Korean Job Discussion Forums

[gartonator]

Oh Mighty Korean ESL Internet Gods!

I beseech your wisdom one more time! This one is a doozy...

Me : 30, male, USA citizen, 1 year ESL teaching experience with elite hagwon in Daejeon/Bundang in 2006/2007 (taught SAT, lit, etc.), BA in English from Ivy League School

My girlfriend : 22, female, USA Citizen (born in Peru), 4 semesters toward a BA in Music from a good US college, but with some failing grades and withdrawals, her GPA is 2.5, she is bilingual (english/spanish), but she can speak perfect English clearly with a standard American accent.

Our goals - to both have jobs, pay off about $1000 debt per month, live together in Korea for 1 year in clean apt, save as much $ as possible

My Ideas:

PLAN A - Me find a great job in downtown Seoul with apartment and about 3 million a month (made 2.8 my first year), my GF comes with a tourist visa and manages to find under the table work part time or full time in Seoul, we maybe make 4 million a month together. My thinking is Seoul will give my GF the most options to find work

PLAN B - Me find a great job in a big city, like Daegu or Busan (already seen Daejeon) and my GF looks for work after arriving. My thinking for this would be that Seoul means less $, less savings, more competition for all jobs... Busan is where it may be at. (anyone know about the underground market for teachers in Busan?)

PLAN C - My latest Eureka : I do EPIK and she does TaLK in the same town - is this even possible? First of all, how stringent are TaLK requirements? Anyone know? Yes my girlfriend has 2 full years of college, but not 2 full years of credits... but she passed all her English classes. Second, will they ever place EPIK and TaLK teachers together?

I just got an offer for 2.3 from an adult academy in Seoul, but I forgot how crazy the split schedules are... seems like I might never see my GF if she got a job teaching elementary. And then if my GF can't find a job in a couple months, 2.3 isn't very much to pay $1000 USD in bills each month plus provide living expenses for 2 people...

Yarg... I know we'll both be greatly appreciated and effective wherever we end up, and from what I've read of the TaLK program, schools just simply want SOMEONE who speaks English to be present, but I know you gotta play by the rules if you want a VISA.

Anyway, any advice and thoughts would be appreciated! That is my request oh Waygooks of Wonder, I'll go sacrafice an octopus and come back tomorrow to see if there are any prophecies written in the scripture. My thanks.

ps - no need to waste excess energy warning us of the dangers of teaching illegally... when I was in Daejeon I had several friends who did this... they were all good looking, confident and very socially adept - which helped a lot I'm sure, but it seems to happen all the time and it may be our only option...

[tob55]

No offense intended, but if you already have a plan in your mind, why are you asking people here? It seems like you already have the cat by the tail so to speak, so it is really a waste of your time and ours to discuss or debate the viability of your plans. Good luck on whatever you decide to do, just go do it.

[TheUrbanMyth]

[gartonator]

I appreciate your input, no matter how "figured out" i seem to know it...

I guess my biggest question is about finding an EPIK/TaLK deal for both of us where we're in the same town/village, is that feasible/common?

We're willing to go the middle of nowhere if we can pocket 4+ million together which an epik/talk combo should render...

and again, my gf failed some classes, so are they going to dismiss her application outright?

thanks for reading-
b

[Rory_Calhoun27]

FYI- guys in goatees are usually hiding something. Whether it's a malformed ego or doublechin, there's something they want to hide.

In Robin's case, maybe it was felony larson charges against an unjust government, but still.....

and the need to brag about sleeping with a "foreign" girl outside your own generation really speaks volumes. Maybe you just wanted to brag...


My guess is Princton. 'Cuz even if ya graduate, ya still have to admit to loving in 'Jersey!

But good luck with that!

[gartonator]

It is truly amazing how people like to beef on here. If you don't provide complete details about your situation, people got beef, or if you do then you still get beef.

Thank you again to the 90% who have given me good advice in the last 3 years. It has helped wonders!

To the other 10%, like Rory, please join a boxing class or jack off more, this isn't a place to take out your insecurities.

[Rory_Calhoun27]

That's sort of pot calling the kettle black! Score one for the Ror' boy!


We'll more about discuss match skills next. Though they look suspiciously like the work of a Rutgers mindset!

[summer33ny]

If saving money is really your goal why would you want to live in a big city?!

Go to a rural area. Less distractions and things to waste money on... higher pay. Besides, if your girlfriend doesn't have a degree, she may have a better chance landing a job in a rural location than in a city.

And I also suggest applying as a "married" couple or at least making it known that you are married if you do plan on living together. This is important especially in rural areas.

[gartonator]

thanks, learning that as I go

looking in Busan at this point, but the Epik/Talk thing seems impossible as far as I can tell, nobody seems to know anything about it, how to do it, etc. but I'll keep looking

[Enrico Palazzo]

This looks like Mount Saint Helens ready to blow up. Guys, take a deep breath, enjoy your Saturday. It's grand to have a weekend. Centuries ago, your ancestors had to work like serfs on the manner. Now, relax, don't throw verbal eggs at each other except in a light-hearted manner where you're jabbing at someone and smiling and teasing, not trying to provoke folks!!!

Sheesh.... And don't feed the bears.....

[cruisemonkey]