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Tefl in South Korea

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    #1082
    livinginkorea
    Registered Users Posts: 5,438 ✭✭✭livinginkorea


    Choccie Lover wrote: »
    Heading off to Korea tomorrow. Thanks to all who have contributed on the thread. It's been very helpful with making the move :).

    Good luck with the visa Undercover Brother. I'm sure it will work out ok.

    Congrats man, delighted for you.


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    #1083
    Undercover Brother
    Registered Users Posts: 54 ✭✭Undercover Brother


    Choccie Lover wrote: »
    Heading off to Korea tomorrow. Thanks to all who have contributed on the thread. It's been very helpful with making the move :).

    Good luck with the visa Undercover Brother. I'm sure it will work out ok.

    Thanks Choccie Lover, good luck out there. Hopefully I'll be out in 2-3 weeks


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    #1084
    kraggy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,414 ✭✭✭kraggy


    Anyone know what Osan is like? Another agency has a job there.


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    #1085
    LimerickJoe
    Registered Users Posts: 37 ✭LimerickJoe


    Hello everyone,

    There is still a very nice public school job available for a girl at my school in Yeongcheon city, which is very close to Daegu. I've been working here 4 months and would highly recommend anyone interested to apply for the job.

    Again we want a girl with their documents ready or who could have their documents ready in the next few days.

    Contact me at joseph_barry@hotmail.com


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    #1086
    panda100
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,551 ✭✭✭panda100


    Hey, great advice on this thread and just wanted to ask a few questions.

    Is there any places that will take people without degree's in Korea?
    I know Its needed for the visa,but just wondering If theres anyway around this. I studied medicine in UCD for four and half years, and dropped out due to personal circumstances. I've been working for the last four years in the disability sector, but jobs have gone non-existent now, and I'm raging at myself I didn't finish my degree, especially a medical degree! I have exam transcripts and can get documentation from UCD medical school, as I have done in the past, do you think these will be any good?


    Also, I grew up in London, and so I have an English accent. Is it true they don't hire people with English accents??


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    #1087
    dapto1
    Registered Users Posts: 603 ✭✭✭dapto1


    Got an appointment with a notary public on Friday, does anyone know if I need to get anything other than the photocopy of my degree notarised?

    Those of you who posted your documents to the Department of Foreign Affairs, did it take long for them to arrive back with the apostilles?

    Thanks!


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    #1088
    LimerickJoe
    Registered Users Posts: 37 ✭LimerickJoe


    Hey guys the jobs at my school are now gone!!! Best of luck to everybody job hunting.


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    #1089
    livinginkorea
    Registered Users Posts: 5,438 ✭✭✭livinginkorea


    panda100 wrote: »
    Hey, great advice on this thread and just wanted to ask a few questions.

    Is there any places that will take people without degree's in Korea?
    I know Its needed for the visa,but just wondering If theres anyway around this. I studied medicine in UCD for four and half years, and dropped out due to personal circumstances. I've been working for the last four years in the disability sector, but jobs have gone non-existent now, and I'm raging at myself I didn't finish my degree, especially a medical degree! I have exam transcripts and can get documentation from UCD medical school, as I have done in the past, do you think these will be any good?


    Also, I grew up in London, and so I have an English accent. Is it true they don't hire people with English accents??

    There is the TALK program but that is for students who haven't graduated yet. You would have to be in university for that. Other than that it is illegal to teach in Korea without a degree.

    About the English accent, where did you hear that? There are thousands of English people out here (luckily I don't work with any of them! :P )

    You need a degree at least.


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    #1090
    Cool Running
    Registered Users Posts: 451 ✭✭Cool Running


    dapto1 wrote: »
    Got an appointment with a notary public on Friday, does anyone know if I need to get anything other than the photocopy of my degree notarised?

    Those of you who posted your documents to the Department of Foreign Affairs, did it take long for them to arrive back with the apostilles?

    Thanks!

    No you dont need anything else notarised besides the degree but you do need your criminal background check apostilled.

    When you post off documents with the postal order for payment you should have them back within a week. If you call up to the office in Stephens Green it usually takes around 20 or 30 minutes.

