Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mole]

I always hated the posts, "I wasted 5,6,7,10 years in Korea!"
You'd think they'd get the hint sooner. Korea wasn't for you.
I lived and taught English in Korea for 25% of my 40 years.
Don't regret a minute of it. (Well.. maybe some soju binges, but they're hazy anyway.)

Certainly there are differences, and reverse culture-shock to work through, but that can be overcome
if you think of it as a 'next phase' of your life.

I'm back in my hometown, have 3 TVs in a 2 bedroom APT, driving a brand new KIA Sportage. (Yeah, Korean. My cellphones are LG, too.)
Even found the local Korean market that sells kimchi.

One thing to think about: If you've been out of your home-country 7+ years, you may have a credit rating of 0, yes, ZERO.
My Mum cosigned on my car loan, though I could have paid cash for a fleet.
My first ever offer on a home purchase was just accepted, too. AAack!
I can no longer bother the landlord when something breaks??

Life is good, people. Take it sleazey. I mean easy.

[Tiger Beer]

i generally dread and sometimes look forward to that day myself.

[RachaelRoo]

Nice.

So why'd you make the decision to leave after 10 years here?

[Homer]

I think that your time in Korea is only wasted time if you let it happen that way.

There are ways to think ahead and maximise your experiences here on the job market back home. You can take courses here (correspondance) and improve your skills, learn the language, acquire new skills, gain valuable experience.

All this depends on you and on what you are willing to put into your time here. Being a hakwon jockey for 5 years and just sitting there playing bingo will not afford you any advantages on the work market...you will (perhaps) save cash but that will pretty much be it. However, if you use your time smartly you can translate your experience here into a good job back home in either the public sector or the private sector.

It is up to you.

[otis]

Korea's a fantastic country. I love the place.

[rawiri]

Some people have no life after korea and still trawl message boards inciting online arguments.

I guess there is no "life after korea" for some people.

[JongnoGuru]

[rawiri]

come again?

[JongnoGuru]

[numazawa]

[Kiwi Tart]

[JongnoGuru]

[Feloria]

'Usen't' would be referring to 'used not to', I would think- I kinda like it!

[Tiger Beer]

Hmm.. I got the 2nd post in.. went away for awhile.. and now there are 12.

Looks like there are all the elements to get this one up to page 5 and beyond!

Got a Otis/Rawiri thing going.. Jongno with some new words.. people posting on the new words.. and we haven't even addressed the original post yet.

This ones going all the way! Home Run for MOLE!

[mole]

I'm going to stay within the topic range, but would be honored to see the thread drone on,
no matter where the thought-train may lead.

I'll address an early question as to why I decided to leave Korea after almost 10 years.
I met a nice gentleman in Korea who had spent 10 years serving in a monastery. I asked why he did that. His response was, "I felt the calling."
When I asked why he left, he said, "I no longer felt the calling."
Very simple, but you can hardly argue about it.
I may be spiritual, but not religious, for sure. Yet I can relate to his sentiment.

Have you read The Celestine Prophecy? (highly recommended)
In that context, I started to feel like I was taking more than I was sharing. My students deserve better than that.

I suppose we could skip all the wordiness and just say I got burnt-out.
It happens, but I wouldn't trade that time for anything.