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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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IncognitoHFX
Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon
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 Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 7:15 am Post subject: First time, going to Korea to teach. General questions. |
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So I'm going to Korea. I got the job a few months ago, I get my degree on the 25th of May and after that I'm expected to mail my degree off to Korea, my passport off to Montreal (I think) then they want me to be on a plane between the 7th-10th of June. I *think* I'll be arriving in Incheon (it seems to be the main airport) and I'm going to be teaching in Uiwang, a city in the Gyeonggi province.
The private school that is hiring me seems to be very reputable as I have a friend there now whose position I'm going to be taking. He has nothing but good things to say about the school and the area the school is located in.
Of course, having never left Canada before (I live in Nova Scotia) and having not traveled very far within Canada (I've been to the Maritimes and Ontario but never Toronto--the biggest city I've ever lived has been Halifax and the biggest I've seen has been Montreal) I'm naturally a little bit nervous about the trip. I'd have traveled a lot in my life had I been able to afford it.
I was just wondering what to expect. What are the most salient things I'll notice when I first arrive in Korea? What are some things I should prepare for? How far will $500 CDN get me, as thats what I'll be arriving with? What are some important things I should do during my first week there?
I've read a large sized book on Korea as well as doing a lot of research online, but I don't think I've had a first hand account of what Uiwang is like. Can anyone tell me?
I'm extremely excited but nervous at the same time. I know I've never traveled before but I'm extremely open-minded and I tend to do very well in situations where I have little control over what is going on around me.
Thanks! |
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Captain Courageous
Joined: 16 Jul 2006
Location: Bundang and loving it
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 8:33 am Post subject: |
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Why is South Korea so attractive to every Canadian on the planet?
Seriously, I wanna know. |
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IncognitoHFX
Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 8:41 am Post subject: |
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| Captain Courageous wrote: |
Why is South Korea so attractive to every Canadian on the planet?
Seriously, I wanna know. |
I've always wanted to go there, as long as I knew teaching in Korea was an option. I've been telling people that I'm going to go to Korea to teach when I finished my degree ever since I was in my first year of university.
I don't understand people who don't want to go to Asia at some point in their lives.
Last edited by IncognitoHFX on Tue May 08, 2007 8:42 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Woland
Joined: 10 May 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 8:41 am Post subject: |
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| Don't mail your degree to anyone. Get a notarized copy. |
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IncognitoHFX
Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 8:43 am Post subject: |
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| Woland wrote: |
| Don't mail your degree to anyone. Get a notarized copy. |
Why? They want my actual degree. My friend sent his over before he went and he had no problem with it. |
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wo buxihuan hanguoren
Joined: 18 Apr 2007
Location: Suyuskis
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 9:38 am Post subject: |
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| If Korea is the first country you go to in Asia, I guess you'll like it. |
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IncognitoHFX
Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 9:39 am Post subject: |
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| wo buxihuan hanguoren wrote: |
| If Korea is the first country you go to in Asia, I guess you'll like it. |
Heh, it's the first country I'm going to go to period.
| Captain Courageous wrote: |
Why is South Korea so attractive to every Canadian on the planet?
Seriously, I wanna know. |
You want to know the real reason (not so much for me but for everyone)?
Most Canadian undergrads are in debt somewhere between $20,000-40,000. In the Maritimes, especially Halifax, there are more university students per capita than pretty much anywhere in the entire world (we used to be the top but I'm not so sure anymore).
Anyway, the Maritimes are pretty poor for Canadian standards. If you graduate with a general BA, say in English, History, Philosophy (me), Psychology, you name it... you have absolutely no chance of making more than minimum wage (unless you get tips or work in a call center), and even then, you won't make nearly enough to make payments back on your loan.
After you graduate from university the first thing you'll probably want to do is travel. But unless you have rich parents, you probably won't be able to afford to and still make payments on your loan. So the best way to see the world and to actually make good money doing so while paying off your loan and doing a job that is pretty good, is to go to South Korea.
It just so happens that South Korea seems to be demanding more teachers than Japan, China, or anywhere else in Asia (practically the world for that matter). That's why so many Canadians go to South Korea.
Last edited by IncognitoHFX on Tue May 08, 2007 9:58 am; edited 2 times in total |
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ella
Joined: 17 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 9:53 am Post subject: |
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| Why? They want my actual degree. |
If you have to ask this, you haven't read enough, yet. Don't send your original. |
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IncognitoHFX
Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 9:57 am Post subject: |
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| ella wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Why? They want my actual degree. |
If you have to ask this, you haven't read enough, yet. Don't send your original. |
Well it would be nice if someone... you know, told me. Or linked me to an article. |
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blackjack
Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Location: anyang
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 1:29 pm Post subject: Re: First time, going to Korea to teach. General questions. |
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| IncognitoHFX wrote: |
How far will $500 CDN get me, as thats what I'll be arriving with? |
If you only have $500 for your first month then you will not be doing much. I hope you have a credit card as you will find it difficult to live.
until you learn where to shop and eat everything is going to cost twice as much. bring at least $1000, either cash or credit (visa/master)
Just think about this. You are going to a strange country, different language different every thing on the otherside of the world, why would you risk only bringing $500? |
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BS.Dos.
