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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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sonicmatt
Joined: 04 Oct 2007
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 Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 7:36 pm Post subject: Language Exchanges |
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| I was wondering if anyone knew of any language exchange programs. I really want to meet more Koreans, hardly have met any outside of my school. I would also like to practice and learn Korean. Are there any groups around Bucheon or western Seoul that meets or is there any websites that I can check out about these. |
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jkelly80
Joined: 13 Jun 2007
Location: you boys like mexico?
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| Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 7:39 pm Post subject: |
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hanlingo
livemocha |
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espoir
Joined: 09 Oct 2008
Location: Incheon, South Korea
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lalalala
Joined: 17 Jun 2008
Location: Seoul
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Bibbitybop
Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:33 am Post subject: |
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Check the Korea Times and Korea Herald ads, too. My friend has very wild experiences with lonely Korean women from doing these.
And consider the cost ratio: 10,000 won an hour for a private Korean lesson vs. 50,000 won (or more) an hour for a private English lesson. |
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pest2
Joined: 01 Jun 2005
Location: Vancouver, Canada
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| Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 4:12 pm Post subject: |
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If you know anyone else who does LE, say at your school or otherwise, you can ask them to ask their tutors to refer thier friends to you... that's how I got 2 or 3 when I was there. And, yes, definitely ask for money.. i got 30,000 per hour for just talking...
On a side note, I dont think LE is a good way to meet a date.. somehow, the "study language purpose" part always gets in the way of the amorous part.. maybe others had different experiences. You can kind of make friends but.. its only a utility-based friendship, at best. |
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espoir
Joined: 09 Oct 2008
Location: Incheon, South Korea
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| Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 4:51 pm Post subject: |
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| pest2 wrote: |
If you know anyone else who does LE, say at your school or otherwise, you can ask them to ask their tutors to refer thier friends to you... that's how I got 2 or 3 when I was there. And, yes, definitely ask for money.. i got 30,000 per hour for just talking...
On a side note, I dont think LE is a good way to meet a date.. somehow, the "study language purpose" part always gets in the way of the amorous part.. maybe others had different experiences. You can kind of make friends but.. its only a utility-based friendship, at best. |
I actually respectfully disagree there. Firstly at my language exchange, which I was referred through by one of my co-teachers, me and my teacher spend the first 2 hours strictly studying Korean. Now I am a beginner so all of our conversation is in english, but the subject matter is always on Korean. The last hour I spend with the advanced english group just talking with them. This way I do not have to pay at all, but think my korean teacher does, again its supply and demand here.
Now with this advanced english group there are 2 fresh college grads looking for jobs, a college masters students and 3 english teachers and 2 other businessmen. This group also leads other groups on various days. Now even after only a month of being with this group we have formed a fantastic bond. We go to the movies, shop, eat and go out drinking together. Furthermore one of the people is an events planner and has arranged for a number of us to go skiing for a weekend.
I am so happy that I decided to do it and highly recommend it to anyone else not only as a chance to improve/learn your Korean, but also as a great way to meet, gather and socialise with other people. Honestly I look foreward much moreso to my language exchange days than I do meeting my foreigner friends at the bars on the weekends.
Last edited by espoir on Mon Mar 02, 2009 4:34 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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pest2
Joined: 01 Jun 2005
Location: Vancouver, Canada
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| Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 4:57 pm Post subject: |
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| espoir wrote: |
| pest2 wrote: |
If you know anyone else who does LE, say at your school or otherwise, you can ask them to ask their tutors to refer thier friends to you... that's how I got 2 or 3 when I was there. And, yes, definitely ask for money.. i got 30,000 per hour for just talking...
On a side note, I dont think LE is a good way to meet a date.. somehow, the "study language purpose" part always gets in the way of the amorous part.. maybe others had different experiences. You can kind of make friends but.. its only a utility-based friendship, at best. |
I actually respectfully disagree there. Firstly at my language exchange, which I was referred through by one of my co-teachers, me and my teacher spend the first 2 hours strictly studying Korean. Now I am a beginner so all of our conversation is in english, but the subject matter is always on Korean. The last hour I spend with the advanced english group just talking with them. This way I do not have to pay at all, but think my korean teacher does, again its supply and demand here.
Now with this advanced english group there are 2 fresh college grads looking for jobs, a college masters students and 3 english teachers and 2 other businessmen. This group also leads other groups on various days. Now even after only a month of being with this group we have formed a fantastic bond. We go to the movies, shop, eat and go out drinking together. Furthermore one of the people is an events planner and has arranged for a number of us to go skiing for a weekend.
In addition to all of that I also met my current Kgf through this language exchange. I am so happy that I decided to do it and highly recommend it to anyone else not only as a chance to improve/learn your Korean, but also as a great way to meet, gather and socialise with other people. Honestly I look foreward much moreso to my language exchange days than I do meeting my foreigner friends at the bars on the weekends. |
That's great. In China and Taiwan, for me at least, it was easy to get those kinds of situations going... I didnt mind just going out with some people socially, aside from a structured lesson, as friends. Maybe its just the luck I had in Korea, but I tended to get people who just wanted English and nothing more... and its like they WANTED to pay... Except near the end, I'd go out to drinks with this one woman i was tutoring, but thats about it.
I guess... for the OP, the lesson here is just play it by ear, feel it out, see what happens, be flexible. |
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espoir
Joined: 09 Oct 2008
Location: Incheon, South Korea
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| Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:18 pm Post subject: |
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| pest2 wrote: |
| I guess... for the OP, the lesson here is just play it by ear, feel it out, see what happens, be flexible. |
I couldnt agree more with that advice. Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes not so much. Dont be afraid to leave a place wherein you dotn feel comfortable or that you feel you are being exploited as a walking, talking english dictionary. Ultimately I would suggest you try it out and see how it works for you, there are many good language exchanges out there, so just avoid the bad apples and you may just find one that perfectly fits your wants and desires. |
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