Getting Started - The Basics
"Be prepared" - Scouts motto
First of all, we need to get some terminology out of the way. Here are some common words you will likely hear during the job search:
HagwonThe Korean word for a private learning institute. There are many different kinds of "hagwons" in Korea; math, music, english, korean, etc. They are similar to private schools, but far less glamorous. To get a job at a hagwon, one *usually* needs a work visa. Teaching experience is preferred, but not required.
Yogwon / YeogwonA kind of motel, not quite a bed-and-breakfast. Prices range from 20,000 - 35,000 won per night. As with anything, some are nicer than others. If you're planning on doing any travelling in the country, you'll be staying at yeogwons, which are all over the place and easy to find.
E2 VisaA standard working visa for teachers. This is required if one wishes to work legally in Korea. In order to get this, one must have, at minimum, a bachelor's degree in any subject, not necessarily in the field of education.
Some people are able to get jobs in Korea without an E2 visa; they merely have a "tourist" visa stamped into their passports which must be renewed every so often (depending on their countries of origin) simply by leaving Korea for 24 hours, and then returning. These teachers are working illegally and live with the very real possibility of Korean Immigration "raiding" their hagwons, and facing subsequent arrest, fines, and/or deportation. Having said that, it's estimated that some 30% of the ESL workforce in Korea are working illegally.
Alien Registration Card / E2 Card / ARC / "Wei-Gook" CardAn official identification card which all visa holders (i.e., legally working teachers) must get within 90 days of arriving in Korea. Your hagwon will arrange a trip for you to your nearest Immigration office where the necessary paperwork will be filled out and your fingerprints will be taken. You will probably have to surrender your passport while the paperwork is being processed, but Immigration will return it to your hagwon along with your ARC in about a week or so.
If your director doesn't return your passport along with your ARC, report him to the police and to Immigration! Withholding your passport is theft, plain and simple. It's YOUR property, and your director has NO right to keep it. However, most directors will return your passport without any problems.
F4 Visa A special work visa for "Gyopos."
Gyopo / KyopoA Korean word for Korean who was born in Korea but raised in another country, or a Korean who was both born and raised outside of Korea. Those with F4 visas are legally able to teach privates on the side, and are able to switch jobs easier than those with E2 visas. Basically, they are afforded more rights and privelages than holders of mere E2 visas.
Wei-Gook / Way-Gook (seram)That's you. Literally, a foreigner. You may also hear Koreans calling you a "Mi-Gook", which means "American", since Koreans tend to assume that all foreigners are Americans.
Han-Gook (seram)Korean people.
HangulThe Korean language and alphabet. Learning to read it (even if you don't speak much of the language) will make your life infinitely easier. It's really not that hard, most people can pick up the basics in a few days, some in a few hours. It's phonetically-based, and pronounciation can be tricky. About 2 years ago, the Korean gov't adopted a new official "romanisation" for Korean, and the old system is still around; thus, you might see the same word written two different ways in English (e.g. Pusan and Busan, Kyungju and Gyeongju). Really, it makes more sense to learn to read the Hangul to avoid unnecessary confusion.
(A personal tip - the sooner you try to learn it, the better off you will be. The longer you put it off, the less likely you will be to ever learn it.)
"Konglish"A strange hybrid of Korean and English languages, usually missing all the articles and prepositions we so blithely take for granted, and often making little or no sense whatsoever (until you are getting the hang of it...)
PrivatesSimply put, students which are taught "on the side" outside of your regular school hours. Teaching privates can be very lucrative: it is also illegal. Korean Immigration has been active lately trying to arrest and deport foreign teachers who do not have proper E2 visas and those who are teaching privates.
If you do teach privates be extremely careful! There is a "bounty" on your head. Yes, if a Korean reports a foreign national who is teaching privates illegally, that citizen may receive a cash reward from Immigration should that teacher be caught. You never know who might turn you in - ex-girlfriend/boyfriends, someone you may have had an argument with, an unhappy student, or someone who just doesn't like you... so watch your back.
Non-ResidentFor Canadian citizens only. Being declared a non-resident frees you from having to pay taxes on your Korean income (US citizens are automatically exempt from paying taxes on income earned overseas). For more, see the taxes page.
Won What it's all about - Korean currency. Exchange rates fluctuate, so it's best for you to check the rates on a regular basis. There are a number of on-line currency exchange websites out there for which you can search, or you can try this one.
Key MoneyA kind of rental agreement. A person renting an apartment gives the owner/landlord a sum of money (usually a large amount) as a deposit, as well as monthly rent. The owner then may invest that money as he/she sees fit. (Generally speaking, the higher the "key money", the lower the rent.) When the tenant moves out, the owner/landlord must return the key money to the tenant. Your director will pay for your rent and key money, unless you make another arrangement (see housing.)
KimchiAh, kimchi. A traditional spicy Korean side dish made from fermented cabbage and red chili peppers. Served with virtually every meal, it evokes a wide range of responses and emotions from those who have tried it. How it is made, and subsequently the taste, vary from region to region and the time of year.
SojuKorean firewater, best described as "bad vodka". At approximately 22% alcohol, a beer-sized bottle goes for around 1000 won. Better have some Tylenol handy for the morning after.
NoraebongPrivate karaoke rooms where you and your friends can make absolute fools of yourselves all night long. They range in size from holding 4-5 people to upwards of 20, and different noraebongs will have slightly different song lists. Oh, yes, they're EVERYWHERE!
"The Squatter"Possibly the most dreaded and maligned part of the whole Korean experience is the squatter. Old-style toilets, basically a short trough over which you straddle and squat (I think facing away from the half-clamshell that rises from the back? It's been a while...). It's pretty tricky the first time you try it - and you will almost certainly have to try it sooner or later - but it's really not that bad. Because there's no actual physical contact, it's probably a lot more sanitary than sitting on a throne that hasn't been cleaned since the Reagan administration... and by the way, don't leave your wallet or passport in your back pocket while using the squatter.
Public RestroomsAs a side note, you're well-advised to keep a little package of tissues with you, either in your purse or backpack, since many public toilets DO NOT provide t.p. You can buy small packs of tissue for about 500 won in any corner store, and many public toilets have vending machines outside for this purpose. Also, if you're overly manic about cleanliness, a small bottle of hand sanitizer or liquid soap (even shampoo) is a good thing to carry with you as well. Fast-food restaurants and the nicer department stores usually have "good" public bathrooms, but at subways, smaller bus terminals & train stations, and some tourist stops, you may not be so lucky.
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