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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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 Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 7:12 pm Post subject: |
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You guys are aware that the thread is more than a year old (OP in Dec 2011)?
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World Traveler
Joined: 29 May 2009
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| Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 7:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Yes, but it's still an interesting and relevant topic. Some good discussion going on here. |
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McQwaid
Joined: 18 Jan 2004
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| Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 8:18 pm Post subject: |
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Korea is worth it for your first overseas teaching job. After maybe two years, I think one should try another Asian teaching scene though.
This change may lead to benefits that are greater than the savings potential you are leaving behind in Korea. It did for me.
Also, teaching in Asia is even better when you have that B.Ed. You won't feel stuck once you have this. Get it, and you can stay abroad forever with security.
Last edited by McQwaid on Mon Feb 11, 2013 2:02 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Yaya
Joined: 25 Feb 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 1:49 am Post subject: |
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If you're gonna stay in Korea over the long term, I say go into biz for yourself. You could open a small store or something with the help of a Korean significant other or friend or a private teaching biz. It's tough enough for Koreans aged 45 or over to get new jobs so you'll have to think ahead.
I'd say you'd have to think about moving to a provincial area to open such a biz since Seoul is too competitive and saturated. |
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highstreet
Joined: 13 Nov 2010
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| Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 3:20 am Post subject: |
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| This thread is filled with people creating excuses on why they want to stay in Korea. |
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Yaya
Joined: 25 Feb 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:15 am Post subject: |
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| highstreet wrote: |
| This thread is filled with people creating excuses on why they want to stay in Korea. |
People who WANT to be here and are doing well need no excuse. |
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Malislamusrex
Joined: 01 Feb 2010
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| Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 1:18 am Post subject: |
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If went back to the UK I would only go for 90,000 UK or $140,000 USD.
If I have kids I may go back just because schools, healthcare and everything else is free. |
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Threequalseven
Joined: 08 May 2012
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| Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 11:03 pm Post subject: |
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| bcjinseoul wrote: |
| Over the years, the people I know on facebook who worked their butts off in high school and college who became pharmacists, aerospace engineers, biophysicists, database administrators, physicians assistants, CPAs and what have you, well, guess what...they never went to Korea or any other foreign country to teach English...they already had a great paying, meaningful, awesome, interesting job in their own country, as supposed to the 95% of teachers I met over the years in Korea (between 2006-2010) who majored in, say, political science, photography, creative writing, English, history, philosophy, psychology, art, music, communications, sociology, anthropology, and what have you, couldn't get a good paying job in their own country and (surprise, surprise) came to Korea as a dead last resort to pay off their debt and figure out their next move. |
This is an attitude I see time and time again on this forum. It's basically dismisses everybody who isn't making 6-figures as either lazy or as someone who makes poor decisions. Nevermind that in the U.S, most people need a cosigner to finance a high-end education. Nevermind that 20 years ago, you didn't need a masters in biochemical engineering to get a good job. Nevermind that many of these high-end professionals never had to work or pay rent through college. Nevermind that few people can afford to go back and take the appropriate trigonometry or calculus classes needed for these professions.
Many people are where they're at because of circumstance, not because they don't work hard. Also, many people who graduated with degrees in environmental science, liberal arts, etc, knew exactly what they were doing. Not everybody wants to work for a faceless industry that puts profits over everything else. The notion that being a pharmacist, CPA, or aerospace engineer is "meaningful" is highly debatable. One could easily make just as strong an argument that these jobs are more destructive than important.
