Korean Job Discussion Forums

[PatrickGHBusan]

[prideofidaho]

OP, first of all, congrats to you and your fiance for the baby on the way - I hope you are happy and healthy aside from the drama that seems to be present at a time when drama is definitely not helpful.

I just thought I would let you know that I used to work with a person who was unmarried and had a child. I don't want to give too much information in case that person reads this forum and that this post discloses their personal life, but I just wanted you to know that it is possible for a single person with child to get an E2. The difference is that this person's child was definitely not a newborn.

Also, I know for the government jobs they want a clear plan from you concerning what you are planning to do regarding childcare / schooling (depending on the age of your child).

Perhaps, as others have mentioned, the biggest difficulty you will face will be getting the actual job.

Just wanted to give you some positive encouragement, as it seems others in this thread have taken the more clinical and pragmatic approach. Again, congrats and good luck with the birth and reuniting with your fiance.

[ttompatz]

short answer for you.

Until the baby is born (you won't be able to fly transpacific in the 3rd trimester) there isn't much you can do other than quit stressing and relax for both of your sake.

AFTER the baby is born it is a non-issue.
Find a job, get an E2 and fly over with the baby.
You can try to get an F3 for the baby before you travel.
If you are not successful then come over on your E2.
Get your ARC.
Get the baby an F3 on the same day you pick up your ARC.

Wait for the finance visa to get processed.
Return to the USA with your intended.

.

[I-am-me]

Wait for your fiance visa to be processed. Taking a baby around the world is not what you want to be doing. I am assuming this is your fist child. You have to think of feedings, doctor appointments, sickness, resting. Ask yourself, can you teach while thinking of your baby at home? And ask yourself, can your fiance really study with having to take of the baby? Both of you have responsibilities to take care of before you can be together. And those responsibilities will be good for the baby in the long run.

[Lolimahro]

OP, I am a working mom of a 3-year old boy and have a husband who is also a student. (He goes to school online through a U.S. university so he doesn't even have a student visa - he is on an F3).

I moved to Korea 2 years and 3 months ago when my baby was 10 months old. Here's what I did:

1) I sought out the largest, best-paying franchise of hagwons that I could find. I would recommend public school for better hours and vacation if you can afford it. I needed the higher salary so I went with a hagwon.

2) I did not tell them I had a family when I applied.

3) After I was accepted for the job and was arranging accomodations, etc., I mentioned I had a family and asked if they could just reimburse me for my ticket instead of purchasing one for me (I needed to make sure I could afford the accompanying flights of my husband and son).

At no point did I ever, ever suggest that I would need help from them with my family situation beforehand, and on only rare occasions did I seek help (with childcare, in the beginning). I got my son's and husband's visas by myself. I enrolled them in the health care program by myself. We lived in a oneroom apartment and I never complained.

Are you going to have to take sick days for a baby? Yes, you are (especially if baby is in daycare! yikes!) The easiest way to avoid taking a lot of sick days for baby would be to forego daycare and get a nanny.

Is being a working mom stressful? Heck yes it is! You don't get to come home and kick your feet up and relax like the singles. But as you know motherhood has its own rewards.

I think you can go for it if you have the confidence to do it. Just make sure you stress at all times how independent you are of the school to take care of your family business. Hagwons employ many Koreans with spouses and children, including women with husband and children, and it's not a problem for them so why should it be for you? Make every effort to seek assistance from outside sources, such as friends or colleagues of your husband, other friends you know in Korea, or the Seoul Global Center (global.seoul.go.kr), rather than your coworkers, to get personal stuff (finding daycare, for example) taken care of in Korea. I am of the personal opinion that you shouldn't even need to mention you have a kid because it should be irrelevant to how well you do your job. (If, however, you fill out an application for a job that asks you to list dependants, you should definitely be honest about it).

Just be astute about your choice of a workplace. Feel free to PM me with any other questions about this matter you have.

Take care, and good luck!

[naturegirl321]

As a soon to be single mom, it is possible. I got the job first, got pregnant after a year and just had the baby. I don't kow if I'll get renewed. Daycare is expensive, it's going to run about 500,000 a month. BUt I'll need a nanny at first, which is about 1 million.

It's not ideal to be a single mom anywhere. I'm hoping it'll work for me here for a bit, then I'll be heading over to the ME.

[PatrickGHBusan]