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DanseurVertical
Joined: 24 Nov 2010
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 Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 4:59 am Post subject: some advice to prospective teachers in Korea |
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If you're not accustomed to going to bars with your mates or to some Christian church, don't teach in Korea!
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Before moving here I received this advice from a Christian teacher at a Gyeonggi elementary school that'd offered me a position. I'm decidedly not Christian, and I usually feel way out of place at a bar, unless I'm there to drink something rare or a little special.
I acknowledged his advice but judged it didn't apply to me. I thought I was the exception, because (I thought) I had a Korean friend in a nearby city, and (I thought) I could make friends here through rock climbing, as I could do back in North America.
I decided to teach just outside Seoul, at a middle school where I'm the only foreign teacher. Ultimately, I've lived just about completely alone for nine months.
Anymore, I hate Korea and will be simply thankful to leave this place. |
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The Floating World
Joined: 01 Oct 2011
Location: Here
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| Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 5:15 am Post subject: |
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| Learn to do what is expected of you even if it flies in the face of common sense and real results instead of teaching. Lol. |
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DanseurVertical
Joined: 24 Nov 2010
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| Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 5:22 am Post subject: |
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| The Floating World wrote: |
| Learn to do what is expected of you even if it flies in the face of common sense and real results instead of teaching. Lol. |
I don't like the term 'common sense', but yeah, I understand and agree. Still, I didn't post just to create an anti-Korea thread. I think there's some real substance in those two criteria. If you meet neither of them, then don't come here, unless you're a really solid exception (e.g., have a Korean spouse) |
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T-J
Joined: 10 Oct 2008
Location: Seoul EunpyungGu Yeonsinnae
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| Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 5:56 am Post subject: |
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Can't believe you never hooked up with a climbing group. It's a national past time here. Lot's of foreign groups as well.
Good luck on your next adventure.
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Julius
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 6:03 am Post subject: Re: some advice to prospective teachers in Korea |
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| DanseurVertical wrote: |
| going to bars with your mates or to some Christian church... |
That would apply to numerous parts of the world. |
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The Floating World
Joined: 01 Oct 2011
Location: Here
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| Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 6:15 am Post subject: |
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| DanseurVertical wrote: |
| The Floating World wrote: |
| Learn to do what is expected of you even if it flies in the face of common sense and real results instead of teaching. Lol. |
I don't like the term 'common sense', but yeah, I understand and agree. Still, I didn't post just to create an anti-Korea thread. I think there's some real substance in those two criteria. If you meet neither of them, then don't come here, unless you're a really solid exception (e.g., have a Korean spouse) |
Well, it's quantatively normal to come here for adventure, money, travel and not really be bearing those criteria in mind, I didn't and I'm sure many like me and others, came thinking we'd pick up teaching and do the best we could as a kind of secondary, abstract notion (us whom weren't qualified teachers back home.)
And by the very same token, many prospective newbs may read my post and your response and go to sleep and forget it the next day, bouyed on by heady dreams of newness and excitement and thus is as it is and how the ball keeps on rolling.
Take care of yourselves and each other.  |
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DanseurVertical
Joined: 24 Nov 2010
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| Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 7:25 am Post subject: |
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| T-J wrote: |
Can't believe you never hooked up with a climbing group. It's a national past time here. Lot's of foreign groups as well.
Good luck on your next adventure.
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Thank you!
And about climbing, not really. Not serious rock climbing, anyway. Back in North America I considered myself an amateur athlete. Here I'm just trying to survive. I really enjoy hiking, too, but I don't know of any Gyeonggi hiking groups.
In Seoul, there are many foreign climbers, and many Korean climbers who are friendly and speak decent English. In the cities around Seoul, there are practically no other foreign climbers, and almost none of the Korean climbers speak much or any English. Or if they do, then still to establish any meaningful connection with them is very difficult unless you're highly extroverted (which I'm not).
For now I'll just keep in mind that I can return to North America in three months and get strong again! |
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ciannagh
Joined: 29 Nov 2011
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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| Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 1:09 pm Post subject: Re: some advice to prospective teachers in Korea |
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| DanseurVertical wrote: |
If you're not accustomed to going to bars with your mates or to some Christian church, don't teach in Korea!
---
Before moving here I received this advice from a Christian teacher at a Gyeonggi elementary school that'd offered me a position. I'm decidedly not Christian, and I usually feel way out of place at a bar, unless I'm there to drink something rare or a little special.
I acknowledged his advice but judged it didn't apply to me. I thought I was the exception, because (I thought) I had a Korean friend in a nearby city, and (I thought) I could make friends here through rock climbing, as I could do back in North America.
I decided to teach just outside Seoul, at a middle school where I'm the only foreign teacher. Ultimately, I've lived just about completely alone for nine months.
