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marlow
Joined: 06 Feb 2005
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 Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 11:04 pm Post subject: |
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| Gimpokid wrote: |
| marlow wrote: |
| Gimpokid wrote: |
If you're smart, research it and play it smart this is not bad "work."
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Not bad, but not the same deal as a year ago. If the exchange corrects, and I pray it does, things will be back to normal. |
True, but you think we're the only people taking a bath because of the global economic crisis? |
Korea has one of Asia's worst performing major currencies, if not the worst. |
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D.D.
Joined: 29 May 2008
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| Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 11:10 pm Post subject: |
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I went to Aus last year and my rent was 200 bucks a week to have a room in a share house.
My car payment for a basic Sonata was 672 a month and I had petrol and insurance on top of that.
I was taking in 1000 a week and I was broke. Here life is cruisy. It's only 1500 if you convert your entire cheque into American dollars. |
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kasain
Joined: 25 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 11:11 pm Post subject: |
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I don't know how most of you people can say you pay little or no taxes. I make 2,000,000 a month and pay 7% tax. 140,000. In the states the average tax rate is 21%.
Granted in two weeks I will move from a private to a public school. Maybe public schools pay less taxes.
Add in inflation and the price of won going down 33% to the US dollar. Yes you are earning 9 dollars a hour or less. But you do get free rent.
I know as I still own a house in Anaheim, CA. rents are at least 1000 - 1500 a month. |
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English Matt
Joined: 12 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 11:12 pm Post subject: |
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| marlow wrote: |
| Gimpokid wrote: |
| marlow wrote: |
| Gimpokid wrote: |
If you're smart, research it and play it smart this is not bad "work."
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Not bad, but not the same deal as a year ago. If the exchange corrects, and I pray it does, things will be back to normal. |
True, but you think we're the only people taking a bath because of the global economic crisis? |
Korea has one of Asia's worst performing major currencies, if not the worst. |
But at least we don't have to worry about losing our jobs and having to scrap it out for a low-paying, crappy McJob back home.
The British Pound has dived 25% against the US$ over the last few months and our unemployment rate is set to soar to 3 million by the end of next year...I'm certainly annoyed that the amount of cash I can save here in Korea has decreased by 12 - 15% over the past few months, but at least I don't have to worry about it decreasing to nothing in the event that I become unemployed. In short...I'd say I have it better than I would if I'd stayed back in England.
You can look at back home, wherever that may be, and argue that there are better paying jobs, but at the moment those jobs are few and far between; also for those who happen to have one of those jobs, they have to live with the fear of unemployment on a daily basis.
There's a lot to be said about job security and peace of mind. A lot of people have managed to dodge an economic bullet by getting a teaching job in Korea. |
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jkelly80
Joined: 13 Jun 2007
Location: you boys like mexico?
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| Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 11:13 pm Post subject: |
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| D.D. wrote: |
I went to Aus last year and my rent was 200 bucks a week to have a room in a share house.
My car payment for a basic Sonata was 672 a month and I had petrol and insurance on top of that.
I was taking in 1000 a week and I was broke. Here life is cruisy. It's only 1500 if you convert your entire cheque into American dollars. |
Exactly. If I'm losing 50% on the current exchange sending 15% of my monthly income back, I'm really only losing about 7.5% of my monthly income (and only for a few months, not an entire year). If it's at 1500 when it's time to exchange at home, then I'm in trouble. |
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Gimpokid
Joined: 09 Nov 2008
Location: Best Gimpo
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| Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 11:18 pm Post subject: |
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| marlow wrote: |
| Gimpokid wrote: |
| marlow wrote: |
| Gimpokid wrote: |
If you're smart, research it and play it smart this is not bad "work."
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Not bad, but not the same deal as a year ago. If the exchange corrects, and I pray it does, things will be back to normal. |
True, but you think we're the only people taking a bath because of the global economic crisis? |
Korea has one of Asia's worst performing major currencies, if not the worst. |
I would be surprised if there was a member of this board that didn't know that. I understand what you're saying, this job is not as good as it used to be even just a few short months ago. I get it.
In the grand scheme of thing we haven't gotten that bad of a shake. I'm not lining up for bread or wondering if I will have shelyer next month and I'm not contimplating suicide everytime the Dow Jones Casino closes. (Allof which are happening right now to some people.) |
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xingyiman
Joined: 12 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 11:19 pm Post subject: |
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| bogey666 wrote: |
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I was one of the working poor before I came here. And I have a Master's in hard science. Also an honors graduate. It's been bad for quite some time in my neck of the woods. |
once again, with all due respect.
if you were an honors gradudate with a degree in "hard" science, you should have had zero problems finding at least something decent back "home".
perhaps you were overly wedded to your geographical area.
Probably nothing decent in the Mississippi backwoods, for e.g.
