FP moves to Korea. Farewell and request for advice. - Page 2

Arrian · October 28, 2003, 15:26

Quote:

Originally posted by FrustratedPoet
An interesting sidenote is that the terms of my contract specify that having a sexual relationship with another member of staff will be a sackable offence. Which is kinda funny since they'll also be employing my girlfriend.

Good luck and all that. Seeya soon (this will simply serve to remind me that time flies).

-Arrian

FrustratedPoet · October 28, 2003, 15:28

Yeah I figured that everybody would have a cellphone, it's been getting a lot like that in the UK recently (i have two

) so I'm used to that. I expect we'll get a couple of them ourselves, I imagine you can get them pretty cheap and it's always useful to be able to keep in touch.

Q Classic · October 28, 2003, 15:51

as for the relationship thing, if you keep it buttoned down, as in, no pda and you don't express it at school, i think they won't mind.

that's a biggie. teachers/respected elders should not show such things to their underlings/students.

FrustratedPoet · October 28, 2003, 15:59

I understand that. We certainly won't be acting like a couple while at work, just acting like friends. What then goes on behind closed doors is none of their concern

.
Besides, they know we're a couple and have given us a shared apartment - I doubt I'd need to draw them a picture. As long as we behave in a professional manner (why wouldn't we?) while around the school, kids and parents then I'm sure they won't have a problem.

Japher · October 28, 2003, 16:07

Quote:

a sackable offence

sackable...

Space05us · October 28, 2003, 17:19

dude! your last day there you should do it in the janitors closet!

cinch · October 28, 2003, 17:52

Quote:

Originally posted by Boshko

BA in anything
Passport from USA, Canda, UK, New Zealand, Australia or South Africa

that's it

Do they expect any previous knowledge of the language of the country you're going to? Because it seems like that would be advantageous...

Or do they just want you to pick it up as you go along?

mrmitchell · October 28, 2003, 18:01

Good luck. Hope you have a great time and learn a lot, and nothing terrible happens.

Quote:

dude! your last day there you should do it in the janitors closet!

Of course, any time that happens will be the last day...

Skanky Burns · October 28, 2003, 19:36

Good luck FP, we will miss you!
Hope you have lots of fun!

GhengisFarb™ · October 28, 2003, 19:44

Why would you want to move your Forbidden Palace to Korea?

Remember what Mel Gibson said in The Patriot:
"Dog makes a very fine meal."

What can I say, all the Koreans I met were very friendly. If you cut your hair real short and act like an American soldier people will buy you stuff for free. I never had to pay for a meal in Seoul, strangers were always coming off the street and buying me stuff. The school kids like to come to you and practice their English also.

Hope you like coffee, cause its everywhere, that was awesome instead of cola vending machines they had coffee vending machines that keep the cans warm.

Dr Strangelove · October 28, 2003, 20:12

Don't forget to explain the honorable custom of "dong chiming" to him, which will come as quite a surprise to him if he's not prepared. Also, is he supposed to wait for a student to do it, or is he supposed to ask the student first?

Bosh · October 28, 2003, 21:09

Quote:

Originally posted by FrustratedPoet

It sounds like the weather over there will remind me very much of home.

Nah, weather's pretty good most the year (certainly compared to the UK), just really humid and wet in the summer.

Quote:

Do they expect any previous knowledge of the language of the country you're going to?

Nope.

Any China has lower standards, you can generally get jobs there with no college and a summer class in english teaching.

Quote:

If you cut your hair real short and act like an American soldier people will buy you stuff for free.

Very bad idea actually. English teachers (white people with long hair) tend to be a lot more popular with Koreans than soldiers (white people with short hair). If you have short hair start practicing "gu-in an im-ni-da" "I am not a soldier."

Quote:

Also, is he supposed to wait for a student to do it, or is he supposed to ask the student first?

I'm sure he won't have to wait too long for the good ol' **** needle

monolith94 · October 28, 2003, 21:30

What the hell is this apolyton exodus to Korea???

Maybe I should do it...

Bosh · October 28, 2003, 22:46

I'll buy you a beer if you move here monolith

That should be all the reason you need!

Q Classic · October 28, 2003, 23:32

Quote:

Very bad idea actually. English teachers (white people with long hair) tend to be a lot more popular with Koreans than soldiers (white people with short hair). If you have short hair start practicing "gu-in an im-ni-da" "I am not a soldier."

isn't it "g(k)un.in an-im.ni.da" ?

