[Laren]

First, I must say that for someone who's pre-university you have excellent written English - better than many 'English teachers' I've met.

Thanks so much for the compliment, and for your answers to my questions. Your response was very helpful and I really appreciate it; I'm checking out that podcast now.

[nyssnisa]

wait...so basically public schools don't care if you're asian?? i mean, if you're asian, & you can speak & teach english, basically you're in?? ooh.. n i thought all schools in korea dont wanna hire an asian teaching english...whoa, you actually gave me a new hope..hehehehe...

[Yubumsuk]

wait...so basically public schools don't care if you're asian?? i mean, if you're asian, & you can speak & teach english, basically you're in?? ooh.. n i thought all schools in korea dont wanna hire an asian teaching english...whoa, you actually gave me a new hope..hehehehe...

Some private academies will reject you outright. Many private academies will put you to the bottom of the list. A few unis may show a preference for a non-Asian, all other qualities being equal. So will a few schools who hire outside government programmes. No government placement programme (like EPIK) will reject you, but a few schools may be less enthusiastic about having an Asian as their foreign English teacher.

That said, there are still hundreds of good jobs waiting for you if you meet the minimum qualifications.

[ginger]

Some private academies will reject you outright. Many private academies will put you to the bottom of the list. A few unis may show a preference for a non-Asian, all other qualities being equal. So will a few schools who hire outside government programmes. No government placement programme (like EPIK) will reject you, but a few schools may be less enthusiastic about having an Asian as their foreign English teacher.

That said, there are still hundreds of good jobs waiting for you if you meet the minimum qualifications.

My school (public) actually requested an Asian-looking person. They said that if the kids (who are of blue collar families) see another white English-speaker, it will just be normal and boring. But if they have an Asian person who speaks English perfectly, it will be a great motivating factor, like, "Wow! She is Korean like me but she can speak English, too! It's not impossible!"

-ginger

[Yubumsuk]

My school (public) actually requested an Asian-looking person. They said that if the kids (who are of blue collar families) see another white English-speaker, it will just be normal and boring. But if they have an Asian person who speaks English perfectly, it will be a great motivating factor, like, "Wow! She is Korean like me but she can speak English, too! It's not impossible!"

-ginger

I've definitely heard of East-Asian looking people facing both pros and cons at public schools. Usually they have the same opportunity to make of themselves what they will as whites but I have heard of cases of schools being much less enthusiastic about Asian-looking people (as well as ones of schools feeling more comfortable with someone of Korean descent). I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be asked to do so many photo-ops for my school if I wasn't white. I'm even on the cover of our school calendar book and a TOIEC textbook our school self-published (but didn't think of asking me to edit).

I also think it makes a big difference if you're Asian of Korean descent or Asian of another descent in some cases. Also, how Koreans judge people can be quite arbitrary. My vice principal thinks that Canadian teachers are much better than Americans based on his experience with me and his friend's (also a high school VP) experience with an American nutter.

[KYC]

I also think it makes a big difference if you're Asian of Korean descent or Asian of another descent in some cases.

Yes..it definitely makes a big difference. But I never let silly things like that get to me..and neither should any Asian descents feel discouraged about applying. If someone has a problem with you and who you are, it is their problem & not yours.

[j00n]

I'm seeing more and more ads for F-visa holders/Gyopo teachers now.

[nyssnisa]

tanx u guys.. i am liking this topic more & more now..i am actually on the verge of giving up when all of a sudden i get this now infos and of course people who actually have the experience of being a teacher there..this is way better than to ask a random person and all you get is, you are not qualified and not giving good reasons..now i should focus on studying more and be prepared for the hardships i wanna teach there..

[可愛い]

wait...so basically public schools don't care if you're asian?? i mean, if you're asian, & you can speak & teach english, basically you're in?? ooh.. n i thought all schools in korea dont wanna hire an asian teaching english...whoa, you actually gave me a new hope..hehehehe...

Yes..it definitely makes a big difference. But I never let silly things like that get to me..and neither should any Asian descents feel discouraged about applying. If someone has a problem with you and who you are, it is their problem & not yours.

i find it particularly insidious that someone who was born in the united states, speaks perfect english, ect, was turned down because she was "too asian"? wtf?

but yeah, i suggest any asian in here to go out there & try your best. don't listen to naysayers or white people that have superiority complexes. just because a few people think & function that way, doesnt mean everybody in korea is like that.

asians ftw.

[ginger]

i find it particularly insidious that someone who was born in the united states, speaks perfect english, ect, was turned down because she was "too asian"? wtf?

but yeah, i suggest any asian in here to go out there & try your best. don't listen to naysayers or white people that have superiority complexes. just because a few people think & function that way, doesnt mean everybody in korea is like that.

asians ftw.

