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What do you wear teaching?
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merrilee



Joined: 13 May 2003
Location: South Korea

PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2003 8:22 am    Post subject: What do you wear teaching? Reply with quote

What is your typical dress code? And is it really impossible to get shoes in SoKo? What shoes do I need to bring with me?
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posco's trumpet



Joined: 20 Apr 2003
Location: Beneath the Underdog

PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2003 9:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote



Last edited by posco's trumpet on Sat Dec 06, 2003 7:10 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Bulsajo



Joined: 16 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2003 12:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dresscode:
Varies from place to place.

Shoes:
I had no problems getting shoes in Itaewon and Songtan (size 11), and often got them cheaper than I would've been able to in Canada- there ARE good deals to be had for men (don't know about the ladies). Also got custom made shoes for under $100 CDN.
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Squaffy



Joined: 25 Feb 2003
Location: All over the place

PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2003 12:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Depends where you're working - I have to wear shirt, tie, cufflinks, nice suit, nice shoes etc.

Others get away with looking like tramps (slacks, T shirts, trainers).

Itaewon has some good clothes stores - picked up a new Pierre Cardin suit there Shocked

Also seen some good shoe shops there.

Bul: you got bit feet man. I'm size 8 and have no problem finding shoes. And before anyone says - shoe size is proportional to ........ it's a myth (speaking from experience) Rolling Eyes
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K-in-C



Joined: 27 Mar 2003
Location: Heading somewhere

PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2003 2:00 pm    Post subject: Rats! What to wear? Reply with quote

merrilee...

Koreans claim that they have four seasons, these four seasons being similiar to the seasons in North America. So...as far as shoes go bring the shoes you'd wear at home. I f you hike, bring your boots. If you wear duck/boat shoes to splash around in the rain, bring them. If you wear heels on a night out on the town, bring them.

If you're above a North American size 7 then pack up on clothes. Most schools find dressy casual clothes to be suitable attire. A t-shirt with, "Party till you puke," on it would not be suitable attire in pretty well any school, anywhere. :(

A lot of Korean women really dress up even to go to Starbucks.

This is a great site for tips on life in Korea; however I would suggest that you also lookat some sites that offer articles on Koreans and life in the ROK. Reading the online version of the Korean Herald @www.koreanherald.com and the Korean Times will give you some insight into what is going on in SoKo.

Good luck,

Kate
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rudyflyer



Joined: 26 Feb 2003
Location: pacing the cage

PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2003 3:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

at my univ we have everything I wear golf shirts, dockers and nice tennis shoes (that because every other shoe is either too narrow across the toes giving me ingrown nails or the soles are too hard and I get shin splints), wife doesn't "dress up" but will wear a dress/jacket for example. Now as the weather warms up the other guys are starting to dress like me with a few ties. At the other end we have a female teacher who will wear sweats/jeans/t-shirts and generally look like she just came from the gym.

despite all of these varieties nobody from the admin has said anything to us, though I feel the Korean faculty doesn't seem to respect any of the foreign faculty here. But that may be a totally different issue

bottom line is you really need to check with your boss and go from there
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desultude



Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: Dangling my toes in the Persian Gulf

PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2003 4:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I simply cannot buy clothes here. I am in Taegu, I might have better luck in Seoul. I am a size 12 dress, size 10 shoes (woman's).

After finding myself in Mexico last year without enough shoes, I made sure I brought plenty to Korea. I have not found anything, aside from men's sports shoes, that comes close to fitting me. I am tall and not at all fat, but none of the female clothes fit me. I know that I can have things custom made, but that takes time and can be risky in terms of style and fit. I don't have enough summer clothes with me, but I am vacationing in Australia and will buy some there.

Bring enough clothes and shoes. If you get lucky and find clothes that both fit and that you like, great. A fellow teacher didn't, and she has a miserable time trying to look good.
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Samsung



Joined: 27 Apr 2003
Location: Seoul, Korea

PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2003 5:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Depends where you're working - I have to wear shirt, tie, cufflinks, nice suit, nice shoes etc.

