Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ChrisHannah]

Hello,

My girlfriend and I have spoken for a while about teaching English abroad, but it wasn't until recently that we decided it was feasible. So I decided to search out some advice here.

After lurking about for a bit, I've learned some but I figured I would start with a clean slate and ask opinions. Here's our story:

We've both lived abroad before (she in Denmark and Brazil, I in France), and have an unending desire to live somewhere abouts in Asia. Korea seems like the place to be. We'll be graduating in Spring of 09. We're going to spend a month in Brazil and then we'd like to head to Korea for our year there. We'll need to get there as early as possible so we can finish our year in time to go to grad school. Sound crazy enough? Well I bet many thought you were crazy too for wanting to leave the comfort of your home for a foreign place.

So here's how we'd like it to run down...

Graduate 1st week of May,
Leave for Brazil, return approx. 2nd week of June
Leave for Korea mid-July 2009
Return mid-July 2010
Grad school mid-August

So what do we need to do make sure we're in Korea by mid-July? The Brazil dates are a bit flexible, but going is definitely firm. I know it's way too early to start searching for the actual jobs now, but I want to plan as much as possible.

I was thinking that we could set up with some recruiters (apparently you use many?) and prepare our visa documents before leaving for Brazil and if necessary, have someone stateside finalize them and mail them in while we're away. Then we could return, set up our placements, receive our visas and head to Korea.

I know it's tight, but it seems a bit plausible. So what do you guys think it will take to make this work?

[isak]

You might just need tight scheduling and luck.

I know end to end it only took about two weeks for me to get hired in, and I got my visa in a weekend, but they hired in a bunch of foreigners at the same time, so I lucked out a bit.

Some people had to interview with an embassy for their visa, but I personally didn't have to. I sent in my stuff, and they didn't even open the documents.

I think the biggest problem you might have is getting a school. Even that probably won't be a a problem though. Summer break starts towards the end of July, and there are crap tons of summer camps. I don't know for sure if thats going to be a positive to getting hired, but I don't see why not.