    Oh ya just make sure when ya post off the documents that you state that it is for South Korea


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    #1091
    Choccie Lover
    Registered Users Posts: 244 ✭✭Choccie Lover


    red_bairn wrote: »
    Do you know what town/city you are teaching in?

    Hey there. I'm in Seoul. Just arrived yesterday, so am exhausted and bewildered at the moment:) On the plus side, have a nice apartment (think I'm it's first occupant) and the staff at the school seem lovely.


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    #1092
    Choccie Lover
    Registered Users Posts: 244 ✭✭Choccie Lover


    LimerickJoe wrote: »
    Congratulations! You must be so excited. Where will you be living? We should get in touch over here. Talk to ya soon! :)

    Thanks a million. As said in my previous post, I'm living in Seoul and it's going well so far, all 24 hours of it! Am all set up with my cable TV and internet in my cute little apartment and am heading into the school shortly to do some observations etc. I see you are in Daegu, but if you are ever coming to Seoul, feel free to drop me a PM. I'm doing this whole thing solo, so am looking forward to meeting new people.

    By the way, are there any other girls on this forum who have come over here alone? Just curious, because from what I can gather, it seems to be the guys that take the plunge alone.

    Finally, does anyone have any good recommendations for Korean language classes in Seoul? Am keen to get cracking with that.


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    #1093
    dapto1
    Registered Users Posts: 603 ✭✭✭dapto1


    Cool Running wrote: »
    No you dont need anything else notarised besides the degree but you do need your criminal background check apostilled.

    When you post off documents with the postal order for payment you should have them back within a week. If you call up to the office in Stephens Green it usually takes around 20 or 30 minutes.

    Oh ya just make sure when ya post off the documents that you state that it is for South Korea

    Cheers that's very helpful, thank you. That's great about getting it back in a week or so as I won't be able to get up to Dublin due to work.


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    #1094
    conbob
    Registered Users Posts: 175 ✭✭conbob


    Hi. Anyone know the website to apply for GEPIK? I'm trying to use this one http://cge.ken.go.kr/contents/m_online_application_eng/main_regist.asp but question 6, the availability question is broken. You can't choose a year. Maybe this is the site for years ago and isn't used now?


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    #1095
    cloneslad
    Registered Users Posts: 2,583 ✭✭✭cloneslad


    LimerickJoe wrote: »



    We are looking for 2 native teachers who can work in Kangwon-do, Teaback-si

    I've been there, it's not a bad place. It is pretty small though. I only stayed in it for about 2 hours and spent most of that time eating fried chicken as I had been driving for about 10 hours without food.

    The mountains in the surrounding area are awesome though, not so awesome if it's very foggy, you have about a 30cm view of the road ahead and you accidently turn off the lights in the car going around a very sharp corner at the top of a mountain......I still get earache for that error :(


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    #1096
    livinginkorea
    Registered Users Posts: 5,438 ✭✭✭livinginkorea


    A three day weekend, that is decent. Pay looks good too. I am always of the opinion that if I can work harder for a shorter working week then take it!


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    #1097
    Toto Wolfcastle
    Registered Users Posts: 25,005 ✭✭✭✭Toto Wolfcastle


    Job ad moved to job thread here.


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    #1098
    virmilitaris
    Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭virmilitaris


    Finally, does anyone have any good recommendations for Korean language classes in Seoul? Am keen to get cracking with that.

    Sogang university have the best course by far.for.learning to communicate. The others all focus on grammar and korean grammar is a bottomless pit of confusion and madness.

    Where in seoul.are you living.? I've been all over.so.can probably recommend a uni close tp you. Oh or the local authorities usually give free classes but to be honest they aren't great.

    For a very good beginners book check out 'korean made easy'. Can't remember the author but its pretty popular so u should be able.to get it straight away.


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    #1099
    virmilitaris
    Closed Accounts Posts: 560 ✭✭✭virmilitaris


    panda100 wrote: »
    Hey, great advice on this thread and just wanted to ask a few questions.

