Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bassexpander]

I want to counter the idea that "all teachers are losers who couldn't get a job back home."

I feel this is important for our community.

Does mentioning your previous occupation causes people to respond, "Why on Earth are you teaching here?"

I'd like to talk to you about it.

www.themidnightrunner.com

[The Hammer]

Research Questions

1.) What % of teachers ARE losers who couldn't get a job back home?

2.) What % of foreigners in Korea became losers after becoming 'teachers'?

3.) What is the likelihood that a person will become a loser after starting an ESL 'career'?

4.) What % of ESL teachers could be considered successful and well adjusted members of Korean society?

[semi-fly]

What percentage of ESL teachers came to Korea searching for excitement before settling down to a 'normal' life in their home countries?
- This may be directed towards those who've just completed their degree or could be re-worded towards those that had a 'normal' life in their home countries but found their life was 'missing' something

This isn't really meant to sound bad, but it may be construed in such a way:
One could easily say that all those currently residing in Korea teaching are all losers as they were unable to find a job in their respective home countries.

However you look at it, it takes balls (or other) to pick yourself up and travel thousands of miles (in some cases) to a foreign country where (for the most part) you don't have the slightest clue what you're getting yourself into let alone understand the language (for most of you guys i'd say) bottom line is there are no 'losers' in Korea

bassexpander: I can see this as a multi-part podcast question talking to both newbies and old timers about why they are in Korea, what made them decide on Korea, for the old timers what made them stay (especially those who've been here longer than 5 years (and even more interesting if they do not have some kind of anchor to Korea (i.e. husband or wife))

[bassexpander]

Well, I'm thinking of just interviewing people mainly. Maybe it could be a sort of series: Not All Teachers are Losers And Druggies!

[wylies99]

The losers make headlines. They get all of the attention in the Korean media. That's the REAL problem.

[Kurtz]

Define "loser"

Seems a fairly open to interpretation term to me.

I came here to hopefully be with like minded travelers or people with some form of adventure but alas, all I find is 20-something Yanks and Canucks into seeing how much of their paycheck they can blow on alcohol and easy Korean women (which doesn't make them losers BTW) and watching gangs of foreigners walking around as they can't hack it here on their own.

I think there are plenty of "losers" living in my own country, people more concerned with having the latest mobile phone, racing home to mindlessly watch the latest episode of Big Brother and not caring about their spiraling personal debt as they are addicted to consumerism.

If living in Korea makes you a loser, well I'm PROUD to be a loser

[Faunaki]

I'm not concerned with the perception that ESL teachers are losers. I do a good job at work and am always professional. That's all any teacher can do.

K employers should be more careful about who they employ. It's their fault for hiring retards. One look at someone's resume or an interview can pretty much say it all.

[yingwenlaoshi]

I'm not a looser.

[Tobias]

None of you guys are losers. The losers are those who are stuck in Alabama living in a trailer with five kids and follows NECKCAR. He regularly beats his wife, she regularly beats the kids, and both will kill you if you prefer a ford when they prefer a chevy.

Anyone who comes to Korea with a bachelor's degree is definitely not a loser. The system may have thrown you overboard, as you don't have any connections. But this only makes you a DESIGNATED loser.

[Join Me]

Why do people classify anyone who can not get a job back home a "loser?" Something like 50-70% of young educated Koreans currently can not find a job and I don't consider them "losers." The global economy is shit now and it is not easy to find a job no matter where you live...I do consider each of us fortunate however. But, if you are willing to go to the other side of the world to live in a foreign culture to make a living there is also a sacrifice that must be made.

You can do a show but it won't change anything. The fact is when Koreans see one of us sitting outside a Family Mart chugging "Hite" we are losers. When they see a Korean doing the same thing, they want to sit down and join them.

[wylies99]

[semi-fly]

[Beej]

I guess I could be a "winner" if I worked at Samsung 12-14 hours a day 6 days a week, one week vacation, small apartment in crowded city, forced out of the company at 44 years old, forced to meeet coworkers for drinks nightly, unfulfilling pointless work, seen only as an ATM by wife and kids. Where do I sign up?

[The Hammer]

I admit that I'm a loser. Having said that, I'm more successful than other losers here in Korea, so in a way that makes me a winner, right?

Seriously, ESL as an industry is the LOSER MAGNET of all industries. Most people teaching ESL are going nowhere fast. For the most part, ESL teachers are a bunch lazy slackers. Survey says...

TRUE!

[purple_buddha]