Job Discussion Forums

Tres Belle · Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 11

I believe there are quite a few ESLers have moved from Korea to Japan due to various reasons. I am interested in knowing if you guys are regretting about your decisions??? Since I know there are a lot of cultural similarities between Japan and Korea. Moreover, Japan offers lower salaries, smaller housing and more expensive living costs comparing with Korea.
Any honest comments will be appreciated!

Berzerker · Joined: 03 May 2007 Posts: 28

I'm about to go from Korea to Japan... and I'm hoping:

a. I don't hear someone hacking up a loogie every 20 minutes.

b. I don't get waken up every single morning by a man with a megaphone driving a watermelon truck right outside my apartment at 7:00 a.m.

c. People have somewhat of an understanding of what a lineup is (I'm not crossing my fingers on this one).

I'll take the pay cut happily if this is the case.

southofreality · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 579 Location: Tokyo

Berzerker · Joined: 03 May 2007 Posts: 28

AndyH · Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 417

If there's one thing in life I've never regretted, it's the move i made from Korea to Japan...saved my sanity.
And yeah, the cost of living was higher, but I probably would have gotten ripped off by my Korean boss if I had stayed there, so I probably came out ahead in that matter. Plus, the quality of life I had in Japan was definitely worth having to pay rent, my own way home, and highter food & beer prices.

ohahakehte · Joined: 25 Aug 2003 Posts: 128 Location: japan

i was in korea for a year and then came to japan and have been here for 2 years. i saved more money in korea but im having a lot more fun in japan and im much happier here. i was always stressed out in korea and had regular headaches and stomach aches....probably from a combination of the food, the nonstop crazy job and the general insanity of the country.

though i gotta say that one thing korea has over japan is a more professional job situation (in my opinion). i know that theres a lot of serious corruption with korean schools but i probably lucked out with the one i was with in seoul. the job in japan is often unsatisfying. compared to koreans japanese students are really demotivated to learn english and quite apathetic. koreans absorb english fast and they know how to study. in korea i felt like the school was judging me as a teacher but in japan i feel like im being judged as an entertainer.

but its really a toss-up. the low-intensity of the job in japan is unstimulating and can be very boring. the high-intensity of the job in korea was exciting at times but it wasnt worth always being stressed out and unhealthy.