Korean Job Discussion Forums

alicat_blue · Joined: 09 Mar 2005

I have a break beforehand so I get to be online. Thanks for the love though, I really appreciate it. And how the hell are you reading any signs? They're all in Korean-speak.

Daechidong Waygookin · Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2005 12:56 am Post subject:

Its called LEARNING THE LOCALSPEAK. Learning localwrite, also called hangeul, is quite easy. Try it.

Why are you still there? You dint even have an E2, you can leave anytime you want. You are scared to leave your recruiter?! Is he your babysitter? The only time I saw my recruiter was when he met me at the airport, 4 years ago. I nevr spoke to him after that. I didnt need to. Learn to stand on your own two feet. Find a job ion Seoul if you cant hack it wherever the heck you are.

Your babysitter/recruiter isnt doing a very good job for ya. You are currently working illegally on a tourist visa. Bravo! I say leave him, you will be better off.

Wangja · Joined: 17 May 2004 Location: Seoul, Yongsan

Captain Corea · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul

Son Deureo! · Joined: 30 Apr 2003

Captain Corea's advice would be excellent if the OP wasn't teaching English on a tourist visa.

But he isn't. His boss is making him work as an illegal migrant worker. Arguably in the middle of a crackdown on illegal migrant workers.

Alicat-blue, don't do anything else until you get this resolved. You should talk to him first thing on Monday about this, if not sooner. What documents of yours does he have? Original degree? Anything that isn't easily replaced?

If he hems and haws about making you legal, you should seriously consider bailing on the job. With or without your pay. It sounds like you're not very happy with the situation anyway.

And DW, it's one thing to recommend that the OP learn how to read hangeul. It's quite another to expect him to have been able to read signs that may or may not even be in his neighborhood (I haven't seen any in mine) about the Immi crackdown on illegal English teachers. �ٺ�!

Daechidong Waygookin · Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2005 7:37 am Post subject:

captain kirk · Joined: 29 Jan 2003

If you're out in the ugly industrial area and it doesn't look pretty and there is a bus that takes 30 minutes to the subway....and you feel isolated and grey about this WTF situation, and stressed. I'd suggest, assuming the boss is gonna send you off on the visa run (and you bug him about it) and that becomes done, get a motorcycle.
Yeah, it's such a simple thing. It works. You're now looking around at the dorky, grey, cement neighbourhood and thinking, 'oh, woe'. Trapped with the job feeling castaway. It's a bollucks attitude to snap out of and a motorcyle will fix that!
Then you can go away from Seoul into the country, around the mountains, towards and into Seoul without the stupid bus or subway and have a total gas instead of the driveling drips about everything, chronically, as time goes by....it's a good job you've got, ok, no problem.
If you've got your home country driver's licence it can, for 20 dollars, be transformed into a Korean driver's licence good for 7 years. Get a used 125cc Daelim motorcycle for 300,000 or something and kiss the dumhead blues goodbye. Anyone would have to be a stonehead not to be transformed instantly by the magic of a mad spin on the donormobile.

margaret · Joined: 14 Oct 2003

Could be better, but if you read some of these threads it could be a lot worse. Seems like the main problems are: you got something you didn't expect, and that you hate where you live. Maybe once you get over your shock you'll find more to like, or maybe you should bail--I don't know. Maybe there's a nice place you could hang out that's a lot closer than Seoul so you can avoid spending your time in the town you hate.
Margaret

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

"Dukso"

Sounds familiar....near Suwon or Yongin?

tomwaits · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Location: PC Bong

If the school submitted the paperwork to Immigration he's fine. He seems to have enough to worry about.

Personally a 30 minute bus ride to Jamsil sounds like a decent location. As for the dreary element----that's just Korea.

casey's moon · Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Location: Daejeon

Captain Corea · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul

alicat_blue · Joined: 09 Mar 2005

Thanks so much for all the tips and pointers. I REALLY appreciate it. I am pretty satisfied with my wage and I think things could be a lot worse from what I've heard. As far as the visa goes, I'm headed to Osaka on friday to get that taken care of so I'm not really worried about it being legit or not. And the isolation, well it just gives me more of an incentive to really get to know the Korean ways, definitely have to learn hanguel or whatever it's called, being illiterate makes me feel like a real halfwit. Anyways, getting to old for all those late nights of drinking and causing a ruckus...hehehe. Better just to take up knitting. Much love to all those who responded...

Wangja · Joined: 17 May 2004 Location: Seoul, Yongsan

It is really worth learning Korean - I wish I had not left it till I had been here for 4 years. Put some time in on that and your second contract will be a breeze. All the best.

livinginkorea · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Location: Korea, South of the border

I've been here a year and before I came here I didn't even know how to use chopsticks!!! I had the Internet back home but never used it to find out much about Korea (just the basics) before I came here. I wanted all the experiences to be "in my face", so to speak and that's why I love it here (really I was too lazy to research!!! Embarassed

).

I'd will learn Korean for sure!!! That's a good tip especially in a small place. I picked up phrases here and there and that part is easy. You can ask your co-workers to help you there and I'm sure that you will make a lot of Korean friends there. It's easy to make them and as you said yourself you can learn more about the culture and the way of life here.

Also you can drink Soju and keep the late nights of drinking coming!!! Laughing

If you have any questions then here is the place to be. Good luck!!!