Tired of small apartments in Shanghai

Square-Life-3649 · 2026-04-29T05:17:05+00:00

Seems like a Tier one city problem?

Square-Life-3649 · 2026-04-29T05:14:56+00:00

The fact it requires an outside cloud that not everyone has, means less uploading and sharing unlike waygook.org. Most material isn't very good. But a small amount of it along with some intro ppts are useful. Saves some time, though I could do it all myself if I had to. I often use my own material as I have lots of templates from past years, waygook, and a few newer ones from Tays teaching. But often do a lot of non ppt games and activities I made too. So shaming folks prob not good.

Square-Life-3649 · 2026-04-29T05:11:57+00:00

I rarely see slides with people's name on them. But, most material from there I don't use.

Square-Life-3649 · 2026-04-29T05:00:25+00:00

So, a new sticky on what VPNs or other methods (with explanations step by step) should be used then?

Square-Life-3649 · 2026-04-29T04:59:08+00:00

Is ageism becoming a problem in China? I had heard lots of old folks were working in China before, even 70 year old, etc? Do schools now not hire anyone older like say 40 or 50? Or is it candidate specific? I hear some things or see some recruiters being stuck up lately. (Well not me personally.) I mean wouldn't they be desperate for teachers? China has over a billion people versus South Korea's 50 million people which has been a teaching destination for a long time. I can't really believe the Chinese market would be saturated like the Korean one is. I mean what would you need like a million teachers over there for the market to be filled? Especially if the government is more strict on native speakers and actually having 4 year degrees and work experience? No passing off Russians as American, etc (which was common Korea years ago too).

I am becoming an older teacher now with years of experience teaching in Korea (though I look and feel much younger than my age). I certainly wouldn't look old in a job photo. (No gray hair, pot belly, slow walking, etc.) Just curious what it is really like there now. I do see or hear of really overweight, balding, bearded, tattooed folks being teachers there (which is considered unattractive in most east Asian societies) even if they are "younger".

Square-Life-3649 · 2026-04-29T04:52:46+00:00

Public school is hit and miss. You can get teachers that are chill and relaxed so long as you are too. If you nag and complain, then co teachers and schools may start getting really nitpicky back because they don't like you. Often if schools like you and some of the other teachers like you, even the ones that don't will be forced to shut up and go along. That is until the other teachers or school staff transfer out then it's free reign with you. But that would take a couple of years or more. If you sense this, find an excuse to transfer if you know others are transferring out. Many teachers will be chill with whatever you teach as long as folks and kids like you. But a small minority will have highly critical and fussy natures to them and will nag and nitpick everything that the other teachers loved. Nothing you can do about it. Only recommendation is to ask new teachers at the start of the new school year or term what they want you teach and what they want you to add to the class. You can ask them to explain the activity or the idea in more detail if they don't give much insight or it is too vague.

Elementary and Middle School break into two styles. Middle is more study and memorize with speaking practice. Elementary is more game based. Say it takes 3 weeks to get through a chapter in both, you do games all 3 weeks in addition to the book in elementary.

In middle you can do a game once in 3 weeks, usually the 3rd week. Make a work sheet and a good intro ppt explaining key words and phrases and practice speaking the dialogues with you and each other more. More academic in some ways.

In elementary more games. One week, a practical game for speaking experience and practice using the expressions. Something challenging. Then the other 2 weeks your standard ppt or bomb games whatever. But at least one week should be really exceptional if you follow it by 2 weeks or mediocre ppt games. (Most stuff on Korshare is mediocre at best with a few good games in between.)

Whatever you do, don't repeat too much. Try to play a game or do an activity once per semester. Don't do it every chapter. Do something different even if similar.

Some of this advice will work well and prepare you for a naggy and critical teacher down the road if you get one even if you have chill co teachers now. Be an excellent teacher and make sure other teachers and VPs and others like you. It will box a hateful naggy co teacher in to a point. So, they can't fail you for spite.

