Korean Job Discussion Forums

skrivnut · Joined: 23 Jul 2004 Location: Vancouver, Canada

Hi, which universities offer the best or worst housing conditions? What makes it good/bad? Are public universities better or worse than private? Why?

Thx!!

skriv

OiGirl · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: Hoke-y-gun

I have looked at some university positons that seemed great -- except for dormitory housing!!! Look, I am an adult. I want visitors of the opposite sex, no curfew, the ability to order food to be delivered, and I've lived in Korea for some time, I want a neighborhood, I want a bath house and a rice cake shop and a fresh tofu shop in my immediate neighborhood.

How do those of you (especially those who are a little older) reconcile yourselves to living in a dormitory in Korea??

Gollum · Joined: 04 Sep 2003 Location: Japan

In the past, I have met people who seemed to lift their nose in the air at hagwon jobs, and brag that they work for a University.

Depending on the situation (and this has a lot to do with housing, too), a University job may not be all that much to write home about.

skrivnut · Joined: 23 Jul 2004 Location: Vancouver, Canada

Do all uni jobs come with dorm housing?

skriv

The Hammer · Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 5:37 pm Post subject: Re: dorm housing for uni job

Intrepid · Joined: 13 May 2004 Location: Yongin

My uni offers apartments on the campus (not dorms) or 40 million won key money (chunsae). Seems like a good deal to me.

skrivnut · Joined: 23 Jul 2004 Location: Vancouver, Canada

Which universities do this?

thx.

skriv

dutchman · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: My backyard

My university offered us each a 12 pyong apartment in a brand new building walking distance from the university. 10 out of 11 foreign teachers declined. We all prefer to get our own apartment in the area of our choosing. Most of us commute 30+ minutes to get to work.

SuperHero · Joined: 10 Dec 2003 Location: Superhero Hideout

The Hammer · Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2004 5:07 pm Post subject: Re: dorm housing for uni job

[quote="SuperHero"]

weatherman · Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Location: Korea

My univeristy provides about a 13 pyung apartment on campus, attached to the men's dormitory. We must live here. There is a clause in the contract about married couples living off campus, but then again they will not hire you if you even ask seriously about it. Living on campus around a bunch of 19 year old Korean men can really jade one's thinking. Sure it is free, but it is very artificial living.

SuperHero · Joined: 10 Dec 2003 Location: Superhero Hideout

manlyboy · Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2004 1:18 am Post subject:

SuperHero wrote:

Real Reality · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

weatherman wrote
"My univeristy provides about a 13 pyung apartment on campus, attached to the men's dormitory."

How many Korean university instructors live in 13 to 15 pyung apartments?

At my university, they even asked married foreign professors to live in small 15 pyung apartments. Even foreign families with two children are placed in the 15 pyung apartments. It is in their contracts (that is, the provision for university housing, not the size of the housing). (A nice surprise for the unexpecting foreign family.) And they only have to pay reduced-monthly rent, maintanence fee, and utilities.

How many married Korean instructors with children live in 15 pyung apartments?

Foreigners Experience Difficulties in Living in Korea
Overall living conditions, including education, housing, medical care, transportation, immigration, and access to the Internet are pointed to as inconveniences. Not only inconveniences caused by different systems and customs in Korea, but also special discriminating practices, such as the practice of submitting two years of monthly rent in advance like a deposit, which is required of foreigners just because they are foreigners, are ubiquitous. "Even though Korea has achieved some degree of globalization in going abroad, it has still a long way to go for globalization in embracing foreigners inward," said foreigners residing in Korea.
Donga.com
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?biid=2004070522448

Manlyboy wrote,
"Unfortunately there are schools out there who just love having that leverage over their teachers. I've seen a contract get terminated because the guy wanted to live in his own accomodation. It was no financial loss to the school, they just didn't want to give up that bargaining chip."

Exactly.

Michelle · Joined: 18 May 2003

I'm glad you posted. I want those people keen on a university job to be aware of this. When I got to the university in Korea I was surprised to find the University dormitory to be strict with regard to rules. We couldn't have any guests. It also had a curfew and an older Korean guy manning the door who liked to pry around the rooms at night to check for guests.

Not only that, although I was told it was out of bounds at the beginning, the students wanted to visit at all hours of the night, especially when classes finished, 11-12 O' clock at night. The program office was opposite my room. Even on Saturday it was open, and some students liked to hang around on the weekend, forcing me to get out of the place on Friday nights.

A younger professor, I was only new at it, and didn't want to have to keep up some image all the time. Do they honestly expect it? So I hated to hear students snicker, just because I decide to wear a bathrobe and slippers before bed.

All in all, I stuck it out for paid vacation and extra pay, but I won't go back.

I'd take a job with my own apartment in a flash.