TEACHERS DISCUSSION FORUM
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#1 Parent Robin - 2004-04-19
Re: Where in Korea??

People need to stay away from Dongeui Technical College, Busan (Dongeui Gongup Dae Hak), as well. They were stealing pension money from the foreign teachers for years and I am the only one who got the 2.6 million won refund because I took the case to the Labour Office across the street from City Hall. This is now public record. This Labour Office was quite hostile to me until I showed up with a very high ranking translator from the Foreign Workers Human Rights Association. (She was a lecturer in foreign languages at Busan National University and the labour office staff were in awe of her.) Then things changed immediately. This college was also depositing part of our salary in post office accounts and paying no tax to the government. It's all illegal. "You can fool some of the people some of the time .....".

#2 Parent Robin - 2004-04-14
Re: Where in Korea??

If you sign a Korean contract that has been mailed to you need to
make sure you are going to get at least 2 million won a month (more in expensive Seoul), no weekends, no split shifts, private bachelor apt. is best, return air ticket, a 50% health insurance card and severance pay = your only pension (preferably paid in monthly installments). Try to get 20,000 won for each overtime class. You are worth it.

I still do not recommend signing a contract from your home country. What will your apt. look like (clean? noisy?) and is your boss agreeable or autocratic? Korea is struggling with democracy. Sorry to say but you all need to know: The traffic police take bribes on the side of the road (witnessed it personally, my friend's car), The Labor Office can't be trusted, the President was just removed from office and the mayor of Busan just hung himself in prison (He was taking bribes too.). Schools (University, College and small language schools) steal pension money or use the loopholes (eg. Dongseo University Busan). Two schools I worked for (Honam U. and Sungsim College) would not give us keys AFTER we signed and moved into residence and we found ourselves locked in from 11 pm to 7 am with the fire alarms disabled. The windows were barred and screwed shut. Are you worried now? I was. The fire dept. would not even come and inspect. The staff turnover is VERY HIGH in Korea and now you know some of the reasons why. I toughed it out for seven years and built up private investments. It can be done.

#3 Parent Robin - 2004-04-14
Re: Where in Korea??

Isa In Argentina
Please help eslteachersboard@yahoo.com to write a short Survival Spanish list. We native English Spekers on ESL jobs need it. Still waiting for help with Thai and other languages too. Without bacic classroom commands many kids disregard the foreign teacher, a nightmare.

#4 Parent lsa - 2004-04-13
Re: Where in Korea??

Here is a site with nice beaches.
http://www.viahispana.com/idiomas/ingles/main.htm

#5 Parent Robin - 2004-04-13
Re: Where in Korea??

Ask not what Busan can do for you, but what you can do for.......
Hee hee!

#6 Parent Will McCulloch - 2004-04-12
Re: Where in Korea??

Thanks Robin - it all sounds like good advice to me. Pusan looks like it might have a lot to offer. Best wishes Will http://www.wordsurfing.co.uk

#7 Parent Robin - 2004-04-12
Re: Where in Korea??

Will
Check out pusanweb.com for lots of information about Busan/Pusan. Too much to read really. I am another one who strongly suggests you SEE the school and how it works and your apartment before you sign a contract.Talk to the other foreign teachers. You can pay your own ticket, get here and check out a few schools. Then decide which you want to sign with. Then you fly or take the hydrofoil to Japan and get your work visa stamped. Easy. Busan has the warmest winter and Haeundae Beach or Namchon dong-Gwangan are the prime beach places to live. Living near a subway station is vital.

#8 Parent Will McCulloch - 2004-04-11
Re: Where in Korea??

Thanks Marcus ... surfing in the sunshine is always good thirsty fun, I'll definitely check Pusan out. Best wishes , Will.
http://www.wordsurfing.co.uk

#9 Parent Marcus - 2004-04-11
Re: Where in Korea??

Pusan! Second largest city, nice beaches to surf, weather is warmer and beer is cold.

Will McCulloch - 2004-04-11
Where in Korea??

Hi, I'm keen on coming to teach in Korea in the near future - and am looking for advice about which towns / places / schools / organisations would be good for me to approach.

I prefer to be on the coast with a good climate - and plenty of sporting/social/travel opportunities.

I also need to work with people who are interested in running a "Word Surfing" Vocabulary Development Pilot Scheme with their students ... as described at http://wordsurfingpilotscheme.blogspot.com/ and http://www.eslteachersboard.com/WordSurfing.htm

Thanks for any help that you can give
Best wishes
Will
http://www.wordsurfing.co.uk

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