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KimchiNinja
Joined: 01 May 2012
Location: Gangnam
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 Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 6:56 pm Post subject: Re: good point |
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| creeper1 wrote: |
| Zackback wrote: |
I'd get back here just for that girlfriend of yours (or is it ex?). You're not going to find cool girls like that back home. It's better here.
You know it's true.
Come back. |
+1
Once you have seen the fantastic quality of Asian women it makes going back to the west so much harder.
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True. I can't understand why any normal guy would want to live around a bunch of nasty looking AND nasty personality women. Why do that?
Asia is everything plus. If leave KR it'll be for Singapore or Vancouver, but never the USA, that place is played out. |
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Who's Your Daddy?
Joined: 30 May 2010
Location: Victoria, Canada.
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| Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 8:00 pm Post subject: |
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Korea is great when you are single, and chasing girls. It gets boring pretty fast after you marry. When you have a child the schooling is an issue too.
But what is missing in the long-run is English conversations. Even if you are a quiet person, after a few years, you really want to have more English conversations.
If you think about a workplace back home there are so many conversations. At my public school I could go a week and barely have a conversation with anyone. I don't mean, "what's for lunch?", "it's chicken". I mean "did you see the Obama Romney debate?" or whatever - are real conversation. |
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No_hite_pls
Joined: 05 Mar 2007
Location: Don't hate me because I'm right
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| Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 8:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Who's Your Daddy? wrote: |
Korea is great when you are single, and chasing girls. It gets boring pretty fast after you marry. When you have a child the schooling is an issue too.
But what is missing in the long-run is English conversations. Even if you are a quiet person, after a few years, you really want to have more English conversations.
If you think about a workplace back home there are so many conversations. At my public school I could go a week and barely have a conversation with anyone. I don't mean, "what's for lunch?", "it's chicken". I mean "did you see the Obama Romney debate?" or whatever - are real conversation. |
I do miss the work banter of back home for sure but I find it so easy to make nice educated friends here. I also love living near mountains.
BTW I have never lived in Korea unmarried. |
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I'm With You
Joined: 01 Sep 2011
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| Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 1:39 am Post subject: Re: good point |
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| KimchiNinja wrote: |
| You know it's true. |
| Kreeper1 wrote: |
| Once you have seen the fantastic quality of Asian women it makes going back to the west so much harder. |
| KimchiNinja wrote: |
| True. I can't understand why any normal guy would want to live around a bunch of nasty looking AND nasty personality women. Why do that? |
After living here for a while now and dating Korean, Japanese and Chinese women, western women look and act like men to me now. They're just too rough and aggressive for my liking, with their dominant personalities. On top of that, many of the young woman back home are built like dump trucks these days. |
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Gorf
Joined: 25 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 2:12 am Post subject: |
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| Sisqol would be happy to hear that. |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 9:59 am Post subject: Re: Back in the USA |
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| Sireno wrote: |
So I've come back from a 2 year 1 month stint in Korea some 3 days ago. I'm feeling pretty complicated and unsure of things. Having left a girlfriend of 3 years, attempting to find work here, and dealing with reverse culture shock I already want to go back. 
I'm not sure what I should do. I woke up this morning and thought it is time to get my FBI background check in case I decide to go back. However I did not find teaching English in the Hagwon setting fulfilling and something I want to make a career out of, perhaps I am already on my way back? I may be able to work at a uniwon through my connections to start in February/March term. In my mind I know I should give it more of a chance and time to readapt and find work and a life though at this stage things are feeling fairly confusing, unhappy, and not at ease whatsoever.
Any advice from people who have been where I am right now? |
Well I was in Korea for the exact length as you. Off and on I considered going back to Korea (even 6 years after I had left). Left and stayed away because I thought it would be a step back and I didn't particularly like working at a hogwon. Sorry if you elaborated on a later post but:
1. Do you have any kind of plan? When I left Korea, I already knew what my next step was (continuing my Arabic studies in the ME for about a year). It helped having that plan, but I have to admit I still missed Korea a lot (generally due to the woman situation and food, both of which are COMPLETELY different in the Arab world obviously).
