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canopykid
Joined: 08 Jan 2010
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 Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 8:38 am Post subject: Out of college ... Korea bound |
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Hello everyone, this is my first post.
I will graduate from Indiana University in June 2010 and plan on teaching English shortly thereafter.
I thought the best way to get quality advice is to see what some people had trouble with or knew of something that really helped them when making their first trip over to Korea.
I have a few Korean friends (from Korea) here at IU and recently visited Korea last summer, but I'd really like to hear what has worked for people as they come over and what has not.
Please do not limit yourself to the topics I'm interested in below:
Good cities.
Good schools.
Transitioning (legal perspective and non-legal).
Day/Week in the life of a teacher.
Any help would be very appreciative.  |
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kinerry
Joined: 01 Jun 2009
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| Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 9:49 am Post subject: Re: Out of college ... Korea bound |
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| canopykid wrote: |
Hello everyone, this is my first post.
I will graduate from Indiana University in June 2010 and plan on teaching English shortly thereafter.
I thought the best way to get quality advice is to see what some people had trouble with or knew of something that really helped them when making their first trip over to Korea.
I have a few Korean friends (from Korea) here at IU and recently visited Korea last summer, but I'd really like to hear what has worked for people as they come over and what has not.
Please do not limit yourself to the topics I'm interested in below:
Good cities.
Good schools.
Transitioning (legal perspective and non-legal).
Day/Week in the life of a teacher.
Any help would be very appreciative. |
Most of that could be the length of a novel, so I would suggest you read up instead.
It's more about your personality, Korea is still a shady place in a lot of areas, but that leaves a lot to find and a lot to experience.
Jeju seems to be the best foreigner community, it's an island and often the top choice of long-term teachers. Newer teachers should stay away though, it's very isolated from the mainland and making any travel plans is a nightmare.
Busan is another great choice, it's on the mainland and has a large foreigner community. Doesn't have the access to things that Seoul does, but has the whole beach thing going on. I'm traveling there in a few months for a shark dive and some jet skiing.
Seoul is usually the best bet for newbs. It's got access to the entire country, a great subway system, and never a dull moment as long as you're looking. Being directly in the city is a matter of opinion, but I would say being in the area is better than the actual city for something like myself. If you like New York, bring located right in Seoul is for you.
You should do some reading, I spend months on here before I came and STILL wasn't prepared when I got here, there's just so much always going and so much to learn. |
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jontpanty
Joined: 14 Oct 2008
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 10:32 am Post subject: |
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| be open-minded and trust your instincts |
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the ireland
Joined: 11 May 2008
Location: korea
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| Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 3:56 pm Post subject: |
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I did absolutely no research, in fact when I heard I was working in a 'private school' I just assumed it was a fee paying school like we have at home, didn't think it was going to be an after school thing.
Everything worked out great for me too. |
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otnemem
Joined: 23 Jul 2009
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| Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 7:45 am Post subject: |
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Use the search function and figure things out. Don't take the negativity here too seriously. In reading up before I came I got progressively more nervous as my departure date approached. But I've loved the first three months I've been here, and I'm working at what should be the bottom of the barrel-the dreaded kinder-elementary hogwan. Don't get me wrong, there are things you need to watch out for when looking for a job in Korea, but every teacher I've met since being here is having a great time.
As far as a place to live, I'm pretty unqualified to give advice, but I really like living in metro Seoul. I still have access to the city whenever I want on the subway or bus, and I'm not sure if I would have met as many new people if I was living in the city; smaller places seem to have more tight nit foreigner communities. Plus I'm probably saving more than I would otherwise.
Do you homework, use you head, and relax, things will work out. |
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redaxe
Joined: 01 Dec 2008
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| Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 7:48 am Post subject: |
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| My advice is to ask more specific questions if you want to get any interesting answers. |
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Old Gil
Joined: 26 Sep 2009
Location: Got out! olleh!
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| Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 8:14 am Post subject: |
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| Go to Shanghai. Not trying to be snide. Way better than Korea. |
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Burndog
Joined: 17 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 8:58 am Post subject: |
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| Yeah....the questions are a little broad. My advice...read up...ignore the negativity on here...and come back with some specific questions. There's a lot on the net about Korea (not just Dave's) and teaching...if you look you'll find loads of stuff. |
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nena
Joined: 19 Nov 2009
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| Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 4:11 am Post subject: |
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Yeah, specific questions are good.
I echo what many have said about ignoring the negativity. There are a lot of horror stories out there, and there are a lot of bitter expats on the board who sometimes give REALLY bad advice.
Backed up with things like, "You should be getting paid FIVE BILLION won per month with those hours!! I know because I've been here for TEN YEARS so I'm an expert" .. Errr.
The market is changing, so, don't limit yourself to just one recruiter or one job offer. Open yourself to tons of offers and compare them side-by-side. |
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hugekebab
Joined: 05 Jan 2008
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| Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 4:40 am Post subject: |
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| nena wrote: |
Yeah, specific questions are good.
