Tefl in South Korea

king_crisps · 26-10-2011 6:11pm

dapto1 wrote: »

There is a FB group for Incheon called "Incheon English Teachers". Ask on there, someone is bound to know.

Thanks. Will look them up but I actually decided to take the job today after speaking to one of the foreign teachers working there. He was very positive and encouraging about the school, which put the majority of doubts out of my mind, so I should be there within a matter of weeks.

Cheers

kraggy · 27-10-2011 2:02am

JohnJoe1987 wrote: »

I need to get my degree notarised this week, so does anyone know a cheapish notary public in Dublin to get this done. I have contacted 5 or 6 offices already but they are charging 30 or 40 euro per copy to get notarised. I thought the cost of this might be 15 or 20 euro at the most. Also will one copy be enough to get notarised or how many would you recommend to get done? Cheers

YOu don't need a notary public!!!

I thought this as well but I rang the Dept. of Foreign Affairs and they said that a commissioner of oaths was enough. Many solicitors are also commissioners of oaths (though not all). Many more solicitors are commissioners of oaths than are notary publics.

It should cost 10 euro per document if you go to a commissioner of oaths, not a notary public.

Then you have to pay Dept. of Foreign Affairs for the apostille. Think mine was 20 euro per docucment. (Apostille is confirmation from government that the notarisations are legit).

JFitzgerald · 27-10-2011 11:05am

roosh wrote: »

How's it going guys; I return to the oracle from the other side!

Just moved into my apartment in Taebaek in Gangwan-do, and it's a bit of a kip. Now, I would gladly stick it out for the year if I thought that it was fairly standard but just a quick google search turned up a youtube video of an apartment tour, of an apartment [in Taebaek] with which I would be more than happy with; so I'm thinking that there are probably better apartments out there.

Does anyone have any suggestions about how to go about trying to get a better apartment? My co-teacher (who is also the head teacher) brought me to the apartment and helped me move in. He asked me what I thought and I didn't really feel in a position to turn around and say, sorry but this isn't good enough. Any suggestions on how to deal with it?

well roosh, how are you getting on? sorry to hear the digs aren't great. mine aren't great either tbh. although the area i'm living in can't be beat. if you feel you get on with your co-teacher, you could say it to him/her. especially if there is a specific problem that would make the place unhealthy/unliveable. once you settle in you might feel better about it but if it's a real dive, then i think you are within your rights to complain. especially seeing as other teachers get to live in really nice apartments. this will be your home for a year after all.

roosh · 28-10-2011 4:44am

JFitzgerald wrote: »

well roosh, how are you getting on? sorry to hear the digs aren't great. mine aren't great either tbh. although the area i'm living in can't be beat. if you feel you get on with your co-teacher, you could say it to him/her. especially if there is a specific problem that would make the place unhealthy/unliveable. once you settle in you might feel better about it but if it's a real dive, then i think you are within your rights to complain. especially seeing as other teachers get to live in really nice apartments. this will be your home for a year after all.

Likewise, apologies to hear about the accommodation; glad to hear that you're in a nice are - where are you based again?

Haven't developed much of a relationship with the co-teacher yet, but he seems a small bit disinterested, or not bothered might be a better way of putting it. He's told me to talk to the other native teachers if I have any problems; not in the sense that he doesn't want to know, but not overly enthusiastic about helping. I don't blame him or anything, bcos I'd probably be the same in his position. The teacher that I replaced was in the same apartment, but he didn't ask to be moved or anything, but that is bcos he pretty much moved into his girlfriend's place nearby, from what I can gather.

The apartment is fine for now, but I'm not sure what way it will be in the depths of winter, bcos it isn't the warmest at the moment. If it gets too cold, I'll try and say something alright.

JFitzgerald · 28-10-2011 4:59am

roosh wrote: »

Likewise, apologies to hear about the accommodation; glad to hear that you're in a nice are - where are you based again?

Haven't developed much of a relationship with the co-teacher yet, but he seems a small bit disinterested, or not bothered might be a better way of putting it. He's told me to talk to the other native teachers if I have any problems; not in the sense that he doesn't want to know, but not overly enthusiastic about helping. I don't blame him or anything, bcos I'd probably be the same in his position. The teacher that I replaced was in the same apartment, but he didn't ask to be moved or anything, but that is bcos he pretty much moved into his girlfriend's place nearby, from what I can gather.

