Monday, November 24, 2008

Some South Korean Facts...

90% of South Koreans have broadband Internet access.
South Koreans pay for their broadband at the lowest rates in the world.

South Koreans dont use: deodorant, clothes dryers,ovens, bathtubs, enclosed showers/shower curtian-its a showerhead on the wall-when you shower the whole bathroom gets wet

They have a "squatty potty"--which is basically a hole in the ground that you use..(they do have some western toilets) and bathrooms arent always adequately stocked with toilet paper

Their currency is the Won (KRW)...@1,000 KRW=$1 USD

official name: Republic of Korea

Capital: Seoul

Population: 49,232,844 (2008 estimate)

Population Density: 1,299 persons per sq mi (2008 estimate)
Compared to us--SC has 133 persons per sq mi--North America has 32 persons per sq mi (WOW)--Asia has 203 persons per sq mi

Religious Beliefs:

Christian-41 percent
Indigenous beliefs-16 percent
Buddhist-15 percent
Confucianist-11 percent
Nonreligious-2 percent
Other-15 percent

Thursday, November 20, 2008

It's official...

I received my contract and I signed it and mailed in all my documents for my visa.

I can't believe its so expensive to mail such a small package to South Korea by Fedex. It weighed 0.35 lbs and it costed $60 to send it internationally. wow. It is expected to arrive on November 24 (Monday).

I finally have details...

Ages:3rd grade through Junior High....
Salary: 2.25 million won a month
Location:near Seoul in a town called Uiejeongbu
working hours: 3pm-11pm

now its time to begin to tell everyone. I havent told all my friends since I was waiting for it to be official.

oh and now I know of one more person who is going to teach in Korea. I think he starts in January. His name is Mike and he accepted a position in Seoul. I met him through my Rock Hill homegroup.

So I will know 2 other people from the Charlotte area!

Thursday, November 13, 2008

I finally got a job!!

I found out why the interview was so short....the interviewer had about 6 more interviews to do that night and only had a few questions to ask...

Anyway...I GOT THE JOB!

I'll get my contract through email soon once James receives it from the corporate office...

The job starts 3rd week of December...and I'll be working at the same school as my friend (Joel Oliver) but at a different location. I'll be working near Seoul, South Korea.

more details after I get them!

Skype...

I signed up for Skype...if youre not familiar with that check out www.skype.com. Its a messenger program similar to AOL where you can talk to others on webcams and make phone calls to other skype users and to landlines/cellphones. Its free to call from computer to computer to another Skype user but you have a pay a low fee to call landlines/cellphones/text message. You can either use it just like a phone or you can use a webcam for a video chat. You can also use it for instant messaging just like AOL. I plan on getting a headset and a webcam for me and my parents so we can communicate back and forth through Video chat instead of running up a high phone bill.

My username is valerie.beth.knight

So thats one method of contacting me...instant message, skype to skype calls, or video chat. and there's always email, facebook, I may have my AOL on.

I will not be using my cell phone while in Korea. The number may still be active, but I'm not even taking it with me. So don't call my cell--you will not get an answer or someone like my parents might pick it up...anyway, you won't get a response from me!

I will have a cell phone in Korea but its going to be a local Korean plan which will only be used for calls made inside of South Korea.

Shortest Interview Ever...

So last night the recruiter tells me that someone will call me around midnight. They called around 11:30pm and they only asked 3 or 4 questions. The interview lasted 2 mins and 50 seconds. They told me they would call me back but didnt.

I remember them asking me "Do you have experience?", "Why do you want to come to Korea?" and some question that I had them repeat twice and I still didn't understand!Anyway, I guess they got all the info they wanted!

I sent an email to the recruiter and he answered me tonight. He said that:

I spoke to the person who interviewed you. You will start sometime around the 20th do Dec.

You should plan on coming to Korea around that time. I will give you a follow up call later tonight to go over the details.


So I don't know what the details are yet but the recruiter is going to call me tonight. woah. It seems this is finally becoming a reality!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Getting my documents together...

I have to prepare a set of documents to send over so I am able to get my E2 teaching visa..valid for one year...

I started preparing these as soon as I started talking to recruiters.

I need:

My original diploma (got it)

2 sets of transcripts (got it)

Medical statement (basically just saying I'm in good health)(got it)

4 passport size photos (I havent done this yet)

Criminal Background Check (This should be in the mail this week) (cost $25)

Resume (got it)

Photocopy of passport (got it)

signed contract (once I get an offer)

I have to send all these documents over to South Korea through a courier service such as DHL or Fedex...I'm hoping thats not too expensive..

Since I'm signed up with multiple agencies I'm not sending in my documents until I have accepted a position with one of the companies.

Beginning the process...

