Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Real Reality]

50-50
Half say awful. Half say awesome.

[Demophobe]

[Real Reality]

[ghostshadow]

how come you didn't put a middle of the road choice for the poll? Just wondering

[Real Reality]

ghostshadow wrote,
"how come you didn't put a middle of the road choice for the poll? Just wondering"

I just chose two options this time. I guess I like the "awe" aspect of the two words.

[VanIslander]

Coincidentally, I taught my last class of the day today the words "awesome" and "awful". Awesome is like wonderful and amazing, making you go "wow". Awful is like terrible or very bad. Or so the lesson went.

The twelve-year-old students said the past was awful for most Koreans and the future may be awesome for some and awful for some. WOW. From the mouth of babes.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Koreans think their living standards have gone down over the last three and a half years?? Most of the cars, cell phones and electronic equipment consumers have in this country is newer than that! But debts are up and hopes are down as the economy slows down in the natural cycle of economies.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

As an EFLer, I always put the living standards in the context of EFL and ESL teachers worldwide. Korea is still easily in the top 5% of this profession.

The housing isn't extremely bad compared to any foreign country I can imagine would employ the average ESL teacher here who has neither prior training nor experience. Those who are well educated and well experienced in the profession might want to consider the top 2% of the profession elsewhere.

The public transportation is outstanding and the accessibility to computers and other hi-tech consumer products is remarkable, as is the food and travel opportunities, IMO.

[Real Reality]

Do you think salaries for foreigners are keeping up with the changes (increases in costs)? Are promotions possible for foreigners?

[Real Reality]

More Households Having to Borrow to Stay Afloat
One in four Korean households have to borrow money to finance their living expenditures because they are spending more than they are earning, reported the National Statistical Office (NSO). Expenditure on household utilities such as air conditioning jumped 13.5 percent from a year ago, while direct taxation rose 11.9 percent.
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200411/200411300041.html

[Real Reality]

Bleak Midwinter for Korean Workers
Manpower cuts led by successive corporate restructuring and shrunken consumption due to the worst recession since the 1997-98 financial crisis translates as bad news for Korean employees this winter.... one in four Korean employees feels insecure about their job situation. The figure is higher than that posted in the United States (23 percent) and the United Kingdom (18.6 percent), while tripling that of Japan (8.1 percent) and vastly outnumbering the proportion of anxious workers in Sweden (4.8 percent) and Norway (4 percent).

"An overwhelming number of colleagues say they won't opt for honorary retirement however high the allowances are," said junior bank employee Pak, 49. "Because they have seen many retired seniors subsequently go broke."
by Park Jong-se, Chosun Ilbo (November 30, 2004)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200411/200411300045.html

[sadsac]

Compared to the ever increasing bills I had at home, here is paradise. No rent, no car, no insurances: house, car, contents, professional indemnity ect. Wages may fluctuate with the changing dollar, but I'm still ahead.

[Real Reality]

Households' Food Spending Rises
Household spending on food against total expenditure hit a four-year high in the third quarter of this year as consumers increasingly tightened their belts on non-food items amid the prolonged economic slump. According to the National Statistical Office (NSO), the nation's Engel's coefficient, which indicates the ratio between expenses on food and other items of consumption, rose 28.4 percent during the July to September period this year, up 1.2 percentage point from the second quarter, hitting a four-year high since the 28.5 percent recorded in the third quarter of 2000.
by Lee Hyo-sik, Korea Times (December 1, 2004)
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/200412/kt2004120115371753460.htm

[inkoreaforgood]

AHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
















Tie breaker!

[Real Reality]

inkoreaforgood,
Good Job.

Can someone re-tie the poll?

[Sucker]

Sure, not a problem

[Real Reality]

Sucker,
Nice try.