|
Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Regardless of visa, which category do you fit into in Korea? |
| Married, great 'alternative' social set up with Korean and foreign friends, and happiness. Good money. |
|
14% |
[ 8 ] |
| Married, decent set up, some money. A Korean friend or 2. Some foreign friends |
|
12% |
[ 7 ] |
| Married, decent set up, some money and some foreign friends. |
|
3% |
[ 2 ] |
| Married. Friends? I get by. |
|
9% |
[ 5 ] |
| A lifer - I'm in more or less the same position now as I was when I first came. It is what it is. |
|
12% |
[ 7 ] |
| Don't mind me. Just passing through. |
|
18% |
[ 10 ] |
| Other (feel free to describe below) |
|
27% |
[ 15 ] |
|
| Total Votes : 54 |
|
| Author |
Message |
edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
|
 Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 4:50 am Post subject: |
 |
|
| Yes but have they actually specifically told you that they want to stay here till they die? There's a big difference between someone saying 'I've been here 10 years, I'm happy here and I have a good set up' and saying they never want to leave |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
|
| Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 6:09 am Post subject: |
|
|
| edwardcatflap wrote: |
| Yes but have they actually specifically told you that they want to stay here till they die? There's a big difference between someone saying 'I've been here 10 years, I'm happy here and I have a good set up' and saying they never want to leave |
While those people I was refering to did not use the dramatic expression of "until I DIE" they for the most part are planning on staying in Korea for the duration of their professional working careers. After that it is up to them and to anyone to choose. We (wife and I) are not convinced we will retire in Canada when the time comes, we may retire abroad to a place with nicer weather for example.
The term never is not a good on to be using to discuss this topic anyway. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
|
| Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 6:18 am Post subject: |
|
|
| OK so you haven't met anyone single who said they wanted to spend the rest of their lives here either. Thanks. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
byrddogs
Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Location: Shanghai
|
| Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 7:34 am Post subject: |
|
|
| I'm not a candidate for this poll I suppose, but I voted other. I was only there for 5 years. I mainly stayed cause of my gf of the whole duration of my sojourn (not saying that I didn't enjoy my time there, because I certainly did and could have stayed easily). I grew less interested in putting roots down there as time went on and moved on. It was a good decision for me; just like going to Korea was. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Hyeon In
Joined: 16 Feb 2012
|
| Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 7:37 am Post subject: |
|
|
| wooden nickels wrote: |
| My wife and I have our own school, the money is good. |
While it is of course terribly rude and crass to ask, you ARE anonymous, as am I, so would it be terribly impolite to ask approximately how much your wife and you pull in with a school? And is this a home-based 2 teacher school, or do you own a hagwon?
My wife and I could swing a similar thing, but I'm curious as to what the 'rewards' are. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
|
| Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 8:49 am Post subject: |
|
|
| edwardcatflap wrote: |
| OK so you haven't met anyone single who said they wanted to spend the rest of their lives here either. Thanks. |
Not what I said at all but sure man. Run with that.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
|
| Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 8:50 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Hyeon In wrote: |
| wooden nickels wrote: |
| My wife and I have our own school, the money is good. |
While it is of course terribly rude and crass to ask, you ARE anonymous, as am I, so would it be terribly impolite to ask approximately how much your wife and you pull in with a school? And is this a home-based 2 teacher school, or do you own a hagwon?
My wife and I could swing a similar thing, but I'm curious as to what the 'rewards' are. |
Just pm this person...that would be more effective no? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
|
| Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 5:25 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| Not what I said at all but sure man. Run with that. |
I said
| Quote: |
| I've never come across anyone who expressed a desire to stay here for the rest of their lives who wasn't either married to a Korean or planning to marry a Korean. |
You said
| Quote: |
| they for the most part are planning on staying in Korea for the duration of their professional working careers |
Can you not see the difference? It's funny, you rushed so quickly to prove me wrong and defend Korea against any perceived crtitcism, you didn't even stop to actually consider the point I was making |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
pegasus64128
Joined: 20 Aug 2011
|
| Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 6:59 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| nate1983 wrote: |
| pegasus64128 wrote: |
You could be loaded with money in Korea, be single and then what? You'd have to get married or go to a different country if you want to retire or set up a business. |
Um, no you don't. F2 visa, D8 visa (which I have)...plenty of options available. |
You have to be married (I was referring to single people) or ethnically Korean to have an F2 visa do you not?
