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Sergio Stefanuto
Joined: 14 May 2009
Location: UK
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 Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Seven weeks to go..... |
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lionel
Joined: 07 Jan 2009
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:48 pm Post subject: Life is better here (in my experience) |
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I'm from Canada, no one I know in their 20's (unless they had rich parents, were well connected) is making a lot of money.
My friend (one of the smartest in uni) was working as an auditor for KPMG, a big accounting firm, and even her job amounted to less after tax than what I made in Korea after tax for my first year. Not to mention the horribly living expenses. They laid her off though due to the economic situation.
My brother and his wife pull in $100,000 a year between their two jobs and they have zero savings at the end of the month, they live in Toronto. This is after working 10+ years at crappy jobs, working their way up. However, it is still not enough when they have to pay 2 grand a month for their house (rent, not own) and half that in taxes.
The last time I went home, I saw my friend had a brand new Honda Civic and bought a new house. He said it wasn't really his, it was all financed, mortgage payments up to his eyeballs, working all the time etc. He told me to run straight back to Korea. Every time I talk with my dad, he tells me the same thing.
Basically, from my own personal experience, unless you had rich parents or are super connected, get ready to struggle for the next 20 years until you actually have enough money to enjoy life in Canada.
Disclaimer: Life isn't that bad in Canada. You can live a great superficial life by building up debt. However, eating at restaurants most days, travelling, not worrying about your budget etc. isn't possible for most people. |
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DWAEJIMORIGUKBAP
Joined: 28 May 2009
Location: Electron cloud
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:57 pm Post subject: |
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^^^^
Exactly. Life in the past in EVERY country has always been - a FEW are rich and have comfortable lives whilst MANY are not rich and struggle most of the time with a few moments of fun / comfort / enjoyment.
We in most of the west have been brainwashed since the 1980's to beleive that we will all be middle class and live lives that are like something from a soap opera (Friends springs to mind where even a strugling actor with no other income has designer clothes, lives in a designer apt and has no money worries. Nice one Joey and you're funny and all but that's not how it goes down outside of the junk box...)
A lot of graduates are experiencing the old Postgrad blues... This is bought on by expectations and a sense of entitlement that are usually contrary to what we find in the 'real world...'
Most of us are not going to be famous actors, singers, win pop idol etc...
Most of us will do jobs we tolerate and live moderately comfortably IF WE ARE DAMNED CAREFUL and smart and put by for a rainy day as our oldies did before us.
Korea is easy street and whilst in ten years mates back home who stick to one field and make progress WILL likely overtake you in terms of disposable income, it aint easy...
Lose your illusions.... |
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Triban
Joined: 14 Jul 2009
Location: Suwon Station
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 10:09 pm Post subject: |
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| mimis wrote: |
That's nice to hear. Perhaps we do tend to over-idealize all things back home after being here for some time.
Unfortunately, I'm still in that fase, but it might change after I go back for one month later this year. Can't wait to find out for myself. |
*phase |
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brainfreeze
Joined: 04 Jul 2009
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 10:54 pm Post subject: Re: Life is better here (in my experience) |
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| lionel wrote: |
I'm from Canada, no one I know in their 20's (unless they had rich parents, were well connected) is making a lot of money.
My friend (one of the smartest in uni) was working as an auditor for KPMG, a big accounting firm, and even her job amounted to less after tax than what I made in Korea after tax for my first year. Not to mention the horribly living expenses. They laid her off though due to the economic situation.
My brother and his wife pull in $100,000 a year between their two jobs and they have zero savings at the end of the month, they live in Toronto. This is after working 10+ years at crappy jobs, working their way up. However, it is still not enough when they have to pay 2 grand a month for their house (rent, not own) and half that in taxes.
The last time I went home, I saw my friend had a brand new Honda Civic and bought a new house. He said it wasn't really his, it was all financed, mortgage payments up to his eyeballs, working all the time etc. He told me to run straight back to Korea. Every time I talk with my dad, he tells me the same thing.
Basically, from my own personal experience, unless you had rich parents or are super connected, get ready to struggle for the next 20 years until you actually have enough money to enjoy life in Canada.
Disclaimer: Life isn't that bad in Canada. You can live a great superficial life by building up debt. However, eating at restaurants most days, travelling, not worrying about your budget etc. isn't possible for most people. |
I agree, I actually have a good job and putting away a lot of cash is hard even if you are earning more than the average Canadian.
Taxes are also pretty high in general in the West, and so even if you earn a lot, most of it is gone to taxes before you see a cent.
A lot of what you are talking about is also unique to Ontario, although life in the other provinces isn't by any means "rosy" it's still not as hard as Ontario.
