Korean Job Discussion Forums

[nuernbergw]

I am currently considering a contract for a public elementary school in Gimpo.
Does anyone know much about the city? What is like living or working there? How easy is it to get to Seoul or Incheon? Any specific culture points to be aware of? Any info would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

[kimdeal54]

Do you know what specific part of Gimpo you'd be living in? It's not very big, but it stretches to the north west along the Han River, and the reason I ask is because if you're in the very northern part, it'd be more difficult to get into Seoul or Incheon. However, if you're closer to the southern part, you'd be a short bus ride to Gyeyang subway station, which would make your life significantly better. I'm only familiar with this area, and there's not much to tell... it's no different from most parts of Incheon.

[crisdean]

As said suggested above where you are in Gimpo will make a difference, which school is it? I know several of them, and for the most part they treat their teachers quite well, though when I was there most of the teachers I knew (as well as myself) were the first foreign English teacher the school had ever had, so that may have had something to do with it.

Area-wise Gimpo is actually fairly large, and the further west you go the more rural it becomes and the more inconvenient it is to get out of. But the eastern part isn't that bad, a handful of express buses into the heart of Seoul, several local buses that get you into the western districts of Seoul (basically along the western part of subway line 5), and a few buses to neighbouring Incheon and Goyang.

[nuernbergw]

This is so helpful, thank you very much. The contract I have is with Gimposeo Elementary School, and I'm not sure where it is exactly.. Are either of you familiar with this school or its location?

[Xuanzang]

It's pretty far out West. Copy and paste this into Google maps and you'll see where it is: 김포서초등학교

[crisdean]

It's in Gamjeong-dong, which isn't really that far out (my school was further out than that). But you will likely need to take more than one bus to get into Seoul (unless, they get you an apartment in a different part of Gimpo, like I had). When I was there 12 of us lived in the same building in Sau-dong but we worked all over the place in Gimpo some of us had a 40+ minute bus ride to school everyday, others a 2 minute walk, from Sau-dong it was pretty easy to get into Seoul. But if I would have lived out in Tongjin-eup where my school was, it would have been sigfinicantly more than an hour trek just to get into Seoul, let alone get anywhere worth going. The school name sounds familar, I probably I knew one of the former teachers but I'm uncertain.