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Who's Your Daddy?
Joined: 30 May 2010
Location: Victoria, Canada.
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 Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 1:07 am Post subject: Get Comfortable |
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I know a number of people who've been living in Korea 5+ years still living in employer provided 1-rooms, taking the bus.
I understand if you're here for 1 or 2 years, you don't want to invest any money here, you're just banking it. But for those people that are here long term, I don't understand living like a student.
Why not scrape some key money together and get your own place. You can really live in much nicer accommodation.
Also, it's nice to have a car. My first car in Korea only cost 1M won, it was a little accent. But that opened a lot of adventures. Going to beaches, and mountains, taking girls on dates.
I just don't understand long-time residents that don't plan on leaving, but they don't seem to act like they're staying either.
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As a side note, I'm tired of locals assuming all of us are paupers. |
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Draz
Joined: 27 Jun 2007
Location: Land of Morning Clam
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| Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 1:18 am Post subject: |
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I don't get this either, but then for my second year I decided *beep* this *beep* and found my own accomodations. I've actually saved more money this way, even if it is a little more effort.
I would probably have gotten a car if I didn't dislike driving. I'd rather take the bus, it takes longer but you can just zone out and not worry about hitting anything.
Last edited by Draz on Mon Jul 05, 2010 1:19 am; edited 1 time in total |
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NYC_Gal
Joined: 08 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 1:19 am Post subject: |
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My studio's pretty nice. I've invested in nice furnishings, but why should I have a larger space if I'm comfy? It's a nice building and 14 pyeong isn't terrible. I've also got a nice bathroom, though no tub.
How much space do you need?
Also, cars are wasteful. I take taxis when it rains, but I walk or ride my bike the rest of the time. I never had a car back home either. |
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jinks
Joined: 27 Oct 2004
Location: Formerly: Lower North Island
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| Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 1:22 am Post subject: |
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| I have never lived in a 1 room, but I do admit to taking the bus for local trips when my car has been off the road. |
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PigeonFart
Joined: 27 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 2:12 am Post subject: |
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Of course you don't understand why someone (like me) never intends to buy a car. Just like a Saudi can never understand why his wife would want to work outside the home. Our cultures have a profound effect on the way we see the world.
I would guess that you're North American. You people have a love affair with the automobile. Europeans (comme moi par example) tend not to be so enthusiastic about cars and also we're more environmentally aware. We don't need a half tonne of steel to drag our fat asses around town. We'll get the bus/train instead (as everyone should). |
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whome33
Joined: 08 Jun 2009
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| Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 2:22 am Post subject: |
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having a car is definately nice for weekend trips. i wouldnt want to drive or park in seoul though. grabbing a scooter is more convinient.
but i agree with you regarding housing. if you're going to be here long term..ofcourse its better to have your own place and independence. Hakwons kindof have alot of teachers by the balls because they also control where they live. |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 2:46 am Post subject: |
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| Well said Pigeonfart. Never had a car in my life and never wanted one either. Just walk around central Seoul and you can see how horrible we're making our environment due to the attitude of 'it's nice to have a car' and 'buses are for losers etc..' Scooters are in some ways even worse. At least a car can carry four people spewing out poisonous gas into the air. |
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tsteele
Joined: 30 Oct 2008
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 2:47 am Post subject: |
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| PigeonFart wrote: |
Of course you don't understand why someone (like me) never intends to buy a car. Just like a Saudi can never understand why his wife would want to work outside the home. Our cultures have a profound effect on the way we see the world.
I would guess that you're North American. You people have a love affair with the automobile. Europeans (comme moi par example) tend not to be so enthusiastic about cars and also we're more environmentally aware. We don't need a half tonne of steel to drag our fat asses around town. We'll get the bus/train instead (as everyone should). |
North American Eco-terrorism aside, you could double-check your fancy European French. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 3:01 am Post subject: |
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| NYC_Gal wrote: |
My studio's pretty nice. I've invested in nice furnishings, but why should I have a larger space if I'm comfy? It's a nice building and 14 pyeong isn't terrible. I've also got a nice bathroom, though no tub.
How much space do you need?
