| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
|
 Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 5:51 pm Post subject: |
 |
|
| ThingsComeAround wrote: |
@biobird
If you have AIDS, forget Korea.
Legally they aren't supposed to test but they will. And the doctor will call your employer before telling you. |
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't HIV the only STD they care about? |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
lowpo
Joined: 01 Mar 2007
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 5:56 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| sallymonster wrote: |
OMG what do I will if my hagwon screws me?
Recently, I keep seeing newbies on this board freaking out over the worst case scenario. You can prepare for the worst case scenario by using simple common sense:
1. Don't arrive in Korea broke! Not only should you bring enough money to survive the first month (almost every school pays monthly, so you won't see your first paycheck for up to 6 or 7 weeks after you arrive), but also stash away enough money for a flight ticket home.
2. Get extra documents. Apostilled diploma copies never expire. I just renewed my visa with one that was over a year old. Since you already have to get one apostilled diploma copy for your visa anyway, why not get several copies made and get them all notarized and apostilled? It really doesn't cost that much. As for the background check, you can have an extra one done before you leave (they're good for 6 months), or if you need one after coming to Korea, you can get fingerprinted for free at a gu police station and send off for the CBC from Korea. Americans, keep in mind the FBI CBC does take a long time, and so does apostillization.
3. Know that you're not a slave. Immigration doesn't care about enforcing contracts (that's the Labor Board's business), and they're not going to stop you from leaving Korea. Whatever your boss says, there isn't much he/she can do to stop you from leaving. Quitting your job is not a crime. Just be sure to hand in your ID card (ARC) on your way out to make sure your visa gets cancelled.
Now quit panicking and relax already!  |
I strongly agree with getting an extra copy of your CBC and Diploma. Just in clase that you run into a problem with your orignals and you will have a backup. It will save you a lot of time if something gets lost or misplaced. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
marsavalanche
Joined: 27 Aug 2010
Location: where pretty lies perish
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 7:28 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I just got my test and they tested for HIV and syphilis. They do NOT test for herpes, contrary to what every newbie seems to think on this board.
Also why would having fever blisters mean you automatically fail the test? Lmao @ you people being so paranoid. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Skippy
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Daejeon
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 7:33 pm Post subject: |
|
|
This one is for biobird
KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT! - Huh you go! This simply means never tell anything that can be used against you. What does anything mean - a doctors appointment, your little funny drunken escaped last weekend, your minor health problem, your opinion about something Korean, etc. Telling a coworker that little bit of extra advice could later spread and morph to a dangerous rumor that can get you fired or be used as an excuse to fire you or just plain refuse you. If not and you want to talk be vague about things.
The classic is the self medical check form. Basically the three questions of have you anything wrong with you. Basically if you answered yes to anything you have increased your chance of refusal to 10 fold. My advice unless you have something very very serious do not answer yes. Only tell them what they need to know when they ask for it. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
SeoulNate
Joined: 04 Jun 2010
Location: Hyehwa
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 8:18 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| bioberd wrote: |
Hello all!
Thanks for this post. I am a newbie and am trying to get as much information as I can through searching. I can say that about 70% of my questions have been answered. I do agree that if people just look around they will find.
With that said, I have a question on the communicable/STD test. I have tried to do a google search on but I have not come up with an answer that I am satisfied with. I read o e forum where a guy asked if fever blisters would make him fail the test. Does anyone know exactly what they test for.
Also I had a friend who was applying through aclipse and she let it slip that she gets fever blisters when she is stressed and recruiter denied her being recommended to work for Chungdah Learning. Should she have told the recruiter that? Or should she have just taken her chances. I know that blood test are not the best method to determine if you have herpes. It will show up but you have to have a culture test to determine which kind you have. I know it is expensive in the states, however, do South Koreans invest that much into the blood test? Also is there any advice you have that you have that I can give to my friend?
Thank you in advance
P.S. OP I hope that this is long enough for you, with an interesting story, and with a semi original question. |
Fever Blisters = Herpes
This thread was beat to death about a week or two ago. The OP of that thread actually made two or three different accounts to ask the same questions because they were so dense.