Anymore, I hate Korea and will be simply thankful to leave this place. |
I'm sorry you seem to be having such a bad experience.
Is it really that bad there if you're an atheist? I identify as such, and I figured that while I'd probably get annoyed, I'd be able to get by. And is all socializing really done in bars? I've heard Koreans drink a fair deal, but surely there are people who do other things?
I only ask as I intend to move to S. Korea in the fall... |
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Stan Rogers
Joined: 20 Aug 2010
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| Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 2:57 pm Post subject: |
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Hating a whole country because you can't find happiness and good times? 
That is just plain egocentric. Grow up. |
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AlastairKirby
Joined: 29 Aug 2011
Location: UK
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| Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 3:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Stan Rogers wrote: |
Hating a whole country because you can't find happiness and good times?
That is just plain egocentric. Grow up. |
That's a bit harsh. The 'amateur athlete' comment suggests an ego. But more lack of self awareness.
The OP has a point though. It can be very hard to make friends here outside of bars and church.
I don't think the OP hates Korea. Just the life he has there. Nothing wrong with that. I love the UK, I used to think I hated it. But really I just hated my life there.
My advice for newbies? Don't pay attention to blogs or Facebook. It ain't all that. It ain't hip. You are boldly going where many basket weavers have gone before. Korea is a very interesting country as an outsider but isn't as vibrant as some people like to make out.
Also remember that increasingly as entry requirements are raised and more scrutiny is put on foreign teachers that the focus of life in Korea is going to be on teaching and not whatever hobbies/interests you bring with you.
What many of us like about Korea is the boredom. Korea is mostly safe and harmless. If you are a competent human being (and like the odd drink) you can have a decent social life and do a decent job teaching English. No alarms, no surprises. If you want adventure go to a less well travelled ESL country like China, Vietnam, or Afghanistan.
Adventure. Excitement. A Jedi craves not these things. |
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DanseurVertical
Joined: 24 Nov 2010
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| Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 6:59 pm Post subject: |
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| AlastairKirby wrote: |
| That's a bit harsh. The 'amateur athlete' comment suggests an ego. But more lack of self awareness. |
Ego? Lack of self awareness? Can you explain? Are you yourself not passionate about certain activities in life?
People ask me sometimes if climbing is my 'hobby'. I say, no, climbing is my life. If you don't climb, then you can't understand the mind of a climber. I'm just a skinny guy who more than anything else loves climbing things. And secondly, training to climb them. If you're not a climber or athlete yourself, you won't understand.
Anyway, on the ego / lack of self awareness issue, I'm actually Buddhist :p
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| I don't think the OP hates Korea. Just the life he has there. Nothing wrong with that. I love the UK, I used to think I hated it. But really I just hated my life there. |
But I understand how my statement about hating Korea could sound like some egocentric sentiment. So what I should have written is, being in Korea. Yet still, my interactions with both native Koreans and foreigners have been ultimately pretty negative. Back in the US, it was pretty easy to meet open-minded people whose lives aren't lived for the sake of their parents and bosses. And to meet others whose social time / free time is generally spent without alcohol. But still, I've only lived here for 9 months, in one particular city. Since I'm not very extroverted, being the only NET at my school is something I should have taken seriously. But I was overly optimistic.
| Quote: |
| My advice for newbies? Don't pay attention to blogs or Facebook. It ain't all that. It ain't hip. You are boldly going where many basket weavers have gone before. Korea is a very interesting country as an outsider but isn't as vibrant as some people like to make out. |
I agree. But after some time, that interest gets ruined without meaningful social connections. If you really like doing everything alone, from dinner to weekend nights, then I suppose it wouldn't matter. But how many people can honestly say that about themselves? |
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BananaBan
Joined: 16 Nov 2011
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| Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 7:16 pm Post subject: |
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hopefully someone can shine light on the other side of the coin?
since i will be getting a job soon, i have naturally become depressed by reading this. |
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DanseurVertical
Joined: 24 Nov 2010
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| Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 7:50 pm Post subject: Re: some advice to prospective teachers in Korea |
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| ciannagh wrote: |
I'm sorry you seem to be having such a bad experience.
Is it really that bad there if you're an atheist? I identify as such, and I figured that while I'd probably get annoyed, I'd be able to get by. And is all socializing really done in bars? I've heard Koreans drink a fair deal, but surely there are people who do other things?
