Tefl in South Korea

cassi · 06-08-2011 03:25PM

col89 wrote: »

I'm in a bit of a situation at the moment about taking a certain job offer, and I would appreciate any advice on what I should do. Basically, I've been sitting on an offer for about a week, emailing one of the teachers from the school who has been filling me in about the place. But, as it stands, it's a school that I'm not sure I can trust, and it's also situated in an area of the country that I never really wanted to go to - situated on the west side of Daegu, close to Keimyung University (the area is known as Seongseo). So, right now, I'm faced with a dilemma to either take the position and hope to make the most of the year's contract, or either wait until a more preferable position comes along (if one does). If I do the latter, I could run myself into waiting until September at the very least, which would thus get in the way of my plans of wanting to return to third level education in September 2012.

It really doesn't seem like an attractive position to me: the school seems downtrodden, the teacher didn't sound very enthused on the phone, the accommodation is even more cramped than usual with a lack of amenities, the area in general doesn't sound too appealing, and the recruiter just seems rushed to hire me to any old job. But, at this point, I feel like I should just go for it, and I've told a couple of friends who have told me the very same thing. I'm already going to miss my graduation which is heart-wrenching, but the thoughts of waiting in the bid of getting a better position which could hinder my plans to do an MA next year really isn't a chance I want to take. I've been looking into the possibility of finding a shorter contract other than one year but such a thing doesn't exist (at least to my knowledge).

Has anyone any tips?

I know its a tough situation but if your feeling are bad on something you're probably right about it! A year in Korea is very rewarding but also can be very stressful and fustrating, you need to be happy where you are. The fact that the teacher you spoke to is less than enthuastic about it and the recruiter is pushing you doesn't sound good.

Have you looked into the MA you wnat to do and when it starts, many don't start untill late September or early October which would give you an extra few weeks.

My suggestion is up your search, trawl the internet, look for websites that aren't recruiter specific (many cities have expat websites that advertise) check for facebook pages (many teachers advertise there for their replacements). Check daves esl, craigslist, busan web etc for potential advertisements.

Good luck with you search!

cassi · 06-08-2011 03:28PM

mangaroosh wrote: »

any recommendations about what to do with regard to a laptop?

presumably they can be picked up cheap enough over, but is it easy to get ones with an english keyboard and an OS in english?

Either bring you own or if you don't have one get one here before you go. They aren't cheap in Korea. Dell have nice netbooks for around the €250 mark. All keyboards have english on them and many places will put an english OS on them but it can take sometime.

roosh · 06-08-2011 03:46PM

cassi wrote: »

Either bring you own or if you don't have one get one here before you go. They aren't cheap in Korea. Dell have nice netbooks for around the €250 mark. All keyboards have english on them and many places will put an english OS on them but it can take sometime.

really? I would've presumed electronics would be cheap enough over there.

I have a laptop anyway, so I'll just bring that.

cheers cassi

cassi · 06-08-2011 04:01PM

mangaroosh wrote: »

really? I would've presumed electronics would be cheap enough over there.

I have a laptop anyway, so I'll just bring that.

cheers cassi

Nope there actually quite a bit more expensive.

No problem at all

virmilitaris · 07-08-2011 04:48AM

cassi wrote: »

Nope there actually quite a bit more expensive.

No problem at all

No they're not more expensive for what you are getting. At least they weren't last time I bought one.

You get much higher specs for the same price as a much lower spec machine at home. What you don't get here usually is ****ty low-end machines that you do get at home because no one here wants ****ty low-end machines.

i.e. You can walk into PC world at home and buy a ****ty low end machine cheap because there's a market for people who just want to browse the web and write documents. It's much harder to find ****ty low-end machines here because there's not much of a market for them here.

RadioClash · 07-08-2011 09:08AM

virmilitaris wrote: »

No they're not more expensive for what you are getting. At least they weren't last time I bought one.

