Korean Job Discussion Forums

[evilchiapet]

Howdy All....

Not a great topic to start with....

but I am considering doing a midnight run.

Some issues have arisen at the hogwon and I do not want to get too much into it, but it's not a pretty thing. I've been here 6 weeks and things have gone from bad to worse.

Anyway, given all that I've read it doesn't seem to terribly difficult getting out of Korea, but would it be "easier" if I flew to Japan, or some other area that is relatively close, cashed in my Korean Won for Japanese currency, hung around for a few days and then fly back to the USA from Japan (purchasing online tickets).

I would be able to get out of the country faster if I were taking a flight to say, Japan...would that make a difference? I am planning to leave right after payday. This would leave me with a lot of dough (I am paid in cash)...or is it easier to just try cashing in my won once I get to the states?

Thanks for any tips .

I'd rather not get into the problems at the hogwon, but they are serious enough to warrant my leaving.

Thanks in advance,,
ECP

[Otherside]

Wait for payday and leave on the next saturday.
Boss won't know what hit him till Monday.

I didn't really get why you want to go to Japan, but if you leave on a weekend you should have plenty of time to get your ducks in a row.

You will get a better exchange rate changing your money in Korea. For simplicity I would do it at the airport (rate is a little worse, but they wont ask questions and if we are talking a month's salary, the loss due to the exchange rate will be no more than about $10-15, not worth getting your panties tied up over that).

It might be tempting to leave right after payday and there is little your boss can do to stop you, but giving yourself the weekend to do everything will be worth quite a bit in terms of peace of mind - I hope payday is a Friday!

[evilchiapet]

In order for me to change WON at the airport, won't I have to show receipts showing that I changed the money initially, or use paycheck stubs (vs, changing Won to some other currency for "travel/vacation" purposes?

We don't get paycheck stubs at this school. Just a dollar figure written on a post it note and cash in an envelope. Our pay day is the 5th of each month but May's pay comes early (the Friday) because of the holiday.

I guess I just want to plan it so that I'm out of Korea by the time they figure out I'm gone (hopefully already landed somewhere...).

Will immigration question me as to why I am leaving? Will they believe me if I say something to effect of a sick parent, etc... or do they just not care.
I've been so stressed out, I don't think I can endure a lengthy interrogation.

I thought by going to Japan it would look like I was taking a weekend vacation...think it's a waste of time? Should I just hop a flight for the states?

Quivering,
ECP

[ontheway]

You can exchange your money at a regular bank, if you have time, on the Friday before you leave. Unless your amount is over 10 million won you shouldn't have any trouble. They may stamp the amount in your passport, but you are allowed to wire or take out 10k without proof that you earned it.

Do you have your ARC (Alien Registration Card)? If so, you will need to hand that in as you leave.

You might as well take a direct flight back to the US. Once you exchange your money, hand in your ARC and pass pass airport immigration check, it doesn't matter where you're going.

What's your big issue with your school?

[bejarano-korea]

[evilchiapet]

I haven't been here long enough to get an ARC card (my boss said we'd do the immigration visit the second week of May...I wanna be gone before that day comes : )

Also, I tend to get about $1,000.00 in those $100.00 Korean Coupons (substitute for the 100 bill). Do you think I would have a problem changing those at an airport? I would have about $3,0000 to change...not close to the 10,000. I'm worried about getting stuck w. 1G of Korean coupon money that I can't change.

The issues with the school are numerous from my contract subjects/hours being changed (to a god awful schedule to compensate for the FTs that've left and never been replaced, to being told that I have to teach subjects other than English ( I am an English teacher..), extremely disruptive kids to whom I'm told I cannot discipline or deal consequences to because the parents will send them to another school if they are unhappy, yadda yadda...the list goes on (and the shady way taxes are being withheld from me, but not being paid for me, etc....).

same ole' same ole.

I have a credit w. china airlines too, so I thought I might be able to use that to get outta here. : (

[bejarano-korea]

[evilchiapet]

It says Multiple Entry on my Visa. I haven't been here long enough to have an alien card.

The coupons are those things the ATM spit out because it doesn't have $100.00 bill. The boss taps his ATM to pay me....

I don't have a Korean bank account.

You can use the coupons like cash at stores, etc.. They look like travelers checks (number and such on them).

I guess I can always run around and make little purchases to use them up. (an entire Sat. will be spent doing this since banks are not open on Saturdays here...).

Yikes.