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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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agc
Joined: 14 Jul 2016
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 Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2016 11:51 pm Post subject: What is the best option for a couple? |
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I have been doing research and it seems that for couples (unmarried) the best option is a Hagwon. However, I am very scared. There's a lot of conflicting information out there, with much negativity about Hagwons and also teaching in Korea.
I would like to ask your advice with regards to teaching as a couple and living together. Is Korea our best bet?
Is it impossible to get into a public school and stay in the same apartment?
Any other advice? |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2016 4:57 am Post subject: Re: What is the best option for a couple? |
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| agc wrote: |
I have been doing research and it seems that for couples (unmarried) the best option is a Hagwon. However, I am very scared. There's a lot of conflicting information out there, with much negativity about Hagwons and also teaching in Korea.
I would like to ask your advice with regards to teaching as a couple and living together. Is Korea our best bet?
Is it impossible to get into a public school and stay in the same apartment?
Any other advice? |
Unmarried couple... almost no chance at a public school (leaving hagwons).
That said.... a hagwon job is a job. It gets you some experience and 2 monthly salaries. Housing is likely to be the same as that given to a single...
You can expect to get paid every month, have your plane ticket bought and get your severance at the end of the year.
What you probably won't get is your pension benefits (they won't enroll you), medical insurance (again, not enrolled) or properly taxed (3.3% rather than the actual tax rate).
How bad do you want to work?
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agc
Joined: 14 Jul 2016
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| Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2016 5:50 am Post subject: Re: What is the best option for a couple? |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
| agc wrote: |
I have been doing research and it seems that for couples (unmarried) the best option is a Hagwon. However, I am very scared. There's a lot of conflicting information out there, with much negativity about Hagwons and also teaching in Korea.
I would like to ask your advice with regards to teaching as a couple and living together. Is Korea our best bet?
Is it impossible to get into a public school and stay in the same apartment?
Any other advice? |
Unmarried couple... almost no chance at a public school (leaving hagwons).
That said.... a hagwon job is a job. It gets you some experience and 2 monthly salaries. Housing is likely to be the same as that given to a single...
You can expect to get paid every month, have your plane ticket bought and get your severance at the end of the year.
What you probably won't get is your pension benefits (they won't enroll you), medical insurance (again, not enrolled) or properly taxed (3.3% rather than the actual tax rate).
How bad do you want to work?
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We want to experience another country and this seems like a great way to do it. That said, we're not in it for the partying/nightlife/etc. We're good at tutoring and dedicate ourselves to whatever it is that we're doing.
I'm naturally a very cautious person, so definitely have concerns about packing up and leaving for a year, especially when there's a lot of negativity around.
At the same time I do believe people with positive experiences are less likely to talk about them than people complaining. |
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JohnML
Joined: 05 Jul 2015
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| Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2016 6:30 am Post subject: Re: What is the best option for a couple? |
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| agc wrote: |
| ttompatz wrote: |
| agc wrote: |
I have been doing research and it seems that for couples (unmarried) the best option is a Hagwon. However, I am very scared. There's a lot of conflicting information out there, with much negativity about Hagwons and also teaching in Korea.
I would like to ask your advice with regards to teaching as a couple and living together. Is Korea our best bet?
Is it impossible to get into a public school and stay in the same apartment?
Any other advice? |
Unmarried couple... almost no chance at a public school (leaving hagwons).
That said.... a hagwon job is a job. It gets you some experience and 2 monthly salaries. Housing is likely to be the same as that given to a single...
You can expect to get paid every month, have your plane ticket bought and get your severance at the end of the year.
What you probably won't get is your pension benefits (they won't enroll you), medical insurance (again, not enrolled) or properly taxed (3.3% rather than the actual tax rate).
How bad do you want to work?
. |
We want to experience another country and this seems like a great way to do it. That said, we're not in it for the partying/nightlife/etc. We're good at tutoring and dedicate ourselves to whatever it is that we're doing.
I'm naturally a very cautious person, so definitely have concerns about packing up and leaving for a year, especially when there's a lot of negativity around.
At the same time I do believe people with positive experiences are less likely to talk about them than people complaining. |
See it really depends on the person, personally I'm career motivated and like being in a respected profession, so for me the lower pay and being treated with little respect (not disrespect just indifference) was horrible. If you are the type of person who just wants to experience another country for a year and teach for a bit you're probably the type of person who will love it. It is definitely an awesome gap-year/sabbatical type experience, no doubt.
Sometimes there is too much negativity. |
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agc
Joined: 14 Jul 2016
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| Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2016 7:53 am Post subject: Re: What is the best option for a couple? |
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| JohnML wrote: |
See it really depends on the person, personally I'm career motivated and like being in a respected profession, so for me the lower pay and being treated with little respect (not disrespect just indifference) was horrible. If you are the type of person who just wants to experience another country for a year and teach for a bit you're probably the type of person who will love it. It is definitely an awesome gap-year/sabbatical type experience, no doubt.
Sometimes there is too much negativity. |
I think I'm part of the 'millenial' generation that pursues 'happiness' (whatever that may be). I've never been one for an office job or to make a lot of money.
I want to be happy and comfortable.
But I also don't want to hate my life because of my working conditions. It's scary enough as it is going abroad for a year, that's why I'm doing it with someone. |
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Fallacy
Joined: 29 Jun 2015
Location: ex-ROK
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| Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2016 11:37 am Post subject: Re: What is the best option for a couple? |
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| Are you willing to risk losing this relationship? If yes, then go to the ROK and see what happens next. If not, then stay there, together. |
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Aine1979
Joined: 20 Jan 2013
Location: Incheon
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| Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2016 4:05 pm Post subject: |
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My boyfriend came out to join me a few months after I came to Korea. He didn't have a job, but came out with his documents ready. We called in person to as many hagwons in the area I was living as possible and left in resumes, and asked my boss if it was okay for him to come in for a few weeks and shadow some of our teachers to get a bit of experience.
He interviewed with quite a few places, and got 2 good job offers in hagwons right beside mine, but ended up being offered a job in my hagwon, as the owner took a shine to him when he came in to get experience. Initially we both lived in my one room, but once the first year was up, we both took housing allowance and got a bigger place.
We found it was a lot easier to find something with him actually being in Korea, as it gave us the opportunity to contact places in the right area, although we hadn't actually tried to get a couple's position from home.
That was almost 4 years ago, and our relationship is fine - I do hear a lot that people's relationships fall apart when they come to Korea, but of all the couples I know living and working here I don't know any who have split up. |
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