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scratchpiece
Joined: 24 Feb 2011
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 Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 6:47 am Post subject: |
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I was offered the previously mentioned position today. I'm having serious second thoughts though. The position starts April 7th and is located in Hiroshima.
If I decide to go to Korea I could go home (USA) for a few weeks, then head directly to Korea to teach. Or I could buy a round-trip ticket and come back to Thailand for a month or so for vacation, then head to Korea. I haven't been home in nearly 2 years.
If I take the position in Japan I'll be teaching university students and adults. Mostly conversation, essay revision and pronunciation. Not my ideal job but the school only has 100 students, 90 of them female. I would be teaching mostly 1-1 lessons.
If I go to Korea I'll be teaching elementary students. My job would be very similar to what I've been doing the past year... and my job was awesome.
Korea will pay for round-trip airfare, my apartment and I would have about 6 weeks vacation.
In Japan I would pay for my own air-fare, my apartment and I haven't gotten the details on vacation time yet. It would probably be about 2-3 weeks.
Salary is slightly higher in Japan, but when you factor in all of the benefits from the job in Korea it's a bit better.
To be honest the biggest pro of Japan would be the culture and..... japanese girls. Hey, at least I'm being honest
Biggest pro of Korea would be the job and potential to save money
Can't believe I'm moaning about having two great options... but it's REALLY stressing me out. My friend is heading home to visit his family for a few weeks and I had to say my goodbye to him (since I might be moving to Japan). Actually got pretty emotional thinking about leaving everyone behind, but it has to happen at some point.
And that concludes my long post. |
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nukeday
Joined: 13 May 2010
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| Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 3:37 pm Post subject: |
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go to japan. i get the sense from your posts that korea would eat you alive.
and it's nicer teaching adults anyway....Westgate? not the best sounding job, you're right. if it's not westgate, though, could be quite good. |
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nukeday
Joined: 13 May 2010
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| Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 3:40 pm Post subject: |
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190 000 일본 엔 = 2 576 647.92 원
ok, fine, factor in housing
140 000 일본 엔 = 1 898 582.68 원
basic starting salary at EPIK right there
190k is too low. 220k is lower than i'd want. exchange rate staying at what it is, 250k is plenty fine compared to korean wages. |
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legrande
Joined: 23 Nov 2010
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| Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 4:09 pm Post subject: |
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| nukeday wrote: |
go to japan. i get the sense from your posts that korea would eat you alive.
and it's nicer teaching adults anyway....Westgate? not the best sounding job, you're right. if it's not westgate, though, could be quite good. |
Yeah, as long as it's not an outfit like Westgate, could be okay. They suck. |
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silkhighway
Joined: 24 Oct 2010
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 4:15 pm Post subject: |
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| nukeday wrote: |
190 000 일본 엔 = 2 576 647.92 원
ok, fine, factor in housing
140 000 일본 엔 = 1 898 582.68 원
basic starting salary at EPIK right there
190k is too low. 220k is lower than i'd want. exchange rate staying at what it is, 250k is plenty fine compared to korean wages. |
I see the yen has really increased against the won since I was there. How much has the cost of living in Japan increased in the last five years? Anyways, I'll call a compromise.  Assuming you have a couple spare $ grand savings and are willing to write it off as a working vacation in the worst case, 250K + travel allowance if you need to take bus or train to work everyday!
Lots of people do 190K evidently otherwise they wouldn't offer salaries that low , but I think if you accept a wage that low and don't have comfortable savings, you're putting yourself at risk. Even if you write off the whole Japan thing as an "experience" certainly at least some things will come out of pocket like your airfare and you will not recoup it on 190K salary.
Personally, I'm not comfortable with low-paid or unpaid intern-style work. That's something for people in college to do for summer jobs or part as their course practicums, not for people who already have completed their degrees and certifications. Professions that respect their employees and investment in them pay them a living wage. |
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scratchpiece
Joined: 24 Feb 2011
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| Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 4:59 pm Post subject: |
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| nukeday wrote: |
go to japan. i get the sense from your posts that korea would eat you alive.
and it's nicer teaching adults anyway....Westgate? not the best sounding job, you're right. if it's not westgate, though, could be quite good. |
It's not through westgate. Where in my posts does it give the impression that I would struggle in Korea ? |
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nukeday
Joined: 13 May 2010
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| Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 7:37 pm Post subject: |
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| scratchpiece wrote: |
| nukeday wrote: |
go to japan. i get the sense from your posts that korea would eat you alive.
and it's nicer teaching adults anyway....Westgate? not the best sounding job, you're right. if it's not westgate, though, could be quite good. |
It's not through westgate. Where in my posts does it give the impression that I would struggle in Korea ? |
You seem too kind.
