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Mila
Joined: 09 Aug 2011 Location: USA
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Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 1:35 pm Post subject: Good reasons for seoul? |
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I know public schools like people who are flexible with location, but how do I let them know I'm adamant about teaching in Seoul? My personal reason is because my boyfriend is currently living there. But I don't think I should tell them that. So what are good reasons I can say on the interview that they will like?
p.s. I traveled to a few provinces in Korea before and I liked Seoul best. Should I mention this?
Thank you |
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EvilGiraffe
Joined: 24 Aug 2011 Location: United States
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Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 5:20 pm Post subject: |
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Maybe they'll respect the real reason more if you say fiancee instead of boyfriend.  |
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rainism
Joined: 13 Apr 2011
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Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 5:34 pm Post subject: Re: Good reasons for seoul? |
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Mila wrote: |
I know public schools like people who are flexible with location, but how do I let them know I'm adamant about teaching in Seoul? My personal reason is because my boyfriend is currently living there. But I don't think I should tell them that. So what are good reasons I can say on the interview that they will like?
p.s. I traveled to a few provinces in Korea before and I liked Seoul best. Should I mention this?
Thank you |
you're looking at this the wrong way. What's important is WHERE in Seoul your hubby lives. You're highly unlikely to get a gig in the immediate vicinity or same hood. Depending on where in Seoul he lives it may take you less time to get there from one of the satellite cities. If you live on opposite parts of the city, a satellite city will be same time/distance or better.
(e.g. Bundang to Gangnam) |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 5:58 pm Post subject: Re: Good reasons for seoul? |
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rainism wrote: |
Mila wrote: |
I know public schools like people who are flexible with location, but how do I let them know I'm adamant about teaching in Seoul? My personal reason is because my boyfriend is currently living there. But I don't think I should tell them that. So what are good reasons I can say on the interview that they will like?
p.s. I traveled to a few provinces in Korea before and I liked Seoul best. Should I mention this?
Thank you |
you're looking at this the wrong way. What's important is WHERE in Seoul your hubby lives. You're highly unlikely to get a gig in the immediate vicinity or same hood. Depending on where in Seoul he lives it may take you less time to get there from one of the satellite cities. If you live on opposite parts of the city, a satellite city will be same time/distance or better.
(e.g. Bundang to Gangnam) |
Very true. Living in Anyang, I can get to most of the west side of Seoul, particularly stuff north of the river, faster than people living in some of the nicer areas on the southeast side of Seoul, i.e. Yangjae. If you tell us where exactly your boyfriend is living we can give more concrete advice.
As for not wanting to tell recruiters/schools about your boyfriend, so long as you're not gay I don't think there would really be any problem in informing them. The mere fact that you're adamant about living in Seoul is much more of an issue when finding your first job than the reasons you have for wanting to live there (and honestly, a boyfriend is a much more legit reason than the easy access to party locales that draw most people). |
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Mila
Joined: 09 Aug 2011 Location: USA
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Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 7:00 pm Post subject: |
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So you're suggesting I just tell them about my boyfriend? Doesn't it seem unprofessional? Another reason for being adamant about Seoul is because I know the subway and bus routes well there. So I guess a bit of familiarity away from home.
And he lives in the Anam area in Seoul. |
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Zyzyfer

Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
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Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 8:41 pm Post subject: |
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Mila wrote: |
So you're suggesting I just tell them about my boyfriend? Doesn't it seem unprofessional? Another reason for being adamant about Seoul is because I know the subway and bus routes well there. So I guess a bit of familiarity away from home.
And he lives in the Anam area in Seoul. |
Well what would be a professional response? All I could think of is saying you are renting an apartment in Seoul on a long lease or something.
And Anam? Ouch! Line 6 doesn't exactly scream hello to the suburbs. |
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koreatimes
Joined: 07 Jun 2011
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Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 8:55 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: |
Another reason for being adamant about Seoul is because I know the subway and bus routes well there. |
That doesn't make any sense. Familiarity is breeding contempt? |
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oujibdelamere
Joined: 31 Aug 2011 Location: Belgium
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Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 12:29 am Post subject: |
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So these satellite cities -- are they more or less suburbs/urban sprawl? How long does it take to get downtown?
For comparison: I used to live in west Tokyo. People who lived downtown called it 'the boonies' but it wasn't, really -- it just wasn't literally smack in the middle of downtown. Train to downtown took 40 minutes, or up to an hour if you were going deep into the city.
Is it a similar deal with these satellite cities? Which ones / which neighbourhoods are recommended? |
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rainism
Joined: 13 Apr 2011
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Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 2:42 am Post subject: |
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oujibdelamere wrote: |
So these satellite cities -- are they more or less suburbs/urban sprawl? How long does it take to get downtown?
