Korean Job Discussion Forums

[miss mamie]

I am heading to Korea in late September and have a vague idea of what to expect and what I should take with me, but any additional guidance would be appreciated. I am getting my TESOL certification in Prague and then heading to India for a few weeks. Would you recommend trying to get a job before leaving Prague?

I am bringing my college degree and several sealed transcripts. Do I need a copy of my birth certificate or anything else?

I am bringing a suitcase and a travel backpack w/ mostly clothing. Just how cold does it get over there? Is a down parka sufficient? Also, are tank tops acceptable (in a non-working environment) or should everything have a sleeve?

How difficult is it to get a visa and where are they issued?

Also, I am trying to decide between Seoul and Busan, any advice there?

I have never done TEFL as a full time job, just on a volunteer basis once a week. Any advice for a newbie?

Any other words of wisdom are appreciated too.

Thanks!

[John Henry]

There are no beaches in Seoul. Easy choice for me.

You should be aware that for my last visa was told that transcripts had to be less than three months old.

It will snow a few times in the winter. Tank tops are fine.

Visas are issued at immigration. You get an automatic tourist visa, I think, but you need a job to get a long term one. Easy enough.

I brought my birth certificate, havn't needed it.

You should be looking for a job until you find one you like. Start now. May take months.

[southboca]

Bring your degree. Also put in a request for a duplicate from back home. Schools and even immigration have been know to lose them. If you decide to back out of a contract, many academies won't give them back. If that's not a possibility, consider taking your diploma to Kinkos. Make a copy of it on heavy paper (70/90 weight) color matched as closely as possible to your original. It may work as a stand-in in a desperate situation. If you have to exercise this option, you must maintain that it was a university-issued diploma, no matter what.

It can get as cold as 10 degrees Celsius in Seoul. Add in a bitterly cold wind and Brrr. A down parka will probably work if you team it up with layers plus hat and/or earmuffs.

Are you going clothes shopping? If so, opt for capped-sleeve t-shirts vs. tank tops. If you live close to your academy, wearing them in offhours may raise eyebrows or result in comments from kids/administrators. Korean women do wear tanks with spaghetti straps -- but top them with bolero jackets, which seems to defeat the point of staying cool. However, if you're coming in late September, I'd go light on summerwear. If you wear a U.S. size med/large, cup size 34 B/C, shopping here next year is a better bet. For cheap clothes check out Nandemun market, college areas and express bus terminal underground shopping center. Larger sizes are doable, but you'll have fewer options. Think T-shirts.

You will need to leave the country again to get a teaching visa (E-2). Most people go to Japan. You can no longer get your visa in one day. You must overnight there. Check out budget accommodations on this site before you leave.

Seoul has money; Busan beaches. Your call. (Tho if you want beaches, Thailand or Vietnam are probably better choices.) If you want to set up privates to earn extra $$ (technically illegal, but widely practiced) Seoul is a much better bet.

In Seoul, if you want to make it into the expat areas often, avoid jobs where you'll have to live at the end of the subway lines, in the countryside, or on subway Line number 1. It's really slow and many platforms are above ground.

What to consider brining:
#1 Medicine. Advil, Nyquil, anti-diarrheal, antihistimine. You can buy most of this stuff in Itaewon. But you'll have to schlep around looking in Mom and Pop foodstores. No fun if you're sick enough to need it and expensive. IMO Korean medicine is weaker than U.S. and pharmacies tend to close early.
#2 COMFORTABLE shoes (1 pair tennis, dress shoe, nightclub shoe, flipflops/sandals/jellies for rainy season): But only if you are bigger than a size 8 US. You'll end up walking a lot here, so only bring shoes if they are comfortable. Pyeongchon Station (line 4) has a Wal-mart. Sometimes you can buy women's shoes size 9/10 there.
#3 Sheets: But only if you are going to rent your own apartment. They are really hard to find here, expensive, and often not made of cotton.
#4 Spices. If you think you will miss Western style food and know how to cook. They are lightweight to pack, expensive to buy here.
#5 Deoderant. But only if you have a brand-preference or are planning to live fare from the big city.

Advice:
You are arriving at the wrong time, but you might want to check out public school jobs (SMOE) on work n play .co .kr. Last I checked pay was about 1.8 plus an apartment. Downside: classes can be big. Upside: very little admin, lots of holidays. Great if you want to travel.

Avoid EHWA academies and its counterpart W academy. Lots of teacher complaints lately.

Learn a little classroom Korean before your first day: sit down, be quiet, stop it, bathroom, good job. Brush up on non-verbal classroom management skills -- depending on where you land, they could be your biggest asset.

If you think of any other questions, feel free to PM me.

[Natalia]

[John Henry]

Maybe he forgot the negative sign?

There are tons of money in Busan. You can get privates here no problem.

Most of Korea is pretty much the same. Either you're in the big city, or out in whoop whoop fishing/farming village. Same same.

[drumpounder]

Cruisemonkey told me to tell you to bring tampons.

[drumpounder]

Oh yeah...and stay away from Yu_Bum_suk.

[djsmnc]

You need to know that you will be unhappy. Bring money and any drugs you can manage to smuggle