Bosh · October 28, 2003, 23:35

Something like that. Have a hard time hearing Korean n's properly sometimes.

Jaguar · October 28, 2003, 23:37

There might be enough people for a Korean poly meet.

Q Classic · October 28, 2003, 23:59

it is gun.in. tired, sorry, so i wasn't quite sure until i checked my email.

final ns are sometimes just completely overrun.

Asher · October 29, 2003, 00:03

I hope for your sake you're good at Starcraft.

Good luck.

MrFun · October 29, 2003, 00:05

Quote:

Originally posted by FrustratedPoet
In two weeks time I will be in South Korea (Daegu to be exact) with my girlfriend where we shall be teaching English at a kindergarten.

The contract is for a year, and we might go travelling in Asia for a month afterwards, so the chances of my coming back to England (and regular internet access with lots of free time) before Christmas 2004 are pretty slim. Since a year of internet time is the equivalent to several ice ages of normal time I am therefore officially Leaving Forever. I'll be making frequent visits to a PC to send emails home, and will try and find time to pop up here occasionally, but I can't promise anything.

Like most people who Leave Forever I will eventually come back, but by then some of you will have left and those that remain will have totally forgotten who I am, so this is the time to say goodbye.

Also, I'd like to ask people who have done this sort of thing (Boshko, Seeker) and others who have lived in Korea (Q^3, connorkimbro) if they have any advice for me.

Bah -- they always come back.

And maybe you can meet up with Boshko in person, or someone else.

monolith94 · October 29, 2003, 00:12

Boshko - if I were to go to Korea, by the time I came, I'm sure you'd be long gone. Better to meet up in Maine. We can live life the way life should be.

connorkimbro · October 29, 2003, 00:38

you'll be leaving forever?

the going rate at a PCbang(at least around where I live) is about 1500 won an hour. (about a half pound an hour, roughly) . . . and they're literally EVERYWHERE you look.

i live in pyongtaek, btw, which is about 1.5 - 2 hours by train northwest of you.

Bosh · October 29, 2003, 07:56

Quote:

Boshko - if I were to go to Korea, by the time I came, I'm sure you'd be long gone. Better to meet up in Maine. We can live life the way life should be.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. The uni english teaching jobs are pretty sweet, I'm seriously considering getting a MA in Applied Linguistics and settling down here.

1500? I've never been charged more than a 1000 even in one of the most expensive bits of Seoul. They must be overcharging you.

alva · October 29, 2003, 08:16

Anyone know if such ( not necesairy as a teacher, preferably not ) jobs are availlable, in the for example the S.E. for people who speak 3 or 4 languages ( English, French, Dutch, German and some understanding of Italian and spanish), but do not really have a diploma to show for it?

Sounds like a very interesting experience.

Q Classic · October 29, 2003, 08:28

Quote:

I hope for your sake you're good at Starcraft.

or, learn to get good at lineage/lineage 2, diablo 2, or warcraft 3. they love native mmorpgs and blizzard games.

if you can swing it, the samsung laptops there are as good as the sonys, and a bit cheaper. add to it about 20k-29k won (~$25) for broadband access... and you're set.

Bosh · October 29, 2003, 08:32

alva: It'd be illegal for you to work in Korea but you could pick up a lot of private classes if you're smart. If you want to work legally try China, you should be fine there.

FrustratedPoet · October 29, 2003, 08:33

Out of interest ... what kind of prices would a mid-range PC cost in Korea? (nothing too fancy, something that can happily run Civ3 for example

).

alva · October 29, 2003, 08:45

Quote:

alva: It'd be illegal for you to work in Korea

? Why, if a company would try to hire me, they couldn't because I don't have a ( university) diploma ?
-
FP, I don't know about Korea, but hardware in Thailand is very costly ( all import is), I think you'd do better picking up a second hand laptop in old england ( or perhaps one at the airport) and take that with you.
Soft ware usually is very cheap

-
It would be a shame not being able to play c3c wouldn't it, ah well, by the time you're back there will be another expansion ready

and hopefully, Vel will FINALLY have a working version of 'candlebre' out

Bosh · October 29, 2003, 08:50

alva: it would be impossible for you to get a teaching visa without a diploma. Other jobs are hard to come by unless you want to do low-wage factory work or speak korean (or get lucky).

FP: computers are a bit cheaper than in the US if you know where to look, all other electronics tend to be much more expensive.

Q Classic · October 29, 2003, 08:50

samsung magicstation ma30
906300 W (~$750)