Korean Job Discussion Forums

[dwon123]

is anyone going to be in gangwon-do?

[Patrick Bateman]

I already am; does that count?

[kokujin]

[oldtactics]

Lots of us on this board are Gangwon-do EPIKers - feel free to ask questions or PM if you need anything

[afsjesse]

I tried to get into EPIK Gangwon last year but got Gyeongbuk. Historically speaking I am in Gangwondo as Uljin-gun was given to Gyeongbuk by Pres. (Dictator?) Park in the 60's.

It's my favorite province and you all should feel lucky to be in such a great place.

My favorite place is Inje-gun. What a great and rural county (most rural in Korea) to be in and go hiking, biking, rafting, bungeeing?, handgliding etc.....

[billietea]

I have been here for a year...pm me for questions or read my previous posts...

[samcheokguy]

For the real depressing scoop check my posts...

[Epicurus]

[RufusW]

[Robot_Teacher]

If you get a car or motorcycle, you can get everywhere for outdoor activities as well as the cities, but public buses are limited and end like at 7PM. There's trout fishing, swimming, hiking, camping, float tripping, sight seeing natural places, and festivals, but it's not walking distance and best done with your own wheels to explore and learn your way around.

Gangwon-do Emarts are in Gangnueng, Taebaek, Wonju, Seokcho, and Chuncheon which are 1 to 2 hour bus rides each way from many small town/rural points of interest such as where you'll most likely live. I'm actually liking the job and learning to live on the basics, but wished I was conveniently closer to a city such as Wonju or Chuncheon. I haven't been to an Emart in 1.5 months, because I do not like spending a whole day off just to get to and from an Emart. Really, if you're either not a drinker of foreign beverages like German beer or are cutting back to save money and lose fat, the small grocers and street markets carry what you need to survive on. During June, my total costs were 600,000 won which is good, but I could make it less if I didn't buy so much fruit, cartons of American style OJ, and Gatorade as well as bottled water and meat. My only complaint is smaller stores carry only a limited selection of 2nd hand food that is either out of date or close to it as well as often being lower quality than Emart. Forget their bananas for now as they're too soft and mushy or go off in less than a day. If you want good bananas and pineapple, Emart is the bomb. If you want some ham, again, Emart is your only option.

There is very little night life nor social life for Westerners, but it's OK if you're a loner computer addict like me or bringing your family. There is Korean nightlife in the towns which mostly consists of groups eating and drinking Korean brew in simple sit on the floor regular white light with no music or atmostphere style of restaurants. You'll do this when your school invites you. I haven't been to or noticed any of those singing rooms many posters mentioned on Daves. I guess we don't have many of those like not having much of anything else, but fresh air and green mountains with clear rocky streams full of tiny fish.

The local people are mostly older retirees who lived very hard lives so they're not going to come off as sweet and friendly like many of the old grateful folks back home do. Haven't seen any hostilities though; just an awkeward tolerance from what seems to be zombified walking dead.

Their seems to be a shortage of adequate housing so it's hit or miss on apartments as it's whatever your school can procure for you. Be it a huge fully equipped family unit, a studio with everything you need, or a tiny place with no gas nor a way to use a washing machine. They showed me several tiny dingy old apartments with no gas nor way to put in a washing machine and I flat out refused so they got me a real apartment with gas and a room for the washing machine. Those little old dingy places lacking are common for the many young soldiers, becuase they don't seem to live on bases in barracks, but have their food and laundry done for them.

It's the simple and cheap life. I won't knock it, but will say it's not for everyone or just might require some adjusting. Not particularly good for those in their 20's, single, and looking for an adventurous lifestyle, but great for older people as well as families. Good place to hunker down for a year or two to save money if that is your primary purpose in life.

[kantoi09]

i'm going there

[afsjesse]

Uljin has no Emart or anything. It's very rural and only has small town stores, a couple gyms and stuff.

Info on Inje is available in the Lonley Planet Korea and probably the Inje County website. Do a naver search?

[dwon123]

so you can at least choose your own apartment? i recently got accepted to EPIK and am getting worried with the program's poor organization. my recruiter seems to be a clueless middle man and i have NO idea what to expect once i get there. i really don't want to live in a barn somewhere in rural gangwon-do but i've been reading that you really don't get to choose where you end up and you are never sure where you are placed until the end of orientation. can someone tell me how placement goes? i applied at the end of may and got accepted mid june. does this mean that i'm destined to end up in the mountains?

[Patrick Bateman]

[Robot_Teacher]

Right, 90,000 is a big city compared to where I live. I'm in a town of about 1000 people which has 1 Family Mart and 2 small ma and pa grocers as well as a 5 days market with last bus out at 7PM and last bus going to there ending at 7PM. It's a tiny bus station with only 4 bays and 1 small ticket window, but we have 3 Seoul buses a day. The larger the town or city, the more services you will have access to. Even the young lady who speaks English better than any Korean teacher working her parents little store complains this place is too small so I agree with her. Too bad she gets NO days off as I'd like to spend some time with her. She lived abroad for 4 years and went to school in Seoul, but lives here to work her parents store as that's her only career prospect due to not being a beautiful model. Really very ugly in appearance, but such a sweet young woman in personality. She'd make a great friend as she is a very nice person. I talk to her regularly in the store. I only wish she had free time, because I need friends and so does she. She has to work 364 days a year 12+ hour days at the store. That's too bad Korea is a bit sick like that to expect anyone to accept and live under those conditions. Don't worry, it's nothing like that for foreign teachers here.