Nobody's a failure because they teach in Korea. I actually think it's great that some people have what it takes to move out of their comfort zone to a different country, something many of these "worthies" would never do. Teaching in Korea gives people the opportunity to save and invest in whatever they want, an opportunity no longer available to many people in their home countries. What's wrong with that? |
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YujiKaido
Joined: 10 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 11:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Threequalseven wrote: |
| bcjinseoul wrote: |
| Over the years, the people I know on facebook who worked their butts off in high school and college who became pharmacists, aerospace engineers, biophysicists, database administrators, physicians assistants, CPAs and what have you, well, guess what...they never went to Korea or any other foreign country to teach English...they already had a great paying, meaningful, awesome, interesting job in their own country, as supposed to the 95% of teachers I met over the years in Korea (between 2006-2010) who majored in, say, political science, photography, creative writing, English, history, philosophy, psychology, art, music, communications, sociology, anthropology, and what have you, couldn't get a good paying job in their own country and (surprise, surprise) came to Korea as a dead last resort to pay off their debt and figure out their next move. |
This is an attitude I see time and time again on this forum. It's basically dismisses everybody who isn't making 6-figures as either lazy or as someone who makes poor decisions. Nevermind that in the U.S, most people need a cosigner to finance a high-end education. Nevermind that 20 years ago, you didn't need a masters in biochemical engineering to get a good job. Nevermind that many of these high-end professionals never had to work or pay rent through college. Nevermind that few people can afford to go back and take the appropriate trigonometry or calculus classes needed for these professions.
Many people are where they're at because of circumstance, not because they don't work hard. Also, many people who graduated with degrees in environmental science, liberal arts, etc, knew exactly what they were doing. Not everybody wants to work for a faceless industry that puts profits over everything else. The notion that being a pharmacist, CPA, or aerospace engineer is "meaningful" is highly debatable. One could easily make just as strong an argument that these jobs are more destructive than important.
Nobody's a failure because they teach in Korea. I actually think it's great that some people have what it takes to move out of their comfort zone to a different country, something many of these "worthies" would never do. Teaching in Korea gives people the opportunity to save and invest in whatever they want, an opportunity no longer available to many people in their home countries. What's wrong with that? |
Yeah having taught in Korea and now Hong Kong, I have read this thread through and there is a lot of wisdom here.
For me I dread doing anything but teaching, but don't think I could hack being a teacher in USA. So I suppose I will end up furthering my education becoming a lifer in Asia teaching at some level. I just have to decide what country. My eyes are on Taiwan and Japan now but who knows. I thought about going back to IT work in the states, but it wasn't really fulfilling. Now teaching kids it has days it sucks, but can be really fulfilling if you keep a good perspective on things.
Lots of money doesn't equal happiness, I would rather do what I love and get paid less than get paid more and hate it. |
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Threequalseven
Joined: 08 May 2012
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| Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 11:40 pm Post subject: |
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| To the OP, have you considered property development? I basically went to college for the same thing as you, urban and regional studies (with an emphasis in GIS). I've thought about paying off my loans here in Korea, then going back to uni for my MURP. But lately, the idea of settling down and working for some suburban government hasn't sounded too appealing. Lately, I've been thinking about saving enough money to buy a foreclosed house in my hometown (cash), fixing it up a bit, and renting it out. Also, if I wanted to move back to Asia to teach again, I could hire a property management company to handle the details while I'm gone. Some other ideas could include buying storage units, which are more low maintenance than renting houses, or just flipping houses (if you have the time and money for it). You could still use what you learned in college, but you'd be working for yourself and working on something that has real value (property) instead of potential value (another degree). Just an idea. |
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Yaya
Joined: 25 Feb 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 11:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Threequalseven wrote: |
| To the OP, have you considered property development? I basically went to college for the same thing as you, urban and regional studies (with an emphasis in GIS). I've thought about paying off my loans here in Korea, then going back to uni for my MURP. But lately, the idea of settling down and working for some suburban government hasn't sounded too appealing. Lately, I've been thinking about saving enough money to buy a foreclosed house in my hometown (cash), fixing it up a bit, and renting it out. Also, if I wanted to move back to Asia to teach again, I could hire a property management company to handle the details while I'm gone. Some other ideas could include buying storage units, which are more low maintenance than renting houses, or just flipping houses (if you have the time and money for it). You could still use what you learned in college, but you'd be working for yourself and working on something that has real value (property) instead of potential value (another degree). Just an idea. |
Not sure if anything related to real estate in the U.S. is worth pursuing for years. I hear property development took a huge hit just like every other sector in the property market. |
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KimchiNinja
Joined: 01 May 2012
Location: Gangnam
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| Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2013 12:08 am Post subject: |
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| YujiKaido wrote: |
| Threequalseven wrote: |
