Building a global family

English professor talks on joys of giving back to Korea, strengthening Jewish community


Expats often find support and stability in close-knit circles.

Away from home, they are drawn to the familiar. In Korea that translates into groups of military personnel, English teachers, business people, diplomats and others, often socializing mostly among themselves.

But not Irving B. Gussow. The gregarious university professor ― who professes to be “the most bashful guy you’ll ever meet” ― has spent 10 years here, traveling the country and mingling at every opportunity.

He met with The Korea Herald in a Myeong-dong cafe in Seoul, before leaving for the U.S., to talk about the importance of volunteering and his efforts to serveKorea’s small Jewish community.

Gussow’s adventure began in Yeosu, a small city in South Jeolla Province, 400 km south of Seoul. At the mention of the place, Gussow glows, his affection for his time there evident.

The Florida native arrived in 2001 after a series of “tragic” events at home which left him searching for a new take on life.

Upon a recommendation from a friend, in 2002 he took a position as an English professor and immediately loved the job, Yeosu and the friendly disposition of the community.

“Yeosu is pretty. You’ve got the South Sea, you’ve got Jirisan, the mountains, the people: fisherman, farmers, merchants, teachers."

“It’s just a small community and people know each other, which is good. In Seoul, you’re just a little minnow in a big ocean,” he said.

“Because there’s fewer of you in small places you also become more outstanding. And so that was fascinating for me.”

While there the beginnings of his expansive network took root.

A lady who had attended his business English classes invited him to a dinner for Yeosu’s 2010 World Expo bid (in which the city later took second place). He made a suggestion that evening, and soon one commitment led to many more.

“You get involved, sometimes not on purpose, but I’ve never been one to say no.

“My kids know that, that’s why I never go shopping with them,” he joked. 

Keeping the faith

In 2002 Gussow moved to Seoul to take up a position with ANS Human Resource company to get a taste of corporate Korea.

He missed Yeosu, but made the most of his new location despite not finding the job as stimulating as he had hoped.

Gussow’s desire to help out led to him agreeing to act as stand-in-rabbi for a service on a U.S. army base at Yongsan Jewish Chapel.

Seven years later, having traveled the country for the duty if required, his work there has only now come to an end as he leaves Korea.

But his efforts have been vital for the very small Jewish community here as services for them have been extremely limited.

“A few years ago the base was the only place where Jews could have services,” he explained, adding that since then, a rabbi from overseas came and set up a private synagogue.

Now he even knows of two Korean Jews, converted by military personnel.

Performing and attending the holiday, Passover and Friday night Sabbath services have provided him with a constant element in his life away from friends and family in the U.S.

“It connects you with your home. It reminds you that no matter where you go there are services and you can have faith and believe.”

Having contact with the military, which sometimes has a bad reputation, particularly among other expats in Korea, has reinforced Gussow’s belief that you shouldn’t stereotype or judge.

He explained that although some young men here away from home for the first time and able to drink (the legal drinking age in the U.S. is 21, but 19 in Korea) may get into trouble, without the uniform they are the same as young men all over the world ― they make mistakes.

Comparing the occasional misguided soldier with middle-aged women on the subway ― inferring that they are not all bad despite some being pushy ― Gussow joked, “I don’t want people to judge America by me either. Not all Americans are short, fat and ugly!”

The “59-and-a-half”-year-old has felt a keener sense of social responsibility as he’s grown older.

Despite having plenty to keep him busy, including hiking with his dog and traveling around Asia, he wanted to give back to the community ― his home for the last decade.

“Community is important to me. It’s a sense of giving back that which you have somehow received,” he said.

Giving back

Until recently he volunteered with the Seoul Global Center teaching disadvantaged children English, which he found highly rewarding. He commends Seoul for the many opportunities for volunteering available in the city, from helping out at pet shelters to feeding the homeless.

“We spend so much time with ‘me’ that spending a few minutes with ‘them’ is good. When you’re young you’re so busy wanting to build your own life, your own security and being secure in your job and your relationships etc that you really don’t look at much outside in the world.

“It’s as you feel more secure and you say, ‘I have it good but what about the person next to me that you start thinking about what it is I can do to help somebody else get to the place on the ladder where I am.”

For Gussow, his proudest achievement here is the progress of his students, who he calls the “apple of his eye.”

He has now worked at four universities here ― Yeosu National University, Chung Ang University, Catholic University of Korea and University of Suwon ― and remains in contact with many of his students.

He has taken great pride in educating pupils who he believes will be the leaders of the future.

“You have men and women who are about to become the leaders of corporations, becoming entrepreneurs, leaders in government, civic leaders ― you’re impacting them,” Gussow explained.

“What you teach and some of the things you get them thinking about will get them thinking about the future of the city, of the country ... they can even become secretary general of the U.N. like Ban Ki-moon.”

Although he had no prior teaching experience before coming to Korea ― he worked as a legal consultant in the U.S. ― Gussow’s happy, caring and endearing manner seem well suited to the profession.

“When I teach, students say ‘what book are we using?’ and I say ‘life doesn’t come with a book.’

“They understood what the message was and will tell me a few years later, ‘I wasn’t quite sure then but now I understand what you meant.”

A toast to friendship

A great passion of Gussow’s is toastmasters, a weekly group meeting to help develop public speaking and leadership skills. He was hooked from his first session in 2003.

“It was just so bright and friendly and warm. And I just thought ‘I’ve got to come back again.’”

A typical meeting consists of three elements: table topics; prepared speeches and evaluation. But the only pressure is what you put on yourself, he said. The environment itself is supportive and friendly.

“A lot of times you look forward (to toastmasters) as you do meeting a friend for coffee or something. It becomes very addictive.”

He also finds it a great way of meeting an eclectic mix of people.

“It gets me involved with Koreans, expats, men, women. It’s kind of like a rainbow. And it’s just a wonderful experience, networking, making friends, some of the speeches teach you about culture and ways of thinking.”

The club has grown 10-fold since he started: there were only three clubs then and there are now 33.

Still, Gussow believes it should be more popular.

“In the end you have more self-confidence. I’ve seen many young men and women within two or three years of toastmasters feel better about themselves.”

Koreans, he said, can also reap the added benefit of improving their English without paying expensive hagwon fees.

“I just think it is something every person should go and try.”

Although Gussow’s journey in Korea is drawing to a close, he promises to be back for the Yeosu Expo in 2012. A former student who he describes as “wonderful and gifted” is on the organizing team and he has helped her with much of the English-language content and editing.

“I said (to his student), I earned the front row honorary seat at the opening ceremony!”

He plans to keep in touch with the many friends he has made during his time here.
“Now I have a family that’s really global,” he said.

“I’ve been very lucky.”


Irving B. Gussow

•2002 -- English professor at Yeosu National University, South Jeolla Province

•2002-2003 -- Business English Instructor at ANS Human Resource Company in Seoul

•2003-2007 -- English professor at Chung Ang University, Seoul

•2003-2011 -- Became a member of Seoul Toastmasters

•2004-2011 -- Volunteer with Yongsan Jewish Chapel, including Passover Seders, Sabbath services, high holidays and newsletter

•2008-2010 -- English professor at University of Suwon, Business School, Gyeonggi Province

•2009-2010 Seoul Global Center, volunteer English teacher

•2011 -- Global English outreach at Catholic University of Korea

By Hannah Stuart-Leach  (hannahsl@heraldcorp.com)