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tanklor1
Joined: 13 Jun 2006
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 Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 6:59 am Post subject: Teaching in Korea: An Unoriginal idea. |
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I remember that it was third year in University that I decided that I wanted to teach overseas. I knew that I wanted to travel and work on my teaching skills. But most importantly I wanted to be original. I could have stayed home a gotten a job, settled down and started a family, but NO! I wanted to see the world and travel, becuase that was the last thing anyone expected me to do.
So I bidded my time and did my research. I studied many countries and dicided that I would go to Korea. The main reason was that they gave free airfare.
I owe a lot to the people that hired me and I'll always be greatful for taking a chance on me but the one thing that I feared has come true. Teaching in Korea is not an original idea. The country seems to lousy with English teachers, which is good becuase it gives us a sense of unity, but traveling to Korea for "exciting new adventures" seems to lack the pizzaz that I wanted.
When I first thought of leaving back in my third year of university I thought that it was going to me an unique idea. But it turns out that I was wrong. Ohh well. It's a trival thing. Maybe I'll think of something more orginal next time. |
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twg
Joined: 02 Nov 2006
Location: Getting some fresh air...
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| Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 7:04 am Post subject: Re: Teaching in Korea: An Unoriginal idea. |
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| tanklor1 wrote: |
| but traveling to Korea for "exciting new adventures" seems to lack the pizzaz that I wanted. |
There's always Iraq |
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wo buxihuan hanguoren
Joined: 18 Apr 2007
Location: Suyuskis
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| Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 7:26 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Maybe I'll think of something more orginal next time. |
Have you thought about teaching in Taiwan? |
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tanklor1
Joined: 13 Jun 2006
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| Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 7:32 am Post subject: |
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| wo buxihuan hanguoren wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Maybe I'll think of something more orginal next time. |
Have you thought about teaching in Taiwan? |
Yes it was my first choice. But I needed money for a flight. I also don't know what the English teaching community is like in Taiwan. It too seems like a common place to go. |
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tomwaits
Joined: 05 Feb 2003
Location: PC Bong
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| Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 7:50 am Post subject: |
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Wheen I first heard of teaching overseas was back in 88 (thats 19 8  at the time it sounded really original--no internet so you couldn't get info, was unlikely you knew anyone doing it etc etc.
now everyone is online and it feels like EVERYONE you knows someone who has or is or will teach in Asia...
sometimes I think the "adventurous" thing to do is stay home. I found China 5 years ago closer to that but no more. Even Vietnam is overrun with waygooks---of course it's partly the shrinking world idea---KFC and Walmaert sre everywhere--same world all over. India? |
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tanklor1
Joined: 13 Jun 2006
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| Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 7:55 am Post subject: |
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| I know when I first thought of it I knew very little and the poeple around me knew even less, I thought I was being so clever. But as time went on I found that everyone and their mother knows someone or has themselves traveled to this tiny country. It take sthe excitment out of it. |
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Carlyles Ghost
Joined: 04 Jul 2007
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| Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 8:28 pm Post subject: |
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I understand the point of the OP but I will respectfully disagree. Yes, thousands of westerners have descended upon tiny Korea; and yes it does seem at times to be an unoriginal even mundane choice. But there are some important points to remember.
First, living abroad is an opportunity only a few people will ever have. We all know dozens of people who only dream of travelling to say nothing of living in another country. Most people will remain where they were born, travelling occassionally within the borders of their own country; this is particularly true of North Americans.
Additionally, what we do with our time is, or should be, the most important concern here. Only a small minority of foreigners in Korea, for example, bothers to learn the language; and it is a still smaller minority who participates in anything "Korean" such as Tae-kwon-do, Samulnori, dance, mogyokt'angs, cooking etc. So while it is true to say that everyone knows someone who has taught in Korea (with the implication that it is no big deal) not everyone uses their time and tries to learn something new which, I would argue, is the whole point of living abroad. Sure. Korea is unoriginal; everybody is doin' it. But what is original? Iraq, as a poster above suggested? It's not where you are that's important; it's what you do that is. |
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Michelle
Joined: 18 May 2003
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| Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 8:35 pm Post subject: Here's a tip... |
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| tanklor1 wrote: |
| I know when I first thought of it I knew very little and the poeple around me knew even less, I thought I was being so clever. But as time went on I found that everyone and their mother knows someone or has themselves traveled to this tiny country. It take sthe excitment out of it. |
I guess I was the same too originally. So here's the question. What do you really want? To learn or speak another language? To climb a mountain? to bungee jump? To go to the beach? to live in a forest? You can decide and have the chance to do it all...people from other countries envy our ability to get around in English. Learning another language constitutes a necessary chore for them. So live life!
But here's a tip. Where you go, whitey also goes. Everyone is in the same boat wanting to get away from it. The influence of western people on these places has been dramatic since they bring holiday money. Here's a question, if you go to the jungle are you prepared to sleep in a tree or out on the ground? If not that tree will soon be gone to make another hut. When you first came did you speak to people in english? If so they found it necessary to communicate with you and needed to learn.
Didn't you have an interesting experience here and make the money you needed? If you need an adrenaline rush maybe you could just visit the theme parks in Seoul.
The travellers before us came and changed and shaped countries before we arrived. They did this because we were keen to see the world and wanted it easy, we just wanted an experience with no trouble or inconvenience. Even the language barrier once such a nusiance is now disappearing. Such was our collective, if not our individual intent. |
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IncognitoHFX
Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon
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| Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 8:37 pm Post subject: |
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I feel ya. Half my graduating class is here or on the way.
