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Korean Job Discussion Forums "The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
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otnemem
Joined: 23 Jul 2009
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Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2009 11:57 pm Post subject: |
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My girlfriend and I graduated in May, are American, and had no teaching experience or certification. We wanted a job in Seoul, but had to settle by taking a job in Goyang, on Line 3. We're only about 45 minutes from Hongdae, and 15 in the other direction towards Ilsan, so its not that bad. We work at the same kinder-elementary Hagwon, which in the first month and a half seems great, we like our boss, and all the Korean co-teachers are very nice and helpful. We do work a good amount of hours, but that seems pretty standard for the Hagwon gigs. We both live in a two bedroom apartment, which it more than big enough, probably twice the size of the apartment we moved from in NYC.
So, if I were you, I wouldn't give up hope, especially if you're willing to settle a little bit. |
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redhed
Joined: 05 Nov 2008
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 8:41 pm Post subject: |
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To any of you still out there looking, my school is looking for replacements for my girlfriend and I. The school is an elementary school in Songdo International City. There are a total of five western teachers in the school now. One EPIKer, two who work for an afterschool program, and then our English Center, which is a sort of hybrid. Our visas and contracts are with the school, and not with an outside company. The center is going through a change of leadership so it's difficult to answer questions as to the work environment of the future, but our experience with the school has been stellar. We have always been paid on time, our medical/insurance taken care of, and our overtime has always been paid in full and in a very fair fashion. They use an EPIK contract, so you get better vacation than many after school programs, but they also try to follow the EPIK pay scale. They are looking for two teachers, to start in early january. PM me if you want further details. |
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usafachief
Joined: 21 Nov 2009
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Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 1:20 pm Post subject: Unmarried couple still looking |
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Sophos and robjones, did you ever have any luck finding jobs together with shared housing? My girlfriend and I have been searching from the US for a while now, and Korvia, ESL Planet, ASK Now and others have said they cannot help us. Korvia mentioned trying to place us near each other and sharing one of our singles apartments, but we are not interested. Others said it's now nearly impossible to house unmarried couples together (starting this year, since public schools no longer allow it). ASK Now even said they could place her but not me because I'm half Asian (even though I'm a tall, tan, not very Asian-looking Asian), mainly because with the larger pool of applicants, schools can be much more picky and treat this like a movie casting call (their words). We're still contacting other recruiters and searching the job boards, but I was wondering if you had any updates in this new environment (I'm not interested in hearing from couples who got jobs so easily last year and so on, since things are so different now). Thanks, hope to hear you found something. |
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Koreanbear
Joined: 03 Nov 2009
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Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 5:28 pm Post subject: |
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Me and my girlfriend are in the midst of deciding whether to arrange our own accomodation and live together and take the 400Won housing allowance each (I understand that you can get a decent apartment for 800W a month)...
or....
If we should live apart and just accept whatever is given to us, hope its nice, close together and close to our respective jobs... wherever they will be.... (We know we both have Busan) |
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summer33ny
Joined: 10 Aug 2006
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Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 6:55 pm Post subject: |
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There are plenty of places looking for couples! The biggest thing working against you though is that you are looking into cities. And as far as I know, what you are saying is true and it is very difficult (or impossible) to be placed as a couple.
We live in rural Jeollanam-do and had absolutely no problems. The only teachers who stay for their entire contracts are the couples so of course they want them! Once we leave, they will be looking for a couple to move into our 3-bedroom apartment.
If you are an upper level candidate (i.e. have had teaching experience, a teacher's certification or an advanced degree) you should consider applying for our job. We were the first native speakers in our schools and had a fantastic year and loved our jobs. Of course be prepared to be amongst only a handful of other foreigners and 40 min away from the closest movie theater and e-mart. |
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Richmadethis
Joined: 21 Jun 2009
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Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 9:05 pm Post subject: |
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Hi,
Just thought I would mention my experience with GEPIK. My partner and I applied for jobs through GMSC recruiting, who I would recommend. Two positions were recommended for 'friends' ( at two schools) offering separate apartments. We wanted to live together, but we were told that as an unmarried couple we would not get an apartment together in GEPIK. The recruiter said it was likely we would get apartments in the same building. In the end, we got married before coming out, so our schools were fine to arrange a bigger apartment for both of us. I guess it comes down to finding two schools in the same area looking for teachers, and those schools willing to work together. |
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robjones1927
Joined: 16 Nov 2009
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Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 8:44 am Post subject: |
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usfachief,
just saw your message by chance as the is the first time i've been on this forum for a while.
we had absolutely no luck with public schools. as you probably already know GEPIK etc. don't house unmarried couples together and with no guarantee of being placed near each other we decided not to risk it. one recruiter did tell me that we would have more luck if we were applying for jobs after term had already started as we would know for sure where the schools were so maybe you should consider this.
i've just started looking again, this time for hagwon jobs, with a view to starting in May. it seems there are a few positions for couples around but as someone on here has already said you need to be flexible about where you'll go. so far we've been offered interviews for 2 places. when i did some reseach into the first one it turned out that the town was basically just a big US Army base - apparently where M*A*S*H was set - so turned it down. the second was in a really nice coastal town but they wanted one of us ASAP and the other in April so that was no good either. both asked for recent photos but not cvs (resumes to you yanks) so this seems to stack up with what everyone says about how korean schools review applications.
this probably isn't much help but at least it confirms what you already know.
