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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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SOOHWA101
Joined: 04 Mar 2006
Location: Makin moves...trying to find 24pyung
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 Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 12:22 am Post subject: Hispanic American Female Teachers in Korea |
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| Are there any barriers for Hispanic American female teachers in Korea? English is the first language, North American accent. |
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Zark
Joined: 12 May 2003
Location: Phuket, Thailand: Look into my eyes . . .
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| Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 12:57 am Post subject: |
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There are lots of hyphenated nationalities in Korea. But, best to leave your hyphens home or you may confuse a potential employer who will have no idea what Hispanic-American is.
In the city where I last worked it was common to have Chinese-Canadians, Hispanic-Americans, sometimes a Black-American. The Hispanic individual I knew - had no problems. I doubt where he worked had any idea - or even cared.
Slowly - Korea is coming to understand that not all native speakers are white, blue-eyed, blond-haired, and aged 23 to 28 . . . |
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crazylemongirl
Joined: 23 Mar 2003
Location: almost there...
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| Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 1:19 am Post subject: |
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| One of my friends is (part) hispanic but I really had no idea that she was until she told me (as I'm from new zealand and we don't have hispanics). She seems to do ok. |
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Porter_Goss
Joined: 26 Mar 2006
Location: The Wrong Side of Right
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| Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 1:51 am Post subject: Re: Hispanic American Female Teachers in Korea |
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| SOOHWA101 wrote: |
| Are there any barriers for Hispanic American female teachers in Korea? English is the first language, North American accent. |
Where did you grow up? Anyone, hispanic or otherwise, who grew up in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, etc... may have a pronounced accent that can be a barrier to employment. Simply saying you have a "North American accent" is too vauge; Seattle, Brookyln, New Orleans, North Dakota, and Montreal are all in North America. |
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SOOHWA101
Joined: 04 Mar 2006
Location: Makin moves...trying to find 24pyung
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| Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 2:22 am Post subject: Re: Hispanic American Female Teachers in Korea |
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| Porter_Goss wrote: |
| SOOHWA101 wrote: |
| Are there any barriers for Hispanic American female teachers in Korea? English is the first language, North American accent. |
Where did you grow up? Anyone, hispanic or otherwise, who grew up in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, etc... may have a pronounced accent that can be a barrier to employment. Simply saying you have a "North American accent" is too vauge; Seattle, Brookyln, New Orleans, North Dakota, and Montreal are all in North America. |
Then by all means, please explain to the rest of what the job postings mean when they say "North American" accent preferred.
I think it was obvious that a native English speaking accent was implied, as opposed to Spanish speaking accent. |
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Porter_Goss
Joined: 26 Mar 2006
Location: The Wrong Side of Right
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| Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 2:29 am Post subject: Re: Hispanic American Female Teachers in Korea |
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| SOOHWA101 wrote: |
| Porter_Goss wrote: |
| SOOHWA101 wrote: |
| Are there any barriers for Hispanic American female teachers in Korea? English is the first language, North American accent. |
Where did you grow up? Anyone, hispanic or otherwise, who grew up in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, etc... may have a pronounced accent that can be a barrier to employment. Simply saying you have a "North American accent" is too vauge; Seattle, Brookyln, New Orleans, North Dakota, and Montreal are all in North America. |
Then by all means, please explain to the rest of what the job postings mean when they say "North American" accent preferred.
I think it was obvious that a native English speaking accent was implied, as opposed to Spanish speaking accent. |
What they mean by a North American accent is the stereotypicaly "white" accent that only a fraction of Canada's and the United States' populations actually speak with.
P.S. Take a chill pill. |
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Zark
Joined: 12 May 2003
Location: Phuket, Thailand: Look into my eyes . . .
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| Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 4:12 am Post subject: Re: Hispanic American Female Teachers in Korea |
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| Porter_Goss wrote: |
| SOOHWA101 wrote: |
| Are there any barriers for Hispanic American female teachers in Korea? English is the first language, North American accent. |
Where did you grow up? Anyone, hispanic or otherwise, who grew up in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, etc... may have a pronounced accent that can be a barrier to employment. Simply saying you have a "North American accent" is too vauge; Seattle, Brookyln, New Orleans, North Dakota, and Montreal are all in North America. |
Don't be silly - I'm from Arizona - I've taught EFL with people from everywhere from Liverpool to Deep Texas in four different countries.
As a teacher trainer, I teach people from Ireland, Australia, Wales - you name it - everyone ends up finding work.
In Korea, yes, there is a preference for NA accent - but they will have very limited ability to determine strong regional accents. I'll base that opinion on my six years working in Korea. Even Korea is getting flexible. When I was working in Chungju (four months ago) there were Aussies, Kiwis, Brits, Canadians, Americans - a much wider mix than you might imagine.
Yes, some have more pronounced accents that others - but most of us know how to clean up our regional accents - and they tend to fade when speaking a little slower anyway.
