Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jenbannister]

Hello....
I'm looking for input on Siheung City (saying correctly I hope). I have an interview w/a Hagwon there (Jung Chul School) through Planet People recruiter. He said it's near the Oeido Station of the Ansan Subway line.
I am teaching in Bangkok, Thailand, right now, after teaching in rural Isaan, Thailand (way too rural for me...thought I'd give it a shot, couldn't wait to leave the cows and rice fields behind after a few weeks...liked my job, though). I'm from Tahoe & S.F., CA and Boulder, CO, U.S.A.
The neighborhood I live in in BKK is authentic mid to lower class Thai, I guess you could say. It's a long, bus, subway, maybe even taxi-ride to and from anywhere with a foreigner community. There's little to do and I'm totally stir-crazy here amongst the numerous free-way interchanges (I like my job, though).
Basically, I'm just hoping there's a foreigner community, yoga, English bookstores, a decent cup of coffee, a bar/restaurant to chill in with other foreigners when the fancy strikes, nice places to walk/bike, that sort of thing...(might as well throw all the wishes out there, why not reach for the stars). I know no one can tell me whether or not I will like living there but any input would be helpful as well as greatly appreciated.
I'd rather take longer to find a job in an area I'll like than go now and wish I 'woulda known.'
Thanks and happy teaching.
Jen B.

[lifeinkorea]

If it's near Oido, it's kinda far, but not too bad. You'll be able to make weekend trips to Seoul.

However, there is another "siheung", now known as "Geumcheon-gu office" Station.

You can find both at http://www.nsubway.co.kr/korea/seoul/seoulsubwaymapen.htm

Look for lines 1 and 4 in the lower right

[climber159]

Oido is at the end of the light blue subway line. Not all trains use it as their terminus, so you can expect to wait for the subway train for quite a while sometimes. Your trip into central Seoul will take you close to two hours, or longer if you have to take a bus to Oido station before hopping onto the subway.

The area you're inquiring about, while not exactly rural, isn't really pleasant, clean, or convenient for much. It's a fairly industrial area with a lot of factories and fishing. There are plenty of foreigners from China and southeast Asia, so finding non-Korean food is easy, but you'll need to travel into Seoul for decent Western food.

[Crockpot2001]

Biking in that area is actually pretty good. Road riding out to Deabudo from that area is not too bad and the (islands) are fantastic. The local hiking and MTB riding is excellent.

[Lunar Groove Gardener]

Hold out for Seoul or Busan if you crave a more cosmopolitan experience in comparison to your present locale.
Nothing to impress you in the nightlife or foreign community in Siheung.
You'll need to go to Seoul for the things which you describe wanting.
Dingy, industrial, nondescript and painfully boring seem fair adjectives.
Definite pass for a hagwon gig.

[Clockout]

As a rule of thumb, don't live south of Geumjeong station on line 4.

[jenbannister]

Thanks for the responses, I really appreacite it! They offered me the job, but I can't decide wheter or not to take it. The salary is good (2.4 mil won) I think...it's a Jungchul school and I'm going to wait and look at the contract. Maybe if I lived all the way out there I'd be able to save some money. Slips through my fingers like water in the trendier/more western neighborhoods here in BKK...but then my salary is low compared to S. Korea. Anyway, thanks again

Jen

[Cerberus]

[creesschaef]

I know many people on here aren't too keen on Siheung, but I taught at an elementary school directly across from Oido Station for two years and didn't mind the location all that much. Siheung is quite large, geographically speaking, with tracts of farm land separating the villages. It wasn't uncommon for a bus ride to visit friends in the same city to take around an hour.

As transport is cheap in SK, living at the end of the subway line isn't really too bad. It's does take time to get into Seoul, which can be good for your wallet if you happen to be an impulse buyer. Most trains on the line do terminate at Oido, with a few terminating a few stops away at Ansan Station. Siheung itself doesn't have much in the way of Western amenities, but neighboring Ansan and Bucheon are within a reasonable distance.

When I was there, we had a fairly tight-knit group of English teachers. We found places that, while not Starbucks, made the grade for a decent cup of tea/coffee. The same goes for bars. As you would be a few stops away from Ansan, where yoga is offered in English, I doubt it would be much of a problem. Dependent on where your apartment would be, there are some nice walking/biking trails through the city.

I would find out what village (dong) they plan on housing you in and that would make it easier to give you an idea of what's in your area.

[jenbannister]

For better or worse I'm going.....thanks for the input. *_*

[Rteacher]

I lived in Siheung-si for a couple years when I first came to Korea. It's pretty spread out, but I think that Jungchul academy is in one of the nicer parts - if it's the same place next to where I taught.

I think it's less than 40 miles from Seoul, but if you take a (sometimes scary and usually crowded) bus ride to Ansan Station to connect with the subway (line 4) you will be going out of the way, and the trip to Seoul takes over two hours.

If you take a bus to Bucheon station (and line1) the bus ride is longer, but you're at least going in the right direction and it takes about an hour and 20 minutes.

Although I didn't mind staying in Siheung during the week, I found I needed to go into Seoul most every weekend.

[watergirl]

so I live in Shiheung. i find there is a close knit foreign community in shihueng and neighboring Ansan. Most are members of this facebook group 'i'm new to ansan or shiheung'. It will take a bit to find people in your area who you like. lol.

Shiheung is spread out so it really depends where yu live and its best if you can walk to the subway station. In Ansan there are starbucks, alots of western wall marts like stores where you can find many non-korean products, 'Homeplus' or 'Emart' and quite a few foreign restaurants but they are not all together in the same area.

the drawback is that it is a commute to Seoul but I find it ok once you get to know people, we take the subway in and split a taxi back about $40

I've considered moving but I've heard that foreigners in Seoul tend not to be as cohesive. I don't know if this is true though.

Anyways, it depends where in Shiheung you will live. One part of shiheung is closer to 'Bucheon' and the other is closer to 'Ansan'. 'If you'll be close to Ansan, you can mess me and I'll send you the spots where everyone goes etc..

[noobteacher]

Great info about Sihueng-si! Does anybody happen to know about the Eunhang-dong area?

[GENO123]

not as much fun as Seoul

[jenbannister]

So I''ve been here in Neunggok-dong for two weeks now..the school is great, the director amazing, the apartment stellar...the air & streets are clean and I appreciate that after BKK (not that I didn't love it anyway). Now that I've acclimated a little I'd like to go out and about (Ansan, esp.) and meet folks and find 'stuff to do'...and, I'm in dire need of a local bus map and can't find one on-line yet so help me out if you know.
I can't P.M. 'cuz I haven't made 25 posts yet....Happy New Year!
Jen