Korean Job Discussion Forums

[dmbfan]

...would you have started the journey in Korea? Would you (you meaning everyone) have gone somewhere else, such as Japan, Taiwan, Thailand or even China?

Just curious..............

[Pa Jan Jo A Hamnida]

I dunno. I really loved travelling in Japan but to work there?

[RACETRAITOR]

I would've come here a hell of a lot sooner.

[stumptown]

[laogaiguk]

[The Hierophant]

[dmbfan]

As for me, I'm not exactly sure.

If I had known abou the ESL/EFL business right after college, I would have started then. But, I would not have been ready, mentally. It is an extreme challenge living overseas, in non English speaking countries.........especially Asia.

Right before I came to Korea, I was talking about this awaiting adventure with my old roomate. He had told me he had looked into the same thing, coming to Korea. However, he changed his mind, due to reading that Korea was the scrub of Asia.

Now, I don't necessarily agree with that. But, I do wonder what would of happened if I had chosen to go to Japan first? Would I have encountered the same struggles and problems as I did here? I probably would have. I most likely would have reacted the same way, if I were presented with the situations that I expererienced here..........................

1. First school being a "Blunderland"
2. Leaving Wonderland for a new school, helping to get it started, only to
be told that I could not go on vacation.......yeah, right.
3. Leaving that school, and finally finishing a contract in Gwangmyeong.
Although, the apartment was inside the school. My bedroom was
adjacent to the kindergarten playroom. That drove me nuts.
4. After finishing a contract, I signed on wtih public elementary school in
the Gimpo countryside. After a brief vacation at home, I come back
to find out that the school was expecting me to teach privates inside
my apartment EVERYNIHHT after school, with no limit to the amount
of students that would attend.
5. Following an ugly situation with those monkies, I left Korea (did a
runner) and went to China.
6. Ironically, my first school in China was an E.F. (the "Blunderland" of
China).
7. After deciding that I did not wish to work 50 hours a week, I left.
8. Taught in a small rural Chinese town, in the Gobi Desert, for a
public senior middle school. Each class had 60 students with no
books.
9. Hated that expereince very much......some shitty things happened, but
I won't go into that.
10. Beat feet to the East of China, almost worked for a school in Fushun.
11. All the while I was in China, I was fighting to get back to Korea.
Seeing as how I did a runner, it made things difficult. But, I did
everything I could to expose that school and the principle (who was
recently under investigation......yes!!!!!!!), and what they tried to have
me do, and how the situation unfoled when I told them I would not
work those lessons, and would not allow an illegal hogwan inside my
apartment.
12. Finally came back to Korea to work for a good school outside of
Incheon. Quite possibly the best hogwan in Korea.
13. I was informed that the school wanted me to extend or resign, 4
months into my contract. For that I was flattered. But, I made the
mistake of asking "what if I just want to finish my year?". Well,
that was not an option. I had to resign, extend, or leave early. I was
fairly miffed about that, but I understood why they needed me to do
that. However, I wish they had told me this in the beginning. Looking
back, I should have just extened the extra 5 months.
14. Took a vacation to Thailand, and had made up my mind to go home,
and hang up my ESL shoes (the teaching part has never been the
problem. I love kids, and the job is fun)
15. I came back to Korea (the ticket was rountrip, so I had to), dead
set on going home.
16. A public school job came my way, so I took it.

Oh, and between numbers 9 and 10, I forgot to mention that I went to teach in Thailand first. I had a buddy who had a job for me. However, I
had so much baggage from Korea, that it made it difficult to enjoy being
there. And, seeing as how I was still very angry at what happened, my
goal was to still get back to Korea, settle the matter, and start again.
Unfortunately, there was the "recruter shark" lurking in the water, who
made all kinds of promises of how it would be handled. The guy seemed
to have connections and seemed quite symphathetic to the problem......and he seemed to know about the school that had tried to pull that crap with me. But, in the end, he did not deliver as promised, and I was left stranded here. So, that is why I went to China (free ticket).


So, I wonder if all of these things would of have happened if I had started somewhere else. Granted, I have not had the best of luck, but in those situations, I just can't bite my tougne, and I do get defensive.

But, for us all, the past is the past. I do wonder why I am still here though. I have not paid off any debt, except for one. I have not met a K-girl, nor have I made any real K-friends. Man o man, I had NO idea about the mindset of Koreans before I came here.

I have played both sides of the issue. I have smeared Korea left and right in the past, and I honestly think that Koreans are not the brightest bears in the land. But, anger only gets one so far, and even that is not a great distance. I've also stuck up for Korea a number of times, because who knows how I would feel if I were from a country that has been the pawns of international powers for a long time?

I don't know about any of you guys, in some small way, deep down inside, I probably still would have come here first.......with the knowledge that I know now. Impossible yes.

But, I still wonder about Japan, Taiwan and Thailand again. I know I won't be doing this forever, and I don't have any objective answer as to why I still do it here in Korea? Fear of change? Perhaps. Fear of not making it elsewhere? Perhaps. We all came out for a reason, or where running away from something. Not necessarily illegal, but something about us.

One thing I have learned though, is that no matter where we go, we have to take ourselves with us. So, I guess it does not matter where me may have went to start, eh?

Sorry for the long post.

Cheers.

DMBFAN

[captain kirk]

Excellent story!

[sadsac]

For many such as dmbfan that is a common story. Maybe not quite as exhilarating. My wife and I have been fortunate during our six years here, but she had her moments. Taiwan, a disaster, Korea, first time a disaster, Japan, a joyous experience. There are certainly aspects of teaching here that are a serious pain in the butt, but overall I would choose to come here first again. Research is so vitally important and having an exit strategy.

[Kimchieluver]

[cruisemonkey]

I would have brought more cheese.

[Qinella]

No. Everything happens when I'm ready for it to happen.