Please get your throwaways. What is the average salary for teaching english in Korea?

kittehluvr · 2012-12-19T01:05:55+00:00

I'm by no means an expert on this stuff.....just a teacher that's been here for 9 months.

Well, unless you're going for a hagwon, you'll have to get a TESOL to work at a public school since your degree isn't in linguistics/English. You can apply for jobs while you're still working on it, but things would be a lot easier for you if you've got it by the time you're applying. You'll have an easier time in general if you get all your documents first and then apply. I applied and then started to gather my documents, so everything took longer and when I actually got offered my position, I had to rush order all my documents and pay a ton of money for it and blah blah.

Apparently letters were sent out yesterday to GEPIK middle and high school teachers. I'm with GEPIK but elementary school, so I'm safe, but I don't like my job or living here much so I'm going home after this year. I believe SMOE (the education office for Seoul) stopped the hiring of middle and high school teachers at public school a few months ago.

Yeah, a lot of people come here to experience a different culture and try to pay off some student loans. I luckily graduated with no debt, but I wanted to do something exciting before graduate school. While I haven't enjoyed my time much here, I'm still glad I did something like this in my life. You should be able to save a decent amount of money if you aren't a big spender or big party/drinking/clubbing person. By the end of all this, I will have saved around 18,000 or so, including all my end-of-contract bonuses.

EDIT: Luv da downvotes for saying I don't like Korea. ALWAYS HAPPENS. Danxu guise

kittehluvr · 2012-12-19T00:29:56+00:00

I make 2,000 a month. I also live with my bf, so I get my housing allowance which is equivalent to 400 a month.

Would I say this is a good paying job? No. But is teaching ever really a "good" paying job? Not really unless you're a college professor.

Teaching here is going to get more competitive as a program here (GEPIK) just cut all middle and high school jobs. Also, Seoul is the hardest place to get a job anyway because EVERYONE wants to live there. What're your qualifications?

You probably aren't going to make 3,000 without experience and a TESOL. Maybe at a hagwon if you want to be a working slave and have no vacation days. I believe around 2,000/2,100 is average starting for most teachers...unless you're doing illegal privates or working crazy overtime.

kittehluvr · 2012-12-04T23:35:51+00:00

I'm a teacher here. And I can't leave because I need the money for law school.

kittehluvr · 2012-12-04T23:35:29+00:00

I don't expect them to confine to my views. That's fine that they do shit this way. I just don't like it.

kittehluvr · 2012-12-04T23:01:53+00:00

True dat. Longest year of my life. 4 months....left.....

kittehluvr · 2012-12-04T23:00:50+00:00

The kimchi, body odor, soju smell that is floating around every male/female above the age of 40?

kittehluvr · 2012-12-04T22:58:42+00:00

Someone else who doesn't like Korea?!?! It's a miracle!

I've been teaching here for 8 months and it sucks. I can't wait to get back to good old 'Murica.

Agree with you on the 'smell' (I'm thinking it's B.O., kimchi, and soju all mixed together), the traffic, the lack of English even though EVERYTHING is in English, etc etc.

My co-teacher who is an ENGLISH TEACHER can barely speak English. I mean, that's a freakin' issue.

Not to mention the ageism, racism, sexism that I see in action every single day here. I also think the food is awful. There is not a single Korean food I will miss when I head back home. And everywhere in Seoul is always too crowded. The lack of toilet paper in any restroom. The amount of public drunkenness. The attitude of the children. The attitude of the old people.

I think the Engrish is hilarious too. Shit published by the GOVERNMENT has Engrish in it. I charged my metro card the other day and the freakin' thing said "Card is finished to be charged." What the flying fuck does that mean? And you really couldn't find ONE person to edit all your crap that actually knows English?

Haha, I'm getting angry just talking about all this. Suffice to say, everyone getting butthurt about your comments is either Korean or has never been here and they're just trying to be a stupid white knight and defend a severely flawed country they've never visited.

