Korean Job Discussion Forums

[demaratus]

I have been offered a job in a school in Busan. The school looks pretty nice, I have been told by someone I trust that the director is a nice and fair individual who speaks very good English. But there are two downsides. First the school is in Deokcheon, which I know nothing about, except it's not close to Haeundae or Somyeon (sp). And secondly that I would be the only Waeguk teaching there. This would not be my first expierience teaching but would be my first time in Korea and first time teaching in a school a the lone foriegner. Those who have expierience in this type of situation please share your expieriences.

Thanks,

Dem.

[caniff]

Chances are, you'd be better off. Koreans will know you're just off the boat. I expect they will be cool to you.

[Boreal]

I've just started off as the only foreign teacher at a public school right outside Gwangju in Gyeonggi. It can be quite rough at times.

On one hand, I think I've had more sympathy from teachers at school in regards to my utter cluelessness in Korea. On the other hand, I've met one other foreign teacher, and he's over in Hannam.

I'm really at a loss to find other foreign teachers. Sure, it helps me try to be less insular, but quite honestly, I'm dying to hang out with a few others who speak my native tongue.

It might be a bit easier for you, since you're actually in Busan, not a satellite city 30 minutes out. I highly suggest you make it a priority to find two or three people who are fluent in English, whether they're foreign or Korean. You will need someone to fall back on a few times, and it really helps when you meet someone who can at least understand you when you speak normally.

[Paddycakes]

Depends on the person.

Generally I'd say being the only foreigner is hell... spending all day with people who speak broken Englishee isn't fun. It can get very irritating very quickly.



However, if you want to learn Korean, then it would be a great situation.

[yesman]

I'm the only waegook at my school and it's both good and bad.

Bad:
1) Can be lonely not speaking with or seeing other foreigners everyday.

2) Very lonely.


Good:
1) I'm a rockstar at my hagwan because I'm "special". I also don't have my own classes, I merely rotate between the other K-teachers' classes to relieve them, so I often enter the room to applause. The job is cake.

2) My Korean, while hardly studying, has gone from non-existant to being one of the better foreign Korean speakers in my town.

3) I agree with the above statement that I think it's easier to get along with your Korean co-teachers and boss if you're the only one. I think there's more empathy towards me and plus if I suddenly leave they're screwed with their schedules until they find a new guy. So I feel like I have more leverage...

[mrsquirrel]

It's ok.

I just spent three weeks not speaking to anybody, it was fantastic. No English no Korean just me.

[Ya-ta Boy]

I've spent a total of 6 years working as the only foreigner. I didn't find it to be a bad experience. It was a lot of fun most of the time.

There is a rock-star phase, but that dies down and you get treated pretty normally. It's especially fun if you are the first foreigner they've been around. Keep your subscription to Dave's ESL up to date because there will be times when you need information that is specific to a foreigner living in Korea. Your co-workers won't know that information (mostly immi issues) and won't know much about how to get it.

You do need to be an independent person, even more so than other foreigners here. Korean holidays are family affairs and there isn't much to do during those days. Come equipped with hobbies you can do totally alone.

One major benefit of being the only foreigner is that you don't have to put up with the flakey 1/3 of foreigners. There are stresses to living in Korea as it is, but to have a weird co-worker to deal with adds an enormous strain. Even worse, there is a tendency for many Koreans to stereotype, and if you have a co-worker who is strange, many Koreans will assume you are the same.

I've gone as long as 3 months without seeing or speaking to another foreigner. It's not anywhere near as bad as it sounds.

[Jizzo T. Clown]

There have literally been days where I didn't speak a word. Most of the time I like being the only foreigner here, but sometimes I do want to hang out with folks, but when I do I'm so used to speaking with my coworkers, I come across as a social retard. Actually I don't care what other people think, and I think that's part of the problem (theirs, not mine).

What were we talking about again??

[atomic42]

I'm the only foreign teacher at my hagwon in Hwamyeong-dong, further afield than Deokcheon and wouldn't have it any other way. I can venture to the bars or clubs at PNU or Haeundae when necessary by either subway or taxi (~10-15KRW) but spend most nights at home.

I guess the questions is why are you coming to Korea? I came to make and save money and am accomplishing my mission.

[MarionG]

I'm the only westerner in my hogwan and the first native English speaker they've had.

I'm in Andong, and although there are other native English speakers, I only run into them occassionally.

It's been great so far!

[ceesgetdegrees]

[spliff]

[Yu_Bum_suk]

I love being the only foreigner at my school but I can see where a newbie might find it very difficult. Most teachers fresh off the plane to Korea who've come worked in my district as the only FT have found it more difficult, fromth those with whom I've spoken.

[mrsquirrel]

[VirginIslander]

It can be tough, especially your first year.

Now that Im in my second year and I know enough people from my previous job, then yes, I wouldn't have problem being the only foriegn teacher at my current school.

But, who will provide you training? Who will teach how to teach the book, how to teach writing, how to motivate students, how to make one page last 30 minutes, etc... When I arrived at my first school, my coworkers helped me out a lot and I did the same for the teachers that eventually replaced them.

However, my friend is the only foriegn teacher in a school in PNU. Although I formally studied Korean and he didnt, his Korean is much better.

And whats worse: Being alone or being with a bunch of foriegners you might like?

Roll the dice