Korean Job Market: My Experiences - Page 3 - Ajarn Forum

DontTaserMeDude · 14th May 2008, 18:08

Never said I was proud of doing a runner, but I saw no other way out and had to cut my losses and get to LoS. Do you have an alternative suggestion? I thought you meant I spelled s#*! wrong, but I see it was contemplating that was incorrect. Thank you for the astute observation. I will try to improve in the future.

jimbo · 14th May 2008, 18:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by DontTaserMeDude

Do you have an alternative suggestion?

Yes. Stop blaming an entire nation for your own personal agenda.

Or,..start posting on Daves. You'll fit right in.

phuketbound · 14th May 2008, 18:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by DontTaserMeDude

Never said I was proud of doing a runner, but I saw no other way out and had to cut my losses and get to LoS. Do you have an alternative suggestion? I thought you meant I spelled s#*! wrong, but I see it was contemplating that was incorrect. Thank you for the astute observation. I will try to improve in the future.

An alternate suggestion would be to give some notice and not to burn to many bridges. I hope you don't plan on going back there in the future? LOS is working out for ya then or will you run from LOS too?

DontTaserMeDude · 14th May 2008, 18:37

No, Los is great. I really dont plan on doing these runners and definitely not proud of it--- I mean, I do have a modicum of personal integrity. I suspect that the people who are criticizing me have never even been to Korea. Even as a tourist! Furthermore, I'm not even sure they could find Korea on a map. BTW, my gigs were in the PDRK, I'm not sure what working conditions are like in the ROK, I suspect they are better though.

goo_stewart · 14th May 2008, 19:16

I am criticising you and I am in Korea now. You seem to be a little confused about things. Korea has been good to me, good times, good people. You seem to have found yourself in a place which you didn't fit. Perhaps a little looking inward looking could solve your issues with Korea.

Capricious · 14th May 2008, 19:43

Well I've been taking my time with my selection of a school, and trying to do everything possible to dig up as much as I can. I've been getting multiple foreign teachers on the phone, curriculum outlines, and facility/accomodation pics from the two schools I am really interested in. The two schools I am most confident about made me offers of 2.6m and 2.8 respectively.

The 2.6m one has fairly short days, the classes are nice and compacted. The 2.8m one is longer hours and the classes are less compacted. I figure if I select the first school I could probably make up the difference in salary with some side work. How exactly do people go about picking up some "language exchanges", considering they are illegal? I'd love to take the job with short hours and fill up on other work, just not sure what would be the best way to do that. Any advice from the Korea vets?

goo_stewart · 14th May 2008, 19:52

Don't worry about privates, Koreans will fall over themselves trying to get at you. They will approach you in the street, in the pub, at school, anywhere really. Once you get one the others will come through a recommendation. Trust me, privates are easy to come by (at least where I am). But this is all 'alledgedly', as privates are illegal....

Capricious · 14th May 2008, 20:00

Thanks Stewart that is great to know. If that's the case, then the school with the short hours would be perfect to schedule privates around to supplement the income.

oxfordstu · 14th May 2008, 20:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by DontTaserMeDude

No, Los is great. I really dont plan on doing these runners and definitely not proud of it--- I mean, I do have a modicum of personal integrity. I suspect that the people who are criticizing me have never even been to Korea. Even as a tourist! Furthermore, I'm not even sure they could find Korea on a map. BTW, my gigs were in the PDRK, I'm not sure what working conditions are like in the ROK, I suspect they are better though.

Well, I'm criticizing you and I spent 2 years teaching in Korea. Glad I'm out, but also glad that I stuck it out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by goo_stewart

Don't worry about privates, Koreans will fall over themselves trying to get at you. They will approach you in the street, in the pub, at school, anywhere really. Once you get one the others will come through a recommendation. Trust me, privates are easy to come by (at least where I am). But this is all 'alledgedly', as privates are illegal....

Sorry but I can't agree with you. Privates were nearly impossible to come by when I was there. I never lived in Seoul; maybe they're easier to come by there. No one ever approached me offering privates. I finally got a weekend gig my last few months there, but it was luck. I think that getting your first private is very difficult. But once you get that first one and rock it, others will come.

jimbo · 14th May 2008, 20:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by DontTaserMeDude

BTW, my gigs were in the PDRK, I'm not sure what working conditions are like in the ROK, I suspect they are better though.

Let me get this straight. You pulled TWO runners from North Korea!?....everyone that believes that,...stand on your head.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DontTaserMeDude

I suspect that the people who are criticizing me have never even been to Korea. Even as a tourist! Furthermore, I'm not even sure they could find Korea on a map.

Suspicions get you nowhere. EVERYONE criticizing you has either lived in or are living in Korea now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DontTaserMeDude

my gigs were in the PDRK.

It's D P R K ya knob-end.

Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Privates are pretty simple to find in and around Seoul these days. Kids are easiest to find, but with a little bit of energy adults can be had. Payment varies.

Years back I was approached on the street, in restaurants, etc....(like goo -i think- mentioned) but they were often for the asker's kids. These days (right outside Seoul) I am not approached in that manner as often.

They're generally there, if you want them.

But one must step cautiously.

My_Kow_Lope · 14th May 2008, 22:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhatsGrammar?

On an F-2 ?

No, E2 actually. However all my extra work is voluntary...I just ask for donations. Luckily...those that donate are all really generous souls, who give me no less than $40 per hour.

jimbo · 15th May 2008, 04:33

^ And who says Koreans are tight with their moolah?

MisterStretch · 15th May 2008, 06:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by DontTaserMeDude

Korea is a real hell-hole. Sure, the money sounds good but they treat you like s#*! I pulled runners on 2 companies there.

I agree with PB, either you chose unwisely or you are probably a misanthrope. And like PB, I think the better gigs are with government schools (Jimbo's ease-of-life job notwithstanding) and I generally pull in close to (some months a little over) 3.1, don't work overly hard, get good time off and work for generally nice people.

oxfordstu · 15th May 2008, 07:58

^Yeah the best gigs are the public schools for the most part. You can work during the day and do privates in the evenings. Doing privates with a hagwon job is more difficult because you work late into the evenings. I made around 3.1 with some weekend work on the side.