Korean Job Discussion Forums

[tomato]

Hello, Ohahakehte!

In Korea, the going rate for foreign language classes is about 70000 won.
English classes for foreigners are offered in communities of at least a half million people.

Here's a suggestion if you don't mind going off the beaten path:

Attend Korean sign language classes instead. Here in Cheongju, I attended Korean classes for a month, but switched to sign language classes. Here are the arguments for my case:

It involves movement. Ever hear of TPR (Total Physical Response)? I make the same claims as the proponents of TPR. Except that the TPR proponents can only explain that they walk, run, and hop while they talk about walking, running, and hopping. Sign language study, on the other hand, involves movement for all parts of speech.

The teacher will not speak to you in English. In Korea, there are very few foreign language teachers who do not spend most of the classtime speaking in the students' first language. On the other hand, my sign language teacher either doesn't know English or pretends not to.

The tuition is at least as cheap. I was told that the fee was 40000 won a month, and they haven't even shown me the bill yet.

You get at least as much individual attention. At present, I'm the only student.

It is not more difficult. A sign language course starts with the common basic words, just as a foreign language course does.

Someday you might meet a Korean deaf-mute.

Right now, I'm on cloud nine. I'm writing this letter after attending an annual program presented by the local association for the deaf. I didn't understand half of it, but I understood more than I thought I would. In fact, I even learned a couple of signs.

Most of all, nobody infantilized me. Nobody spoke English to me when I went in, nobody spoken English to me during the program, and nobody spoke English to me when I went out.

I even had my first experience in communicating in sign language. I couldn't follow the printed program, so I turned to some deaf mutes sitting behind me and signed, "Where are we?" They answered me.
A class of high school girls signed while a popular song was being played. I went up to them afterward and signed, "You did well." They giggled, giggled, giggled. That was probably the first time they saw a foreigner speak Korean sign language.

If I can do it, you can do it.

[Derrek]

[lush72]

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

I will always have teaching as my main job, however I think translating could be good work "on the side". I plan to be here a long time, and get totally fluent. As it is I'm coming along nicely, Korean girlfriend doesn't hurt that proccess one bit, in fact my progress has sped up drastically.

I dissagree with the sign language thing. You get good at what you practice, and if you want to speak Korean you need to speak Korean at every opportunity. That and hit the books hard.

Good luck everyone.

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

[Ilsanman]

I have an easy time with written korean. I can't understand spoken korean cuz they speak too fast or mumble over half of the time.

[shawner88]

[ohahakehte]

tomato:

im deeply fascinated with any and all sign languages in the world. its an interesting idea to study korean sign language but i doubt ill do it. i dont meet very many deaf people around seoul in my everyday life.

[Homer]

[Mashimaro]

[dogbert]

[Homer]

Mashimaro,

I do consulting for Canadian companies doing or wishing to do business with Korea.
I do this on a contractual basis and part time for now.

[Jensen]

Signing sounds fun...more info please. I'd love to hear about how deaf people fit into Korean society.

Translation work in the states can be flaky when you're working freelance. I've done a little and always got paid, but sometimes just barely. I've got a goal of getting an MA in Korean lit but I don't want to start until I'm at a proficiency level where I can really sink my teeth into my projects.

A number of companies are doing over-the-phone interpretation in the US (American-based land lines required...can't work from Korea) thanks to legislation that requires courts and hospitals to make interpreters available. My wife has her own company and contracts with the larger operations. Problem is you have to have a lot of specialized vocabulary for each type of call you might get: computer support, 911 dispatch, maritime emergencies, insurance statements, court proceedings, etc.

True fluency at the level required for interpretation is damned hard for most people. My wife has always been good at English, got a 4-year degree in the states, plus some grad school. Then she's been living with me for something like 14 years, taking additional training every year, and still it's a struggle at times. Even a native speaker would often come across unfamiliar terms. Nice thing is the schedule is flexible, but the money isn't great. $1,500 to $2,200 US a month for 7-8 hours a day (logged on, not on the phone all the time), which isn't bad if your lifestyle is more important than the money. Court interpreters make more, but they have to live in a big city with lots of Koreans, which costs a lot more.

I took an exam with Language Line (big outfit based in Monterey, CA) a long time ago, didn't pass it. Wasn't surprised. I've been studying too long to be as bad as I am in Korean.

[ohahakehte]

[Corporal]

I'm not "truly fluent" but I think in Korean a lot. Dream in it too.