The apartment is fine for now, but I'm not sure what way it will be in the depths of winter, bcos it isn't the warmest at the moment. If it gets too cold, I'll try and say something alright.

i'm right beside Itaewon, Seoul which is the foreigner area. so, no culture shock for me. yeah, i'd say my place will be freezing in winter too. i could see a move on the cards for me, as i heard the last poor teacher had to put up with rampant mould and cockroaches in summertime. my place seems ok right now but that's because its getting cooler. but i won't be putting up with horrors like the above when it gets warm again. i might ask them to move me before the school year starts again in february. yeah, my co-teacher cannae be bothered either but he just lets me get on with it, which is fine by me. another female teacher has been a great help to me with getting sorted so i'm doing ok there.

roosh · 28-10-2011 5:14am

JFitzgerald wrote: »

i'm right beside Itaewon, Seoul which is the foreigner area. so, no culture shock for me. yeah, i'd say my place will be freezing in winter too. i could see a move on the cards for me, as i heard the last poor teacher had to put up with rampant mould and cockroaches in summertime. my place seems ok right now but that's because its getting cooler. but i won't be putting up with horrors like the above when it gets warm again. i might ask them to move me before the school year starts again in february. yeah, my co-teacher cannae be bothered either but he just lets me get on with it, which is fine by me. another female teacher has been a great help to me with getting sorted so i'm doing ok there.

fock it, that sounds like a bit of a balls. Are all the apartments in Korea of a pretty poor standard, or is it just some do you know; bcos a lot of the buildings look a bit run-down.

It must be nice to be near Itaewon though, there should be a decent enough social life there. Taebaek doesn't sound like the most "happenin" of places unfortunately. Hopefully when the skiing season starts I can just spend my weekends "on the slopes".

I suppose there are good points and bad to having a disinterested co-teacher. My co-teacher teaches in a different school on Friday's and I have 5 classes to prepare, so I was thrown in at the deep end today. We were gone most of the day yesterday to try and sort the ARC and didn't get back til about 6. I then had to prepare the 5 lessons for today, without any real help from my CT. I would have been fine with even getting an idea of what topics to teach, but he just told me to get something off waygook; which was fine but I'd never used it before, and had no real clue what the students had covered.

I just ended up going into the classes and winging it, introducing myself and trying to get the kids to tell me stuff about themselves. On the upside, it seems that not much is expected of me, but on the other it would have been nice to have some more input, so that I could have given a better lesson.

The teaching side of things doesn't look like it will be much of an issue.

roosh · 28-10-2011 5:17am

does anyone know why the guardian website is blocked, and if there is a way around it?

red_bairn · 28-10-2011 5:54am

roosh wrote: »

fock it, that sounds like a bit of a balls. Are all the apartments in Korea of a pretty poor standard, or is it just some do you know; bcos a lot of the buildings look a bit run-down.

I'm down in the countryside, here in Nonsan, and I was moved into a brand new studio apartment when I arrived last year in April. It's had a small problem with mould but it's due to leaving your clothing inside the room to get dry during the winter. Ensure you leave a window slightly open. Nonetheless, I've had no other issues with this place and it keeps the heat in during the winter...especially when I have the underfloor heating on and come back from the shops - I just

roosh wrote: »

does anyone know why the guardian website is blocked, and if there is a way around it?

Probably best to just use a proxxy to get on to it.

roosh · 28-10-2011 7:24am

red_bairn wrote: »

I'm down in the countryside, here in Nonsan, and I was moved into a brand new studio apartment when I arrived last year in April. It's had a small problem with mould but it's due to leaving your clothing inside the room to get dry during the winter. Ensure you leave a window slightly open. Nonetheless, I've had no other issues with this place and it keeps the heat in during the winter...especially when I have the underfloor heating on and come back from the shops - I just

nice! are you with EPIK?

I've got the underfloor heating, but the place isn't insulated too well. If I though I could get a nicer place close enough to where I am I'd try it, but I don't want to go causing any hassle with the co-teacher if that isn't a possibility. He told me when I arrived that I could have a place right beside the school but I reckon I'd just get into some very bad habits if I took it.

red_bairn wrote: »

Probably best to just use a proxxy to get on to it.