Companies have had to hire foreign engineers (for e.g.) and IT people for years and years now.
oh and the sarbonn "neh" comment is obviously a joke for those of you who know zero Korean... since neh means "yes". |
All due respect, None of the afformentioned assumptions are correct. I began looking in earnest after graduation. I had zero savings(being a 6 year college student) and all of the companies locally started at about $8.00 - $9.00 an hour for an engineer. I simply couldn't live on that and work a job that would demand more hours than would allow me to have a part time job at night to make up the difference. The only alternative? Work two $9.00 and hour crap jobs, never go anywhere and get by. I applied all over the northeast and west but I had no luck. My references were great and I had internship experience. I was told flat out by one company that they simply weren't hiring out-of-staters because the economy had been crap and there were too many people locally who were qualified but out of work. The BS about companies hiring non-natives is just that. Companies more likely will get a foreigner to work for paltry wages that Americans would not accept. I had many friends with computer engineering degrees and such and they were very qualified but getting passed over for jobs left and right.
You can say all you want to about "Oh why don't you move to where the jobs are?"
Well, maybe I could find a benefactor to foot the $3-$5000 in moving and relocation expenses that companies(at least for the past several years) have not been willing to fork over to prospective employees. It's been bad and it's getting worse. Not everyone had it as bad as myself. Some even had it worse but I simply was not in the position to do much as the local jobs were not lucrative enough to leave my prestigious bar tending gig, and I didn't even have the privaledge of taking a couple of days off work to interview for a job even if I could have gotten the interview. It would have been all or nothing and I scouldn't just quit my then current job with zero savings in the bank to go off on a lark. It just irks me when people suggest that it's my fault when I, knowing my situation was backed against the wall. I've been able to save loads of cash every month I have been working in Korea(for several years now). I wouldn't go back to the US for any promises with the economy as it was let alone how it's in the toilet now.
Last edited by xingyiman on Thu Nov 27, 2008 11:25 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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marlow
Joined: 06 Feb 2005
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| Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 11:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Gimpokid wrote: |
| In the grand scheme of thing we haven't gotten that bad of a shake. I'm not lining up for bread and I'm not contimplating suicide everytime the Dow Jones Casino closes. (Both of which are happening right now.) |
Yeah. I'm betting on currency recovery. Since it's only taking a beating from the credit crisis and recession, I'd like to assume that it'll be fine in a couple of years.
It is nice not to have to worry about being unemployed, and it's nice to be able to do some privates for 60,000 per hour (nice for a BA holder especially, sweet actually).
I'd have trouble recommending this to someone for a year-long travel see-the-world gig, though. I don't think the won will be so hot in 2009, and there are better countries to have fun in. |
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kasain
Joined: 25 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 11:27 pm Post subject: |
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I have no idea why you are doing privates. That is against our E2 visa's. I guess people that do work here behind there employers backs do make good money.
For those whod o that, I wish you the best. I hate to se you deported. |
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English Matt
Joined: 12 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 11:29 pm Post subject: |
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| kasain wrote: |
I have no idea why you are doing privates. That is against our E2 visa's. I guess people that do work here behind there employers backs do make good money.
For those whod o that, I wish you the best. I hate to se you deported. |
Why do you care? It's not like he admitted to selling Crack at the school gates.
Last edited by English Matt on Thu Nov 27, 2008 11:30 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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mnhnhyouh
Joined: 21 Nov 2006
Location: The Middle Kingdom
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| Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 11:29 pm Post subject: |
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The only way to compare wages in different places is to look at how much you can save in a year, including bonuses, reclaimed pension etc, while living a similar lifestyle.
h |
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marlow
Joined: 06 Feb 2005
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| Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 11:33 pm Post subject: |
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| kasain wrote: |
I have no idea why you are doing privates. That is against our E2 visa's. I guess people that do work here behind there employers backs do make good money.
For those whod o that, I wish you the best. I hate to se you deported. |
Maybe I don't have an E2. |
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Ukon
Joined: 29 Jan 2008
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| Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 11:34 pm Post subject: |
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| kasain wrote: |
I don't know how most of you people can say you pay little or no taxes. I make 2,000,000 a month and pay 7% tax. 140,000. In the states the average tax rate is 21%.
Granted in two weeks I will move from a private to a public school. Maybe public schools pay less taxes.
Add in inflation and the price of won going down 33% to the US dollar. Yes you are earning 9 dollars a hour or less. But you do get free rent.
I know as I still own a house in Anaheim, CA. rents are at least 1000 - 1500 a month. |
I think the first two years your tax free in korea(at least in the public schools)....not sure for hagwons.
I pay 0% except for pension which I get back. |
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kasain
Joined: 25 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 11:35 pm Post subject: |
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English Matt Wrote: Why do you care? It's not like he admitted to selling Crack at the school gates.
It is against the law. And it clouds a persons judgement when he question is asked. "How do you feel working for $9 a hour" He is not working for nine dollars a hour when he is doing work like that on the side. He also sets a bad example for everyone.
No wonder I can't get into some Korean only clubs. They think we screw over their country too much |
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kasain
Joined: 25 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 11:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Well I will be happy to join the public school sector in two weeks. It sounds like its much easier and better benefits than the private schools. |
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