Google herpes. For the last time, Herpes does NOT show up on a blood test. You must get a DNA check to see if Herpes type 1 or 2 is present. KOREA DOES NOT DO A DNA CHECK.
Not to mention that around 70% of the worlds population has type 1 herpes. Do you think they would limit their job pool to that 30%? I do not think so.
The ONLY STD that will get you barred from Korea is HIV and AIDS. In addition, they are not even supposed to limit you with those two, but I would imagine that they would find a way. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
shostahoosier
Joined: 14 Apr 2009
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2011 11:09 pm Post subject: |
|
|
How do I get the IRS tax forms?
Which recruiter should I use?
Has anyone heard of CDI?
How can I get a job in Seoul?
What should I pack for my trip? (this one drives me ### crazy - it's asked weekly)
I'm with the OP.
I cant say that I was 100% innocent of posting silly newbie questions, but I definitely read through FAQs and ESL blogs (for hours) to get the basics of what I needed to know.
It wouldnt be annoying if the same questions werent answered on an almost daily basis. Sometimes the question has even been answered on the first page and all the person had to do was scroll down a little.
Making this thread a stickie wont help though as the offenders are too lazy to read it.
This site is useful and has some really helpful people...but who wants to come back and answer the same questions everyday? Amusingly enough, the newbies are the ones who are quick to be ungrateful when they feel that their needs arent being met quickly enough.
searcheslcafe.com will help when Dave's search function is not working. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
cayce23
Joined: 19 Mar 2010
Location: Gwangju, South Korea
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 12:39 am Post subject: |
|
|
| ChopChaeJoe wrote: |
| Your tone is pretty nasty. You might consider why people read these boards -- to look for answers to questions. A lot more people read than post. What's it to you if someone asks a question you know the answer to? Answer it or not. Who wants to read the bitter rants of some crusty old-timer? |
Agreed. Most of the time I loathe these forums because if god forbid someone needs help, some poster has to reply in a sarcastic, critical manner. Why even reply if you have nothing helpful to write?
People ask questions here because they want to be prepared. Not everyone has been here as long as you and has the infinite pool of wisdom you do. So why can't we all just be a little friendly? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Skippy
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Daejeon
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 12:41 am Post subject: |
|
|
| shostahoosier wrote: |
How do I get the IRS tax forms?
Which recruiter should I use?
Has anyone heard of CDI?
How can I get a job in Seoul?
What should I pack for my trip? (this one drives me ### crazy - it's asked weekly)
|
Ya the recruiter one is bothersome. I think people keep asking it because I I think some want to find the special one that will get them their dream job or great job. Ttompatz advice above is spot on.
The "Have you heard of "fill in with big name school" I can not really fault most do not know of the big chains and that. But if the person had looked and search both on ESLcafe and the Internet they would come up with lots of info. So if somebody asks Have you heard of small mom and pop hagwon - ok - info search by a job seeker. Have you heard of Wonderland or ECC or CDI basically screams I am too lazy to google and read anything please do my work for me.
How can I get a job in Seoul - I answered before just change the University to Seoul. And ..... Apply. If you fulfill requirements you will get hired quickly if not it might take some time to get one. This one also gets specific to Public schools. Most people want to be posted in a nice city public school and not the middle of Korea school. Still like above apply and hope you make the roster.
What should I bring one! - I can accept the question but you are right this is one of the top FAQ questions. It means a person is not looking or doing the basic research again come on people look at previous threads before hand. As to the answer - basically anything your really like and want to have with you. Now somethings will be found here and some will not. So ask the question of what of these things (food, medicine, clothes, books,etc) I really like should I get more of and which will not be found in Korea.