An oversupply of qualified people has seen to it that getting any sort of decent work in Ontario is tough. |
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E_athlete
Joined: 09 Jun 2009
Location: Korea sparkling
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 11:01 pm Post subject: Re: Life is better here (in my experience) |
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| lionel wrote: |
I'm from Canada, no one I know in their 20's (unless they had rich parents, were well connected) is making a lot of money.
My friend (one of the smartest in uni) was working as an auditor for KPMG, a big accounting firm, and even her job amounted to less after tax than what I made in Korea after tax for my first year. Not to mention the horribly living expenses. They laid her off though due to the economic situation.
My brother and his wife pull in $100,000 a year between their two jobs and they have zero savings at the end of the month, they live in Toronto. This is after working 10+ years at crappy jobs, working their way up. However, it is still not enough when they have to pay 2 grand a month for their house (rent, not own) and half that in taxes.
The last time I went home, I saw my friend had a brand new Honda Civic and bought a new house. He said it wasn't really his, it was all financed, mortgage payments up to his eyeballs, working all the time etc. He told me to run straight back to Korea. Every time I talk with my dad, he tells me the same thing.
Basically, from my own personal experience, unless you had rich parents or are super connected, get ready to struggle for the next 20 years until you actually have enough money to enjoy life in Canada.
Disclaimer: Life isn't that bad in Canada. You can live a great superficial life by building up debt. However, eating at restaurants most days, travelling, not worrying about your budget etc. isn't possible for most people. |
This sounds familiar... It's funny how everyone is saying how tough it is but you hardly ever hear about it on the news. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 11:17 pm Post subject: Re: Life is better here (in my experience) |
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| E_athlete wrote: |
| lionel wrote: |
I'm from Canada, no one I know in their 20's (unless they had rich parents, were well connected) is making a lot of money.
My friend (one of the smartest in uni) was working as an auditor for KPMG, a big accounting firm, and even her job amounted to less after tax than what I made in Korea after tax for my first year. Not to mention the horribly living expenses. They laid her off though due to the economic situation.
My brother and his wife pull in $100,000 a year between their two jobs and they have zero savings at the end of the month, they live in Toronto. This is after working 10+ years at crappy jobs, working their way up. However, it is still not enough when they have to pay 2 grand a month for their house (rent, not own) and half that in taxes.
The last time I went home, I saw my friend had a brand new Honda Civic and bought a new house. He said it wasn't really his, it was all financed, mortgage payments up to his eyeballs, working all the time etc. He told me to run straight back to Korea. Every time I talk with my dad, he tells me the same thing.
Basically, from my own personal experience, unless you had rich parents or are super connected, get ready to struggle for the next 20 years until you actually have enough money to enjoy life in Canada.
Disclaimer: Life isn't that bad in Canada. You can live a great superficial life by building up debt. However, eating at restaurants most days, travelling, not worrying about your budget etc. isn't possible for most people. |
This sounds familiar... It's funny how everyone is saying how tough it is but you hardly ever hear about it on the news. |
Well, of course. You don't want to scare the country into a even deeper recession, by having nightly talking heads come on and tell people to sit on their cash for the next couple of years. No, get them out there and get them spending...give the economy a boost. |
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Kurtz
Joined: 05 Jan 2007
Location: ples bilong me
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 11:24 pm Post subject: |
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Coming from a big international city, I can't relate to you OP, I think cities in Korea are not too crash hot. Decently priced and tasting foreign food, I wish!
As an example, I recently ate some fantastic Indian food in Tokyo at half the price as here, and it was twice as good, why is that? Korea seems to think all things foreign should be horribly priced.
Having a large disposabale income is nice, but I seem to have to spend a large portion of it on overseas holidays to maintain some form of inner peace.
I thought my time here was a total waste, but my next job requires cross-cultural awareness, so Korea wasn't a waste of time in the end.
Lastly, I think most NETS here live in a bubble. Try supporting a family, paying off a mortgage, a car and see if you still have oodles of cash. You might find you're in the same boat as your friends back home. |
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mimis
Joined: 24 May 2009
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| Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 12:47 am Post subject: |
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| E_athlete wrote: |
| mimis wrote: |
That's nice to hear. Perhaps we do tend to over-idealize all things back home after being here for some time.
Unfortunately, I'm still in that fase, but it might change after I go back for one month later this year. Can't wait to find out for myself. |
I'm in that fase as well! How long have you been teaching ESL mimi?  |
Why are you always so eager to point out other people's mistakes 
I am not an ESL teacher, I'm not even English. PROUD TO BE DUTCH. And please don't tell me the native speakers here never make mistakes in their writing 
Not everybody living here is doing the same thing you know. |
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mimis
Joined: 24 May 2009
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| Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 12:49 am Post subject: |
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| Triban wrote: |
| mimis wrote: |
That's nice to hear. Perhaps we do tend to over-idealize all things back home after being here for some time.
