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matcauthon
Joined: 20 Feb 2005
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 Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2005 8:28 pm Post subject: South Korea logistics for people from the UK |
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Hi guys,
before I start here`s a little info about me: I have a Bsc, a CELTA, 7 months experience teaching Engligh in Poland, 2-3 months experience teaching English in British summer schools and I`m currently through my 2nd and final year on the JET programme over here in Japan.
I recently decided that 2 years was sufficient for me in terms of both being on the JET Programme and living in Japan so I`ve decided to come to South Korea to teach for a year from this coming summer onwards. I therefore have a few questions for you guys:
1.) How long can I reasonably expect it to take for me to land a Hagwon job in South Korea and commence work if I go back to England at the end of July and apply for jobs from there. Is 4 weeks less realistic than 8 weeks in your opinion?
2.) How long will I be without my passport whilst waiting for my work visa to be processed (from the UK)?
3.) Does the school you work for provide you with a comprehensive curriculm to follow and good text books/ activity books to use or are you generally left to your own devises?
4,) How large are the classes you teach? I`m interested in teaching children around the 11-14 year age range btw.
5.) Given my CELTA and teaching experience with JET  how much renumeration should I aim for/accept?
6.) The workload is 30 x 50 minute lessons a week normally, right? How do you personally find this workload?
7.) Do South Koreans suck at pool? The Japanese do, bless their cotton socks! 
8.) How is South Korean lager? Better than Asahi, Sapporo and other Japanese beverages, for instance?
9.) Is it unusual for teachers to come to South Korea AFTER Japan? It sometimes seems on these forums that it`s more common to do this the other way around? Any theories, if this is the case, why this happens?
10) Are your apartments comfortable in terms of room temperature or do you freeze during the winter like in Japan?
Thanks for your time and I look forward to your responses.  |
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tzechuk
Joined: 20 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2005 9:14 pm Post subject: Re: South Korea logistics for people from the UK |
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Welcome fellow Briton! I don't know the answer to all your questions but I do know some, so let me try to help you.
| matcauthon wrote: |
| 1.) How long can I reasonably expect it to take for me to land a Hagwon job in South Korea and commence work if I go back to England at the end of July and apply for jobs from there. Is 4 weeks less realistic than 8 weeks in your opinion? |
I think 4 weeks might be cutting it a bit fine!
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| 2.) How long will I be without my passport whilst waiting for my work visa to be processed (from the UK)? |
Give it 5 working days to be on the safe side.
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| 3.) Does the school you work for provide you with a comprehensive curriculm to follow and good text books/ activity books to use or are you generally left to your own devises? |
It depends entirely on the school. Some set you a curriculum; others are more laissez faire.
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| 4,) How large are the classes you teach? I`m interested in teaching children around the 11-14 year age range btw. |
Normally no more than 10, but there are exceptions..
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| 5.) Given my CELTA and teaching experience with JET how much renumeration should I aim for/accept? |
1000 pounds (depending on exchange rate but around 2m krw) or there about is the norm. Plus round trip airfare and free housing.
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| 6.) The workload is 30 x 50 minute lessons a week normally, right? How do you personally find this workload? |
Don't know... never taught full time. Sorry 
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| 7.) Do South Koreans suck at pool? The Japanese do, bless their cotton socks! |
Haha... no idea.
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| 8.) How is South Korean lager? Better than Asahi, Sapporo and other Japanese beverages, for instance? |
My husband always says Korean beer tastes like water... I don't know. I don't drink.
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| 9.) Is it unusual for teachers to come to South Korea AFTER Japan? It sometimes seems on these forums that it`s more common to do this the other way around? Any theories, if this is the case, why this happens |
I don't think so. My friend came here after Japan and stayed for 3 years!
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| 10) Are your apartments comfortable in terms of room temperature or do you freeze during the winter like in Japan? |
You ought to browse through this forum a lot more.  Some teachers were just saying how cheap their heating bills are.
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| Thanks for your time and I look forward to your responses. |
You are welcome! |
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2005 10:15 pm Post subject: |
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| 7.) Do South Koreans suck at pool? The Japanese do, bless their cotton socks! |
Yes. They do. I reguarly whip their asses and I'm no cue-meister.
I came to Korea from the UK. Did one year here then a 4 month stint in Japan. Found Japan to be a little boring. So I came back to Korea and have never looked back after 3 years.
