Korean Job Discussion Forums

[desperation]

I'm thinking of staying in Haeundae or moving to Jeju but I want to be pretty sure I am getting a great working environment. I'd like someone to help me out here.

Well, I started out in the buttcrack of Korea....fled to Haeundae....Which was very smart. Clean city and air. Happier and more relaxed Koreans....plenty of white people...A beach...Great public school and kids....killer apartment 4 minutes walk from my great school....so why leave? Well, my Prinicpal refuses to hire anyone but an F2 or F4...that's the main reason (he likes me though). My contract ends October 2nd which I hear rules out public elementary schools for me....Once I really reflect on things though...I'm from the forest/mountains, I hate cities. The beach is nothing too impressive and I swear to GOD I saw a hypodermic needle and a home pregnancy test wash up on shore in 2 of the few times I went. It has rained every weekend, or been too cold and dark for the past 2 months, so I couldn't go to the beach. And when I did go, it was honestly pretty boring and the screeching and cackling Korean locals and korean tourists taking their incessant peace sign photos of themselves, and each other with their cameras and cell phone cameras really ruined my time there. I have decided that Koreans only go new places to use the scenery as backrounds for these portraits of themselves with cocked heads, pouty lips, and and two erect fingers.

On top of all that, the availablilty of western products here is not at all what I expected. Getting cheese and bread and cake (what's PIE?) chocolate, cookies, chips....just normal basic stuff is pretty impossible. The big clincher is that I have ONE friend here. An awesome, hysterical, fun, caring, deep, conscious, aware, observant, articulate, intelligent---excellent person. Someone I would totally hang out with at home. Not someone I feel I have to hang out with out of lonliness...like I suspect many do here. The people here are really pretty much shallow recent college graduates who are alcoholics...or just empty vessels that are older and never fully developed personalities. I'm not into bars or drinking and I'm pretty deep, so I need someone around me to hold their weight in a conversation...I spend most of my weekends cleaning my apartment, ironing my clothes (remember it is pouring out) or going food shopping for the week or going to nampodong to hunt for some cool vintage clothing thing...

So I'm thinking...If I move to Jeju...How do I do it logistically. I'd certainly sell my couch but my stereo is something I can't put into a suitcase, and I have a small vacum cleaner and spices and stuff....toiletries...seriously, not a lot of stuff and I could stash it at someone's house and mail it to Jeju I guess...once I arrived...but I just wonder how to I even get there with 3 HUGE suitcases of clothing and whatnot, aside from the 3 boxes (at most) I'd have to pack with other stuff. MOST of all, who knows a good job there? I only would deal with elementary kids or possibly college. I only have a BA, but I imagine rural Jeju colleges wouldn't care. I am terrified of a hogwan situation with cameras and micromanagement and kids making up stories to get me fired etc. I like the professionalism I have found in public school. I'm in an after school program so I make $400 a month more than I would have in Epik and I have 6-12 kids in a class and premade curriculum...That's pretty good I think...I'd do this again..In fact my company wants to put me into someplace else in Korea, but a dirty polluted city....not my style.

[hugekebab]

[Shredd]

What's your school? I'm thinking about going from public to Hagwon next year and I want to be closer to the beachee. The grass is always greener. PM me if necessary.

[jellobean]

You could always take the ferry to Jeju.... Not sure how much luggage they allow, but I'm certain it would be cheaper than a plane.... And mail those boxes if you can't take them on the ferry....

[DrOctagon]

Is Jeju really as bad as you're making out to be? I'm moving there at the end of August to work with EPIK, probably in a middle or high school. Should I have chosen an elementary school instead? My certificate is in secondary ed.; I never really wanted to teach little kids before, but it could be fun...

I'm kinda sick of big cities too. I lived in Chicago my whole life, and I would like some peace and quiet for awhile. Granted, I still want to have a social life. Are there really a lot of fat Canadians there? Haha. Why does everyone say this? How fat?

[milspecs]

lots of prostitutes in jeju

[Binch Lover]

[genezorm]

[hugekebab]

[n�fara]

Jeju only has about 560,000 people on the island. The "foreigner" population is decent, but not overly large. For example I think EPIK employs about 120-130? or so teachers on the island.

If you'd like to learn more about Jeju-do, the people living there, or possible upcoming job opportunities, you can go to the rhymeswithjeju Yahoo! group.

[desperation]

Come on, nobody has a direct lead on a Jeju or Haeundae Job?

[oskinny1]

[makemischief]

from http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=127387&highlight=:

[oskinny1]

Too bad we can`t post pictures, but here he is in all his Abercrombie coolness

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=57297&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=780

[desperation]

If you guys had good jobs, developed personalities, and real lives you wouldn't be grasping at straws to attack me...you are pathetic stereotypes of bitter expatriates. Yo reveal your worthlessness to all of us with your feeble attempts here. You're tragedy incarnate.