Korean Job Discussion Forums

Forbidden-Donut · Joined: 17 Jul 2007

As the title states, I'm curious to see if anyone here returned home, only to struggle for a while and choose to head back to Korea.
I ask because I'm in that boat now. I've been at home for about half a year now and can't seem to get it together. Can't find decent work, no social network, struggling to re-adjust to the culture, etc. I didn't plan my return very well. [/cry fest]
I wasn't planning on returning to Korea, as a matter of fact I was really glad to get the F outta there, but it's looking more and more tempting to go back now. Part of me doesn't want to return, because I feel like I'm 'running away' from reality here and making a total cop-out move. I gotta say though, life there was pretty cushy, I liked teaching, and another year doesn't look like a bad idea. I'm just hesitant because I remember how fed up I got with Korean culture and its people the first time.

So, yea, did anyone else make an unexpected return to Korea?

Louis VI · Joined: 05 Jul 2010 Location: In my Kingdom

Never go back. It's a good philosophy in life.

Try a new country. The world is full of interesting different cultures and there are plenty of ESL jobs worldwide. And if it's pay you're worried about, even China has quite a few good paying jobs advertised.

Life is an adventure! Explore and above all ENJOY! (If you were happy to leave Korea, honor that feeling and stay away. Don't be one of those L-is-for-how-they-look gripers who feel chained to this place for no apparent reason.)

Xylox · Joined: 09 Jul 2010

comm · Joined: 22 Jun 2010

Murakano · Joined: 10 Sep 2009

not necessarily referring to the OP here but it`s funny how so many end up crawling back here after all their anti Korea posts/whining/hating on Korea before......

The OP should perhaps try another country if he was a bit disillusioned with life here. Taiwan? As someone mentioned previously, China is also offering a fairly decent salary when you take into account the slightly lower costs of living. There aren`t as many hoops to jump through for the visa process either IIRC.

Yaya · Joined: 25 Feb 2003 Location: Seoul

I love it when people who leave Korea kicking and screaming that they'll never be back come back. I've seen and heard of this so many times.

To the OP, however, why would you return to a place that you seemed to thoroughly dislike? There are other countries you could hit, and probably China is a good bet, or perhaps you could go back to school. Don't give up after six months, readjusting back home takes time and a LOT of effort.

Ukon · Joined: 29 Jan 2008

Met quite a few, former SMOE buddies who are back already...

furtakk · Joined: 02 Jun 2009

as other posters have said, maybe try another country. if you enjoyed teaching and have nothing going on at home, it doesn't seem like a bad idea. also, where did you live during your contract year? that may be part of the reason.

Died By Bear

Yaya · Joined: 25 Feb 2003 Location: Seoul

I'm not sure if you're in the U.S., but well, the situation there is pretty bleak and won't get better any time soon.

The richest 1 percent of Americans now take home almost 24 percent of income, up from almost 9 percent in 1976. As Timothy Noah of Slate noted in an excellent series on inequality, the United States now arguably has a more unequal distribution of wealth than traditional banana republics like Nicaragua, Venezuela and Guyana.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/07/opinion/07kristof.html?src=ISMR_AP_LO_MST_FB

Died By Bear · Posted: Sun Nov 07, 2010 3:57 am Post subject:

It's very bad here if you don't have a job. Extremely bad. The unemployment rate went to 9.6% a few days ago on the news. Green chutes of light, isn't that what Obama said a year and a half ago?

This one is funny. NPR - notice the text is highlighted, so click on each sentence to read the translation...so funny...

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=131043062&ps=cprs

The economy still sucks. People are spending a little bit more, but they're stretched thin: One in 10 workers can't find a job, wages are basically flat, home prices are way down and nobody can get a loan. Companies are buying more stuff, for now, but they're not building new factories or offices. Nobody's hiring. Nobody's building. Inflation has gone from low to super low.

Lee Myung Bak · Joined: 25 Jun 2010 Location: Seoul

Links...the New York Times followed by NPR!!!! wow...you lefties should hang out.

Louis VI · Joined: 05 Jul 2010 Location: In my Kingdom

Lee Myung Bak · Joined: 25 Jun 2010 Location: Seoul

Nope.

Its common knowledge that the NYTimes has a liberal slant, and that the NPR will probably lose its federal funding soon for blatantly firing someone(African-American) for freedom of speech. Although it wouldn't matter because lefty tycoon George Soros basically owns and controls NPR now.

Illysook · Joined: 30 Jun 2008

I did it and it wasn't a bad decision. Research shows that people who graduate from college during a recession make significantly less money throughout their lifetimes. If you get some savings going while you are in Korea sitting out the recession in the U.S. The miracle of compound interest could keep you from being a victim of this economy. This is why many of us come here in the first place. It sucked for the first year and I didn't want to come back, but the recession certainly wasn't over.

After staying home for eight months and while working at my third dead-end temp job, I started making plans to return. That final temp job had an end date that was a little while off, so I had time to be picky, do some research, and pray a lot. Things have worked out really well. I now work for a public school in a nice area, and I didn't have to build a whole social life from scratch because many of my friends were still here.

One of the downsides is that it has become more expensive to live here. The prices of many fruits and vegetables are twice what they were six months ago. This makes it a lot harder to save money.