You get much higher specs for the same price as a much lower spec machine at home. What you don't get here usually is ****ty low-end machines that you do get at home because no one here wants ****ty low-end machines.

i.e. You can walk into PC world at home and buy a ****ty low end machine cheap because there's a market for people who just want to browse the web and write documents. It's much harder to find ****ty low-end machines here because there's not much of a market for them here.

Gotta disagree. Walk around Yongsan electronics market and then compare for isntance a Samsung netbook to the price back home (American brands like HP tend to be more reasonable however), you'll be paying a nice wedge more for similar or identical specs. It's the same deal for cars here. People pay over the odds for a Hyundai when you can buy the same car with better specs and added extras in America. Korea is a closed market(changing slowly though), and the EU and American free trade deals could be the best thing to happen to Korea from a competitive pricing point of view.

cloneslad · 07-08-2011 10:33AM

virmilitaris wrote: »

No they're not more expensive for what you are getting. At least they weren't last time I bought one.

You get much higher specs for the same price as a much lower spec machine at home. What you don't get here usually is ****ty low-end machines that you do get at home because no one here wants ****ty low-end machines.

i.e. You can walk into PC world at home and buy a ****ty low end machine cheap because there's a market for people who just want to browse the web and write documents. It's much harder to find ****ty low-end machines here because there's not much of a market for them here.

I'd have to disagree, because I know I'm right :P

Korea has a high import tax for all companies non Korean, this brings up the price of electronics considerably. Having compititors products at a high cos also allows samsung to sell samsung products at a higher price than they do abroad.

If you go into any of the normal electronic stores, you can find laptops / netbooks with 1-2gig ram, 160-320 gig memory, and an average processor and the price will be a a minimum €100 more expensive than Ireland. Not to mention the selection of brands is pretty poor in comparison, you might find 1-2 HP computers (max) per shop, but the rest are all samsung or Jooytech or some other brnad I've never heard about.

Have you priced any apple products in Korea?? Crazy prices!!

Then you have the windows issue, yes they will give you an English OS, but you will pay an extraa 150-250k won for the pleasure and you most likely won't get the disc for it. Some places will put the OS on for free, but it won't be a legit copy and you might get a bit annoyed when you try and get an update from the microsoft site when it analyses your system before allowing download.

If you want a simple netbook / laptop capable of keeping in touch with family, browsing, watching movies etc etc, just pick one up in Ireland for €200-€250 (or if you happen to have an American friend, electronics there are dirt cheap).

cloneslad · 07-08-2011 10:36AM

col89 wrote: »

I'm in a bit of a situation at the moment about taking a certain job offer, and I would appreciate any advice on what I should do. Basically, I've been sitting on an offer for about a week, emailing one of the teachers from the school who has been filling me in about the place. But, as it stands, it's a school that I'm not sure I can trust, and it's also situated in an area of the country that I never really wanted to go to - situated on the west side of Daegu, close to Keimyung University (the area is known as Seongseo). So, right now, I'm faced with a dilemma to either take the position and hope to make the most of the year's contract, or either wait until a more preferable position comes along (if one does). If I do the latter, I could run myself into waiting until September at the very least, which would thus get in the way of my plans of wanting to return to third level education in September 2012.

It really doesn't seem like an attractive position to me: the school seems downtrodden, the teacher didn't sound very enthused on the phone, the accommodation is even more cramped than usual with a lack of amenities, the area in general doesn't sound too appealing, and the recruiter just seems rushed to hire me to any old job. But, at this point, I feel like I should just go for it, and I've told a couple of friends who have told me the very same thing. I'm already going to miss my graduation which is heart-wrenching, but the thoughts of waiting in the bid of getting a better position which could hinder my plans to do an MA next year really isn't a chance I want to take. I've been looking into the possibility of finding a shorter contract other than one year but such a thing doesn't exist (at least to my knowledge).

Has anyone any tips?

col89 wrote: »

It's a hagwon (private institute). It's one of the Wonderland schools, and I've heard nothing but divided opinions about the chain, so that makes matters about deciding even worse.

DON'T DO IT!!

