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It really is such a glorious land, America. I've been living here ever since my two year stint in Korea and the moment I got home I drove up to San Francisco and walked right up to a tech company and they said "we like what we see, here is a job that is way better than what you had in Korea". I've got to say, America is a hot bed of job opportunities for the twenty somethings.
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Jul 2, 2013 09:45
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TreFitty posted:Anyway, I'll be out of the country and out of the thread for too long, so don't take this poo poo too seriously. I'll just slink away and you won't have to hear me complain again. You should stick around and when you see any goons having a bad Korea day, just post awesome pictures of your new life in the US. I'm not even American but I love almost all things American 
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Jul 2, 2013 10:16
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FWIW, I don't imagine my life as a million times better back home. There are just a few things that I want that I can't get here in a reasonable way: -Jobs that I want -More personal space, less tripping over people everywhere -A culture that makes more sense (this ties in with the job thing - working with Asians is maddening) -Access to American food/products It's all really small stuff that has added up for me. Not only that, but gun to my head, I have a hard time saying something positive about Korea beyond, "health care and public transit." I mean I very honestly can't recommend friends to come here to work. I can't recommend my friends or family visit because I know I have to live with the reputation for making terrible recommendations after that. I've always tempered my recommendations for travel like so: "it's not a very touristy place to visit. There's nothing really to see, but it's new and interesting for a while and you'll probably have a really good time." I'm not going to go back to America, own a house with a view of the sea, buy a jet ski, and get married to 6 super models. I'm just going back to a more ordinary life that I know I like after having several years of experience under my belt and deciding I'm done with this place.
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Jul 2, 2013 11:09
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cryptoclastic posted:Riding here is actually safer than America for the most part. Cars tend to give you more room and nobody is hostile towards bikers. As long as you stick to the road and not the bike paths you're usually good. My problem was a bug in my eye at 45mph. The key distinction here is bicycle and motorbike. Cycling is actually fairly decent, with drivers being far more forgiving and safety concious that one would expect. Anything with a motor on thought is fair game for crazy driving 
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Jul 2, 2013 13:31
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I left my apartment in a hurry this morning... And left my AC on and window open on accident! My yoga mat is now a big sponge 
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Jul 2, 2013 15:14
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BrainDance posted:
A Korean somewhere nods sagely
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Jul 2, 2013 15:19
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Finally got my EPIK placement. I'm heading out to Gwangju in August. Can any current or ex-Gwangju goons give me the lowdown?
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Jul 2, 2013 15:25
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dantheman650 posted:Finally got my EPIK placement. I'm heading out to Gwangju in August. Can any current or ex-Gwangju goons give me the lowdown? Which Gwangju?
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Jul 2, 2013 15:30
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I imagine south because Gyeonggi-do Gwangju is part of GEPIK. So hope you like uprisings!
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Jul 2, 2013 15:40
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Since it's EPIK, it's gotta be the big one down by Jeolla. I don't know much about it, but I only live an hour away. No matter what anyone tells you, the food at Tequillaz is not very good.
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Jul 2, 2013 15:40
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Aesis posted:Which Gwangju? I didn't realize there were more than one. It's in the south near (in?) Jeonnam.
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Jul 2, 2013 16:44
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Isn't that the place that one goon (GF?) was always talking about the Indian food? Or is that Ulsan or something, I can never keep it straight. Also, is anyone here doing an M.A. degree in TESOL or anything? I'm curious as to how it works, online or at a Korean university or whatever.
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Jul 2, 2013 16:54
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I live in Ulsan, but haven't talked about Indian food ever since we have decent ones but nothing special.
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Jul 2, 2013 16:56
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Grand Fromage posted:I live in Ulsan, but haven't talked about Indian food ever since we have decent ones but nothing special. What about Indian grocery stores? I was looking through Youtube for Ulsan videos and came across a Diwali celebration clip, so I thought there might be somewhere to at least buy the ingredients. dantheman650 posted:Finally got my EPIK placement. I'm heading out to Gwangju in August. Can any current or ex-Gwangju goons give me the lowdown? Whassup, fellow new EPIK buddy!
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Jul 2, 2013 19:19
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Hey new boners. Get on Kakaotalk and post your IDs here to get added to the groupchat. There's a PC version now so you can get in even if you dont have a smartphone.