I think someone on my orientation mentioned something about it, and how it worked for certain links, but not for others. Proxy will do the job alright - cheers!

roosh · 28-10-2011 7:35am

anyone know any good resources for kindergarten?

JFitzgerald · 28-10-2011 7:37am

roosh wrote: »

anyone know any good resources for kindergarten?

you're teaching kindergarten then?

JFitzgerald · 28-10-2011 7:42am

red_bairn wrote: »

I'm down in the countryside, here in Nonsan, and I was moved into a brand new studio apartment when I arrived last year in April. It's had a small problem with mould but it's due to leaving your clothing inside the room to get dry during the winter. Ensure you leave a window slightly open. Nonetheless, I've had no other issues with this place and it keeps the heat in during the winter...especially when I have the underfloor heating on and come back from the shops - I just

could you clarify about "leaving clothes inside the room to get dry during winter"? is that what makes clothes mouldy? i can't leave a window open when i'm not there as critters/bugs will scurry in. i'm on the ground floor.

roosh · 28-10-2011 7:44am

JFitzgerald wrote: »

you're teaching kindergarten then?

Kindergarten up to 6th grade of elementary school

EDIT: which was down as my third choice

JFitzgerald · 28-10-2011 7:51am

roosh wrote: »

fock it, that sounds like a bit of a balls. Are all the apartments in Korea of a pretty poor standard, or is it just some do you know; bcos a lot of the buildings look a bit run-down.

It must be nice to be near Itaewon though, there should be a decent enough social life there. Taebaek doesn't sound like the most "happenin" of places unfortunately. Hopefully when the skiing season starts I can just spend my weekends "on the slopes".

I suppose there are good points and bad to having a disinterested co-teacher. My co-teacher teaches in a different school on Friday's and I have 5 classes to prepare, so I was thrown in at the deep end today. We were gone most of the day yesterday to try and sort the ARC and didn't get back til about 6. I then had to prepare the 5 lessons for today, without any real help from my CT. I would have been fine with even getting an idea of what topics to teach, but he just told me to get something off waygook; which was fine but I'd never used it before, and had no real clue what the students had covered.

I just ended up going into the classes and winging it, introducing myself and trying to get the kids to tell me stuff about themselves. On the upside, it seems that not much is expected of me, but on the other it would have been nice to have some more input, so that I could have given a better lesson.

The teaching side of things doesn't look like it will be much of an issue.

no - we're unlucky. some teachers have really great apartments. i've seen pics. nice and new and modern with great views. i can safely say that i have none of the above. my location is great though. itaewon is pretty good alright. its not the most upmarket place but you can get anything you need there. there's an irish bar (and a numbr of other bars) up the road so i can roll home down the hill after a sesh of a sahurday night. i might as well make the most of it because the problems in my place will surely return in the warm weather. and i will be out of there as soon as they do.

yep - it looks to me like you'll be left to do your own thing re teaching. i think this a good thing. way, way better than being micro-managed by some anal co-teacher. you'll learn a lot more, connect better with the kids and you'll take more away from it all when the year is over.

JFitzgerald · 28-10-2011 7:56am

roosh wrote: »

Kindergarten up to 6th grade of elementary school

EDIT: which was down as my third choice

third choice :S
ahh - they must be really small then.....
what grades are you teaching?

roosh · 28-10-2011 8:01am

JFitzgerald wrote: »

third choice :S
ahh - they must be really small then.....
what grades are you teaching?

kindergarten to 6th grade and everything in between

their cute out, but I have no idea how to deal with kids that have no clue what I'm saying

ekevosu · 28-10-2011 8:43am

I'm teaching kindergarden to 6th grade at two different schools and do all the teaching. I'll try and put some stuff on megaupload or filesonic and people can download it.

For 3rd to 6th you basically teach the book and add your own introduction and game etc. You look at the target language, what its trying to teach and then add what you need to. Good ppt to explain things at the start or an activity they can do to warm up using target language and then a game or activity at the end. If the book isnt good which they usually aren't then you just add your own and try to make it relevant to the lesson. Waygook is a fantastic resource allright, some great ideas there.

For kindergarden to 2nd grade i was told to pick a topic and teach it for 4 lessons, i.e. body parts. Use songs, lots and lots of games, colouring crafts etc.

