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Times30
Joined: 27 Mar 2010
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Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 7:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Draz wrote: |
I've been spending my last week in Korea in a goshiwon and it's not that bad. Once the OP starts to get paid he can move if he feels like it.
The biggest worry I would have is CDI backing out of the contract. I hear they don't like "stoic". MORE ENERGY. |
lol they are going to be sooo disappointed. |
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toadkillerdog
Joined: 11 Nov 2009 Location: Daejeon. ROK
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Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2012 11:05 pm Post subject: |
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| ^lol and your likely to be sooo fired. |
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detonate
Joined: 16 Dec 2011
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Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 6:26 am Post subject: |
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| Dazed and Confused wrote: |
| Try airbnb.com. I knew someone who found a 3 month rental on this website. |
in general that site seems ok but this guy trying to rip everyone off is lul
http://www.airbnb.com/rooms/199098 |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008 Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 12:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Times30 wrote: |
| Draz wrote: |
I've been spending my last week in Korea in a goshiwon and it's not that bad. Once the OP starts to get paid he can move if he feels like it.
The biggest worry I would have is CDI backing out of the contract. I hear they don't like "stoic". MORE ENERGY. |
lol they are going to be sooo disappointed. |
You do realize that they CAN fire you right? You stoic nature may have to be changed a bit to satisfy the customer here...
Just sayin.
As for housing, your situation sounds odd and reads like a cocktail for disaster. You may be a minimalist but there are limits. Remember that you will be experiencing culture shock and have to adapt to a new country and possibly to teaching for the first time. Having to worry about a place to live on top of that cannot help.
I am wondering why you did not simply wait a tad longer and sign with a Hakwon that provides housing. Its not like its hard to find a decent hakwon to work at...contrary to what the shrill brigade on here is saying, most people seem do do ok at their respective Hakwons...the difference being they do not post about their good experiences as much as those people who have bad experiences.
Well, good luck and CDI is not all bad, thats for sure. |
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Times30
Joined: 27 Mar 2010
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Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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lol there are no worries about me being fired. Stoic doesn't mean "unemotional". I was joking about them being disappointed. I do my job well. Stoic philosophy versus the colloquial version of the word are different. Stoicism was one of the guiding philosophies of the early roman era where one lives by feeling "poverty" and adversity in order to harbor strength.
Anyways yeah the housing situation is a bit of a problem but I'm asking for a chunk of money from relatives so it's fine now. Despite this, I still want Goshiwon housing. I just don't see how having a large house justifies a year for someone like me who spends 90% of his time outside either eating, socializing, clubbing or PC banging. |
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SeoulNate

Joined: 04 Jun 2010 Location: Hyehwa
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Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 11:08 pm Post subject: |
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| Times30 wrote: |
lol there are no worries about me being fired. Stoic doesn't mean "unemotional". I was joking about them being disappointed. I do my job well. Stoic philosophy versus the colloquial version of the word are different. Stoicism was one of the guiding philosophies of the early roman era where one lives by feeling "poverty" and adversity in order to harbor strength.
Anyways yeah the housing situation is a bit of a problem but I'm asking for a chunk of money from relatives so it's fine now. Despite this, I still want Goshiwon housing. I just don't see how having a large house justifies a year for someone like me who spends 90% of his time outside either eating, socializing, clubbing or PC banging. |
Well you will be certainly fulfilling the half of stoicism that denies pleasure, but your life will be full of pain living in a place like that.
I honestly think you can not imagine how small these places are. Regular apartments in Korea are already pretty small compared to what you are used to and a goshiwon is going to about 75% smaller than that. There is enough room for a single bed, a small desk and a chair. Usually they dont have windows either. |
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allovertheplace
Joined: 02 Aug 2009
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Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 3:35 pm Post subject: |
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Little apartment doesnt mean anything until you get to Korea. A small studion in the States is a large place in Korea.
Be prepared...living tight is one thing but your contract is another. |
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chrisinkorea2011
Joined: 16 Jan 2011
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Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 5:18 pm Post subject: |
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I live in dongtan and my friend works for CDI, plus some of my students go there. A couple my students said they get test almost everyday and its similar to school but worse lol
It sucks though that you are going to work for them and they didnt provide you with housing. CDI branches are all different but for the most part i have heard good things about them and that they pay well, so its odd that they are not giving you a place.
And as for gyopos being treated unfairly. I disagree with this statement, I got an excellent position and great pay and a nice apartment. A friend who is a gyopo and Head Teacher at a CDI in seoul makes BANK bigtime. I really think it just depends on the place. I do know that some hagwons in Dongtan will NOT hire blacks just because. |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 7:23 pm Post subject: |
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| chrisinkorea2011 wrote: |
I live in dongtan and my friend works for CDI, plus some of my students go there. A couple my students said they get test almost everyday and its similar to school but worse lol
It sucks though that you are going to work for them and they didnt provide you with housing. CDI branches are all different but for the most part i have heard good things about them and that they pay well, so its odd that they are not giving you a place.
