Korean Job Discussion Forums

[crazylemongirl]

After thinking about this for a while I have come to the conclusion that aside from crazy bosses one of the main sources of moaning seem to stem from the fact that you are working. I must admit I thought that this would be a total no brainer of a job when I first got here 25-30 hours a week of easy work and I'm done. However what I am doing is actually real work, I pull the same kind of hours as I would back home and the job I am in has a strong expectation that I will do a good job.

Is one of the problems here that people assume that this is 'holiday job' . eg. less than fulltime no brain work. So they develop a certain bitterness due to their 'working holiday' being more about working than actually about holidaying?

[weatherman]

It might be for a few, but I think the real issue in working, is the different expectations we have of our students for being students, as opposed to teaching back in the old country. Classes are tough luck when the students don't understand that you are producing a student centered class and want their active participation in the class. The effort needed to make a class work, and the slow up take of some classes in how to practice the language can be very draining. Example after example sometimes doesn't work, and can't count the number of classes I had to re-explain how to do an information gap exerice every time we did one. The concept plain wasn't kept in storage by the students. These factors make teaching really interesting and draining in all downs and ups of it all.

[Mashimaro]

I enjoy korea much more now I'm not working. It still smells bad and I hate random ajummas & ajoshhis getting in my space, but overall it's not too bad.. My point is that a lot of the little things that bugged me before only bugged me because work put me on edge to begin with.. hope that makes sense.

[Homer]

[Gwangjuboy]

[Mr. Pink]

I'd say living in a home that is NOT your own is probably 30%-50% of the problem.

Having your own home will seriously take a bit out of what you complain about. It makes your job, just a job if ya know what I mean.

[the saint]

Right... all these things contribute greatly to overall STRESS.

Seoul is a really stressful city. There is no real way to relax I find. Okay, I've only been here 2 months but I wonder if I'm onto something here. I find simply going anywhere quite stressful in itself and then whatever I'm going to (like wandering around a market) stressful once again. Add the trip back home and I'm all stressed up ready for a week back at work!

But perhaps it's just culture shock...

[just because]

Yeah...when i was here buming around for a couple months felt a lot more chilled out and relaxed and actually really liked living here.

Now that i am back at work i can feel the frustrations again. I just try to leave everything at work and just forget about it, easier said than done though.

[phaedrus]

For the pay teachers get there should be more of a working holiday atmosphere.

A generous hagwon pay scale of 2.8 million per month including benefits only gives you about $20 Canadian per hour.

My father makes about this back home and he didn't go to university.

Most other professions get rewarded greatly for packing themselves to a foreign country.

[Mr. Pink]

[schwa]

I like working. Offwork is not dull but I hit some genuine high points while doing the paid thing too.

[inexhile]

My 1st job here was a complete no brainer, plenty of time on my hands, could do it drunk, crazy and lazy, and I did many times.
Now I have to work hard, prepare religiously, and thankfully the rewards are there. I wouldn't have it any othere way. To teach here it has to be rewarding or you're just treading water...FK that.

[jajdude]

Well I don't mind the work mostly. I'm used to the scene. Mostly kids who cannot do much with English but some who try anyway and may be good with it in the future. It isn't the work so much as living here. That is what gets me. Sometimes I bring that into work and cannot relate to the same culture all the time, outside and at work. Plus I think the kids whine and complain a lot about nothing. Is that cultural? I'm hungry. I'm bored. I'm annoyed. They just whine and moan about stupid things. So sometimes I just say shut up! Is your life so hard? Will you have dinner later?

[Korea Newfie]

[Homer]

phaedrus,

Interesting point about the 20 bucks per hour.

However, your saving potential here is much, much higher then back home when you consider rent and income tax!