Korean academies vary a lot so it's pointless asking general questions about working here. You could be lucky and hit on a good, well run hagwon or you might be unlucky and find yourself in hagwon hell.
Best to come here and stay in a cheap hotel (about 150 pounds per month is normal for a go-shi-won). Get a second-hand cellphone cheap in Itaewon, Seoul (maybe 40 pounds). Take your time looking for a job. Insist on viewing the classrooms and any apartment they offer. Remember, you will be spending 4-6 hours each day in the classroom so it should be spacious and comfortable.
All Korean apartments have under-floor heating so they are much more comfortable in Winter than Japanese apts. Believe me! I know!! |
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Wangja
Joined: 17 May 2004
Location: Seoul, Yongsan
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| Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2005 10:38 pm Post subject: |
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I'm also a Brit, but but not a teacher.
You'll be fine here: the apartments are deliciosuly warm with underfloor heating. You don't need to walk around wearing electric ear, hand and foot-warners saying "Who needs central heating like Americans: we're tough"
The only question I can answer is
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| 8.) How is South Korean lager? Better than Asahi, Sapporo and other Japanese beverages, for instance? |
For me, all lager is like water, but as lagers go, the three main Korean ones are OK. It has the fantastic quality of being barely 1.25 pounds per half litre. That has to be worth a vote.
Others are available, but may be double or treble that price. Guinness (if to your taste) is available from about 3 quid a half litre. That's pretty good value by any standards.
There are some micro-breweries now with better quality, better variety and of course higher prices. But, imagine a 6-8pm beer buffet, food included with as much beer as you can drink for about 8 quid ..... (Platinum bar, Kangnam) and life ain't too bad. By chance I am there tonight.
Last edited by Wangja on Tue Feb 22, 2005 11:02 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2005 10:59 pm Post subject: |
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| I don't drink much lager but my taste of Korean lager was enough to know. It's piss. Fizzy water basically. Japanese lager is much better. |
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tzechuk
Joined: 20 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2005 11:16 pm Post subject: |
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| Wangja wrote: |
| But, imagine a 6-8pm beer buffet, food included with as much beer as you can drink for about 8 quid ..... (Platinum bar, Kangnam) and life ain't too bad. By chance I am there tonight. |
Can you only drink beer? Do they have soft drink? My husband would love a good beer buffet but I totally hate beer! Where is the platinum bar? |
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Wangja
Joined: 17 May 2004
Location: Seoul, Yongsan
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| Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2005 11:55 pm Post subject: |
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| tzechuk wrote: |
| Wangja wrote: |
| But, imagine a 6-8pm beer buffet, food included with as much beer as you can drink for about 8 quid ..... (Platinum bar, Kangnam) and life ain't too bad. By chance I am there tonight. |
Can you only drink beer? Do they have soft drink? My husband would love a good beer buffet but I totally hate beer! Where is the platinum bar? |
I have only drunk the beer there, but I guess soft drinks would be OK. They have a good selection of beer and all is brewed on the premises.
Platinum is in Kangnam on the north side of Tehran-ro about 30 metres east of Kangnam station - take exit 8. You can see it from there. |
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Paji eh Wong
Joined: 03 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2005 12:02 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
1.) How long can I reasonably expect it to take for me to land a Hagwon job in South Korea and commence work if I go back to England at the end of July and apply for jobs from there. Is 4 weeks less realistic than 8 weeks in your opinion?
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I've done an immesurably better job hunt within the country than the one I did outside. [crosses fingers] Come here first, look for a job, and then fly home for a month while they process your visa.
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3.) Does the school you work for provide you with a comprehensive curriculm to follow and good text books/ activity books to use or are you generally left to your own devises?
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I've worked in two places. The worse one had a crap cirriculum that you had to follow or be shot. The better one left me alone, but that's still tough at 30 hours a week.
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4,) How large are the classes you teach? I`m interested in teaching children around the 11-14 year age range btw.
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For hagwons, I believe the legal limit is 10 students per class. Sometimes they fudge the numbers, but not by much.
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| 5.) Given my CELTA and teaching experience with JET how much renumeration should I aim for/accept? |
Aim for something over 2 million. It'll depend on the area etc. I consider work conditions before salary.
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| 6.) The workload is 30 x 50 minute lessons a week normally, right? How do you personally find this workload? |
It's a lot. Especially with 2 weeks vacation a year. And, subjectively, I think workloads are going up, not down.
Good luck. |
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