Korean Job Discussion Forums

[robrodjr]

Hello to all. I'm contemplating a esl job in Gwangju and just want to hear from any people currently working or recently worked in Gwangju. Is there a large foreign contingent, activities, organizations, places to go for waygook teachers? Please send reply. Thank you.

[ttompatz]

[robrodjr]

Gwangju South Jeolla

[kardisa]

[grant gerstners]

Here's the website for the Gwangju International Center (GIC).

http://www.gic.or.kr/eng/

They are very supportive and a great resource for the foreigners here. I live an hour away (by bus) from Gwangju in a small rural town with 6 other foreign English teachers. Each of us goes to Gwangju now and then. I go almost every Saturday and usually stop in at the GIC. There is a modest membership fee (6 months or yearlong), but it is well worth it.

They have a Saturday afternoon talk on various topics, and aside from the topic itself, the people there are interesting, including many foreign English teachers but also Koreans very capable with the English language, some eager to use their English with native speakers.

Even when the topic doesn't interest me, I attend anyway, just for the interaction after the talk (which is often more interesting than I expected).

Afterwards, some of us go to a local restaurant to get a bite to eat and I appreciate very much having this group available for socializing and helping me get better acquainted with the cuisine.

Just as an example, I have a friend here from the USA who needed surgery and hospitalization. He called the GIC and they have been very helpful to him.

Another friend had complications with a hakwon several years ago and got help from the GIC in navigating the mess and getting a different job.

The GIC also arranges tours--sometimes for free or a very reduced cost. They seem to have connections with some sort of tourism authority that wants to promote travel by the foreigners here. I have been in Korea less than three months and have already been to southern coastal areas twice, an island, a monastery, a tea plantation, a regional festival (had the atmosphere of a county fair). None of that has cost me much more than my bus and taxi fare to get to the departure point.

Here is a link to a youtube channel by someone who began teaching in Gwangju in the recent past:

http://www.youtube.com/user/stephenworldwide