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Weigookin74
Joined: 26 Oct 2009
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 Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 10:10 am Post subject: |
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| jakeo125 wrote: |
the won is not tanking, compared to 2008 levels its in pretty decent shape.
I'm a first timer heding out for korea ina few weeks and honeslty am not liking all these inferior minded ideas of esl teachers as 'losers'. I dont know , maybe i am a looser but in my book a loser is not someone who has the balls to take life by the horns and move half way across the world just for the fun of it. and even if its motivated by money, so what? historical materialism anyone? |
If I were a first timer starting out, I'd pass over Korea and go to China. Many of us here came either just before or after the economic crash of recent years and stayed hoping things would flip back. They didn't. Korea might be ok if you have no debts, but it's not the money making cow it was a few years ago. China's esl industry is in it's infancy compared to Korea and it would be better to get in on the ground floor in the beginning rather than going there after everyone else has. |
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flash viego
Joined: 20 Jan 2013
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| Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 10:42 am Post subject: |
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| Weigookin74 wrote: |
| jakeo125 wrote: |
the won is not tanking, compared to 2008 levels its in pretty decent shape.
I'm a first timer heding out for korea ina few weeks and honeslty am not liking all these inferior minded ideas of esl teachers as 'losers'. I dont know , maybe i am a looser but in my book a loser is not someone who has the balls to take life by the horns and move half way across the world just for the fun of it. and even if its motivated by money, so what? historical materialism anyone? |
If I were a first timer starting out, I'd pass over Korea and go to China. Many of us here came either just before or after the economic crash of recent years and stayed hoping things would flip back. They didn't. Korea might be ok if you have no debts, but it's not the money making cow it was a few years ago. China's esl industry is in it's infancy compared to Korea and it would be better to get in on the ground floor in the beginning rather than going there after everyone else has. |
Without free airfare, and free housing, how can China ,or anywhere else compare? |
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Guajiro
Joined: 04 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 8:49 pm Post subject: |
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| flash viego wrote: |
| Weigookin74 wrote: |
| jakeo125 wrote: |
the won is not tanking, compared to 2008 levels its in pretty decent shape.
I'm a first timer heding out for korea ina few weeks and honeslty am not liking all these inferior minded ideas of esl teachers as 'losers'. I dont know , maybe i am a looser but in my book a loser is not someone who has the balls to take life by the horns and move half way across the world just for the fun of it. and even if its motivated by money, so what? historical materialism anyone? |
If I were a first timer starting out, I'd pass over Korea and go to China. Many of us here came either just before or after the economic crash of recent years and stayed hoping things would flip back. They didn't. Korea might be ok if you have no debts, but it's not the money making cow it was a few years ago. China's esl industry is in it's infancy compared to Korea and it would be better to get in on the ground floor in the beginning rather than going there after everyone else has. |
Without free airfare, and free housing, how can China ,or anywhere else compare? |
Saudi Arabia? (if you qualify) |
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flash viego
Joined: 20 Jan 2013
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| Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 9:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Guajiro wrote: |
| flash viego wrote: |
| Weigookin74 wrote: |
| jakeo125 wrote: |
the won is not tanking, compared to 2008 levels its in pretty decent shape.
I'm a first timer heding out for korea ina few weeks and honeslty am not liking all these inferior minded ideas of esl teachers as 'losers'. I dont know , maybe i am a looser but in my book a loser is not someone who has the balls to take life by the horns and move half way across the world just for the fun of it. and even if its motivated by money, so what? historical materialism anyone? |
If I were a first timer starting out, I'd pass over Korea and go to China. Many of us here came either just before or after the economic crash of recent years and stayed hoping things would flip back. They didn't. Korea might be ok if you have no debts, but it's not the money making cow it was a few years ago. China's esl industry is in it's infancy compared to Korea and it would be better to get in on the ground floor in the beginning rather than going there after everyone else has. |
Without free airfare, and free housing, how can China ,or anywhere else compare? |
Saudi Arabia? (if you qualify) |
I don't qualify, and I'm Jewish. I don't want to be in the Middle East. I think even if the Won goes down, SK still beats any deal out there for a Newbie, ,that is unless NK turns SK into a sea of fire. That would suck. |
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Paddycakes
Joined: 05 May 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 9:24 pm Post subject: |
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| jakeo125 wrote: |
the won is not tanking, compared to 2008 levels its in pretty decent shape.
I'm a first timer heding out for korea ina few weeks and honeslty am not liking all these inferior minded ideas of esl teachers as 'losers'. I dont know , maybe i am a looser but in my book a loser is not someone who has the balls to take life by the horns and move half way across the world just for the fun of it. and even if its motivated by money, so what? historical materialism anyone? |
Don't mind the stereotype. Foreigners here are their own toughest critics.
