Korean Job Discussion Forums

[chi-chi]

mods you may delete

[gang ah jee]

1. How long have you been here?
i like to say three years, but it's kinda coming up on four.

2. How much longer do you plan on being here?
no more than one more year. NO MORE. THIS TIME I WILL LEAVE.

3. Where do you work? (uni/hagwon etc. or if unemployed, details)
hakwon-sekki. I almost got a job selling furniture in Apgujeong though.

4. Are you married to or in a serious relationship with a Korean?
nah

5. Do you have children here?
nah

6. How much Korean do you speak (self-assessment here, modest best guess)
about low intermediate. I spend a lot of time feeling guilty since learning korean was the reason i came. I haven't even managed to stick to classes for more than a couple of weeks.

7. How often do you consume alcoholic beverages?
couple of times a week, focussing on the weekends.

8. What's your ratio of Korean friends/associates to foreigners?
i have no idea. I know a lot of koreans but most of my close friends are foreigners.

[FliptheCoin]

1. How long have you been here?
(10 months)

2. How much longer do you plan on being here?
(2 more months, going home for x-mas, might come back, but probably head on to other places, other jobs)

3. Where do you work? (uni/hagwon etc. or if unemployed, details)
(a kickass hogwon - just want people to know they DO exist)

4. Are you married to or in a serious relationship with a Korean?
(no, I've only met freaky Korean men who write me love letters in Korean and I have to have translated by Korean friends who are NOT associated with my hogwon)

5. Do you have children here?
(no kids, but I do have 2 dogs at home with my parents)

6. How much Korean do you speak (self-assessment here, modest best guess)
(oh my head is swelling, I used to write down every new Korean word I learnt, but I don't do that anymore, basic amounts, but I don't carry along my phrasebook anymore, can catch a cab without my address in writing, and can shoot the shit with any taxi driver you throw my way)

7. How often do you consume alcoholic beverages?
(maybe once a week or once every 2 weeks, or sometimes every 3rd weekend, don't keep count)

8. What's your ratio of Korean friends/associates to foreigners?
(have one awesome foreign friend, get slack at work about it "you only have 1 friend?", a few really good Korean friends, just met some new foreign friends that will head out to dinner with occasionally, and tons of koreans I recognise on the street every day and will stop to say hi to, restaurant owners, kids parents, the kodak camera guy, etc.)

[Saxiif]

1. How long have you been here?
2 weeks

2. How much longer do you plan on being here?
No idea

3. Where do you work? (uni/hagwon etc. or if unemployed, details)
Hagwon in the sticks

4. Are you married to or in a serious relationship with a Korean?
Nope

5. Do you have children here?
Nope

6. How much Korean do you speak (self-assessment here, modest best guess)
I say mula more than my students do

7. How often do you consume alcoholic beverages?
A good bit once a week and virtually nothing besides that (still stuck in college drinking patterns)

8. What's your ratio of Korean friends/associates to foreigners?
Still haven't found any Koreans who speak passable english out here who aren't connected to my hagwon, have to really start looking but have been lazy

[BTM]

1. How long have you been here?

A bit more than 5 years out of the last eight.

2. How much longer do you plan on being here?

I have no freaking idea. If my Long Term Business Visa for Australia comes through, not much more than six months, I hope. But I have no doubt I'll be back, even if I do leave.

3. Where do you work? (uni/hagwon etc. or if unemployed, details)

Worked at a BCM for 3 years in Busan, went to Australia, came back and worked at a small university for the last two. Unemployed as of this week, looking for another university or corporate gig.

4. Are you married to or in a serious relationship with a Korean?

Five years now. Surprising, a bit, to both of us.

5. Do you have children here?

No. Kids. Ever. Unless we inherit a million or two (dollars, mind you) and we can devote all our time to them.

6. How much Korean do you speak (self-assessment here, modest best guess)

Survival Korean, basically. Embarrassing, as I can can get by in 4 other languages and speak another 2 pretty well. I suck at the Korean.

7. How often do you consume alcoholic beverages?

Weekly, occasionally twice a week if I'm feeling frisky.

8. What's your ratio of Korean friends/associates to foreigners?

Probably 30/70, but I don't have many in-the-flesh friends here. Next time there's a gathering, I hope to rectify that. So to speak.