Others get away with looking like tramps (slacks, T shirts, trainers).


"Depends where you're working" is very apt here - for a University gig then yes, the shirt and tie deal would be more appropriate than a kindergarten/elementary hagwon, don't you think?
I don't remember any teachers back home of elementary age kids turning up to school in suits.
Then again, I resent the implication that if I were to go to hagwon here in slacks and a t-shirt that I would be a "tramp". If my school are happy with it then I don't see how anyone can claim it's wrong. Just because it upsets you doesn't mean it's wrong.
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kimcheeking
Guest




PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2003 8:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I generally wear cotton slacks and a button up shirt, sometimes polo style in summer.

In the adult hogwan I worked at a few teachers were wearing ratty jeans and t-shirts or sweatshirts...I personally was appalled at thier lack of professionalism. Even teaching kids I wouldn't wear jeans with holes or sweat-shirts to class....

semi-professional is best. Wear a tie if you like. I always wear a tie on the first day of class and then periodically.
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crazylemongirl



Joined: 23 Mar 2003
Location: almost there...

PostPosted: Tue May 20, 2003 10:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you teach kindergarten I have some advice.

Don't wear dresses/skirts as they will use them as tents Embarassed

Also wear stuff that is easy to wash as you will end up looking like, well you spent a few hours with some 4 year olds really.

My school is pretty laid back about what I wear.. I follow my lead from other people in the school.

As for what to bring. I bought 6 pairs of shoes with me to the rock but then again, I'm a US size 10 and I have issues finding decent shoes in new zealand let alone here. It all depends on how big your feet are.

As for clothes, if your built like a ballet dancer you'll be in seventh heaven, if not you will have some problems. But you can get your clothes tailor made here for less than you pick up a similar item off the rack back home.

CLG
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itaewonguy



Joined: 25 Mar 2003

PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2003 2:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

what ever I want!!

now that sumer is coming, shorts, tshirts..
show my hairy legs and have the kids call me monkey! haaahahhaa
TUL TUL TUL~ Laughing
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whatthefunk



Joined: 21 Apr 2003
Location: Dont have a clue

PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2003 3:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My first day of work I showed up in a tie. For the next month I wore a nice shirt and pants without a tie. Now I wear a T-shirt and jeans. I imagine that by the time I leave I'll be in shorts and a Hawaii shirt. My hagwon is pretty laid back though.
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steroidmaximus



Joined: 27 Jan 2003
Location: GangWon-Do

PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2003 4:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If I'm having lunch in the cafeteria, or planning a trip to the library, or if it's a 'special' day, I'll wear a suit with tie, or collarless dress shirt with slacks. If I'm going to be hiding in my office and teaching night classes, almost whatever, but usually clothes like dockers and a nice top, but occasionally will slip in a pair of jeans and weekend t-shirt, just to shake things up in class. I've become more conservative (i.e. read nerd-like) in my dress since I got married.
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Zyzyfer



Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?

PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2003 5:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Speedos.
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Blue Flower



Joined: 23 Feb 2003
Location: The realisation that I only have to endure two more weeks in this filthy, perverted, nasty place!

PostPosted: Wed May 21, 2003 6:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Depends what look I'm going for. Today i wore white sleeveless top, black skirt with tulle petticoat, and bright pink stockings. Twas completed by my Wilma flintstone necklace, of huge white beads. Other days my trenchcoat, and a sack of lollies does the trick. As long as you dont look like a bum, you should be sweet.

And if you a larger than a toothpick - bring pants, skirts, shorts, etc. Yes you can get them tailor made, but it is easier bringing them with you. As for shoes, if you want to look like the wicked witch of the west, buy them over here, otherwise bring them with you. And if you like jandals, bring some, because they cost 29,000 won, over here, which is absolutely ridiculous.

Also bring bras, if you are an A cup, you will be sweet, otherwise, bring a suitcase full, ditto undies. Socks are cheap, and there are all sorts of kick ass socks, so dont worry bout them.
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