Job Discussion Forums

[kitelophone]

teacha, i find it hard to believe you are in korea!

i've been here since september 05, having spent three years in japan, 1 in vietnam, china and myanmar, and i find korea very safe. sure, drunken koreans may look menacing, but only moron foreigners (and jarheads) get into fights with them (which there are plenty o' moron weigooks here).

korea does have its share of ripoff schools, and maybe the worst rep in TESL but there are literally thousands of jobs here so bound to be a few bad apples.

i drive a car daily, and sure they drive like complete aholes but that's common in many parts of the world.

i still say it's one of the safest countries on the planet, MUCH MUCH safer than your good ol' United States of Fascism.

[Serious_Fun]

[chopstix]

just want to add my two bits. I have lived and worked in both places-curently still in Taiwan. I am at a bilingual school and am a highschool teacher back home so can't comment on the experience of working at a bushiban or hagwan as they say in Korea. I was doing extremely well in Korea- living in Seoul Gagnam making HUGE dollars- 5000 US a month at times. I had an active social life and some good friends..........and then after repeatedly telling he company I worked for that they ahd to get me a proper visa the call came from immigration friday appointment. I wnet and they took my cell phone dialed some numbers said they wanted to know about my work exp. and end result 4 days in the pen, 2200 Us fine and 10 day exit order. I left friends, crazy cash and three gals I was dating who were lots of fun to hang with. I have been here for eleven months now and feel I can make some comparisons INHO of course.

if you want to just make money- big money if you go over on a tourist visa as a canadian and then get a private schedule and go out of country every 6 months you can start with little effort at 2500 US a month housing etc your responsiblity and they sometimes require 4000 US deposit. or you room with someone for a while and build some bank. the higher monthly amounts well I made 5500 US as a best month, friends were doing 6-7 and the highest guy I knew was around 8- working 6 days a week though and 70 privates in total and knew Korean. WOMEN- i have some experienc have lived in many places in the world and been all around asia- Korean are hottest and most xenophobic- Taiwan/Singapore second Japan third. however sexiest dressers DEFINITELY Japan!! FOOD- Korean food kicks ass after you get a pallete for it- I love Kimchi- initially the smell made me want to vomit! Taiwan food is greasy, fried and meat is even more expensive than Korean Kalbi. (beef that is) SOCIAL LIFE/ENTERTAINMENT- I loved Hongdae and Itaewon in Korea and went too often^^single and enjoying life as a minority and the girls ar hot.....then i came here and went out- pretty average (I am not in Taipei but a small town outside. ....then I went to Taipie one word WOW! damn sexy girls, clothing style is that of an informed big city fashion center....and the clubs KICK ASS and I have been to MANY in SEOUL and too often. no comparison an M2 in Seoul or Appeujong club versus LUXY or Carnegie or PLUSH. Concerts- better. and party favors are ample here- you don't even consider smth like that in Seoul. WEATHER- not even a contest Taiwan hands down- I am getting soft but -25 degree windchill because of a SIberian weather shift SUCKED! POLLUTION-is there a sun in SEOUL? sometimes I would be boiling outside there but the damn sun was blocked by smog- Taipei is close to ocean=winds and spreading out of pollution- still like a big city but better. OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE- I am a certified teacher and will never teach in a language school again - not because I am above that but because I am teacher who wants subject teaching experience and I just prefer it 1000 x more. from what I have been told money here is around 55000 for the uniformed signing through a recruiter to 80,000 if working MANY hours. my salary is geat for Taiwan but I am making half of what I was in Korea. buddies send home 15000 Can every 5 months in Korea......I make my loan payments and save little(I am a spender and saved littel in Krea as well living the high life paying 900 Can a month rent) TO SUM IT UP- TAIWAN WITHOUT A DOUBT IS WAY BETTER IF MONEY IS NOT YOUR SOLE PRIORITY IF IT IS GO TO SEOUL PM ME IF YOU WANT SOME CONTACTS)

I am far happier in taiwan and am resigning soon and thinking a few years could easily slip by and lets be honest to speak Chinese over KOrean isn't even a comparison. that said i left good times good friends who are coming to visit and one is stayingto subject teach instead of make 4000 Can saying SEE SPOT SIT ON A STICK.

just my two bits had to get it out^^