Korean Job Discussion Forums

[monica moran]

If anyone has some time, I have a few questions. I searched the other posts, but did not find many of these questions answered....

First, a little background.

My boyfriend and I are very interested in teaching English together in Korea. We are in our early 30's, have been together for 6 years, but are
still unmarried. We have extensive teaching experience in the
States, and both of us have taught for month-long teacher training
programs in Korea for the past 2 years (that's when we fell in love
with Korea & Korean culture!) We both hold BA's in English from
Vassar College, and have certificates in TESOL from U Penn.
>
We'd like to go to Korea for at least one year beginning in June 05 or
September 05, and are willing to teach in schools, universities, teacher
training programs, and/or for a corporation like Samsung, Kia, etc...
>
That said, my questions are thus:
>
Do you think we should be married to make us more eligible/attractive?
>
>Do you think that as a married couple, we could work in the same school?
>University? Company? Assuming we are married, is it wise for us to advertise ourselves as a married couple? Does "engagement" mean anything to Koreans, or are we best off married?
>
>How do we go about planning for jobs? That is, can we secure positions in advance -- and if so, how far in advance? Say 6 months in advance?
As we are willing to leave our lives behind here in Philadelphia, we
>are worried about making plans to leave next spring without "definites" in the job department. Should we be? Or do we go with the flow when spring or summer comes, and hope for the best?
>
> One of our goals is to be able to put away some money for the future. If we live a moderate lifestyle in Korea, do you think it is possible for us to save some money?
>
>Which area of teaching do you think would be the best in terms of money?
>
>What about in terms of overall experience?
>
>What about in terms of possible future jobs in Korea or back home in
>the States?
>
>Thank you for your time -- as fellow teachers we know that time is golden.

[osangrl]

If your not married and you come...be prepared to lose him to the eye batting, beautiful korean girls..... just a warning.

[ajuma]

If you want to teach at the same school, just say that you're married. No one will ask to see a marriage license! And having different last names won't be a problem, because that's usual in Korea!

[monica moran]

What about any legal isssues? If we lie and say we are married, what if something happens that could put us in a risky situation?

[peppermint]

Don't mind osangrl, every couple I knew that came here together also left together.

Koreans will understand engagement- though you may have to explain it in simple terms, but that should be sufficient

Planning- don't count on it. Koreans arent' known for their planning skills, and it seems that hagwon ( private institute) owners are the kings of doing things at the last minute.

Saving money- it's really not hard to save half of your pay here. Rent is paid for by the school, utilities are cheap and so is foood- if you like Korean food anyway.

[jajdude]

As far as my lame brain gathers, a couple can do well in Korea. You can go the academy (Hagwon) route or otherwise.

You can save some money for sure. A thousand per month is not so tough if you are good with the cash.

Overall experience? I don't know. I think as a newcomer it might be incredible at first. But when you have one another you can make things happen to sustain the pleasure, no? Like take a trip, or whatever. Learn to read the language. It is easy. Do not procrastinate on that one.

[jazblanc77]

TELLING them that you are married could be good for you because it shows that you are stable, reliable, and responsible. Some operations really like to hire couples as it is quick, painless, and usually very pleasant.

However, some directors don't like to hire couples, of any sort, because if they have troubles with one person, they are likely to have troubles with the second one as well.

As a married person myself, I would recommend that you just be straight up with future directors. Whether you tell them that you are married or not isn't really important but you should at least tell them that you are part of a couple. This will become most important when you start to think about accomodations. Especially if you will be working together, you should try to get a larger apartment, at least 15-20 pyeong, and request a double or queen sized bed. They can't give you what you need if they don't know that you are together.

In my opinion, if you want to get a better idea of what Korea is like, at least avoid Seoul. Go for a smaller city, there are lots of them out there like Kyeongju (a beautiful city and the capital of the old Josan dynasty), Daejon, Kwangju, Andong (the centre for traditional Korean cultural activity in Korea), Yeongju, Ulsan, and a lot more (I'm tired so I can't get any more off the top of my head). These smaller locales will also aid you in saving money as things are generally cheaper and there is less to spend your money on. Unless you plan on "escaping" to Seoul, Busan, or Daegu every weekend to blow your money in the foreigner districts, I would say, these smaller cities are the best places for you to keep your money in your pockets.

[chronicpride]

I agree with the above. Smaller cities will be better for you financially, especially if you're coming as a couple.

Many small towns are more welcoming to unmarried and married couples. And the pay can often be better, as it is more difficult for them to attract teachers, as most teachers that come here are single and want larger cities. Also, real estate is cheaper in these smaller cities. Much more easier to find larger accommodation for the both of you.

But I'm not just talking small like Andong, Daejeon, Ulsan, etc...I'm talking smaller towns outside of those cities. Like for instance, outside of Daegu, you'll find good gigs in smaller places like Geochang or Waegwan, etc...Or Gongju and Geumsan outside of Daejeon, etc...

You'll save more, due to a lower cost of living, likely have better accommodation, and have a great, close-up experience with Korean culture.

The only problem is that there is not much consistent representation for schools in those smaller places. Most recruiters represent schools in places that are 500,000+ in population, if not more. EPIK places a lot of teachers in those smaller areas, but their contracts are not that hot.