Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jeremydc808]

Hey everyone, I have been told to research areas and schools with in GEPIK but can't seem to find info other than a few mentions in random threads here and http://gepikteachers.wetpaint.com/page/School+Review.

If anyone has experience with a specific GEPIK school, please post here. General info like school name, coteacher experience, and other info like western food stores would be awesome!

[iggyb]

It is a waste of time.

Principles, VPs, and teachers are rotated about every five years.

Even if Koreans would not get annoyed about information being posted on a site like this, and most would, it wouldn't tell you much of anything about a particular school, because people come and go every year.

It is just part of the Korean school system.

[jeremydc808]

Thanks for the straight up reply. I figure I might as well do what I initially thought. To try and request schools with good locations in terms of social life, western food, and shopping. Just hope for the best

[sulperman]

[iggyb]

You also don't get to pick a school - or even pick what level (elementary, middle or high school) - or what city.

You don't find out where you are going until after you've gotten here.

There really isn't a need to try to get ahead of the game by trying to get specifics.

Just rest comfortable that public school jobs are generally safer than the hakwons...

Korea is a compact place with sizable cities not far away even if you were with EPIK and placed in a rural area. Transportation is plentiful and fairly cheap. Gyeonggi is the most populated area. You'll find Western food easily. Supermarkets to buy food to cook yourself. And so on.

Life in Korea is fairly routine as long as you don't land in public school with a hardcase admin or co-teacher - and that appears to be less chancy than landing in a bad hakwon that will make life tough...

[YTMND]

[jeremydc808]

Thanks guys, my Korvia recruiter said to research schools and cities that I would prefer.

[iggyb]

I guess I'm wrong. I didn't think schools (that are under GEPIK, EPIK, or SMOE) did direct hires or direct hiring through recruiters -- perhaps at least not unless a hole came up at a school after the start of a semester.

I seem to remember the applications let you rank cities (or provinces with EPIK) where you'd like to work with the understanding you could end up anywhere.

I know there are a handful of places like global high school that recruite for themselves, but I thought it was only a rare number that did that.

-- But anyway, the point about the turnover rate at schools still holds.

[viciousdinosaur]

Things have changed for GEPIK. Schools use recruiters and hire for themselves now.

GEPIK is dead, isn't it? Someone correct me on this if I'm wrong, but I figured it was kow-towed after the province refused to fund it.

[iggyb]

I don't know. I guess things are in flux right now, and I guess the changes in how GEPIK is recruiting reflect the budget concerns from the Spring.

Last I read, the provincial board that handles funding did cut out the entire NSET budget, but the education board - and I'm guessing others - vowed to keep as much of the program running as possible by shifting around money from elsewhere.

It would make sense that under these budgetary conditions, individual schools that want to keep a NSET on staff would be allowed to recruit them directly if they have to move money around to do it.

But I haven't been keeping up with the news in Korea since the summer started...

[iggyb]

In this case, I guess people can give the OP an idea what areas in the province are preferable.

I'm not as picky as some.

Seongnam is a coveted city among Koreans. Incheon is a port area that I've read some expats complain about but I didn't mind it.

North of Seoul are the military bases and people used to living under the shadow of the North Korean border.

Osan and now Pyeongtaek are big areas for US military bases.

The average expat seems to prefer to be in or close to Seoul where there are places well-known as expat hangouts where people try to prolong their college lifestyles.

If the concern is more general about being able to buy Western food, pretty much any sizable Korean town will do. You'll be able to find places to eat and shop. And it isn't hard to meet other NSETs in them who you can hookup with and plenty of places to drink in your local area. You won't have to make a trip into Seoul on weekends to the expat hot spots unless you really want to.

[Skippy]

Well finding out exact details about schools is next to impossible as well not everything is on the net, language barrier, and time which changes everything.

What you should research is generalities.

Understand the difference between schools. You have the range from Elementary to Middle to High School. Then various types of those. If you are in a higher academic high school versus technical high school. From even countryside school to city. For this really look at yourself and think can you teach this age or people. Elementary can be fun for some. Middle School teen angst can drive some nuts for others.

Next the areas. Cities can be deceiving here in Korea. What some on in the west may think if a large city is actually small. Plus location location location. For example to me a school in Daejeon would be better then a school in the middle of Gangwon province which gets sold as close to Seoul. Really do understand what close means. Look on google maps and try and see how you would go from area to major Seoul area. Unless you plan to get a car or motor bike, you could find yourself sitting on buses or subway at times.

Research the expat community in each area. Look for facebook groups of said area. Each city or big community should maybe have one.

Once again rather then trying to get details, look for the general stuff. Scout around.

[jeremydc808]

Thanks for the first great advice!

[isitts]

[isitts]