There is the F2-S visa which I heard of one person getting (who was ethnically Korean). One poster on Dave's has the F-99 and you need to be stuck in the same job for 4 years flat out to get it.
The D8 visa requires something like 80,000 US investment into Korea does it not?
So your options (if you don't marry a Korean) are:
Be of Korean ethnicity?, give us all your money, or work like a slave for 4 years in the same job. All of these seem a little unreasonable to me. I'm not saying Korea is the only country with somewhat draconian naturalization laws. I'm sure it isn't, but I'm not a fan of any of the above approaches.
The new F2-S visa looks promising but it's untested really as of yet. It is a new visa afterall. Also, it forces you to be better than the average Korean to gain entry to their country imo. You have to be some combination of: very well qualified, lived in the country for a year (that's fine), speak some level of Korean (to offset your lack of credentials - again fine), demonstrate knowledge of Korean culture (I'm not crazy about this one, as imo many Koreans are ignorant of their own culture, or at least don't practice it), and/or carry out charity work. These are all reasonable criteria for an outstanding citizen.
I'm not trying to be too critical. I hope I don't come across that way, but getting married to a Korean sure does seem to save you a lot of headaches if you want to advance yourself in this country. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Zyzyfer
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
|
| Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 7:16 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| pegasus64128 wrote: |
| Thanks for giving me the benefit of the doubt. |
I try not to be too much of a jerkface online, seems unproductive to me. 
| edwardcatflap wrote: |
| It's funny, you rushed so quickly to prove me wrong and defend Korea against any perceived crtitcism, you didn't even stop to actually consider the point I was making |
Heh, seen him do exactly that quite a few times.
"BLARGH BAD STUFF IN FIRST POST!!!"
"We moved on from that 10 pages ago in this 11 page thread."
| Quote: |
| These are all reasonable criteria for an outstanding citizen. |
I don't see it unreasonable for Koreans to prefer outstanding people - though my own definition isn't necessarily theirs - becoming permanent residents. The only thing that bothers me about their permanent resident routes is that you're expected to stay on the exact same visa for 5 years to qualify for one outlet - and this either didn't exist or wasn't publicized at all until after 2008. This bothers me because I left a job I was at for three years to find greener pastures, and it was a perfectly good job for staying two more years to get permanent residency. Aw, that's too bad, back to square one for you buster!
That said, it seems difficult to work, move up the ladder in your field, and qualify for permanent residency here. Really, I've got to become quite proficient in Korean while doing work that involves the English language and take culture classes as well? For a 9 to 6 fellow like myself who has been here a while, it's quite a commitment to get permanent residency...citizenship, fantastic, should be hard, but permanent residency? Come on. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
schwa
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Yap
|
| Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 8:34 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I've been 11 years at the same job, on annual E2s. I looked into the F2-99 & got rebuffed probably incorrectly but I havent gotten around to re-pursuing it again yet. Renewing has just been so simple. I feel like a de facto permanent resident & I've got a strategy figured out for my retirement years in Korea.
I anticipate sticking around simply because I'm happy here, its become my home. Sokcho is a lovely little town. I love my little house with its little garden & fruit trees (so does my sweet old cat). I love my work & my students & it seems reciprocal. I'm a man with modest demands of life & my situation meets all of them & more.
By sticking with one job, my responsibilities & stimulating challenges (& rewards) have grown nicely. Thats relative success in my books. Why would I look to start out from scratch somewhere else again?
I understand that its different for younger people. But I've already raised & launched a couple kids (& I'm a grandfather now with a half-Korean grandkid). Is Korea perfect? Of course not, but something happens every day to put a smile on my face. Often multiple things.