Unfortunately, I'm still in that fase, but it might change after I go back for one month later this year. Can't wait to find out for myself. |
*phase |
JEEZ PEOPLE, I AM DEEPLY SORRY FOR MY TRAGIC MISTAKE. MAY THE GODS OF LANGUAGES BESTOW THEIR HEAVIEST, MOST PAINFUL PUNISHMENTS UPON ME, FOR I HAVE DONE A TERRIBLE TERRIBLE THING. SHAME ON ME. |
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Fox
Joined: 04 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 1:19 am Post subject: |
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| Kurtz wrote: |
| Lastly, I think most NETS here live in a bubble. Try supporting a family, paying off a mortgage, a car and see if you still have oodles of cash. You might find you're in the same boat as your friends back home. |
Things like not needing a mortgage, a car, etc are part of the reason living in Korea is so lucrative, Kurtz. Housing is part of your compensation package, and public transportation in Korea is overall very viable compared to living in many parts of the United States. |
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tacitus14
Joined: 10 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 1:26 am Post subject: |
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I'm from Canada and my friends certainly aren't working minimum wage jobs!
I thought about boring you with the details of their very productive lives.
But it would be lost on a crowd that mostly believes by teaching esl they've made it.
Depending on where you're from some of you have but this idea that it can't get any better than this is really lame especially from second rate industry like esl. |
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Kurtz
Joined: 05 Jan 2007
Location: ples bilong me
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| Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 1:35 am Post subject: |
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| Fox wrote: |
| Kurtz wrote: |
| Lastly, I think most NETS here live in a bubble. Try supporting a family, paying off a mortgage, a car and see if you still have oodles of cash. You might find you're in the same boat as your friends back home. |
Things like not needing a mortgage, a car, etc are part of the reason living in Korea is so lucrative, Kurtz. Housing is part of your compensation package, and public transportation in Korea is overall very viable compared to living in many parts of the United States. |
Thanks for the reality check.....
The perks barely make up for the pay here, especially if you're only pulling in 2.1
I'll state it again, you people live in a bubble. Perhaps one day you'll grow up and take on some adult responsibilities, and maybe then you'll realize this isn't such a great deal in the long term.
There is good debt and bad debt. The former is what happens when you buy a house, and after 30 years you've got yourself a nice little asset, bad debt is when you live beyond your means.
Being in good debt isn't so bad, it might make a rudderless TESOLer get some direction.
How's your superannuation going? career? got any assets? Is Korea going to make that happen? Hope so. |
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Kurtz
Joined: 05 Jan 2007
Location: ples bilong me
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| Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 1:44 am Post subject: |
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| E_athlete wrote: |
| mimis wrote: |
That's nice to hear. Perhaps we do tend to over-idealize all things back home after being here for some time.
Unfortunately, I'm still in that fase, but it might change after I go back for one month later this year. Can't wait to find out for myself. |
I'm in that fase as well! How long have you been teaching ESL mimi? |
How long have you been teaching ESL? 
What's your major again? |
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Fox
Joined: 04 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 1:57 am Post subject: |
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| Kurtz wrote: |
| I'll state it again, you people live in a bubble. Perhaps one day you'll grow up and take on some adult responsibilities ... |
I didn't realize mortgages and car loans were mandatory to be a responsibile adult.
| Kurtz wrote: |
| There is good debt and bad debt. The former is what happens when you buy a house, and after 30 years you've got yourself a nice little asset, bad debt is when you live beyond your means. |
Yes, after 30 years, and after paying an immense amount of interest. People who buy into this idea that everyone needs to own a home, and it's so important that it's worth paying far more than the house is actually valued at to get one are part of the reason our economy ran into the trouble it's in. I'm certainly looking at all the home-ownership lemmings getting foreclosed upon right now and admiring their sense of adult-responsibility.
| Kurtz wrote: |
| How's your superannuation going? career? got any assets? Is Korea going to make that happen? Hope so. |
My family is wealthy, I don't need to work for a living. I'm here because I enjoy it (I know, it's a shock, living life for enjoyment rather than to buy progressively more expensive material objects so you can be a responsible adult.).
Out of curiosity, how's yours? Given you value being a responsible adult so much, what on Earth are you doing in Korea? Or are you just another one of those goons who is doing something he doesn't genuinely enjoy because he can't do anything else?
Sorry your life hasn't worked out as well as mine, but your bitter whining is tiring. |
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