Korean Job Discussion Forums

[teatoast]

Hi everyone, I'm looking for some information or advice.

I'm hoping to teach in Korea from February 2012 and have been considering applying through the EPIK programme. My partner is planning a year's travelling (also starting from February) and it would suit us both if he could start his trip by spending a month or so with me before moving on. We both live in the UK and it would be hugely helpful if we could fly out together, but I'm aware that there is a compulsory training seminar with EPIK that would make this more difficult as I'd be attending it and he wouldn't.

Therefore, I have the following questions: Is it possible to get a public school job that is not through EPIK and so doesn't have the required seminar? Also, does anyone who's been in a similar situation have any idea as to whether I'll be permitted a house guest for a few weeks in my apartment or whether I should even mention it?

(Please note: him not being able to fly out with me isn't a dealbreaker, if non-EPIK jobs aren't happening I'll apply to EPIK as planned and he'll come out later on...I just don't want to make any decisions without knowing all of the options first!)

Any advice is hugely appreciated, thanks guys.

[Modernist]

I have one of the fairly uncommon PS jobs not run through EPIK. There are some number of these around, the largest by far was GEPIK, in Gyeonggi Province, but their budget cuts have made them not hire anyone until maybe March.

The others are run either through Provinces, like Jeollanam, some of the big Metropolitan Cities, like Ulsan, and occasionally a smaller city. These programs are usually quite small and don't advertise. Most of them use only one or two trusted recruiters to fill their slots. Depending on where you want to be [north or south, bigger city or rural], you would deal with different people.

My program does actually have the required 1-week orientation, I think you'd find that almost every PS position will have something like this. But since I started outside the normal time, I had to wait 3 months to do mine.

As for the guest thing, a useful tip about living in Korea is to tell your school as little as possible about your personal life. Unless they need to know, and they almost never do, don't tell them anything. It's not their concern who is or isn't in your apartment as long as it doesn't affect your teaching. IF you tell them anyway, expect to be informed that you are not permitted long-term guests, especially not of the 'partner' variety.

FYI, you will more than likely be housed in a 1-room type place, like a studio, with a tiny bathroom and essentially zero privacy. Before you make a plan to live with someone else for a month, be sure you can handle dealing with each other in a very small space.

[teatoast]

Thanks very much for the response, that's exactly what I was looking for.

I've spoken to the recruiter I want to go with and have decided to go through EPIK...if I get the job I'll fly out and settle in and if I deem the place acceptable to have a guest for a little while then my partner can come join me (we already live in a shoebox flat and work together so I can see it being OK short term...plus if anything goes awry he can start his travelling early )

Thanks again, I appreciate the help x