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hagwonnewbie
Joined: 09 Feb 2007
Location: Asia
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 Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 7:28 am Post subject: What do you think is the worst city/area to teach in Korea |
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What do you personally think is the worst city or area to teach in Korea?
How about the worst area in Seoul?
I'm just curious. I did a thread on best city and got a lot of informative responses. I was hoping some people would chime in again. |
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ThomasR
Joined: 31 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 10:48 am Post subject: |
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| I hear being in any rural area is hell. Especially if you cant speak Korean. I would avoid that. Though if your up to a challenge, go for it. Im personally going to be living in Gwangju which is the 6th largest city, and Im very glad about that. It seems like a good middle of the road city. Seoul is to big but the rural areas dont have anything to offer (except higher pay... you will save A LOT since you wont be doing anything except cow tipping) Depends on what you like. |
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margaret
Joined: 14 Oct 2003
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| Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 12:47 pm Post subject: |
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| We were in a pretty rural area-- Jeomchon, which was a farming town. We loved it and made a good, English-speaking Korean friend (our yoga teacher). But it was too small to want to stay another year for us. Most of Seoul would be hell for me. I don't like big cities. |
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ChinaBoy
Joined: 17 Feb 2007
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| Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 4:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Incheon. |
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Cerriowen
Joined: 03 Jun 2006
Location: Pocheon
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| Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 4:40 pm Post subject: |
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That completely depends on what you enjoy.
I live in a rural town, with no movie theatre, night clubs, subway etc... and many teachers hate that.
I love the mountains, walking w/ my dogs, having picnics w/ my boyfriend, etc... so I think it's fabulous. I hated the traffic, and constant press of people, and noise in Seoul.
As far as job satisfaction goes... you could have two hakwons side by side, and have one person say it's heaven and the other say it's hell... due to what they like in the area, boss, students, housing... etc. |
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Fishead soup
Joined: 24 Jun 2007
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 4:41 pm Post subject: |
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Yeouncheong is pretty bad. It's a rural area near the DMZ. It takes almost two hours getting to Seoul including the time you leave your apartment. If you want to have a good time in Seoul you have to fork out 30-40 thousand won for a motel or return really early.
Gapyoung is not much better.
Most of the really isolated locations are flogged off as having beautiful scenery and nice fresh air. |
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Ilsanman
Joined: 15 Aug 2003
Location: Bucheon, Korea
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| Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 5:06 pm Post subject: |
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Incheon kids are like the Beverly Hillbillies.
Ilsan kids are sort of average. Mokdong kids suck. They think Mokdong is not part of Seoul, but a special 'town' all to its own. Arrogance.
I would guess Kangnam kids are pretty bad to teach. |
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 7:47 pm Post subject: |
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I'd have to concur. |
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Robot_Teacher
Joined: 18 Feb 2009
Location: Robotting Around the World
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| Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 8:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Fishead soup wrote: |
Yeouncheong is pretty bad. It's a rural area near the DMZ. It takes almost two hours getting to Seoul including the time you leave your apartment. If you want to have a good time in Seoul you have to fork out 30-40 thousand won for a motel or return really early.
Gapyoung is not much better.
Most of the really isolated locations are flogged off as having beautiful scenery and nice fresh air. |
Yea, I would say rural areas are not great for culture, socializing, shopping, and entertainment, but are best for married folks raising kids though it offers less education and experience resources for the kids. Just fresh air and fairly quiet with no traffic congestion. Also good for those who like to be loners and spend all their free time online or doing their hobbies instead of seeking to be entertained by a city.
The problem with rural areas is not having a working relationship with your school principals and most co-teachers as they can't speak English and those who don't show little interest in your English and YOU. This makes the job easy in that you're mostly left alone, but you don't get to know each other very well at all which is awkward.
It's only 18,000 won for a direct bus to Seoul which takes 3.5 hours, but I have to rent a room. Or I can leave at 7AM, get to Seoul at 10:30, shop for 4 to 6 hours, and then take the bus home. Can stay until 5:45 last bus and get home at 9:15PM, but this is only for shopping when I go that route while 2 other times I stayed until Sunday afternoon. I've gone to Seoul most weekends, but going to start checking out other places. Places like Gangnueng Cherry Blossom Festival tomorrow.
I can't say which is worse. I imagine a job in Seoul could be hell while a job in the country could be rewarding, but easy going. Anywhere in the world, it's more about the job, pay, and work relationship matters than it is the city you live in.
Last edited by Robot_Teacher on Thu Apr 09, 2009 8:23 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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vonjunk
Joined: 31 Jan 2007
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| Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 8:20 pm Post subject: |
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Ulsan did not go well with my lungs.
What was that nasty cough I got called....oh, "Ulsan lung". Nasty and painful.
Lots of pollution and despite being a rather large city it's only been a big city for a short amount of time, so almost no culture or cultural understanding.
Not the worst place, but not recommended. |
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losing_touch
Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Location: Ulsan - I think!
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| Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 3:35 am Post subject: |
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| vonjunk wrote: |
Ulsan did not go well with my lungs.
What was that nasty cough I got called....oh, "Ulsan lung". Nasty and painful.
Lots of pollution and despite being a rather large city it's only been a big city for a short amount of time, so almost no culture or cultural understanding.
Not the worst place, but not recommended. |
I don't get this at all. I check out the air quality on a daily basis. It is often worse in many, many other parts of the country. Without question, Seoul is routinely worse. Daegu is worse. Incheon is always the worst.
The fact of the matter is that there really isn't all that much pollution down here in Ulsan. This is especially true in the gu I live in where the air quality is routinely good.
Maybe it was all in your head! |
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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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| Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 3:53 am Post subject: |
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| Daejeon sure gets a lot of negative publicity. |
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Ukon
Joined: 29 Jan 2008
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| Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 5:38 am Post subject: |
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| Pohang sounds pretty awful. |
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hagwonnewbie
Joined: 09 Feb 2007
Location: Asia
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| Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 7:40 am Post subject: |
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| I think it depends on exactly where you are in Incheon, but I keep hearing negative things about that place. When I go to the aiport, the parts I seek look kind of dismal. I also stayed at a hotel near the airport and thought WTF when I was coming and going. |
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the oak llama
Joined: 05 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 9:53 am Post subject: |
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just curious...
does anyone have anything good to say about Incheon?
It is a pretty large city is it not?
There have to be some interesting things going on.
Or is it like a NYC - Newark kind of thing? |
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