Seriously considering a move to Korea..... - Page 4 - Ajarn Forum

jimbo · 26th March 2008, 15:52

Accding to Mr.S (and what he read) you CAN, just not till December.

traveler2 · 26th March 2008, 16:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbo

Accding to Mr.S (and what he read) you CAN, just not till December.

I noticed that Jimbo, but December is a long way off.

Thanks for all your help and everyone else's!

goo_stewart · 26th March 2008, 16:45

and just hijacking the thread for my own personal use.....if you wanna good job in Ulsan (south by the beach) then PM me.

traveler2 · 26th March 2008, 23:36

Has anyone ever heard of this city: Yeoung Ju city?

I have a potential offer here, I am wondering what the city is like.

Thanks

bcqcboy · 28th March 2008, 15:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by traveler2

Has anyone ever heard of this city: Yeoung Ju city?

I have a potential offer here, I am wondering what the city is like.

Thanks

Is it working at the 'Green' English village / camp? If so PM me; I have a *lot* to tell you.

jimbo · 28th March 2008, 15:11

OH dear...."the village." Isn't it run by zombies?

8ball · 28th March 2008, 15:20

Salary of 2.4

how much is that in real money?

jimbo · 28th March 2008, 15:22

roughly 2,400 USD. Pretty simple to change into dollars

Live rates at 2008.03.28 07:23:20 UTC

2,400,000.00 KRW

=

2,416.782 USD

South Korea Won United States Dollars
1 KRW = 0.00100699 USD 1 USD = 993.056 KRW
-----
XE.com - The World's Favorite Currency and Foreign Exchange Site

8ball · 28th March 2008, 15:32

So that's about 68,000 baht a month

not as high as I'd thought

Nickyboy · 28th March 2008, 15:43

Nah mate, more like 75-80,000. Rent free too.....

MisterStretch · 29th March 2008, 07:44

^Not only rent free, but you pay no taxes (or get them back) for the first two years, get round trip airfare every year and a month's bonus at the end of your contract.

So, even without the airfaire, you're talking 76,000 baht times 13 for the year.

naboo · 29th March 2008, 08:11

A mate of mine off my PGCE course a few years back is teaching in S Korea. I emailed him with regards to this last week. His reply:

Quote:

Alright buddy good to hear from you,

From what i gatther English teaching can be an unbelievably easy gig all over asia but i can only reall comment on Korea. If you want to sit on a beach then korea is not the way forward but it has a lot else to offer.

For the most part koreans are friendly (just like anywhere) love foreigners and will go out of their way to help you- the women are so beautiful I dont know where to point my eyes walking down the street.

I happen to love the food but i know a lot of westerners who say its shit, just have to find what u like I think ive eaten some of the nicest food ive ever eaten out here but my parents came out and my mum went blue in the face at some meal times- plenty of western food if you cant eat it.
Boredom has not been a problem for me out here too many friend ex pat and korean ive hardly taken a breath in 15months and have enjopyed long weekends in china, singapore and going to japan next month.

The money is good and lving costs are generally low I save about 500quid a month whilst living off less than 500 (after tax and stuff i pull down about a grand a month standard for english teachers) I could do better but i teach biology in a specialist science institute, my job is wicked and i dont really need anymore. I spoke to a guy from cardiff last weekend and he was makin about 2 and a half grand a month slogging his guts out in kindergardens and after school programmes the money is there to be taken, koreans will pay big for illegal private lessons, plenty of foreigners make a killing. Flights and accomodation are standard.

I could go on forever but i probably need to do some work, and not suire if this isnt going to bore your arse off if you want anymore info on korea then let me know.

Also if I had to give you only one piece of advice it would be not to teach english, with the teaching experience and qualification you could teach biology in a state school out here or probably in thailand or wherever pull down the same money you get in englnd and the same paid holidays. The government out here are going nuclear on english education with all high school subjects to be offered in english over the next two years

The working conditions would im sure be much better than the stressful conditions im sure you lived out this last year (less paperwork/more education), Ide have done that a long time ago here if my job had not provided me with other compensatory benifits/opportunities ive had. Held a fossil collected by darwin on the beagle voyage, shook hands with government ministers and became friends with people from London Natural History Museum and the director of Austrian natural history museum, whilst arranging an exhibit at the seoul national science museum
There may be a chance form me to go to uni out here next year through my job connections- if so ill be here when you'll be looking for work- if so i could help you out if you choose korea.

Anyway hope that didnt waste your time, take care and let me know whatever you decide to do.

Hope its useful to people.

jimbo · 29th March 2008, 09:38

^ thanks for sharing naboo.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MisterStretch

^Not only rent free, but you pay no taxes (or get them back) for the first two years.

Should be noted....MS please confirm that you are referring to the "pension" that you and your school pay into throughout the contract (?) and the Kor govt. pays into an overseas bank account AFTER your "final" exit.

If so,....Brits are exempt, I believe....as well as some other non-North Americans. They don't get that part.

MisterStretch · 31st March 2008, 08:21

No, Jimbo, I wasn't referring to the pension part, but we don't have to pay income taxes for the first two years of working in Korea. If the taxes are taken out then they are all refunded at the end of your working year. I don't think mine are even taken out.

I'd actually forgotten about the pension thing...we get that back, too.

WhatsGrammar? · 16th April 2008, 03:47

Correct