I only ask as I intend to move to S. Korea in the fall... |
About atheism, that shouldn't be a trouble for you. Much of the younger generation and many women are Christian, however. Among Christians in Korea, faith is a subject they bring up during the first encounter. Along with marital status, your age, where you work, your family, your income, whether you have a girlfriend, if you like to drink, and a whole host of other questions that strike foreigners as strange or entertaining. If Christians engage you on the subject of faith, they may express surprise or even some negative emotion towards your atheism. Be prepared to be asked bluntly, 'Why are you atheist?' But in the end, I can't imagine it likely causing you substantial trouble. But maybe consider keeping quiet about it at your school, even if asked.
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Socializing isn't always done in bars. There are alternatives. But if you live outside Seoul, then in my experiences, the alternatives seem much more limited.
My school board provided us with an interest-based networking opportunity. But what that ultimately meant was meeting (for 30 minutes) a lot of people with whom you might share an interest, but who live (in most cases) nowhere near you.
There are also Seoul-based Meetup groups on a variety of themes, and (for climbers) there's the Korea on the Rocks website. But again, depending on where you live, it probably means meeting people with whom you'd like to be friends, but who live impractically far from you. In the end, connecting with people in your immediate area is most important. Not just for their availability, but for establishing any substantial social bond in the first place. If you live among them and see each other often, there's a good chance you can develop a real friendship with at least someone.
In my experiences, I've met plenty of people I like but who live nowhere near me, then wanting to connect but finding it very difficult. So I'm left with the option of going to neighborhood bars (alone) if I want to meet people in my immediate area. And then likely meeting people whose sense of a good time is mostly limited to drinking and throwing darts. There's actually a climbing gym IN my immediate area, but among the 150 or so foreigners who live here, I was the only one who climbed there. And the Koreans didn't talk to me. |
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DanseurVertical
Joined: 24 Nov 2010
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| Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 8:01 pm Post subject: Re: some advice to prospective teachers in Korea |
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| ciannagh wrote: |
I'm sorry you seem to be having such a bad experience.
Is it really that bad there if you're an atheist? I identify as such, and I figured that while I'd probably get annoyed, I'd be able to get by. And is all socializing really done in bars? I've heard Koreans drink a fair deal, but surely there are people who do other things?
I only ask as I intend to move to S. Korea in the fall... |
Ohh, I should point out that I mentioned Christian churches because if you are (especially Protestant) Christian, meeting Korean Christians should be very easy. |
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ciannagh
Joined: 29 Nov 2011
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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| Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 8:05 pm Post subject: Re: some advice to prospective teachers in Korea |
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| DanseurVertical wrote: |
| ciannagh wrote: |
I'm sorry you seem to be having such a bad experience.
Is it really that bad there if you're an atheist? I identify as such, and I figured that while I'd probably get annoyed, I'd be able to get by. And is all socializing really done in bars? I've heard Koreans drink a fair deal, but surely there are people who do other things?
I only ask as I intend to move to S. Korea in the fall... |
About atheism, that shouldn't be a trouble for you. Much of the younger generation and many women are Christian, however. Among Christians in Korea, faith is a subject they bring up during the first encounter. Along with marital status, your age, where you work, your family, your income, whether you have a girlfriend, if you like to drink, and a whole host of other questions that strike foreigners as strange or entertaining. If Christians engage you on the subject of faith, they may express surprise or even some negative emotion towards your atheism. Be prepared to be asked bluntly, 'Why are you atheist?' But in the end, I can't imagine it likely causing you substantial trouble. But maybe consider keeping quiet about it at your school, even if asked.
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Socializing isn't always done in bars. There are alternatives. But if you live outside Seoul, then in my experiences, the alternatives seem much more limited.
My school board provided us with an interest-based networking opportunity. But what that ultimately meant was meeting (for 30 minutes) a lot of people with whom you might share an interest, but who live (in most cases) nowhere near you.
There are also Seoul-based Meetup groups on a variety of themes, and (for climbers) there's the Korea on the Rocks website. But again, depending on where you live, it probably means meeting people with whom you'd like to be friends, but who live impractically far from you. In the end, connecting with people in your immediate area is most important. Not just for their availability, but for establishing any substantial social bond in the first place. If you live among them and see each other often, there's a good chance you can develop a real friendship with at least someone.
In my experiences, I've met plenty of people I like but who live nowhere near me, then wanting to connect but finding it very difficult. So I'm left with the option of going to neighborhood bars (alone) if I want to meet people in my immediate area. And then likely meeting people whose sense of a good time is mostly limited to drinking and throwing darts. There's actually a climbing gym IN my immediate area, but among the 150 or so foreigners who live here, I was the only one who climbed there. And the Koreans didn't talk to me. |
Do you do couchsurfing at all? It's a worldwide network and there are over 2000 listed in Seoul (the active number is probably half that) but it's a really great way to meet people and go on outings. You can also offer to meet up and hang out with people who are travelers and passing through, etc. I'd recommend checking it out. |
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