2. Are you qualified to do other work? I mean do you have a degree in science, engineering, etc or are you a poor sap like me who majored in History? If the latter, I would give Korea more thought OR figure out a way to get a better idea of what you want to do. For me, I came back to the USA when the job market was a lot better, so I found a job at an import company and realized an office job wasn't the hell I thought it would be. Led me to going to grad school to build more quantative skills, which helped me get my current job (budget analyst in the federal gov't). It ain't shangri-la, but it provides enough mental stimulation to keep me sane, and the federal government provides a good work-life balance.
Long story short: think of what interests you career wise, see how to get there, and plan accordingly. If you could care less about what you do, then I think it is clear: go back to Korea. Can't hurt. In any event, doing something- even if it doesn't work out- is better than doing nothing. |
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lithium
Joined: 18 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 10:24 am Post subject: Re: Back in the USA |
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| No_hite_pls wrote: |
| isitts wrote: |
| Sireno wrote: |
So I've come back from a 2 year 1 month stint in Korea some 3 days ago. I'm feeling pretty complicated and unsure of things. Having left a girlfriend of 3 years, attempting to find work here, and dealing with reverse culture shock I already want to go back.
I'm not sure what I should do. I woke up this morning and thought it is time to get my FBI background check in case I decide to go back. However I did not find teaching English in the Hagwon setting fulfilling and something I want to make a career out of, perhaps I am already on my way back? I may be able to work at a uniwon through my connections to start in February/March term. In my mind I know I should give it more of a chance and time to readapt and find work and a life though at this stage things are feeling fairly confusing, unhappy, and not at ease whatsoever.
Any advice from people who have been where I am right now? |
Do as you see fit. There's no wrong answer. |
So true. If you are happier in Asia go to Asia if you are happier in the west go west. It's your life not your parents, and sometimes parents give the worst advice. Their advice was good for their time but sometimes not good for yours. My father advised me to turn down a job as a cop 9 years ago and go into the business world . Other things he advised me to do; buy citi-bank stock and to be a good republican.
My biggest regret for myself is not having the b--ls to join the military, or being a cop, retirement after 20 years would have been a wonderful thing. |
Children, obey your parents. |
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Weigookin74
Joined: 26 Oct 2009
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| Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 10:10 pm Post subject: Re: good point |
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| creeper1 wrote: |
| Zackback wrote: |
I'd get back here just for that girlfriend of yours (or is it ex?). You're not going to find cool girls like that back home. It's better here.
You know it's true.
Come back. |
+1
Once you have seen the fantastic quality of Asian women it makes going back to the west so much harder.
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I partially agree, but a pretty, slim, well dressed, dark haired caucasian woman, reasonably feminine, with nice light colored eyes will also catch my eye as much as a beautiful asian woman will. Rolls of fat, all revealing tube tops, tattoos all over, spitting, and cursing like a sailor not so much.
(I suppose I will be partial to other race women who fit all of the other above positive qualities, too. Wouldn't want anyone to feel left out. lol) |
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Weigookin74
Joined: 26 Oct 2009
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| Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 10:17 pm Post subject: Re: tight |
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| creeper1 wrote: |
| Dodge7 wrote: |
Well after they are the ripe old age of 40 they can't keep doing ESL and need to think of a long term solution. They certainly can't keep working in Korea until they are 60.
Something's got to give.
(And I really wish people here would stop referencing that fat ESler. Surely there are others with different experiences. I just don't understand why he's so popular here every time this subject gets brought up.) |
Well, as I am sure you know, there are people in TEFL who are in their 60s now.
It could be a risky strategy though because TEFL really is being swamped by young 22 year olds ready to take even the worst contracts.
However the idea of going back home and replicating the experience of geomonronin is also not appealing.
THere is no easy answer to this and it will depend on the individual.
Also your comments about poor Geomonronin at the end there are just nasty! |
Yeah, don't you love them driving down wages and working conditions for all of us? When the recession ends, it'll bounce back. Heck, maybe some of the 50 somethings will return. I miss some of those old guys; they had a lot of interesting traits. Ha ha. |
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Yaya
Joined: 25 Feb 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 10:29 pm Post subject: |
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I think many people think they have to get a "real" job and a "real" life back home if they are not happy with their hakwon or other situation in Korea. Truth be told, many who do go back to get that real job and life realize that they never wanted them in the first place, and then regret leaving.
Not saying Korea is for everybody (it is FAR from that), but the lifestyle is underrated and camaraderie among expats, as I have heard, tops those of Japan and other countries in Asia.
