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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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 Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 3:56 am Post subject: |
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| northway wrote: |
| Juregen wrote: |
| rayray123 wrote: |
It's funny that this thread got no replies, I guess that says something about the experiences people on this forum have had while in Korea.
I'll share... My year in Korea was mostly one big positive experience. |
I just started my own hagwon .... smart people don't look for jobs, they create their job. |
And have F visas. |
Indeed but one can still do quite well on an E2. |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 4:19 am Post subject: |
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| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
| Indeed but one can still do quite well on an E2. |
For sure, and by no means am I discounting that. The specific reference was to starting your own business, which you can't do on an E2 and is prohibitively expensive if you're not on an F visa. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 4:25 am Post subject: |
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| northway wrote: |
| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
| Indeed but one can still do quite well on an E2. |
For sure, and by no means am I discounting that. The specific reference was to starting your own business, which you can't do on an E2 and is prohibitively expensive if you're not on an F visa. |
True.
Starting a business however, even on a F-visa is expensive. |
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gem
Joined: 06 Dec 2010
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| Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 5:25 am Post subject: |
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One of the most positive experiences I got from it was the ability to effortlessly save money. Public transportation was so cheap and convenient too.
The working hours were great, deskwarming and all. I generally liked teaching my elementary school students. On thursdays, I taught with an awesome coteacher.
My foreign neighbors were cool.
I was already thin before I left for Korea, but I came back thinner and even more toned up, from all of the walking, biking, and hiking.
Otherwise, I was never the obnoxious, patriotic American before, but I became a lot more grateful for my life in America. |
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Skipperoo
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 6:05 am Post subject: |
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I would struggle to think of any negative experiences honestly, my first 6 months here have been wonderful.
1) Being financially self-sustained for the first time in your life is a great experience. Until now I've always been under the safty umbrella of university or family.
2) My hagwon is, by and large, a great place to work. Friendly staff, a caring boss and good work conditions.
3) My students. I wasn't quite prepared for just how rewarding teaching can be. 95% of my kids are an absolute delight to spend time with and the other 5% are just indifferent to learning rather than actively bad. I can't think of any other job in the world where I would get to spend so much of my working day laughing.
4) Korean people. I've been consistently blown away by people's warm, hospitable and downright generous behaviour ever since I got here.
5) The internet. Downloading an entire movie in about 20 seconds? Yes please. |
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oujibdelamere
Joined: 31 Aug 2011
Location: Belgium
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| Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 7:47 am Post subject: |
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| From all the horror stories I was starting to think Korea must be the last resort of the desperate! Lived in Asia most of my life, always wanted to see Korea, haven't yet had a chance. Thank you all for shoring up my motivation to come and live there! |
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murmanjake
Joined: 21 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 8:29 am Post subject: |
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| During the rainy season, I locked my bike to a tree, and came back to a wet seat. A lady walking by saw me about to sit on it, and she took out a napkin and wiped it off. Probably the most genuine act of kindness I've ever experienced. |
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shifty
Joined: 21 Jun 2004
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| Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 9:14 am Post subject: |
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An exemplary story from murmanjake.
One need not be long in Korea to experience something similar.
A lady at an Emart jammed a 100 won coin into a locker, after seeing me be refused entry with my carrybag.
An adult student of mine as kid always prepared two school lunches, one for herself and one for the poor. Very quaint.
I hate to regale these examples, since it's fairly widespread and common enough. |
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Skipperoo
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 10:58 pm Post subject: |
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| oujibdelamere wrote: |
| From all the horror stories I was starting to think Korea must be the last resort of the desperate! Lived in Asia most of my life, always wanted to see Korea, haven't yet had a chance. Thank you all for shoring up my motivation to come and live there! |
Don't sweat the internet horror stories too much  the vast majority of ex-pats I know in Korea are very happy with their lives here. Those who aren't usually have baggage of their own that is holding them back.
Not to say this is always the case of course, I don't doubt the credulity of the stories reported on Daves, just their frequency. |
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shifty
Joined: 21 Jun 2004
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| Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 2:25 am Post subject: |
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| Skipperoo wrote: |
the vast majority of ex-pats I know in Korea.
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You must be one gregarious fella!!
In only 6 months as well!! |
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Juregen
Joined: 30 May 2006
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| Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 3:21 am Post subject: |
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| northway wrote: |
| Juregen wrote: |
| rayray123 wrote: |
It's funny that this thread got no replies, I guess that says something about the experiences people on this forum have had while in Korea.
I'll share... My year in Korea was mostly one big positive experience. |
I just started my own hagwon .... smart people don't look for jobs, they create their job. |
And have F visas. |
Good excuse there, but it doesn't work.
You can start a business without an F-visa, but finding that out takes work. |
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Juregen
Joined: 30 May 2006
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| Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 3:23 am Post subject: |
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| PatrickGHBusan wrote: |
Juregen makes a good point but sadly does so arrogantly and thereby insulting others....
Creating your own job is an excellent idea. It can lead to many great things professionally. However, some people prefer not to have to do that and do quite well too, I would not call them stupid (as juregen's smart people create their own jobs) comments implies. |
I am very good at insulting people who don't understand their own value.
People who do, are not insulted by my simple quips, they understand the meaning of it.
Ergo Sum, I don't insult anyone worth knowing. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 3:48 am Post subject: |
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Right...good justification.
Your point would have been just as effectively made without the quip about peoples intelligence however.
Just my two cents here as someone who did create his job in Korea a few years ago... |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 4:17 am Post subject: |
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| Juregen wrote: |
| northway wrote: |
| Juregen wrote: |
| rayray123 wrote: |
It's funny that this thread got no replies, I guess that says something about the experiences people on this forum have had while in Korea.
I'll share... My year in Korea was mostly one big positive experience. |
I just started my own hagwon .... smart people don't look for jobs, they create their job. |
And have F visas. |
Good excuse there, but it doesn't work.
You can start a business without an F-visa, but finding that out takes work. |
Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't it require bringing 100 million won into the country in order to acquire the visa necessary to do so? I heard 50 million from a guy who started a business a couple years ago, then heard that the number had changed to 100 million more recently. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 4:27 am Post subject: |
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| It requires a significant investment to start a business along with financial reserves for the first year or two. |
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