I echo what many have said about ignoring the negativity. There are a lot of horror stories out there, and there are a lot of bitter expats on the board who sometimes give REALLY bad advice.
Backed up with things like, "You should be getting paid FIVE BILLION won per month with those hours!! I know because I've been here for TEN YEARS so I'm an expert" .. Errr.
The market is changing, so, don't limit yourself to just one recruiter or one job offer. Open yourself to tons of offers and compare them side-by-side. |
Well, ignoring the negativity is a great way to find yourself a really bad job over here. Listen to the negativity and learn the lessons from it before you find a job here. There are great sides to living here and you should also listen to those parts. But before coming, concentrate on the negatives, because those are the things that will stop you ending up in the hagwon from hell, and believe me, there are tons!
Be sensible and as he says, compare the jobs side by side and also, make sure you go to a school with a number of current (not leaving)foreign teachers and speak to as many of those teachers as possible (beware, the owners will give you the contact details of the 'whipping boy, everything is great' teacher first, who will probably tell you that everything is great.) If they are reticent in giving you other teachers' details it's because they are a bad school. This is a certainty. If they won't pass on teachers' details, don't go.
Insist on photos of the accommodation you will have and get your contract checked out on these boards BEFORE signing.
Make sure you are totally clear on how far you live from the hagwon, how long you are expected to be in school and what area you are living in. I advise you go somewhere near to Seoul for your first job. |
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umpittse
Joined: 13 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2010 6:00 am Post subject: Re: Out of college ... Korea bound |
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| kinerry wrote: |
| canopykid wrote: |
Hello everyone, this is my first post.
I will graduate from Indiana University in June 2010 and plan on teaching English shortly thereafter.
I thought the best way to get quality advice is to see what some people had trouble with or knew of something that really helped them when making their first trip over to Korea.
I have a few Korean friends (from Korea) here at IU and recently visited Korea last summer, but I'd really like to hear what has worked for people as they come over and what has not.
Please do not limit yourself to the topics I'm interested in below:
Good cities.
Good schools.
Transitioning (legal perspective and non-legal).
Day/Week in the life of a teacher.
Any help would be very appreciative. |
Most of that could be the length of a novel, so I would suggest you read up instead.
It's more about your personality, Korea is still a shady place in a lot of areas, but that leaves a lot to find and a lot to experience.
Jeju seems to be the best foreigner community, it's an island and often the top choice of long-term teachers. Newer teachers should stay away though, it's very isolated from the mainland and making any travel plans is a nightmare.
Busan is another great choice, it's on the mainland and has a large foreigner community. Doesn't have the access to things that Seoul does, but has the whole beach thing going on. I'm traveling there in a few months for a shark dive and some jet skiing.
Seoul is usually the best bet for newbs. It's got access to the entire country, a great subway system, and never a dull moment as long as you're looking. Being directly in the city is a matter of opinion, but I would say being in the area is better than the actual city for something like myself. If you like New York, bring located right in Seoul is for you.
You should do some reading, I spend months on here before I came and STILL wasn't prepared when I got here, there's just so much always going and so much to learn. |
I agree. Do lots of reading, but, like above, it still won't prepare you completely. Come with an open mind, be relaxed and patient, and enjoy it! |
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Brooksmatic
Joined: 06 Apr 2008
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2010 5:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Old Gil wrote: |
| Go to Shanghai. Not trying to be snide. Way better than Korea. |
Old Gil, have you lived or worked in Shanghai? |
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Old Gil
Joined: 26 Sep 2009
Location: Got out! olleh!
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| Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2010 6:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Brooksmatic wrote: |
| Old Gil wrote: |
| Go to Shanghai. Not trying to be snide. Way better than Korea. |
Old Gil, have you lived or worked in Shanghai? |
It's. Better. Than. Korea. |
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kinerry
Joined: 01 Jun 2009
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| Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 1:26 am Post subject: |
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| Old Gil wrote: |
| Brooksmatic wrote: |
| Old Gil wrote: |
| Go to Shanghai. Not trying to be snide. Way better than Korea. |
Old Gil, have you lived or worked in Shanghai? |
It's. Better. Than. Korea. |
Funny, 100% of the people that I've talked to that aren't you say it's shit. |
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Old Gil
Joined: 26 Sep 2009
Location: Got out! olleh!
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| Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 3:49 am Post subject: |
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| kinerry wrote: |
| Old Gil wrote: |
| Brooksmatic wrote: |
| Old Gil wrote: |
| Go to Shanghai. Not trying to be snide. Way better than Korea. |
Old Gil, have you lived or worked in Shanghai? |
It's. Better. Than. Korea. |
Funny, 100% of the people that I've talked to that aren't you say it's shit. |
How do you have conversations in between all the savage beatings you're handing out? |
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