Tefl in South Korea

Hey guys, I need to get a credit card sent over to me from Ireland. An Post and AIB have been typically useless so far. What are my options? DHL et al?

Truley wrote: »

Registered letter would be a safe way, and not too expensive.

Tried that already and An Post won't send a credit card. I could of course lie about what's in the package but that leaves me hangin' if the card goes missing.

m83 wrote: »

Tried that already and An Post won't send a credit card. I could of course lie about what's in the package but that leaves me hangin' if the card goes missing.

I've had my mum send me two different cards and just hide them among other stuff like clothes and tayto! I've had no problems.

SeantheMan wrote: »

I'm still waiting on a date for an interview , been about a week now since I sent off all the first round documents

Don't worry, it takes ages for everyone. Did they confirm they received your app and first round documents?

Was looking at the Footprints site there and it says that they won't be looking at hires again until September, for February. What date did applications have to be in by for the September hires? Would have loved to try to go in the next couple of months, if anyone knows any different it'd be great.

Truley wrote: »

Don't worry, it takes ages for everyone. Did they confirm they received your app and first round documents?

Got a date for an interview Next week at 1:20am, hopefully goes ok

Also, quick question regarding the below.
I'll be heading in to town to collect my amended Degree

Do I have to get a photocopy of it, then have it signed by a notary(notarised)...then apostilised ? Or will the Dept of Foreign affairs do both for me ?
I'll also be taking in my police cert with me to get apostilised.

Copy of University Degree with Apostille:
Bachelors Degree: For your degree, it’s important to remember that you can’t send your original copy
to Korea. With the degree, you must make a photocopy. If your degree is larger than the standard paper
size, you should be able to shrink it to fit on one page (generally people at office supply stores like Staples are happy
to help with this). Next, you need to get the copy notarized. This can just be done at a local notary public. Finally, you
send the degree to the Secretary of State to get apostilled

Hi All,
I'm in a bit of a panic. I am returning to Korea for my 2nd year (3 years later!) in 2 weeks and still don't have my visa!

My flight is booked and I'm set to leave on Monday June 17th. I was supposed to have my visa by now but due to a lovely Fcuk up, it got delayed. Immigration finally have all the documents they need, and said they will get me my visa issuance number as quick as possible.

Question - How long did it take for them to send your visa issuance number?? Im hoping and praying that it will take less than 7 days!


Once I get it I still need to send it to the Korean Embassy in dublin, and they said it takes 5 days to process. HELP!! I don't have that long as my flight leaves in less than 2 weeks.

Question - How long did it take for Korean embassy in Dublin to process your visa? They say 5 days...but I'm hoping it could be less.

Thanks for any help, replies, advice! x

Janet

Just finished my interview with EPIK...I don't think it went too well, so much waffle and open ended questions.
What are my teaching philosophies etc

I'm not usually nervous, but I could even hear it in my voice. Well, all done I guess, just hoping for the best now

SeantheMan wrote: »

Just finished my interview with EPIK...I don't think it went too well, so much waffle and open ended questions.
What are my teaching philosophies etc

I'm not usually nervous, but I could even hear it in my voice. Well, all done I guess, just hoping for the best now

I wouldn't worry I felt a bit dodgy about my interview but i passed and a friend of mine felt the exact same as she got asked a few strange questions about teaching etiquette that threw her a little. Unless there are any major issues most people pass the interview I think. Also the EPIK coordinators are lovely and really helpful.

Document process is a bit weary at the moment just waiting on my police check which should be here soon. Then there is just my degree and because I don't graduate until the end of August, I'm applying for the October intake. Would love to go earlier but that's the way it goes I suppose!

Help!

So I got a job at a school in X city, got on my flight and was met at the airport by a pick up driver. Instead of going to X, he took me to Y. Turns out my school (a chain) had moved my campus without telling me or consulting me, mid-flight.

