Korean Job Discussion Forums

vegemite99 · Joined: 23 Mar 2009

I would love to know what it is exactly that everyone loves about living in Korea. Im still a 'newbie' here so I genuinely want to know what it is exactly that keeps you here?? Cheers

DCJames · Joined: 27 Jul 2006

1. The girls
2. Money
3. Free housing

Aelric · Joined: 02 Mar 2009

1. The money
2. Pre-grad school teaching experience
3. The girls when they aren't nuts (see my post on horror stories)
4. The fact that there is still work to be had here, unlike home right now
5. The Gwangalli beach in Busan
6. Closeness to China and Japan
7. You get to see the worst people from western society that aren't in jail and feel superior to them (peds and pervs, some of them) or at least that you life won't be so bad as theirs when you go home (which boosts your morale)
8. Hardly any violent crime, at least by comparison. I take shortcuts through dark and foreboding alleys at 3am and feel totally safe (other than from the sewer smell)
9. The workload is quite light. It might be 8 hours a day, but it's not like you are working all 8 hours, plus, lots of holidays and vacation if you can worm you way out of doing camps. (this is if you are in EPIK. Hagwons are different.)
10. Looks good on a resume
11. Survival. What the hell else are you going to do before you can afford grad school/start a business/begin your real career? No one is accomplishing anything back home right now. We are the lucky ones that are still getting paid enough to support ourselves and even save.

cruisemonkey · Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 6:41 pm Post subject:

Cheap smokes!

vegemite99 · Joined: 23 Mar 2009

ok, so I should have known people would take the piss... "cheap smokes" I really want to know. Is it really just the girls and the free apartments?? As a straight girl, the 'chicks' dont really do it for me. Cheers Aelric for your list... I appreciate it.

roadwork · Joined: 24 Nov 2008 Location: Goin' up the country

It's a slacker's paradise. The work isn't difficult if you do some preparation, the kids are funny if you can get the right activity for them, the food is good, the housing is free and like someone else said: It's close to China, Japan and SE Asia.

It's easy money. Even easier if you rack up the private lessons, but I live in a small town and everyone would know about it so I don't do that.

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

Housing is not free for English teachers in Korea. You work for that house. It's part of your compensation for the job you do. That's why you can get housing allowance if you don't want the apartment provided.

For years I've heard teachers gush about how great it is to get "free" housing......I've never understood how it could be seen as "free".

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

caniff · Joined: 03 Feb 2004 Location: All over the map

Zantetsuken · Joined: 21 Dec 2008

Juregen · Joined: 30 May 2006

agoodmouse · Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Location: Anyang

Sometimes it feels like one day in Korea is equal to 4 days in America. Time goes by so quickly here.

Underwaterbob · Joined: 08 Jan 2005 Location: In Cognito

Sure, the apartment is not technically free, but after dealing with multiple crooked landlords back home, I'm really glad they do the finding and the wheeling and the dealing because I'm fed up with it.

The thing that keeps me here is simply that I have enough free time to pursue my real interests outside of work, and it turns out I actually like teaching as well.

frankhenry · Joined: 13 Mar 2007

cubanlord · Joined: 08 Jul 2005 Location: In Japan!

OP,

for me, it is the fact that I get a good salary and so much vacation time, however, that isn't what most people have.

Also, I get to spend a lot of time with the wife which is something that I may not have been able to while in the US (well not this much anyways).

I can definitely see how it could be hard for some that are here, alone, in the middle of no where, ....