I went back in 2003 and came back to Korea two years later. I cried when I left Korea but was overjoyed to leave the U.S. two years later (not that I hate America but the lifestyle there is so...). America had changed but more importantly, I had changed. I missed being able to hit the Phils, Thailand and other exotic locales on vacations and working jobs that didn't drive me to the ground.
I do agree, however, that life in Korea after, say, ages 45-50 can be dicey. Even middle-aged Koreans have a tough go of it, and sad to say, the suicide rate in Korea for people over age 80 is three times the national average, which is one of the top 5 in the world.
As for going back with big savings, well, I'd say try to have a more clear idea of what you want to do. Being undecided at home can deplete your savings fast, no matter how much you bring back. |
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Died By Bear
Joined: 13 Jul 2010
Location: On the big lake they call Gitche Gumee
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 7:04 am Post subject: |
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| Yaya wrote: |
I do agree, however, that life in Korea after, say, ages 45-50 can be dicey. Even middle-aged Koreans have a tough go of it, and sad to say, the suicide rate in Korea for people over age 80 is three times the national average, which is one of the top 5 in the world. |
Yeah, I think that was a concern of mine at the time (although I thought life would become more difficult even earlier, more like 40, but doesn't matter).
I also felt like there wasn't a lot of room to "move up" in salary and position. Sure, there are some well-paying ESL jobs (especially in terms of your salary in terms of hours worked), but the career ladder and potential salary gains are a lot less than in a number of other fields. For instance my salary in a 3 year period in the government will have risen by 75%! And that's normal for many feds in the first 2-3 years of their careers (don't worry people, my salary will hardly raise from this point forward unless I get a new job with more responsibilities).
Obviously the private sector is more of a crap shoot, but it still has plenty of growth opportunities.
Anyway, money clearly isn't everything but it is also obviously important.
I think the easiest method is writing a pro/con list. For instance, I miss the bustle, women, and public transporation of Korea, but I don't miss the beer selection, food options (beyond Korean), and dull job.
| Quote: |
| As for going back with big savings, well, I'd say try to have a more clear idea of what you want to do. Being undecided at home can deplete your savings fast, no matter how much you bring back. |
Agree with this 100%. Especially if you can't stay rent-free with family or friends for even a short bit when you return. |
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Lunar Groove Gardener
Joined: 05 Jan 2005
Location: 1987 Subaru
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| Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 7:50 am Post subject: |
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I left twice. I came back twice. I am still here, but eager to finish.
I had a very good plan through all of it, to save money and invest.
I did that. Each time I returned to much better jobs with more
vacation time paid and fewer contact hours and higher salary.
It is a welcome thing to move up with each job change. This may
be done because your years here, and letters of reference, will
likely get you into the next tier of teaching positions. If you can do
this, save a good amount of money, make a plan for what you really
wish out of life, and perhaps even a good love relationship, you've done
more than many.
Of course if you want to have a fun year, that is probably available.
My years have been a bit boring in many ways. It has been a sacrifice.
But now, I have what I need in place to follow my dreams exactly as I
wish.
Sacrifice, yes. Benefits of reaching these goals, invaluable. |
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cj1976
Joined: 26 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 9:48 pm Post subject: Re: good point |
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| Weigookin74 wrote: |
| creeper1 wrote: |
| Zackback wrote: |
I'd get back here just for that girlfriend of yours (or is it ex?). You're not going to find cool girls like that back home. It's better here.
You know it's true.
Come back. |
+1
Once you have seen the fantastic quality of Asian women it makes going back to the west so much harder.
|
I partially agree, but a pretty, slim, well dressed, dark haired caucasian woman, reasonably feminine, with nice light colored eyes will also catch my eye as much as a beautiful asian woman will. Rolls of fat, all revealing tube tops, tattoos all over, spitting, and cursing like a sailor not so much.
(I suppose I will be partial to other race women who fit all of the other above positive qualities, too. Wouldn't want anyone to feel left out. lol) |
Women are a nice distraction but that shouldn't be the deciding factor in where you choose to live. Don't let the little head rule the big head, fellas. |
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KimchiNinja
Joined: 01 May 2012
Location: Gangnam
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| Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 10:57 pm Post subject: Re: good point |
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| I'm With You wrote: |
| After living here for a while now and dating Korean, Japanese and Chinese women, western women look and act like men to me now. |
You said it.  |
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