If the area sounds terrible, the accomodation sounds terrible and the current teacher doesn't like it...why would you want to put yourself through the torture of that year?

You should be going to Korea to have a good experience and enjoy yourself.

and, just so you know.....wonderland is a sh*thole!!

veritable · 07-08-2011 11:38AM

Hi

firstly, fantastic thread. I've read quite a few pages but i didn't pick up on a couple of things:

It's now August and I'm working in a job in Dublin and I don't feel that the office environment is suiting me. Plus, everything in Ireland is so doom and gloom.

I'd like to go to s korea and work/teach english. If I wanted to go within the next few months, how easy could I do this?

I know that i would have to take one of the teaching courses but are the jobs contracted at certain times of the year? e.g. are you meant to apply in may/june for a job starting in september? or can you apply for jobs at any time of the year?

How much cash would I need to get set up?

Thanks in advance for your help.

V

cloneslad · 07-08-2011 07:40PM

veritable wrote: »

Hi

I'd like to go to s korea and work/teach english. If I wanted to go within the next few months, how easy could I do this?

very easily....if you're employable, can easily get your documents ready and find a decent school.

I know that i would have to take one of the teaching courses

you wouldn't have to, and most don't

but are the jobs contracted at certain times of the year? e.g. are you meant to apply in may/june for a job starting in september? or can you apply for jobs at any time of the year?

Most public school jobs hire to start teaching in sept and march (with 1-2 weeks orientation the month before starting).

Some public schools have teacher who weren't hired in these main hiring months, if they don't extend their contract then they will be replaced outside of the main hiring periods.

Private school (hagwons) hire at any time of the year, depending on when they need to replace the current teacher.

How much cash would I need to get set up?

getting all your documents ready, stamped, sent off to Korea, get your visa processed etc shouldn't cost any more than €200

Your school will pay for your flight (or reimburse you, but generally it's easier to just get them to pay for it).

You get paid on a monthly basis. So you'll need some cash to last you that first initial month. €500-€1000 would do, with the €500 being towards the low end as you'll be spending money easily on getting settled in, but you shouldn't spend more than €1,000 in a month, unless you decide to get drunk all them time and travel all over the country at the weekend.

virmilitaris · 08-08-2011 04:22AM

RadioClash wrote: »

Gotta disagree. Walk around Yongsan electronics market and then compare for isntance a Samsung netbook to the price back home (American brands like HP tend to be more reasonable however), you'll be paying a nice wedge more for similar or identical specs.

Well I haven't been shopping for electronics recently but two years ago that definitely wasn't the situation, unless you paid the price on the box ?

The laptop I'm currently on (an LG) was priced 2.1m won (2 yrs ago) and I paid 1.8, including getting tax back. The same specs at home were working out at about 2m as I was going to get a friend to buy me one at home if it was cheaper as he was on his way here.

It's the same deal for cars here. People pay over the odds for a Hyundai when you can buy the same car with better specs and added extras in America.

Oh yeah it's bollocks I know for cars.

virmilitaris · 08-08-2011 04:57AM

cloneslad wrote: »

I'd have to disagree, because I know I'm right :P

Funny, I do too :P

Korea has a high import tax for all companies non Korean, this brings up the price of electronics considerably. Having compititors products at a high cos also allows samsung to sell samsung products at a higher price than they do abroad.

Korea has a high import tax for many companies non Korean in some product areas (cars from europe) more than others (booze from the states). Go to your local shop (not a 7/11) and price a bottle of Budweiser for example. As cheap as the local piss.

If you go into any of the normal electronic stores, you can find laptops / netbooks with 1-2gig ram, 160-320 gig memory, and an average processor and the price will be a a minimum €100 more expensive than Ireland.

The displayed price yes. The haggled price no.

The displayed price is always always much higher than the actual price because Koreans always haggle so Koreans selling products have to contend with Koreans haggling them down. Koreans expect a discount and if they don't get one they aren't happy.

