Korean Job Discussion Forums

littleredpurse · Joined: 15 Jun 2007

I am a newbie and I might have a job in Pohang, in a preparatory school. Good salary, but looks isolated. Any insights from those who have visited or taught there? I originally wanted to go to Seoul because of....hm... dancing... yeah....

Yesterday · Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 1:06 pm Post subject:

WHY NOT try using the search function....

you might find the "Pohang" topic has been discussed many times -

example - http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=8763&highlight=pohang

(personally - I would steer clear of Pohang....)

cbclark4 · Joined: 20 Aug 2006 Location: Masan

Yes take it. Pohang is a pearl.

desperation · Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 7:49 pm Post subject:

Don't do it, he's being an A-hole. I was interviewed probably for the job you are thinking about, just tonight. First of all, the situation is ridiculous, no students, no school YET.....the director told me how lame pohang was, very isolated and rural. She was very honest about it.

oldfatfarang · Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: On the road to somewhere.

DON'T GO THERE. Koreans in Pohang are nice and polite (well almost all of them). And so are the students. But 2 years in this hick town nearly killed me. I just couldn't get used to the unrelenting 'staring' and 'shyness' of the locals. That is, being stared at EVERY DAY on the way to school - and people RUNNING AWAY from me when I said 'Hi' on the street. It near drove me crazy - and all my friends who did runners. Good luck in Pohang.

Alias · Joined: 24 Jan 2003

If you are only staying for 1 year it will be fine. A beautiful location. Don't worry about people staring. They don't mean anything by it. Cool

oldfatfarang · Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: On the road to somewhere.

I can't agree about the staring. I lived in a dong right on the edge of Pohang. I minute to rice fields - 1 minute to very old or new housing developments. I guess I lived in a really poor redneck area (but Pohang's a redneck steel town).

The staring was REALLY BAD - even though I was dressed neatly. The 40 year old men were the worst - the adjumas just ignored me. Those men - and taxi drivers just used to stare me down every day I walked past them. They'd stop talking - and then stare as I walked past. At EVERY traffic light I'd see people in cars staring at me (if I was dumb enough to look up). The staring was so bad that on some days I used to walk over the mountains to school - just to avoid being stared at like that.

I'm not unusual looking - by any standards. Nobody stares at me now I'm in Seoul. I'm just me.

The only other places I've been stared at like that was by loinclothed Africans (Jade Sea Desert near Somalia border) and in the Amazon Jungle (loinclothed Indians who hadn't seen a white woman before (my partner).

What I'm saying is: Pohang is a tough wee spot. You've been warned.

desperation · Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 9:40 pm Post subject:

And never, ever listen to cbclark4 about anything. People like him ruin people's lives with his oppositional trolling. You got the truth here, move on it.

bluelake · Joined: 01 Dec 2005

I live and teach in Pohang; I've been in the area of Kyongju and Pohang for many years. I enjoy the relative seclusion. If I need a day in a big city, I can head to Taegu, Pusan, or Ulsan with no trouble.

cbclark4 · Joined: 20 Aug 2006 Location: Masan

Pohang is a pearl.

http://eng.ipohang.org/

I have no information on the school in question.

The city is nice.

It's not Seoul and it's not large.

It is a Pearl, not a Diamond and not a Saphire nor an Emerald just a Pearl.

thegadfly · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

Pohang isn't a hick town anymore. It isn't Seoul, but it isn't BFE. The reputation it has was earned years ago, and is being repeated by folks that have never been there (here). I heard it was crap, too...it isn't. It is actually a very nice mix of city and countryside...not a metropolis.

I have a good gig here, and that probably colors my opinion, but I think it is easier to FIND a good gig here, BECAUSE Pohang is off the beaten track, so it has to offer a little bit of a better deal to get folks out here, and schools may treat you a little better because it is harder to replace you than in Seoul....

jaganath69 · Joined: 17 Jul 2003

I was down there recently for a few days, not long enough to form an opinion. What are the beaches like in that town?

nateium · Joined: 21 Aug 2006 Location: Seoul

My God. Don't go there. I did one year there, and now I'm in Seoul. My life here is so much better I don't even want to think about the time I wasted there.

nateium · Joined: 21 Aug 2006 Location: Seoul

Crowzone · Joined: 31 Jul 2006

Pohang is okay.

It isn't Rural, that's for sure so don't listen to anyone who would tell you its not a city.

That said, it isn't a huge city and foreigners are more rare here then any of the bigger cities.

I get stared at. I noticed it more when I first got here. Much more then in Daegu.

It isn't bad. It isn't great. I don't need a super active nightlife to survive so that helps.

I guess what I would say is, It isn't HORRIBLE, but it isn't great either.

Pohang is the kind of place that you can really say "it will be what you make of it".