Korean Job Discussion Forums

bosintang · Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2004 10:43 am Post subject:

I can't speak for everyone, only myself.

Been here about 16months, with a month away travelling after my first year, and I'm finding myself more and more lately being grinded down by life here in Korea.

Here are a few reasons why:

- In general, I have not connected with any locals at anything beyond a shallow level. This is particularly true regarding Korean men. I've also come to reckonize that it's not likely that I will, before I leave here.

- I'm tired of living in such emotional isolation.

- I don't find anything particularly romantic or enticing about Korea itself, besides that it is a good place to make easy money, and springboard into Asia. My first year here seemed novel and different, but now it's seeming more and more like any old grinding routine that I'm forced to go through everyday.

- There are may other places that are far more seducing for me.

- For the most part, I enjoy my job and try to be professional about it, but being honest with myself, I'm only doing it because I have nothing better to do at the moment. The best way I can put it is that teaching is something that I do, rather than what I am.

I don't know..maybe I'm going through a rough patch at the moment, and I'll shake it off. However, in the meantime, I'm thinking hard about my exit strategy and I may be leaving sooner than I originally planned.

W.T.Carl · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
Hunter S Thompson----------

Daechidong Waygookin · Posted: Mon Dec 06, 2004 4:23 pm Post subject:

a lot of good ideas.

I agree that finding your niche is important. Professionally and personally. Thats key to enjoying yourself.

I think that people who are enjoying themselves generally send off a different kind of vibe, while those that hate it send off a vibe that attracts more trouble. Its like a vicious cirlce in many cases. Establishing relationships with the locals is important. Finding a girlfriend or boyfriend makes the time here much more enjoyable. So does having a circle of close friends.

In my case, I was quick to find a large cirlce of expat friends. That let me survive the first several months. I was having fun, I had no problems at the job. Then I met my future wife, and that kicked the enjoyment factor up several notches. Finished up my contract, went on vacation, found a job In Seoul, met new friends, the marriage was good, was saving money...in general it was great. Now I have a killer job on top of everything, as well as a strong support base from my wife's family.

Its also probably true that those who view their time in Korea as something longer than just a 2 year stint, probably enjoy their time here too. There is a lot of satisfaction in reaching old goals and setting new ones. Makes one feel like they arent just wasting their life but actually building something.

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

1) Not having experience. You've got a lot of fresh grads who have never worked a real job. They don't understand an office environment in North America is just as ass boned as any hagwon in Korea. They begin to assume minor fork ups are signs of a) vast incompetence endemic to Korean society b) a plot against them.

2) Not having a personality. In America, young damaged, marginal types join the army. In Canada, they teach ESL.

3) They don't like children or have no experience with children. Men in their early 20s are not known for their affinity for children.

4) They come expecting being white means the Korean babes will be straddling them no problem. The "zero to hero" belief. Hell, we've all seen the average looking Irish or English guy in an America bar scoring with women who wouldn't give him the time of day if he spoke a North American accent. We fashion this belief it will be the same. But Korean women ain't stupid. If you're a boring pervert who smells, they'll quickly suss it out after the "I'm having a coffee date with a foreigner" appeal gets old after date 1. And most educated, english speaking Korean women aren't looking for a white ticket out of Korea.

5) Attitude and arrogance, or what passes for it with their Korean coworkers. ESL teachers get a lot of breaks and these breaks don't go unnoticed by their Korean coworkers. Treating these breaks as mere minimum requirements for your mighty presences can begin to sew the seeds of resentment. I've found in every job in North America, coworker relations operate best when you treat the efforts others do for you like a favor and with a level of restrained gratitude. My maxim is "Always treat the receptionist and the network guy like the two most important people in the company."

5) No sense of humor. Sometimes you have to laugh at the crazy bumps. My bathroom door doesn't close. Whatever idiot made this officetel, slapped on a door too big for the door frame. The teacher who occupied this place previous to me would have screamed at the front desk people until they put on a new door. I just chuckle to myself.

6) Baseball is different here. People only see the dollars and maybe the large number of slender Asian women who abound and don't consider they might not be the most adaptable humans to radical change.

Swiss James · Joined: 26 Nov 2003 Location: Shanghai

indytrucks · Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Location: The Shelf

ajstew · Joined: 04 Feb 2004 Location: Korea

There are plenty of reasons why some do well in Korea and why others do not, and most have been touched on to some extent.

There are some who come, and whether it was their own fault or not, they get a position that isn't great. Maybe the apartment is a hole in the wall, or they don't get paid on time... or at all... or they get fired in their 11th month just so their boss will not have to pay them severance. If those foreigners don't like Korea, I could understand why, and it's never happened to me.

Then there are those who come to Korea and get upset with any and everything there boss asks of them... you know... the foreigner type who can't take any criticism from their boss, even though they have zero teaching experience. In these instances, I believe they have probably read too many stories of bad schools and bosses, and think even the good bosses are horrible.

And in these groups of people, there are those who come to Korea thinking they'll be like Western stars to Koreans... and are sadly mistaken when they learn that many Koreans have a dislike for Americans, and that Korean girls most often have to marry other Koreans.

There are also those who feel the need to show how funny, intellectual, and special they are to other people, to feel valued themselves. In a country where many do not speak English or where people are not impressed by showing off, such people will have difficulties.

kelly · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

I don't think its just Korea, some people are just plain miserable you could put them in the most beautiful place in the world, and they would still find a fault with it. Its what you make of it, if you're not open to new experiences you're going to hate it. I have good and bad days, but been here three years, and have no regrets. I enjoy the people, the culture, and the country in general, but what really irritates me are people that hate it here and constantly harp on about it, if you're that miserable move on....its simple as that. As I said its what you make of it.

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

itaewonguy · Joined: 25 Mar 2003

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

Interesting posts.

I haven't spent long in many places, but of those I have I have found Korea can be the toughest place to be. Maybe it's not being outgoing enough. The isolation of being in an overwhelmingly foreign environment can be hard.

Sometimes luck has been bad and adjustment hard.

Some people are good at conquering their situations or overcoming obstacles. Some are not.

It's true everywhere. Some thrive whereas others struggle.

T-dot · Joined: 16 May 2004 Location: bundang

I think its in some part related to your co-workers.

If you show up to work in a new environment and some of your co-workers have a negative view on the environment; it will ultimately leave an impression.

But, if some of your co-workers help make the transition easy and give you some solid advice; you will become more comfortable and adapt easier.

tomwaits · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Location: PC Bong

Don't forget food. I know it's only part of it but as I think about it most unhappy teachers I met were not big fans of Korean food.

I can't remember anyone ever saying "you know, I love Korea but....I can't stand the food." Or "I love the food but I loathe everything else."