Also, cars are wasteful. I take taxis when it rains, but I walk or ride my bike the rest of the time. I never had a car back home either. |
I agree on the car issue. Public transit and cabs in a large Korean city are more than adequate. However, people in smaller towns or people with kids often need a car to get around and get stuff done.
In such a case, a car for shopping and short trips combined with public transit is not all that wasteful. My friend who still lives in Daegu has a car. They have 2 kids and both work. they use the car on weekend for shopping and for occasional trips...they accumulate almost no mileage on the thing...so not that wasteful but damn convenient when you have to carry boxes of diapers home or that huge grocery... 
But NYC Gal, there is more to an accomodation than space....
Buying an appartment, even one the size you currently have makes sense for someone in Korea long term. This will be a good investment anyway and it allows a teacher more freedom of movement as he or she is not tied to his employer provided housing.
If you stay long term, buying your own housing is smart, make your money work for you. |
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Globutron
Joined: 13 Feb 2010
Location: England/Anyang
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| Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 4:02 am Post subject: |
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Bless my ignorance but isn't it at least a tiny bit risky, should you get fired, for example, and thus your visa is void and you're illegally living here?
As for me, I can't drive, and my number one life aim is to never learn. I plan on practicing by going to Nepal.
And in regards to the apartment, if I was here for 10 years, even if I were to get my own place, it would probably be the same, if not smaller, than the place I have here. All I need in my room is a bed and a laptop, and some kind of hygiene centre (although I could do without, if only others could cope with it).
My walls would be bare (they're only decorated here from my boss doing it up before hand), I'd have no kind of ornamentation. Everything I buy is only ever semi temporary, which I will and have always thrown out in big black bags, or maybe sold on Ebay.
Some people (I hope more than just me) don't find it necessary to have a 'comfy' home. I'm comfy in my head, that's enough ^_^ (Even though I sleep without pillows) |
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Fox
Joined: 04 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 4:17 am Post subject: Re: Get Comfortable |
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| Who's Your Daddy? wrote: |
| Why not scrape some key money together and get your own place. You can really live in much nicer accommodation. |
My employer gives me a decent 2 bedroom apartment. Why should I get my own place instead? Participating in an employment system where your living space is provided for you -- and as such, you never risk being tied down to an area -- is also highly convenient. Knowing that if I lost my job tomorrow, I wouldn't have to worry about being tied down in my current city is great.
| Who's Your Daddy? wrote: |
| Also, it's nice to have a car. |
It's nice not relying on a car. One of my favorite things about moving here from the States was not needing a car to get around. Why would I give up that benefit?
I can go to beaches, mountains, and so forth without needing a car to do so. In fact, after a long day of hiking, it's very nice to not have to then drive myself home, but instead just be able to ease back and relax on the bus, which drives right past my apartment.
| Who's Your Daddy? wrote: |
| As a side note, I'm tired of locals assuming all of us are paupers. |
Who assumes this? With regards to total compensation we're over the Korean average. |
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tophatcat
Joined: 09 Aug 2006
Location: under the hat
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| Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 4:20 am Post subject: |
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| Globutron wrote: |
Bless my ignorance but isn't it at least a tiny bit risky, should you get fired, for example, and thus your visa is void and you're illegally living here?
As for me, I can't drive, and my number one life aim is to never learn. I plan on practicing by going to Nepal.
And in regards to the apartment, if I was here for 10 years, even if I were to get my own place, it would probably be the same, if not smaller, than the place I have here. All I need in my room is a bed and a laptop, and some kind of hygiene centre (although I could do without, if only others could cope with it).
My walls would be bare (they're only decorated here from my boss doing it up before hand), I'd have no kind of ornamentation. Everything I buy is only ever semi temporary, which I will and have always thrown out in big black bags, or maybe sold on Ebay.
Some people (I hope more than just me) don't find it necessary to have a 'comfy' home. I'm comfy in my head, that's enough ^_^ (Even though I sleep without pillows) |
Nope. Fired; leave the country, come back in on a new visa, get a new job, ... all belongings are still in tact |
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shapeshifter
Joined: 29 Nov 2005
Location: Paris
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| Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 4:23 am Post subject: |
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| PigeonFart wrote: |
Of course you don't understand why someone (like me) never intends to buy a car. Just like a Saudi can never understand why his wife would want to work outside the home. Our cultures have a profound effect on the way we see the world.