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Jul 2, 2013 22:35
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THE LUMMOX posted:Hey new boners. Get on Kakaotalk and post your IDs here to get added to the groupchat. There's a PC version now so you can get in even if you dont have a smartphone. Same name there as here. And do far all I've heard is to avoid Tequillaz and something about revolutionaries? Anything else that's good to know? Obviously I'm going to do a bunch of my own research but I'd love some more first-hand experiences with Gwangju. bringmyfishback posted:Whassup, fellow new EPIK buddy!  I assume from your post you're in Ulsan?I've seen a lot of phone chat but if I have a Verizon iPhone 4s, what do I have to do to make it usable in Korea? I don't care if it won't work when I get back to the states.
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Jul 3, 2013 00:14
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dantheman650 posted:I've seen a lot of phone chat but if I have a Verizon iPhone 4s, what do I have to do to make it usable in Korea? I don't care if it won't work when I get back to the states. Having your phone work here isn't like crossing some wires and soddering some paperclips. If your phone can access the frequency of the towers, then you're okay. To get kakao, just go to the app store and get it.
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Jul 3, 2013 00:48
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dantheman650 posted:Same name there as here. From what I've heard there's an art scene and some of the best Korean food in the country, but people are super conservative and you can probably forget dating Koreans.
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Jul 3, 2013 00:49
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AmbientParadox posted:Having your phone work here isn't like crossing some wires and soddering some paperclips. If your phone can access the frequency of the towers, then you're okay. To get kakao, just go to the app store and get it. Can Verizon iPhones do this? I know it doesn't have anything to do with accessing the internal electronics but I remember some discussion about people using an unlocked phone and buying prepaid minutes. EDIT: Some other discussion I've found leads me to think selling my 4S here and just buying a new phone with a new contract when I land involves the least hassle. Toussaint Louverture posted:From what I've heard there's an art scene and some of the best Korean food in the country, but people are super conservative and you can probably forget dating Koreans. Thanks for the information. That's wonderful about the food, as food tourism is one of my favorite ways to explore new places. I hope the art scene includes music! Harriet Carker fucked around with this message at 01:34 on Jul 3, 2013 |
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Jul 3, 2013 01:09
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bringmyfishback posted:What about Indian grocery stores? I was looking through Youtube for Ulsan videos and came across a Diwali celebration clip, so I thought there might be somewhere to at least buy the ingredients. Between the local import stores, the internet, and Seoul trips you can get 90% of anything you need. Indian stuff in particular is easy to get locally.
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Jul 3, 2013 01:24
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tirinal posted:On the plus side, nobody can buy a 600RRRRRRR^3 with 2 meter extended swingarms and then ride it with an Icon back protector, shorts and flipflops as their first bike but instead have to get 125cc cruisers, so on average they're probably still better off when the moment of truth comes. Most of the Korean guys who ride around Osan either ride squid bikes but usually at least have helmets and shoes,or are on those massive BMW tour bikes and just go to Ms Kim Burger on the weekends. I was playing with a Korean guy the other day, weaving and lane splitting for a few kilometres but we weren't popping wheelies or anything. One thing I will accomplish before I leave is teaching Koreans the friendly wave when passing. I see a lot of the same guys on the weekend and after a few failed attempts, now they are waving back! 
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Jul 3, 2013 01:36
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GZA Genius posted:I've got to say, America is a hot bed of job opportunities for the twenty somethings. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA.... oh wait, you're serious...
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Jul 3, 2013 01:50
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KirbyKhan posted:HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA.... oh wait, you're serious... I've been trying to figure out if that post is sarcastic since he made it. I still don't know.
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Jul 3, 2013 01:55
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Phone talk: just go on waygook and take over someone's contract.
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Jul 3, 2013 02:22
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AmbientParadox posted:Phone talk: just go on waygook and take over someone's contract. Don't buy some drunk morons out of date phone thats been dropped 100 times and is full of dust.
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Jul 3, 2013 02:44
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TreFitty posted:Would anyone happen to know of an office (probably in Seoul) for collecting pension upon leaving Korea where they speak English? The only reason I was able to get my pension check when I left Korea the first time (from teaching) was because my girlfriend at the time helped me. This time I need to be able to do it on my own. Or is it possible to file for it after leaving Korea online? Ahem! "Girlfriend at the time" . . . did something happen? Are you two not together anymore?
