Tefl in South Korea

cloneslad

would you work in Ireland for three months without pay??

Didn't think so. That person was an idiot.

You should always have some cash saved, you need a get out plan, just in case your job is cr*p. Why would you pay all your bills with a credit card when you know you aren't going to have an income to pay it off??

Don't blow all your money, always keep some for an emergency (getting fired, sick of korea, family emergency back home etc etc)

squeakyduck

Any Korean EPIK teachers out there that could recommend me any useful info websites that I should read up on for my EPIK interview?

I want to sound like I know alot about the place, I'm planning on reading the wiki page tonight to get a gist.

Any pointers?

Any other questions that they might ask me? Hyperbaby's post on questions was pretty helpful? Any extras?

Do_Lers

Going to Seoul on Thursday to start working.

I've just heard of a friend of a friend who has spent 300 euro on vaccinations for going to Seoul.

Is this a MASSIVE oversight on my part???? if so F@$K!!!!

Did you all get shots before going? I've never heard of this before now.

ekevosu

Do_Lers wrote: »

Going to Seoul on Thursday to start working.

I've just heard of a friend of a friend who has spent 300 euro on vaccinations for going to Seoul.

Is this a MASSIVE oversight on my part???? if so F@$K!!!!

Did you all get shots before going? I've never heard of this before now.

I didn't get any shots before coming. I think there are some that are recommended but you'll be fine, don't worry about it. Health care is a lot cheaper in korea as well so you could always get some here if you're worried about it.

Aramicon

Disaster!

Was supposed to be airborne and bound for Busan today, but just as I was leaving to collect my passport from the Korean Embassy on Friday I got an email from the Agency (in Korea) saying that the job was cancelled. They were getting me to rush over as soon as I could, and then this. I sent over a signed contract weeks ago, now I am back at square zero, and very frustrated! I don't think the agency are to blame but there are a few oddities, for example I was still waiting for a confirmation from a travel agent that they work with containing the flight details.

They said the school owner sent a text message saying he didn't want the foreigner teachers. Now I'm wondering what value a contract has or what protection it provides, I don't see what I can do about it, or how I can prevent it from happening again... and there seem to be fewer jobs advertised now for Busan. I will have to go through the whole process to try again, from police check to apostilled degree.

I've lost a lot of faith in this system... some of my favourite people are Korean, and they are mad about it too, but I don't see many other options for finding a way to live and work there. The last thing I want to do is give it more bad press but the applicant is in a vulnerable position from start to finish.

Anyone in Busan got any leads for a genuine position there?

</rant>

Oh, thanks to everyone who posts here, it is my first port-of-call for accurate info. My tuppence could be this- the Korean Embassy visa application hours are changed, they used to be Tuesday and Thursday, now they are Mon-Wed-Fri, 09:30-11:30. (Not so good for those of us living 3+ hours away!)

virmilitaris

Do_Lers wrote: »

Did you all get shots before going? I've never heard of this before now.

Before I came here for the first time I went to my local GP and he checked up some list of countries GP's have and proceeded to tell me I needed everything from rabies & Hepatitis to malaria vaccinations

There's no malaria in (South) Korea unless you're going to be hiking through the DMZ in which case malaria will be the least of your problems so straight away that's a load of bollox.

There could well be some risk with the others I'm not qualified enough to know but I'd wager there's as much risk at home as there is here. But I got no vaccinations before I came.

Do it if you wish but I don't think it's necessary.

virmilitaris

Aramicon wrote: »

I don't think the agency are to blame but there are a few oddities, for example I was still waiting for a confirmation from a travel agent that they work with containing the flight details.

They want you to get everything in order ASAP, they however will wait until the last minute to do everything. There mightn't even have been a definite job waiting for you, you could have been a 'backup' in case some other teacher pulled out at the last minute.

For an example of how things work here. I'm starting a new job in the morning, I'm not a full-time teacher so I take a lot of part-time gigs, so my recruiter has asked me to meet her at 7:15am for a job that starts at 8am. I said "Sure thing see you at 7:15" and I have no intention of been there before 7:45 because I know she asked me to come that early just to make sure I'm not late. She has no intention of been there before 7:50 either.

They said the school owner sent a text message saying he didn't want the foreigner teachers.

Sounds like he got someone else cheaper (i.e someone else here so he doesn't have to pay their flights) or you were a backup.

Now I'm wondering what value a contract has or what protection it provides,

Very little.

A contract in Korea is seen as much more informal than we see them. Your conditions can be renegotiated all the time and usually are. On top of that if you sign an English version and a Korean language version of a contract the Korean language one takes precedence. Although that seems to be a thing of the past nowadays.