Happiness is elusive, & can crop up in surprising places. Life isnt necessarily about having more, but having enough. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
pegasus64128
Joined: 20 Aug 2011
|
| Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2012 8:46 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| schwa wrote: |
I've been 11 years at the same job, on annual E2s. I looked into the F2-99 & got rebuffed probably incorrectly but I havent gotten around to re-pursuing it again yet. Renewing has just been so simple. I feel like a de facto permanent resident & I've got a strategy figured out for my retirement years in Korea.
I anticipate sticking around simply because I'm happy here, its become my home. Sokcho is a lovely little town. I love my little house with its little garden & fruit trees (so does my sweet old cat). I love my work & my students & it seems reciprocal. I'm a man with modest demands of life & my situation meets all of them & more.
By sticking with one job, my responsibilities & stimulating challenges (& rewards) have grown nicely. Thats relative success in my books. Why would I look to start out from scratch somewhere else again?
I understand that its different for younger people. But I've already raised & launched a couple kids (& I'm a grandfather now with a half-Korean grandkid). Is Korea perfect? Of course not, but something happens every day to put a smile on my face. Often multiple things.
Happiness is elusive, & can crop up in surprising places. Life isnt necessarily about having more, but having enough. |
You sir, truly are in the 'other' category
You mentioned your grandkid (son or daughter?) is half Korean. Is your son/daughter fully non-Korean, for want of a better word? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Modernist
Joined: 23 Mar 2011
Location: The 90s
|
| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 12:01 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
I've been 11 years at the same job, on annual E2s. I looked into the F2-99 & got rebuffed probably incorrectly but I havent gotten around to re-pursuing it again yet. Renewing has just been so simple. I feel like a de facto permanent resident & I've got a strategy figured out for my retirement years in Korea.
I anticipate sticking around simply because I'm happy here, its become my home. Sokcho is a lovely little town. I love my little house with its little garden & fruit trees (so does my sweet old cat). I love my work & my students & it seems reciprocal. I'm a man with modest demands of life & my situation meets all of them & more.
By sticking with one job, my responsibilities & stimulating challenges (& rewards) have grown nicely. Thats relative success in my books. Why would I look to start out from scratch somewhere else again?
I understand that its different for younger people. But I've already raised & launched a couple kids (& I'm a grandfather now with a half-Korean grandkid). Is Korea perfect? Of course not, but something happens every day to put a smile on my face. Often multiple things.
Happiness is elusive, & can crop up in surprising places. Life isnt necessarily about having more, but having enough. |
I envy you. I completely agree with your 'life philosophy' -- I care little for accumulation of more things. I would much rather have a few things of high quality that bring me happiness than an endless chase for more, better, newer. And in terms of work, all I hope for is a good position where I can apply my interest and knowledge. I don't need to be in charge or raking in $, just satisfied.
Unfortunately, neither teaching nor Korea can offer me this. Teaching is repetitive and derivative and tiresome. I wish I thought it wasn't, but it is. Perhaps teaching subjects other than English or at a higher level would be better, but from what I can see there is no innovation, little stimulation, little new in the day-to-day. It's always the same. Even as the students change the types never do--the good dutiful girl, the over-wired hyper boy, the smooth charmer, the sullen silent type, the mirror girl, the tall awkward mumbler, the under-sized sharpie, and on and on. In my 9 grades of teaching I can point to these types repeating themselves over and over--and my schools are small ones. I guess I just can't see how teaching doesn't bore you, after 11 years.
And as for Korea, it doesn't value what I value: beauty, skill, excellence, elegance, innovation, imagination, progress, ideas. It copies and borrows and conforms and follows. In everything. All the time. I can't be happy in a place so timid when it could be great. Hence, 'just passing through' for me. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
|
| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 12:20 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
Even as the students change the types never do--the good dutiful girl, the over-wired hyper boy, the smooth charmer, the sullen silent type, the mirror girl, the tall awkward mumbler, the under-sized sharpie, and on and on. In my 9 grades of teaching I can point to these types repeating themselves over and over--and my schools are small ones. I guess I just can't see how teaching doesn't bore you, after 11 years.
|
Would you not have this same problem with any job that involved working with people? Are you basically saying you'd be happier working with inanimate objects? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
PRagic
Joined: 24 Feb 2006
|
| Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 3:07 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Put me down for option 1. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