And, sorry, I don't believe in a "standard" American accent. The one TV seems to prefer is Canadian! |
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SOOHWA101
Joined: 04 Mar 2006
Location: Makin moves...trying to find 24pyung
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| Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 9:05 am Post subject: Re: Hispanic American Female Teachers in Korea |
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| Porter_Goss wrote: |
| SOOHWA101 wrote: |
| Porter_Goss wrote: |
| SOOHWA101 wrote: |
| Are there any barriers for Hispanic American female teachers in Korea? English is the first language, North American accent. |
Where did you grow up? Anyone, hispanic or otherwise, who grew up in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, etc... may have a pronounced accent that can be a barrier to employment. Simply saying you have a "North American accent" is too vauge; Seattle, Brookyln, New Orleans, North Dakota, and Montreal are all in North America. |
Then by all means, please explain to the rest of what the job postings mean when they say "North American" accent preferred.
I think it was obvious that a native English speaking accent was implied, as opposed to Spanish speaking accent. |
What they mean by a North American accent is the stereotypicaly "white" accent that only a fraction of Canada's and the United States' populations actually speak with.
P.S. Take a chill pill. |
Porter, I apologize. I did not mean to come off sharp.
I really was confused about their meaning. When they say N.American, I assumed they meant non-Aussie, non-Brit, etc.............
In the states we have Creole( French & jibberish), Yankee(oh God), Southern draw(more Texas), Southern Twang, and of course the slow Canadian accent from N. Dakota/bordering states. I of course never even knew that Texans have an accent, except for the occasional "ya'll and ain't."
What my original post had meant is that English was the first language, without a hit of Spanish. |
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SirFink
Joined: 05 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 10:18 am Post subject: |
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You forgot the Boston/New England accent ("pahk the cah"). Point is, there are a bunch of accents in North America. It's as useless as saying a British accent. Ever read Shaw's Pygmalion?
What it boils down to is a school will want to interview you over the phone. If they don't like your accent, they won't offer you the job. The question is, can the average Korean notice the difference between, say, a Boston and a New York accent? |
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ontheway
Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Location: Somewhere under the rainbow...
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| Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 10:27 am Post subject: |
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The Koreans usually mean by "North American" accent that your sound should fall within the range usually found on national TV news and nationwide broadcast TV programs. This sound does include the vast majority of US and Canadian citizens, but excludes the extreme accents mentioned above.
These days, the New England accent is in the minority in New England and the heavy southern drawl is fading in the South. |
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ontheway
Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Location: Somewhere under the rainbow...
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| Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 11:13 am Post subject: |
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Koreans CAN hear the difference in sound, even variations within the standard US accent (as heard on TV). Pay levels are higher for ETs with a preferred sound. Those with a less desireable sound can still get a job, but lower pay.
I'm sorry to tell you, but there is racism here too, so white native speakers have it easier. It seems that females are often preferred, and a thin applicant will be chosen before someone who is overweight (other factors being the same). SO, if you were an overweight, black, South African you would have trouble and probably make 300,000 to 500,000 less per month. Being American with a good sound and female you'll probably be OK. You need your degree, a bright happy photo and a good telephone interview. |
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flotsam
Joined: 28 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 3:47 pm Post subject: |
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| SOOHWA101 wrote: |
That's really what my question is. What about brown skin, but perfect and propper English? |
I have known several Hispanic-Americans who got jobs here. However, it usually seems they had the most luck either with very bad or very good schools, i.e.: desperate or completely open minded schools like some unis and more "progressive" Hakwons. That's in quotations because they are not really progressive, but in some more affluent areas, "cosmopolitanism" now sells. "Oh little Su-Min has an English teacher and she's not white." --Ooohs and aaahhs around the Sex and the City watching young Apkujung mommy coffee table...
Honestly, my recommendation, if you want a good job, is to temporarily sell out and just not mention your ethnicity. Most of the employers here can't tell the difference between a Latino/a and anybody else who ain't yellow so it won't become an issue. And if they do ask, as if it were important to them, screw them--they won't be a good establishment to work for in the long run anyway. I knew a school that hired a Hispanic-American for less of a monthly salary then the white teachers, and the manager was surprised when she complained--and shocked as shyte when whitey and browny stormed into the office en masse to demand she get equal treatment.
People here, on average, are still a little behind the bulk of the world on issues of ethnicity.
Good luck. |
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cubanlord
Joined: 08 Jul 2005
Location: In Japan!
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| Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 4:18 pm Post subject: |
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| I'm hispanic, no problems making the big bucks here. |
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 6:15 pm Post subject: |
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If you're teaching kids, they'll warm up to you regardless of what your skin colour is. Some hogwans think brown skin is bad for business - if a hogwan offers you a job knowing what you look like than you can probably assume it's not a problem with them.
I have an America friend of Philippines decent who used to go to my gym. Some of my students in there were asking me '__________ teachuh, where is from?' and after a brief attempt to explain I just said she's a 'Philippina gyopo' and they all understood. If you're kids seem confused you may want to try this approach. |
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crazylemongirl
Joined: 23 Mar 2003
Location: almost there...
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| Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 9:43 pm Post subject: |
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| ontheway wrote: |
| Koreans CAN hear the difference in sound, even variations within the standard US accent (as heard on TV). Pay levels are higher for ETs with a preferred sound. Those with a less desireable sound can still get a job, but lower pay. |
No they can't. When I came back from New Zealand from vacation my accent was sounding VERY kiwi for a few weeks and nobody said a word (I travel here on my canadian passport, and my accent is more north american when I'm not around kiwis).. This from a country where if you change your brand of mascara someone is bound to say somthieng.
They can't tell the difference, they just like to think they can. |
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