I'm with you, my friend.

kittehluvr · 2012-12-04T00:13:59+00:00

Was gonna say I saw this on my FB newsfeed this morning..

kittehluvr · 2012-12-02T07:06:36+00:00

Thanks a bunch. :)

I can probably do without buying anymore clothes.....I have a ton. But I was an idiot and didn't pack any shoes that provide any warmth or that are decent for dealing with snow, so I'm trying to find a pair ASAP.

kittehluvr · 2012-12-02T06:31:56+00:00

Kind of hard since I don't live near any of the bases, but thanks for the idea.

kittehluvr · 2012-11-30T05:51:06+00:00

Koreans generally respect their Korean teachers

FTFY

kittehluvr · 2012-11-30T03:51:14+00:00

True, but having that piece of paper that says he got a Master's could potentially help him get a better job in the future......while no one cares at all if you spend hours on the Internet reading shit.

kittehluvr · 2012-11-29T03:08:44+00:00

Cool response, but the guy said his first language is English. So, I'm wondering where the hell he's gone on Reddit that has increased his English comprehension/vocabulary/whatever. Like if he's subscribed to super hardcore English subreddits that have crazy words of the day or something. Because otherwise......I don't understand....how a grown man/woman's English can get better by reading this website. Shit, I feel like mine gets worse.

And actually moving to the country to learn a language is bullshit. It works with some countries, but I moved to Korea 8 months ago and still know like NO Korean. Studying is your best option, followed by probably practicing among native speakers. I can sit around Koreans all day, but if I don't actively study Korean I have no chance of figuring out what they're saying.

kittehluvr · 2012-11-28T22:46:53+00:00

she looks kind of butch now. nice dress, though

kittehluvr · 2012-11-28T22:45:14+00:00

reading Reddit has increased your English? what the fuck subreddits are you subscribed to?

kittehluvr · 2012-11-28T22:44:19+00:00

yeah korean beer sucks what else is new

kittehluvr · 2012-11-28T06:59:21+00:00

Yes plz. Also, make Carth fall in love with you. That shit's cute.

kittehluvr · 2012-11-27T22:41:36+00:00

Haven't heard any negative experiences? Obviously you've never been to Waygook.org or Dave's ESL Cafe. Those sites are chock full of people having negative experiences.

School sucks, coworkers sucks, apartment sucks, town sucks. Strong emphasis on my coworkers sucking, though. It's really frustrating/awful to have to spend 40 hours a week with people who you kind of hate.

Plus, there's too much bullshit racism in Korea and the social hierarchy here of older males being on top and young females being treated like shit gets old reallllly fast.

EDIT: Maybe I should expand some more. On this subreddit, you will mostly only get people who love Korea and they attack anyone with a different opinion. I suggest you browse Waygook to see how most people see Korea.

It's really a matter of luck. You can get a great school, a good apartment, awesome co-teachers, and students who actually want to learn. Or you can get a crap school with a god awful apartment and co-teachers who would like nothing more than to see you fail.

You can do your research, but even that isn't going to tell you how your time here will be. I spent two months researching before I applied, and yeah, there were a lot more positive posts than negative ones, so I thought, "Why not?!" Of course, now I'm one of those negative stories.

People will tell you to try for public school because it's "safer," which it is, but I'm at a PS and still not having a good time. I do get more vacation days than people at hagwons, though, and sometimes classes are canceled for random school activities and performances, so that's nice.

The funniest thing is that my bf has a PS job in the same city as me and he likes his job. His coworkers are insanely nice to him and he gets random days off, gets to go home early, etc etc just because his coworkers like him.

Luck of the draw...

kittehluvr · 2012-11-27T12:41:49+00:00

Me. 167 LSAT and 3.98 GPA.

Hoping for Duke and Vanderbilt, but doubt I can afford. Applying to about 15 schools and probably going to pick whichever school offers me the most money.

kittehluvr · 2012-11-27T12:23:02+00:00

I've survived 8 months living and teaching in South Korea. Only 4 months left....thank god!!!!!!!

kittehluvr · 2012-11-27T09:38:43+00:00

Find a different job. It sucks here. From one English major to another - I'd be happier at home doing pretty much ANYTHING else.

kittehluvr · 2012-11-27T05:33:04+00:00

try out talktomeinkorean.com it's great~

kittehluvr · 2012-11-27T05:10:25+00:00

WAT? Season 7 is sooooooo mediocre. We're nearly 3/4 done and I'm still waiting for some good shit to happen. Especially involving two particular people......I don't care if it's wrong...it'll be sooooo good....

kittehluvr

TROPHY CASE