Korean Job Discussion Forums

[eta795]

Hi all,
I am about to leave soon to teach in Korea for the first time. I'm considering a number of jobs/places.

Could anyone who is living or has lived in Jinhae answer a few short queries for me?

What is your general impression of the town?

How large is the english speaking/teaching pop there? I understand the town pop is 150,000 approx. Its only half hour from Busan, 20mins from Changwon but realistically I reckon I'd spend the majority of time in the town itself.

Thanking you all in advance

[Ya-ta Boy]

Jinhae is a pretty nifty small city. It's long and narrow, curving around Masan Bay. There is a long mountain in back of the city that blocks it off and leaves just the narrow coastal strip. Islands in the bay.

It's a one-industry town-serving the ROK Navy.

The main draw-back as I saw it was no beach. All of it belongs to the navy. There is one strip about 100 meters long, but you can't swim.

There is a new Lotte Mart in town and the rumor is that Home Plus will be building soon. So the shopping for foreign food is getting easier. Greg says he found feta cheese there last weekend.

There are 6 or 7 foreigners working for the navy and an unknown number working in hakwons. I think the number is small. Small being under 10.

If you take a bus/taxi thru the tunnels you end up in Masan/Changwon. There are quite a few foreigners in them, especially Changwon. (All three are really just one city, divided by a mountain.) Pusan is about 45 minutes east.

I think it's one of the nicer places in Korea to work and live.

[Ya-ta Boy]

Forgot one thing. There is a tiny American navy base (200 people) there. If you can wangle a base pass, you will have access to American restaurants. If you have a friend, you can score stuff from the PX.

[Ya-ta Boy]

AND...

Because of the American base, you will have AFKN on cable.

[inspector gadget]

Lived in Jinhae for a year back in 2003. I would suggest its a good place to live and teach if you don't want to be in large urban areas. Its location provides great weather year round, I saw snow fall once in winter.

As mentioned before changwon, masan and jinhae are realy one city divided by mountains. A ten dollar cab ride of 15 minutes gets you too either place, bus will be 30 minutes and about 1 or 2 dollars.

Pusan is about 5 dollars on an express bus that leaves from McDonalds in downtown.

There are about 13-15 teachers working in hagwons and several for the navy along with a few others teaching employees of the shipbuilding companies.

I would recommend Jinhae for a first timer, goeje island is a short ferry ride away if you want beach life.

One of my friends has lived there for three years and another for two and just recently moved to Masan.

Any other questions PM me

[Ya-ta Boy]

The price has gone up on taxi rides between the three cities. It's W15,000 now. Flat rate.

[eta795]

Thanks people, thats useful information. If anyone has anything else to add, even negative, I'd be more than happy to hear it.

[W.T.Carl]

It is cleaner and cheaper than Seoul. And you will find the locals very friendly. They generally have a favorable view of Americans and of the US Navy. If there is a protest at the base, they have to bus the protesters in.

[just because]

[Ya-ta Boy]

[just because]

All the GIs I talk to coming from Jinhae into Changwon say 20 000 is the price....maybe the are just fleecing the US navy

[Ya-ta Boy]

I wonder if they pay a special higher price.