Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wayne]

A friend of a friend is planning on moving to Seoul to teach English here. I have told him to check out various websites and do as much research as possible and Ive told him as much as I can but I still feel like its so inadequate... So Im humbly asking you newbies and longtimers alike for advice.

what things to you wish you knew before you came here?

or

what is some of the best advice you received before or after you arrived in korea?

thanks.

[oldtactics]

Read about teaching methods before you get here. I regret that I didn't read more about lesson planning before I started - walking into a public school and being faced with 800 students a week was... daunting, to say the least. Your friend will learn as he goes, of course, but I think I would have been a lot more comfortable at the beginning if I'd done some reading about how to interact with students.

[bobbyhanlon]

research your new employer thoroughly. there are thousands of esl jobs out there so if you read anything bad about the school you're thinking of going to, move on.

research the location thoroughly. if they say 'near seoul', it might not be. try to live IN seoul. the countryside is boring, unless you like nature very, very much.

clarify thoroughly exactly what you will be paid, and WHEN you will be paid. explain that you will not tolerate any funny business in this regard.

be friends with your boss, but not if that friendship is exploited to get you to do extra stuff.

most things aimed at foreigners (ie. property rental, restaurants, souvenir shops) are of course a rip-off.

learn hangeul (the alphabet) before you arrive.

make friends with the locals. but not ones who a) call you ten times a day and want to be your 'best friend', b) constantly ask for help with english or c) belong to a strange religious group (there are many such people).

drink soju, eat korean food, go to noraebang. it amazed me the number of foreigners i met in korea who try to resist these things. all three are great (in my opinion) and will also make your social life easier.

don't worry about north korea.

don't believe all you read on dave's esl cafe!