    Is there any places that will take people without degree's in Korea?
    I know Its needed for the visa,but just wondering If theres anyway around this. I studied medicine in UCD for four and half years, and dropped out due to personal circumstances. I've been working for the last four years in the disability sector, but jobs have gone non-existent now, and I'm raging at myself I didn't finish my degree, especially a medical degree! I have exam transcripts and can get documentation from UCD medical school, as I have done in the past, do you think these will be any good?

    You can work for one of the government programs if you have completed at least two years of a degree course. Ill find the specifics later and post them here. Don't have the link at the mo.

    edit: Here you go. http://www.talk.go.kr/

    Go to about the program, program details eligibility. Didn't read it fully myself but I think you could get into this program.
    Also, I grew up in London, and so I have an English accent. Is it true they don't hire people with English accents??

    Some places only will take certain nationalities and races and genders.

    You'll see advertisements saying no blacks or no men or no aussies and then you have ads asking specifically for blacks, men,aussies etc

    The most desired teacher is a blonde blue eyed white canadian young woman.

    Many places want teachers for appearance more than they want them for their teachong ability. Many people here find out they are been paid to be a clown not a teacher.


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    #1100
    cloneslad
    Registered Users Posts: 2,583 ✭✭✭cloneslad


    virmilitaris wrote: »
    The others all focus on grammar and korean grammar is a bottomless pit of confusion and madness.


    I ended up leaving the one I was doing for this reason. It was pointless as I was never going to fully understand it. Also the first 6 weeks (4hours a day, once a week) was spent mostly looking at pictures and saying the word. I can't learn stuff like that.

    Memorising in your mid 20s is not easy. I can't retain information like that. I can mostly only remember vocabulary through conversation or if I needed it once before.


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    #1101
    Undercover Brother
    Registered Users Posts: 54 ✭✭Undercover Brother


    Hey guys
    I will be sending my docs to Korea on Monday and waiting for them to give me my visa number which I will then go to the embassy in Dublin with. I'm presuming it could be close to 2 weeks before I get the visa number, by the time the docs arrive in Korea and go thru immigration over there. My director wants me out around the 16th, and of course I would like to book a flight asap but I don't want to book it without having everything sorted first. I heard the Korean embassy in Dublin when they do the interview they take your passport and return it to you within a week. Is this the case? It would be so much easier for me if I could get the passport back on the same day. Any of the guys who went to Korea in the last couple of months can you let me know how long it took for the embassy to process your visa and passport? Thanks


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    #1102
    cloneslad
    Registered Users Posts: 2,583 ✭✭✭cloneslad


    Undercover Brother wrote: »
    Hey guys
    I will be sending my docs to Korea on Monday and waiting for them to give me my visa number which I will then go to the embassy in Dublin with. I'm presuming it could be close to 2 weeks before I get the visa number, by the time the docs arrive in Korea and go thru immigration over there. My director wants me out around the 16th, and of course I would like to book a flight asap but I don't want to book it without having everything sorted first. I heard the Korean embassy in Dublin when they do the interview they take your passport and return it to you within a week. Is this the case? It would be so much easier for me if I could get the passport back on the same day. Any of the guys who went to Korea in the last couple of months can you let me know how long it took for the embassy to process your visa and passport? Thanks

    send it on monday, arrive on tuesday (wednesday at the latest...use fedex)

    sent to immigration on wednesday, should get the number the following tues/weds/thurs.

    They e-mail or call you with the number.

    you call the embassy, tell them your name and number. They arrange an interview for you, you you haven't had a korean visa before. (think they are on tues / thurs).

    Do the interview, give them €40 or so, and your passport and some passport photos. collect them 3-4 working days later.

    Don't book your flight until you have had your interview. The embassy are reliable with getting the passport done when they say it will be done, so just ask them when it will be ready.

    I'd also advise you to fly out on a thursday if it's possible. That way you'll arrive on a friday and you can spend the weekend sleeping off the jetlag a bit before starting work on the monday (I'm presuming they'll make you work asap if they want you on the 16th).


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    #1103
    Undercover Brother
    Registered Users Posts: 54 ✭✭Undercover Brother


    cloneslad wrote: »
    send it on monday, arrive on tuesday (wednesday at the latest...use fedex)

    sent to immigration on wednesday, should get the number the following tues/weds/thurs.

