Korean Job Discussion Forums

kswords · Joined: 09 Apr 2009 Location: eugene, oregon

Hi folks, I have been offered a job at Muhak Elementary in Masan.
I had a placement in Jinju but the current teacher decided to stay at the last minute and I got left in the dust. Apparently there are no more open elementary positions in Jinju or Changwon, which I would really prefer.

I have read posts about Masan that are generally not positive overall. Is there anything positive anyone can say about the city? Has anyone worked at Muhak Elementary or does anyone know anyone that works there?

Should I just do it or wait and hope something opens up in Jinju or Changwon? Or is thatr unlikely anytime soon?

Any help appreciated, I thought I had things figured out and now I'm just frustrated and confused.

Thank you!

Ramen · Joined: 15 Apr 2008

Stay away from Masan PS. That's all I got to say.

kswords · Joined: 09 Apr 2009 Location: eugene, oregon

Hey Ramen could you elaborate a bit? pretty please

I really don't have any other option in Korea....and I am sooo done with my job here....

Chet Wautlands · Joined: 11 Oct 2008

I don't know the school, but Masan is pretty much part of Changwon. So, if you can't work in Changwon, Masan is right next door.

blonde researcher · Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 7:18 pm Post subject:

Please check if the job is a real public school vacancy with the office of education EPIK contract, or just an after school program run inside the school by another company. Give us the contract offer details and pay offer etc.
Masans fine by the way and like the other poster said, pretty well attched to Changwon, just a lot more older buildings there

katepult · Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 8:53 pm Post subject:

I used to live in Masan and really liked it. It has one of the best English-speaking foreign communities that I've encountered in Korea. I've lived in 4 different cities.

Masan has some good foreign bars; Jazz, which I think is near the university, and Joyce's, in Chang-dong. I didn't go much to Jazz when I lived there because it was further away from my house, but when I was visiting a Masan friend recently, it was much better than Joyce's. Masan has a Shinsegae department store and a few of the big marts - Emart and Homeplus. The bus system is good (Korean bus systems usually are) and it's convenient to get to Changwon and Busan. They are both about 40 minutes away.

I'd consider living in Masan again. I've still got a friend living there whose been there for 5 years.

I don't know anything about public schools in Masan, though. I work at a public school now in Gyeonggi-do, but it's GEPIK, not EPIK and I'm not sure about the differences.

Ramen · Joined: 15 Apr 2008

As other posters said, masan isn't a bad place to live. However, working for the PS royally sucks. The education office is funded by the city government and they just bend and twist the contract as they see fit.

kswords · Joined: 09 Apr 2009 Location: eugene, oregon

when did you work for a ps school in masan ramen?
i heard some teachers were almost screwed out of their return airfare in 2007 but they fought back and eventually got it.

BS.Dos. · Joined: 29 Mar 2007

I must admit that I have noticed a disproportionate amount of negative Masan PS post on here over the last 12-months or so. I've know idea what's going on down there, but the city itself is okay. I'm guessing that it can't all be bad though. For a city of 400,000 there must a pretty good spread of FTs down there. I can't imagine that they're all having a rotten time of it.