Korean Job Discussion Forums

cat12345 · Joined: 28 Jun 2013

As in, is your quality of life good/worse than what you left behind? Do you feel like you're having a good life experience or kind of in a suspended state of animation, in limbo?

I've heard both but only from people who've come back, no one that is actually there, and I'm curious to get opinions from people still over there.

robbie_davies · Joined: 16 Jun 2013

My life improved leaps and bounds since graduating and teaching - but then previous to that I spent half my time on the dole and the other half on night shift in various factories in the English Midlands.

I don't have that sense of entitlement a lot on here seem to have. If I am an EFL loser now then it is a massive improvement to what it was before.

busanSK2012 · Joined: 20 Feb 2013

OK, I'll bite on this one.

No regrets at all. Life experience far outweighs any hiccups on the journey. Do you want to know if everything will be easy and fun and great? That won't be the case. There are difficulties everywhere, and they can be magnified when you can't speak the language or don't understand all the cultural differences.

I have met amazing people, seen a far different landscape than I had ever seen before, taught super cute and funny students, my CT's (they hated me at first-I am not going to lie) but after all the ups and downs in the beginning I am leaving and they are beside themselves, and I have been to Japan 4x, thailand once, and will swing through Singapore on my way back to the US.

Next year I will be working in Taiwan. So all is good living the ESL life...if you don't take things seriously, realize there will be work involved, and that everyday isn't a party or a wonderful experience. But most of the days are pretty good to awesome.

The food sucks in Korea though...in my very picky opinion. If you like meat and want to eat it all day everyday with subpar produce...you have one up on me..

Come..experience..love it or hate it..something good will invariably happen as well.

young_clinton · Joined: 09 Sep 2009

For those who regret coming to Korea, the grass is always greener on the other side. However go if you must and leave a job opening for me when I come back to Korea.

No_hite_pls · Posted: Tue Jul 16, 2013 3:57 pm Post subject:

Oh, god no. My net worth has increased 500% since coming here. Although, I do miss my family a lot and office banter of the west.

Who's Your Daddy? · Joined: 30 May 2010 Location: Victoria, Canada.

I don't regret it. It will be nice to look back on and I have a lot of money in the bank, but I couldn't stay the rest of my life here.

I'd regret it if I hadn't saved a lot of money. When I return I'll have a higher net worth than I'd of had if I'd stayed in Canada.

lowpo · Joined: 01 Mar 2007

I have been lucky living in Korea. I can teach English and my wife can teach Chinese. It is one of the reasons that we stay in Korea. Because
we can save enough for our future.

robbie_davies · Joined: 16 Jun 2013

Neozenha · Joined: 08 Mar 2013

So do you guys actually enjoy living there or is it just all about teh moneiz

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

le-paul · Joined: 07 Apr 2009 Location: dans la chambre

i don't regret the experience but...

i regret what its done to my career. All I have to aspire to now, is working in some crappy, glorified, esl position dressed up as the title of 'university professor'. And having a family - woppdee doo.

The thought of teaching english forever, makes me want to set myself on fire in protest. I feel like Ive given into my own tardiness and young mans whims.

So, yes.

robbie_davies · Joined: 16 Jun 2013

War Eagle · Joined: 15 Feb 2009

I am trading the beautiful weather and delicious restaurants back home in the US for a job I like that has access to easy, plentiful dough.

That's kinda the way I think about it.

*Don't get me wrong, I love my friends and family back home, but modern technology makes it extremely easy to keep in touch. And they will all still be there when I return.

robbie_davies · Joined: 16 Jun 2013

newb · Joined: 27 Aug 2012 Location: Korea

5 years in Korea teaching at same school. I have no regrets.

I have had wonderful time during my first 2 or 3 years, but things went down south as I approached my 5th and final year this August. The money is okay as I been on the top of PS pay level for several years with lots of OT, etc. I actually ended up saving a boat load of money and my investment had performed well over the years.

As things in Korea has turned south, I'm going sailing in my boat load of money to a place where it's always warm. I'll be sipping on a glass of margarita on the beach and reminiscing the good and bad times I've experienced in Korea. Razz