Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Treefarmer]

Hi

I worked in Korea for about 2 and half years up until last November when I came back to England

I'm now looking to get my CELTA, but I messed up with my money, and I don't have enough savings to do a course realistically. Now the best plan I can think of, would be to do another year in Korea, and then I would have the savings to get a teaching qualification, and be a 'proper' teacher

The problem is that I really don't want to go back to Korea. I don't like Koreans, I don't like the country, and also I was with a girl who I met out there for 2 years and I came back because we split up, so that wouldn't help either......

Is there anywhere else where I can save money quickly? Is it possible in China?

any advice appreciated

[spliff]

I wouldn't consider a CELTA a"teaching qualification"...

[nobbyken]

Desire to be an influential and life-shaping teacher, as the fine Mr Spliff for example, will be the greatest teaching qualification you will ever have.

You can do courses till they come out your ears, but the desire to teach needs to be there in order that you might enjoy it. Courses won't make you enjoy teaching.

[Toon Army]

[air76]

Vietnam was OK, but I think that for the most part you'll find that nowhere comes close to Korea for saving money. If you want to really enjoy yourself here then work elsewhere for a year for a lower wage and then come back to Korea....you'll appreciate living here much more having seen what the teaching salaries are like elsewhere. We are paid to put up with the rarities that are found in living as an expat in Korea.

But if CELTA is what you're really after then go to ILA Vietnam. I am not sure if it's still on, but they will pay you back half of the cost of the CELTA course if you work for them for a year after the course finishes. This isn't a scam or anything, it just saves them on recruiting costs. My girlfriend and I worked there for 6 months and the school is really well set up if you don't mind working for a HUGE school. There were like 85 foreign teachers there when we worked there. www.ilavietnam.com You can save between $700-1000/month pretty easily working and living in Vietnam. It all depends on how much you live your life as a local would or as a foreigner. What is difficult (and great at the same time) is that you are often in the conundrum of deciding between eating a local meal for $1.25 that is OK but nothing special, or going to a nice French restaurant where you can get an amazing meal with wine/coffee/dessert for $7 that would cost you 60 at home. Same goes with coffee, entertainment, etc. etc. You can live there very cheaply and save the majority of your salary, but if you start going to Highland Coffee and Bobby Brewster's instead of buying the 30 cent caphe sua da on the street then your ability to save will plummet.

[Ilsanman]

Don't come back then. Not that I feel offended at all. Your honesty is harsh, and my guess is you'd be miserable. So not worth it.

[jangsalgida]

[Ilsanman]

I should have guessed that your illiterate brain wouldn't understand the point of my post.

He admitted to disliking Korea and Koreans. It ain't worth it. Try Taiwan.

[jajdude]

Correct. The OP voiced a clear dislike for Korea. Don't come back and be unhappy just to have a few grand.

[idiotinkorea]

the more you don't want to, the more you'll have to. (at least in my experience, so far).

[bassexpander]

You can get your CELTA and work somewhere else, but as is the problem with most all countries I know of where the CELTA is useful, you are paid crap compared to Korea.

In your case, I certainly would stay away from Korea for at least another year. Being here would just make you sad, as it sounds like a lot of your problems with Korea have to do with your ex-gf.

Try China or Vietnam.

[tefain]

[Roch]

Vietnam seems to be the place for you and it has a decent rep for being an enjoyale place in which to live with a lot of friendly people and a very good national cuisine.