And as for gyopos being treated unfairly. I disagree with this statement, I got an excellent position and great pay and a nice apartment. A friend who is a gyopo and Head Teacher at a CDI in seoul makes BANK bigtime. I really think it just depends on the place. I do know that some hagwons in Dongtan will NOT hire blacks just because. |
A lot of CDI branches will provide key money and 400,000 rather than actually supplying you with an apartment, and I wonder if the OP has such a high opinion of his stoicism that he chose to turn down the key money in lieu of spending nearly as much on a goshiwon (which will probably cost him more, due to the poor kitchen facilities).
That said, you can make bank with them, especially if you're from a good school. One of my friends is pulling in 3.3 or 3.4 million a month after rent. Granted, he's a contractor and isn't getting pension or severance, but that's still a win for only twenty four teaching hours per week. |
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Times30
Joined: 27 Mar 2010
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Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 7:33 am Post subject: |
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| northway wrote: |
| chrisinkorea2011 wrote: |
I live in dongtan and my friend works for CDI, plus some of my students go there. A couple my students said they get test almost everyday and its similar to school but worse lol
It sucks though that you are going to work for them and they didnt provide you with housing. CDI branches are all different but for the most part i have heard good things about them and that they pay well, so its odd that they are not giving you a place.
And as for gyopos being treated unfairly. I disagree with this statement, I got an excellent position and great pay and a nice apartment. A friend who is a gyopo and Head Teacher at a CDI in seoul makes BANK bigtime. I really think it just depends on the place. I do know that some hagwons in Dongtan will NOT hire blacks just because. |
A lot of CDI branches will provide key money and 400,000 rather than actually supplying you with an apartment, and I wonder if the OP has such a high opinion of his stoicism that he chose to turn down the key money in lieu of spending nearly as much on a goshiwon (which will probably cost him more, due to the poor kitchen facilities).
That said, you can make bank with them, especially if you're from a good school. One of my friends is pulling in 3.3 or 3.4 million a month after rent. Granted, he's a contractor and isn't getting pension or severance, but that's still a win for only twenty four teaching hours per week. |
Key money was never mentioned at all to me. It was simply "you find your own housing". I'm quite alright though if that is the case because as you've both said... being a contractor can pull in large "bank".
Thanks for all the responses guys. |
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CentralCali
Joined: 17 May 2007
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Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 7:39 am Post subject: |
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| So, Times30, what's your plan when CDI loses the class action lawsuit and, thanks to the press coverage on that, the National Pension Service, the National Health Insurance Office, and the Tax Office all come to get the payments that were supposed to have been made all along? Is that "bank" going to cover that in one lump sum? |
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Beeyee

Joined: 29 May 2007
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Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 10:04 pm Post subject: |
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OP, try not to let the CDI hate get to you. Chances are you will be making more money than at almost any other hagwon. I can't speak for all CDIs but at my branch they pay pension, insurance and tax at the proper rate.
I also decided to find my own housing and it's not hard to do. You can certainly do much better than a goshiwon though. If they are giving you 400,000 a month for housing, why not just add another 200,000 from your salary and get a nice place? That's what I am doing. |
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chrisinkorea2011
Joined: 16 Jan 2011
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Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 11:47 pm Post subject: |
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yeah thats the thing about this branch in dongtan. My students said that its all guy teachers lol The two female teachers left. As far as rent money goes. To the OP il tell you how it works in korea
You pay key money (basically a big deposit like 10million won) which is roughly about 950 USD. A side note about key money. If you pay a larger amount or I should say if the school pays a larger amount, unless you have that much laying around, then your monthly payment will be less.
Your school should pay that and then they are to give you extra money a month for you (which they usually do by just deducting it automatically from your paycheck to avoid confusion etc) which depends on the place. I know some hagwons that give only 300 while some give more or less. I work for public so I get 400.
Il use myself as an example.
I make 2.9 mil a month (including the 400)
I have a brand new apartment. My school paid the 10 mil. key money for me.
My monthly rent for a large living room, 2 BR apartment is 700,000.
The city hall (which pays my salary) gives me 400,000 free.
They take the other 300 out of my paycheck.
so after its all said and done i stil have 2.2 mil left for myself. If i get a roommate, its even better to save money.
I think you should seriously consider talking to them on skype, or contacting them somehow or another |
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CentralCali
Joined: 17 May 2007
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Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 3:35 am Post subject: |
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| 10 million won is approximately eight thousand six hundred US dollars, not $950. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008 Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 5:28 am Post subject: |
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| CentralCali wrote: |
| 10 million won is approximately eight thousand six hundred US dollars, not $950. |
He must have meants the monthly rent worked out to 950USD or he is way off...  |
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