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baedaebok
Joined: 27 Feb 2007
Location: Seoul, South Korea
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Gregski
Joined: 02 Jan 2012
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 Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 4:15 am Post subject: |
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Haha, wow. I'm not eligible for the post (American), and I have a job I love, but I would take the job.
North Korea is probably the most interesting (read: bizarre) place on Earth, and I would love to live there for a year.
As a privileged foreigner, of course. Not as a native North Korean. |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 5:08 am Post subject: |
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| Been there, done that |
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GreatUnderachiever
Joined: 08 Apr 2011
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 10:05 am Post subject: |
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| edwardcatflap wrote: |
| Been there, done that |
you are joking right |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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| you are joking right |
No. That job's been advertised for over ten years now and as you can see the contract is only a year. Nobody wants to do longer than that so quite a few people have done it. It was an interesting experience but as you would imagine, deadly dull at times. They give you a few flights in and out to relieve the boredom |
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missty
Joined: 19 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 5:46 pm Post subject: |
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| Yeah, I've seen those jobs being offered for years and years. I was almost, almost tempted to go, if nothing more than for the money. As I am sure you can save a ton there. But I think my family would have a heart attack if I told them that I am heading off to North Korea for a year. |
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IslandmanPT
Joined: 13 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 6:37 pm Post subject: |
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| I'd take it if I were British. I assume no positions in N. Korea for Americans? |
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FDNY
Joined: 27 Sep 2010
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 8:37 pm Post subject: |
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| IslandmanPT wrote: |
| I'd take it if I were British. I assume no positions in N. Korea for Americans? |
Maybe for target practice. 
All data and information provided on FDNY's post is for informational purposes only. FDNY makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this post and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. |
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GreatUnderachiever
Joined: 08 Apr 2011
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| Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 1:28 am Post subject: |
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| edwardcatflap wrote: |
| Quote: |
| you are joking right |
No. That job's been advertised for over ten years now and as you can see the contract is only a year. Nobody wants to do longer than that so quite a few people have done it. It was an interesting experience but as you would imagine, deadly dull at times. They give you a few flights in and out to relieve the boredom |
ok so whats your day to day life like??
Do you have internet and are you allowed western books?
I would love the experience of North Korea  |
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myenglishisno
Joined: 08 Mar 2011
Location: Geumchon
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| Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 1:33 am Post subject: |
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Come on now, fellas! The economy ain't that bad back home...
Let's not all MOVE TO NORTH KOREA at once... |
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Squire
Joined: 26 Sep 2010
Location: Jeollanam-do
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| Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 4:23 am Post subject: |
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| I've sometimes thought idly about this. What an experience. I think after this year I'll meet the criteria the British Council have for an ESL teacher (2 years experience?), and am also British. I wonder what the competition is like for that job? I want to move on from South Korea at the end of this year, but I don't want to give up my Korean language studies. I know I will when I leave however. Perhaps North Korea is my future... |
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Squire
Joined: 26 Sep 2010
Location: Jeollanam-do
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| Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 4:39 am Post subject: |
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On looking closer at the application I don't think I'd really be capable of doing that job. I could only teach other teachers how to do their job if they were complete newbies, which I suspect they wouldn't be. Perhaps I'll have another look at that job after a stint in China. It looks like a good way to finish up with ESL and move on
I wonder what the roles beneath the coordinator role are like. Perhaps an idiot with a couple of years in the SK public school system would suffice. If so, great! |
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r122925
Joined: 02 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 4:49 am Post subject: |
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| Squire wrote: |
| I want to move on from South Korea at the end of this year, but I don't want to give up my Korean language studies. |
The questions is, would you actually have any opportunity to use Korean there? From what I've read online, you'll live in a "diplomatic compound" full of embassy staff and foreign aid workers. You'll have limited access to the rest of the city. And from what I understand, even when you are outside the average North Korean is strongly encouraged not to speak to foreigners. |
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Squire
Joined: 26 Sep 2010
Location: Jeollanam-do
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| Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 5:17 am Post subject: |
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| r122925 wrote: |
| Squire wrote: |
| I want to move on from South Korea at the end of this year, but I don't want to give up my Korean language studies. |
The questions is, would you actually have any opportunity to use Korean there? From what I've read online, you'll live in a "diplomatic compound" full of embassy staff and foreign aid workers. You'll have limited access to the rest of the city. And from what I understand, even when you are outside the average North Korean is strongly encouraged not to speak to foreigners. |
Yea, that's a fair point |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 5:44 am Post subject: |
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You certainly don't get a chance to speak Korean there, in fact if they knew you spoke Korean they wouldn't let you in to do the job in the first place. yes of course you're allowed Western books, though you can't lend them out to people and you can use the internet on a few selected days on a few selected sites. As someone mentiioned most of the time you're hanging out in the embassy bar with the embassy workers and documentary makers who also don't get a chance to talk to any normal North koreans. the students you meet are excellent, much better at English than South Koreans on average but obviously with very little knowledge of the outside world. And you're not allowed to give them any
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I would love the experience of North Korea
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Why? Unless you're planning to write a book about it, there's not really a lot to recommend it. I went there because the money was good, it was in my field (teacher training) I knew I'd be out of there in less than a year and would have a few experiences to talk about. I assumed the day to day aspect of it would be boring and I was right. Basically your only entertainment is talking to other expats so something a lot of posters on Dave's (the 'I want to learn Korean and have lots of korean friends etc..type) would run a mile from |
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