Korean Job Discussion Forums

[failan]

Hey everyone, I'm a frequent reader on Dave's cafe. The search function isn't working so I'm writing this here.

I'm curious if any has done this before. Sometime after I finish my contract, I plan to be happily unemployed living in Korea on a tourist visa. I'll spend this time studying and practicing Korean as much as possible to improve my skill. Also, I'll just be taking it easy. Eventually, after three months or so I'll look for another job here.

I'm wondering how many of you have done this. This is gonna be part vacation and part heavy duty studying.

If you've done this, how did it go for you? Or if you've done this in any other country for months on end?...

Sorry if the topic is boring or overdone.

Anyway, I figure I could cheaply live in Korea for a few months as I've been saving money decently well during my year teaching here.

So, lemme know of your experiences doing this.

[jammo]

Don't expect too much of an improvement in your Korean ability after 3 months

[ThingsComeAround]

You should join one of the Korean language schools for their full-time program, that will help with your visa, housing, and it could improve your Korean ability.

[jammo]

honestly I don't agree. Being around non-native speakers will only hinder your progress if Korean fluency is your goal.

[furtakk]

I did this for 6 months, but I was on a student visa at a university. My Korean really improved a lot, but I did have daily classes.

Besides the whole money thing, it is stress free and just fantastic in general. Work can really get you down here sometimes. Not having that stress enables you to really appreciate your time here a lot more.

[ghostrider]

Someone who did it:
http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea//viewtopic.php?t=26327&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15

[english_prospect]

I might consider this. Also would it be legal to teach privates on a student visa? I heard you can teach a certain number of hours/month legally. That could help subsidise the endeavour

[nautilus]

I did this for six months too.

If you are going to do a lot of studying, it will make life easier for you to get a student visa.

I just had a tourist visa. Be aware that if you re-enter and renew a tourist visa for the second or third time, it raises eyebrows.

Immigration will assume that you are illegally teaching privates and will demand evidence that you are not- a full account of how you spend your time here, including phone numbers of people and places you've stayed.

[furtakk]

You can work after 6 months of study, but that doesn't include privates. You need to have a place of work.

It does allow more freedom than an E2 though. You can do almost any type of work. The main restriction is 20 hours max during weekdays (when the semester is in session). You'll still need the usual docs if you're teaching though. I'm still attending (but on an E2), but I have some friends who do editing, translation, etc.

[northway]

[failan]

Ghostrider, thanks for the link.

I can see my Korean ability improving tremendously in even just 1 month of relaxed study.

As a teacher in Korea, I come home a bit tired and don't always have the time to study or don't feel like studying because of other reasons.

I haven't really enjoyed Korea as much as I'd like, so taking some time off to study and enjoy Korea stress free is my goal.

I was just wondering about anyone else who's done this.

[NilesQ]

After my first contract ended, I enrolled at an intensive korean language program. This structured format is the best way to do it IMHO. Very few of the other students were native english speakers. It's best to do the first 2 or 3 levels of a university program. After that you'll know enough to learn more effectively on your own.

Going to school is the perfect cover for privates. My classes ended at 12 or 1 pm and then I did privates 3 days a week from 3-10pm. It takes a bit of time to build a schedule of private students in the area you want with little to no travel time.

Eventually money took over for me and I stopped going to Korean school. If your goal really is learning Korean, take a uni program and work part time. You should be able to earn enough to pay for tuition and living, no problem.

[luckylady]

[KimchiNinja]

[Hootsmon]

I spent six months unemployed on two 3-month tourist visas after having my job contract rather suddenly not renewed after being told for months it would be. I should have been searching for a job anyway, just in case, but I was a little naive. Anyway, rather than take a job I was offered in a place I didn't want to be, I stayed where I was for another six months. I used the time to relax, hang out with friends, study, exercise, hobbies, explore...it really wasn't difficult to find things to pass the time, and the time did pass very quickly.

The only thing that was difficult was that I ended up spending more money than I thought I would. Might have been cheaper to spend the time in another country, but I wanted to be in Korea to apply for new jobs.

Had no trouble with immigration. First time just said I was there to travel and spend time with friends. Second time I said I was looking for a job but not actually working. Both times they just said to me I shouldn't be doing any private teaching, I said sure, and it was no problem.