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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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Been There, Taught That
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Location: Mungyeong: not a village, not yet a metroplex.
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 Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 4:28 pm Post subject: Running To Or From Or Around In Circles? |
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Someone once said
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The Korean media has failed to mention one other reason why so many flee their country and come to Korea and other places to teach English:
Getting away from having to listen to country music. I am serious. It is factored into the reasons why I am here. |
Facetious or not, this intro to a rant brings up a really good chance to invite people on this board to reflect out loud about just what in the world made you finally decide to go through with worming your way into the Korean education business.
Even with my college degree (in German/Journalism), I hadn't allowed too many serious thoughts of Asia drift through my head, but had 3 uppermost ideals (and I mean ideals, as in exciting plans with no groundwork aforethought):
1. I was a natural in my native language and loved to pass on what I knew
2. I was, as I am, travel-motivated and regretting that I had ever come back from Germany after my study abroad year. The romantic call of the shortwave radio I had only made it worse.
3. more than 10 years out of college, I was still at a loss for a career, and had all the time I could handle.
If there was a fourth, it was after I came across a website advertising jobs in Korea. I did a lot of perusing of various Asia job websites after that, and after deciding that it coudn't, it could, it couldn't be as simple to get there and earn as it was seeming, I counted the whole venture just too easy to pass up, and I looked, and was drawn, into the whole scheme. I only chose Korea because this country seemed especially to have let down its guard when it came to who gets hired. Native speaker. Diploma. That's it, you're hired, get here.
Little did I know, much did I find out. Suffice to say, things seem now as they were in 2001. Except Magnet store has now shown its true colors.
In the end, I now at least know that ESL is where I really want to be, career-wise. Better late than never.
Anyone have more/less complicated reasons than that (no need to get the law involved, though  )? Has it all been worth it? Some of it? |
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chinook
Joined: 17 Mar 2004
Location: canada
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| Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 5:54 pm Post subject: |
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I like travelling and had considered it ever since reading ads for jobs in Japan in university.
But basically, I spent all my money kayaking. |
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The Perfect Cup of Coffee
Joined: 17 Jun 2007
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| Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 6:45 pm Post subject: |
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Pretty much the same reasons. Graduated and kept holding out for jobs related to what I'd studied. Kept holding out and wallowed in a few "Office Space" kind of cubicle jobs.
Had always hoped to get to Taiwan or Japan, but the romantic wish for a "career" at home kept blinding me to the fact that it just wasn't going to happen. Finally after a few years of student debt, cubicle monotony, and a few stories from others that had done the ESL/EFL Asia thing, made the decision to leave boring old Canada.
Researched around for about 2 months (while surviving my cubicle), and chose Korea based on advice from a former uni classmate and the fact that airfare was pre-paid. Pretty much settled down now, and can't see going back anytime soon to do the mortgage / car / slow-death route. It's nice to be able to buy everything I need here using cash rather than bank loans and credit cards. |
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laogaiguk
Joined: 06 Dec 2005
Location: somewhere in Korea
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| Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:32 pm Post subject: |
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I'm the opposite. I was in a Co-operative program with my uni and realized that sitting in front of a computer all day wasn't for me. I had offers from IBM, the government and the place I was working for part time my last year (they were all entry level jobs, I am not trying to show off here, they weren't anything special, but they were there). I immediately went to Japan instead and kept going from there!  |
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