Korean Job Discussion Forums

BreBre711 · Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Location: Amsterdam...for now

besides the obvious (teaching, a job, money, etc)

What were the other factors of motivation?

For example, was it the hot Korean girls (or boys) or were you attracted to the food? Or maybe it was something you saw in a travel magazine such as a specific landscape?

Seeing as I'm not in Korea at the moment, I can't look back in retrospect, but I can tell you what my motivations are at present and besides, I like hearing what you all have to say (even if I might get some silly responses Razz

)!

My obvious:
teaching - I think I have found my niche
helping others - It's time for me to give back
a job - I need my independence and some semblance of an income
money - I need it

My not-so-obvious (who knows? these might be obvious too):
I am thinking of converting to Buddhism
Asian guys (or other foreign guys) Rolling Eyes

yeah, yeah I know I know-very shallow of me
Cherry Blossoms - I have heard of the insane crowds but it's not going to stop me...I'm obsessed
Seeing and experiencing a part of Asia
seeing and experiencing another culture
European electrical sockets and plugs (one less appliance for me to buy)
A chance to see Asian kids...LOTS of em (I want to adopt one one day, I think they are so sweet)

And now that you are here, are you satisfied with these motivations? (does this last question make sense?)

I'm probably being way too honest and offending some or all of you on here, but I thought I'd ask out of curiosity.

Thanks!
Bre

Sarpedon · Joined: 14 Apr 2007

The fact that my wife cheated on me, I got divorced, and have debt up to my eyeballs thanks to her was a huge motivation.

But, I also have been feeling my life in the USA is stagnant, boring, and unadventurous. I have been looking for something new, exciting, challenging, and different to experience.

Hopefully I'll be in Korea in August, depending on how certain factors here at home work out.

whatever · Joined: 11 Jun 2006 Location: Korea: More fun than jail.

Japan is a more interesting overall place to experience Asia, IMHO having lived in both.

However, the compensation in Korea is generally better and the cost of living is often lower.

I came here not knowing what to expect. That was part of the thrill. It still is...

TheBrain · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Acme Lab

Money. I net more teaching in Korea than any other country.

Saxiif · Joined: 15 May 2003 Location: Seongnam

Wanted to get the hell out of the states (lived in Norway, Finland and Bolivia as a kid and was bored as hell from living too long in New England) and didn't have any qualifications so ended up teaching in Korea by process of elimination.

Non-Asia = poverty for me.
Taiwan: too hot for a New Englander
Chinese = insane pollution + fascist government + low pay
Japan = didn't like Japanese food then (love it now) and too expensive

So that left Korea...

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

I already knew a bit of the language and I wanted to get involved in a music scene that was small and tight-knit, not a big orgy like in Japan. I stand by my choice and have done more here than I could have in other places.

The Hierophant · Joined: 13 Sep 2005

LiquidSunshine · Joined: 31 Mar 2003

shoes.

the flow brought me to Korea but a bag full of shoes took me to Wonju, Korea.

Atavistic · Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 8:04 am Post subject:

I had friends who'd taught here and returned and had good things to say, but more than that, I practiced taekwondo in America (very, very casually, only two hours a week). I didn't want to start over in another martial art.

No, I'm not kidding.

So I came here.

Best decision ever. The jobs have freakin' sucked but my studiomates and kwanjangnim and his family have taken me in as one of their own. And more than I expected, I've realized that I really love taekwondo.

lowpo · Joined: 01 Mar 2007

Zark · Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 4:20 pm Post subject:

I went for the "obvious" money. But I do say I enjoyed the beauty of the back country especially in the spring. The beauty of the feminine landscape was quite nice too.

Back country Buddhist temples are probably my favorite thing about Korea if the number of photographs are counted.

Overall I didn't care much for the culture (or seemingly lack thereof).

The HUGE cities - while offering expensive Western touches - did nothing for me. Concrete wastelands of one-design apartment buildings.

Hater Depot · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

I wanted to learn to use chopsticks and eat kimchi.