Hi, Remy/Fischer,
Glad I could bring that very important Gyopo issue to your attention, and give you a chance to investigate BEFORE you depart for ROK.

As you begin (or continue) your job search, check out a post I put together recently, and continue to update:

Korea "Hall of Shame" - second edition
http://www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/review/index.pl?read=26607

Hi, Remy,
First of all, I assume you are also Fischer, yes, because you seem to be responding directly to my reply to OP Fischer McLee.

Remy:

Lots of questions - most of them are variable. Basically, I don't want to have to worry too much about getting pay/job security, would rather teach older than younger but am flexible depending (I like my sanity), a decent teaching load (no more than 25 lessons/week pref.) , and am starting to apply now for sometime in the near future. I have a job right now so I'm not in too much of a rush (altho job security is gettin a bit shaky and the BS is high)

OK, from my experience in Korea, teaching adults, your workload will be higher than 25 lessons per week -- at least mine was. My contract stated 6-8 classes per day which I was very hesitant to sign (I taught adults in China 2003-2008 and on average five classes per day, on rare occasions six). The foreign managers assured me by phone during the interview (as they tell I was not very willing to sign at that point) that the "very normal" load was six per day, eight ONLY under "very unusual, high-demand circumstances." Guess what? From the moment I arrived, it was 8 classes a day, five days a week. I began teaching for them (YBM - UGH!) in May, and by September (and every month after until I resigned) they tried to make me teach TEN classes per day, which of course, I refused to do; and which they could not enforce, due to the contract.

Also, teaching adults, at least in Seoul where I was, will also not get you any employer-provided housing. You'll have to find and arrange housing completely on your own (employer will post hefty "key money" on your behalf, but that's all). You'll have to completely furnish the place (and I mean furnish with a capital "F") which means bed, REFRIGERATOR, TV, everything -- and then remove all when you vacate. Also, the resume requirements for getting an adult teaching job are often higher.

Oh, by the way, does "job security" exist anywhere these days? Whatever job security there is, is certainly found much more in public school teaching. Adult teaching, or private "hagwon" work (with kids or adults) is much shakier in terms of stability.

Remy:

Credentials? Mm, BS in psych. from Illinois, ESL tutoring cert (which I'm pretty sure isn't worth much, but its something), I've taught a children's class that got the kids with "disciplinary" issues teaching martial arts, tons of "interpersonal" gigs, including exp. in the med field, food/service industry, etc. In terms of marketing (or selling things) I have tons of exp there as a manager of a music store. Uhh...I forget what else. (or too lazy to remember and then type) Umm, if you're looking at classes in addition to the degree, tons of classes in East Asian Languages and culture (1 away from a minor), tons in bio/chem/physics, and a good number in lit./phil. classes.

When I listed all the possible variables in my previous reply, Remy, I didn't mean that you had to answer them for me. I meant that they would play a significant role in what level of salary you would be offered. By classes, I meant how many you would be expected to teach per day/per month, and if there would be more customized ones such as business English, IELTS spoken exam training, etc.

Remy:

Plus, my "ethnicity" would be Korean so the visa process'll be a bit smoother by my calculations. (F4 instead of E2) (And the going back to the roots thing, I suppose.) Also, I know how to speak/read/write (I suppose I'd be a level 3 student).

OK, so you are gyopo (kyopo). About 40% of my foreign colleagues at YBM were gyopo. I was pleased to see this because in China, students/parents and therefore schools/employers refuse to accept a foreign teacher with an Asian face. Absolutely ridiculous, and self-discrimatory, but a reality nonetheless. People of color have a much harder time with employment in China than caucasians.

Remy, do you know if your family (even grandparents) are still part of official registry in Korea? If so, you will be required to do 16-22 months of military service/training in Korea soon after arrival. I'm not kidding. I'm quite serious. This happened to several of my gyopo colleagues. You MUST make sure before departing the U.S. (assuming you're American) that your family name (family tree I suppose) does not appear in that government listing. If so, there's no getting around that compulsory service. Gyopo expats know much more about these policies and regulations (and potential nightmares) more than I do, so you MUST invetigate further before getting any closer to Korea than you are right now.

Good luck, young man.

Also, does anyone have any information about life in Jeju-do?

Basically, I'm more interested in a decent expat English-speaking community (comforts of home, I suppose), a decent nightlife (going out every now and then), etc etc. From my research, the scenery should be amazing (black sand beach? hello?) and google had a bit about casinos. But besides that, I don't see much else posted...

If it helps, I'm an unattached (read single) 25/male.

Thanks in advance...?!

Hey all,

I know this subject's been done to death, but does anyone know the ave. starting salary (and decent too) for a first year?
From my research so far, the starting salary for a first-year's hovered around 2.1-2.5 mil won. I've heard that isn't too great.
About me...Mm, native born US, BS in psych, esl tutoring cert., min teaching exp with children (summer)
Any and all advice appreciated!