Korean Job Discussion Forums

[heeheehee]

My boyfriend and I (he's caucasian and I'm Korean) have decided to leave for Korea without signing a contract. We're both going to end up arriving in Seoul in the hopes of finding jobs close to one another, dropping by English schools in true "cold-call" fashion. But I hope our reception won't be cold!

This way we'll be able to meet the school's administrators, foreign and Korean teaching staff, sit-in on a class and see how things are run, and get a glance at what our apartment will look like. We're not planning on teaching at the same school, but instead, in the same neighbourhood. We're trying to avoid becoming involved in one of the job horror stories Dave's ESL Cafe is so famous for relaying.

But it's a little overwhelming travelling to Korea without a job. Where to begin? Are schools receptive to teachers who just drop by looking for work? Do we just walk down the street in the area we want to work and live looking for English schools (avoiding the names ECC, Wonderland, and the other infamous signs of course...) from where we just drop in? Also, does anyone have any good advice on areas in Seoul that have excellent location vis-a-vis great Korean resturaunts, entertainment (bars, other activities) and shopping (grocery) that would have their fair amount of English school close-by?

Also, from your experience, will schools be willing to foot the return flight we've paid to get over there? If they are, I'd be willing to pay for the Visa run (my boyfriend's brother lives in Japan, we'll stay with him!). Or is it entirely reasonable to request the school pay for the Visa run in addition to the flight? Since I'm Korean, I won't have to do the Visa run since I'm applying for the different Visa, so that question applies more to my boyfriend than me.

Any ancedotes or sage advice would be sincerely appreciated! We're planning on staying at Bee Won Guest House when we first arrive in mid-November. It's located squarely between Anguk and Jongno stations on Line 3.

I realize that I've just asked a ton of questions, but please be patient with me!

Thanks!