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Hi Jon,

Cool Webpage! Feel Free (to post).

Lisa

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Lisa's Insight into Korea
                                           
                
                   I have just spent the last 20 minutes reading everyone's
comments about Korea and I have heard all the stories, good and bad, before.
Some key things to keep in mind is that if you teach at a private academy
(hogwan)it is all about money. It's a business, that's it. Another thing to
keep in mind is that you as a teacher are a business as well and that is how
you should think of yourself when applying for jobs there and when dealing
with your school. The person who said that contracts mean nothing in Korea
was right. You need one to teach there legally but it doesn't mean that you
will get what's in the contract. If you can I suggest getting a job with ECC
(Teaching in high schools) or with a university. The pay is better, the
hours are better and you get vacation time. I say negotiate these things
with your director after you arrive, as they come up. FOr example, I worked
extra hours in order to get a week off is Thailand. 

                   With a private Hogwan expect to work at least 30 hours a
week( often more, no vacation time outside of stat holidays, and little pay.
Stick to larger cities for better pay. Seoul, Pusan, Chunju, Kwangju, Taegu
are some suggestions. 

                   As far as airfare and accommodation goes, most schools
pay for both and the accommodation has been pretty good (my situation
excepted). Some schools require that you pay the airfare in advance and you
will be re-imbursed. Avoid that if you can and get a 1 year open ticket so
that you can go home if it's not working out. 

                   Doing privates is something that alot of foreigners do. 
It is highly illegal in Korea. Don't let anyone fool you about that. You can
get away with it in the large cities fairly easily. Forget it in smaller
towns.  If you are going to do it. Meet for "coffee" at a different place
each time.  Avoid your home as neibours talk. If you do get caught you are
usually taken to jail at which time you have to cough up 2,000,000 won and
are then deported.  If you have a rich employer they may bribe officials and
bail you out. Then again they may not want to. 

                   It's not worth it to get deported. I know quite a few
people who were caught doing privates and were either deported or had to
have their employer bail them out. It is all in an effort to protect your
employer's interests. They don't want foreigner's that they have paid to
sponser coming in and taking away their potential students. 

                   My experience was pretty good compared to most. I was
paid everything I was owed including the bonus at the end. My director
treated me like one of the family. He took me out places and tried to help
me assimilate into the culture. His wife cooked for me at first and if I was
sick they took care of me so that really helped. 

                   Having done a fair amount of travelling in the past I
still suffered some culture shock when I arrived. I taught in a small
farming community about 4 hours southwest of Seoul. There were only 2
foreigners in the whole town, myself and another Canadian girl.

                   In my contract it said that I would have teacher training
but I didn't receive any. I was introduced to my class the afternoon after I
arrived and just started from there. 

                   There was no curriculum to speak of. There were no books,
guidelines or anything. My school was called Jung Chul which has a large
chain of private academies in Korea. I made up my own lessons and
curriculum. That does have it's benefits since you have to keep things fresh
to keep the kidsinterested. I taught anywhere from 13-19 classes a day,
which worked out to be about 6-9 teaching hours. My contract was for 30
hours a week.The class times ranged from 30 - 60 minutes. I taght classes as
large as twenty and some one on one. I also taught at an elementary school
once a week. Clearly I was overworked. there was no warning about new
classes or class time changes. they just happened. Sometimes they would
combine classes of two different speaking levels. I learned to say no when
the classes became too much and I re-negotiated my salary when they really
needed my help. 

                   I worked in an area where the standard of education
wasn't as high as in other parts of Korea. it was a working class community. 
The children were quite obnoxious and rough. During my first week I had a
definite problem with the male students (12-14yrs). They had taken to
inappropriate touching of their new foreign female teacher. Luckily my
director's wife put a stop to that. I have talked to other foreigners about
it not everyone has had that experience but be prepared.Fighting amongst the
students (boys especially)was a huge problem that brought a few injuries. 
Disciplining was also a problem with the boys. It was difficult as a woman
to get them to cooperate. It's a male dominated society so that isn't
entirely suprising.  After about 4-6 months I more or less earned their
respect but it was a tough road getting there.

                   My accommodation was less than satisfactory, but I stuck
it out. I had a room with no toilet, or shower. I had to disconnect the
washing machine and use the tap to do the bird bath thing. Needless to say I
went to the bathhouse alot. I was in a rural community so this was standard. 

                   Isolation wasn't soemthing I was prepared for either. It
can be exhausting trying to communicate with people all day. It can be
difficult to be in a world where you aren't understood and you don't
understand other people. SO learning the language is a good thing. I didn't
take any formal lessons although any number of Koreans will offer to teach
you. I picked up Korean fairly quickly and it helped alot. Also networking
with other foreigners really helped too. Every weekend I went to a larger
city to hangout with other foreigners and I got alot of support, advice.I
aslo did alot of socializing. 

                   For the most part I found the Koreans to be very friendly
and helpful, giving and kind. My situation was unique living in a small
community. I was stared at alot but wasn't offended. I was an oddity in
their neibourhood. I was welcomed into homes and everyone knew me in my
community. MY students though sometimes difficult were loving and wanted to
share Korea with me. I was lucky enough to have a director who paid me,
although not always on time. I met many people who didn't get paid including
the other girl in my town.

                   I had some really difficult times during my stay. Korea
isn't for the weak of spirit. I also had some really rewarding moments. I
met some really terrific Koreans and foreigners. Two of which have come to
see me in Canada. I wouldn't take back one minute of my time there, good and
bad timesincluded. I came away much wiser and definitely enriched. 

                   Anyone who would like some specific survival tips about
Korea please feel free to email me anytime and I will do my best to help. 

                   Lisa