The reason. The head teacher did a midnight run because, as I've found out, things here are pretty bad. The foreign teachers are mostly unhappy and many are planning to bail soon. Going into the specific problems would take a long time, but they range from the director having some kind of issue with the foreign teachers over them not working longer hours outside their contract, to communication being so bad that the first team meeting of the semester just broke down into a shouting match between the foreign and Korean staff.

I've contacted the recruiter and told them, they said they'd get in touch with head office but no word since. Talked to the director to ask what the heck was going on, may as well have spoken to a wall.

Worst part is I'm a first time teacher, trying my best to learn fast but the foreign teachers are so busy they can't really help much despite their best efforts and their is no structure in place to help or guide me. Add the **** atmosphere and politics and I've basically ended up in a mess that I had no way to prepare for, at a school I never agreed to go to.

So with that all out there, any ideas WTF to do? It's been 10 days and I'm totally overwhelmed. My options seem to be:

1) Knuckle down and hope it gets better (unlikely)
2) Midnight run (really don't want to do this, won't do this unless the situation gets worse, if that could happen)
3) Ask for transfer to another school (preferably the one I agreed to go to)
4) Ask for letter of release and try to find another job, either now or in 6 months (the difference is whether I get my airfare, but at this point I just want to learn how to teach without this crazy atmosphere.)

Any ideas/similar experiences/advice? All input appreciated.

angryangel wrote: »

Help!

So I got a job at a school in X city, got on my flight and was met at the airport by a pick up driver. Instead of going to X, he took me to Y. Turns out my school (a chain) had moved my campus without telling me or consulting me, mid-flight.

The reason. The head teacher did a midnight run because, as I've found out, things here are pretty bad. The foreign teachers are mostly unhappy and many are planning to bail soon. Going into the specific problems would take a long time, but they range from the director having some kind of issue with the foreign teachers over them not working longer hours outside their contract, to communication being so bad that the first team meeting of the semester just broke down into a shouting match between the foreign and Korean staff.

I've contacted the recruiter and told them, they said they'd get in touch with head office but no word since. Talked to the director to ask what the heck was going on, may as well have spoken to a wall.

Worst part is I'm a first time teacher, trying my best to learn fast but the foreign teachers are so busy they can't really help much despite their best efforts and their is no structure in place to help or guide me. Add the **** atmosphere and politics and I've basically ended up in a mess that I had no way to prepare for, at a school I never agreed to go to.

So with that all out there, any ideas WTF to do? It's been 10 days and I'm totally overwhelmed. My options seem to be:

1) Knuckle down and hope it gets better (unlikely)
2) Midnight run (really don't want to do this, won't do this unless the situation gets worse, if that could happen)
3) Ask for transfer to another school (preferably the one I agreed to go to)
4) Ask for letter of release and try to find another job, either now or in 6 months (the difference is whether I get my airfare, but at this point I just want to learn how to teach without this crazy atmosphere.)

Any ideas/similar experiences/advice? All input appreciated.

OK, first thing is to stay calm. Easier said than done but try your best. Worrying will not change a thing. Korea is a very overwhelming place anyway, especially when you've only arrived! Second thing is do not listen to other teachers, Korea is like a meeting place of English teachers who just love to moan.

For the time being just try and get on with teaching. Google activities for your age group or go on to Dave's cafe. Games, games, games! Kids love games. Picture games, word games, reading games. Make it fun. Oh and Korean kids loveeeee candy so maybe a little point system to keep them interested and the winner at the end of the week gets candy! It will keep them interested and they'll love you for it. Little stickers are great too. Dont mind them when they keep saying babo! Just say ang-ja!

Your co-teacher is there to help you, pull her aside and say its your first time and that you would would really appreciate the help. How old are the students? Communication between bosses and foreigners is nearly always bad so maybe you just need to get used to that I'm afraid!

What hours were you contracted to work and how many extra do they want you to do? Changing schools is something that I've heard of happening a lot because of new owners, change of premises etc etc.. Did they move you to a complete different city? Get on to them ASAP about your flight money, tell them thats the money you need to live until you get paid. Your passport is very important, they might ask for it so they can do your alien card but there's no need for them to hold on to it for longer than a couple of days.

