I have a sweet job that I am leaving in a boys middle school and my wife has the same in another boys middle school. Comes complete with a very nice two bedroom apartment for which we pay NO utilities.
EPIK, or anyone, can have it. We are done with the xenaphobia, hate, racism, and irresponsibility of a culture that cannot grow up and make it to the twentieth century, let alone the twenty first.
We are going to Myanmar to work in an international school for half the pay, we are at the top of the EPIK pay scale, but way more job satisfaction and a much better quality of life.
Put it this way, five years here, a school that loves me, the head of the local POE told them to do anything to keep me, yet I did not even get a raise when I renewed, even to the mythical EPIK 1+ scale, not even brought up, utter dreck.
Trust me, there are many who feel as we do and many more who are leaving. As long as Korea remains mired in the Confusian culture that treats non-Koreans as second class citizens with no rights, who are vilified in the press and on the news, and have no respect for laws, contracts, and just plain common courtesy people will be leaving the country and jobs will be open.
As long as Korea requires nothing more than a B.A. (how stupid is that) to teach their children, they will suffer the dubious distinction of being 191st in the world on TOEIC scores, with a population that cannot innovate, think critically, and communicate effectivly in the English.
To put it bluntly, the Korean public school system is losing two teachers, with over ten years experience between them, teaching creds., and CELTAs becuase they treat us like cattle.
If you want to come here, please do, its a nice life for a while, but when the real Korea shows through, as it eventually will, the boredom, hate, and stupidity will reach in and grab you and you will wonder why you ever got off the plane at Incheon.
http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=180417
I've heard all this from other sources and from my own experiences too. My co-worker refers to anyone who is not Korean as a foreigner and often asks me questions that begin like "Do other foreigners also do _______?" Unlike this man, I don't have such larges amount of credentials or experience but I do feel how the administration doesn't take my complains or requests very seriously.
These days I'm thinking more seriously about how long I want to stay here. And at the very least, I'm glad I'm not Korean so I have the option of leaving.
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