Hello All, After receiving numerous flames about how great Korea is, I advise all to go there. This will considerably open up the market in Fukuoka which is full of people running from paradise. It is the closest city in Japan from Korea and it is a beautiful place. I recommend that nobody come here. Anyway, for those thinking about Korea and Japan, I have complied a little information. The worst offenders in Korea are See-sa Yong-sa and YBM. They are the biggest hagwans in Korea. Another person to avoid is Mr Mike Oh, who runs recruiting agencies [aka head hunters] under various names in Korea and the USA. He is infamous for sending you a blank contract to sign, with no place of employment listed. In Teajon, avoid like the plague a school known as "Little America," the biggest low life imaginable. Another bad one is Expo Language School, also in Teajon. If at all possible, go to Korea and check it out for yourself. It will give you a chance to see the place and see your prospective employer. The cost of looking for a job is not too bad. A yogwan, or Korean style motel, goes for about $300 a week or less outside Seoul. A filling meal in a restaurant will cost about $8.00 in Seoul or $5.00 outside. Go to Korea with an open mind and no preconcetions. Korea is about the most contrasted culture one can imagine. One can be accosted by people yelling "Yankee go home," one minute and be treated with incredible kindness the next. It is also the noisiest place I have ever been, everything runs at a frenetic pace. As for good schools, Top Language School is Chon-ju is not bad, but its owner, Mr Lee, is known as "Greaseball." He is infamous for selling teachers which is illegal but happens every day. He recruits a lot in Canada. If you can get a waiver from him that he won' t sell you it might be alright. Probably the best is Pagoda is Seoul. It is run by a Canadian and he is know as a good guy. In Teajon, a good school is ELS, run by the Lee Brothers, Brian and Eric. I have met them both and they are good people. They are buying up the market in Teajon. About apartments in Korea, the reason they are free is the deposit system, knows as "chon-sei." One is required to pay an average of W1,000,000 [about $10000] per 3.3 square metres [pyong], more in Seoul. A decent apartment is 10 pyong or more. Few people have this much cash on hand. After paying the chon-sei you don't pay rent, but with inflation in Korea running at 15-20% you lose quickly In Japan, there are three schools that hire in the USA, Geos, Aeon and Nova. Nova is huge and everywhere. They will honour your contract but you must teach 40 hours a week. They also have a system that shafts most people out of a vacation. Geos is generally pretty good but works you like a dog. Aeon is by far the best of the lot. They are fair and the teaching load is usually 25 hours per week. I find it impossible to effectively teach more than 25 hours. These schools have the advantage of hiring on that side of the Pacific. Geos is blatantly sexist in its' hiring practices, most are pretty young, blonde, blue eyed women. Nova will take anybody with pulse, resparation and degree. In Japan you will rarely be abused. The only real warning one should be concerned about is leaving North America in a hurry without a visa. This is usually a scum bag outfit, but these are generally rare. You have to do a year in the trenches in Japan and Geos and Aeon are a good way to learn the ropes. The immigration department is fair and honest. In Korea the immigration is bought and paid for by the hagwans. After a year in Japan you'll know the ropes and get better jobs. One must always keep in mind that Asia does not usually fit the image that young people have of it. People are not reading the I'ching by a stream. It is not like America and never will be. However, particularly in Japan, it can be a rewarding experience. I love it here, they are kind and gentle people. I soon will finish my second contract and I will return in November for another. in Fukuoka Japan, awaiting flames. Len Peters