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CentralCali
Joined: 17 May 2007
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 Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 7:45 pm Post subject: |
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| KwardBound wrote: |
| Another quick thing. These E2 visas don't really allow private teaching, right, but people do it, no? |
If you get caught, then you and your visa sponsor get a black mark against them. The consequences of breaking the immigration law for you can range from a high fine to a high fine and deportation. And all that does is add fodder to the hate against foreign teachers. |
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farfromhome
Joined: 01 Jun 2006
Location: seoul
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| Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 7:48 pm Post subject: Re: Honest Newbie with Varied Questions |
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i appreciate your honesty.
| KwardBound wrote: |
1.) Korean companies pay airfare, housing, and my salary. Do they also typically pay for my transportation to and from my apt/school (or at least reimburse me like GEOS used to do in Japan)? no
2.) How many of you have actually been randomly physically or verbally assaulted? Please share an anecdote. groped on public transport, same as in japan. no random verbal abuse (yet)
3.) How many of you signed a contract, got paid on time every pay period, and received your year-end (contract completion) bonus? (i.e. How many have received anything they've been promised?) ive signed some shady contracts but always got what was promised
4.) Who among you has walked down the street w/ your Korean girlfriend and NEVER been given an evil, critical, or jealous stare? n/a, im a girl
5.) I still want to study Japanese. Will I be able to find enough Japanese folks living in, or passing through Korea so that I can speak with natives? there are as many japanese language schools here as there are english and chinese. chances are, your school offers japanese as well or the office/building next door does. as for language (exchange) with japanese nationals in korea, it shouldnt be too difficult to meet them online (like on daves!) or through your japanese language school instructor, should you decide to enroll. if you just want brief conversations with japanese "passing through," go to myeong-dong
6.) When I was in Japan I worked at a school during the day, and I used to work at a night club 3 days a week. What are the odds that I would be able to do this in Korea (This is actually very important to me.). possible, but dont even think about it. like mcviking said above, its not worth it
7.) Are the local women really that hard to crack? Are the female foreign residents "normal", or is there a vicious stereotype that is associated with any of the major groups? koreans in general are "hard to crack," but once youre "in," youve got a friend for life. korean women are very shy at first but again, once youve shown yourself to be a nice guy, there shouldnt be a problem. if you plan on dating a korean girl, might i suggest keeping the nipponophilia on the DL. this applies to foreign females, too. i certainly wouldnt want to date a guy who goes on and on about "japan this, japan that ..." 
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youve stated your reasons for choosing korea. since were being honest, i say come, make and save your money, and fly to japan as often as your budget permits. take advantage of three-day weekends and holidays, leave late friday nights/arrive early monday mornings, etc.
good luck! |
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southernman
Joined: 15 Jan 2010
Location: On the mainland again
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| Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 9:25 pm Post subject: Re: Honest Newbie with Varied Questions |
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[quote="KwardBound"]Hello,
I would prefer to go to Japan again, but I really need to save money.
4.) Who among you has walked down the street w/ your Korean girlfriend and NEVER been given an evil, critical, or jealous stare?=quote]
So you've never been out with a lovely girl from another culture or ethnicity. I thought J girls were hanging off any western man that wasn't dragging his knuckles along the ground or dribbling from the mouth.
I've had those same responses in my own country while out with a nice lady who just happens to be of the same etnicity as the bigot trying to give me the evil, critical, or jealous stare. In my country they're a hell off a lot bigger than K men as well. When I've been out with K girls I've never felt anything untoward, even had some good words put in for me from the locals I know
I agree theres nowhere near 40% who hate it here, more like 5-10%, and as another poster said it's usually their issues that are causing the grief.
Maybe you're better off in Japan its all flowers and roses, that is if you discount NOVA , dodgy employers, the cost off living and even worse saturation of foreign teachers  |
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8 years down
Joined: 16 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 10:02 pm Post subject: Re: Honest Newbie with Varied Questions |
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| KwardBound wrote: |
Hello,
1.) Korean companies pay airfare, housing, and my salary. Do they also typically pay for my transportation to and from my apt/school (or at least reimburse me like GEOS used to do in Japan)?
No
2.) How many of you have actually been randomly physically or verbally assaulted? Please share an anecdote.
107
3.) How many of you signed a contract, got paid on time every pay period, and received your year-end (contract completion) bonus? (i.e. How many have received anything they've been promised?)
304 and makes no sense
4.) Who among you has walked down the street w/ your Korean girlfriend and NEVER been given an evil, critical, or jealous stare?
Many among me.
5.) I still want to study Japanese. Will I be able to find enough Japanese folks living in, or passing through Korea so that I can speak with natives?
