jp1 Posted July 16, 2003 Report Share Posted July 16, 2003 You might check this thread: Seoul or this one: Korea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlton68 Posted July 16, 2003 Report Share Posted July 16, 2003 Wow, pretty fast. Bit far from Jakarta though. Good Luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 Yeah, but any of the jobs I could have taken in Indonesia were paying peanuts. I figure its better to base myself anywhere in Asia. I will be spending alot more time in LOS and Indo now. Cheers Jaga Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 1. What are the best cities to live in? I am a big city person and dont want to be stuck in the boonies. Seoul or Pusan. I wouldn't like to live anywhere else in Korea. Pusan would actually be pushing it for me. Living in one of Seouls surrounding or outer suburns would be a bastard IMHO. 2. What is the cost of living like? eg subway ticket, packet of smokes, gym membership, beer etc? Difficult question to answer because that will depend largely on your lifestyle. Generally it is a very expensive place to live if you want to live like a foreigner. most expats from all around the world get a cost of living bonus. I heard the other day that it was 60% more expensive that Philadelphia. Don;t quote me on that though. Seouls hotel food is on average THE most expensive in the world. Subway ticket US$0.50 anywhere in the city; cheap cigarettes at about $1.50 a pack; Local gyms $40 a month, upmarket gyms aorund $80 a month; beer: draft around $2.00 a pint, but then again that will depend on where you drink it. Upscale bars: Drinks $8. 3. What are the living arrangements like for most of these schools.? I have no idea, but I've heard some horror stories. Housing is extremely expensive in Seoul. 4. Most important, the nightlife and sanuk! What is the cost of a decent night out, how does the scene work etc? What's it like for westerners chasing non p4p Korean girls, is it easy to get laid? The hardest question of all to answer. How long is a peice of string? What is a decent night out? I've had decent nights out for $15 and I've had decent nights out for $500. Whatever your price range, Seoul can accommodate you. I never leave home without a hundred odd dollars and a credit card. You never know where you might end up. For westerners chasing non p4p girls it is the same as in any other country. You will have greater access to the local market if you are reasonably well presented. Is it easy to get laid? Yes. But the majority of the girls are not really into one night stands, and anything longer than a one night stand and the girl will want to marry you. This is with the exception of girls who hang around the Itaewon area. But I wouldn't classify them as typical Korean girls, because the typical Korean girls never go there. My advice: Try to pick up the language as soon as you get here. Keep an open mind. Remember that Korea has a very unique culture, and you will meet some unique people with points of view that you may not agree with. Take the time to learn a little bit about the history of the place, and you will understand why some things are the way they are today. Cheers, and good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosal Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 Jaga good luck in Korea ; Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 Thaiphoon, Prosal and others, Thanks for the tips and kind words, if anyopne is passing thru Seoul, please let me know, I will be up for a night out. Doubtless with closer proximity to LOS and Indo I will be down those-a-ways more often, so watch out! Cheers Jaga Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiery Jack Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 Jaganathan, Good luck brother. Have a ball. jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDN Posted July 18, 2003 Report Share Posted July 18, 2003 Hi, Jaganath. The others have given you good price estimates on the cost of living and the cost of sanuk. Basically, you can spend as high as the sky, just like anywhere else in the world. From what you're written about yourself, choose to live in either Seoul or Busan (sometimes spelt Pusan). Eating out is cheap. Smokes are cheap. Draft beer is cheap is you drink the local stuff. ALL imported items are expensive. Eat and drink like a local and you'll eat and drink like a . . . local king. That sounds asinine, but it's true. Your money can go a long way here, but it's hellishly easy to spend, spend, spend. Nightlife is fun in Seoul. Itaewon and Hongdae are two areas that have lots of night clubs and dance clubs, and are frequented by non-Koreans and those younger Koreans with experience living overseas. And as anywhere else in the world, if you're good-looking or fit, rich, charming, and so on, you can find women to date. Just don't expect to be able to "open up" and share a lot. The language barrier can be pretty thick, not to mention the cultural barrier. Some younger women are sexually liberated, and some are not. It's not rare to meet a 25 or 30 year old virgin. I am not kidding. Please don't underestimate the naivete of some Korean women. I've had female adult students honestly tell me they have gone to night clubs to meet foreigners "just to talk" and who expressed horror when I told them that they were crazy because the men were there to score! The P4P scene here in Korea is totally the opposite of Thailand. Most of the time the service is prompt and mechanical. GFE is rare...and starfishing is de rigeur. What's more, most P4P venues will not take your money as you are not a Korean . . . There is a lot of anti-foreigner bias in the P4P scene. I'll send a private message with my mobile no. and an e-mail address. Get in touch with me and tell me a bit about your school, and so on. Regards, CDN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wonderlust Posted July 21, 2003 Report Share Posted July 21, 2003 i think you are mad if you live in korea, unless you really can't get a job in your own country. korea may be in asia but asia is a big place and the cost and time to get to thailand from korea is not that much different from a western capital city. most of all though you only get 10 days paid vacation a year in a teaching job (ie 2 weeks) compared to at least 20 days (4 weeks) minimum in Europe though most jobs give you at least 25 days paid holiday. oh and the salary works out at about 12,000 GBP compared to 20,000 average starting salary for a graduate in the uk. ok you get a "free" apartment but its worth 3000 GBP max. having said that i had a fantastic girlfriend while i was in korea but she was only 19 and didn't believe in sex before marriage. not at all unusual for korean women. nice kisser though. never wanked so much as when i was in korea... hence my first visit to thailand and the rest is history :hubba: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 25, 2003 Report Share Posted July 25, 2003 I believe most of these positions are some what the same as thailand. They are english speaking work and not teaching to a western certified level above an 8 or 9 year old. I have seen several advertisments for teachers in Korea something like $2000 a month which I guess could be compared for working for a little over minimum wage in The U.S. If it is for the experience Indonesia may of been better. Korea is no picinic at these wages. It sure will not leave much for vacations to Thailand but it is a start. It is cold as siberia in the winter months in the north. Good Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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