Korean Job Discussion Forums

[shostahoosier]

I've been reading quite a few posts.

Do the majority of people who teach in Korea hate the experience?

Does ANYONE end up enjoying the job/trip?

I started with enthusiasm but now I'm a little scared after reading a great deal of horror stories.

[Looney]

Do not take Dave's ESL Cafe posts as a barometer of how 'bad' Korea is. The majority of posts on here are negative, from people stuck in crappy hagwon jobs, signed bad contracts that were poorly researched beforehand. I know tons of teachers over here who are having a great time.....the thousands of other teachers who are having a great time here don't have the need to post on here. Anyway positive posts are not usually tolerated

Just make sure you do your research beforehand, check hagwon blacklists if you do for some reason work for one......public schools are usually fine though.

I like to come on here for the amusement factor

[Taya]

I haven't left yet so I have no opinion...

But anybody who I've talked to in real life who has gone or knows somebody who's gone has said that they loved the experience (except for one who ran after six months). Some people stay much longer than one year.

[bogey666]

[lifeinkorea]

Depends on the school, the first one I went to basically consisted of my trainer asking me what I could do to become a better teacher. I thought it was his job to identify those traits and train me accordingly. I guess someone forgot their training 101 guidebook. Then, they basically told me how worthless they thought I was and that I ought to accept lower pay, kiss up to the boss, and take out trash at the end of the day.

Those three months conditioned me to feel like an abused spouse. I looked around and found another school where I stayed for 3.5 years. Not only was I treated well, but the owner of the franchise took time after classes to train me. Being British, he had a different use of the language, and I learned that reading a newspaper can really be seen with different sets of words.

So, the point of all this is, unless you can relate to these 2 very different experiences you'll probably have to get screwed and mistreated before you seek out the more decent schools and "enjoy" your time. Since Korea hires for the year and you can't work elsewhere easily, there are going to be many cases where people haven't completed the first stage. They leave the country and don't come back. I think that's why we are seeing so many negative comments.

[Otherside]

[bogey666]

agreed.

depends on your school, etc.

professionally and in terms of how I am treated, I couldn't be happier. it's about as good as it'll get.

but socially - it can be a massive massive struggle (though the fault for some of this is mine and even more so if you want to beat on me for not learning Korean, though it'd take several years easily to become at least minimally proficient)

it also depends on how little Korean societal/cultural things bother you. They bother some people more than most (I'm fairly tolerant)

[travelingfool]

So much of a person's experience depends on the school they work for. I implore prospective teachers to come visit beforehand before signing a one year contract. Even if it costs you $2k US, and even if you have to go back to your own country for a visa interview, it's still worth it. Yeah it's expensive and a lot of flying but it is still much cheaper than finding yourself in an untenable working situation then having to fly home with your tail between your legs.

[Bibbitybop]

While I hate a lot of things about Korean society and government (xenophobia, weak laws on rape, etc.), it doesn't affect me personally 99% of the time. I love my job, I loved my first job, I love my friends and my life here. I did do research before I came, too.

[crianp]

I work in a hogwon and for all the bad stuff that gets said, it is a great job. I love my kids and enjoy teaching them. The hours are not what I am used to but I gotten used to it. I think the problem with alot of foreigners that come here is that they expect to live a western social life, or come here expecting to party and don't take teaching seriously and when their bosses reign them in, they complain about Korea. What I found that really helped my melding in with society and life here is spending more time with Koreans and less time with foreigners, it works wonders for your enjoyment of Korean life.

Korea is amazing to me, it is nice and quiet, people work hard and treat you with respect if you do the same. I don't see myself going back to any Western country anytime soon.

[bobbybigfoot]

[Milwaukiedave]

[margaret]

Overall I enjoyed my Korean experience and am planning to come back for a 3rd time. I think my experience was different than most for 4 reasons.
1. In many ways I prefer what I can do in Korea over the U.S. I prefer Korean food and love the bathhouses--I miss them when I'm here. I don't eat American fast food or go to bars or clubs.
2. I enjoyed living in a small town--though I got it out of my system and this time am looking to live in a bigger place.
3. I came with my boyfriend so I wasn't lonely.
4. I both did my research and got lucky and was employed in schools with honest, caring directors who were teachers themselves and were passionate about educating the children.
I did miss my friends and don't only have to work part time in the U.S. so I returned for 3 years after each stint. Now I'm tired of my job here and homesick for Korea so here I go again.

[BS.Dos.]

Not from those I've spoken too.

Dave's often gives the wrong impression as for some it tends to function as a release valve. Think of it as a virtual coffee machine. A place where people hang around, moaning to their virtual colleagues about the daily grind.

[loggerhead007]

I concur. Bad school=bad experience. Do your research. Speak with current or former teachers about the school. Get face time with perspective co-teachers. I too learned the hard way. Remember, they need us more than we need them. Stand up and don't be intimidated.