Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Cheonmunka]

You have the wrong idea. It's not cut and dried. It's to do with calculating the won exchange rate vis a vis NZ. So the Korean rate of exchange with US is irrelevant to this purpose. (Only if I give figures relating to income and cost in NZD with USD for understanding) The rate that I focus on is won-NZD.
Good God.

Think in this way: I am a teacher in US on 30K p/a gross. US has an exchange of 67 cents per 1000 won. (NZD forex is 670). Korean total nett income for ex. is 30 million nett. Then, you will receive in USD 44, 700 nett. Add in the differential tax so what, add in 25% US tax. What's that? $56,000 p/a gross. Is that not then (if one earns more than 30 million won p/a, say 35 m) more than double the income?

PS: NZ has the lowest incomes in the entire OECD.

[laogaiguk]

People who don't have kids can't know what it's like. ??? Really

Now I am not saying your points are invalid, and you guys can do whatever you want with your children, but to dismiss other opinions based on that premise is wrong. Do you not realize that people with kids are also now biased?

If you want, continue with your superiority due to being able to make a child (real hard one there) but to throw out unbiased opinions doesn't bode well for you child's future. Yes, this will cause some people to be angry, but that is my opinion, which I am entitled to.

[Cheonmunka]

NZ Prime Minister Clarke has no children but she comes up with some very useful income supplements for those with children called Family Assistance.
She installs a lot of useful programs for children. Not to mention NZ leads the way in children's rights.
I agree. We all have desires for the sake of children.
I think though, that parents have a more personal understanding of some things that can't be viewed from a bureaucratic sense.
However, as teachers of kindergartens and schools you get a finer sense of what it's like at home 24/7!

[Homer]

laogaiguk,

Who said that your opinion was not valid??

Calm down...breathe..breathe.

[laogaiguk]

[JZer]

[Cheonmunka]

Sorry, I intend for a post to be more cryptic than sensical at times. I don't really want public my individual finances.
I earn a higher general gross income to begin with here than in NZ, at this present time. I do work a lot and that gross pay received is double the gross pay for my same position in secondary school in NZ. Actually your 56K gross in first post was pretty much on the mark, as I have not one job but three. I have three jobs. I also have a household budget of 2.5 m/won month. That's the minimum I must get to pay for all my family's needs. So of course I work more. I've got two kids to pay for.
Perhaps in ten years time I will find NZ salary to be higher than here, but by then I will be 47 years old. By living here I will be able to own freehold a large house for my kids, there. If I continue in NZ I would still be struggling with the first mortgage, but as I said in the beginning the banks would not lend me enough so I wouldn't even be a house owner. I would still be renting a house at 47 years old!
Although my NZ income is fully used for all the household budget, although it includes running expenses for a vehicle, it does not carry with it long term savings plans, and credit union savings or, any savings at all.
So, what would be the point of living day to day in NZ when I can begin to own, as it is using income derived here.
It's important to own. There are many disenfranchised elderly people in NZ who live from day to day. They really are at the mercy of pension benefits to pay for their housing. I have read about so many losing their houses and having to move out etc. It's sad.
BTW, a NZ secondary school principal's salary is 84K NZ. Put into USD's from there that is 57K US. Oh, there's that figure again. There are no teachers in NZ earning 100 K NZD certainly not 100 K USD's. So there are succinct differences between US and NZ.

[laogaiguk]

[Cheonmunka]

I know it's not an attack. We all love to discuss stuff.
To your question. Put it this way. It's 6.50 am. I've been awake one hour. If this was T/Th I'd be on the train now going to job one.
I finish these days at 6pm. In my mind my children see me well. More than I saw my own Dad. The problems may occur if I spend time on the computer instead of with them after dinner.
That's the crunch right there. It's about quality time.

My kids have a wonderful social life here. Son is off to another party today. He went to one last week. He has a lot of friends.
At kindergarten in NZ in 2004 my son came home with a slash across his face from a morose boy with a spade. He hasn't had stuff like that happen here.
Although I wouldn't want it there was no punishment for that boy either.
The teachers thought it wise not to speak to his grandfather because it might 'affect the boy.' To me then, there is no difference then between Korea and NZ in terms of consequence expectations in schools.
Especially that in previous posts meek punishments are singled out as being a particularly Korean phenomena.
In high schools in NZ punishments are laughable. One pretty much has to murder to be expelled. Bullying is discussed but consequences are few and mild.

I don't have many friends here but I do have strong family member support. I have a solid time.
The new visas pay heed to us Korean-Western parents. We can have our residency or green cards. There's no reason to feel like a subcultural element.

So, as far as bringing up half-kids in Canada or Korea. Who knows but it must be each to her/his own mind.

[Jamin]

There is currently a discussion here comparing violence in Korean schools to Canadian schools.

One of the problems in Canada is hypersensitivity to everything. In Korea, it is recognized that kids are kids and as such will do things they shouldn't. For example, kids will hit other kids. Kids will throw things at each other. Much of this behaviour is ignored because nothing really comes of it. In Canada, a big deal is made of everything. Every inappropriate action is deemed a sign of deviance. As a consequence, our reaction is generally far too strong.

One of the reasons I like Korea is the lack of political correctness. This translates to a general common sense about things we now lack in Canada.

[Mr. Pink]

[Mr. Pink]

[Jasobang]

'Please be aware that I'm not trying to start a "rumble" but I just don't understand why you consider Korea safer given the things I've pointed out earlier (aggression from teachers, classmates, lax fire and safety standards.) If you can teach free thinking at home, why can't you teach abstinence from drugs and alcohol?'

You're comparing these issues with kids violently attacking other kids while they walk home from school for no other reason than for kicks, kids standing up to and in some cases physically challenging teachers-respect issue, not being able to walk to the local store alone after sunset in fear of being jumped.

These things don't happen here, and if they do, they are very remote.

The biggest issue I have however is the risk that my kids may fall into the wrong crowd and become a part of so much more. I don't see these risks living in Korea. Drugs are not an issue, kids have less time to kill thus less time to get into trouble. Between the academies and the family-time, they have less freedom to find trouble.

I agree that my kids need the freedom to find their own voice and character, but I don't agree with the amount of freedom given to kids back home. I think it's abused.

As far as drugs and alcohol go, middle school is not the time to experiment. A little in high school possibly but university seems much more appropiate than junior high. Again I plan to return to Canada about thta time. The experimentation argument is a little weak.

[laogaiguk]

[laogaiguk]