White Monkey - Carlos Hughes

Darren Finnegan's life is sliding down the toilet, dumped by his first love on the eve of graduating with his sociology degree, with the looming prospect of long term unemployment or joining his dad on his bin lorry back home in Wigan. Darren stumbles upon the idea of teaching English in South Korea as the desperate answer to his prayers whilst searching for jobs online.

However, a seemingly good idea hatched from afar and cold, hard reality clash when Darren arrives in a town in the middle of the Korean countryside to work for his boss, the unrelenting and unforgiving Mr Kim, the self-made owner of 'Kim's Magic English School', a Vietnam Veteran topped with a white Stetson hat who seems to delight in making Darren's life a misery.

Add to the mix disruptive students, scheming, passive aggressive colleagues and all the trials and tribulations of culture shock and adjustment. This is the the story of Darren Finnegan, a British ESL teacher living and working in South Korea over the course of a year. A story that will resonate with the many thousands of expats who have tried their hand at living and teaching, many miles away from home.