Korean Job Discussion Forums

CupcakeTraveller · Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 2:51 am Post subject: Decisions Decisions! Any Help?

Hello, my bf and I have been searching through teaching jobs for a while now and we have narrowed it down to two jobs (we think!). We're having a hard time deciding between the two so if anyone can give us some advice or information about the areas/schools that would be great! Very Happy

First one is Changwon Ecc YBM in Changwon of course. School looks good although we'vegot 2 single apts nxt door to each other but pah we thought we'd turn one into living area and one sleeping. The only thing we're a tad worried about is there seems to be some criticism about YBM on here and other forums.

Second one is in Guri City, nearish Seoul. Pretty similar to the ybm one in terms of contract and its being set up by flying cows. Its called foreign studies school. One bad point is there doesnt seem to be any training given unlike the 5 days ybm one...

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

esetters21 · Joined: 30 Apr 2006 Location: Seoul

Sorry, but I don't see having 2 single apartments as a bad thing. That actually sounds ideal to me Laughing

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YBM is a huge hagwon chain. There are good ones and ones that aren't so good I would assume. Did you ask to speak to any of the current or previous teachers at either location that you are considering?

bejarano-korea · Joined: 13 Dec 2006

Changwon is a medium sized city - I'm in Yongin and I'm very happy to be here after 6 months in Changwon. I know some people like Changwon and would rather live nowhere else and I can also see why they would attest to that view but the place isn't for everyone. Depends what you like to do with your free time.

Changwon is a 'planned city' (or so you will be told a billion times) its clean and near nature and has all the amineties you would expect for a place its size but I wouldn't go back.

I don't know anything about Guri I'm afraid.

valkerie · Joined: 02 Mar 2007 Location: Busan

Read the contract carefully for YBM ECC..I know someone who works for them (different area to you) and had NO BREAK form her kids the entire day. ILLEGAL Sad

Changwon...been once (stayed 1 night as baae for Jinhae cheery blossom thing)...I liked it but pretty small town.

Rutherford · Joined: 31 Jul 2007

I wouldn't let a five day training course influence your opinion too heavily. You'll probably just be shadowing another teacher. At least at my hogwan I had 3 days learning from the teacher I was replacing, who fortunately had years of experience and really knew how to run a class.

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

The ECC in changwon works their workers very hard....

I don't know anybody who has signed on a 2nd year and they go through 5 or 6 foreigners a year so that isn't a good sign. They do pay though but at the lowest end of the scale.....ypu can do better.

CrikeyKorea · Joined: 01 Jun 2007 Location: Heogi, Seoul

I dont think that the training makes much of a difference, really its the experience that counts, you work it all out as you go. I live 10mins from Guri, its a good place I hang out there 2-3 nights a week, for all intensive purposes its really its a suburb of Seoul, but in my opinion its better-even though i;ll be moving a little farther away from the area soon, i will surely come back and teach in Guri in the near future i think.