I have a sample lesson plan template you can use which can help you as well. Anyone that wants send me a pm and I can send you on some lesson plans although I might be a bit behind where you are. The grade 5 and 6 books are the same for all schools but the 3rd and 4th are different for different schools.

red_bairn · 28-10-2011 11:12am

roosh wrote: »

nice! are you with EPIK?

I've got the underfloor heating, but the place isn't insulated too well. If I though I could get a nicer place close enough to where I am I'd try it, but I don't want to go causing any hassle with the co-teacher if that isn't a possibility. He told me when I arrived that I could have a place right beside the school but I reckon I'd just get into some very bad habits if I took it.

I think someone on my orientation mentioned something about it, and how it worked for certain links, but not for others. Proxy will do the job alright - cheers!

No problem! Nah, I'm solo in a hagwon. No ties to any organisations. try push for a better place, I've heard of others doing so.

JFitzgerald wrote: »

could you clarify about "leaving clothes inside the room to get dry during winter"? is that what makes clothes mouldy? i can't leave a window open when i'm not there as critters/bugs will scurry in. i'm on the ground floor.

Do it when you are at home. Leave the clothes on a clothes horse in the utility room when at school or out.

I've heard of some people using the ground to dry their clothes out...but I think that's kinda stupid with all the dust, hairs etc that gather on the ground.-Beats the purpose of washing your clothes. :rolleyes:

roosh · 28-10-2011 11:41am

red_bairn wrote: »

No problem! Nah, I'm solo in a hagwon. No ties to any organisations. try push for a better place, I've heard of others doing so.

that might partly explain the difference. I wonder would most hagwon teachers be in decent accommodation?

I was pretty sure that when my CT was bringing me to my apartment, he said that I had the choice of the apartment I'm in, or another one beside the school - I thought we actually walked by the apartment.

I thought that I would never get away from the school if I took the one beside it, so I just said I'd go with the other one. I tried mentioning it to him today and he didn't have a bulls notion what I was on about. He told me to ask one of the other english teachers, whom he has no dealings with (whatsoever I think).

I'll have to suss it out again.

red_bairn wrote: »

Do it when you are at home. Leave the clothes on a clothes horse in the utility room when at school or out.

I've heard of some people using the ground to dry their clothes out...but I think that's kinda stupid with all the dust, hairs etc that gather on the ground.-Beats the purpose of washing your clothes. :rolleyes:

it might be an idea to put a sheet down on the ground and let them dry on top of it??

roosh · 28-10-2011 11:42am

does anyone have any idea about how to go looking for accommodation in korea?

if it is possible and viable, I'd nearly look for my own accommodation and get the monthl allowance.

red_bairn · 29-10-2011 6:06am

roosh wrote: »

that might partly explain the difference. I wonder would most hagwon teachers be in decent accommodation?

it might be an idea to put a sheet down on the ground and let them dry on top of it??

My mate has a nice place with a bedroom separate to his lounge area, whereas I have just a one room space where the kitchen is right when you walk in the through entrance and the toilet/wash room and utility are separate.

I don't know if every hagwon person gets a nice pad, but the both of us are pretty lucky with ours.

roosh wrote: »

does anyone have any idea about how to go looking for accommodation in korea?

if it is possible and viable, I'd nearly look for my own accommodation and get the monthl allowance.

You can. Just go about with an estate agency and maybe your coteach or a Korean friend and find one that you are interested in, but make sure it's near to the range of 300,000W a month. I think that's how much it is for most public schools or hagwons but somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

JFitzgerald · 29-10-2011 6:21am

Do it when you are at home. Leave the clothes on a clothes horse in the utility room when at school or out.

I've heard of some people using the ground to dry their clothes out...but I think that's kinda stupid with all the dust, hairs etc that gather on the ground.-Beats the purpose of washing your clothes. :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]

Mother of god - i've heard it all now - drying clothes on the floor. that's really filthy. urgh. yeah, i can only air the place when i'm there because anything can crawl in when i'm not looking and has already.

JFitzgerald · 29-10-2011 6:24am

roosh wrote: »

that might partly explain the difference. I wonder would most hagwon teachers be in decent accommodation?

I was pretty sure that when my CT was bringing me to my apartment, he said that I had the choice of the apartment I'm in, or another one beside the school - I thought we actually walked by the apartment.

