Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Hello]

Hello... from Hello!

Here's my story.

I've been teaching at a small rural school near Seoul for a few years now. At first, the job wasn't all that bad, but not all that good either. A new principal comes in and suddenly things change for the better, much better. However, that didn't last long. That principal switched school as soon as possible and now the new principal, being as nice as can be, has too many unrealistic hopes and demands, and tries too much to please parents by seemingly agreeing with whatever they suggest to improve the English curriculum in our school. To make a long story short the job keeps getting worse, so I think it's time for me to look for another school.

I don't mind rural schools at all. I think it's actually much nicer to get a better relatioship with the students; on the other hand, I wouldn't mind going to a bigger school and have a coteacher. I've only been in either hagwons or small rural public elementary schools. What I do mind is the location. I'd like to find a school located anywhere between Seoul and the Guri/Namyangju area or Seoul and the Hanam/Gwangju area. I want to take the housing allowance and find my own place in Seoul; that's why. Also, that's why I mind about the location of the school because I'd like to find a school that's not far from the bus routes from Seoul; not everywhere in those cities/areas is likely to be good for me.

Is it better for me to contact GEPIK with that kind of request? Should I go directly to the GEPIK supervisor of each area and ask if they have any openings? Would it be better for me to go to schools in person? Are recruiters any good for that (never used any to get myself a job)?

What worries me is that if I contact anyone within GEPIK, or even a recruiter working for GEPIK, then my school might hear about it and then decide to find a new teacher. So far, they want me to stay there, so I'd like to make sure I have a new school before I tell my current one that I will not remain with them ... if and when it happens.

Any constructive piece of advice is more than welcome and appreciated. Thank you!

[cyui]

Is there some particular reason you would want to be in Hanam/Gwangju?

They aren't the worse places' in the world but I think Guri would probably

have the most action ( not sure about Namjanju).

[Hello]

I just want to work in one of those areas, not live there.

I want to live in Seoul, so that's why I'm thinking either Guri/Namyangju or Hanam/Gwangju because they are relatively close to Seoul (depending on the school's location, of course) and that way I could commute without too much trouble. It's not really relevant to me if one place is boring while the other has more action, since I usually wouldn't be around there after work anyway.

[ttompatz]

If you are interested in Hanam/Gwangju, go to the office and talk to the supervisor (he does speak English).

It is right across the street from the bus garage / terminus for (Gyeonggi) Gwangju so you can get there by any number of buses.

I know for a fact that you can catch the #17 bus from Moran station (although it takes about an hour) and the last stop is right in front of the city education office.

.

[cmr]

I thought the supervisor for Hanam/Gwangju was a woman, no?

I just thought about something. Could there be more than one supervisor in Gwangju, depending on the location of a school within Gwangju?

[cyui]

Doesn't #17 go to taejean-dong ( not downtown gwangju)?

[Hello]

Thanks for the tip, ttompatz!

I appreciate all the good advice and help I can get.

[cyui]

CMR?!When did you live in Gwangju?

[cmr]

[definitely maybe]

I would also choose Guri, followed by Hanam, then a toss up between Gwangju and Namyangju. To be honest, I wouldn't consider Namyangju or Gwangju.

[Hello]

[cyui]

I would avoid Gwanjgu/Hanam, as there are some very wierd wierd people that reside there. Oh, and they really don't like foreingers', either.
I got into to trouble with this horrible horrible director and NOT ONE single person would help me,they said it was because I was a foreinger and that we all behave like monkeys', so we all should be living in Africa instead of Korea.

Stupid.

[definitely maybe]

[Hello]

Hey, definitely maybe! (I really like your nick, by the way. Quite original.)

I can't say I'm very familiar with Namyangju because whenever I went there it was always in the same area (Lotte Square... sort of) but I didn't think it too far to commute from Technomart or even Jamsil. To answer your question, I'll be living nearby Cheonho/Gangdong stations. There are bus routes going to either areas I'm interested in, but as you mentioned about Namyangju being spread out, so is Gwangju and I believe Hanam is too, so the school's actual location matters more to me than the city since I won't live there anyway.

Cyui, it seems like you really had a hard time. I worked at a hagwon in Hanam maybe 5 years ago and didn't have the kind of experience you had. At the time, though, I was working in Hanam and living in Seoul, so I wouldn't have met anyone in Hanam anyway except my students. Event my coworkers and the hagwon's owner lived in Seoul.

I've got my winter camp until the end of this month, then I guess I'll have some free time to go check out schools in person if I can find anything good... hopefully. I'm just scared that if I go anywhere they may contact my current school (where they still want/expect me to teach next school year) for references or whatever and then I end up having nothing at all. I got screwed twice by being "too honest", so now I prefer to keep things down until I'm sure of what I've got.

[masada]

Reviving an old thread - so I had a similar question. I want to live in Hanam-si due to having some family in this area and a cousin I hang out with quite frequently (half-Korean). I really enjoy the area since it's relatively peaceful and has plenty of things to offer.
Only concern is that, it seems awfully difficult to find a job specifically in this town. So I was wondering what people's suggestions are for commuting to another nearby city to work. Would Guri be the best choice?

TL;DR
I want to live in Hanam, but work is difficult to find there. Where is the nearest city I could find work traveling from Hanam?