Korean Job Discussion Forums

[flicknut]

I applied directly to EPIK and my contract will arrive this week. I got placed in Busan like I wanted.

Are we already assigned to a school, or can we choose our school during orientation? I have certain locations in mind.

[suneater]

[Aussiekimchi]

when you fill out your application for EPIK, you place preferences for 3 locations.

You have your interview with EPIK Head Office.
Ashley or Jean pass or fail you.

They then place you into your first preference pile...e.g. Busan POE.

On Jan 17 everyone trots down to the POE meeting and sorts out Provincial Office allocations.

POE supervisors take the teachers they want for the amount of jobs they have.

Busan have 60 positions available.

So Bob, wants Busan.

BUSAN POE supervisor: "yep..he's white, we'll take him for Busan. He looks like a kind teacher!"

Gangwon need 60 teachers.
Dave wants Gangwon. But he is NOT white.

Gangwon POE SUPERVISOR: "nope he does not look like Brad Pitt, he is no good we do not want him! Bad teacher! BAD!!"

After all of their positions available are filled, e.g. Busan chooses 60 Brad Pitt and Pamela Anderson lookalikes.. they confirm with EPIK Head Office that Bob has been confirmed in Busan.
Because Busan took all the blonde haired blue eyed teachers, Gangwon could not fill all of their 60 positions...they could take Dave....but no, they decide to wait it out.

Unfortunately Dave now has to go for his second or third preference.

EPIK or the recruiter will tell Bob that he has Busan, but they still have no idea of what actual school he will be going to.
This will not be decided for a few weeks yet and the teacher will be notifed at orientation.
Dave is told he will be going to the second round.

CHUNGNAM province, ( I think) are the only POE office that write the actual school name on the contract. So if you are going to CHUNGNAM, you may know what school you are going to.

Fortunately for Dave, his second preference ( CHUNGNAM ) picked him up.

Both Bob and Dave get on the plane after having received their E2 teaching visas.

Bob has no idea of where in Busan he is heading, but he is happy that he is going to his first preference.

Dave, although, disappointed he will not be going to Gangwon, knows he will be teaching Middle school in the inner eastern town of WHOFLUNGDUNG and has already found out a little bit about it.

[suneater]

thanks, aussiekimchi...to my detriment, I in no way resemble Mr. Pitt, who is far too scrawny and pale in the eyes of this beach-loving, rugby-playing, maori-italian-scottish kiwiboy.

[Rae]

Aussiekimchi, thank you!

Now I'm kind of regretting sending a cappy picture I took during my vacation. Oh well, I'm going to the countryside, there can't be lines of people asking for rice paddies.