I'm really unhappy at my current job and I've been searching for a new job for over a year. I don't know why no one wants to hire me and its a terrible feeling. All my friends have good jobs and buying their own homes and I'm stuck at a job barely making minimum wage and living off a small budget barely making it by. I have a college degree, but no experience but I think I have a lot to offer if someone would just give me a chance.

After applying to tons of jobs and getting tons of rejections I've decided to take drastic measures. There is a demand for English teachers in Korea. You have to have a college degree, be a native speaker, and experience isn't required. Hey, a job I'm actually qualified for!

I'm not a big risk taker. I usually cautious and have things well planned out, but I'm taking a huge risk by deciding to just move out of the country for a year. If someone would have mentioned this to me a few years ago I would have never considered it.

I'm at peace with my decision. I'm not scared even though I don't know the language or the culture. I've never been out of America so its going to be a huge change. I think I'm ready though. At least thats what I think. I'm going into the great unknown and I'm just going to learn as I go.

Everyone thinks I'm crazy, but I think its going to be a life changing experience. I told my mom about it she said "youre going to get some kind of disease". My family supports my decision though.

I started the process on Sept 22 when I applied with a recruiting agency located in Seoul, South Korea named Park English. Someone emailed and called me the next day. I told them I wanted to start sometime in January of 2009.

I applied for a specific position around Oct 1st. I had an interview with the director shortly after. I though the interview went well but I didnt get chosen for the position.

I wasn't getting matched with anymore positions so I picked out a few more positions off the website. I wasn't qualified for the ones I picked..one wanted a male, another wanted someone with experience, another wanted someone with an education degree.

Then the recruiter tried to match me with positions starting in early December but I don't want to leave that early. I did decide that the earliest I want to leave is Dec 26. I want to be able to spend some time with my family before moving away.

BTW--November 26 is my last day at my job. I don't know if I'll have a position lined up by then but I really don't want to be there anymore. I'm also moving back in with my parents as of November 28th so I can spend time with them before moving.

So I was unhappy with my progress and I signed up with 2 more recruiting agencies. One is called ESLpark (I'm working with the same recruiter that my friend worked with). I was impressed with the quick response. I applied on 11/4, James(the recruiter) called me on 11/5 and had already had an interview set up for 11/6.

I just found out the results from that interview--I didnt get the position. The school had 2 open positions and they hired a couple.

So James called me today and said he had another opening. Its near his office in Seoul. The position starts around December 15 (which is too early) but he is trying to see if they can move the start date back til after Christmas. Anyway I have an interview with the director tonight. that was quick. He calls me around 7pm and says that the director is going to call me at midnight. There is a huge time difference between the USA and South Korea so all my interviews have to be late at night.

Yesterday I talked to another recruiter. He doesnt have any positions for me yet but at least I am increasing my chances by having options.

I wonder what all these phone calls are costing me...I don't even see the bill so I don't know! It's a family plan and all the bills go to my parent's house. I'm sure my sister will tell me of any added charges when she gets the bill in a few days. I've been receiving a lot of calls from South Korea lately. Never more than 15 minutes but if there is a roaming charge that can really add up at 40 cents a minute. I remember when I went to California--I ran up a $100 phone bill in a week just by roaming on my cell phone. (I only have the local NC/SC plan..not nationwide long distance)

Why are you going to South Korea?

How did I get to this point?

Ever since I graduated from college in 2004 I've had a longing to get away and start a new life. I haven't always had a desire to go overseas, just a longing to move far away to get away from my normal hectic life. So over the past 4 years I've never acted on my desire so I've been stuck here in a rut.

How did I choose South Korea? No reason in particular to be honest. In March I was just surfing the web and I saw an ad that said "Teach English in South Korea". I thought "wow that sounds neat". I was not satisfied at my current job (Hertz) and was having trouble finding other employment.I looked into it briefly and quickly gave up because of the cost of a plane ticket which could be at least $1,000 and I was skeptical. I thought "is this a real opportunity?". I never even tried to apply for a job. I just gave up.

I rememeber writing an email to my close friend Brad (March 28,2008). Here's an excerpt:

I want to apply to be an ESL teacher in Korea. If I dont find a good job soon I might seriously consider that. It would be nice to live in another country. Then once I have experience I could be an ESL teacher in another country.

He replies:

Follow this desire to leave America. Do not let fear and doubt stop you. Keep serving Valerie with all you can and as it seams the Lord keeps putting it on your heart to leave America even 2 years ago you were talking about it.

In September I met a new friend at a mutual friend's birthday party. I later found out that he was going to teach English in South Korea. I emailed him back and forth since he was in the process of applying and knew how the process worked. He's actually in South Korea right now.

So I thought--wow this must be legit because I actually know someone who is going through the process. I'm very skeptical about things unless I know someone who is actually going through it.

Then I decided to give it a try. A spontaneous decision that could change my life forever. I'm very unhappy in my current situation and I need a change..NOW!

So I signed up with a recruiter and the process began....