p.s. it seems pretty crazy that being asian is a barrier to getting a job in asia! |
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stephorama
Joined: 19 Sep 2010
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Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 12:55 pm Post subject: |
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redhed wrote: |
To any of you still out there looking, my school is looking for replacements for my girlfriend and I. The school is an elementary school in Songdo International City. There are a total of five western teachers in the school now. One EPIKer, two who work for an afterschool program, and then our English Center, which is a sort of hybrid. Our visas and contracts are with the school, and not with an outside company. The center is going through a change of leadership so it's difficult to answer questions as to the work environment of the future, but our experience with the school has been stellar. We have always been paid on time, our medical/insurance taken care of, and our overtime has always been paid in full and in a very fair fashion. They use an EPIK contract, so you get better vacation than many after school programs, but they also try to follow the EPIK pay scale. They are looking for two teachers, to start in early january. PM me if you want further details. |
redhed, if you are still around would you mind telling me what school you were working for? I'm considering a position in Songdo. Don't have enough posts yet to PM or I would. |
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710
Joined: 05 May 2010
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stever1000
Joined: 10 Nov 2012 Location: Comox, BC
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Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2012 1:02 pm Post subject: |
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Does anyone have anymore recent information on this topic?
My girlfriend and I would like to live together (but we are not married - and no not plan to for several years) and we are having troubles with the EPIK application since there is so little control over the application process.
We don't mind working in different schools but would like to live together. I'm just looking for some concrete information to follow to make this less-stressful on us, and also to make it easier for us to find us both positions. |
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Tyshine
Joined: 04 Apr 2011
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Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2012 4:20 pm Post subject: |
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stever1000 wrote: |
Does anyone have anymore recent information on this topic?
My girlfriend and I would like to live together (but we are not married - and no not plan to for several years) and we are having troubles with the EPIK application since there is so little control over the application process.
We don't mind working in different schools but would like to live together. I'm just looking for some concrete information to follow to make this less-stressful on us, and also to make it easier for us to find us both positions. |
My girlfriend and I live together. Her apartment sits empty and she commutes an hour each way to my place everyday. Can you afford the key money? If so I recommend you each take the housing allowance.
Oh just don't tell them you live together. My school and landlord don't care, but some will. |
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roguefishfood
Joined: 21 May 2011
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Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2012 5:18 pm Post subject: |
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stever1000 wrote: |
Does anyone have anymore recent information on this topic?
My girlfriend and I would like to live together (but we are not married - and no not plan to for several years) and we are having troubles with the EPIK application since there is so little control over the application process.
We don't mind working in different schools but would like to live together. I'm just looking for some concrete information to follow to make this less-stressful on us, and also to make it easier for us to find us both positions. |
My fiance and I landed in Korea with EPIK last February. (We were not engaged at the time.) I agree with the previous posters that said APPLY EARLY. We had had a snafu with our previous application (late documents) and this time, we submitted docs so early we were literally numbers 1 and 2 accepted to Daegu -- you want to be basically the first at every stage, because it's generally first come first served.
As a result, despite being unmarried, I can actually see his school from the window of my school. I know married couples whose schools are farther apart, and whose apartments are smaller. His apartment is a six minute walk from my work. Granted our actual area stinks (up in Daegu's snorkel, chilgok) but the important stuff is all there and we can easily live together, which matters a lot more to us than proximity to clubs.
(Edit: Agreed also with the quietly not mentioning you live together. There's a good chance they'll figure it out anyway but if YOU don't say anything, they probably won't, so as not to have an uncomfortable conversation. His school found out and actually outright said they were fine with it, I suspect mine is aware and just ignores it. I believe I am getting renewed so that wasn't a problem.)
Be mega early and you're much more likely to be accommodated. |
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Tyshine
Joined: 04 Apr 2011
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Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2012 7:25 pm Post subject: |
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roguefishfood wrote: |
stever1000 wrote: |
Does anyone have anymore recent information on this topic?
My girlfriend and I would like to live together (but we are not married - and no not plan to for several years) and we are having troubles with the EPIK application since there is so little control over the application process.
We don't mind working in different schools but would like to live together. I'm just looking for some concrete information to follow to make this less-stressful on us, and also to make it easier for us to find us both positions. |
My fiance and I landed in Korea with EPIK last February. (We were not engaged at the time.) I agree with the previous posters that said APPLY EARLY. We had had a snafu with our previous application (late documents) and this time, we submitted docs so early we were literally numbers 1 and 2 accepted to Daegu -- you want to be basically the first at every stage, because it's generally first come first served.
As a result, despite being unmarried, I can actually see his school from the window of my school. I know married couples whose schools are farther apart, and whose apartments are smaller. His apartment is a six minute walk from my work. Granted our actual area stinks (up in Daegu's snorkel, chilgok) but the important stuff is all there and we can easily live together, which matters a lot more to us than proximity to clubs.
(Edit: Agreed also with the quietly not mentioning you live together. There's a good chance they'll figure it out anyway but if YOU don't say anything, they probably won't, so as not to have an uncomfortable conversation. His school found out and actually outright said they were fine with it, I suspect mine is aware and just ignores it. I believe I am getting renewed so that wasn't a problem.)
Be mega early and you're much more likely to be accommodated. |
Good advice getting documents early is important. We couldn't, and now are stuck far apart. I am in chilgok too btw. |
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valkerie
Joined: 02 Mar 2007 Location: Busan
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Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 4:48 am Post subject: |
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PM sent to OP re PS jobs for couples regardless of status. (For an area near Seoul that is outside of EPIK/GEPIK hiring.) If any other couples are looking please \pm me. |
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Seul
Joined: 09 Oct 2008 Location: Seoul
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Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 6:01 am Post subject: |
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One option is for one person to get the public school job first and opt for the housing allowance. Then once you see where you are placed, the other person can find a hagwon / after school job nearby. That way, you can live together and work not too far from each other.. |
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