Korean Job Discussion Forums

[iamdugmoore]

I'm thinking about retuning to Korea to finish my gradute writing project and noticed a lot of opnings in the Inchon area. Is it really that bad to live there? It seems like it would be OK...but my only experiences in Korea were in Busan and Seoul.

Are they more easy going on the vacation time, or is it always the standard 2 weeks like it is seems to be in Seoul?

I want to be near Seoul again, but would like extra time to deal with my studies. Any suggestions on other districts that are near Seoul?

[Angelus]

Incheon's not that bad. What kinds of things have you heard?

Try Bucheon, Ilsan, Bundang....they're not that far from Seoul and have just about everything that Seoul does.

[BigBuds]

I just sent you a PM so check your inbox.

[UncleAlex]

The public school positions I looked at were being mediated through private
educational corporations that required the teacher work at two schools during
the day: one in the morning and the other one in the afternoon, entailing six classes
a day. So you won't have much time then to do your private studies. The city
itself is pretty old and dreary and heavily polluted by industry. I choke and gag
every time I go to Incheon.

[iamdugmoore]

I've noticed that many people seemed to dislike it. They said it was colder than Seoul, polluted, and that the vacation time was the standard 2 weeks. They said it was generally isolating.

My thought is if I am studying all the time, it should make no huge difference, but I was just curious about other teachers who've taught there (in public schools). Especially when I hear so much talk about better vacation time outside of Seoul.

I will know for sure if I am heading back in the next 3 weeks. I hate to leave SE Asia, but if my contract is not renewed here I'll have to go back to Korea to finish my MA due to financial concerns. SE Asia is great, but you really need a proper teaching credential to get the great jobs that are here (whch are few).

Having said that, there are worse places than Korea whe it comes to living and earning money. You can earn much more in the Middle East, but good grief, everyone tells me that you really have to be prepared for major shock due to the conservative nature of the place.

[zappadelta]

Yes, I would look somewhere else like Bundang or Anyang. Much better quality of life in these places and others.

[pauly]

I just started a second year at my high school here in Incheon. It's not too bad out here. In Incheon, you pretty much have a lot of the things you have in Seoul. For the things you can't get in Incheon, Seoul is a short busride away, depending on what part of the city you live in. I'm only a 40-minute bus ride away from the Hongdae area. From Bupyeong, it's only 20 minutes by bus. Seeing as it can take more than 40 minutes to travel anywhere within Seoul, that's pretty good. The length of vacation varies from school to school. My contract says 14 business days, so officially, it's just under three weeks. Unofficially, I had more than three months of paid vacation for the year. Other teachers hired in the same program as I was had around two unofficial months of vacation. Some schools may only give the 14 business days. It all depends if your supervisor will let you stay at home rather than do *beep* all in your office.

The Incheon Board of Education does the majority of the hiring for the public schools in Incheon. That's who I was placed through, via a recruiter. But, I also know of the Seogu government building hiring teachers specifically for schools in the Seogu area. I'm not sure if other areas are doing the same. I heard that the offer from Seogu is not as good as the offer from the Board of Education: shared accomodations vs. private apartment/officetel, less pay, less vacation time (two weeks instead of three), and a few other things.

As for pollution, it all depends on what part of the city you live in. East Incheon is more polluted than, say, West Incheon. That's where a lot of the plants and factories are.