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Matman
Joined: 02 Jun 2006
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 Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 2:32 pm Post subject: |
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I went from Korea to a teaching job in the UK which was OK because I had loads of paid vacation so I was able to take 3 longish holidays a year. That's a great benefit of working in civilised (i.e. non-US) western countries - plenty of paid vacation! I did more travelling in Asia when I was working in the UK than I ever did while I was working in Korea.
Now I'm coming back to Korea. I'd like to claim it's a "yearning to come back" but in reality I just screwed up and need the money! So my advice: get a grip! Korea is a stop-gap job for screw ups like me. If you have a decent job or job prospects in New Zealand stick with it. I'd kill for a decent job in New Zealand. |
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crazylemongirl
Joined: 23 Mar 2003
Location: almost there...
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| Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 5:46 pm Post subject: |
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Hey all posters thanks for all the nice thoughts. Just having a bad few weeks.
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| What doesn't add up about this? |
Well in my case, I could have found employment straight after university. But I really wanted to travel and enjoyed Korea so stayed on, probably longer than I should of. Most of my peers at school are doing quite well these days. I know if I had stayed, I would probably be where they are now, but I hate to think of the kind of person I'd be and what I would have missed out on if I had stayed back in New Zealand. The trouble I have now is that I'm trying to reconcile my former identity (which I didn't really like) with the person I am now. Also trying to connect with people with whom I find myself with very little in common with has been a challenge.
This probably would be a lot easier if I didn't have the scalpel of damocles hanging over me. I didn't just leave Korea to 'grow up and get a real job,' part of the reason I left was to get medical treatment. Unfourtantely for me, I'm now stuck in the public health system with no gurantees if or when I'll get treatment. Privately treatment will cost $17,000US, and no health insurer will cover it. My dad has a similar problem and waited over 18 months for treatment. As a result, I can't plan a vacation as I don't know when, or at this case if, my number will come up just merely adds to my frustration.
Just as an aside, if anyone wants to talk about the wonders of socialised medicine after seing Sicko, I suggest you try getting treatment for a chronic condition in NZ. |
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Bondgirl
Joined: 26 May 2007
Location: in my Aston Martin
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| Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 6:01 pm Post subject: |
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Hey, hope things are looking up.
About the Socialised medicine-
You said that no health insurer wants to cover you.
You said it will cost you $17000 privately.
The NZ health system WILL do it for free for you, but unfortunately you have to wait. What other option do you have if not to rely on a very good (I appreciate the wait time is frustrating) public health system? NZers are fortunate to have that possibility. |
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The_Conservative
Joined: 15 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 6:19 pm Post subject: |
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| bosintang wrote: |
| The Perfect Cup of Coffee wrote: |
| To hell with going back anytime soon. Going back is the safe boring thing to do that no one really wants to do but feel they must. Save going back for when it's time to take that long dirt nap. Enjoy the ride, it only goes around one time. |
Staying in Korea can be just as a safe, boring and ultimately unfulfilling routine as being stuck in a career you don't enjoy back home. It doesn't have to be one or the other.
Korea was an adventure for a year. Even two years. After that, well, it just became another doldrum life routine and I only stayed because it's so easy to stay because so little is expected of you here.
There will always be a job waiting and you can always return with a free airplane ticket and apartment waiting in hand. The trade off is you end up with crap jobs in a grey doldrum country, where you're treated like a outsider with nothing to offer the world except the English skills you were born with. |
If you have nothing to offer the world except the English skills you were born with...expect crap jobs wherever you are. And crap jobs make ANY country seem grey and doldrum |
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Damulgun
Joined: 11 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 10:43 pm Post subject: |
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Korea is just fun. America? I feel like I'm in prison who suppress my emotions and my being.
I need to leave American drug induced society. |
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bosintang
Joined: 01 Dec 2003
Location: In the pot with the rest of the mutts
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| Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 11:28 pm Post subject: |
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| The_Conservative wrote: |
If you have nothing to offer the world except the English skills you were born with...expect crap jobs wherever you are.
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I'm saying that's the way you're treated in Korea. "Oh you're so lucky you're a native speaker. It's so easy for you to get a job. I'm envious." How many times have you heard that? |
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bosintang
Joined: 01 Dec 2003
Location: In the pot with the rest of the mutts
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| Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 11:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Damulgun wrote: |
Korea is just fun. America? I feel like I'm in prison who suppress my emotions and my being.
I need to leave American drug induced society. |
Well, come home again. Or lay off the dope. |
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The evil penguin
Joined: 24 May 2003
Location: Doing something naughty near you.....
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 5:15 am Post subject: |
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| Mosley wrote: |
| Fair enough. But to ME it doesn't add up.... |
i don't understand your mathematic confusion....
CLG has done the overseas stint.... returned home and landed a job.... a good job. She's not a new graduate.... but has some pretty major experinces under her belt. If i was an employer I'd be far more impressed by someone like her with life experience and character than somebody straight out of uni who thinks they know it all but live in a sheltored bubble.
I'm confused. Are you questioning an employer hiring somebody for their character over somebody with newly issued bits of fancy paper.... or for the fact that CLG has found that satisfaction is not guarenteed by having a "good" job? |
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Fresh Prince
Joined: 05 Dec 2006
Location: The glorious nation of Korea
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 7:51 pm Post subject: |
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| Bondgirl wrote: |
Hey, hope things are looking up.
About the Socialised medicine-
You said that no health insurer wants to cover you.
You said it will cost you $17000 privately.
The NZ health system WILL do it for free for you, but unfortunately you have to wait. What other option do you have if not to rely on a very good (I appreciate the wait time is frustrating) public health system? NZers are fortunate to have that possibility. |
I agree with this. Seriously, in the U.S. if the health insurers won't cover you then your simply not going to get the problem fixed. Most people don't have loads of cash to pay for it out of pocket, and you'll need to come up with half the cash before the doctors will do any work in most cases. There is no free healthcare to fall back on if you can't afford it and hospitals in the U.S. are ccustomed to charging extremely high prices for things, such as $200 for a bandage.
I hope things are looking up too, but I would say your lucky to have that system in NZ as there are a lot of people in the U.S. that in your situation wouldn't get treatement. |
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