| bcjinseoul wrote: |
| Over the years, the people I know on facebook who worked their butts off in high school and college who became pharmacists, aerospace engineers, biophysicists, database administrators, physicians assistants, CPAs and what have you, well, guess what...they never went to Korea or any other foreign country to teach English...they already had a great paying, meaningful, awesome, interesting job in their own country, as supposed to the 95% of teachers I met over the years in Korea (between 2006-2010) who majored in, say, political science, photography, creative writing, English, history, philosophy, psychology, art, music, communications, sociology, anthropology, and what have you, couldn't get a good paying job in their own country and (surprise, surprise) came to Korea as a dead last resort to pay off their debt and figure out their next move. |
This is an attitude I see time and time again on this forum. It's basically dismisses everybody who isn't making 6-figures as either lazy or as someone who makes poor decisions. Nevermind that in the U.S, most people need a cosigner to finance a high-end education. Nevermind that 20 years ago, you didn't need a masters in biochemical engineering to get a good job. Nevermind that many of these high-end professionals never had to work or pay rent through college. Nevermind that few people can afford to go back and take the appropriate trigonometry or calculus classes needed for these professions.
Many people are where they're at because of circumstance, not because they don't work hard. Also, many people who graduated with degrees in environmental science, liberal arts, etc, knew exactly what they were doing. Not everybody wants to work for a faceless industry that puts profits over everything else. The notion that being a pharmacist, CPA, or aerospace engineer is "meaningful" is highly debatable. One could easily make just as strong an argument that these jobs are more destructive than important.
Nobody's a failure because they teach in Korea. I actually think it's great that some people have what it takes to move out of their comfort zone to a different country, something many of these "worthies" would never do. Teaching in Korea gives people the opportunity to save and invest in whatever they want, an opportunity no longer available to many people in their home countries. What's wrong with that? |
Yeah having taught in Korea and now Hong Kong, I have read this thread through and there is a lot of wisdom here.
For me I dread doing anything but teaching, but don't think I could hack being a teacher in USA. So I suppose I will end up furthering my education becoming a lifer in Asia teaching at some level. I just have to decide what country. My eyes are on Taiwan and Japan now but who knows. I thought about going back to IT work in the states, but it wasn't really fulfilling. Now teaching kids it has days it sucks, but can be really fulfilling if you keep a good perspective on things.
Lots of money doesn't equal happiness, I would rather do what I love and get paid less than get paid more and hate it. |
The prior two responses were smart. ^^
I just got back from the US and my time was packed full of meetings with these PHDs, pharmacists, aerospace engineers, biophysicists, database administrators and CPAs. Guess what, they grind out a pointless job answering to corporate 'Merika, go home to their disrespectful fat wives who will eventually divorce them and take everything, and give themselves heart attacks on cheeseburgers because the wife won't cook, after which the doctors take whatever the wife didn't take.
Probably a lot of these English teachers living adventurous fun lives abroad have it better than these biophysicists, if you really think about it. Just something to ponder. |
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Threequalseven
Joined: 08 May 2012
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| Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2013 1:19 am Post subject: |
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| Yaya wrote: |
| Not sure if anything related to real estate in the U.S. is worth pursuing for years. I hear property development took a huge hit just like every other sector in the property market. |
I should have said property investment, not development. In my hometown, monthly rental payments cost more than monthly mortgage payments. The price of buying a home is really low, yet few people want to make that commitment. After the housing crash, it's totally been a buyers market. If I save, I could hypothetically buy a 2br house for $35,000 cash, charge $800/month rent, and use that money to pay the mortgage on another property. I would do it now if I had the money, but I want to pay off one of my loans before I start saving. The market is bad if your trying to sell a house, but it's great if you want to be a sleazy landlord. I just worry that it will all bounce back by the time I have enough savings. |
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Dodge7
Joined: 21 Oct 2011
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| Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2013 3:16 am Post subject: |
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| Threequalseven wrote: |
| Yaya wrote: |
| Not sure if anything related to real estate in the U.S. is worth pursuing for years. I hear property development took a huge hit just like every other sector in the property market. |
I should have said property investment, not development. In my hometown, monthly rental payments cost more than monthly mortgage payments. The price of buying a home is really low, yet few people want to make that commitment. After the housing crash, it's totally been a buyers market. If I save, I could hypothetically buy a 2br house for $35,000 cash, charge $800/month rent, and use that money to pay the mortgage on another property. I would do it now if I had the money, but I want to pay off one of my loans before I start saving. The market is bad if your trying to sell a house, but it's great if you want to be a sleazy landlord. I just worry that it will all bounce back by the time I have enough savings. |
Be careful investing in real estate. And be sure to read and ask question on the biggerpockets message boards. |
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Konglishman
Joined: 14 Sep 2007
Location: Nanjing
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| Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2013 6:49 am Post subject: |
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Hey, physicists (including biophysicists) do not all have boring and unfulfilling lives. In fact, I know a fellow physicist teaching physics in Shanghai.
