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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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NYC_Gal 2.0
Joined: 10 Dec 2010
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 Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2012 9:56 pm Post subject: |
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I have 4 black friends in Korea. 2 were twin sisters and had both worked in public schools, then moved to a hagwon together. They didn't have any trouble. The other 2 work in public schools and seem fine.
I have a friend from South Africa. Before he got to his first school in the countryside, his school was excited about having a black teacher. The kids were really happy about it. When he showed up and they saw that he was white, he told me that some of the younger ones started crying because he wasn't black.
Honestly, I don't know about most hagwons, but my boss is pretty open minded about race. She's lived abroad, though.
Either way, best of luck. I'd say try for public school first, to get your feet wet. If you network, you can find a good hagwon your second or third year, or, if lucky, a university job. |
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shostahoosier
Joined: 14 Apr 2009
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| Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 2:16 am Post subject: |
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OP if you're on facebook you're better off joining the BSSK group (search for Brothas&Sistas of South Korea) and asking questions there from people who've experienced what it is like to be black and in Korea.
Before I came to Korea I asked the same question and was told things like "you will have a hard time getting hired, your children and their parents will make fun of you and will want to get a white teacher, you will not be welcome in your community, and Korean people will treat you like crap and hate you".
Experiences vary but none of the things mentioned earlier have happened to me and I've had a wonderful time in Korea.
I will say that ttompatz is right that public schools will be easier for you to get hired in as the "manager" doesnt have to work under the idea that maybe moms want a white teacher. I know plenty of black people working in hagwons though. More than "a few".
Look for the group and ask your questions their and leave the more general questions (contract, visa, lesson plans, where to get foreign food, etc.) to Daves. |
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Mix1
Joined: 08 May 2007
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| Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 9:30 am Post subject: |
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| cincynate wrote: |
| Racism is not a problem here at all ( you may be called black face or chocolate when someone is describing you), but you won't have any racial slurs or dirty looks or anything like that. |
HUGE overstatement here.
Rode the bus and subway with some black female friends a couple of times, and they got more dirty or weird looks in 30 minutes than I've gotten here in 3 years.
They were dressed normally and acted normally too so it was strictly about how they looked as people. And this was in Seoul.
Not just the random scowl or quick glare but also full on drawn out wide eyed stares and double takes. The old people were the worst; a couple were pointing and commenting blatantly giggling, then the man went up to her and tried to touch her nose. She backed up saying "don't touch me!"
Another friend was recharging her subway card and the lady next to her noticed her arms and then and wrinkled her face, stopped what she was doing and kept staring until my friend finally looked over and said, "Can I help you?" And still the lady didn't stop.
Got on the subway with another black friend and an older man leaned over in his seat to get a better look at her and just kept staring with a scowl on his face. He kept at it so I leaned over to block his view and looked right at him and he bent the other way back to stare some more, so I did the same, blocking him somewhat and still looking at him with a "what the heck are you looking at look". He finally got the hint but my friend was already unnerved by it and busted out a bunch of similar stories.
Those were just the more blatant examples. If there are black people here that haven't noticed any of that, that's great, but these are just some things I saw in even a short time.
Yes, I know they probably haven't seen many black people before. That doesn't mean they need to act like children or blatantly stare. That should be common sense everywhere but apparently it isn't here.
The flipside is many younger Koreans think black people are cool by default and are curious and may want to be seen interacting with you. so there will be times you'll be treated quite well, as long as they don't go overboard with the "Wassup Yo!"
As far as the hiring process, get a good photo done and don't settle for any lowball offers or other BS that you may regret later. Only some schools discriminate but plenty don't as I've met loads of black teachers here who seem pretty happy. (Except my friend who the other day asked "How do you deal with it here?") |
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3DR
Joined: 24 May 2009
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| Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 9:51 am Post subject: |
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I'm black and taught at a public school my first year, then at a hagwon, and now I'm going back to public. You can find jobs out there, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Yes there will be discrimination, but not all schools are like that.
A good recruiter to use is EZEnglish. I've found with them, they don't act like most recruiters and give you the run around because it would be difficult to find a school for you. |
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thebektionary
Joined: 11 May 2011
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| Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 4:36 pm Post subject: |
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| northway wrote: |
| Contact Star Teachers. From what I've seen they're generally pretty color-blind. |
I second this. My boyfriend (I always talk about him here, as I kind of post for both of us since he doesn't have an account) is brown and they found him a job after other recruiters wouldn't. He got an afternoon job in Gwangmyeong (almost in Seoul). So try them.
www.starteachers.net
[email protected] |
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