More advice
How do I send or do a bank transfer? and it many variations from which bank is the easiest or has the best rate! Basic answer is this go to one of the major Korean banks like KB and KEB. Once you have an general account with them set up. Go to your local branch. Bring all paperwork you can - banks info of where you want to send. Get as much info as you can codes, addresses, account numbers. Bring multiple IDs, ARC and passport. If you do not speak Korean bring a Korean speaker with you - boss, coteacher, friend,girlfriend, hagwon whitey wrangler, etc. If you are lucky you can try and play charades thru the process but it can take so much longer and more chance of messing up. Once at your local branch find the area for bank transfer it will NOT be in the general line up area. Fill in all the paperwork. Careful of mistakes on your part and Korean (hint look for backward 9s). Accept into your heart that you will have to pay some money to transfer the money and the exchange rate on Yahoo will be not the rate used. The bank will have its own rate.
Once money is transferred go home. You may also at that time want to set up if possible any future transfers to be done by computer or ATM. So sign up for Internet banking at the same time. Fill in proper permission forms and get your keys/numbers from bank.
That is the general process. But spending sometime reading the past posts you can also find out some more information and even which banks to will better suit your need. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
shostahoosier
Joined: 14 Apr 2009
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 1:34 am Post subject: |
|
|
| cayce23 wrote: |
| ChopChaeJoe wrote: |
| Your tone is pretty nasty. You might consider why people read these boards -- to look for answers to questions. A lot more people read than post. What's it to you if someone asks a question you know the answer to? Answer it or not. Who wants to read the bitter rants of some crusty old-timer? |
Agreed. Most of the time I loathe these forums because if god forbid someone needs help, some poster has to reply in a sarcastic, critical manner. Why even reply if you have nothing helpful to write?
People ask questions here because they want to be prepared. Not everyone has been here as long as you and has the infinite pool of wisdom you do. So why can't we all just be a little friendly? |
Except that the problem is that a lot of the frequently asked questions here ARE already answered. 
No one is telling new people to not ask questions, it's just that it would be helpful if they read the FAQ first, since that might answer their question and save them from being replied to in a "sarcastic, critical manner". |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Skippy
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Daejeon
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 2:34 am Post subject: |
|
|
| shostahoosier wrote: |
| cayce23 wrote: |
| ChopChaeJoe wrote: |
| Your tone is pretty nasty. You might consider why people read these boards -- to look for answers to questions. A lot more people read than post. What's it to you if someone asks a question you know the answer to? Answer it or not. Who wants to read the bitter rants of some crusty old-timer? |
Agreed. Most of the time I loathe these forums because if god forbid someone needs help, some poster has to reply in a sarcastic, critical manner. Why even reply if you have nothing helpful to write?
People ask questions here because they want to be prepared. Not everyone has been here as long as you and has the infinite pool of wisdom you do. So why can't we all just be a little friendly? |
Except that the problem is that a lot of the frequently asked questions here ARE already answered.
No one is telling new people to not ask questions, it's just that it would be helpful if they read the FAQ first, since that might answer their question and save them from being replied to in a "sarcastic, critical manner". |
Also why people get sarcastic and nasty is like above some people ask the same old questions aka Frequently asked Questions over again and again.
Or they also are vague about details. One guy asked about where to go for pickup games of basketball. The guy left out of which city he is in Korea. The more details a person provides the more likely I will consider them a capable and smart person who needs some help.
Or they ask the question the wrong way. This can mean from typing and grammar to posting in the wrong section to even tone.
Or ask questions that applying some basic logic and/or research to would give them the answer. How do I get a Criminal Record Check for Australia. Okay lets start with a search for Criminal Record Australia. Ok google --- Ohh lots of pages. Lets check some of the first few links out. In 5 minutes I have the basic requirements figured out. True some details and areas I might have trouble with and am still confused about but applying a bit more time I can further solve it. Another example is somebody asks about a school and when it is not responded to in what they consider a timely manner start getting insistent and act like they are being ignored. Using logic and the idea of numbers the person should have figured our that before they posted it might be a shot in the dark in getting some information.
Or the question asked looks like work for me. Like, can anybody tell some games to play with my students? Why should I type for five or ten minutes and alt tab around and cut and paste some links. When the person has not even put in a modicum of effort in. I come here to be informed and entertained I do not come here to do more work unless it is to my benefit - that good feeling for helping some one, to giving my ego a boost of telling of my opinion and experience, if I help this person maybe I can get some more juicy details of there life drama, to even just being a bastard to somebody I consider an idiot.
