Korean Job Discussion Forums

[gyopogirlfromtexas]

I was told by someone that public schools in Seoul don't hire gyopos. Is this true? Almost sounds like it translating to that I can only have some not so great area in the boonies.

[zappadelta]

[tigerbluekitty]

Hey Gyopo girl,

If you don't like the discrimination against Gyopos then do something about it! If you don't like the Korean culture then CHANGE IT! Stick up for yourself! Put your foot down and grind those racist bastards into the asphalt!!

You're Korean, I assume you speak some Korean, or at least enough to cut down and berate those discriminating bastards in a language they'll all understand!

[gyopogirlfromtexas]

Yes, it was about 5 a.m. when I went to bed last night. I had a really long day. I wasn't thinking about run on sentences and all that grammar stuff when I was about to pass out. But I was just thinking to myself, that there has to be some gyopos in Seoul working in public schools. Maybe they were mad at me for not taking their offers. Well, I guess I'll keep trying. I only thought it was the private hagwons that had to have the Caucasians, but not the public schools as well. Which is why I'm somewhat shocked by that comment. So, are there any gyopos here working in public schools in Seoul?

[gyopogirlfromtexas]

[tigerbluekitty]

Naw, it's not because the recruiters are mad or annoyed with you. The main reason why they don't offer you a Seoul public school position is because you're not caucasian. There are many caucasians in Seoul, so the schools can be choosy about who they wanna hire. Out in the boonies, schools can't be as choosy cuz most caucasians don't wanna be there so they just hire any English speaker, white or not.

I'm sure there are gyopos who are lucky enough to land jobs at public schools in Seoul, but chances are few.

[tigerbluekitty]

Not sure if speaking Korean will lower your pay, guess it depends on who you deal with. As long as your English is spiffy, I don't see why speaking Korean will "lower" your status. But who knows, some of the Koreans' thinking do seem jacked up.

In the case of my Korean Canadian friend, he has a great, outgoing personality and VERY popular with the Koreans. None of his students mind when he speaks in Korean, actually they love it cuz he's just as amusing and entertaining as he is in English! So speaking Korean is actually a plus for him.

But if a gyopo doesn't have much personality, not sure if speaking Korean will reflect positively.

[gyopogirlfromtexas]

[Binch Lover]

Of course public schools in Seoul hire gyopos! There are 3 in my sub-district alone. Who told you this? Your recruiter? Don't listen to them. I started in March 2007 and at that time the only recruiters that were authorised to work for SMOE were Footprints and Korea Connections (which I used). Maybe the people you have been talking to can't actually get public school jobs and so are feeding you lies.

It seems to me that SMOE is actually one of the least discriminatory organisations here. At our orientation, there was a mix of Irish, Brits, Kiwis, Aussies and *gasp* even some gyopos and black people (don't get me started on African-American cos it's not applicable).

[tigerbluekitty]

[Ben Glickman]

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education hires gyopos, and judges them on the same standards as other applicants. The woman who is the hiring coordinator for the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education and does the bulk of the interviews for the S.M.O.E. is a gyopo.

[Bibbitybop]

SMOE pay is based on qualifications, not whether you can speak Korean.

They hire anyone who can legally work on an E-2 (or F series) in Korea and who fits their criteria.

More than 2 agencies recruit for SMOE.

[peppermint]

IF you're not having a whole lot of luck with SMOE, you might try GEPIK- a nearly identical program for Gyeonggi do. I distinctly remember getting dragged to a wretched teacher training seminar held by GEPIK, and the man leading it was an African-American-Korean gyopo. (yeah, that's why hyphenation is silly) Oh, and he spoke passable if not fluent Korean.

[Sody]

MANY gyopos working in Seoul. I know a few who work for SMOE as well so it's definitely possible.

Don't underestimate GEPIK, so many bad reviews but there are also bad reviews of SMOE too.

I have met many more happy GEPIK teachers than not. The majority of public schools in Korea are bad, so you will need luck regardless of where you are placed. BoL.

Sody

[gyopogirlfromtexas]

Thanks for replying. I am talking directly with a GEPIK person right now. She told me to email her my application. I have to sign most of the pages. I guess I will scan and email. Seems like I won't be starting until the beginning of September. I wanted to be there sooner, like sometime in July. And I have to pay my own airfare and be reimbursed for it later, no matter when I arrive in Korea.

Yes, it was a recruiter who told me that they don't even hire gyopos for public positions in Seoul. Although, another recruiter said that it is possible ,but it is generally harder to find a public position in Seoul since everyone wants to live there. Then I got a higher than usual offer for a public middle school from some recruiter last night. But she didn't mention where in Gyungido. I will need to start this Sunday. Which means I have to leave this weekend. Maybe they mean I need to be there this Sunday, because the workdays are m-f.

I'd rather do that than wait until September. I guess Korean kids are in school now? School doesn't start back up here until the end of August. Then, I got a high offer from Duke English in Anyang, but I'm generally afraid of being ripped off by hagwons. It's nice to hear that at least the public schools treat people based on qualifications, and not by pretty faces or skin color. I've chatted with some GEPIK teachers, and they all seem happy. Makes me feel secure that it is a legitimate and reliable job.