| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Czarjorge
Joined: 01 May 2007
Location: I now have the same moustache, and it is glorious.
|
 Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:04 am Post subject: Good books for newbies to read before they come over? |
 |
|
So, I finally got my passport and I'm about to apply for jobs. It's my last chance to neurotically gather all the information I can in an attempt to prevent any problems from arising while I'm in SK. (Yeah, I know that's impossible, I'm just a compulsive overplanner, it makes me feel more comfortable, even if it is a false comfort.)
I was a schmuck and purchased "Korea Calling: the Essential Handbook for Teaching English & Living in South Korea." This book is centered entirely around living in Seoul and the material is more than ten years old, and wildly out of date.
Does anyone know of any books or other websites that provide information on regions (Pusan specifically, and yes I've been to Pusanweb, it wasn't that helpful), teaching ESL, expat living in SK, or Korean culture?
An Amazon search, how I found 'Korea Calling,' brought up a couple possible options...
Korea - Culture Smart!: a quick guide to customs and etiquette (Culture Smart!)
Living In South Korea
Chopsticks and French Fries: How and Why to Teach English in South
Insight Guide Korea (Insight Guides) Korea
Anyone read these? Anyone know of anything else that was useful? |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
seoulsucker
Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Location: The Land of the Hesitant Cutoff
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:07 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Korea Unmasked (Rhie Won-bok) is a cool book that covers a lot of Korean history, as well as relationships with its neighbors and how this has molded the modern culture here. A lot of stuff made more sense to me once I finished the book. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
King Baeksu
Joined: 22 Oct 2006
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:11 am Post subject: |
|
|
| A Season in Hell |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
seoulsucker
Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Location: The Land of the Hesitant Cutoff
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:12 am Post subject: |
|
|
| King Baeksu wrote: |
| A Season in Hell |
I thought there were four seasons here!! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Dev
Joined: 18 Apr 2006
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:13 am Post subject: |
|
|
If you're an overplanner, you won't like the culture here.
In almost every instance, Koreans improvise. They don't plan anything, just make decisions along the way.
I've had them give me classes to teach just 5 - 10 minutes before the class actually starts. And I worked at a public school - not a private language school.
You have to be a "go with the flow" type person to function here. This is not a criticism. It's just the way things function here. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Czarjorge
Joined: 01 May 2007
Location: I now have the same moustache, and it is glorious.
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:15 am Post subject: |
|
|
| I am a go with the flow kind of person, when I'm in the flow. Right now I'm standing at the bank of the river, and I'm just checking to make sure I've got all my gear. I would hate to get 3 miles down the river and find out I forgot my undies. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
King Baeksu
Joined: 22 Oct 2006
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:15 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Heart of Darkness |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
King Baeksu
Joined: 22 Oct 2006
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:17 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Dead Souls |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
steroidmaximus
Joined: 27 Jan 2003
Location: GangWon-Do
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:19 am Post subject: |
|
|
Breen's "The Koreans" and Cuming's "Korea's Place in the Sun" are good starters along with the others mentioned above
ouch.
Last edited by steroidmaximus on Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:22 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
King Baeksu
Joined: 22 Oct 2006
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:20 am Post subject: |
|
|
| The Unbearable Lightness of Kimchi |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
CentralCali
Joined: 17 May 2007
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:21 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Prisoner of Wonderland. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
King Baeksu
Joined: 22 Oct 2006
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:24 am Post subject: |
|
|
| The Great Escape |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Dome Vans
Guest
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:27 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| Korea Unmasked (Rhie Won-bok) is a cool book that covers a lot of Korean history, as well as relationships with its neighbors and how this has molded the modern culture here. A lot of stuff made more sense to me once I finished the book |
Agree here with seoulsucker. Was given this book by a co-teacher a couple of days after I landed, put a lot of things into prespective, even if slightly comicky, a good sitting on the bog book. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
King Baeksu
Joined: 22 Oct 2006
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:27 am Post subject: |
|
|
| If I Did It |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
King Baeksu
Joined: 22 Oct 2006
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:32 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Eats, Sh1ts & Leaves |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
