Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ricosuave]

I'm a Korean adoptee looking to teach for at least a year in Korea immediately after completing my degree this December. This will be an intense and exciting personal experience for me, as I will be trying to contact biological family for the first time. But as a young adult with an urban bias, I'm thinking it would be best to near Seoul, possibly even in Seoul. It sounds like I should apply through GEPIK, if that's what I'm looking for right? And I understand you can only apply to one of the three programs?

I've been told that if you're going to go through a recruiter, it's best to apply to several and see who's got the best hook up. So far I've sent a preliminary application to Korvia, Reach to Teach, Pegasus, and Teach Away.

I've also heard that you now need to obtain an FBI background check. Do I need to get this on my own, or is it part of the application process with the recruiters? How do I get it?

As a Korean adoptee with no Korean language skills, I know I will blend in to crowds but may experience awkwardness in social interactions. I'm not worried about it, but this is why I want to be in a big city. I'm not the type to live in a different country only to social with other expats, but I will probably need a good balance of social opportunities and privacy.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[thegreg52]

I can't be sure about this, but I think the EPIK program just absorbed the SMOE in some sense, so if you apply for EPIK you can request to live in Seoul. That wasn't the case when I applied. Seoul had it's own program (GEPIK).

I myself worked through a recruiter, but it's really unnecessary unless you think that you'll mess up the application if left to do it on your own. A recruiter will just hound you with emails (as well as answer any questions) to keep your application with EPIK on track.

You are on your own to get a background check. This can be done at your local police station most likely.

As for your need to live in urban areas, Seoul is not your only option. Seoul is obviously the biggest one, but you'll find comfort (if urban is what comforts you) in Busan, Incheon, Daegu, Ulsan, even Cheongju.

Hope I could help a bit!

[mssinmymind]

[decolyon]

I'll second getting your FBI check done asap. It takes a while and it's probably the most important part of any application here, as without it you get no visa.

Also, going through GEPIK will land you in public schools, something that isn't as great as it used to be. Don't expect to have the time off that your students will get. Those months and months they have vacation time in summer and winter, you'll be at work desk warming. Pay isn't negotiable and neither are housing and contract conditions. Going through a recruiter for a run of the mill hagwon job will give you a bit more control over the situation. If you have the money, for example, you could sacrifice them refunding your flight so they can set you up in a nicer apartment. Little things like that most hagwon owners are willing to negotiate about. Public schools give you a basic contract, take it or leave it.

As for being an adopted... man, I sympathize for the situation you'll be in. I don't want to discourage you, but looking Korean and not knowing how to speak Korean or being familiar with the way things work is going to put you in the worst of both worlds. People will expect you to be Korean and less willing to give you the benefit of the doubt white foreigners get when we make a cultural faux pas. Plus, is it really a good idea to seek out family that gave you up? I mean perhaps they had to because they were poor and in a bad state but they really didn't want to. But also, they could have just not wanted a kid and could be perfectly happy in their lives now. It always makes me cringe a bit when I hear of adopted kids seeking out their biological parents. There was a reason you were put up for adoption, try to respect that. I'm not saying don't research about those people, but maybe trying to contact them yourself might make them uncomfortable. They probably don't speak English. They probably don't know about your culture.

I'm just saying, be careful. Don't expect when you come over that your home country will just open it's arms and welcome you. Even though it wasn't your decision to be adopted, Koreans treat foreign raised Koreans as sort of cultural traitors. I think it's terrible, but that's just how its' done.