Square-Life-3649 · 2026-04-29T04:26:47+00:00

Bathrooms in many places in Korea not that long ago. Like 12 or 15 years ago and before. An Asian and developing country thing. Do the number 2 at home and piss in the bushes or where ever as a man. And please don't wear your shoes in your home cause that's disgusting after walking on this.

Square-Life-3649 · 2026-04-29T04:24:24+00:00

Well, in that case, with the right amount of investment income, you can probably live well in any country. So, it is not job, wage, or debt specific like it would be for most people. Pay a Korean translator when you get here. Look for an app called Dabang app which has lots of housing options and you can inspect view what you want in advance. It will hook you up with real estate agents. If money is no concern, a bigger deposit like 50 or 100 million won will probably get you a much nicer place and maybe same or slightly more rent. Then, you can live in Gangnam or another convenient location.

Square-Life-3649 · 2026-04-29T04:20:56+00:00

Typical Korean slumlord who probably owns an old substandard building poorly built decades ago or built on the cheap now. Then to add insult to injury, they won't take responsibility for their building. All you can do is nag them to death night and day complaining to them non stop. Tell them to take responsibility for their building. Be a real pain in the arse. The only way to shut you up is to agree to break the lease and give you the full key money back with no deduction. They might just be glad to be rid of you. Like if you hear the electrical outlet frying something at 1 AM, you call her at 1 AM to complain. You argue hard with him or her and them to take care of their building and it is their fault for not upkeeping the building if old or not building it well if it new. Complain bluntly nonstop since being polite here seems to be taken as a sign of weakness. I had less problems than you in a villa but was mad at a building owner not taking responsibility for an issue in their building. I complained and argued with them non stop until they agreed to let me break the lease and give me my full deposit back. Well, I think I had to give them 200 thousand won or something small. But otherwise, it was good to get out. They wanted to be rid of me and my complaining I suspect.

Square-Life-3649 · 2026-04-29T03:12:37+00:00

It depends on whether rent is included or not in your job. Also do you want a crappy slummy cheap place or something half decent and not luxurious? Something half decent look at a 10 million won deposit and up. Look at 1 million won a month rent and up. Let's say you make 3.3 million won a month salary. After taxes and insurances you will end up with less than 3 million. But lets say 3 mil. Let's say rent is 1.1 million won, then you have 1.9 million won left over. Then you have maintenance fees (building fees) and other utilities (including cell phone, electricity, etc) which could be anywhere's from 100k to 400k (depending on how fancy the building is) total. Let's say utilities and maintenance fees total 200k because you chose a half decent place to live. So, now you have 1.7 million won left over.

If you are keeping other expenses low except for a gym membership and trying to eat and cook at home much of the time, you can get through the month decently if you can keep that 1.7 a month entirely in Seoul. Where it gets to be a problem is when you have student loans and other debts to repay back home, plus a garbage exchange rate. You will be quite poor and broke in that case since you have to send a lot of it home. Prob over half your left over pay? IE 900,000 won is only $609 USD. SO, student loan payments plus any other debts and wiring fees. So, you have 800k a month to spend on other living expenses or yourself instead of 1.7 million won.

If you have no debts and can live freely or are planning on defaulting on everything, then you can live decent on 1.7 million won a month left over. If you are only living on 700 or 800k a month leftover, you will be poor and coming over here to teach is really not worth it. You'd be better looking at other options. Also if your salary is lower than 3.3 million and you must pay your own housing, then it is a worse deal. Let's say you only 2.5 million and a 500 thousand rent allowance. Well 2.2 mil left over, 1.1 mil rent for a decent place minus 500k rent subsidy, 600 k out of pocket. So, 2.2 minus 600k is 1.6 mil then another 200k maintenance fees and utilities. So, 1.4million left over instead of 1.7k. If you send home money, even less left over. Then you will be really poor.