Employee rights here are nowhere near as solid as they are in Europe.

I will have to go through the whole process to try again, from police check to apostilled degree.

If you were willing to work elsewhere, a smaller city near Busan or even Seoul you'd get a job much quicker.

cloneslad

Do_Lers wrote: »

Going to Seoul on Thursday to start working.

I've just heard of a friend of a friend who has spent 300 euro on vaccinations for going to Seoul.

Is this a MASSIVE oversight on my part???? if so F@$K!!!!

Did you all get shots before going? I've never heard of this before now.

I got no shots before going, you don't need them in Korea, you have as much chance of getting something here as there.

I got loads of different ones (while in korea) for travelling around s.e asia and India though. You can get them all in Korea at a lower cost than in Ireland.

In saying all that, it's always a plus to be vaccinated against hep A and hep B anyway, regardless of where you are going.

chris6

Has anyone taught in Jeju or know anyone who has? Thinking of heading that direction.

Also, I got a newsletter from my career person at college and it suggested epik.go.kr, is this a safe route to go in order to avoid dodgy schools?

Thanks.

cloneslad

If you don't know what epik.co.kr is then you haven't done much research. You will only get a public school job with Epik and it is much safer than getting a hagwon, but it is also less money and much harder to get a place in a school in a location of your choice, or even to get into at all.

I've been to Jeju, but never taught in it. It's a nice place, but the pay is lower there than it is in most other parts of the country. You also have to remember that leaving the island is much more difficult and expensive than it is when you live on the mainland or the closer islands. You can't just hop on a bus / train etc and got to a big city, you're pretty much limited to life on the island.

virmilitaris

cloneslad wrote: »

In saying all that, it's always a plus to be vaccinated against hep A and hep B anyway, regardless of where you are going.

Especially if you're thinking of going to itaewon. Get every vaccination you can. And a kevlar vest.

Aramicon

thanks virmilitaris, it's definitely a different way of doing things, very annoying when you are finally set to go and it falls through, a week earlier would have been far less awkward, but I think a lot of my friends will assume I'm gone...

I'm committed to Busan as I was dating a girl from there until she moved back, and I currently have no job so want to give it a go at least, though it currently seems a more difficult spot to get a gig- would surely be much easier if I had the whole country to aim for. Ideally I would get over there on my own steam and then look for work myself, but I don't think that's possible. I guess I'll have another go with the same approach and hope I get lucky. I have friends who have left for Australia/Canada and though it costs a lot more I'd love to have some security and not have a visa tied to a business I know nothing about, and which can potentially shaft me financially and otherwise with probable impunity.

If you have various part-time jobs I guess you are not on an E2 visa? Apologies if you heard this before!

cloneslad

Aramicon wrote: »

If you have various part-time jobs I guess you are not on an E2 visa? Apologies if you heard this before!

If you marry a Korean you can get an F2 visa and work part time anywhere you want, as long as you pay taxes of course.

virmilitaris

Aramicon wrote: »

If you have various part-time jobs I guess you are not on an E2 visa? Apologies if you heard this before!

Yeah I'm a permanent resident actually. Sort of a green card for here. Anyone can get it if you've been here long enough and meet some other criteria. Marraige not necessarily required but that was my ticket.

Have you tried applying for jobs directly? Not through a recruiter? Search for daves esl korea jobs or a website like worknplay.co.kr. try some of the adult hagwons in busan pagoda or wall st.

If you haven't already put down your years experience tutoring english in <insert non english speaking country here> and talk about tutoring kids or adults there on ypur resume.

chris6

cloneslad wrote: »

If you don't know what epik.co.kr is then you haven't done much research. You will only get a public school job with Epik and it is much safer than getting a hagwon, but it is also less money and much harder to get a place in a school in a location of your choice, or even to get into at all.

I've been to Jeju, but never taught in it. It's a nice place, but the pay is lower there than it is in most other parts of the country. You also have to remember that leaving the island is much more difficult and expensive than it is when you live on the mainland or the closer islands. You can't just hop on a bus / train etc and got to a big city, you're pretty much limited to life on the island.

I haven't sat down properly yet as I am in my last few weeks in college. The only time I have done some research was when avoiding college work. Planning on going in 2012 so once the summer arrives I will be looking into every detail. Thanks for the info though.

RadioClash

For any newbie Seoulites, my mate Tom from Cork runs a savage pubcrawl starting in the Shamrock and Roll Irish bar in Hongdae every Saturday night. Great way to meet all sorts of folk and Tom's great craic.