[rapier]

1) I've been here just over 14 months altogether, and just finished my second contract.
2)I plan on being here another c. 6 months, maybe longer if the schools any good.
3)Currently unemployed: but have 2 small- time hogwons under my belt
4) No serious relationship with a korean. Not intending on one either...
5) No kids. I value my life and freedom too much.
6)I speak enough korean to survive. Much room for improvement.
7) I generally have about one beer a day, on average. Keen to keep it at this level.
More korean friends than waegooks: 3:1 (but one does need regular waegook contact).

[eamo]

1. How long have you been here?

Just over two years.

2. How much longer do you plan on being here?

Just taking it one year at a time.

3. Where do you work? (uni/hagwon etc. or if unemployed, details)

Hawkon. All other jobs entail getting up in the morning. Not my forte.

4. Are you married to or in a serious relationship with a Korean?

Nope, but I'm looking out for Mrs. right!

5. Do you have children here?

Probably not.

6. How much Korean do you speak (self-assessment here, modest best guess)

Astoundingly little for someone here 2 years. I can navigate bars, restaurants and basic shopping.

7. How often do you consume alcoholic beverages?

Up to 3 times a week but usually 1 or 2.

8. What's your ratio of Korean friends/associates to foreigners?

I have 1 or 2 really good Korean friends but 90% are foreign teachers.

[weatherman]

[Zyzyfer]

1. How long have you been here?

19 months, dispersed out among 22 total months

2. How much longer do you plan on being here?

as long as it takes for me to have cash saved and the Invisible Chica to get her English ready for the outside world

3. Where do you work? (uni/hagwon etc. or if unemployed, details)

middle school

4. Are you married to or in a serious relationship with a Korean?

serious relationship

5. Do you have children here?

nope

6. How much Korean do you speak (self-assessment here, modest best guess)

high level beginner? not quite at complete sentences yet. still learning numerous particles. i never study, but i always listen.

7. How often do you consume alcoholic beverages?

i'm drinking wine now, but i generally only drink substantially once every two weeks

8. What's your ratio of Korean friends/associates to foreigners?

i have 2 korean friends, and a big handful of foreign friends. 1/5 i guess.

[helly]

1. How long have you been here?

7 years

2. How much longer do you plan on being here?

4 months

3. Where do you work? (uni/hagwon etc. or if unemployed, details)

non-esl/efl related business for the last 3 years. Hagwons and Educational Consulting companies first 4 years.

4. Are you married to or in a serious relationship with a Korean?

Married, 3 years

5. Do you have children here?

8 month old son.

6. How much Korean do you speak (self-assessment here, modest best guess)

Daily Life Functional, Conversationally Moderate, Technical Usage Illiterate

7. How often do you consume alcoholic beverages?

Couple times a month, no average

8. What's your ratio of Korean friends/associates to foreigners?

First 4 years 80/20 Korean/Foreign, Past 3 years 60/40 Foreign/Korean

[streetfightingman]

1. How long have you been here?

7 years.

2. How much longer do you plan on being here?

until my wife let's me go home

3. Where do you work? (uni/hagwon etc. or if unemployed, details)

private university

4. Are you married to or in a serious relationship with a Korean?

both

5. Do you have children here?

a son

6. How much Korean do you speak (self-assessment here, modest best guess)

fluent in speaking, intermediate reading and writing skills

7. How often do you consume alcoholic beverages?

never

8. What's your ratio of Korean friends/associates to foreigners?

50/50.

[Eazy_E]

[peppermint]

1. How long have you been here?
A year and a half.

2. How much longer do you plan on being here?
Just signed on for another year, after that-who knows?

3. Where do you work? (uni/hagwon etc. or if unemployed, details)?
Adult hagwon- no kiddies thanks.

4. Are you married to or in a serious relationship with a Korean??Nope, but bf has been here since 97

5. Do you have children here??Thank goodness no! (applies to having children anywhere though)

6. How much Korean do you speak (self-assessment here, modest best guess)?survival/low conversational

7. How often do you consume alcoholic beverages?? Once or twice a week.

8. What's your ratio of Korean friends/associates to foreigners?? 40/60 and most of the foreigners have been here for 3 or more years.

[Arthur Fonzerelli]

[Tiger Beer]