"Can't believe I'm moaning about having two great options... but it's REALLY stressing me out. My friend is heading home to visit his family for a few weeks and I had to say my goodbye to him (since I might be moving to Japan). Actually got pretty emotional thinking about leaving everyone behind, but it has to happen at some point. " |
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nukeday
Joined: 13 May 2010
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| Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 7:42 pm Post subject: |
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| silkhighway wrote: |
I see the yen has really increased against the won since I was there. How much has the cost of living in Japan increased in the last five years? Anyways, I'll call a compromise. Assuming you have a couple spare $ grand savings and are willing to write it off as a working vacation in the worst case, 250K + travel allowance if you need to take bus or train to work everyday!
Lots of people do 190K evidently otherwise they wouldn't offer salaries that low , but I think if you accept a wage that low and don't have comfortable savings, you're putting yourself at risk. Even if you write off the whole Japan thing as an "experience" certainly at least some things will come out of pocket like your airfare and you will not recoup it on 190K salary.
Personally, I'm not comfortable with low-paid or unpaid intern-style work. That's something for people in college to do for summer jobs or part as their course practicums, not for people who already have completed their degrees and certifications. Professions that respect their employees and investment in them pay them a living wage. |
I appreciate what you are saying, but are you working in Korea now? The wages in Korea have not increased since I've been here (I did Korea-Japan-Korea), and the cost of living is very comparable to Japan other than Korea having more affordable restaurants (sometimes) and taxis. Hell, I'm a whiskey drinker, and my grocery bills were lower in Japan due to that fact. Japan and Korea are about even when it comes to food prices (Japan seemed to have cheaper fruit and a bigger variety of prepacked goods, Korea cheaper vegetables)
I know exchange rates fluctuate, but it seems you just came at a lowpoint in the yen-won exchange. Where it's at now seems to be more normal historically. Likewise, when I came to Korea in 2006, $1 was 930 won. Now it's 1200 won or whatever, so Korea is just much less attractive pay-wise. You have to try harder to save the same amount to send home, living a lifestyle akin to what you imagine expats in Japan experience. |
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scratchpiece
Joined: 24 Feb 2011
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| Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 8:18 pm Post subject: |
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| nukeday wrote: |
You seem too kind.
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Haha... hey, I can be a hard ass too! ehhh...maybe not |
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pushpin fantasies
Joined: 05 Mar 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:15 pm Post subject: |
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| scratchpiece wrote: |
To be honest the biggest pro of Japan would be the culture and..... japanese girls. Hey, at least I'm being honest
Biggest pro of Korea would be the job and potential to save money |
Just out of curiosity, why do you consider this to be so much of an advantage (in comparison to Korea)? Just personal taste? |
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shinramyun
Joined: 31 Jul 2009
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| Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:36 pm Post subject: |
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Most of korean and japanese girls are so fake.
So many fake girls in asia.
Last edited by shinramyun on Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:36 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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legrande
Joined: 23 Nov 2010
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| Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:36 pm Post subject: |
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| pushpin fantasies wrote: |
| scratchpiece wrote: |
To be honest the biggest pro of Japan would be the culture and..... japanese girls. Hey, at least I'm being honest
Biggest pro of Korea would be the job and potential to save money |
Just out of curiosity, why do you consider this to be so much of an advantage (in comparison to Korea)? Just personal taste? |
Japanese girls- in general more open-minded, less psycho, more feminine, better mannered, less hung up on money as the determining factor, very normal to have relationships for the sake of experience and fun, more imaginative and willing in intimate situations. Is that enough for you? Mind you, when you run into a psychotic vain piece of work, she'll trounce anything you could turn up in Kangnam or Apkujeong, or Itaewon for that matter. |
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shinramyun
Joined: 31 Jul 2009
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| Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:38 pm Post subject: |
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further confirming my theory that 99% of esl teachers only care about f*cking asian girls.
LULz. |
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christeacher
Joined: 17 Dec 2007
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| Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:44 pm Post subject: |
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| shinramyun wrote: |
further confirming my theory that 99% of esl teachers only care about f*cking asian girls.
LULz. |
And that's a bad thing? |
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shinramyun
Joined: 31 Jul 2009
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| Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:47 pm Post subject: |
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| christeacher wrote: |
| shinramyun wrote: |
further confirming my theory that 99% of esl teachers only care about f*cking asian girls.
LULz. |
And that's a bad thing? |
I dunno. Is it?
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