Korean Job Discussion Forums

hockeyguy109 · Joined: 22 Dec 2008 Location: Daegu

Are you happy that you decided to renew a 2nd year? This question is for people who weren't planning to stay in Korea for more than a year but decided to anyways.

I am having one heck of a hard time deciding whether or not to renew. I can name a thousand different places I'd rather be than in Korea.

However-
The money is great (paying off debts), I don't like Korea but I don't HATE it, if I stayed another year I would have all my debts paid off and a good chunk of change to start up back home.

But I feel that Korea is just killing time. Isn't life too short to be in a place you aren't crazy about? The money is good. If the money was average, I would be gone with no questions asked. I just graduated college and kinda feel that I'm only young once and maybe I should hit the road....but my wallet thinks otherwise.

Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated.

oldtactics · Joined: 18 Oct 2008

The money is good? I'm making $10.50 an hour after deductions. The money is not good.

That said, if you don't have anything to go back to at home, then you might as well stay - moving back now won't get you out of debt, but being 100% out of debt when you move home will be fantastic and open up a lot of options.

Clockout · Joined: 23 Feb 2009

I'm in this boat and I'll be signing on again in a few months hopefully.

hockeyguy109 · Joined: 22 Dec 2008 Location: Daegu

Well the money isn't that good. But the ability to save good money is. I send home 800-1,000 dollars a month. Back home I would NEVER be able to pay off this much debt. The living expenses are pretty nice. It's a tough call. I'm worried that I'll decide to renew and a month later be like "oh s%#*!". But then again, I could easily say the same thing if I moved back home and couldn't find work.

Aelric · Joined: 02 Mar 2009

save for my recent workplace troubles, the job itself is actually fantastic in my experience (which I realize is not typical), so I don't regret being in Korea on that front.

Last year I hermited up up way too much after some women drama, but since I took my vacation I've rebuilt a social life, so I don't regret it on that level either.

Yet there is some unmerciful crushing force that still pervades everything here, the stifling homogenized culture, the lack of motivation that brings and the repetition of working and drinking, working and drinking, working and drinking that makes me want to scream.

I'm only a month into year two, so I can't say for sure yet, but so far things seem ok. A monkey wrench here and there, but generally ok.

hockeyguy109 · Joined: 22 Dec 2008 Location: Daegu

Yeah, I'm going to do some traveling this Winter and home leave (at least if I renew) this Spring. I am thinking that will give me a good boost. I think it's important for people to spend sometime out of Korea, especially if they're thinking about sticking it out for 2 years.

But its a tough decision.

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

If I wasn't happy I would leave.

Case in point. I stayed at my first public school for three years.

This one, I'm not planning on renewing after this year (year 1).

Life's too short to be miserable. You only get one go-around so as to speak, so make the most of it.

DrugstoreCowgirl · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:39 pm Post subject:

Well, if you move onto something else and wish you had stayed in Korea, just come back. I'd rather leave and try something else and come back if I had to instead of staying and wishing you were somewhere else.

The Gipkik · Joined: 30 Mar 2009

hockeyguy109 · Joined: 22 Dec 2008 Location: Daegu

Thanks for your comments. I think the problem in my case is that my job isn't awful. As far as ESL teaching goes, its a pretty good gig. I have no real complaints. Korea isn't awful either, but it just isn't good.

I feel like I'm living in purgatory. Nothing in my life is bad right now, but its not wonderful either. You could do worse in other places, but you could also do a lot better.

DrugstoreCowgirl · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 9:00 pm Post subject:

Kurtz · Joined: 05 Jan 2007 Location: ples bilong me

Korea can be isolating, depressing etc., but so can many other places. Just because you leave doesn't mean life will suddenly work out for you.

If you're here only to pay off those debts, well then another year will be hard, as you don't really want to be here, but then again, being debt free is kind of nice.

I agree life is kind of on hold here for many, including myself but look at it as character building.

Going home for a bit helps too.

This website can drag you down too, man, it's like torture reading some of these posts.

It just takes a couple of friends with similar interests and a positive attitude and it makes you realize in fact you're lucky to be here, free to do what you want, save good money (well I can't complain) and know you can leave whenever you want to, something many Koreans can't do but perhaps would like to.

Draz · Joined: 27 Jun 2007 Location: Land of Morning Clam

maingman · Joined: 26 Jan 2008 Location: left Korea

The Gepkik wrotte :

6. Korea is super convenient ?? Embarassed

7. Decent pay
8. Apartment is in a good location, if small ??

son of coco · Joined: 14 Mar 2008

Yeah, I know how you feel too. I'm going to be here for another year and am a week out from the end of my contract. Will be taking an 18 day holiday in Australia in between contracts, but the thought of coming back and doing the same thing for another year doesn't fill me with enthusiasm. It's just ok. Hopefully by the end of next year though I'll have saved a heap of money and be able to get a head-start on uni and doing something I want to do.

Not looking forward to the point where counting down 9 days resets itself to 365.