Korean Job Discussion Forums

[DaffyD73]

Hi Just wondering on if there is a relationship between bad accomodation/Good accomodation in relation to whether you go Hogwon, Private School, Public School. You are going to live in your space for a while so has this ever been the main reason for 1) not renewing or 2) not lasting the year?

[PGF]

Not having heat in January led to a lot of problems with my school. I finally got moved to a nice place with all new appliances in July, BUT when it came time to resign, I remembered those cold cold winter months without proper heating and the one time my pay was a day late and decided against it ....

Before I signed with the second hagwon, I went out and found a big officetel on my own and asked that I be moved there. It was agreed and I signed. Living arrangements, for me, are number two on the priority list- right behind getting paid on time.

[DaffyD73]

i'm a newbie and i messed up the poll sorrrrrry.
You got them to change how long did that process take? easy to convince them?

[PGF]

6.5 months.

I was in the smallest, crappiest crap hole around here......

But, it's not easy to get them to change. If it's a crap hole, you'll more than likely be stuck until you leave.....

[DaffyD73]

So PGF wsa it hogwon/Acadamy , Private School or Public School?

[sojourner1]

I arrived here the 1st of last January to a tiny roof top apartment with no heat and no air ventilation to prevent mold. My director did move me during February to a better place one Sunday afternoon.

My second accommodation has been fine up until when it began to get cold 3 weeks ago. This is when my land lady started turning the hot water off at 7PM while upping my water bill by 8,000 Won! And the ondol doesn't work at night, while it cranking heat at lunch time despite having my control off. The ondol control gives me no control over the actual heating element. The old land lady would have that one. I don't complain since I am at the end of my contract and it's best to choose more important battles, if necessary.

My not resigning for another year at my hagwon has nothing to do with my accommodations as it doesn't take much accommodation to keep me going as I am just relieved to have a place to hang my hat. It has to do with the school being a business and the associated uncertain financial risks this brings. Too damned much anxiety to the point I can't sleep at night and sometimes think my heart is fouling up at times during late night panic attacks. The work culture in hagwon induces anxiety on me that I am bringing home, despite my every attempt to manage it. It is pissing me off that I just toss and turn and fear for my life on many late nights, particularly in the last part of my contract. No problems on weekends and holidays.

No more hagwon academies for me; too much anxiety involved.

[PGF]

[cdninkorea]

[OiGirl]

Why don't you take care of your own accommodations?

[thegadfly]

I haven't left a job because of bad accommodations, but I think part of my current satisfaction with my job is that I am quite pleased with the place into which I was placed....

The way I figure it, I could handle a good job with a bad place, or a bad job with a great place, or a bad job and apartment with a fantastic social network...so if I had a borderline job, a borderline place would send me over the edge pretty easily...that is, of course, factoring out the "need money like I need air" situation I was in my first year in Korea...crappy job (Wonderland), crappy place (15 pyoung, shared with another guy), but the head teacher actually gave me 4 of the private lessons I did on the side...back in the bad old debtor days....

[Dome Vans]

For public school from what I understand the apartment is paid for by the year as with a fair bit of accommodation in Korea. New teachers will generally inhabit the rooms left by the previous teacher.

The office of Education will be able to tell you how much their maximum budget for an apartment, they'll also be able to tell you the end of the current lease. If you can find a better apartment at the end of that lease then they'll pay for it. From what I know their maximum is about 400 000 won a month. It may mean re-signing but if they'll go to that extent then they value you.

I agree again for the second time today with thegadfly. The work situ is the most important that reflects well on other things. My apartment is small but there's everything I need, beautiful views of a mountain behind, it's clean, the landlord pays for the gas and electricity and the AC is excellent in the summer. Everything's good.

[MiniMoonks]

I'm hoping my accommodations are nice /clean or at least have the basic necessities. I've been hearing that officetel's can be considerably better than apartments since many are modern and maybe new.

I'm considering finding a place on my own before I start teaching but with the average daily allowance only being around 400,000 won per month and key money deposits that can vary from 2 million - 10 million from what I've found online, it would be difficult finding a place in central Seoul.

[expat2001]

[OiGirl]

I would rather have to pay for damages incurred while I lived in the place of my choosing than spend a year in a hellhole provided by an employer.