If you have to haggle with every customer are you going to put up the real price and A) stand firm on that price possibly annoying the customer,

lose money by giving them a discount or C) set the display price much higher than the real price, haggle with the customer, drop the price down, make the customer think he won and still not lose any money for yourself.

Not to mention the selection of brands is pretty poor in comparison, you might find 1-2 HP computers (max) per shop, but the rest are all samsung or Jooytech or some other brnad I've never heard about.

In Yongsan ? Have we been going to two different stores ? The tower right beside the station ? A few months ago there were 2 or more big shops who only sell HP. Stores that only sell Toshiba, only sell Samsung, LG etc. The only thing I haven't seen that I'd see at home is Dell.

Have you priced any apple products in Korea?? Crazy prices!!

Yes they are. We both know why though. Samsung *cough*

Then you have the windows issue, yes they will give you an English OS, but you will pay an extraa 150-250k won for the pleasure and you most likely won't get the disc for it.

Please tell me you are joking ? I've bought laptops twice and helped friends buy laptops 3 times in 4 years and no shop ever tried to do that. They're trying to milk you man. Just walk away and that fee for English windows will magically disappear as he shouts after you.

Some places will put the OS on for free

All will.

If you want a simple netbook / laptop capable of keeping in touch with family, browsing, watching movies etc etc, just pick one up in Ireland for €200-€250 (or if you happen to have an American friend, electronics there are dirt cheap).

Yes, if you want a simple netbook / laptop. If you want high specs then you are better off buying in Korea.

It's like eating at Outback Steakhouse, Bennigans or one of the other franchise places. Some people go through their year here paying the full price never realising that Koreans or people who have been here a while never pay the full price. I've never eaten in Outback without getting 20% off from one of my bank cards, my phone point card or my credit card. If I have enough points on my phone card I can actually get up to 30% off.

Displayed prices means very little here.

chris6 · 08-08-2011 03:08PM

Hi, I was just wondering if I have to wait until my graduation before getting my degree apostilled?

cloneslad · 08-08-2011 10:13PM

In Yongsan ? Have we been going to two different stores ? The tower right beside the station ? A few months ago there were 2 or more big shops who only sell HP. Stores that only sell Toshiba, only sell Samsung, LG etc. The only thing I haven't seen that I'd see at home is Dell.

I didn't live in Seoul!!

Please tell me you are joking ? I've bought laptops twice and helped friends buy laptops 3 times in 4 years and no shop ever tried to do that. They're trying to milk you man. Just walk away and that fee for English windows will magically disappear as he shouts after you.

I'm not joking, I'm talking about department store shops, hi mart etc etc. My friend had to pay an extra 150k for his OS, I got it put on for free in a chain dept store, but later found out it was an illegal copy, didn't really give a crap though as it worked fine and my g.f was very happy with it plus it has a 4 and a half hour battery life which is great for a netbook.

Displayed prices means very little here

they mean a lot for the average teacher who is in korea for 1-2 years, can't avail of a card with a points system, knows very little Korean and just wants to make a purchase.

I even haggled when I bought two backpacks in blackyak before we set off travelling, when I said "gak-ka ju-say-yo" the woman looked at me like I was after calling her kids bastards and sleeping with her mother in front of her!! Still got 20% off, so it wasn't too bad.

In saying that, I didn't haggle with the guy in the dept store for the netbook as it was one of the cheaper models in the store, he gave me lots of accessories, he actually made an effort with me, spoke very good English, didn't make me speak very broken Korean, and had the computer delivered to my school, for free, 2 days later (after it was sent away for the English OS to be put on). He did actually give me 25k off the price when I paid him though, but that's not cos I asked.

cassi · 08-08-2011 10:39PM

Korea has a high import tax for many companies non Korean in some product areas (cars from europe) more than others (booze from the states). Go to your local shop (not a 7/11) and price a bottle of Budweiser for example. As cheap as the local piss.

