You know you are destined to be a world traveler when...
You decide that your "last meal" in your home country isn't going to be good old, home-style cooking, but rather a type of Foreign food (East African, in my case) that you know you won't be able to get in your destination country (Korea.)
My Korean job search has finally started to look up! I am working with TeachESLKorea,so far the recruiter who has done the most work for me. I am registered at two other recruiters, Pegasus, and Gone2Korea, and I've also been responding to ads posted on various websites job boards, like esljobfeed. So far, though, TeachESLKorea has proven to be able to give me the most options, quickly, and with the most sincerity. I trust them. Unlike Pegasus and Gone2Korea, they are all in Korea, as far as I can tell. Pegasus also got me some interviews, but the schools were not impressed with me, and declined me. After 3 interviews I stopped hearing from them altogether, and I suspect that they have moved on to others. However, they are helpful and I know another person who was placed by Pegasus who is really enjoying her job. Gone2Korea, on the other hand, doesn't seem to be interested in placing me. I think they're probably the biggest of all the recruiters. The person I was appointed to work with lost my interview time, and missed the call. Since the resceduled call, I haven't heard anything. No interviews and not even any "I sent your info to this school." It's a little odd.
My biggest fear was that the influx of teachers from the class of 2009 was going to drownd out my application. I think that's probably what has happened with Pegasus and Gone2Korea, but TeachESLKorea has still done a lot for me. They've found me positions that I can see myself in, and more importantly, at least one position that has definitely accepted me.
The other ones that I've found on my own have been less reliable, but they are still sincere about finding me a position. I have replied to specific positions, but they are often posted by recruiters who will find you something else if this one is not looking for someone like you or with your kind of experience. However, for a first time teacher, I feel much more comfortable working with a recruiter that has screened me before hand, and offers significant assistance with obtaining the E2 visa.
I had a great interview with a private school last night, and I am really hoping that they would like to have me. I was able to talk with one of the foreign teachers on the phone, during the interview, and he seemed to be a nice, understanding guy who would be a great coworker. He also was able to answer some of my questions about having cameras in the classroom, which is apparently very common and basically a given when teaching at a hagwon. That helped assauge my nerves about that practice a little bit. i was worried that mothers would tune in and complain, and then I would always be in trouble. However, he said that it was more about discipline--incase there was a dispute, then the director would be able to view the video and make a decision. It's still kind of nervewracking, but well... I think I will be able to deal with it. Especially if there are other foreign teachers at the school, who I can commiserate with. And in a larger city, I think I will have more escape avenues--like maybe some good Thai food, haha.
It really seems like the country is small enough to get around a lot. I am really looking forward to that, learning some Korean, going to Korean markets, and visiting temples. I have been trying to meditate here every day, but I am noticing a real tension in me. My stomach especially. I'm trying to breath with my diaphram but it tenses when I think about it. It's frustrating! Oh well. I don't know if meditating is helping my nerves at all, but it's nice to be able to do it with some consistancy.
Despite the nerves, I am really having a good summer. I love working with the ladies at the Women's Center. Yesterday we got into a discussion about the Quranic story of Mary (the mother of Jesus.) Apparently everybody loves that Surah, according to one of the other assistants, a girl who is going to Hamline next year. (Woo! We're university buddies!) It was me, her, and the older White American director of the center, plus the mother who is going to be running girls' group from now on. We were all discussing this story, and it just felt so cool. I love working there!!! When I come back to the states to live, who knows when, but when my plan is to stay here for a while, I really want a job working with the Somali community. I think they are just great people.
My Korean job search has finally started to look up! I am working with TeachESLKorea,so far the recruiter who has done the most work for me. I am registered at two other recruiters, Pegasus, and Gone2Korea, and I've also been responding to ads posted on various websites job boards, like esljobfeed. So far, though, TeachESLKorea has proven to be able to give me the most options, quickly, and with the most sincerity. I trust them. Unlike Pegasus and Gone2Korea, they are all in Korea, as far as I can tell. Pegasus also got me some interviews, but the schools were not impressed with me, and declined me. After 3 interviews I stopped hearing from them altogether, and I suspect that they have moved on to others. However, they are helpful and I know another person who was placed by Pegasus who is really enjoying her job. Gone2Korea, on the other hand, doesn't seem to be interested in placing me. I think they're probably the biggest of all the recruiters. The person I was appointed to work with lost my interview time, and missed the call. Since the resceduled call, I haven't heard anything. No interviews and not even any "I sent your info to this school." It's a little odd.
My biggest fear was that the influx of teachers from the class of 2009 was going to drownd out my application. I think that's probably what has happened with Pegasus and Gone2Korea, but TeachESLKorea has still done a lot for me. They've found me positions that I can see myself in, and more importantly, at least one position that has definitely accepted me.
The other ones that I've found on my own have been less reliable, but they are still sincere about finding me a position. I have replied to specific positions, but they are often posted by recruiters who will find you something else if this one is not looking for someone like you or with your kind of experience. However, for a first time teacher, I feel much more comfortable working with a recruiter that has screened me before hand, and offers significant assistance with obtaining the E2 visa.
I had a great interview with a private school last night, and I am really hoping that they would like to have me. I was able to talk with one of the foreign teachers on the phone, during the interview, and he seemed to be a nice, understanding guy who would be a great coworker. He also was able to answer some of my questions about having cameras in the classroom, which is apparently very common and basically a given when teaching at a hagwon. That helped assauge my nerves about that practice a little bit. i was worried that mothers would tune in and complain, and then I would always be in trouble. However, he said that it was more about discipline--incase there was a dispute, then the director would be able to view the video and make a decision. It's still kind of nervewracking, but well... I think I will be able to deal with it. Especially if there are other foreign teachers at the school, who I can commiserate with. And in a larger city, I think I will have more escape avenues--like maybe some good Thai food, haha.
It really seems like the country is small enough to get around a lot. I am really looking forward to that, learning some Korean, going to Korean markets, and visiting temples. I have been trying to meditate here every day, but I am noticing a real tension in me. My stomach especially. I'm trying to breath with my diaphram but it tenses when I think about it. It's frustrating! Oh well. I don't know if meditating is helping my nerves at all, but it's nice to be able to do it with some consistancy.
Despite the nerves, I am really having a good summer. I love working with the ladies at the Women's Center. Yesterday we got into a discussion about the Quranic story of Mary (the mother of Jesus.) Apparently everybody loves that Surah, according to one of the other assistants, a girl who is going to Hamline next year. (Woo! We're university buddies!) It was me, her, and the older White American director of the center, plus the mother who is going to be running girls' group from now on. We were all discussing this story, and it just felt so cool. I love working there!!! When I come back to the states to live, who knows when, but when my plan is to stay here for a while, I really want a job working with the Somali community. I think they are just great people.