| KimchiNinja wrote: |
| YujiKaido wrote: |
| Threequalseven wrote: |
| bcjinseoul wrote: |
| Over the years, the people I know on facebook who worked their butts off in high school and college who became pharmacists, aerospace engineers, biophysicists, database administrators, physicians assistants, CPAs and what have you, well, guess what...they never went to Korea or any other foreign country to teach English...they already had a great paying, meaningful, awesome, interesting job in their own country, as supposed to the 95% of teachers I met over the years in Korea (between 2006-2010) who majored in, say, political science, photography, creative writing, English, history, philosophy, psychology, art, music, communications, sociology, anthropology, and what have you, couldn't get a good paying job in their own country and (surprise, surprise) came to Korea as a dead last resort to pay off their debt and figure out their next move. |
This is an attitude I see time and time again on this forum. It's basically dismisses everybody who isn't making 6-figures as either lazy or as someone who makes poor decisions. Nevermind that in the U.S, most people need a cosigner to finance a high-end education. Nevermind that 20 years ago, you didn't need a masters in biochemical engineering to get a good job. Nevermind that many of these high-end professionals never had to work or pay rent through college. Nevermind that few people can afford to go back and take the appropriate trigonometry or calculus classes needed for these professions.
Many people are where they're at because of circumstance, not because they don't work hard. Also, many people who graduated with degrees in environmental science, liberal arts, etc, knew exactly what they were doing. Not everybody wants to work for a faceless industry that puts profits over everything else. The notion that being a pharmacist, CPA, or aerospace engineer is "meaningful" is highly debatable. One could easily make just as strong an argument that these jobs are more destructive than important.
Nobody's a failure because they teach in Korea. I actually think it's great that some people have what it takes to move out of their comfort zone to a different country, something many of these "worthies" would never do. Teaching in Korea gives people the opportunity to save and invest in whatever they want, an opportunity no longer available to many people in their home countries. What's wrong with that? |
Yeah having taught in Korea and now Hong Kong, I have read this thread through and there is a lot of wisdom here.
For me I dread doing anything but teaching, but don't think I could hack being a teacher in USA. So I suppose I will end up furthering my education becoming a lifer in Asia teaching at some level. I just have to decide what country. My eyes are on Taiwan and Japan now but who knows. I thought about going back to IT work in the states, but it wasn't really fulfilling. Now teaching kids it has days it sucks, but can be really fulfilling if you keep a good perspective on things.
Lots of money doesn't equal happiness, I would rather do what I love and get paid less than get paid more and hate it. |
The prior two responses were smart. ^^
I just got back from the US and my time was packed full of meetings with these PHDs, pharmacists, aerospace engineers, biophysicists, database administrators and CPAs. Guess what, they grind out a pointless job answering to corporate 'Merika, go home to their disrespectful fat wives who will eventually divorce them and take everything, and give themselves heart attacks on cheeseburgers because the wife won't cook, after which the doctors take whatever the wife didn't take.
Probably a lot of these English teachers living adventurous fun lives abroad have it better than these biophysicists, if you really think about it. Just something to ponder. |
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