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Jul 3, 2013 04:22
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kakao id is mccoy, can't get back into the chat
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Jul 3, 2013 04:25
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Cameron posted:Also, is anyone here doing an M.A. degree in TESOL or anything? I'm curious as to how it works, online or at a Korean university or whatever. What can I help you with?
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Jul 3, 2013 04:53
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Let's not clog up the thread anymore than it is already oh god. Do you have an e-mail address I could speak with you at?
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Jul 3, 2013 06:28
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You can't use the thread for its intended purpose. YOU WILL REGRET THIS!
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Jul 3, 2013 06:42
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Cameron posted:Let's not clog up the thread anymore than it is already oh god. Do you have an e-mail address I could speak with you at? Absolutely nobody else would find this relevant, no one at all. 
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Jul 3, 2013 06:55
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Ask your question here. Most of these goons are probably going to answer some aspects of your questions better than I can, as I do not have experience teaching in Korea. I am just probably one of the few that is doing a masters in English with a TESOL track.
Stay Safe fucked around with this message at 07:11 on Jul 3, 2013 |
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Jul 3, 2013 07:08
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Dead Man Posting posted:Ask your question here. Most of these goons are probably going to answer some aspects of your questions better than I can, as I do not have experience teaching in Korea. I am just probably one of the few that is doing a masters in English with a TESOL track. I would actually also like to hear (well, read) anything you have to say on that subject. So there, now two people demand it and it must be broadcast! EDIT: My Kakao name is Liz Lemon. Go figure.
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Jul 3, 2013 07:14
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I thought this thread was for hating on Korea and Korean women!  Alright fine: what's it like (enjoyable? shoddy?), where are you studying, how much does it cost and do you think it's going to be worth it if you're interested in teaching university, like I am? My goal is to get an M.A. in the next few years so that I can find some university positions, but not just in Korea. I speak Italian, so I'm interested in going there for work, and possibly Japan. I'm also not scared of Korean universities, either. I've heard that some people say that online degrees aren't worth the paper they're printed on, and others say that in-class courses tend to be pretty by-the-book and not a real approximation of TESOL.
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Jul 3, 2013 07:14
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When you join the group chat, add it to favourite. Then you can join it later on when you 'accidentally' leave.dantheman650 posted:Can Verizon iPhones do this? I know it doesn't have anything to do with accessing the internal electronics but I remember some discussion about people using an unlocked phone and buying prepaid minutes.
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Jul 3, 2013 08:01
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Cameron posted:Dicks! As there are several wanting insight, I'll be sure to type a more than adequate response. What teaching English to speakers of other languages is like is dependent on the type of person you are. Some are miserable when they try in this field, usually those that go in because of an escapist complex with no experience in teaching, because it can be frustrating if you don't put in effort to be an effective teacher. One of these types of teacher may try to blame their kids for not learning English because their misconceptions of their students' cognitive abilities, living a life full of strife and a desire to journey to a safe haven without facing a cruel reality that pierces a feeling of defeat by returning home. The real defeat though is failing the students by not helping them progress with their English studies to a satisfactory level. They are the real victims for those that get into TESOL without planning, strategy, desire, tactics, methods, hope, or enthusiasm. This thread, and the main TESOL thread both have stories filled with those types of teachers. Others find teaching English to speakers of other languages as a fascinating career path filled with new cultural experiences and ways to handle learning English for different languages. Lots of people in this thread love their life, their students, and the experiences they have (not all, and even if they do, they probably complain about everything in this thread because that's just how the Korea thread rolls). To me, TESOL goes beyond enjoyment and passion. I am currently in a US-based institution that lectures part-time to foreigners from all around the world (mostly Saudi Arabia, China, Korea, and a few other countries). Because of this, I am being funded by the University for my studies with my tuition waved (common for graduate assistanceship students). I will have no debt from my studies once I finish and will have a little extra saved for my big move. I have a few years of teaching High School experience before I was accepted into this program. I speak English, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish comfortably. I also speak, to a lesser extent, Russian and Danish, and have studies in the past German and Latin. I also love linguistics and the basics of other languages I haven't formally studied. I mention this not to brag, but to show the extent of passion that most people in my field have for linguistics and languages in general. An MA in TESOL