Korean Job Discussion Forums

[asmith]

I wanted to give some insights about working in Korea for those who are still in their home countries.

These facts are pretty well spot-on.

I've been doing this stuff for a while.

Here you go: http://highfidelityrecords.blogspot.com/2009/10/truth-about-teaching-in-korea.html

[The_Source]

256 views already? Are you repeatedly clicking on your own post to make it look as if it were actually important?

[Zulethe]

[asmith]

[hockeyguy109]

asmith - I really like your blog. I wonder how many more people will come. Do you think this will improve the working environment (in the long run)?
Why am I even asking that.....
154 more days to go, then one of you lucky people can have my old job.

[Trevor]

The concluding sentence was misleading: "Roll the dice and then take your chances."

I didn't roll the dice. My first job was a one-month winter camp. It wasn't great, but it only lasted a month. While I was in the country, getting paid for being here, I interviewed in-person for a fantastic school. I met the co-teachers who all confirmed that the boss was wonderful and they were very happy there. It was obvious when I met everyone, including the owner, that it was a good job. I consider that first full-year job to have been much less of a crapshoot than most jobs in the U.S. economy, right now.

[hockeyguy109]

Trevor - I think the real crapshoot is whether or not a person is going to stay sane in Korea. Nobody knows until they actually come over here. I like it here (won't stay another year, but its an alright place), but I have friends who didn't. One guy (good bloke) graduated from a really good college, was a hard worker, traveled all over Europe, South America, etc but absolutly hated Korea. He had a good boss and working environment too, but there was something that drove him crazy and he couldn't put his finger on what it was. Just couldn't stand it. After 4 months, he just had to get out.

A year isn't a long time, but I guess it can be for people unhappy with their environments.

[cherrycoke]

I have a pretty decent working environment. Of course there are things that bother me but I just ignore it. What gets to me is my status or rather my social standing here. The only reason I have this job is because of where I was born and people here know this.

I have a girlfriend here that likes me but doesn't want to be seen in public with me because of the social consequences of being seen with a foreign English teacher. When I try to kiss her or put my arms around her in public she literally swats me and freaks out, telling me that we live in small city. Of course, behind closed doors she lets me have it anyway I want.

When I meet other Foreigners here I find many of them borderline retarded and it upsets me that I'm in a situation where I get paid the same wages as these people. I acknowledge that there are many intelligent ones as well forced into this job because of economic conditions. It's really sad but I think the selection process will get better in Korea eventually.

I originally was planning to stay 1 year but now my sanity is really being tested in Korea. I might just leave for pharmacy school half way through my contract.

[hockeyguy109]

cherry coke- yeah it's rough. How long have you been here? I'm over the halfway hump, and it feels like it's getting easier. I don't have a bad job either, it's just the cultural stuff as you mentioned. I don't have it as bad as some of the horror situation people I hear about, but I find myself counting the days (online counter). But then again, when I get home I'm sure I'll be eager to start something new.

I really hate being an ansy person.

[Triban]

I am borderline retard.

[Jang-Dong Gun]

Some interesting points, was a good read. Cheers

[definitely maybe]

cherrycoke, i don't think she's actually your girlfriend. the whole "social stigma" thing doesn't hold nearly as much water as it did 5-10 years ago. relax, have fun, and stop worrying about what everyone else thinks of you. if you really are that much better than the rabble you're complaining about in your post, you wouldn't waste your time comparing yourself to everyone else.

[cherrycoke]

Normally I wouldnt take garbage like that from a girl but Ive only been here for 3 months and cant speak Korean enough to pick up women in a rural area where there are barely any English speakers. Between wanking at home with dignity and being used for sex by an attractive woman that doesn't respect me; I choose the latter.

It's a casual relationship between us in the sense we both know it wont last for obvious reasons. I'm leaving Korea and she....has high social standing here. High enough that it would damage her reputation if it become known she was having a 'relationship' with an English teacher. We both promised we wouldn't see anyone so it is still a monogamous relationship anyway. I guess some may call this being friends with benefits.

[Netz]

[Joe666]

Netz wrote: