Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Tobias]

Some think that the visa hoops and declining won/salaries will bring an exodus of NETs. Sure about that? Read about what our TESOL brothers and sisters are willing to endure:

http://blog.esldaily.org/2008/09/09/being-cheated-a-teachers-story.aspx?ref=rss

When teachers are willing to take these kinds of ass reamings, it makes this exodus business out to be what it is--all hogwash. The subject of the newsletter story should have been gone on day one, but nope. Where was his backbone? He didn't have one. I bet most TESOL toilers don't. I bet people here would accept a 50% decline in salaries without raising a finger. Sure, a few would leave, but most would still be making more than they would be in a place like Thailand. Those who leave would be back before long and accept those lower salaries with open arms.

Swallow that pride, boy.

Nothing personal, but if I were a HogPile owner, I'd pay 1.5 million max to a holder of bachelor's degree. A master's degree holder would get 1.8 million, and a PhD would get 2.0 million. That's it. No way would I pay somebody 2.5 million a month to do what we do, and I think the Koreans are coming around to this thinking as well.

[Gamecock]

When are you leaving again? Don't let the door hit you on the ass.

[wylies99]

OP, you should hear some of the stories we have heard recently in Itaewon from other teachers. We've heard stories about 1 GEPIK teacher who volunteered to teach a summer camp at a different school, for free. She REFUSED to accept any pay for weeks of teaching camp.
No one knew why, but hey why not do something stupid during break! Also, we've heard about a South African in GEPIK who has gone along with a forced home stay complete with curfew and babysitting of the co-teacher's kids.
There are always morons in hagwons who refuse to get involved when other foreign teachers try to get their health insurance and pension. In fact, some will rat you out to the boss EVEN when it's in their financial self-interest to make a fuss about the health insurance and pension.
Yeah, some are doormats and it makes all of us look bad because then whatever the crooks get away with on the idiots will then be expected of the rest of us.

[sojourner1]

How does this blog relate to Korea? How does it relate to what Koreans pay English teachers? That is in Thailand where they pay is peanuts. I bet many go broke and get stranded in SE Asia.

It didn't say anything about him/her going to Korea, but that the school only paid $100 a month after calculating some bogus escrow crapola and the teacher couldn't even afford to get a new visa.

You can get screwed in any country. If you're getting screwed, get out. He was lucky to have a return ticket back to New Zealand, but I'm sure it was not a soft landing. That is a real nightmare.

[Juregen]

[Tobias]

[quote="Gamecock"]When are you leaving again? Don't let the door hit you on the ass.[/quote]

Leave your key under the door on your way out, please.

[Tobias]

[quote="sojourner1"]How does this blog relate to Korea? How does it relate to what Koreans pay English teachers?.....

You can get screwed in any country. If you're getting screwed, get out. He was lucky to have a return ticket back to New Zealand, but I'm sure it was not a soft landing. That is a real nightmare.[/quote]

You answered you own question. You can get screwed in any country, and many will put up with it in any country. Some will get out, but most won't. The proof of the pudding will be in the downturn in the SK economy. If the won's value goes to 1500, most teachers will stay. Mark my word.

Won at 1240 by February? Make it 1350 by February, judging by today's good news.

[wylies99]

[yingwenlaoshi]

[Young FRANKenstein]

[Tobias]

[quote="yingwenlaoshi"]

Whatever. You wouldn't get very far.

[/quote]

Actually, for a lot of teachers here, we're getting pretty far. In the down direction, that is. This is with the won declining by 20% in just a few months and all. I know I've taken about a 600-USD-per-month paycut.

So, a guy who came in January on a 2.0 million contract is now making about 1.65 million, if he prices his salary in dollars. In a couple of weeks he will be making that 1.5 million. The way the Won is going, that may be in a couple of days, actually.

[Tobias]

[quote="Young FRANKenstein....And since I don't wire money home, exactly why would I want to leave and get shellacked on the exchange when I can stay and not feel the pinch at all? I weathered W2000+ to the dollar during IMF times... I still socked away plenty.[/quote]

You wire money home so you can have a stash to bring back in case the bottom drops out. When the won is valuable, wire mulla home. When it's worth little more than sand, you bring dollars back here. What do you use to cover expenses here? Your salary money? Good strategy in good times. Shitty strategy when the won tanks.

[Young FRANKenstein]

[Tobias]

[quote="Young FRANKenstein"] Who says I'm going back?

[/quote]

What do Koreans do when the won tanks? Live as if nothing's happened. Again, I lived through the dollar at W2000+... I lived through it easier than those who raced back home.

[/quote]

Allow me to explain, ol' bloke....My situation may be a bit atypical, as I use a sidekick in the US. When the won/baht/dinar/whatever implodes, I get my shotgun to wire (ever hear of that word?) money back to me. My (then) valuable dollars buy more of the local mulla, and I use that to live on. You need a trustworthy partner in crime, and that's it. If you have a certain kind of bank account in the USA, you don't even need a sidekick. You can use a simple ATM card and withdraw on your US account. The amount is up to you, but with fees eating into your haul, you wanna plan.

If you're planning on staying here, living like a Korean is fine. But some aren't planning on living here over the long haul. For those people, a 10% decline in the Won means something.

[wylies99]

Sorry I posted earlier in this thread. I thought this was gonna be about lame-oid teachers.