). I would say the closest I’ve gotten to danger is riding in a cab or on a bus here. There seem to be no rules to the road! Other than that, Korea is a very safe country and I feel very comfortable here!

What’s it like sharing the trip and experience with your partner?

I love living abroad with my husband. It’s really nice to have someone to share experiences with at the end of the day. The best part is they understand too, because they live abroad and go through similar experiences. We keep each other from going insane and we get to share some of the most memorable and exciting experiences together.

Where do you plan to travel to next and what are your plans after this stage of your life?

We are headed to Australia and New Zealand for our winter vacation in two-and-a-half months. I can’t wait! We’ve seen quite a few Asian countries during our last contract, so we want to see other parts of the world if at all possible. After this second year in Korea is over, I’m still not sure! I know that it’s my goal to find a flexible job and one with some travel!