|
Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
sown
Joined: 15 Mar 2012
|
 Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 10:05 am Post subject: Advice for First Timer Coming to Korea in February |
 |
|
What I could use your help on is some advice on whether I should: stick with EPIK, come to Korea on a tourist visa and look for work, or work with a recruiter on GEPIK or a hagwon.
I am accepted to EPIK for February 2013 but they have not assigned me a location. There are no more positions for Seoul through EPIK. Hearing that my first choice Seoul is now unavailable, I am looking for other options to pursue.
I'm considering places like Bucheon and Incheon now, since they are close to Seoul.
I'm at 28 year old white guy who currently lives in downtown San Francisco. Here is what I want from my experience in Korea:
1) Meet new friends, date
2) Learn Korean
3) Have a job that's secure - no worrying about getting paid or working more than the agreed upon hours
4) Be close enough to a big city with shopping, cafes, bars, clubs, etc to be able to commute there in a day (under 1 hour commute)
I hope to get my location back from EPIK in a couple weeks. I could get placed in a city like Daejon or Daegu. What are these cities like? My fear is getting placed in Gangwon and not enjoying my experience. I also realize I could be wrong about Gangwon. Hey, maybe I'd be surprised and love a rural area.
Thanks a lot for your time.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Weigookin74
Joined: 26 Oct 2009
|
| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 10:28 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Its such a tough market to enter nowadays that you have to take what you can get, especially if that involves stability. There are more foriegners spread throughout Korea including rural areas. Doing a year there and then moving onto a bigger city isn't the end of the world. I lived in a rural area for a couple of years then transfered to a bigger city within the public school system. Your first year will mostly be taken up by the "honeymoon" period where everything is new and exciting where ever you live. Some rural areas, though not all, have a greater likely hood to be more laid back for working in than in bigger cities. IE Extra days off, go home earlies sometimes, but never a 100 % gaurantee. At the very least, sometimes less teaching hours. Seoul or Busan is never more than a couple of hours bus ride away from many places. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
YTMND
Joined: 16 Jan 2012
Location: You're the man now dog!!
|
| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 11:52 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| 3) Have a job that's secure - no worrying about getting paid or working more than the agreed upon hours |
This will be a new experience then. You will not always get this. Save your money, because after a few months your school might be late in paying. Public schools are generally better, but they are now given less funding. Also, if a new head English teacher/manager replaces the old one they might not always honor agreements you privately made with the previous one.
| Quote: |
| 4) Be close enough to a big city with shopping, cafes, bars, clubs, etc to be able to commute there in a day (under 1 hour commute) |
Seoul and Busan are the big cities with an obvious north and south split.
| Quote: |
| I hope to get my location back from EPIK in a couple weeks. |
My understanding is that SMOE does Seoul, so for EPIK you would want Busan. Instead of the limitation you put regarding distance, I suggest going to a place on the west as opposed to the east. You can travel further. Korea is not the same as California, which is longer north and south. Korea is more like a square, so using buses and trains are much more convenient than bigger areas. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Zackback
Joined: 05 Nov 2010
Location: Kyungbuk
|
| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 7:32 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Unless you're a freak dating should not be any problem.
Based on my experience and the guys I know it comes in waves. Nothing for awhile then 1 and then the possibilities are endless. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Taylormade
Joined: 31 Oct 2012
Location: Incheon
|
| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 7:52 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Zackback wrote: |
Unless you're a freak dating should not be any problem.
Based on my experience and the guys I know it comes in waves. Nothing for awhile then 1 and then the possibilities are endless. |
You mean like a "Jesus freak". One who runs away from fact-based discussions when things get tough. Is that the type of "freak" you're referring to? Or are you, in all your love of humanity, referring to a different type of "freak". (Nice Christian language by the way.)
Good to see you're still posting Zackback, just not on threads that introduce tough questions about your beliefs.
Anyway, I'll let you get back to calling people "freaks". |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
schwa
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Yap
|
| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 9:00 pm Post subject: Re: Advice for First Timer Coming to Korea in February |
|
|
| sown wrote: |
...Here is what I want from my experience in Korea:
1) Meet new friends, date
2) Learn Korean
3) Have a job that's secure - no worrying about getting paid or working more than the agreed upon hours
4) Be close enough to a big city with shopping, cafes, bars, clubs, etc to be able to commute there in a day (under 1 hour commute) |
Not even a mention of the actual work involved, just personal afterhours concerns.
A major part of your time will be taken up with your job & job situations vary widely here. So you might also want to consider school working environment, potential for job satisfaction, the chance to make a difference by being a dedicated teacher, etc ... the daily stuff that in fact sponsors your stay in Korea.