*shameless plug*


http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=583406152#!/home.php?sk=group_188212971202012

squeakyduck

:eek:

Just had my interview with a guy called William. Good English too.

Here are a few questions.

How would you deal with disruptive/naughty students?
How would you deal with students that don't want to learn?
How would you deal with different learning levels within the class room?
Who was your favorite teacher in school and why?
Do you know anything about Korean culture?
What is the most important thing that you have learned in your TEFL course?

He let me ask a few questions at the end too......god I'm still shaking!

ekevosu

A Few tough questions, let us all know how you get on but I'm sure you'll be fine.

JohnJoe1987

im going down to my college to get my transcripts and to get them stamped and sealed. Do you think i should get a few copies of each years transcripts or is one copy of each year enough. Also do i have to get a photocopy of my degree from the college or do i just photocopy it myself as i hope to get that notarized this week also

cloneslad

JohnJoe1987 wrote: »

im going down to my college to get my transcripts and to get them stamped and sealed. Do you think i should get a few copies of each years transcripts or is one copy of each year enough. Also do i have to get a photocopy of my degree from the college or do i just photocopy it myself as i hope to get that notarized this week also

photocopy each year 3-4 times, put an entire degree worth of years into each envelope and get them stamped and sealed.

You will at least have spares lying around should you need them in the future and you won't have to pay for them again.

As for the degree, just photocopy it yourself

JohnJoe1987

cloneslad wrote: »

photocopy each year 3-4 times, put an entire degree worth of years into each envelope and get them stamped and sealed.

You will at least have speares lying around should you need them in the future and you won't have to pay for them again.

As for the degree, just photocopy it yourself

so can i not just photocopy the transcripts myself and bring them in to the college to get them stamped and sealed or do i have the get the photocopies of the transcripts from the college as well

hyperbaby

How long were ye guys waiting for your Police Certificate of Character to come back from the superintendent?
Bloody slow local guard and bank holiday!

squeakyduck

Did you send it to your local garda station? I was waiting almost a month for mine because I sent it to the wrong station, it then had to be sent to the correct station, and they never told me!! Grr! Ring them and ask

hyperbaby

I applied for the Criminal Record check and got it notarised and apostilled before realising it was the wrong check.
I was all last week trying to get in contact with my local guard and eventually on Sunday she answered the phone and met me. A full week after I initially tried to get in contact with her. I was not impressed. She didn't even apologised for her lack of correspondence all week, after I left two noted at the station for her attention. Hmm...

cloneslad

JohnJoe1987 wrote: »

so can i not just photocopy the transcripts myself and bring them in to the college to get them stamped and sealed or do i have the get the photocopies of the transcripts from the college as well

you can photocopy them as much as you like, just put them in an envelope and get them to stamp the seal. The college doesn't have to photocopy them.

hyperbaby wrote: »

How long were ye guys waiting for your Police Certificate of Character to come back from the superintendent?
Bloody slow local guard and bank holiday!

Less than a week and that was over christmas time in 2009 when there was ice on the roads, bank holidays etc etc. They had them sent out to the house for me.

hyperbaby

Oh really! Well fingers and toes crossed I get it this week so, otherwise I will be giving them a gentle reminder on Friday to hurry up!

ekevosu

hyperbaby wrote: »

Oh really! Well fingers and toes crossed I get it this week so, otherwise I will be giving them a gentle reminder on Friday to hurry up!

It kindof depends on how many places you have lived and hence the number of Garda stations it has to be sent.

squeakyduck

EPIK rejected me. No reason why, probably because I was nervous and stuff.

The recruiter said I could apply for public school posts (outside EPIK) for end of May and end of June. Has anyone have any dealings with schools such as this? If I go over it would be end of June post. I have my brothers wedding at the beginning of August which I CANNOT miss. If I went over could the school stop me from taking holidays almost straight away to return to Ireland? If I went for an interview should I ask a question like that?

hyperbaby

That's a pity Squeakyduck, i bet you are disappointed.
I'm sure there is plenty of other vacancies out there.

ekevosu, I only have two previous addresses so it shouldn't take that long, right?

ekevosu

hyperbaby wrote: »

That's a pity Squeakyduck, i bet you are disappointed.
I'm sure there is plenty of other vacancies out there.

ekevosu, I only have two previous addresses so it shouldn't take that long, right?

I had three in different parts of the country and it took about two or three weeks. I rang one station from Korea and they said they hadn't received it but miraculously had it back to my home station the next day after the phone call. If it's taking more than a week just call into your local station and get an update. They can give you the stations it was sent to so you can ring them to see what's happening and if they have sent it back yet. Be nice but be persistent if it's taking too long.