For comparison: I used to live in west Tokyo. People who lived downtown called it 'the boonies' but it wasn't, really -- it just wasn't literally smack in the middle of downtown. Train to downtown took 40 minutes, or up to an hour if you were going deep into the city.
Is it a similar deal with these satellite cities? Which ones / which neighbourhoods are recommended? |
see map.
Your nightlife/party spots in Seoul are Hongdae, Itaewon and Gangnam (akpujoeng close to gangnam, sinchon close to hongdae)
Anyang means you're about 35-45 mins away from Hongdae by train. About an hour to Itaewon.. probably around 45 mins to Gangnam
(anyang peeps can correct me on this)
Bundang means you're 30 mins away from Gangnam (possibly less now with new line built), but probably an hour away from Hongdae/Itaewon.
(bundang peeps can correct me)
Ilsan/Bucheon means you're close to Hongdae and Itaewon but further away from Gagnam. |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 3:09 pm Post subject: |
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rainism wrote: |
oujibdelamere wrote: |
So these satellite cities -- are they more or less suburbs/urban sprawl? How long does it take to get downtown?
For comparison: I used to live in west Tokyo. People who lived downtown called it 'the boonies' but it wasn't, really -- it just wasn't literally smack in the middle of downtown. Train to downtown took 40 minutes, or up to an hour if you were going deep into the city.
Is it a similar deal with these satellite cities? Which ones / which neighbourhoods are recommended? |
see map.
Your nightlife/party spots in Seoul are Hongdae, Itaewon and Gangnam (akpujoeng close to gangnam, sinchon close to hongdae)
Anyang means you're about 35-45 mins away from Hongdae by train. About an hour to Itaewon.. probably around 45 mins to Gangnam
(anyang peeps can correct me on this)
Bundang means you're 30 mins away from Gangnam (possibly less now with new line built), but probably an hour away from Hongdae/Itaewon.
(bundang peeps can correct me)
Ilsan/Bucheon means you're close to Hongdae and Itaewon but further away from Gagnam. |
You got it backwards, as most foreigners in Anyang live on Line 4, not Line 1. Itae is about 45 minutes from Pyeongchon/Beomgye, 55 minutes from Hongdae (Sangsu), 35-40 minutes from Gangnam. |
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Malislamusrex
Joined: 01 Feb 2010
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Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 3:38 pm Post subject: |
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I would want double the money to live in Seoul, it's too crowded and not all that much to do. |
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oujibdelamere
Joined: 31 Aug 2011 Location: Belgium
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Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 8:13 am Post subject: |
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rainism, northway
So I can assume that 'satellite city' more or less means suburb. Thanks for the names; will go deeper into google maps and get the lie of the land. |
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wishfullthinkng
Joined: 05 Mar 2010
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Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 5:40 pm Post subject: |
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Malislamusrex wrote: |
I would want double the money to live in Seoul, it's too crowded and not all that much to do. |
don't listen to people like this. if you have trouble finding something to do in seoul then you must be a boring and cautious individual. |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 7:05 pm Post subject: |
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oujibdelamere wrote: |
rainism, northway
So I can assume that 'satellite city' more or less means suburb. Thanks for the names; will go deeper into google maps and get the lie of the land. |
Yes, but not exactly; Seoul's satellite cities are really cities in their own right. Suwon is a "satellite city", yet has over a million inhabitants. Greater Anyang (which was meant to be combined into one city and essentially operates as a single entity) has over a million people. Goyang also has over a million, and Seongnam has nearly a million. They lack some of the options of Seoul in regards to foreign food, museums, and nightlife, but they're huge cities built of mostly high-rise construction, a far cry from the type of suburbs we see in the West. |
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oujibdelamere
Joined: 31 Aug 2011 Location: Belgium
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Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 3:58 am Post subject: |
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Quote: |
Yes, but not exactly; Seoul's satellite cities are really cities in their own right. |
So they are definitely their own city -- let's say I was living in one of these cities and decided to go into downtown Seoul for amusement/shopping/etc. From the above, it would take somewhere between 30-60 minutes depending on start point / end point.
Would I be seeing rural spaces, paddyfields, and similar? Or do they bleed into each other in one large urban mass? Are the trains connecting these places more like metropolitan commuter trains ?
Example 1: train journey of 40 minutes between Antwerp and Brussels here in Belgium. Small country, small cities. You will quickly leave the urban setting and be in fields and countryside and cow territory.
vs.
Example 2: train journey of 40 minutes from Chofu to Shibuya in Tokyo. Chofu is part of the greater metropolitan area ; Shibuya is central. You'll take commuter trains starting with a small branch line and switching til you get to a central line. It will be a solid urban habitat the whole way.
I assume that the Korean experience is more similar to example 2. I know that newbies are discouraged from obsessing over living in Seoul. I just want to get an idea of how the city and its surrounds work, if you see what I mean. I don't need to live in the exact centre, but I would like to be near enough to enjoy it. |
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