Korean Job Discussion Forums

[hellofaniceguy]

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/10/113_74651.html

Got to be desperate looking teachers to accept such a shameful amount.

[northway]

They're not teachers. They're not even college graduates. If there's a way to get some school credit for it, it's a pretty sweet gig actually. Get paid $1,200 a month for six months or a year of school during which you don't actually have to go to school?

[interestedinhanguk]

[northway]

[ldh2222]

[InDaGu]

[northway]

[Poker]

Talk teachers get paid less also due to them not having degrees. Can't compare apples and kimchi.

[Steelrails]

OP was grinding the axe without knowing the details or apparently without having talked to a TaLKer.

Well as someone who actually has known and talked to over a dozen TaLK scholars I think I can speak up for their experiences.

TaLk Scholars are essentially paid interns. They are college students who are still enrolled. Many are education majors or are gyopos "checking out the homeland". They are here for supplementary experience and to live overseas.

They are paid 1.5 million with free rent. They also get a "cultural experience" allowance of around 100,000 or so per month I believe. They also receive 1 month's training and are taken around on paid field trips to experience life in Korea. They have to teach only 3-4 hours per day at public schools and do not have to go into work until around noon or 1PM and leave at 5 like everyone else. One stipulation is that they have to teach in the rural areas. I also believe they get free round-trip airfare. For TaLk you initially do 6 months or 1 year with the option to extend for up to a total of two years.

Far from being desperate TaLK scholars are actually here for the experience as much as for the money. Most are very positive outgoing people. They are quite happy with the terms they get. This is purely anecdotal but ALL of the TaLK scholars in my area (around 15) have had an absolutely amazing time and many talk about wanting to return to Korea. TaLKers tend to spend their time touring the country doing things like Temple Stays, visiting beaches, hiking, meeting up with other TaLKers form their training and partying, going to concerts and other things. Since most are young they still have optimism about life and aren't here as a last resort (not that other NETs here aren't like that as well). Almost always they are up for trying something new and are not trying to desperately recapture home. For many this is as much a paid-vacation as a paid-internship.

Some of the downers of the program are the fact that you have to write a butt-kissing essay and get paid 500,000 won per month less. Also they don't have health insurance, instead they work on a reimbursement system. Also once a semester (or more) they have to do meet-ups and go on mind-numbing tours of some temple or see Nanta or something. Of course the major downside is being stuck in Tinytown, Korea with nothing to do. Also in the small towns they become friends with the other NETs, who unlike them, we are more likely to stick around for the weekend and not go and spend money and are a "little too old" for the clubbing till 6AM and Edward Fortyhands, or worse they have to deal with one of us trying to recapture our glory days and puking while they carry someone 10 years their elder home.

Some do a very good job. Others are a little lost without their co-teacher and are not comfortable asserting authority. Understandable given their situation. Some of them are gyopos who did things like teach Sunday School back home and therefore have experience dealing with a classroom full of Korean rugrats.

But to portray this as some kind of abusive desperation program couldn't be farther from the truth.

[jvalmer]

[Diqquad]

Steelrails wrote - "Since most are young they still have optimism about life and aren't here as a last resort ."

I wonder what he means by that and why he wrote it?

[hellofaniceguy]

One needs a degree to get a visa...yes? Plus a criminal record check, yes?
Or one can't teach? Yes?
So..immigration can and does change the rules along the way.
Student teachers still need a visa....no mention however as to what type is needed.

[jaybert06]

[sojusucks]

I met one person who enjoyed it and another who didn't. The biggest problem is location. They really do end up in the middle of nowhere. They do get runners, too. Most of them expected to be closer to civilization with nightlife. Also, the salaries are low but most of them don't know enough about the "ESL industry" to realize that they're being paid less than others. But, remember, they look at it as a "summer job" and seem to be happy to get anything.

[northway]