    They e-mail or call you with the number.

    you call the embassy, tell them your name and number. They arrange an interview for you, you you haven't had a korean visa before. (think they are on tues / thurs).

    Do the interview, give them €40 or so, and your passport and some passport photos. collect them 3-4 working days later.

    Don't book your flight until you have had your interview. The embassy are reliable with getting the passport done when they say it will be done, so just ask them when it will be ready.

    I'd also advise you to fly out on a thursday if it's possible. That way you'll arrive on a friday and you can spend the weekend sleeping off the jetlag a bit before starting work on the monday (I'm presuming they'll make you work asap if they want you on the 16th).

    I've already arranged for DHL to deliver it. They're picking it up Monday and said it would be there on Thursday. I thought this was quick, sounds like Fedex are better. Ah well if I don't get out for the 16th its not the end of the world, the school director knows whats happening, the school doesn't actually start classes until the 21st but they wanted me over a few days early to show me round, do some training etc. Of course I would like to get out maybe a week before class starts just to get used to things but its really out of my hands now, just have to get through the red tape. Thanks


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    #1104
    Choccie Lover
    Registered Users Posts: 244 ✭✭Choccie Lover


    Thanks all for the tips on where to study Korean. Have actually found a place to try out (for free), so will go with that first. If it’s not great, I’ll try your suggestions.


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    #1105
    Choccie Lover
    Registered Users Posts: 244 ✭✭Choccie Lover


    Undercover Brother wrote: »
    Hey guys
    I will be sending my docs to Korea on Monday and waiting for them to give me my visa number which I will then go to the embassy in Dublin with. I'm presuming it could be close to 2 weeks before I get the visa number, by the time the docs arrive in Korea and go thru immigration over there. My director wants me out around the 16th, and of course I would like to book a flight asap but I don't want to book it without having everything sorted first. I heard the Korean embassy in Dublin when they do the interview they take your passport and return it to you within a week. Is this the case? It would be so much easier for me if I could get the passport back on the same day. Any of the guys who went to Korea in the last couple of months can you let me know how long it took for the embassy to process your visa and passport? Thanks

    Ok, as you know, I’ve just arrived here, so this information is pretty up to date, although I sent my documents at the end of December, as my job was advertised months in advance. Naïve little me thought I’d be well organised in time.

    I sent my documents via DHL, as well. Sent it on a Wednesday and it arrived the following Monday, I think. The snowy weather at the time may have affected the speed of the delivery, or at least, the girl at DHL warned me that that may be an issue.

    As it turned out, my school didn’t process the documents at immigration until nearly a month later! They did this the Friday before the Solnal (Chinese New Year) break, and it was Friday two weeks before I got my visa issuance number. I make that eight working days (taking into account the days my documents were sitting on immigration’s desk during the break). I’ve read that it generally can take between five and twelve working days to process the documents.

    So, as I said, I got this number on a Friday and travelled to the embassy the following Monday (I didn’t need an interview as I have worked in Korea before). I was due to fly the Monday after that, so I stressed to the embassy that if they could process it quickly, it would be much appreciated. She just kept re-iterating that it could take anything between five and seven days, given the busy time of year. She was really firm about that and not willing to make any promises. Anyway, I obviously needed to get the visa by that Friday at the absolute latest. She told me to ring her on the Friday morning and that “perhaps” it could be ready just in time, but again she kept saying “No guarantee”. Anyway, when I rang on Friday, it was ready and luckily I had someone in Dublin to collect it for me. When I got the visa into my hand, I saw that it was actually processed the day after I visited the embassy! So, it appears that they can process the visa really quickly, but they won’t tell you that.


    So, as you can see, I ended up getting my visa at the eleventh hour, but I was pretty unlucky with weather, holidays etc.


    If I were you, I wouldn’t book a flight at this stage. The only reason I was stupid enough to do so was because I was actually hired months in advance and assumed I’d have my visa at least a month in before travelling. Don’t stress too much, because when I was looking into changing my flight (I was sure I’d have to), it turned out that the flights were just as cheap as when I purchased my ticket nearly two months earlier. Around a tenner in the difference.