In the past, you'd get a lot ESL teachers in Korea who were only here because they were running away from something back home.
Indeed, when you arrive in Korea, you'll note that a lot of the older English instructors will seem a bit "odd"... Not all of them of course, but more than enough.
However, it's gotten a lot tougher to get into Korea, which has had the effect of weeding out a lot of the Fruits, Odd-Balls and Nutjobs who used to take refuge here in the past.
But a lot of them are still here on F visas, which is a marriage visa generally.
My advice is to stay away from any English instructors over the age of 30... the older they get, the scarier they get.  |
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slothrop
Joined: 03 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 9:53 pm Post subject: |
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edit
Last edited by slothrop on Mon Jun 10, 2013 7:18 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Paddycakes
Joined: 05 May 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 11:56 pm Post subject: |
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It means I speak with wisdom... and experience 
And because I'm not ashamed to admit that back home, I wasn't exactly in "the mainstream" of society.
So like a lot of Outsiders back home, I do well in Korea for a variety of reasons.
However, I consider myself to be 'happy' Freaky Waygook, as opposed to a 'scary' Freaky Waygook.
There's quite difference.
Trust me, newbies.
You're a 10,000 times more likely to have a conflict with one of the odd-ball foreigners here than you are to be the victim of North Korean aggression.
Thing is, CNN will never do an expose on Freaky Waygooks....
Maybe they should. |
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World Traveler
Joined: 29 May 2009
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| Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2013 4:49 pm Post subject: |
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North Korean threats are hurting the value of the KRW.
1 KRW = 0.000888099 USD |
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tran.huongthu
Joined: 23 May 2011
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| Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2013 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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| World Traveler wrote: |
North Korean threats are hurting the value of the KRW.
1 KRW = 0.000888099 USD |
It has dropped about 5% in the past two weeks. Those looking for a quick recovery might want to reconsider that notion.
Jung Un is like a stubborn child that will do anything to get his way and there are rumblings that he is much more unstable than his father, who cared more for the luxuries that being in power could afford him than his reputation. |
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augustine
Joined: 08 Sep 2012
Location: México
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| Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2013 5:24 am Post subject: |
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| Paddycakes wrote: |
| jakeo125 wrote: |
the won is not tanking, compared to 2008 levels its in pretty decent shape.
I'm a first timer heding out for korea ina few weeks and honeslty am not liking all these inferior minded ideas of esl teachers as 'losers'. I dont know , maybe i am a looser but in my book a loser is not someone who has the balls to take life by the horns and move half way across the world just for the fun of it. and even if its motivated by money, so what? historical materialism anyone? |
Don't mind the stereotype. Foreigners here are their own toughest critics.
In the past, you'd get a lot ESL teachers in Korea who were only here because they were running away from something back home.
Indeed, when you arrive in Korea, you'll note that a lot of the older English instructors will seem a bit "odd"... Not all of them of course, but more than enough.
However, it's gotten a lot tougher to get into Korea, which has had the effect of weeding out a lot of the Fruits, Odd-Balls and Nutjobs who used to take refuge here in the past.
But a lot of them are still here on F visas, which is a marriage visa generally.
My advice is to stay away from any English instructors over the age of 30... the older they get, the scarier they get. |
I'm not over 30, I've been in Korea less than two years, and I live in Itaewon. Yet, I must say, some of the most interesting people I've met here are over 30 (and often in their 40s, 50s, and even 60s). I've never found any of them scary, but phew, a lot of them are quite interesting characters. One guy I know has been here nearly 20 years and is always broke and going on benders. Another guy I know did a significant amount of prison time back in his home country but has also been here for quite a while. Most of them have stayed here because they're solidly in the game with their F-visas, even though many of them are estranged from their wives. There are a lot of notorious characters around these parts, but they've been in the game a long time and can be a useful source for perspective and a hell of a lot of good stories.
I've also gotten to know a number of, let's say, more professional long timers here. Professors, businessmen, lawyers, etc. The stories aren't as good, but they're often friendlier and more consistent individuals.
I wouldn't say, "Stay away from teachers over 30" because I've personally found a lot of them to be very interesting individuals, even if they're a bit crazy. Both groups of people I mentioned, if you want to narrow it down to two categories, have relevant input on matters pertaining to this weird little country (along with military people who I haven't mentioned, I've met a lot of fine people within that demographic). I obviously have to agree with paddycakes to a certain degree, depending on your perspective, but the guy he quoted sounds like a douche. |
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Weigookin74
Joined: 26 Oct 2009
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| Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2013 10:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Missles reigning into Seoul, still the lemmings...er, I mean English teachers, come over. Just you wait and see..... |
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