No
6.) When I was in Japan I worked at a school during the day, and I used to work at a night club 3 days a week. What are the odds that I would be able to do this in Korea (This is actually very important to me.).
No.
7.) Are the local women really that hard to crack? Are the female foreign residents "normal", or is there a vicious stereotype that is associated with any of the major groups?
Okay.
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DorkothyParker
Joined: 11 Apr 2009
Location: Jeju
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| Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 11:25 pm Post subject: Re: Honest Newbie with Varied Questions |
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2. How many of you have actually been randomly physically or verbally assaulted? Please share an anecdote.
I'm only 1 year in, but this has never happened to me.
3. How many of you signed a contract, got paid on time every pay period, and received your year-end (contract completion) bonus? (i.e. How many have received anything they've been promised?)
I've been paid on time with 2 exceptions. In those cases I received half my pay on time, and the other half the following day. If payday falls on a weekend, I'm not paid until the following Monday. I did have to nag for a month for my overtime pay once.
4. Who among you has walked down the street w/ your Korean girlfriend and NEVER been given an evil, critical, or jealous stare?
I'm a chick, so I think I would definitely receive negative attention if I was in an intimate relationship with a Korean woman. That said, I think the judgment thing depends on the couple. Regardless of race, there is a "WTF is wrong here" moment when a pretty woman is walking with a gorilla. If they are within leagues, I don't care.
7.) Are the local women really that hard to crack? Are the female foreign residents "normal", or is there a vicious stereotype that is associated with any of the major groups?
Are the local women eggs? The western women are just as varied as the western men. Focus on what you are looking for in a relationship outside of ethnicity, be honest, and you will be fine. |
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KwardBound
Joined: 04 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 2:40 am Post subject: Re: Honest Newbie with Varied Questions |
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| southernman wrote: |
So you've never been out with a lovely girl from another culture or ethnicity. I thought J girls were hanging off any western man that wasn't dragging his knuckles along the ground or dribbling from the mouth.
I've had those same responses in my own country while out with a nice lady who just happens to be of the same etnicity as the bigot trying to give me the evil, critical, or jealous stare. |
I'm Hispanic, so I'm always walking around with a different shade of woman from different countries. I am only making these comparisons to Japan though, as it appears to be very different from Korea, and that's the only Asian country I've ever lived in.
Thanks to everyone thats been helping me with answers. From the responses it appears that to avoid being toyed around with come payday, one just has to do research and not be a push-over. And in regards to the women, its just here like in the U.S. (in the sense that if you got something attractive about you, then you should do just fine). |
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Tiberious aka Sparkles
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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| Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 8:04 am Post subject: Re: Honest Newbie with Varied Questions |
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| KwardBound wrote: |
I'm Hispanic, so I'm always walking around with a different shade of woman from different countries. |
Unless you're walking around with an Hispanic woman in Hispania! |
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ciccone_youth
Joined: 03 Mar 2008
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 8:32 am Post subject: |
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Hello.
I used to teach in Korea, now in Japan.
I have lots to say. I came to Korea but secretly wanting to be in Japan. Korea was hard for me, but it grew on me and I fell in love with Seoul.
Seoul is so exciting. If you go teach in Japan, you'll most likely be in rural Japan (hard to find a job in Tokyo or Osaka from overseas. Reality).
I'm now living in rural Japan, and I love Japanese culture and language and everything. I miss Seoul a lot, rural Japan in challenging.
Anyways. You CAN save money in Japan. Especially in rural Japan!! The yen is much stronger. I save more in Japan than I ever did in Seoul because there are less temptations here.
I blogged about Korea and Japan, you can read it:
http://vivianlostinseoul.blogspot.com/
Email me if you have any Q's. But if your heart is set on Japan, go there. |
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KwardBound
Joined: 04 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 9:42 am Post subject: |
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I don't have my heart set on Japan. I have my heart set on making and saving money. Thus Korea seems appealing.
When I was in Japan I was doing some teaching. I was living in Tokyo, and would take the train 1 hour each day to Kanagawa.
I will read your blog. Thanks. |
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ciccone_youth
Joined: 03 Mar 2008
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 5:29 pm Post subject: |
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That's a lot of commuting, but it's the price to pay to live in Tokyo.
Right now I just bike to work since I'm in the countryside, but my mind is set on moving to a bigger city. |
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nomad-ish
Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Location: On the bottom of the food chain
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| Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 10:40 pm Post subject: |
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ciccone_youth,
have you heard of the westgate program over there in japan? i'm looking into a short-term contract after seoul and i was thinking about that company. any advice would be much appreciated! |
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