I would guess that you're North American. You people have a love affair with the automobile. Europeans (comme moi par example) tend not to be so enthusiastic about cars and also we're more environmentally aware. We don't need a half tonne of steel to drag our fat asses around town. We'll get the bus/train instead (as everyone should). |
Despite the fact that i'm not north american and thoroughly enjoy living in continental Europe, I find your comments ridiculous.
Given that you managed to make a mistake in the only 4 words of French you used, I'm going to assume you're British. If so, you'll have noticed that most British people who can afford to do drive cars. Central London may be something of an exception but the same is true in New York, Toronto, and many other large north american cities.
The idea that North Americans have a monopoly on this admittedly unfortunate tendeny is pure fantasy. Of course they drive more but that has more to do with geography and dismal urban planning than a lack of "environmental awareness" or fat asses. Vehicle ownership per capita in France, for example, is almost exactly the same as in Canada, a card-carrying member of the North American family the last time I checked.
You come across as pompous, condescending and ignorant, which is unfortunate because your basic proposition, that it would be good if there were fewer cars on the road, is perfectly sound.
SS |
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NYC_Gal
Joined: 08 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 4:24 am Post subject: |
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| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
I agree on the car issue. Public transit and cabs in a large Korean city are more than adequate. However, people in smaller towns or people with kids often need a car to get around and get stuff done.
In such a case, a car for shopping and short trips combined with public transit is not all that wasteful. My friend who still lives in Daegu has a car. They have 2 kids and both work. they use the car on weekend for shopping and for occasional trips...they accumulate almost no mileage on the thing...so not that wasteful but damn convenient when you have to carry boxes of diapers home or that huge grocery...
But NYC Gal, there is more to an accomodation than space....
Buying an appartment, even one the size you currently have makes sense for someone in Korea long term. This will be a good investment anyway and it allows a teacher more freedom of movement as he or she is not tied to his employer provided housing.
If you stay long term, buying your own housing is smart, make your money work for you. |
I would never buy a place if I planned on staying there for fewer than 10 years. At the moment, I've got no idea how long I'll be here, or if I'll even stay in Incheon for more than this second year. Public schools also do get you nicer apartments a lot of the time (here at least).
I don't think I'd have a family here, but if I did, I'd understand the car thing. As it is, I'm within walking distance from both a traditional market and a Homeplus. When I have a lot of stuff to carry, I take a 2,400 won taxi. I tend to do my big shop once or twice a month tops, so a car really wouldn't be worth it. I never drove in NYC anyway, so I wouldn't feel safe, especially here, where traffic lights are mere suggestions!
He was also talking about renting on our own. I certainly don't want to lay down 5 million won in key money that I may not get back. I'll let the local board of education handle that stuff for me. It's one of the perks of the job. My friend teaches at a university and opted for the housing subsidy, and without laying down between 5 and 7 million won, he was limited to some really crappy places. My place is nice, and I've lived in some really nice buildings. It's not the kind of place I'd rent back home, but it's pretty decent after some furnishing and new wallpaper. Most of my friends prefer coming to my place because I hooked the place up, rather than living like a college kid.
Last edited by NYC_Gal on Mon Jul 05, 2010 4:29 am; edited 1 time in total |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 4:29 am Post subject: |
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Key money can be a safe deposit if you do your homework before. You then have your own place. I just think that anyone who stays in Korea for the mid to long term should consider buying their own place.
Of course for that 1-2 year short timer it makes no real sense.
Then again NYC the OP was talking about long term residents not short term teachers...
| Quote: |
I know a number of people who've been living in Korea 5+ years still living in employer provided 1-rooms, taking the bus.
I understand if you're here for 1 or 2 years, you don't want to invest any money here, you're just banking it. But for those people that are here long term, I don't understand living like a student. |
With your situation, school provided housing makes sense. I agree with the OP however that someone who settles down here for a 5-10 year period should get their own place (key money or buying).
If you have to move, you sell the place or get your key money back. Its done all the time.
Glad your place in Incheon is nice NYC Gal....
Last edited by PatrickGHBusan on Mon Jul 05, 2010 4:33 am; edited 1 time in total |
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