Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jordy]

I read a posting for a position in Pyeongtaek.
I know it is a smaller place, but I would love any specific info about it.

The posting was for Gyeonggi do Institute for Foreign Language Education.
Do you know anyone was has worked here?
Any comments about it?

Thanks in advance for any information.

[queenbee]

There was a post a few days ago about Pyeongtaek, which you can find if you search.
However, GIFLE is in Anjung, about 30mins by bus from Pyeongtaek City. It's a small place with not a whole lot to do. Know people who have/who do work there. Pretty professional institute I think. Need a Masters to work there. Teaching Korean teachers. If you're single you'll live 'on campus'. There are about 9(?) other foreigners there, mainly Americans & Canadians. I think most of them either go into Seoul on the weekends or have families.

[PRagic]

Anjungri is right outside a major U.S. Army camp. It used to be a riot of a town, but I head that they have clamped down on a lot of the monkey business. You are also fairly close to Osan, home to an Air Force base and a cool little ville for bars and shopping. More upscale, if I remember correctly. Haven't been to either place in years and years, so take this with a grain of salt until you hear better.

[shevek]

[Atassi]

"Anjung" is Anjung-eup. It's a quiet place, and pretty small. There is a new area of Anjung with many large apartment buildings/condominiums, but for some reason businesses have yet to catch up. Although the population has grown a lot, it's still a small town atmosphere here. No large grocery stores for example

Travelling is not terribly convenient. A bus to Pyeongtaek takes 20-25 mins., but you often have to wait for it. Pyeongtaek is not a KTX station, so you have to usually take Mugunghwa. The metro (subway) also goes to Seoul from there. Anjung is okay if you don't mind often sitting at home. I travel to Busan every other weekend or so.

Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions about GIFLE.

[Prahbu]

Hey Jordy,

I work at GIFLE. As mentioned by the others Anjung-eup, where the training center is located, is a very small town. There are very few western restarurants and the supermarket is about a 10-15min walk from the singles dorm. If your not single you get a larger apartment and the area is a little nicer than near the training center.

Most of the office and foreign staff get along and it is one of the first places I have been where the Korean staff actually seems to care if you are happy or not. They even take our side if there is a dispute between foreing teachers and students. Overall, the job is pretty good. During each session we teach about 3 hours a day and the students range in language ability. This is kind of a problem as some of the core classes we teach, require we teach theory and the lower level students just don't get it. Generally, the younger students to the ones in their late 30's are quite good and motivated. On the other hand, the older to late middle aged students have some very "Korean" ideas on how to teach , the world and sort of resent being taught by foreiners how to teach. In case of the latter its not so much what you taught, just if they liked you.

If you do decide to come here it is not really a place for a social life and most of the single teachers go to Seoul on the week-end (there is a bus direct to seoul near the school). The trade off is that you do, on average, get some of the best students in Korea and the job is not too difficult; as long as you know what you're doing. I will venture that the majority of us that do work at GIFLE will make an effort to make you comfortable and the Korean staff will help you as much as they can. Anyhow, if you have any more specific questions feel free to PM me.

Prahbu