Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Jimm]

I am seriously considering trying to get a job in S. Korea. I have a few questions that hopefully some of you can answer. As a preface, I have pretty much ruled out Seoul.

I would like to live in a fairly large city or close enough to one:
a- that is much less nationalistic than Seoul. Where they don't want to (to a lesser extent) blame foriegners for their own problems or simply behave like intolerable belligerents.
b- has a few good gyms.
c- generally has A/C classrooms and a managable number of students (say 25-30 or below).

I would also enjoy hearing some opinions about whether most of you believe it is a bad time to come to S. Korea, because of apparent growing animosity towards foreign teachers? Is this tred likely to get worse before it gets better.

I have a B.A, TEFL and some teaching experience.

[eamo]

Why do you think Seoulites are more nationalistic than other Koreans? I would never have thought this after 4 years in Korea.

The anti-foreigner thing comes and goes in cycles every couple of years. Koreans jump on the bandwagon then jump off when a new issue comes along.

The recent bad press about foreign teachers was more or less forgotten about when Dokdo became the issue. Good 'ole Japan!! Always there to be the focus of Koreans ire!!!

[sheba]

Busan and Daegu are good cities and no where near as big as Seoul. I thing Daegu is better because it is fairly central.

Health is important over here and Id say youd get a gym in almost any city you go to.

Public schools are the only places that have high numbers of students per class - private institutes can have anywhere between 2 and 15 students (approx).

[blunder1983]

I've just moved into Incheon and it is awesome. I've never been so welcomed by a people as a whole. I am in a EPIK placement so have to teach 40 kids at once but its been great. They are all really keen to try out their English and are very easily impressed. I've been asked out to peoples houses from the school about 4 times already and its only the beginning of day two. Even the people serving you in supermarkets etc. are exceptionally helpful.

I've found that in the small bit of Incheon that I've explored that unfortunately is a little remote i'm not really a celebrity until i talk to people (or attempt to at least) then they look amazed!

Go for it, I'm really enjoying myself and have found no negative attitudes at all since I arrived. (that said I'm british not american so it may be slightly different)

As for Incheon as a city it seems pretty cool, and our school has it's own gym. And don't write off the large classes, its been fun so far.

[JacktheCat]

You haven't seen Icheon till you've been to Dong Incheon.

[Derrek]

I'll take a class of 35 at my girls' high school over classes of 12 at my old kiddie hagwon ANY DAY OF THE WEEK.

Hagwon life was hell. Teaching Kindy was a blast, although there were 3... yes 3 Korean teachers keeping order in the classes of 25 that I taught. That made it very easy and fun. I think my school was the only chain in Korea that put 3 Koreans in the classroom with the foreigner (Bambini). Things might have changed since then.

[Ya-ta Boy]

[Tiger Beer]

I've never head of Seoul being the most nationalistic city in Korea. Always seemed like the least nationalistic by far.

More people here than anywhere else in the country are exposed to other ways of living and thinking.

Its like saying I would never live in New York because its the most nationalistic city in the US, or I'd never live in London because its the most nationalistic city in the UK.

[Qinella]

WHerever you decide to go, make sure that you will be in the city, not in a suburb. I was told that I'd be living in Daejeon and got stick in this place called Shintanjin, which has almost nothing that I'm looking for. The only gym nearby was a hole, the grocery store has practically nothing, there's no music store, etc. etc. So remember to make sure you won't be in a suburb or subdistrict of whatever city you are in.

[Jimm]

It's like saying I'd never live in New York...

Concerning nationalism I just assumed that since S. Korea is such a small country, relatively, that Seoul would be the hub of protests and ranting, much like NYC is. And since most of the ranting and protests that the rest of the world hears about, concerning Korean affairs, seem to come from Seoul I assumed....., but of course there are a variety of people, open-minded types, wood dwellers etc. Cities are not protected from nationalist movements. Berlin 1930's, Moscow 1910- 1920, Paris (all the time),....

[Aidge]

I would highly recommend being just a short distance out of the city...Still having the amenities within reach, yet having a more welcoming cultural atmosphere. I live in Suji, and I really like it. They do have some good gyms, and my school has A/C and only 10 max per class! You should check it out. I have a job opening coming up too!

[jajdude]

[Grotto]

Suwon is a good choice...it is close to Seoul, on the subway line(although the bus is usually much faster). Cleaner and a huge expat community. With a lot of the bells and whistles and less of the noise and fuss.

[hari seldon]

[joe_doufu]