Korean Job Discussion Forums

[AbbeFaria]

After putting in another 2 1/2 year stint in Korea, I'm back in the U.S. and back in school trying to make myself more marketable in this crap economy. However, I'm wondering if it's all worth it. I'm considering relocating to Korea permanently. There is a girl involved and if I returned, we would almost certainly be married and I would no longer need to work with the E2 collar around my neck, but my primary concern is long-term. Can one work and retire in Korea as an ESL teacher? If we can assume that there will always be a market for teachers, can anyone tell me what long-term prospects are? Up until recently I've never thought much about it. Korea was always a go-between for me. But now that I've met a girl that I think I want to settle down with, I'm forced to reevaluate things.

I'm back in school to be a chef and I'm trying to decide if I should finish up the degree and then return or just scrap it and hop a plane. The purpose of finishing the degree being to potentially open up a restaurant there so I'm not only teaching, but have another source of income.

I'd like to hear from others who've perhaps married and settled in Korea while teaching. How does life change and how does your future look as a teacher? Would you recommend I finish up the culinary degree and pursue that in my spare time so as not to be relying solely on teaching jobs? My biggest fear is that I relocate but for some reason can't continue to teach. Either the market dries up or I have to move back to the U.S. for some unforeseen reason and all I have for the last several years on the resume is teaching overseas.

Thoughts?

-S-

[The Floating World]

The biggest question you need to ask yourself is 'Do I really want to spend all my energy and talnets to teach in Korea for the rest of my life?'

My answer would be 'hell no, that would turn me into a shell of a man who had died inside.'

[AbbeFaria]

[kingplaya4]

You can make good money with a culinary degree, my uncle has one, so unless you hate cooking, I'd stick with it. I don't think being a lifer here is really going to even be an option anymore with all the cuts being done to the english programs and declining birth rates to boot.

I think the only way people will be able to be lifers is to either be insanely qualified so that they can maintain a university job or be willing to work for insanely low wages for long hours. Inflation will eventually kill the basic 2 million a month salary which seems unlikely to up anytime soon.

Do as you please of course, but I don't see how being a lifer here is possibly viable unless you're willing to risk opening your own business. Why not finish the degree and open a western restaurant here? Ashley's is awful...

[Weigookin74]

Yes, I think EPIK and universities can encourage lifers more. Maybe married foriegners with an F2 or F5 too. But, is it possible to be one in the hakwon industry which will constitute the majority of employers in the future if EPIK downsizes? I'm approaching mid 30's but will prob be late 30's when the debt is gone. How I sometimes admire those who got over here and defaulted on their debts. But, at least I'll have the credit rating if I ever go back and they won't. Ha ha.

That said, the flood of younger teachers has encouraged me to stay in shape and try to look younger. Most say I look anywhere's from 5 to 10 years younger. So, don't know what age discrimination I'd face in a couple of years if EPIK pulls the plug.

[Kimchifart]

[Captain Corea]

On an F visa, you won't be pinned to teaching. Sure, "most" of the time, companies may view you with the "if we hire him, he can also teach our staff English" slant, but you could possible get into a company with a direction.

As you said, if you've got that E2 off of your back, the options open up.

And as for living here long term, there are a number of people that have done it/are doing it. 2 years is a bit short to judge, but eventually, you just live here.

[alongway]

There is lots of potential here depending what skills you have and how hard you want to work.
You need to make yourself a career map, but there are plenty of things you can do. Married to a Korean you could take citizenship and become a real professor at a university. You can open a business far easier it seems here. Whether you want to transition to owning a hagwon rather than simply working for it or do something else.

You might have some luck with companies doing international work, especially if you can speak Korean.

For me the key is this:
In Korea it's possible to be a 1 income family, back home I couldn't even joke about it.

[Yaya]

If you're a good cook (and just graduating from culinary school won't make you one, it takes years of experience, in my opinion), you could perhaps set up your own bistro or something in Korea. Quite a few expats run joints like that, and so could you so long as you don't try to compete in a saturated field like Italian, Japanese or other cuisines.

[Dave Chance]

I wouldn't dictate my life plans based upon a Korean girl who can't really converse in English, unless I was really sure she was the one, and had met/feel comfortable with her parents...married life to a Korean in Korea = not something to take lightly

[ttompatz]

[Chet Wautlands]

[whiteshoes]

[The Floating World]

[Modernist]

What's interesting about this OP is that it really all boils down to the 2 things that I have repeatedly noted as the only reasons people consider the 'lifer' idea: money and women. Does he care about the supposed beauty or culture or education system? The shopping, the galbi places, the efficient public transport? The cost of living or tax structure? No. The only issue is the girl. Of course.