usually has a heavy interest in linguistics from what I've seen, and for good reason: TESOL tracks are linguistically and pedagogically laden. Passion, dedication and investment are words to not taken lightly when considering teaching English on a tenure track as a professor in some University. If you wish to be a professor of any kind, you must ask yourself with all honesty and credibility, can you see yourself doing anything else in your life? Are you comfortable researching and being in the classroom? Do you want to invest a good portion of your life to becoming a professor? You must be absolutely sure about your decision before applying to graduate programs. When you do apply to graduate programs, you must be a good candidate (i.e. excellent GRE, GPA, field-work and researching in the field experience) along with connections and luck. There is more information in the grad school thread here: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3325180 If you are looking just for a non-tenure lecturer-type position at a University in a foreign country teaching English, you can live modestly in most positions. I saw one advertisement for an opening in a Korean university (in this thread a few months ago, thanks Erik) that offered housing (if you couldn't find your own, which means you will probably want to find your own), wage, excellent vacation time, and benefits. I have learned in this thread that if you have a M.A. in English/TESOL that you should just apply at University positions in Korea, but these positions are rare to come by nowadays. These positions are the golden grail of TESOL in Korea. Unfortunately, Korean institutions are, from what this thread has been saying for a while now, a bit racist. If you're white, they will hire you with not as much credentials or qualities as someone that is Korean, as they can show their parents that a white person is teaching their students English, and that must mean they are in good hands. There's a call for educational reform in Korea based on this horrible principle alone. In any case, you might have an easier time being hired as an English teacher if you happen to be a white person than someone that is Korean. I personally am biased against online certifications in TESOL, and especially in a field that should demand from prospective students field experience (i.e. getting in front of a classroom before getting certified in anything). I would never hire, nor want to be hired, based off online certifications, and I suspect others think the same way, and that is probably why you have heard that online degrees or certifications aren't worth the paper they're printed on. As for in-class courses, they vary around the world I imagine. As I am studying for a MA in English with a TESOL track and not just a standard TESOL certification program, I spend a lot more time involved with the profession in hands-on classroom environments. Books are primarily a resource, not the plan. In the TESOL thread, I have heard various stories of the standard certification programs that describe what you heard about TESOL certification. I am sure there are fine people here with TESOL certifications that are effective teachers that can give more insight if you are just looking for certification. Note that just certification without an MA is significantly less required hours than a MA in English with a TESOL track. Stay Safe fucked around with this message at 08:24 on Jul 3, 2013 |
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Jul 3, 2013 08:03
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Cameron posted:I thought this thread was for hating on Korea and Korean women! Who here is hating on Korean women? The accepted prejudice is against the men, not the women. (Seriously, like 80% of the Korean women I meet are awesome and like .05% of Korean men are. I blame conscription and male privilege.)
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Jul 3, 2013 08:30
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So far as phones go, any iPhone from the 4 onward can be used in SK. You just need to have it registered with your cell company since it's a foreign phone, which can take a few weeks. Also, it needs to be unlocked. That's something you'll have to work out with Verizon before you come here.1
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Jul 3, 2013 08:30
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Grand Fromage posted:I've been trying to figure out if that post is sarcastic since he made it. I still don't know. I'm headed back to Korea in a couple months to ride the money train a little bit more (private tutoring). Should probably give you all you need to know on that post. There is nothing here in the motherland, bone dry. e; I tried to tell my friends back home that if I was sitting up at a bar in Korea there was a good possibility that the girl would come talk to me/buy me a drink. They couldn't comprehend that. Korean girls are cool beans in my book. GZA Genius fucked around with this message at 08:43 on Jul 3, 2013 |
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Jul 3, 2013 08:41
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Cameron posted:
I have an MSEd TESOL from a university in the States. I had been an adult ESL teacher there for a few years and loved it, and decided to further my education on the subject. Maybe because I studied an MS rather than an MA (more research-based to line me up for a later PhD, which I'm completing now), I found it to be more theory and and whatnot, and less practical knowledge. I mean, we had to do observations and teaching, but I was already doing that, so it wasn't a big deal. Half-way through my degree, the university decided to start offering it online, so I took the chance and came here to do research for my thesis. My degree says nothing about it being completed online, and the only way someone can tell is by matching up the dates of when I completed it to the dates of places I worked on my resume. I don't really remember the cost at the time, sorry.
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Jul 3, 2013 08:54
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