I thought that I would never get away from the school if I took the one beside it, so I just said I'd go with the other one. I tried mentioning it to him today and he didn't have a bulls notion what I was on about. He told me to ask one of the other english teachers, whom he has no dealings with (whatsoever I think).

I'll have to suss it out again.

yep, i'd go and see that other apartment. besides, if you're really near school then you have less travel time and can have a longer sleep in the morning. i'd get in there quick in case they give it to someone else.

roosh · 29-10-2011 7:10am

JFitzgerald wrote: »

roosh wrote: »

that might partly explain the difference. I wonder would most hagwon teachers be in decent accommodation?

I was pretty sure that when my CT was bringing me to my apartment, he said that I had the choice of the apartment I'm in, or another one beside the school - I thought we actually walked by the apartment.

I thought that I would never get away from the school if I took the one beside it, so I just said I'd go with the other one. I tried mentioning it to him today and he didn't have a bulls notion what I was on about. He told me to ask one of the other english teachers, whom he has no dealings with (whatsoever I think).

I'll have to suss it out again.

yep, i'd go and see that other apartment. besides, if you're really near school then you have less travel time and can have a longer sleep in the morning. i'd get in there quick in case they give it to someone else.

I tried saying it to him again the other day, but he didn't seem to have a clue what I was talking about.

ekevosu · 29-10-2011 10:24am

JFitzgerald wrote: »

Do it when you are at home. Leave the clothes on a clothes horse in the utility room when at school or out.

I've heard of some people using the ground to dry their clothes out...but I think that's kinda stupid with all the dust, hairs etc that gather on the ground.-Beats the purpose of washing your clothes. :rolleyes:

Mother of god - i've heard it all now - drying clothes on the floor. that's really filthy. urgh. yeah, i can only air the place when i'm there because anything can crawl in when i'm not looking and has already.[/QUOTE]

It's fairly common for Korean people to sleep on the floor, hence the no shoes. Floors in Korea would be cleaned daily very very well in most cases so it's not inconceivable to dry clothes on a hot clean floor. My floor on the other hand is a haven for dust and I don't have the time or enthusiasm to clean the floor every single day.

ekevosu · 29-10-2011 10:33am

red_bairn wrote: »

You can. Just go about with an estate agency and maybe your coteach or a Korean friend and find one that you are interested in, but make sure it's near to the range of 300,000W a month. I think that's how much it is for most public schools or hagwons but somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

If your outside Seoul the 300 or less is about right. However you'll also have to pay your own key money if you decide to take the 400k a month instead of an apartment. The key money can be about 5,000,000 which you'll get back at the end of your lease.

red_bairn · 29-10-2011 10:36am

ekevosu wrote: »

If your outside Seoul the 300 or less is about right. However you'll also have to pay your own key money if you decide to take the 400k a month instead of an apartment. The key money can be about 5,000,000 which you'll get back at the end of your lease.

My friends hagwon boss just paid that

ekevosu · 29-10-2011 10:38am

red_bairn wrote: »

My friends hagwon boss just paid that

Yeah but for a epik public school it's different to a hagwon. They give you the choice before you start the contract.

cloneslad · 29-10-2011 8:31pm

I've seen some really crap apartments, and some pretty nice ones too. My mate had his kitchen on his balcony, which was freezing during winter.

Last time I was in Korea, My apartment was a large 2 bedroom place. The main bedroom was the size of most people's apartment. Then I had a large kitchen and a large living room. Also had 3 balconies, and a bath in the bathroom. The 2nd bedroom was quite small though.

It was only about 2 snow patrol songs distance from school

and was 1 minute walk to the centre of town/cinema/bus terminal/gym etc.

It's all a case of luck really. Because when I first went to Korea I was put up in that exact same apartment before moving into a studio apartment and at that time the place was a tip, smelled bad, was laid out terribly, crap heating and I couldn't wait to get the hell out of there.

JFitzgerald · 30-10-2011 9:12am

I need to get internet for my laptop. I'm lost without it.
does anyone know of any good internet providers here in seoul? what's the story with wireless? is it much dearer? the reception in my place is very, VERY poor so would that be a factor?
also wondering if i can bundle it with cable tv. does cable have many english channels? is it worth getting?
i saw a deal (with sky.com) for 28,000W a month.
would i be locked into a year/two year contract?
so many questions....
any help greatly appreciated.

Tefl in South Korea

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