Just to add to what Cloneslad said in the last post, the bud you get in Korea is brewed in Korea, thats why the lower cost! Its made in the same places a O.B etc so im told, but kept to the same standards as abroad!

virmilitaris · 09-08-2011 01:55AM

cloneslad wrote: »

I didn't live in Seoul!!

Ah sorry I mixed your post up with another poster.

I'm not joking, I'm talking about department store shops, hi mart etc etc. My friend had to pay an extra 150k .

Utter madness. That salesman had a good day.

they mean a lot for the average teacher who is in korea for 1-2 years, can't avail of a card with a points system, knows very little Korean and just wants to make a purchase.

It doesn't say anything about prices in korea, it says a lot about prices for foreigners who don't know any better. I don't think you give people enough credit. Most people I know here would be savvy enough to haggle after a few months.

I even haggled when I bought two backpacks in blackyak before we set off travelling, when I said "gak-ka ju-say-yo" the woman looked at me like I was after calling her kids bastards and sleeping with her mother in front of her!! Still got 20% off, so it wasn't too bad.

Haha yeah I can imagine it. Its a game, the salesperson acts like they just got kicked in the head and 'reluctantly' gives you a discount.

livinginkorea · 09-08-2011 05:04AM

chris6 wrote: »

Hi, I was just wondering if I have to wait until my graduation before getting my degree apostilled?

Probably, you need the physical copy of it right?

roosh · 09-08-2011 11:42AM

in what stores can you haggle?

squeakyduck · 09-08-2011 02:28PM

I know it's been asked a million times and I've went through the thread a bit but I can't find my answer. I remember seeing that there are certain days the Korean Embassy deals with visa applications.

What do I bring?
Contract
Passport
Some passport photos
Fee
Is there anything else that I should bring?

Should one dress up going in there or look prim and proper? I remember reading that some of ye had to be interviewed. I've never went to get a visa before so I am worrying! (damn the girly worries!)

king of cork · 09-08-2011 04:02PM

@ squeekyduck

So you're finally biting the bullet?

For your trip to the embassy you will need 4 items:

Your Passport, 1 Passport photo, your visa notification number and the fee (40 euros). This is in relation to private academies(hagwons).

Bring your contract also because you will fill in a form that asks for your employer's address and phone number. And there is no interview; you go to a counter, get a form, go sit down and fill in the form. Nothing formal so there is no need to dress up. It takes 5 days for the Embassy to put the visa on your passport. If you want your passport posted back to you(1-2 days) then bring a registered envelope(6 euros from post office).

The embassies opening hours are Mon, Wed, Fri 9 am to 12 if I recall, check the previous posts or the Embassy website to be sure.

virmilitaris · 09-08-2011 04:13PM

mangaroosh wrote: »

in what stores can you haggle?

Almost everything that's privately run/owned/a franchise

king of cork · 09-08-2011 04:29PM

Regarding haggling; so this is possible almost everywhere? Do you have to mention 'cash' to get a discount or can you get a reduction using a bank card ?

squeakyduck · 09-08-2011 04:53PM

king of cork wrote: »

Your Passport, 1 Passport photo, your visa notification number and the fee (40 euros). This is in relation to private academies(hagwons).

Bring your contract also because you will fill in a form that asks for your employer's address and phone number. And there is no interview; you go to a counter, get a form, go sit down and fill in the form. Nothing formal so there is no need to dress up. It takes 5 days for the Embassy to put the visa on your passport. If you want your passport posted back to you(1-2 days) then bring a registered envelope(6 euros from post office).

The embassies opening hours are Mon, Wed, Fri 9 am to 12 if I recall, check the previous posts or the Embassy website to be sure.

Thanks king of Cork.
Yes, finally bit the bullet. A school in Osan took me on, several Irish teacher there so I got the low down. 2.1 million won a month. The odd saturday with overtime but I will be asked in advance. 10 days holidays. Nothing amazing but sure it's only one year!

