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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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 Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 9:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Canonite wrote: |
Thanks! That's definitely good news 
New question...how expensive are glasses? (as in for my eyes, not the stuff you drink out of).
I need glasses, but they can be pretty pricey here. I'll be getting the usual 50% coverage paid for by the employer. |
Basic, single vision glasses (frame and lenses) run about 50-100k won (depending on frame).
I have progressive lenses and I paid about 150k for my last pair of glasses (lenses and frame).
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Canonite
Joined: 01 Feb 2011
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| Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 7:47 pm Post subject: |
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Wicked! Thanks
Another question...I was talking to a Taiwanese friend of mine today and told her that I'm stocking up on dress shirts for work in Korea...she laughed and said that I'll look funny/overdressed. (She has been to Korea, one of her best friends lives in Busan).
Is this true? I wan to be professional, but I don't want to look like I'm trying too hard either. |
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mssinmymind
Joined: 12 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 8:02 pm Post subject: |
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Wow, Changwon is stocking up on the newbies eh ?? Dont worry, I'm not being a smart ass. If everything goes according to plan I should be moving there by the end of this month as well.
I have my VIN and now only need to do the Embassy interview. Problem is I live in Oklahoma and the closest embassy is in Houston. 8 hrs drive. We just got an ass-kickin with the snow and ice...all the way down to Houston even. We're supposed to get even more this weekend thru Tues or Wed. So I'm just waiting out the time that its safe to make the trip. I'm supposed to start Feb 28th at my priv school.
I've found one of the best ways to get the most personal information for the school and living arrangements is to speak with one of the Foreign Teachers currently working in the school or one who used to.
I've made contact with one of the FTs at the school I will be working at thru FBook and she has been wonderful about answering every question I could think of and sending tons of pics.
Just thought I'd throw that in there.  |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 10:07 pm Post subject: |
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| Canonite wrote: |
Wicked! Thanks
Another question...I was talking to a Taiwanese friend of mine today and told her that I'm stocking up on dress shirts for work in Korea...she laughed and said that I'll look funny/overdressed. (She has been to Korea, one of her best friends lives in Busan).
Is this true? I wan to be professional, but I don't want to look like I'm trying too hard either. |
Depends on where you will be working.
Kindy hagwan, nice golf shirts are usually the order of the day with anything other than jeans or shorts.
Occasionally they want you to wear a shirt and tie (or suit for very special dates).
Average afternoon/evening hagwan - shirt with collar, pants.
Public school - similar with shirt/tie two or 3 times per month and a suit if you are there for the "grad" ceremonies or (nice to have) when VIPs pop in.
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Canonite
Joined: 01 Feb 2011
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| Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 9:43 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you I will be working in a public middle school.
And, as of today, it's official! I was offered the contract and I accepted...my paperwork is on its way to them and they will be sending me the contract/notice of appointment hopefully within a week
Definitely going to buy some more dress shirts and dress pants, but I may wait with a suit 'till I get there...
I'll ask more questions when I think of them Right now I'm too excited to think haha |
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Canonite
Joined: 01 Feb 2011
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| Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 9:52 pm Post subject: |
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| I thought of one...my suit doesn't fit me anymore...how much could I count to spend on a budget suit there? (I don't want anything fancy, just something that will do for school functions) |
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definitely maybe
Joined: 16 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 11:02 pm Post subject: |
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| Canonite wrote: |
Thank you I will be working in a public middle school.
And, as of today, it's official! I was offered the contract and I accepted...my paperwork is on its way to them and they will be sending me the contract/notice of appointment hopefully within a week
Definitely going to buy some more dress shirts and dress pants, but I may wait with a suit 'till I get there...
I'll ask more questions when I think of them Right now I'm too excited to think haha |
There are plenty of places in Seoul and all over Korea where you can get custom dress shirts made for very reasonable prices. If you're in the market for a suit, you'll already be looking around at the same kinds of shops. |
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Captain Corea
Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 11:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Canonite wrote: |
| I thought of one...my suit doesn't fit me anymore...how much could I count to spend on a budget suit there? (I don't want anything fancy, just something that will do for school functions) |
$300 or there abouts |
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Canonite
Joined: 01 Feb 2011
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| Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 8:00 pm Post subject: |
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Awesome, thanks...I'll look around here before I leave
By the way, are carpeted apartments unknown in Korea? I will be provided with a place to live, but just for kicks I was looking at rentals and it looks like EVERY single place has hardwood... |
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willteachforfood
Joined: 24 Jan 2011
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| Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 8:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Canonite wrote: |
Awesome, thanks...I'll look around here before I leave
By the way, are carpeted apartments unknown in Korea? I will be provided with a place to live, but just for kicks I was looking at rentals and it looks like EVERY single place has hardwood... |
You will not find a carpeted home in Korea....end of discussion as far as that goes....and what you are looking at is most likely not hardwood, but vinyl made to look like hardwood.
