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Thread: Teaching ESL in South Korea

  1. #41
    Senior Member Trinie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GuGu View Post
    yes, if the place you're working for likes you and you want to stay with them then it's very common that people will renew their contracts. many of the teachers i know have been at the same school for 3 to 5 years. but for me i think i'd want to move around and experience different parts of the country.

    KEN: yes, i have been keeping up with that fella. he's a trouble maker for sure. but you know what? he's not going to stop me from going to south korea.... maybe he can stop me from coming back but he aint stopping me from going there.
    Hey Gugu!
    Thanks for the info. I don't know many people that taught abroad so I wasn't sure. The only person that I know was my former professor who stayed in Japan for 5-6 years, but I am not sure if he stayed at the same school or did he move around. I want to stay mostly in Taipei, however, I would not mind going to a different school but in the same city. So the teachers you knew stayed for 3 to 5 years?? I want to stay for at least 2-3 years(I am not telling my family though or else they will freak out). I would want to experience different parts of the country too. However, I would rather visit during my breaks...

    Boy don't remind me about that dude... he seems to be a big threat to the world...
    Respect other people's opinions and views. If we learn how to do that than all of these fights and arguments will not occur.

  2. #42
    Senior Member Ghaleon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Trinie View Post
    Hey Ghaleon,
    Nice to see you here... I thought you were happy with your current job? Why do you want to change jobs?? I actually could have had a job right away if I went abroad immediately uopn my graduation, but I didn't feel like I was ready. I now am getting to that point and don't want too much more time to pass. What kind of job are you looking for?? Good luck and keep me posted. I will keep you updated if you want to know about mine.
    yeah i'm pretty much in the job searching phase now. I'm looking for an electrical engineering job but also might decide to do a PHD if i can't find what i want. i want to find a job that's related to my master's. So have you finally started on your job search? now i know how it feels to stay home all the time jobless. It sometimes can get depressing and it feels like you're just passing time un-productively. i feel like a bum for the past 2 weeks. Keep me updated on your job situation.

  3. #43
    Senior Member Trinie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ghaleon View Post
    yeah i'm pretty much in the job searching phase now. I'm looking for an electrical engineering job but also might decide to do a PHD if i can't find what i want. i want to find a job that's related to my master's. So have you finally started on your job search? now i know how it feels to stay home all the time jobless. It sometimes can get depressing and it feels like you're just passing time un-productively. i feel like a bum for the past 2 weeks. Keep me updated on your job situation.
    No, I did my job search a long time ago remember?? It's just that I needed a break so am now finally getting back to it. It really sucks being broke and unemployed. Also, we feel like we are wasting time and get made fun of everywhere we go. It always gets depressing. Oh yea, in the meantime, I am trying to save money to renew my passport since it will expire in 2011. I can't go anywhere without a new passport so need to renew that before I can apply for any overseas job. I will keep you updated and hope that you will keep me updated as well. Good luck and I know you will do well...I thought about a PhD, but don't want to since I am sick of school.. BUt who knows what will happen in the future??

    Remember to let me know when you find a new job ok? I will let you know as well... Keep in touch and we must all support and encourage each other??
    Respect other people's opinions and views. If we learn how to do that than all of these fights and arguments will not occur.

  4. #44
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    Quote Originally Posted by Trinie View Post
    Hey Ghaleon,
    Nice to see you here... I thought you were happy with your current job? Why do you want to change jobs?? I actually could have had a job right away if I went abroad immediately uopn my graduation, but I didn't feel like I was ready. I now am getting to that point and don't want too much more time to pass. What kind of job are you looking for?? Good luck and keep me posted. I will keep you updated if you want to know about mine.
    what kindda degree did you graduate with? my degree is worthless (anything that's not engineering isn't much to show for as far as BS/BA is concern), but college teaches you to make your *** look real good with "multiple skills" that you "learned" during college haha. So getting some sort of entry level job shouldn't be a huge problem... but I like the idea of teaching english (however consider living in another country isn't gonna be as easy, and you might have some communication problem early on if you don't speak the language).

  5. #45
    Senior Member Trinie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by warlock110 View Post
    what kindda degree did you graduate with? my degree is worthless (anything that's not engineering isn't much to show for as far as BS/BA is concern), but college teaches you to make your *** look real good with "multiple skills" that you "learned" during college haha. So getting some sort of entry level job shouldn't be a huge problem... but I like the idea of teaching english (however consider living in another country isn't gonna be as easy, and you might have some communication problem early on if you don't speak the language).
    I had a feeling you would be against going to another country or traveling just like how you were against Kay's idea to go to Australia. To answer your question, for my BA, I got a double major in English and Chinese and for my master's degree, I got a MA in TESOL which is Teaching English to Speakers of OTher Languages. I was also born and raised in America so I feel that I am qualified to teach English overseas. I plan to go to Taiwan and YES I do speak Chinese which is the main language there so I won't really have a problem with the language. I will experience culture shock just like anyone since I am a foreigner....Of course living in another country is not going to be easy, but that is all part of the challenge and adventure. IF you are not willing to do that, then what is the point of going abroad for???