I'm starting to wonder what my government is going to do as an incentive to keep all the university grads from going to SE Asia for work. Oh wait, nothing  |
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Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
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| Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 8:38 pm Post subject: Re: Teaching in Korea: An Unoriginal idea. |
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| tanklor1 wrote: |
| I would go to Korea. The main reason was that they gave free airfare. |
Hard to believe it fell flat with such aspirations motivating you. |
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Atavistic
Joined: 22 May 2006
Location: How totally stupid that Korean doesn't show in this area.
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| Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 8:39 pm Post subject: |
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| Carlyles Ghost wrote: |
| I understand the point of the OP but I will respectfully disagree. |
I agree. I am the only person in my family (8 grandparents, 3 parents, a married brother and 13 aunts and uncles--every single one of them married, too, and numerous cousins) who has lived abroad outside of studying abroad (1 cousin I barely know), military, and one aunt who lived in Germany for a while. (She is the aunt I always thought was cool.)
Excluding my here in Korea friends, only one of my friends can read Hangul (he taught here with my current closest foreign friend in Korea years ago, that's how I met the current one).
I don't know any other foreigners who take taekwondo here, I'm the only person amongst anyone I personally know here or at home who earned a black belt in any martial art in its homeland.
As far as I know, almost none of my family and friends have traveled in Asia like I have, and I've barely scratched the surface.
And I do know cool, hip people back home, including one whose master degree had him living in three countries on three continents.
To me the unoriginal thing is to stay home, get married, buy a house, pop out kids. |
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IncognitoHFX
Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon
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| Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 8:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Atavistic wrote: |
| I don't know any other foreigners who take taekwondo here, I'm the only person amongst anyone I personally know here or at home who earned a black belt in any martial art in its homeland. |
I`m working on it. In Hapkido though.
What do people in Taekwondo think of Hapkido? I get the vibe that people who take Hapkido think that Taekwondo is lacking in power and has too much emphasis on speed, where people in Taekwondo think Hapkido is lacking in speed and agility. |
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Atavistic
Joined: 22 May 2006
Location: How totally stupid that Korean doesn't show in this area.
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| Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:13 pm Post subject: |
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| IncognitoHFX wrote: |
| Atavistic wrote: |
| I don't know any other foreigners who take taekwondo here, I'm the only person amongst anyone I personally know here or at home who earned a black belt in any martial art in its homeland. |
I`m working on it. In Hapkido though. |
Still don't know you personally. So my statement stands. 
| Quote: |
What do people in Taekwondo think of Hapkido? I get the vibe that people who take Hapkido think that Taekwondo is lacking in power and has too much emphasis on speed, where people in Taekwondo think Hapkido is lacking in speed and agility. |
Insecure taekwondoists play the "my martial art is the best because..." game, as insecure martial artists do round the world.
Most of the older taekwondoists I know think that learning Hapkido is a good complement to taekwondo. It's "softer" than taekwondo and more circular, isn't it? And my understanding is that hapkido emphasizes getting in closer than taekwondo, too.
I want to pick up another martial art, but only when I feel really solid in taekwondo. Unfortuantely, the more I learn the less I know, so it'll be a while! |
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Kimchi Cha Cha
Joined: 15 May 2003
Location: was Suncheon, now Brisbane
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| Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 4:51 am Post subject: |
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| Atavistic wrote: |
I agree. I am the only person in my family (8 grandparents, 3 parents, a married brother and 13 aunts and uncles--every single one of them married, too, and numerous cousins) who has lived abroad outside of studying abroad (1 cousin I barely know), military, and one aunt who lived in Germany for a while. (She is the aunt I always thought was cool.)
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It's funny. I guess it's different in Australia, and especially New Zealand where I think something like 1 in 5 Kiwis live outside NZ.
In Australia, traveling to Asia and/or Europe is almost like a rite of passage for many 20-somethings and has been so for decades, increasingly so with shorter distance times and growing affluence. My Mum did her working hoilday to Europe 40 years ago now. Out of my immediate family of six people, every one of us has lived and worked overseas at a least one point in their lives (though are the exception rather than the norm). Looking at the 20 or so people from my high school grade on Facebook the other day, it seemed like around half were living overseas.
I guess Australia and New Zealand, being relatively small countries relatively isolated with fewer opportunities, means that many Aussies and Kiwis head overseas on vacation, working holidays or permanently relocating to other areas with more opportunity.
| Atavistic wrote: |
Excluding my here in Korea friends, only one of my friends can read Hangul (he taught here with my current closest foreign friend in Korea years ago, that's how I met the current one).
I don't know any other foreigners who take taekwondo here, I'm the only person amongst anyone I personally know here or at home who earned a black belt in any martial art in its homeland.
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I'm betting you live in Seoul or a larger city. I live in Suncheon, a city of 200,000 people with around 150-200 Westerners, and I'd venture to guess the types who decide to teach here are most likely to be the ones who want to learn a bit about the culture and the language, more so comparatively than the ones who live in bigger cities.
I'd say most Westerners here (or at least half) who have been here a significant time have at least mastered Hangeul, many out of virtual necessity more than anything else, and I also know a lot of people not only taking Taekwondo, but also Kumdo, Judo and Hapkido.
Although, Korea's quite a homogeneous society compared to most others, there are differences around the country, and the experiences you encounter in one part of the country are likely to be quite different from that of another part of the country. |
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Yaya
Joined: 25 Feb 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 7:07 pm Post subject: |
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Hordes of Canadians are here teaching English to pay off student loans, and well, I don't understand why in many cases. If money is the goal, wouldn't going to booming Alberta and making even more dough be better? I hear that McDonald's in Alberta has to pay CDN$20 an hour to keep staff from leaving for higher-paying gigs in oil.
So I'm wondering, if the Canucks who hate Korea really hate it so much and are here only for the money, why aren't they in Alberta? |
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