Job Discussion Forums

[ronald_reagan]

I have been in contact with teachaway, and am getting ready to pull the trigger on one of these locations. I think that S. Korea has the better package, pay, flight, accommodations. However, a good lifestyle is also important. It looks like HCMC is cheap, both Korea and Vietnam have potential for saving $$$. What has better pace of life, more to do, cool places to grab a beer and hang out? People? Any feedback would be great! Thanks everyone.

[kurtz]

A question I'm asking myself right now that is easily answered if a job I'm lining up (not ESL) falls through, Vietnam!

Just read some of the posts, lots to do, beautiful scenery, took a holiday last year and loved it, can teach on tourist visa, if quit your job you can stay in the country.

Korea....blah! so over the joint, quit your job and you're out, boring boring boring place, did I mention it's boring? outside of Seoul, expect your local bar to be a neon lit concrete box, or a tent, expats in general are just pure geeks and freaks (OK some cool people), you have to put with with heaps of bullshit working at a public school in terms of Korean culture, hagwons are just so hit and miss, signing for a year is such a risk, there are so many no no's which you often find out the hard way working here, like don't tell your middle aged co-workers anything!!

For many people over time......Korea makes people bitter, just check out the Korean general discussion boards, how people complain about xenophobia, exchange rates, people are angry here and for good reason, because it really is so boring, everyone is the same here, I see no arty types, weird looking people, individualism is a dirty word here.

OK flight is a good deal, but leave before 6 months and you'll be paying that back, accommodation in many cases is a really cheap one room/bed sit, pay is OK but check out exchange rates especially if you're a yank, and general lifestyle...well, you can go out every night, eat out every night and still save but for me my time is nearly up.

If you're a newbie, Seoul can be fun, a lot of fun, booze, girls you name it but I'm over that scene so ignore the above if you will, you CAN have fun here but I want to leave before I get myself an avatar and become a regular on the Korea general discussion boards.

Vietnam for me though.

[ronald_reagan]

Thanks for the input. I do believe you make a good point. There seems to be a lot of negativity on the Korean board. I am not too intrigue by Korea. Southeast Asia interests me a lot, but as I stated, the package was what I was looking at. It seems that in Vietnam on can make the same amount of money, you just have to pay rent, but it seems cheap enough for a one bedroom bachelor pad. Thanks. Keep the input coming. I'm speaking on the phone with someone about Vietnam today...

[VN]

I agree with Col. Kurtz.
The money is great, same with the hours. The location is excellent if you want to travel SE Asia and cheap.
I was able to see almost every SE Asian country except Myanmar in about two years, and still had a savings, paid off some loans, ate great non-Vietnamese food whenever I wanted: OZ steaks, salmon....

However, the pollution can be hard, same same traffic! And the people can be thick-headed like the best of them. They love to take the piss, so just be able to laugh with them.

[ronald_reagan]

[YAMARI]

[Mr. Kalgukshi]

This is the Vietnam forum and discussions regarding living and teaching in Korea should take place on the Korean Job Forums. Separate registration is required.