Korean Job Discussion Forums

demi · Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Location: London

Warning! Some of you may find this article depressing.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/main.jhtml?xml=/education/2004/01/17/teftefl17.xml&page=1

Treefarmer · Joined: 29 May 2007

doesn't apply to us tho, we get paid loads, plus free rent. would i *beep* work in europe for a hagwon tho, i would work there for a good school, but that article is not really much like my life. it sounds like the 'journalist' is some washed up alkie transposing their life onto everyone who teaches english

VanIslander · Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 8:05 am Post subject:

Some may find the article depressing but others will scoff at the hand-to-mouth existence description as inapplicable to the Korean context, as is the begging friends for a place to stay and living in squalor. And some may gaffaw at another's settling for and critique of a third-rate certificate simply because one's ego was bruised at the matter-of-fact professionalism ("we'll consider your application") of the staff of the second rate (IH) certificate program when applying with a high-fallutin' degree and the attitude that one is better than them to begin with. Depressing? It's obvious that the article writer was only fit from the start for a one-year fun overseas stint in english language teaching.

hubba bubba · Joined: 24 Oct 2006

pshaw!!!

I laugh at the foolishness.

I only read the first page, but the writer sounds like one of the whiney noobs here in SK. If you don't like it, for *beep*'s sake, move on!!!

Surely there are loads of people teaching in Europe that are enjoying it. This guy is the Steve Schwartz of Italy...

beachbumNC · Joined: 30 May 2007 Location: Gumi

that dude's a punk. what's wrong with living abroad and meeting pretty foreign girls? Smile

kangnam mafioso · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Location: Teheranno

i liked the article ... his descriptions were hilarious. it's a shame the european language schools don't pay more and give you free housing - i'd be over there in a heart beat. i don't see how anyone could do that for any extended amount of time. you would be much better off working for an international school, a university, or getting on with a "proper" school rather than a european hogwan.

c'est la vie ...

hubba bubba · Joined: 24 Oct 2006

I was looking for a way to email that guy.

Wonder how many people he knows have 42inchee plasma tvs.

da_moler · Joined: 11 Nov 2006

It's true that the financial situation is much better in Korea, but isn't that just because they have to pay more just to get people to come and live here?

The main problem with the EFL industry is that the teaching 'methodology' is so basic that anybody could do it, so if you are an EFL teacher, then you are nothing special at all, in Asia, Europe or anywhere else.

tigerbluekitty · Joined: 19 Apr 2007

This article isn't really depressing.. For some reason I sense alot of venom and jealousy from the writer who probably decided to stay home in a grueling job with a cruddy salary while his friends ran off to better-paying, laid-back, teaching jobs abroad.

the eye · Joined: 29 Jan 2004

Not vexed here.

passport220 · Joined: 14 Jun 2006 Location: Gyeongsangbuk-do province

I remain un vexed. Europe is a different market. If you want good pay and security you should know the European market is not for you. In fact I think most ESL teachers are well aware of that. The writer is just trying to stir up some faux drama for his story.