Joined: 29 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 1:42 pm Post subject: |
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Hey IncognitoHFX,
Just wanted to say hats off to you. For someone as young as you are, fresh out of uni and having not travelled before, I'd say you've got your feet pointing firmly in the right direction. Good for you.
Hope you enjoy the experience. I'm sure it'll pay dividends a bit further down the road. |
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W.T.Carl
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 1:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Another lamb to the slaughter. Come to Korea. You may do well if you are tough as nails with a taste for the bizarre, not to mention an open mind. Keep in mind it is their country and their culture, which may or may not conform to your sense of right and wrong. |
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drunkenfud
Joined: 08 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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Incognito
Regarding the degree. It's more normal to send a copy of your degree that has been validated by a public notary and stamped by your local Korean Embassy.
The reason for this, as anyone who has worked in a busy office in ANY country will attest, is that it would be very easy for your original certificate to get lost or accidently destroyed. It could also get lost or damaged in the mail, and although you might be able to get compensation this will take time. If this happens, you might find it difficult and/or expensive to get a replacement certificate. Whereas, if you still have the original and a couple of other copies you got notarised and stamped at the same time as the original... No problem! |
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swetepete
Joined: 01 Nov 2006
Location: a limp little burg
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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A bit more than 500 bucks would be advisable...you might ask your new bosses to front you some cash. I'd have a hard time living on 500 a month, even after being here a long time and knowing how to live on the cheap.
As for the diploma worries, I've sent my original off with no problems before. Other people have been burned by doing that. I don't know the specifics;go to the job related forum and dig around a bit, you'll get some horror stories probably. a notarized copy is a good idea.
I have no idea where uiwang or whatever is. Is that a city or what?
anyways, you'll have fun no doubt, but don't expect to have that much of it in your first month, not on 500 bucks...
Look at the contract CAREFULLY and make sure there's no hidden crap about money being with-held, or having to work for six weeks before getting paid or whatever. no doubt your friend's speaking truth about it being a good job but still you should be absolutely clear about everything before you take the trip.
Yeah, bring some extra cash if you can. You can eat cheap here, sure, but just sitting in your apartment all weekend is pretty boring, even if you are set up with a computer and books and friends who visit you. That's all you can do for 500 bucks; eat three squares a day and lay low. Lotsa nature hikes and maybe a couple cans of beer in front of the 7-11.
Best luck to you! I'm sure you'll be fine. Do be careful though with your first contract, eh--if it's not as good as it seems, it can make the first year a bit of a drag. |
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IncognitoHFX
Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 2:12 pm Post subject: |
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| swetepete wrote: |
A bit more than 500 bucks would be advisable...you might ask your new bosses to front you some cash. I'd have a hard time living on 500 a month, even after being here a long time and knowing how to live on the cheap.
As for the diploma worries, I've sent my original off with no problems before. Other people have been burned by doing that. I don't know the specifics;go to the job related forum and dig around a bit, you'll get some horror stories probably. a notarized copy is a good idea.
I have no idea where uiwang or whatever is. Is that a city or what?
anyways, you'll have fun no doubt, but don't expect to have that much of it in your first month, not on 500 bucks...
Look at the contract CAREFULLY and make sure there's no hidden crap about money being with-held, or having to work for six weeks before getting paid or whatever. no doubt your friend's speaking truth about it being a good job but still you should be absolutely clear about everything before you take the trip.
Yeah, bring some extra cash if you can. You can eat cheap here, sure, but just sitting in your apartment all weekend is pretty boring, even if you are set up with a computer and books and friends who visit you. That's all you can do for 500 bucks; eat three squares a day and lay low. Lotsa nature hikes and maybe a couple cans of beer in front of the 7-11.
Best luck to you! I'm sure you'll be fine. Do be careful though with your first contract, eh--if it's not as good as it seems, it can make the first year a bit of a drag. |
I should've mentioned that, regarding the $500, my apartment is completely furnished and I'll be given a laptop computer (of my choosing) that will come out of several months of pay. I asked the guy who I am replacing and he said the furnishing was all I'd need to start.
Erm, I don't drink or party much and I'll probably won't be invited to any social events in the first months considering I'm not going to know a single person when I go over there, so the $500 is probably going to go straight to food. I'd bring more than $500 but that's all I could muster. I sold a lot of things that I owned to get that amount, maybe if I work really hard I can get $600-700 together.
As for credit cards, they're all maxed out  |
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