I'm due to go over as soon as my visa is ready. Moving my stuff from my house in Dublin home tomorrow or Thursday.

king of cork · 09-08-2011 05:11PM

@squeekyduck

Good Luck, I'm sure you'll have a ball with all those other Irish teachers!

squeakyduck · 09-08-2011 05:36PM

king of cork wrote: »

@squeekyduck

Good Luck, I'm sure you'll have a ball with all those other Irish teachers!

I sure as hell won't be leaving this thread! It's given me the most amount of truthful info I've found on the internet.

I'll be back to ask about flights soon. I've got to book them myself and I'll be reimbursed when I get there!

Are incheon international and Seoul Incheon International airport different?

virmilitaris · 09-08-2011 05:58PM

king of cork wrote: »

Regarding haggling; so this is possible almost everywhere?

Everywhere except somewhere like say E-Mart (tesco) where the staff are just employees of Samsung/E-Mart and not working for themselves.

If you go to an underground shopping centre for example some of the staff are usually the owners or if they aren't they can haggle anyways.

Do you have to mention 'cash' to get a discount or can you get a reduction using a bank card ?

To get a haggled discount you almost always have to pay in cash because the shop doesn't want to pay tax. This is another reason why the displayed prices are high and are not the 'real' price. If you pay by a card (bank, credit etc) some of the price will automatically go to tax, if you pay by cash Koreans (and certain foreigners) can ask for their national id number to be registered as the purchaser which will give them tax back which is quite high on high value goods such as electronics. Over a year the tax you are entitled back can be quite substantial and can be a good percentage (as much as 5%) of a high price item like a computer/tv.

To get a non-haggled discount takes a little more effort. For example, in a restaurant franchise such as Outback Steakhouse check the back page of the menu. It will list various bank cards, credit cards, company loyalty cards etc which entitle you to a discount. Different banks at different times will issue different bank cards. For example a few years ago one of the main banks issued a Manchester United bank card because of a certain Korean player. This entitled you to a 20% discount in Bennigans (or outback or TGIF, can't remember)

Certain Franchises will have deals with certain banks/companies at certain times so it takes a bit of planning.

For example none of my bank cards at the moment have any discount in VIPS (franchise restaurant) but my phone company loyalty card does (30% if I have the points). If I don't have any points on my loyalty card I amn't going to VIPS until they reshuffle their deals.

catweasel10 · 09-08-2011 07:42PM

squeakyduck wrote: »

Thanks king of Cork.
Yes, finally bit the bullet. A school in Osan took me on, several Irish teacher there so I got the low down. 2.1 million won a month. The odd saturday with overtime but I will be asked in advance. 10 days holidays. Nothing amazing but sure it's only one year!

I'm due to go over as soon as my visa is ready. Moving my stuff from my house in Dublin home tomorrow or Thursday.

I'm heading to Osan at the end of the month! Which school will you be working at?

kraggy · 10-08-2011 07:06AM

cassi wrote: »

Either bring you own or if you don't have one get one here before you go. They aren't cheap in Korea. Dell have nice netbooks for around the €250 mark. All keyboards have english on them and many places will put an english OS on them but it can take sometime.

Cassi, where can you get dell laptops in Korea for 250? Or did you mean Ireland?

I went looking for a laptop here in Seoul a few weeks ago and was shocked at the prices. Gonna stick with my old laptop for the time being.

But for the record, in Techno Mart they can put and English Os on the laptops in an hour. But the prices are ridiculous.

kraggy · 10-08-2011 07:09AM

G86 wrote: »

Word of advice on adaptors, I got an 'international' one in Maplin Electronics before I came over and the 2 prong part is too big for the plugs over here.

You can get a pack of 3 in Argos for something like 7 euro.

Beware however, a lot of the sockets here are such a shape/build that the adaptors can't really connect properly so if you plug your laptop into one and the connection keeps cutting in and out, you can ruin the hard drive on the laptop.

That's what I reckon happened to my girlfriends laptop. Only 2 months old and fecked already.

squeakyduck · 10-08-2011 11:09AM

Coming home from the embassy. Just went to sort out my passport....Wednesday at 3 ill be collecting it.

Tefl in South Korea

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