Have you ever caught yourself staring out the window, wondering what it would be like to live and work in another country? If you’ve ever dreamed of becoming an expat or a global corporate pioneer, you are in the right place.
Today, I want to share my personal story—how a regular guy who wasn’t even at the top of his class ended up spending 20 years traveling the world with his family, working across countries like the UK, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the US.
1. The Golden Ticket: My First Opportunity for working abroad
Let me be completely honest with you. Back in my school days, I was never what you would call a “straight-A student.” I didn’t naturally ace every subject, but there was one big exception: English.
I absolutely loved English. Because of that passion, I managed to stay in the top 10% of my class, and even throughout univisity, I rarely let an English book out of my sight. Back then, study materials were pretty scarce. I focused heavily on listening and reading, which meant my speaking and writing skills were honestly a bit clumsy. But my passion? That was 100% real.
And guess what? Opportunity knocked much sooner than I ever expected.
My very first job was at the Technical Center of Daewoo Motor company. Not long after I joined, the company acquired a car design center in the UK and announced they were looking for junior engineers to send overseas for training. I was a rookie employee—I hadn’t even been with the company for a full year!
But I had one secret weapon: a TOEIC score that I had consistently kept up to date.
Out of the eight people on my team, that single score threw the doors wide open for me. I was incredibly lucky to be chosen for a 6-month technical training program in the United Kingdom.
Those six months completely turned my life upside down. Diving into a totally unfamiliar culture, navigating a foreign language, and living in a brand-new space rewrote my DNA. The positive energy and confidence I gained during that short time became the ultimate fuel for the next 20 years of my life, driving my family and me to explore and work in China, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the United States.
2. Preparing for the Leap: Master Your English First when working abroad
If you want to become an expatriate, English isn’t just a flashy line on your resume. It is your basic survival gear when working abroad.
Opportunities have a habit of showing up unannounced, usually when you least expect them. That’s why you need to keep your tools sharp. Make sure you get your official language certificates sorted out right now through steady, daily study.
A Quick Tip from Experience: Don’t stress too much about learning the local language of your destination country right now. You can always bump into the locals and pick it up naturally once you land. For now, pour 100% of your energy into English—the global standard.
Looking back at my days as a rookie corporate employee, finding good English resources was like searching for water in a desert. I used to listen to VOA (Voice of America) on a crackly radio every single morning. I would rent VHS tapes of Hollywood movies and watch them dozens of times until the tape literally wore out.
But things are completely different for you. The world has changed.
Right now, you are holding a supercomputer in your hand. With just your smartphone, YouTube, and ChatGPT, you can experience a high-quality language immersion program anytime, anywhere, completely for free. Use this incredible technology to practice real-world conversations. The world out there is massive, and it is quietly waiting for someone who is prepared.
3. The Secret Weapon: Learn Business Innovation Tools when working abroad
If you are aiming to be sent to a global company—especially if it involves manufacturing plants or supply chains—there is something just as critical as learning the language: mastering Innovation Tools.
When you are working abroad, professional skills like VSM (Value Stream Mapping) or Lean Six Sigma become your second language. These operational skill sets are incredibly powerful because they cross cultural boundaries. Even if your English isn’t perfect, showing up with data and a clear framework instantly proves your worth to any global team.
Being a true professional is an absolute must for a global leader. Don’t just point out problems and walk away. Instead, use these analytical tools to dive deep, find the root cause, and present a rock-solid solution.
That is exactly where your boss’s trust begins. Coming equipped with the right innovation tools will transform your time abroad from a simple work assignment into a resounding record of success.
4. Bringing the Family Along: The Best Decision I Ever Made
When it came to moving overseas, I had one non-negotiable rule in my life: “Family must always stay together.”
Of course, packing up our lives and moving to an unfamiliar part of China holding the hands of my 9-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter was far from easy. There were nights of worry and moments of pure exhaustion.
But looking back, that massive challenge was the greatest foundation I could have ever given my kids. It allowed them to step onto the grand stage of international schools, see the world through a wider lens, and grow up into truly global citizens.
Leaning on each other in a strange land forged an unbreakable bond within our family. That deep connection was the very anchor that kept us grounded and thriving through two decades of living abroad.
Today, those two little kids have grown up beautifully. They now speak Korean, English, and Chinese smoothly at a native speaker level. Spending those years together as a family was easily the best choice I have ever made in my entire life, and it remains the greatest gift I could have ever given to my children.
Real Life Begins Right Outside Your Comfort Zone
Feeling terrified of a brand-new environment is completely natural. It just means you are human. But it is only when you step over that wall of fear that your life’s horizon truly expands.
Thirty years ago, I boarded a flight to the UK with nothing but a heart full of vague anticipation. Looking back now, those 20 years of working overseas weren’t just about changing my physical address on a map. It was the ultimate training ground—a place where I was constantly pushed to redefine, sharpen, and reinvent myself amidst nonstop change.
Today, Korea’s global presence and reputation are higher than ever before. This means your journey abroad will likely be much richer, smoother, and far more rewarding than mine ever was.
Are you still hesitating at the edge? Take a moment to sit with these beautiful words from some of history’s greatest minds. I truly hope you find the courage to take the leap. I am cheering for you and the incredible, expansive life that is waiting for you just on the other side of that door!
💡 Words of Wisdom to Take with You
On Facing Your Fears
“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.” — Ambrose Redmoon
On Staying Hungry and Avoid Comfort Traps
“A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are built for.” — John A. Shedd
On the Value of New Beginnings
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” — Mark Twain
On the Principle of Growth
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.” — Charles Darwin
For more insights on manufacturing excellence and strategic transformation, read more post below.
A Factory Turnaround Case Study: Turning Deficit into Profit in China
Factory Turnaround Strategy in Vietnam
3 Lessons the Flea Experiment Teaches Us About Success
Discover more from mfginsights.net
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.