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cadburys
Joined: 02 Jul 2009
Location: IRELAND
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 Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 4:40 pm Post subject: Moving to Korea on own!!! |
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What's it like arriving in Korea knowing absolutely no one!??  |
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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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| Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 4:44 pm Post subject: |
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normal and easy
it'll help you grow up |
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Snake Doctor
Joined: 14 Jul 2009
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| Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 4:56 pm Post subject: Re: Moving to Korea on own!!! |
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| cadburys wrote: |
| What's it like arriving in Korea knowing absolutely no one!?? |
There used to be a dirt cheap (20,000 won) a night hippy hotel in Gwangwhamun near the US embassy and the Kyobo bookstore where a lot of people just like you started out. Don't know if it's still there. back in the early and mid 90's, it's where a lot of people went to start out. Once they got themselves working, they'd move on. Met some crazy characters there back in the day. It was named the "Inn Dae Won" - I think mostly Japanese tourists go there these days though. They used to own another flophouse similar to the Daewon, about a five min walk from that location, but that one got torn down when they redeveloped the area. On any given day, you could smell the weed coming from the outdoor area in the back. Good times.
http://wikimapia.org/3134376/Inn-Daewon
http://hotels.lonelyplanet.com/hotel/Seoul-Inn-Daewon-Guesthouse-P123576.html |
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climber159
Joined: 02 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 5:09 pm Post subject: |
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| Many people arrive to Korea not knowing anyone. Your location will often dictate how easy your first few days, weeks, months will be. If you're in the Seoul or Busan areas there are large foreigner areas where you'll be able to strike up conversation easily. Will you be working with SMOE or GEPIK? If so, you'll have an orientation with the other edutainers which will allow you to meet other people. |
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whiteshoes
Joined: 14 Apr 2009
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| Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 5:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Well I knew that the first thing I had to do to survive here was to make some friends. So that's what I did. Before you know it, you'll know plenty of people. Many you'll wish you didn't. |
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tatu
Joined: 23 Jun 2006
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| Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 9:53 pm Post subject: |
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[/quote]Met some crazy characters there back in the day. It was named the "Inn Dae Won"
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Brings back memories of Mrs. Kim and her laugh every time she greeted someone. I lived there for a year and met a few characters. It was a great place to line up work and trade jobs with other teachers that were staying there. |
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Papa Smurf
Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 9:55 pm Post subject: |
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| whiteshoes wrote: |
| Well I knew that the first thing I had to do to survive here was to make some friends. So that's what I did. Before you know it, you'll know plenty of people. Many you'll wish you didn't. |
good call. |
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raewon
Joined: 16 Jun 2009
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| Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2009 4:40 am Post subject: freedom |
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It's a great feeling, because most of your "baggage" stays behind (Don't worry ~ your bags will make it!). Relax and enjoy the transition.
Welcome to the soon not to be so <sparkling> land of the morning calm. |
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cadburys
Joined: 02 Jul 2009
Location: IRELAND
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| Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2009 10:49 am Post subject: |
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It's looking like I'll be working in a Hagwon-do these have orientations?
From what I've read there's more pressure in public schools? Is this true? |
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climber159
Joined: 02 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2009 1:47 pm Post subject: |
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| It's looking like I'll be working in a Hagwon-do these have orientations? |
Is one of the big McHagwons (YBM, Pagoda, CDI, etc)? If so, there's probably some sort of training/indoctrination/orientation/quarantine. I don't know for sure though. If you're with a regular sort of hagwon you'll likely have nothing more than a "here's your apartment key; it's over there somewhere. See you on Monday."
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| From what I've read there's more pressure in public schools? Is this true? |
I'd say it's quite the opposite. Your job in the public school is to be the school's foreign face mascot. Keep your lessons simple, useful, and entertaining and you'll be in good standing with the students, parents, co-teachers, principal, and VPs. Your job in a hagwon is more like a tightrope walk as you balance keeping your students happy, the parents convinced they're getting their money's worth, and a director who may surprise you at any time by breaking the contract. |
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AgentM
Joined: 07 Jun 2009
Location: British Columbia, Canada
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| Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2009 2:21 pm Post subject: |
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| climber159 wrote: |
| I'd say it's quite the opposite. Your job in the public school is to be the school's foreign face mascot. Keep your lessons simple, useful, and entertaining and you'll be in good standing with the students, parents, co-teachers, principal, and VPs. Your job in a hagwon is more like a tightrope walk as you balance keeping your students happy, the parents convinced they're getting their money's worth, and a director who may surprise you at any time by breaking the contract. |
That's a matter of perspective of course. Personally I'm going to avoid Public Schools when I go over because the pay is low, and while there are good public schools out there, it's really a crapshoot as to whether or not you get one. At least with hagwons the pay is higher and you have more control over which school you end up in. There are pros and cons to each... |
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climber159
Joined: 02 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:27 pm Post subject: |
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climber159 wrote:
I'd say it's quite the opposite. Your job in the public school is to be the school's foreign face mascot. Keep your lessons simple, useful, and entertaining and you'll be in good standing with the students, parents, co-teachers, principal, and VPs. Your job in a hagwon is more like a tightrope walk as you balance keeping your students happy, the parents convinced they're getting their money's worth, and a director who may surprise you at any time by breaking the contract.
That's a matter of perspective of course. Personally I'm going to avoid Public Schools when I go over because the pay is low, and while there are good public schools out there, it's really a crapshoot as to whether or not you get one. At least with hagwons the pay is higher and you have more control over which school you end up in. There are pros and cons to each... |
Matter of perspective indeed. Just make sure you seriously consider that public schools will, for the most part, adhere to the contract thus providing better job security than a hagwon. But, no matter where you are teaching in Korea it is always good to have some idea of a contingency plan should your school fold, you're "fired", or you quit. |
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bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
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| Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:38 pm Post subject: |
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AgentM:
A little advice. Take it as you will, depending on your needs...
I learned after my first year here that it's not about taking the job that makes the most money. It's about finding the job that will make you work the least for an average wage, leaving you with more time to fill with your own activities.
Think about that, and you'll see the wisdom in it. |
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E_athlete
Joined: 09 Jun 2009
Location: Korea sparkling
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| Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:52 pm Post subject: |
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| bassexpander wrote: |
AgentM:
A little advice. Take it as you will, depending on your needs...
I learned after my first year here that it's not about taking the job that makes the most money. It's about finding the jobs that will make you work the least for an average wage, leaving you with more time to fill with your own illegal activities.
Think about that, and you'll see the wisdom in it. |
fixed. |
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AgentM
Joined: 07 Jun 2009
Location: British Columbia, Canada
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| Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2009 4:03 pm Post subject: |
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| bassexpander wrote: |
AgentM:
A little advice. Take it as you will, depending on your needs...
I learned after my first year here that it's not about taking the job that makes the most money. It's about finding the job that will make you work the least for an average wage, leaving you with more time to fill with your own activities.
Think about that, and you'll see the wisdom in it. |
It depends on the individual to be sure. I'll see how things go, I can always switch to public schools later if I really want to. |
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