Some demand an answer right now ... now ... now .... NOW. It is all in how you ask? This I learned on other forums and groups in various topics. Or a variation of that is they do not get the answer they want and ask again and again. Or they want answer that is can be fixed in one simple sentence or a wave of the magic wand. Sorry their is not magic wand. No special labour board elf that will solve problems for you.
As I have commented various times before. I will be more likely help if a person writes a couple of paragraphs, explains in some detail what they need. Even better is if the person shows that he has done some leg work already or what he has tried or thinks -the more likely I will respond and the more likely I will respond nicely. The more the person shows they are capable the better off I will treat them and heck other people will treat them. But if a person comes in and posts a demand question in one sentence and then disappears for a few days will feel my sarcastic typing.
Sorry people the world is not nice place filled with rainbows and unicorns it is a mean place. If you can not take some sarcasm on an Internet board you sure as hell will not survive here in Korea. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
marsavalanche
Joined: 27 Aug 2010
Location: where pretty lies perish
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 4:04 am Post subject: |
|
|
Yea it is dumb when people come in here asking things that would take 5 minutes to research on their own. To many examples, one dude was asking how to get an apostille on a CBC in California and it seriously took me two seconds to find. You literally just go to google.com and type in "apostille california" and the ENTIRE directions the first link. When I pointed this out to him and suggested to simply do a google search I got a "marsasshole" reply, with his own stupidity and ungrateful attitude clouding over the fact that I did indeed find what he was looking for. Too many idiots here that I'm glad I never have to work with.
I'm guilty of giving sarcastic answers... but it's only because like skippy is getting at, where's the return in helping a moron?
But if someone needs some help with something a bit more tricky, I'll help. If I'm in a good mood 
Oh yea and that magic elf at the labor board is real. You have to go to Window 9�, place chocolate covered kimchi on the desk and say the magic words  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Ramen
Joined: 15 Apr 2008
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 5:42 am Post subject: |
|
|
| i'm always happy to offer opposite response to ignorant posters. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sallymonster
Joined: 06 Feb 2010
Location: Seattle area
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 6:35 am Post subject: |
|
|
| marsavalanche wrote: |
And sallymonster, that post is useless without specifying HOW MUCH money one should bring to Korea. |
I didn't specify because it really depends on the person. Everyone has different spending habits.
I would say, if you're really frugal, you can get by on $500 US for the first month. If you like to party and shop and spend, spend, spend, you'll need at least $1,500, if not $2,000 or more. Most people could live comfortably during their first month on about $1000.
On top of that first month money, be sure to put aside enough to buy a one-way flight ticket home. That way, if things go south, you can always leave Korea. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 11:45 am Post subject: |
|
|
Most people who post here as newbees do not and will not "read the FAQs" because that takes "too long". They will shoot off their vague questions quickly in the hopes of getting a quick response.
Thats a Daves fact.
Now as a mid to long timer in Korea you can help these people out, ignore them or throw sarcasm their way.
Up to you.
What you or anyone will be unable to do is stop the tide of crap questions that float up on this forum. All you can do is wade through it and respond as you see fit. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
shostahoosier
Joined: 14 Apr 2009
|
| Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 4:06 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
Most people who post here as newbees do not and will not "read the FAQs" because that takes "too long". They will shoot off their vague questions quickly in the hopes of getting a quick response.
Thats a Daves fact.
Now as a mid to long timer in Korea you can help these people out, ignore them or throw sarcasm their way.
Up to you.
What you or anyone will be unable to do is stop the tide of crap questions that float up on this forum. All you can do is wade through it and respond as you see fit. |
Not necessarily. I belong to another very active forum where the culture is to tell people to read the FAQ or to search if they post a question that is commonly asked.
It seemed to mostly do the trick.
A good thing about encouraging people to do their own research is that they come across answers to questions that they never would have thought of. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
