Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Saxiif]

Well if I ever go back home I'm going to have to go back to school, but since I'm really sick of being a student ATM and its not as if I'd be able to get anything with remotely as good of a standard of living (and ability to pay off my $20,000 in college loans) as I have now with a BA in History, I'm happy where I am now.

Except for the goddam split shift

[raytownloc]

Butterfly, the majority of what you have said here regards money. You wish you had a better paying job. You want to warn everyone that there isn't a future in this career because you feel you have experience in what the career has to offer, money wise, and it "sucks" as you put it. It sounds like you aren't willing to put time and effort into making it a real career though. Why should you be able to go back home and get a good job? What can you do that most people back home can't? What are your marketable skills? Even with a decade of experience, why are you any different from the masses in Korea? If you could successfully answer that question, you wouldn't be here saying that "ESL sucks".

There are plenty of people who are successful in the field of ESL. It is a huge industry! At my alma matter, the UC at Berkeley, there are at least a dozen ESL teachers with just Master's degrees and a few who went on to their PHD's. You can bet that they all make a good coin, not because they got lucky and scored a good job in the States, but because they are accomplished in their field, and look at it as a career, not a free ride. If you don't believe me go here...

http://www-writing.berkeley.edu/summer/faculty.html

Read their biographies as success stories and for inspiration if you want to make this your career. Don't listen to Butterfly... my suspicion is that he is bitter about not having succeeded in this profession and is therefore convinced that you can't. But, I have only been doing it for eleven months and have decided to give it a go and make it my career, so I refuse to believe one bitter old guy on Dave's Cafe. Teaching is great, and I hope to continue to do it for a long time.

I don't think its too late for Butterfly or anyone, but I think some people have the wrong mindset. I think its important to invest in your future by getting the training, credentials, and experience that you need. A lot of people start out in Korea or Japan without any of those things (including myself), but you have to start somewhere.

I am thankful to Korea because I have almost a year working experience and a University teaching job for next year, where else could I be in that boat after just 11 months in the field?

I hope that in ten years my resume will look something like those on the Berkeley Faculty homepage. I realize that it will be a lot of hard work getting there, but hey, I will get to live all over the world and have great experiences, too.

And there is a dream that I am chasing... its to wake up one morning and realize that not only have I enjoyed teaching, but I will have received everything back that I have given in the form of time and effort. To have the kind of flexibility that most people could only dream of. To be able to find work not only across my home country but across the world. Not only in teaching, but in training, lecturing, writing educational materials, seminars, etc.

The people who tell you that you can't do it are usually the ones who have given up on their dreams, and subconsciously they want you to fail as well.

"What's the world's greatest lie? It's this: that at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what's happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate."

--Paolo Coehlo from the Alchemist

[shifty]

My son originally went to Taiwan for a year to bypass the immediate no job problem for a mere language graduate.

One year stretched to 5 or 6 now. In that time, the accompaning girlfriend was ditched, a Chinese lady and Chinese culture embraced in a kind of honeymoon infatuation.

Connections at home amongst friends and potential suitors have expired and the long period has marked him with a "that world" psyche, a kind of investment, if looked at hopefully.

It's a beguiling thing the EFL. Drift can asily ensue and you'll go home to find only divorcees with baggage aplenty.

It takes all kinds to make a world, but I'd exhort you to make plan, look to have a family and face the problems associated.

Hope I'm not that know it all alluded to in a previous post. I followed him to Taiwan and am now in Korea. It's easier for me o have clear goals.

[just because]

[waggo]

Butterfly should practise what he preaches but he hasnt got the guts.....

[fusionbarnone]

I, agree with you butterfly, for after only 3 years in this business with the same organization, it was a shock to see exactly how they(owners) viewed my contribution when handing in my notice (in order to attend a phd program) they were pissed pulling all stops. I was stunned for an entire weekend as I thought I had a good working relationship. Don't lose grip on reality I say. Superstar/legends in our own minds is played on and exploited if you fall for that cr@#$p.

[fusionbarnone]

BTW, I'm not dissin EFL teaching, just venting about getting a wake-up call as to the position I've found myself in. I only been involved in Nepal and Tonga(both voluntary) in regards to teaching besides Korea and hadn't been in a paid position until now. Contracts here seem continually open to interpretation that everyone feels qualified to define(lost 2 weeks pay that way once) and working relatinships (are harmonious) until you change(quit), friendships(do have many sincere ones) but when related to business are always about business (making/saving money). Got lost for a while.

[JennyJJ]

B-fly said, "EFL sucks" - but I have to disagree.

I love this career field. Korea is a particularly difficult posting, but so are a few other countries where I have worked - Saudi being just one of them. But because Saudi was a difficult culture to live and work in I didn't feel the industry sucked. It was also a great education and eye-opener.

I love teaching also. Every country is different - some more lucrative than others. Right, you'll never get rich as a teacher, but you'll save enough to make some investments and have something when you get old. And maybe your investments can make you rich?

Further education is the key. A BA/BS just won't do it. College and university level positions are the only way to go. Otherwise you will be forever bottom feeding.

If you teach as a lark - then get real - enjoy your lark then get home and get down to business.

How can EFL suck when my brother is coming to visit me during my two-month vacation and he has only two weeks off after about 40 years in his field - making good money but no rest?

A scattered reply - yes. But there has been so much thrown around on this issue. Become the best at what you do - whatever it is.

[the saint]

I think this thread proves that EFL is real teaching although some doubt that. Teaching is more of a calling than a job. You really have to love it to stick at it, improve yourself and make a difference in your students' lives. EFL is the same. I've stuck at it for over 7 years now and, like Jenny, love it.

[phaedrus]

I remember in university in Canada I studied languages, and for some reason there were language profs that taught me. I think they actually had "real" jobs.

I think there will always be a need for English teachers/professors as long as there are people whose native language is not English.

Teaching EFL, teaching computers, teaching literature, teaching history, teaching math- it's all teaching.

My problem with EFL is that I don't want to teach language basics, but instead literature and writing, so obviously I will "get out" of ESL/EFL.