Actually, the majority DO think that way, and that's why it can get a big disheartening. When place after place is saying, "Sorry, we really don't like to hire Asian people," it gets frustrating. I even went off during my YBM interview after they were like, "You sound great and we'd love to hire you--but not for Seoul." "So you're telling me that, even though I speak English flawlessly and have better grammar/pronunciation than hundreds of other applicants, you won't hire me just because I have an Asian face? My last name is MURPHY--does that sound very Asian to you?" The interviewer lamely replied, "Sorry, parents don't want to see an Asian person teaching their kids. They'll pull their kids from our school and pay to send them somewhere that has a white teacher if they see that you're not white." It's annoying as hell, but yeah...keep looking. SMOE is diverse (there were all kinds of Asians--Koreans, Chinese, Vietnamese, etc) and they won't care about your skin color. The hagwons are a money business, so appearance sells.

-ginger

[Yubumsuk]

i find it particularly insidious that someone who was born in the united states, speaks perfect english, ect, was turned down because she was "too asian"? wtf?

but yeah, i suggest any asian in here to go out there & try your best. don't listen to naysayers or white people that have superiority complexes. just because a few people think & function that way, doesnt mean everybody in korea is like that.

asians ftw.

It's not due to a superiority complex but an inferiority complex - some Koreans are doubtful that Asians can speak 'real' English and / or think that white is more exotic.

[MissLadyBunny]

It's not due to a superiority complex but an inferiority complex - some Koreans are doubtful that Asians can speak 'real' English and / or think that white is more exotic.

That seems strange. The gas station I work at the paper router is an English teacher in China. He holds a master in history and told me his pay is some $2,000 a week. The cost of food and living can get expensive fast. I told him is it cheaper to live in the states these days? haha I've been so curious about teaching English in Korea or Japan. I did look up some places and the pay is the same. I could use that $2,000 a month. Sadly I'm out of college for the moment and becoming more in debt do to my mother. Is teaching English better in Korea or Japan? Thats what I really want to know. Do the people treat you with more respect or look down on you if your an American that...lets just say that has darker skin and is Hispanic. I don't want to offend anyone for asking. Its different to read online from a paragraph created to invite you then speak to a native. I know there will be some discremination in this world. When I went to Germany I witness this but not towards me. Towards the American kids i was with during the trip.

[sooker]

After reading every effing page of this thread, I've deduced that the places to go for "summer camp" teaching sessions in Korea are Elite, AndyPrep, and Hoyah. Are there any other ones I may be missing? Are the only websites that I can search for summer camp positions on that ESL Cafe website? Is it customary to provide free airfare, or would I be even lucky to score that?

And when you guys say that a "top university" warrants higher pay, does that apply to 'summer camp' positions as well? And when you say "top university", do you mean like Harvard, Yale, Stanford? Or does UC Berkeley qualify in that respect as a "top university"?

Also, how long do these summer camp positions typically last for? Early June through August? July through August? The specific time frame is pretty important to me, as I'm on contract with my law firm through mid to end of June, and then I plan on going to law school mid August. But I'm just desperate enough to teach in Korea, that I'd consider breaking my contract if need be. Also, when is a good time to start applying for these sort of positions? I don't want to wait around, and later miss the best time period to be applying.

I also got the vibe that AndyPrep is a more rigorous academic program (with "The Man" watching, etc). I'm not really digging that. I just want to go to experience Korea as if I live there, work with younger Koreans (I love working with kids, from elementary-high school), and experience teaching English, since it's something I enjoy doing. I'm not much of a disciplinarian, so I can't deal with cracking down on kids. Is there such a thing as a fun, friendly environment summer camp program?

So. very. long. Any input would be appreciated.

[ginger]

After reading every effing page of this thread, I've deduced that the places to go for "summer camp" teaching sessions in Korea are Elite, AndyPrep, and Hoyah. Are there any other ones I may be missing? Are the only websites that I can search for summer camp positions on that ESL Cafe website? Is it customary to provide free airfare, or would I be even lucky to score that?

And when you guys say that a "top university" warrants higher pay, does that apply to 'summer camp' positions as well? And when you say "top university", do you mean like Harvard, Yale, Stanford? Or does UC Berkeley qualify in that respect as a "top university"?

Also, how long do these summer camp positions typically last for? Early June through August? July through August? The specific time frame is pretty important to me, as I'm on contract with my law firm through mid to end of June, and then I plan on going to law school mid August. But I'm just desperate enough to teach in Korea, that I'd consider breaking my contract if need be. Also, when is a good time to start applying for these sort of positions? I don't want to wait around, and later miss the best time period to be applying.

I also got the vibe that AndyPrep is a more rigorous academic program (with "The Man" watching, etc). I'm not really digging that. I just want to go to experience Korea as if I live there, work with younger Koreans (I love working with kids, from elementary-high school), and experience teaching English, since it's something I enjoy doing. I'm not much of a disciplinarian, so I can't deal with cracking down on kids. Is there such a thing as a fun, friendly environment summer camp program?

So. very. long. Any input would be appreciated.

