Korean Job Discussion Forums

Ned · Joined: 09 Jan 2007

Is there anyone out there who has worked in both Indonesia and Korea? How would you compare living and working in Korea to living and working in Indonesia? Cheers...

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

I haven't worked in Indonesia, but my friend really enjoyed it. There's more jobs, more money and less threats from bombs in Korea.

MissSeoul · Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Location: Somewhere in America

aldershot · Joined: 17 Jul 2006

surf in indo is wild. EF schools abound down there and they're all crap money, about 700$ a month. if you don't care about money, indo's an awesomely diverse place to live. don't live in jakarta though, you'll lose your mind.

i prefer to live and work in korea and take 4 month vacations to java. that's the life.... mmmm....

Demonicat · Joined: 18 Nov 2004 Location: Suwon

I just left indonesia last month. I worked there for 7 months, and in Korea for 2 years. Indonesia (outside of Bali) is a hellish evil place filled with corruption, backstabbing, and desperation. Those who suggest how great it is have probably been there on vacation if at all. DO NOT WORK THERE.

Delirium's Brother · Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 5:53 am Post subject:

I've lived and worked in Indonesia for a year... Indonesian bureacracy is at least 3 or 4 orders of magnitude more byzantine than Korean bureacracy. And don't think that you are safe from bombs in Indonesia. They're just not nuclear is all.

If you are planning on living in Indonesia, you better be a self-reliant, seasoned expat.

Korea is SOFT, Indonesia is HARD.

Others might disagree with me; but I am talking about living there; not just visiting.

Rockwell Bergstrom · Joined: 21 Jul 2006

I worked in Indonesia for almost two years. I've been in Korea on and off for a while.

It depends where you would be in terms of what kind of experience you would have. Some might say that the same is true of Korea, but I would beg to differ. Korea is made up of one culture and Indonesia has over 300 different cultures. Jakarta is one kind of experience, Java can be a hundred different kinds of experiences and Sumatra more still. Sulawesi and Kalimantan, well...

If I were you I would go for a year but expect it to be a tough year. You will not make much money ($700 is probably right) and as another poster said, there are bombs, not to mention other types of crime as well (do not ride the buses in Jakarta and only take Blue Bird Taxis).

If I had to sum Indonesia up in one word it would be, intense (as in coming at you from a hundred directions).

I second what someone else said about the corruption and bureaucracy.

If you haven't been in Korea too long, it might not be too hard of an adjustment. If you've been here a while, it makes Korea seem like a walk in the park.

Delirium's Brother · Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 9:27 am Post subject:

jinju · Joined: 22 Jan 2006

jaganath69 · Joined: 17 Jul 2003

I'd choose Korea for the money, Indonesia for everything else. Jakarta is a city with a soul. Korea doesn't seem to have anything approaching it, IMHO.

Demonicat · Joined: 18 Nov 2004 Location: Suwon

What soul does Jakarta have?

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

Miss Seoul

Ned · Joined: 09 Jan 2007

I appreciate all your comments and wonder if some of them may alter your opinion if I tell you I am thinking of teaching at a reputable language school in Bandung. Have any of you taught in Bandung?

Cheers,
Ned

jaganath69 · Joined: 17 Jul 2003

jaganath69 · Joined: 17 Jul 2003