Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ekin]

Hello everyone
I came back from Korea a month ago, I fell in love with the country and its people. After thinking a lot, I decided I want to live and work in Korea so I started looking for jobs. I asked many friends about job opportunities and they said teaching English is a really good option. Since I have about 4 years of teaching experience I decided to give it a go....unfortunately.... I am not eligible for an E2 visa because I hold a passport from another country.

I am pretty sure the authorities don't care that I've been to an American school (in a foreign country) all my life and that I speak English when I'm home. They might also not care that I will have a bachelors degree in 2 months(again, american university, but this time in Boston), all because I do not hold an american/canadian/etc passport.

Is this it? Do I give up? I'm almost certain that the answer is a yes. I am just looking for suggestions since I want to live in Korea.

[Riker]

I'm just curious what country is your passport from?

Also, you could try to get a job with a company doing something besides teaching English. That way you could get a work visa.

[Ekin]

I have a Peruvian passport.
I want to mention that I do no look Peruvian (I think it's important...at least in Korea).
I will get a BS in Economics, so I could probably look for a job related to this, the only problem is that I have no experience in Economics-related jobs

[matthews_world]

Perhaps you wouldn't qualify.

Try JET program in Japan or Westgate works with unis and academies.

Do some research and check the international job forum.

Or you could get your Master's in your field there and do some uni teaching.

At least in Japan you'd be at Korea's doorstep and be able to take vacations here.

[minos]

You can possibly teach spanish.....there is demand for spanish, german, etc. language hagwons. I think it might be legal.


There is the under the table option....but you didn't hear me say that.

[earthquakez]

[hondaicivic]

[Ice Tea]

[hwarangi]

You could look into doing your Masters here. That student visa allows you to work part-time. Also, it is possible to get scholarships. There are plenty of non-native speakers working at all kinds of companies that way.

[earthquakez]

Honda Civic put those quotes of mine in bold to reject them and I will respond.

Personally speaking I find Korea the most xenophobic country I've travelled to or lived in.

You're seeking an argument that will go off topic so I won't be responding apart from - the above opinion is mine and it is shared by many non Koreans who have travelled and lived elsewhere.

Don't take it personally and as I always say to Koreans, in Korea and abroad, curb your talking about drug dealing, child molesting foreigners bringing Aids to the land of the highest IQ.

Those things get no respect from the rest of us and in fact contribute to making you look like laughing stocks esp when your own society has a lot of social problems like the low age of consent, downlow gay activitiy because of denial of gay/ bi behaviour and the normality of paid sex for married men.

Korean society generally produces attitudes towards non Koreans that are a mix of feelings of insecurity

Yes this is often the big sticking point for foreigners. It produces many encounters with 'Why you hate Korea?' over trivial things, lectures on how Koreans invented almost everything, how Koreans have suffered more than anybody else, and are also not recognised for their invention of most things, their genius and their high IQs.

These are not the harmful attitudes I mentioned before but they certainly do show insecurity, and often from Koreans I thought were more educted than that.

Throw in a tendency to even now teach Korean students a racialist based theory of 'blood' and innate superiority in the education system, which explains a lot of why Korean govt bodies and politicians spend time on giving credibility to organisations that in other countries would be listed as hate groups or fringe groups

Yes the Anti English Spectrum certainly couldn't exist with Government approval as the Anti Korean (or put any other group's name there) Spectrum in western democracies. As you seem to never have noticed, western countries have had to absorb often rapidly as in the UK's case, people from countries and cultures completely different in a relatively short space of time.

Many groups exist to promote multiculturalism with Govt approval and taxpayer funding. In Korea groups that feel threatened by non Koreans who mostly can get one year visas at a time get the Govt approval. They even have a say in policy making.

In the US Koreans and everybody are free to live in their own enclaves if they prefer and I haven't heard of any Koreans regularly being identified as a threat to Americans and having new visa laws enacted against them because of the human trafficking operations and visa violations that regularly come up as being a problem among certain Koreans.

And when you consider how few foreigners are in Korea and how limited their legal rights and permission to stay are yet there is so much media bashing of them and racist groups pi3sing in the Govt's ear about them, then that just proves what many of us say about Korean attitudes that are promoted as normal.

That's the end of my response to Honda Civic.

[marsavalanche]

OP, for what it's worth I want to point out I've taught in Korea (Seoul) and 100% disagree with everything earthquakez says. Korea is a great place to live and work. I actually think the opposite of him/her, I would never visit Korea for tourism but in terms of living/working it's better than anywhere else I've ever traveled. I could go over the benefits but I'm sure you already know them. Keep in mind on these forums most of the people are worn out and bitter ESL teachers that are constantly negative towards those who come here seeking answers and this thread is no different.

Korea is a great place to be, unfortunately I don't think you qualify for an E2 but if you loved it here when you visited, you will definitely love living/working here. If I didn't like it so much I wouldn't be here, plain and simple. Just giving you a second opinion, something Dave's needs more of with all of the negativity flooding the place.

[earthquakez]

Have you found a new job yet? I recall most of your posts the last few months were about posting atrocious contracts you were offered and asking us if they were okay. Then finding out yet another school you thought you were going to work at was in effect a bottom ranked exploitation factory. How's the job hunt going?

[marsavalanche]

[earthquakez]

Truly - I hope you didn't sign any of those dreadful contracts you asked for help with. Are you even in Korea now? In January this year you said you were going home. Just wondering.

I recall a thread where you asked for help in taking the train to Daejon, how to buy a ticket etc. Check out the E Bo Young Talking Club if it's still there. I met a person a few years ago who worked there and they sound a lot like you. They had an 'interesting' time. Good luck!

[Ekin]

Thank you for all of your answers.
As for the E2 Visa, I know I'm not eligible.

minos:
I am aware of under the table options, but I don't want to go there without a job. I want to have a job secured, and yes, I could teach Spanish, unfortunately I've only had 1 year of experience teaching Spanish to 25~60 year olds.

earthquakez:
It's not that I just love the country. I also have a Korean girlfriend and we've been together for over 3 years already. One of my primary objectives is to learn the language. I know a lot about Korean culture, trust me I'm also aware that sometimes, some things seem unfair. As for the Peruvian background, I know that is a problem. Attaching a picture to a resume or an application will help me there (racism in Korea...I know, sad but true).

Ice Tea: I know I am leaving behind a huge house in Peru. Or my nice apartment in Boston, but this is very important for me.

hwarangi:
Probably one of the best solutions, but that means I would need to apply now. I will consider that.

I still welcome all suggestions and comments, be it bad or good.
As I said to minos, I could teach Spanish, but I couldn't find anything in Google, just people saying things like "I want to work in Korea teaching Spanish"