Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Globutron]

Hey y'all. How does one introduce themselves here?

I'll save that for a separate post anyway.

I thought I'd moan about my... 7 month effort to get to South Korea.

My friend came up with the idea in late August, which I took up instantly as a grand idea, having nothing here to hang around for. Then he backed out on the idea, so I was doing it on my own.

My first recruiter seemed promising, promising me many a'promise, but then backed out for about 2 months. Eventually I got the one I'm with now, based in Anyang. E Bo Young, some large franchise woman of whom I hear is somewhat famous over there as a Hagwon lord of sorts.

Went for my CBC from police station, who said I needed to send off my actual passport and �10, which I did. Never got it back. The next person who I asked said I didn't need to, just a photocopy. Great!

Crossed the country and paid a nice �110 for a new one and moved on. Transcripts next. My university took somewhere over a month to get in touch with me with a response of 'whoops, sorry I've been busy, I'll send them off tomorrow, free of charge', which I then received over a week later.

Turns out he put all four in a single sealed envelope. I called again to 'whoops, sorry, I misunderstood, I'll send some more'. I emailed the Korean guy contacting me and he said send them off anyway (knowing I had opened it, assuming they would be separated within the large package), and send more off if necessary at a later date.

Turns out they weren't acceptable, so my new ones had to be sent, another weeks worth of waiting. they also were not official stamps according to the Korean guy, but my university insisted they have no other official method, so the Korean guy used his persuasive powers to get it sorted.

Next is my end of the Visa. This was my first silly mistake, where I provide �25 instead of �32 (I think I read some old instructions), so I had to re-send some extra cash, along with a return envelope they didn't want to pay for themselves.

I'm not going to mention this, Because I think the amount that Britain has screwed me over already has put a pre-bitter taste in the schools mouths of me already, if I put something down that actually was my fault I dread to think how they'll treat me. Some sort of hired goon, I suspect.

Think it'll have any large consequences? bearing in mind the contract was supposed to start mid-January and I'm now probably not going to get there until Late Feb =\

Anyway, that was an enjoyable first post.

안녕!

[andrewchon]

No, I don't think there'll be any significant problems.
They'll tell you "You're late"
You'll counter with your British humour "yeah, two months late"
They'll find that not so amusing with their Korean humour,
there's a cultural difference for ya.

Brits get in the queue and wait,
Koreans elbow their way in (if they can).

[smajk710]

Hi Globutron,

Are you going to be at the school in Janggok-dong Siheung city?

[Globutron]

[brento1138]

Hey man. Interesting post. And I see you're suffering the same kind of bureaucracy that Canada faces... but at a far more "British" level if you know what I mean.

Anyhow, the thing that works in Canada is this. You gotta plead with the people behind the glass... the government or university workers who are supposed to give you the documents. I basically told them that I gotta get my CBC in less than two weeks, or my visa and flight will be terminated! The nice lady behind the glass took my application form, and in 5 minutes, gave me my CBC!! Wow. Amazing. That is totally unexpected, especially after the woman I talked to before, said that a CBC in Vancouver takes 4 weeks. So, she saved my skin...

Then with the university transcripts, I went in there, up to the woman behind the desk, and before saying anything to her, said "Hey, do you think you can save me?" Then I explained to her how I really needed my university transcripts soon, or else I'd have to cancel a flight and my whole teaching-in-korea thing would be doomed! Well, she helped me, and gave me the transcripts on the spot!!

So, with those seemingly "evil" government bureaucracies, there are always a few nice people. If you have to, just go the next day (it is important to go in person if possible, even if u gotta pay for a train ticket) and seek someone else!

Good luck ...

[banjois]

Any idea whether this kind of pleading will fly at the Korean Consulate in Vancouver? I'm supposed to fly to Seoul next Wednesday, and I just got my visa number last night and sent away my video interview etc. (which, apparently the Olympics changes the guarantee of overnight delivery to "we'll try). I'm flying to Vancouver tomorrow to visit friends and family before I go. The woman at the consulate said the visa might be ready in time, but to not get the recruiter to book a flight yet.

Has anybody dealt with the visa office at the Consulate in Vancouver? If I go in and plead my case a bit do you think it will help? I guess it's no great tragedy if I go a few days later, but I'd like to get all of my training in before school starts on the 2nd, and I think a week of family and Olympics will about do me...

[brento1138]

The woman at the Korean consulate in Vancouver was NOT charming in the least. But she's probably one of many.

But if you really plead, beg, and say you'll miss your flight, they do seem to pull strings here and there. Always worth a try!

[Globutron]

[banjois]

[lifeinkorea]

Couldn't you upload it to Youtube and then send a link to confirm they can see it someway?

[banjois]

Jesus. Now that's an idea. Thanks.

[Globutron]

[banjois]

What annoys me is that over half of the video, which I did exactly to specification, is my saying thing like "my passport number is" and "I graduated from."

IT'S ON PAPER RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!

I'll be glad when this part's over.