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Where to go when things don't work out in Korea?
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sarbonn



Joined: 14 Oct 2008
Location: Michigan

PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 9:25 pm    Post subject: Where to go when things don't work out in Korea? Reply with quote

I posted earlier about how we stopped getting paid some weeks ago, and the boss keeps promising to pay everyone. And promising. And promising.

He made some kind of business deal with some other big name business guy a few days ago that was supposed to mean everyone was going to get paid. Still, no one, including the KTs have been paid.

I tried to talk to him yesterday but he was on the phone (all day). The second time I tried to go talk to him, he seemed to have slipped out the back entrance (even his secretary didn't see him go out). Hasn't been back today, when I came in to talk to him again. I've been trying to find out what exactly is going on because I've been receiving offers from other schools (one public and one decent private school), but obviously I can't do anything without a letter of release. Getting the paperwork together seems like it's going to take forever without the LOR, so I'm starting to think that maybe it's time to find some other place to go.

So, with the recession/depression in mind, I figure that some places are better than others. I'm wondering where others would go if they were faced with the same sort of choice. I've been looking at US cities and thinking of just booking a flight to one of those and taking my chances on getting a job after I land (yeah, taking a chance, but working for free is getting on my nerves). I figure there have to be other countries that might be worth the effort as well, but kind of new to the international exploration sort of thing (did it back while in the Army, but that was a long time ago and there was always an umbilical cord attached).

I really wish things would have worked out (and who knows...it still might), but unfortunately, I don't think that's going to be the case.
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jinks



Joined: 27 Oct 2004
Location: Formerly: Lower North Island

PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 10:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Why not give Japan a shot?
Easy and cheap to get to (from here)
Plenty of info about jobs etc. online
Reasonably well paid
Gotta be better than working for free
'Nothing ventured nothing gained'
And if it doesn't work out, then you can easily come back to a better job (than your current one) in Korea.
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sarbonn



Joined: 14 Oct 2008
Location: Michigan

PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 10:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ideally, I'd love to work in Japan. I've been sending out responses to a number of different advertisements, but generally I don't seem to get a response, or they respond and say they'll get back to me. My credentials are decent, so there's no problem there.

When I put my resume/cv on work or play, or here, I seem to get about 10,000 immediate calls for South Korean jobs, but nothing for anywhere else. I even posted my resume today, stating "anywhere but South Korea" and the first call I received was for a private school in South Korea.

It would be great to find a recruiter for Japan, but haven't been so successful so far. Kind of running out of time, too. If things don't improve soon, and I don't have an alternative, I'm probably going to have to fly myself back to the states, destitute and homeless. At least until I can get myself back on my feet again.
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Jeff's Cigarettes



Joined: 27 Mar 2007

PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 10:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lot's of Kimberlies jump off the bridge into the Han, I guess they can't swim.
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sarbonn



Joined: 14 Oct 2008
Location: Michigan

PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 10:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jeff's Cigarettes wrote:
Lot's of Kimberlies jump off the bridge into the Han, I guess they can't swim.


The word "Kimberly" has long since jumped the shark.
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RokofKangnam



Joined: 20 Sep 2005
Location: Between a ROK and a Hard Place

PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 10:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A buddy of mine back in the states called me the other day asking about work in the ROK. He says the economy in his area has gone down the crapper and he can't even find a burger flipping job.

I've always heard it's easier to find work in Japan in-country - pick an area and go looking.
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maingman



Joined: 26 Jan 2008
Location: left Korea

PostPosted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 12:05 am    Post subject: , Reply with quote

Taiwan or China.. IMO
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losing_touch



Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Location: Ulsan - I think!

PostPosted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 12:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I will make the jump to Taiwan, China, or Dubai when my contract is completed.
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oskinny1



Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Location: Right behind you!

PostPosted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 12:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

They seem to need someone pretty quickly.

http://www.eslcafe.com/joblist/index.cgi?read=19252
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John_ESL_White



Joined: 12 Nov 2008

PostPosted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 2:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

oskinny1 wrote:
They seem to need someone pretty quickly.

http://www.eslcafe.com/joblist/index.cgi?read=19252


and 250,000 yen looks a lot better against the dollar than 2,000,000 won.

1 million won is like $650 USD. wow. I'm depressed.
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Teelo



Joined: 09 Oct 2008
Location: Wellington, NZ

PostPosted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 2:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

*cough* cost of living
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John_ESL_White



Joined: 12 Nov 2008

PostPosted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 3:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Teelo wrote:
*cough* cost of living


yeah. Japan's a Btch.

cost of living is what keeps me here...that and the apartment I bought.

but when I think about traveling home to the states, I get sick.
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maingman



Joined: 26 Jan 2008
Location: left Korea

PostPosted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 4:00 am    Post subject: . Reply with quote

home sick>
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oskinny1



Joined: 10 Nov 2006
Location: Right behind you!

PostPosted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 7:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Teelo wrote:
*cough* cost of living


I have said it many times, I will repeat it. I live just outside of Tokyo. I save 100,000 yen a month. If you don't go out drinking every night and live reasonable then you can save. If you are coming to a country because the pay is higher, one would assume that you want to save some of that money.

Though adding in severance and the air ticket do add up.
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littlelisa



Joined: 12 Jun 2007
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 5:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd go to China. That's my backup plan.
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