The recruiter probably won't care, they got paid for finding you and now their job is finished.

Out of your options I'd go with 1 until the dust settles and then ask about what happened with the original school. Under no circumstances would I ask for a release letter. Koreans take things pretty personally and that might severely backfire. Forget about doing a runner for the moment, see if things settle and if you get paid on time and get all you airfire by your first paycheck.

Stay calm, drink some soju (have one for me because I really miss it ) It really is an amazing place with some really great people, it just takes some getting used to but after that and when you're settled it will be grand.

Oh crazy and Korea sort of go hand in hand. Everything changes last min and you will be the last to know and it's frustrating and annoying at the start but as the months go on you'll look back and laugh and think what a crazy focked up beautiful country Korea can be.

Enjoy. Anything else just ask.

Thanks for the advice Billy. My situation has become slightly more informed since today.

I will be applying for the ARC starting tomorrow. Should be 2-3 weeks waiting. So this gives me time to see how things play out. I was told today that once I get the ARC, I could in theory put my notice in, work it, then get a new job. As long as I have the ARC and a letter of release, I can just transfer my visa to a new school, rather then have to leave the country to come back in again. Does this sound right to everyone? Any insight on this would be greatly appreciated.

camoramo wrote: »

Just out of curiousity which recruiter was it? Cause almost the same thing happened me, got a job in one hagwon in one place, that fell through when I got to Korea, then my recruiter got me a job in the same chain in a different city. Although my hagwon now is a great new building with super smart kids but all of the foreign teachers hated it and half left early. I thought about it too but I'm still her 10months later. Its funny cause what they thought was bad at the time was actually nothing its gotten so much worse but its water off a ducks back at this stage and I'm fine. How is the school doing financially? It could be quite risky to stay if they're going downhill...

School is fine financially, lots of kids so no worries. Also a corporate school for a franchise so unlikely to go full graveyard.

The recruiter was ATC. Very unhappy with this, as they have a good reputation and were very friendly and all throughout the hunt, but this has left a bad taste in mouth. I raised my upset with them last week, no word since.

As mentioned, the recruiter probably doesn't give a flyer now. This has happened to you? I sympathise. Stay frosty.

Hi,

- Apartment is fine, no problems.
- Bank account is set up and first pay day is 10th of next month.
- No mention of flight, in all hoensty I have written it off because if I do try to go or switch schools I lose it anyway.
- I'm in Ansan, was told I'd go to Bundang for training then Yongin for the job. Ended up here because the teacher did a midnight run.

So I have to wait for this ARC anyway. I've been told by my co-teachers the process would go:

1. Get ARC.
2. Put in 2 month notice.
3. Find a job during the notice period.
4. Tell a new employer you have put your notice in and will be getting a letter of release.
5. Employer tells Immigration they are taking your visa, you fill out some paperwork then you can start work at the new job.

Does this sound right? Or will there be a visa run required to start a new job?

Any insight appreciated, thanks.

angryangel wrote: »

Hi,

- Apartment is fine, no problems.
- Bank account is set up and first pay day is 10th of next month.
- No mention of flight, in all hoensty I have written it off because if I do try to go or switch schools I lose it anyway.
- I'm in Ansan, was told I'd go to Bundang for training then Yongin for the job. Ended up here because the teacher did a midnight run.

So I have to wait for this ARC anyway. I've been told by my co-teachers the process would go:

1. Get ARC.
2. Put in 2 month notice.
3. Find a job during the notice period.
4. Tell a new employer you have put your notice in and will be getting a letter of release.
5. Employer tells Immigration they are taking your visa, you fill out some paperwork then you can start work at the new job.

Does this sound right? Or will there be a visa run required to start a new job?

Any insight appreciated, thanks.

You have to make sure that your employer will actually provide you with a letter of release. They don't have to give you one if they don't want.