I wish you the best of luck on your move...and hell, coming to Korea is an adventure...but from some of your questions/comments I don't think that you really have any idea what it's like to move to a different country, especially one as strange and different as Korea....You'll get by, and have fun here for a while....but it is NOTHING like home and to try and compare something in Korea to something in Canada is basically futile.
I just skimmed through most of this thread...so I don't know if anyone answered your question about cars. Owning a car in Korea makes life in Korea 1000% better, unless you live in the heart of Seoul (which you won't)...they are inexpensive, cheap to insure, and cheap to get worked on...petrol is expensive, however....but I would recommend that everyone buy a car who comes to Korea, it's $1,000 that will pay off 10 fold in how much you enjoy your life here, especially if you enjoy photography and want to get out of the city and explore. |
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Canonite
Joined: 01 Feb 2011
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| Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 9:42 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for your reply, it's kind of funny, I actually checked this thread because I had some car related questions...I can't find any up-to-date info on the price of gas...how much is a litre there?
Also, how much is insurance for a small car (I'm thinking Hyundai Atoz/Daewoo Lanos kind of thing), I'm 29, no accidents ever (rough ballpark).
I thought so about the carpet...doesn't bother me either way, I like carpet, but I've lived in everything from laundry rooms to underneath my desk at work, so I'm not picky.
As for moving to another country...sorry, but you're wrong about that  I spent 12 years in Eastern Europe...also, I have moved around Western Canada quite a bit, and trust me...the difference between Victoria, BC and Grande Prairie, Alberta is bigger than the difference between a lot of countries
I don't know too much about Korea, but I have an open mind and I'm eager to learn and experience anything that comes my way...judging me by skimming the thread may give you the wrong impression about me |
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Canonite
Joined: 01 Feb 2011
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| Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 5:16 pm Post subject: |
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| Will I need any shots before heading over? |
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willteachforfood
Joined: 24 Jan 2011
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| Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 5:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Canonite wrote: |
| Will I need any shots before heading over? |
No...they will give you a shot every time you go to the hospital, so there really is no need to get extra shots ahead of time.
Clearly if you've lived overseas before you will be better prepared, but trust me, the difference between Eastern Europe and Canada is nothing like the difference between Canada and Korea. Europe and North America more or less operate on the same basic ideals. Living in Korea will make any country in Europe or her colonies feel like 'home'.
Again, I am sure that you'll be fine, but if you think that adjusting to the differences between Alberta and BC is anything remotely like adjusting to the differences in Korea, you're dreaming.
It is, however, getting easier and easier to live here by the day. There are a plethora of Western products and services available here now that weren't here 5 years ago. There is a coffee shop on every corner in even the smallest town, whereas in 2005 you had to go to a city of 1 million or more to find a proper Western style coffee shop.
If Korea is to ever become truly livable, they need to do something about the beer situation. Korean beer is nothing short of putrid, but you can get decent European beer at the supermarket for a reasonable price. |
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Skipperoo
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 6:05 pm Post subject: |
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| Canonite wrote: |
| Will I need any shots before heading over? |
I'd recommend getting Hep A and B shots if you're not already covered. I got typhoid, polio and Japanese Encephylitis done too, but I don't think they're at all essential. I figure it's a pretty small investment compared to what I'd go through if something went *beep* up out here.
Edit: Really, that's censored? |
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Canonite
Joined: 01 Feb 2011
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| Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 6:07 pm Post subject: |
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Wicked, thanks...one less thing to do in the next few days...as it is, if everything goes as efficiently as possible, I'll get my visa the day before my recruiter wants me to leave Canada haha...
Also, you seemed to have missed the joke with the whole Alberta/BC thing. Anyways, if I wanted things to be like home, I'd stay home. I want the change, I want the culture shock and I want the "strangeness" of the new place. The fewer Starbucks, McDonald's and WalMarts I see, the happier I am.
I don't drink beer (or alcohol of any sort), so that's not a problem. If I could find something to satisfy my bubbly caffeine habit (Full Throttle, Pepsi Max), I'd be over the moon, if not, it's a good excuse to break a bad habit haha. |
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