Korean Job Discussion Forums

RufusW · Joined: 14 Jun 2008 Location: Busan

Hey guys, little self-indulgent but if you want to give your opinion on my situation please do. I'm pretty nervous about commiting the next year.

After arriving on Friday at Busan head office I get given my placement and it's elementary school instead of middle school! I ask whether there's any middle school available instead and I'm offered one by the airport - outside Busan's city limits! The elementary school is pretty close to the centre so I just decide to go ahead with that.

I met up with my co-teacher who's nice and speaks pretty good English. He was the PE teacher but has now been drafted into teaching English. We're both basically newbies. The school's up a pretty big hill, apparently in a 'slum' area but it looks fine. Unfortunately no canteen or restaurants near.

My accomodation is small but okay. It's 5 minutes walk away from Gang-an beach but this means it's going to be a 50 minute commute (2 buses) every day.

I'll be getting 1.8mil (yea I know, ZOMG, LOLZ!) and there probably wont be any overtime as it's in a poor neighbourhood. I'll need to be at school 8.40-4.40, twenty 40 minute lessons a week, all in the morning with the afternoon for planning. I think they want me to do a half day Saturday lesson planning every other week, but I think I'll just plain refuse to do this.

So I'm a little annoyed about teaching young kids but I wanted to learn a lot about ESL teaching so I suppose it'll do that. And the commute won't be nice; having so much time taken out of my day. With the rest I don't think I can complain. I suppose I'm just looking for a little reasuance.

So guys, gimme your views. Par of the course for Korea?

Thanks.

John_ESL_White · Joined: 12 Nov 2008

You are near the beach; so that might be nice in the warmer months.

The pay is low. Get used to ramen and kim bob, not much bar drinking and very few trips to a "restaurant" each month. You might clear what? 1.7, 1.65? 400,000/ week minus utilities which can vary from place to place, but average around 100,000 for officetels. (I've seen villa utilities as low as 40,000 and officetels as high as 250,000). On paper it doesn't look bad, but in practice, stretching 1.8 may hurt. (depends on what you were used to back home).

Two buses to work sucks, but its probably not unusual. Public school desk warming is par for the course. Just refuse saturdays, unless they are in your contract. Expect holiday desk warming too. Hope you access to a computer and can download movies.

Make friends with the gym coach. You're lucky he's a guy and not a woman. If he seems cool, ask him out for a beer.

good lk

Ruraljuror · Joined: 08 Dec 2007

Not bad, not great.

meangradin · Joined: 10 Mar 2006

20 - 40 minute classes a week, all in the morning is great for you. chances are some of those classes will overlap, so you won't have too much prep work. if you are diligent, you can have your years prep completed in a few weeks, so get on it, then take the rest of the time for yourself.

at 1.8 a month, make sure you eat at the school. actually, i can't believe how low that is. I was making that 14 years ago - when the won was 550 to 1

VanIslander · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 3:17 pm Post subject:

2.5 mill for newbies and a three-bedroom apartment all to oneself a ten minute walk from work is just an hour or two away in rural towns in Gyeongsangnamdo, like the town I'm in, where EVERYBODY starts at 2.5, regardless of background in the elementary, middle and high schools.

That said, if you wanna be central in Busan itself, it could be alright.

If one has the right attitude, and is a newbie planning to teach ESL in Korea for a while, then making the best of one's first year is easier: focus on what the situation provides you instead of what's missing and make notes so that your second and third year are spectacular because you'll be here to pick and choose your next job and ensure you get what you want most.

Good luck whatever.

D.D. · Joined: 29 May 2008

Not sure why jobs in Busan tend to pay so low?

I think you should demand that your housing be moved to within 5 to 10 minutes of your school.

crazy_arcade · Joined: 05 Nov 2006

....because the most important thing about teaching is where you are in the city...............

ChinaBoy · Joined: 17 Feb 2007

50 minute commute on 2 buses? I'd never show up for work and tell them I couldn't find the place (whenever they were able to finally contact me)

Seriously.

1.8 sounds like something a teacher with a 2-year degree would make

Draz · Joined: 27 Jun 2007 Location: Land of Morning Clam

bobbybigfoot · Joined: 05 May 2007 Location: Seoul

Reading this post makes my job look so damn good. Although I teach as much, I have no required planning, don't need to hang around at the office, live a 10 minute walk from school, live in an apartment I like, in an area I like, and I make 33% more money.

A two-bus, 50 minute ride to school, EACH way, for 1.8 million is ridiculous. Op, you got hosed.

cruisemonkey · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 7:37 pm Post subject:

1.8 sucks... but that's the going rate (PS.. no experience) if you want to live in Busan. A 50 minute commute sucks... but you want to live in Busan.

Personally, I like middle school and would never teach elementary... each to his/her own.

'Put in' a year and move on/up. Wink

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

Don't let all of this put you off. Yes, you are in an unfavorable situation. Your salary could be much better. Your living situation could be better. However, you are doing better than you would be at home. As for learning how to teach, all of that crap that one learns in their TESOL program doesn't apply to elementary kids so well. You will sort it out .... trust me.

I'll send you a PM with my digits ... I will be down there next weekend buddy. We will throw some cards on the table and have a burrito!

cruisemonkey · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 7:46 pm Post subject:

RufusW · Joined: 14 Jun 2008 Location: Busan

Okay guys, thanks for the responses.

This is how I've rationalized it so far.....

Elementary school instead of middle school may well be better for me. The skills I learn will be more transferrrable to other kids (especially in Africa where I'm looking to go in a year+). Reduced lesson planning and the possibility of them being more involved is also a bonus.

The co-teacher does seem like a positive, we'll definitely be heading out for a beer and (unless pressure comes from the top) he'll probably give me a fair bit of freedom.

The commute won't be nice, there's the possibility of getting the subway to the bottom of the hill then a bus up it, so I should be able to reduce the time spent. My co-teacher actually goes near my house so maybe he can pick me up Smile

I knew the house was never going to be more than a box, but I think being 5 minutes from the beach is great.... muchos beers on the sand in summer. And I know I'd prefer it over being in central Busan 30 minutes away from the beach.

I knew it'd be 1.8 when I came so I can't complain - it was certainly a mistake not to pick up a TEFL beforehand though (2mil).

Half my day spent planning seems silly so after a while I'll try to reduce this somehow, maybe ask for half day Friday etc... or teach some P.E. with my CT!

So some good and some bad, but it didn't go pear-shaped like for some people coming over and I've yet to see what it's going to be like at school - where I'll spend most of my time.

Thanks for the comments guys....tally ho!

cruisemonkey · Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2009 11:37 pm Post subject:

You must make friends with the v.p. and get permission to leave when not teaching. Do this... and in the afternoons when you get tired of prep./sleeping at your desk/'surfing'/and posting on 'Dave's', you can go to the bank/Post Office (to pay bills)/shopping etc., then come back to school and make an 'appearance' (to keep the K-teachers happy) before going home. Cool