Not saying this is you, OP, on the basis of this one post, but I do meet a dismaying number of "teachers" who regard their jobs as little more than an annoying interruption in their holiday/party schedule. They reflect poorly on the industry. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
|
| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 9:14 pm Post subject: Re: Advice for First Timer Coming to Korea in February |
|
|
| schwa wrote: |
| sown wrote: |
...Here is what I want from my experience in Korea:
1) Meet new friends, date
2) Learn Korean
3) Have a job that's secure - no worrying about getting paid or working more than the agreed upon hours
4) Be close enough to a big city with shopping, cafes, bars, clubs, etc to be able to commute there in a day (under 1 hour commute) |
Not even a mention of the actual work involved, just personal afterhours concerns.
A major part of your time will be taken up with your job & job situations vary widely here. So you might also want to consider school working environment, potential for job satisfaction, the chance to make a difference by being a dedicated teacher, etc ... the daily stuff that in fact sponsors your stay in Korea.
Not saying this is you, OP, on the basis of this one post, but I do meet a dismaying number of "teachers" who regard their jobs as little more than an annoying interruption in their holiday/party schedule. They reflect poorly on the industry. |
They don't have to be mutually exclusive, though they far too often are. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sligo
Joined: 15 Oct 2008
|
| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 9:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| On a different note, the best advice i can give is not to be self conscious. Koreans will stare at you everywhere you go. Some are more discreet than others, and rarely is any malice meant. But even if you make eye contact, they will not look away for a couple of seconds. It is hard to get used to, and at first feels very uncomfortable, but that's Korea. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Zackback
Joined: 05 Nov 2010
Location: Kyungbuk
|
| Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 2:50 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Taylormade wrote: |
| Zackback wrote: |
Unless you're a freak dating should not be any problem.
Based on my experience and the guys I know it comes in waves. Nothing for awhile then 1 and then the possibilities are endless. |
You mean like a "Jesus freak". One who runs away from fact-based discussions when things get tough. Is that the type of "freak" you're referring to? Or are you, in all your love of humanity, referring to a different type of "freak". (Nice Christian language by the way.)
Good to see you're still posting Zackback, just not on threads that introduce tough questions about your beliefs.
Anyway, I'll let you get back to calling people "freaks". |
Taylor is a perfect example. Stalking people on Dave's after he gets demolished in a debate but cries on a like big baby.
Get a box of Kleenex for yourself and toughen up while you wipe away.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
schwa
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Yap
|
| Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 3:43 am Post subject: |
|
|
Taylormade & Zackback: both of you are way offbase imposing your jesus tiff on this thread in the job-related discussion forum.
Selfish & inconsiderate. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Zackback
Joined: 05 Nov 2010
Location: Kyungbuk
|
| Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 3:58 am Post subject: |
|
|
1. He stalked me here. I didn't "follow" him.
2. In doing so he is an example of a freak....the very thing that I earlier advised the OP not to be. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
|
| Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 6:18 am Post subject: |
|
|
OP, in answer to your questions/concerns...
| Quote: |
| 1) Meet new friends, date |
Sure but like anywhere else this will depend a lot on you and on your outlook, attitude...
Hard work but it can be done. I personally found that learning Korean was a huge plus, others have not found it to be so useful while others yet just stop trying once they reach very basic survival level in the language. This remains a very personal decision.
| Quote: |
| 3) Have a job that's secure - no worrying about getting paid or working more than the agreed upon hours |
It can be done for sure but you will need to do your homework (research, talk to teachers in a school before accepting the job, reading your contract carefully). Now since you seem to be awaiting placement for EPIK you should not worry too much as that is a government financed program and it is stable.
| Quote: |
| 4) Be close enough to a big city with shopping, cafes, bars, clubs, etc to be able to commute there in a day (under 1 hour commute) |
That really depends! Again EPIK will place you and you may end up in a rural area or in a larger city! Note that if you get placed in a smaller city you will have to find other things to do than bars and clubs for example!
| Quote: |
| I hope to get my location back from EPIK in a couple weeks. I could get placed in a city like Daejon or Daegu. What are these cities like? My fear is getting placed in Gangwon and not enjoying my experience. I also realize I could be wrong about Gangwon. Hey, maybe I'd be surprised and love a rural area. |
Daegu is a fairly large city, it is on the KTX network so a train to Seoul takes under an hour. Busan is closer.
Daejon is smaller but nice.
As for a rural area it can certainly be a challenge if you are a city person to start with! You will be more isolated than in a large city in terms of foreign community for example. Some people love the countryside others prefer the cities. Still, as you applied with EPIK you will have very little choice in the matter. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
|
| Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 8:25 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Patrick: it's not less than an hour on KTX from Daegu to Seoul. Under two hours, yes. Not trying to play gotcha, but this should be made clear. |
|
| 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