    Anyways, the best of luck with it!


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    #1106
    Marsipanss
    Registered Users Posts: 6 ✭Marsipanss


    Hi all,

    I just got offered an interview for this job below.
    I am concerned because i have seen it on a few blacklists online.
    Has anyone here heard of this school??

    Finding a job in Busan is proving hardier than i thought!

    1. Location: Dadae, Saha, Busan

    2. School Name: Kids Club http://huston.kr

    3. Salary: 2.1-2.2

    4. Teaching Target: Kinder-Elementary

    5. Workign Hour: 9am-6pm

    6. Numbe of Native Teachers: 4


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    #1107
    cloneslad
    Registered Users Posts: 2,583 ✭✭✭cloneslad


    Marsipanss wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I just got offered an interview for this job below.
    I am concerned because i have seen it on a few blacklists online.
    Has anyone here heard of this school??

    Finding a job in Busan is proving hardier than i thought!

    1. Location: Dadae, Saha, Busan

    2. School Name: Kids Club http://huston.kr

    3. Salary: 2.1-2.2

    4. Teaching Target: Kinder-Elementary

    5. Workign Hour: 9am-6pm

    6. Numbe of Native Teachers: 4


    I know of the franchise but not the school.

    Only way to find out about the school is to get in touch with the teachers there, both the ones staying and the ones leaving. Ask them about the school, why they are not extending, paid on time, what's the boss like, is the apartment good etc etc

    then make up your own mind.


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    #1108
    livinginkorea
    Registered Users Posts: 5,438 ✭✭✭livinginkorea


    It depends when the comments were made about the school on that blacklist. Some schools do change owners/managers often so the comments made might not reflect the current environment at the school. Also, sometimes over very small things like cultural differences or misunderstandings people write on blacklists. You are right to be concerned but don't believe everything you read.

    Definitely get in touch with one of the teachers there. It worth it to give that person a call and ask them some questions about the school. You will have a much better idea then.


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    #1109
    SpatialPlanning
    Registered Users Posts: 318 ✭✭SpatialPlanning


    Marsipanss wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I just got offered an interview for this job below.
    I am concerned because i have seen it on a few blacklists online.
    Has anyone here heard of this school??

    Finding a job in Busan is proving hardier than i thought!

    1. Location: Dadae, Saha, Busan

    2. School Name: Kids Club http://huston.kr

    3. Salary: 2.1-2.2

    4. Teaching Target: Kinder-Elementary

    5. Workign Hour: 9am-6pm

    6. Numbe of Native Teachers: 4

    Hey. I live in Saha gu, 2 stops from Saha itself. I'll ask around about the school and get back to you in a day or two. The area itself is pretty far out from the city centre which means that you will be doing a lot of travelling during the year but it's a decent spot. Plenty of foreigners living out here. There's another guy on this board that lives in Saha too. If you need to know anything specific about the area feel free to PM me and I'll be happy to answer your questions.


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    #1110
    conbob
    Registered Users Posts: 175 ✭✭conbob


    Marsipanss wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I just got offered an interview for this job below.
    I am concerned because i have seen it on a few blacklists online.
    Has anyone here heard of this school??

    Finding a job in Busan is proving hardier than i thought!

    1. Location: Dadae, Saha, Busan

    2. School Name: Kids Club http://huston.kr

    3. Salary: 2.1-2.2

    4. Teaching Target: Kinder-Elementary

    5. Workign Hour: 9am-6pm

    6. Numbe of Native Teachers: 4

    Is it 9am-6pm 5 days a week?


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    #1111
    lordwilmore
    Registered Users Posts: 14 ✭lordwilmore


    cant believe the thread i started is still going strong. nice.


    anywho. i did a year in korea and have just completed a CELT course.

    My question is with the experience and the CELT, what kinda money should i be looking at?

    starting off, i was on 2.2 million. is a pay rise unreasonable considering the years experience and celt? ive been offered a few place and they're only offering 2.2.

    advice/ opinions welcome


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