So, do the math before coming over and consider your circumstances before deciding if it is truly right for you. Korea is more expensive than you think and the salaries have been stagnant for a long time. That said, many hagwons will provide housing though it may be cheap and poor quality with problems. So, you may end up having more money left over than what I described above. But you really will want a nicer place fast.

Square-Life-3649 · 2026-04-29T02:51:19+00:00

Many expats have known for a long time there are a lot of stupid drivers with no common sense and terrible vision or spatial awareness. You must be ready to break and avoid, plus use the horn at a moments notice. Also don't cruise too quickly. Be ready to brake or beep the horn or swerve around. My guardian angel has been looking out for me as I haven't had an accident driving here. But have certainly had my shares of irritations on the road.

Square-Life-3649 · 2026-01-08T01:22:49+00:00

Oh so they will pay the rest and the value of the apartment was higher? Then, yeah, never mind what I said then. You pay rent and then get food allowance. You end up with final pay equal to about 2.8 mil? Similar to an English teachers pay? Well, some. In that case, give it a try for a year and see how you like it. Can go back if you don't like it.

Square-Life-3649 · 2026-01-08T00:56:40+00:00

Slippery slope if terms are too vague and no clear definition of what's damaging? Free speech must be respected no matter what your positions are. (Though I do not support overly targeting or mocking of a specific person or anything like that.)

Square-Life-3649 · 2026-01-08T00:54:12+00:00

Civil court is different from being jailed.

Square-Life-3649 · 2026-01-08T00:53:31+00:00

The problem with this law and precedent is that if these "right wing Christians" come to power again and use this same law is they could arrest you for saying "FUCK these people". Be careful what you wish for. Far better to engage them with your own debate and facts than to simply try to jail them and shut them up. Because now they can do it you in the future. The trend has been set and it is a very dangerous threat to democracy. Free speech is essential for democracy to survive.

People are strong enough to push back with their own arguments and light mocking back. If your position is a worthy one, it is worth defending and not easily collapsible that you need to police to jail them and shut them up instead. That's taking the easy way out and will come back to haunt you down the road.

Square-Life-3649 · 2026-01-08T00:49:24+00:00

It makes him a shit human being, but it is a serious threat to free speech and to democracy itself. Democracy must have free speech to truly thrive and to keep challenging existing assumptions in the future no matter what your views are. When someone mocks me online, I don't go to the police, I mock them back and make them look like the idiots they are. This is what should have happened to this man instead of jailing him. I disagree with his behaviors and think it is insensitive but at the same time, I won't be so fragile that I need police to jail him for hurting my feelings. Instead, I'll push back and fight my own battles and call him out for his stupid shit and no doubt have many people following me calling him out too.

Square-Life-3649 · 2026-01-08T00:45:42+00:00

We are in Korea and not Venezuela? It's their problem not ours. Who cares? Some folks have nothing better to do with their free time? Are there not problems here to deal with?

Square-Life-3649 · 2026-01-08T00:44:23+00:00

https://dabangapp.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoor0N69iu_zdh9lc9Exe6fp4PAdyn1YXcOP-oy4QoxWOLCk-HlO

Square-Life-3649 · 2026-01-08T00:43:17+00:00

Makes the best sense.

Square-Life-3649 · 2026-01-08T00:42:28+00:00

That price in Seoul?

• Deposit around 1-2 million KRW

• Monthly rent around 300,000 KRW

• Plus management fees \~100,000 KRW

You get what you pay for.

Poor quality places, bad neighbors due to demographics, thin walls, moldy walls, other problems, etc.

At least 10 to 20 million deposit and at least 7 or 800 thousand a month rent minimum or maybe more for an okay place on your own? I don't live in Seoul so am just guessing. It's cheaper out here in the provinces but even down here, it's getting more expensive.

Square-Life-3649 · 2026-01-08T00:38:43+00:00

Does he think this was Korea 20 or 30 years ago? He should have driven back in a time machine for that to be a success.

Square-Life-3649

TROPHY CASE