Korean Job Discussion Forums

[greatunknown]

Hello folks! This is my first post! I've been browsing these forums for a little while now, and I have to say, I find this whole teaching overseas thing very interesting. I would like to introduce myself as well as ask a quick couple of questions.

I am 25 years old. I started university as a mature student when I was 21. This fall I will graduate with a B.S. I am a Newfoundlander. I have a longtime girlfriend. She wants to be a teacher, and I want some sort of job in the healthcare industry. Once I graduate I will need to do some sort of post-grad certification, it'll probably take a year or two and I DO NOT want to dive right in. I feel like I need some time to live life before getting back to the grind.

I have to say my life has been pretty hard to deal with for the last 5 years. I haven't done anything except study and work. I've been poor and struggling to get through my degree. Most of my friends graduated a while ago and are in various stages of getting there lives started (careers, marriage, kids, home owners etc). They say your college years are the best, but I don't think thats the case when your struggling financially and unable to afford anything beyond the necessities.

There is a part of me that wants to do something different for a change. To go somewhere like Korea to experience life outside the island I've been trapped on for 5 years. I've always wanted to travel but never seemed to have the time or money. Is it a difficult lifestyle to adjust to? I don't know anyone who's done this so. Is this a crazy idea? Did you plan to do this for a long time? Or did you stumble across some website like daves and just start becoming fascinated? Is everyone single who does this? I'd love it if she came with me but that may not happen.

I think anything you guys could tell me about what your life was like before, during and after korea would help. How did you know or decide this was what you wanted to do?

Anyways this is my dilemma in a nut shell!

[rocket_scientist]

Well, you are at the right place if you want to learn about teaching in Korea.

The experience jobs have no or little value back in the west, I'm having a hard time selling it and post teaching success stories are few.

Good luck.

[SanchoPanza]

Here's my advice:

1/ Stay in Seoul. Don't go out into the Korean hinterland unless you
want to be bored out of your skull.

2/ Leave the girlfriend at home. In no time at all you will meet some
way skinny and seriously HAWT Kgirl that will blow your mind.

3/ Shop around before you take a job and use every resource
available.

4/ Check with blacklists and this site before you sign.

Sounds to me like you need some serious R&R. Korea is a great place
for that. Alcohol and sex are the major pastimes and you can pretty
much do anything you want here.

The places you want to hit up in Seoul are Hongdae, Sinchon and
Itaewon. Get all drunked up and go on a year long tear.

[greatunknown]

[Hightop]

You and your GF should go to China if you want fun and excitement after five years of study. S Pizza has it all wrong, sure chasing skinny starfish around hongdae is fun for a while but after 6 weeks of pulling the same girl with different name out of gogo or Ho Bar 12 you will start to realize that Korea is almost as dull and unimaginative as So Young from FF, or was that So Hee. Go to Shanghai, Beijing, Cheng Du or any other major city in China and start to enjoy yourself.

[Dev]

Get a public school job with SMOE (for Seoul schools) or EPIK (rest of Korea).

Search the web and you will find their respective sites.

Teaching at a private language school in Korea is a crap shoot. Some of them are good, but many of them don't come through on their promises. Public schools there generally deliver everything they promise.

[Street Magic]

[jiberish]

Consider all the countries first. See what one matches your needs. They all have their ups and downs. Also if you get a crap contract, don't sign it. Contracts are your first sign of a dodgy company and one year at one of those could be worse than uni.

If you come to korea, seoul or busan

[greatunknown]

[greatunknown]

[CapnSamwise]

Dave's is full of whiners and nay-sayers. It's a good site to visit if you have specific questions, as they are generally helpful, but every thread that goes on for longer than a page devolves into entitled whiners bitching about their jobs and shortly thereafter turns into a tearfest about the military or gender relations. Beware. Bewaaaaaaaare!

Honestly, go for it. If the prospect of jumping into it whole-hog worries you, talk to Aclipse recruiting. They're based in Boston and are paid by Chung Dahm Learning to find qualified candidates, so they're not going to be skimming off of your paycheck or holding your degree ransom.

[mc_jc]

Are you worried about money?
Or are you looking for some fun?

If you looking to earn and save as much money in a short period of time, then Korea is a safe option.
If you are looking for some fun, then China might be a better option.
Many cities in Korea will look and feel pretty much the same while many of the big cities in China are in different regions of the country, so you feel the distinct spirit and flavor of that particular place. However, the drawbacks to going to China is that the money is not much (compared to Korea) and in many cities (other than Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou), things do close early.

In Korea, people tend to do things at night because they are usually stuck at work all day- so if you hang out in Gangnam or go shopping in Dongdaemun, there will always be a crowd of people. The one thing I love about Korea is that I could go see a movie at any hour, either before or after going club hopping. I find Seoul more hopping than New York, where most bars and clubs close by 3am. There are times where I would go out at 7pm one night and not return until 11am the next day.

So if you like all nighters, then Korea is for you. I would recommend going on Youtube and look up some vids that people put up regarding their outings in Korea.

Whatever you decide- good luck!

[Old Gil]

[greatunknown]

[redaxe]