    What gave you the idea that a BA/BS that is not in engineering is worthless?? I can tell you that that is NOT true at all. Mine was in languages and my 6th brothers was in Microbiology and he is now an established pharmacist with his PharmD.
    Last edited by Trinie; 06-24-09 at 03:00 PM.
    Respect other people's opinions and views. If we learn how to do that than all of these fights and arguments will not occur.

  6. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by Trinie View Post
    I had a feeling you would be against going to another country or traveling just like how you were against Kay's idea to go to Australia. To answer your question, for my BA, I got a double major in English and Chinese and for my master's degree, I got a MA in TESOL which is Teaching English to Speakers of OTher Languages. I was also born and raised in America so I feel that I am qualified to teach English overseas. I plan to go to Taiwan and YES I do speak Chinese which is the main language there so I won't really have a problem with the language. I will experience culture shock just like anyone since I am a foreigner....Of course living in another country is not going to be easy, but that is all part of the challenge and adventure. IF you are not willing to do that, then what is the point of going abroad for???

    What gave you the idea that a BA/BS that is not in engineering is worthless?? I can tell you that that is NOT true at all. Mine was in languages and my 6th brothers was in Microbiology and he is now an established pharmacist with his PharmD.
    you just proved my point. he's a pharmacist and not workign using his microbiology degree. Basically most if not all BS/BA would need to get some more education to do some sort of decent work.

    and since i don't know how it is (no way I would know), that's why i wrote a bunch of "ifs", that's to cover all the bases. sounds like you'll be just great doing it, so ignore what i said.
    Last edited by warlock110; 06-24-09 at 10:50 PM.

  7. #47
    Senior Member Trinie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by warlock110 View Post
    you just proved my point. he's a pharmacist and not workign using his microbiology degree. Basically most if not all BS/BA would need to get some more education to do some sort of decent work.

    and since i don't know how it is (no way I would know), that's why i wrote a bunch of "ifs", that's to cover all the bases. sounds like you'll be just great doing it, so ignore what i said.
    But he still needed his microbiology degree to get into pharmacy school. THat degree also provided the background that he needed in order to excel in his pharmacy degree. You are right, that he did not really use his BS for working, but it served another purpose for him.

    Thanks and sorry if I offended you.... Yea, I say "IF" a lot too just in case things don't work out....
    Respect other people's opinions and views. If we learn how to do that than all of these fights and arguments will not occur.

  8. #48
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Cheng View Post
    When considering moving to South Korea for work, there's one point that must not be overlooked:

    NORTH Korea



    $this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://www.rotten.com/library/bio/dictators/kim-jong-il/kim_jong_il_smile.jpg')
    Nah, I've been here for 4 years, and I haven't been nuked yet.

    And I am in Daejeon, which is where most of the research centres are located along with a huge military base, so I guess it'll be one of the 2 major targets if S. Korea does gets nuked.

  9. #49
    Senior Member libby96's Avatar
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    if u are interested in teaching english then id say check out this blog...

    http://www.soompi.com/content/type/1/0/1454/0

    the back posts are more teaching related..
    she gives good insight and advice =)
    it may help u decide if u really want to work and teach in sk..
    .. and its interesting =)

  10. #50
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    Skipped much of the thread, but I have many friends who teach overseas and have visited some for months at a time (my work is very...flexible) and assuming u don't speak Korean or Japanese, I'd go to Japan in a heartbeat. The people treat you better as it is in their culture, they respect English teachers more than Korean people do, (kind of like a thank you for helping our students! vs we pay you to come teach so you better do a good job), and Japan as a country is generally just more clean, efficient, and friendlier to foreigners.

  11. #51
    Senior Member GuGu's Avatar
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    ^ what you said of the japanese is very true. they're more respectful and nicer towards foreigners. koreans can be a little isolated because they feel we don't speak or understand their language. i haven't experienced it first hand but i have many friends who do the teach english overseas thing.

    no matter what, i think my first choice is still korea, just because of yunjae.
    and also because i have a couple of friends of friends in south korea right now. if i ever needed help i could rely on them.

  12. #52
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    Oh if you have friends in a certain country, I think I'd go with that one in a heartbeat. Hanging out with friends during a carefree portion of your life in a foreign place is probably as good as it gets. I'd choose to experience that over and over again while I'm young rather than being a millionaire by the time I'm 35-40 or whatever.

    If I had my way, I'd rather be bouncing around from my 20's-40's and working off my debt til the day I die rather than working 40-50 hour weeks now and having nothing to do in my 60's+. Of course that's not feasible, but it's a dream.

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