For camps, I don't think it will matter as much. I mean, it'll count, and UC is a good school--not sure if Koreans know about it, though. The camps run from mid-July to the last week of August. In Korean fashion, a lot of the hiring doesn't happen until the last minute, like June or late May. However, my friends and I scored our camp jobs in late March/early April. That's pretty unheard of usually, though.

The thing is, the camp programs are not like "camp" in the US--by camp, it basically means "summer school" or "language immersion program." Your kids are going to be in class from morning until night, with small breaks in between. I taught from 8 am until 9 pm, with a break from 2-6. So hate to say it, but you're going to have to grow a spine and learn some discipline tricks. Otherwise, the kids will walk all over you on the first day. Korean kids are used to STRONG discipline, so if they meet you and immediately sense that you're too sweet to yell at them, they're not going to listen to you at all. Just suck it up. Teaching can be kind of like acting.

-ginger

[sooker]

For camps, I don't think it will matter as much. I mean, it'll count, and UC is a good school--not sure if Koreans know about it, though. The camps run from mid-July to the last week of August. In Korean fashion, a lot of the hiring doesn't happen until the last minute, like June or late May. However, my friends and I scored our camp jobs in late March/early April. That's pretty unheard of usually, though.

The thing is, the camp programs are not like "camp" in the US--by camp, it basically means "summer school" or "language immersion program." Your kids are going to be in class from morning until night, with small breaks in between. I taught from 8 am until 9 pm, with a break from 2-6. So hate to say it, but you're going to have to grow a spine and learn some discipline tricks. Otherwise, the kids will walk all over you on the first day. Korean kids are used to STRONG discipline, so if they meet you and immediately sense that you're too sweet to yell at them, they're not going to listen to you at all. Just suck it up. Teaching can be kind of like acting.

-ginger

Yea, I figure it's no fun and games. I just meant a more laxed environment, as exemplified in that one girl's blog: Suk on the Run, I believe. Btw, if you ever read this, I thought your entries were so incredibly funny and cute, You are food :]

Thanks a lot for the heads up though, as well as the other details. Appreciated, and g'luck with the rest of your time in Korea.

[ginger]

Yea, I figure it's no fun and games. I just meant a more laxed environment, as exemplified in that one girl's blog: Suk on the Run, I believe. Btw, if you ever read this, I thought your entries were so incredibly funny and cute, You are food :]

Thanks a lot for the heads up though, as well as the other details. Appreciated, and g'luck with the rest of your time in Korea.

I suppose relaxed camps are around, but the majority have earned the reputation of being disorganized, stressful, lacking proper supplies, etc. I had a *great* time at my camp, but it was so stressful! This summer, I only had to work a camp for my own public school, and that was easy. It was just 9 days from 9 am-noon.

Good luck with your planning!

-ginger

[Yubumsuk]

Yea, I figure it's no fun and games. I just meant a more laxed environment, as exemplified in that one girl's blog: Suk on the Run, I believe. Btw, if you ever read this, I thought your entries were so incredibly funny and cute, You are food :]

Thanks a lot for the heads up though, as well as the other details. Appreciated, and g'luck with the rest of your time in Korea.

Camps are really hit-and-miss. A bad supervisor and a couple of useless co-workers could turn a fun opportunity into a nightmare. I'd judge them largely by the types of foreigners they hire. The ones with good reputations tend to get teachers by word of mouth and attract people who have some idea what they're doing. My friend has done one a few times at Changwon University and, on top of paying very well, almost all of the teachers have prior experience teaching in Korea.

Personally, I'll only ever do summer or winter break 'camps' with my own students at my own school. I'm just not up for the idea of getting thrown into the melee with some other schools' students and being the foreigner responsible for 'makie Engerlish punny' to a group of kids I don't know who may be of differing levels in a context where I may or may not have good teaching resources and time to prepare. And Ginger's quite right that most are very disorganised, hire at the last minute, and often involve hours that make it more tiring than enjoyable.

[missxmoody]

I'm leaving the end of September to teach in Korea, through the GEPIK program.. I'm so nervous!

[sooker]

I shall not lie. I am jealous. Good luck

[My Sweet September]

Hello everyone.

Do all Korean programs require you to have a college degree? I don't, but I am getting my TEFL certificate this November. From what I have gathered, mainland China, Vietnam, and other SE Asian countries are my best bet to getting hired considering I do not have a degree.

I am not against these options, it's just seems Korea and Japan (and Taiwan and Hong Kong) pay better on average, and that is part of the reason I am going, to pay off debt (but not the big reason - the big reason is the experience! The chance to travel and learn about a new culture and work with new people. it seems very exciting to me!) The fact of the matter is, I cannot go if I don't make enough money to pay my debt off each month.

Also, has anyone here gone when in a relationship? I am in a very serious relationship, and it would be hard to leave him for an entire year. But at the same time I don't want to give up this opportunity, one I have dreamt about for quite awhile now! I am just curious to se if other relationships have weathered the storm, we have a strong bond, but a year is a long time, and I am concerned about being "out of sight, out of mind."