What would It take for you to Leave Korea?

Drugs!? Ohhh noooooo...
You need the sticky icky, brah.

People who smoked weed who constantly talk like they're in Half-Baked or a Kottonmouth Kings concert are the biggest posers.

What did it take for me to leave Korea? The need for more.

More job stability, more pay, more future prospects, more job satisfaction, more recognition for the work I do, more challenging and mentally simulating work, more vacation time...more everything.

The chances of me achieving that outside Korea were much higher than if I decided to stay, so I bounced.

Would I return to Korea? Absolutely...as long as the right kind of job with the right kind of stability, pay and benefits is on offer.

Or: What would it take for you to not stay in Korea?
a potentially less incentive-based response

1. Losing interest in teaching
2. Oppressive laws regarding re-signing options, travel restrictions, medical testing, etc.
3. Tempting bait (it used to be other foreign countries pre-COVID; sudden opportunity back home).

#2 is most likely, in my case.

Why do they think we all do drugs?
*Waygook.org users constantly make references to doing drugs and how people should do drugs*
Why do they think we all have criminal records?
*Waygook.org stories of getting drunk and run ins with the law either here or back home?
Why do they think we're unqualified?
*Waygook.org story of "Dude, I totally got grandfathered in with just a bachelor's and was given tenure. Also, back during the wild-west days one of my buddies taught with just a GED. No one cared. Made up a story about having a degree."

Why do ajosshis think these things? It must be racism!

Leave it Mr. Dee to defend Korea at all costs.  I don't recall folks talking about drugs on here beyong saying they toked once or twice in their yuth or something. 

first it was baby-waby, now its cucky-wucky. martino really hasnt been having a good time with The Discourse these past few weeks lol.

Why do they think we all do drugs?
*Waygook.org users constantly make references to doing drugs and how people should do drugs*
Why do they think we all have criminal records?
*Waygook.org stories of getting drunk and run ins with the law either here or back home?
Why do they think we're unqualified?
*Waygook.org story of "Dude, I totally got grandfathered in with just a bachelor's and was given tenure. Also, back during the wild-west days one of my buddies taught with just a GED. No one cared. Made up a story about having a degree."

Why do ajosshis think these things? It must be racism!

The English teacher foreigners seem to have no awareness that 1) this is the internet and everyone can read it, 2) Koreans are good with the internet, 3) Korea is small, highly social, and very tightly networked, and thus 4) the stuff they say here spreads, reflects on them, and (rightly) influences how they are treated.

In answer to the original question: I would never leave, I like it. Exception would be if war broke out I might have to flee temporarily.

Waiting on the wife’s visa then we gone.

Enjoy the cratering esl industry here. Only bright side, soon minimum wage will force employers to finally give the esl teachers a raise!!!!! Yay!!

In answer to the original question: I would never leave, I like it. Exception would be if war broke out I might have to flee temporarily.

Hang on dude! I didn't think you were "riding the white horse anymore". Didn't that mean you weren't in Korea anymore?

Small talk is dead everywhere, in Korea a lot of foreigners won’t even small talk with each other.

Usually it’s E2 teachers who think that they are better than everyone and ignore other foreigners and literally ignore small talk.

Army guys love small talk though because usually they come from smaller towns which leads to better talks anyway.

Edit:

The white horse E2 (3 in Canada 9 in Korea to a horse hunter) can keep her secrets!!

Either that or that last sentence is still completely nonsensical.

Waiting on the wife’s visa then we gone.

Enjoy the cratering esl industry here. Only bright side, soon minimum wage will force employers to finally give the esl teachers a raise!!!!! Yay!!

The users here get triggered when I say stuff like that.  Congrats.  Off the China, another country, or back home? 

Waiting on the wife’s visa then we gone.

Enjoy the cratering esl industry here. Only bright side, soon minimum wage will force employers to finally give the esl teachers a raise!!!!! Yay!!

Been hearing this for over decade.  Any time someone decides to call it a day, they're getting out just in time as the whole ESL industry is cratering.  I'm enjoying myself and continue to save money, but guaranteed the day I leave, I'm going to be on here saying "Sayonara, suckers.  Enjoy it while it lasts!", just like people were doing in 2011 when I returned.  It always amazes me how most of us criticize Koreans for the group think mentality, yet how many foreigners here assume everyone is in the exact same position as them with the exact outlook.  As long as I can be happy with my job, do what I want outside of work and generally save around a million won a month I'm content.  Have never had debt and only invest and save.  No cratering on my end.  And after over ten straight years of this I have no concern about whether my current job is renewed.  The thought of a D10 visa and travel time is very alluring.  I have my home base here and can always find a new job locally.  Pity the people that are owned by student loans like Hangook, though.  One of the big attractions to Korea is money doesn't have to be priority number one.  If money was the main concern people wouldn't have come here in the first place.  Unless, you're from South Africa, money making opportunities are/were always greater back home. 

You leave when you feel the time is right, which is different for everybody.
I'm leaving next year.

When you do leave, be grateful and proud for what you achieved and learned and... don't be an immature douchebag and be bitter with the industry, the country, the people who're staying etc.

The users here get triggered when I say stuff like that.  Congrats.  Off the China, another country, or back home? 

I would be so disappointed if that was my attitude when I left here.  However happy I may be to move on to something else, to think I would leave here after all this time so gracelessly that I had to crap on this place would mean I made a serious mistake in staying so long.  I can't imagine how miserable you must be (I know, things are still good pay wise for you) but pay is the only measure you use.  Some people come off as crotchety and bitter on here, but you have to factor in the venting aspect.  With you, I think you really do just wake up and have the exchange rate on your mind and nothing else.  That would be awful.  It's no kind of life.  I can't imagine only being here for the money.  And you're not raking it in.  None of us are, even if you factor in your housing, rural school allowances and bonus.  You can put some away but no one is getting rich. 

I hope when I leave here, I'm excited for my next step but that it's a bittersweet moment full of many memories of people and events.  In fact, I know I could never put Korea completely in the rear view because of a small but close group that I consider my Korean family.  I'll always be back to visit.  Hangook, we all know you're never going to China, but let's pretend you're serious.  You'll be miserable there, too.  You've chosen a career path that won't bring in the big bucks, so stop nickel and diming your way through life. 

The users here get triggered when I say stuff like that.  Congrats.  Off the China, another country, or back home? 

USA tentatively. We would consider a third country though.

USA tentatively. We would consider a third country though.

Ah, the economy there does have a lot of jobs with high demand.  Heck even 20 dollars an hour in a place with a reasonable living cost is better than here nowadays.  Can make more money with some training. 

I would leave Korea if war actually broke out or if the air pollution became a severe problem.

It already is a severe problem… but better lately because of the pandemic. Less people going out = less people driving. How much worse it is gonna be post pandemic when Koreans start driving their diesel powered SUVs more?

Also, I wonder if the Korean government has been taking steps that have made a big difference. A lot less coal burning than before?

The air now is certainly cleaner than it was pre covid. Will it continue?

I think most people go to Korea with no firm plan in mind. It's a bit of an adventure (according to me anyway but not everyone because chances of dying are slim) and they get stuck in the ease of life. Let's face it, being a teacher there is not hard work. being a blue collar labourer is hard work, being a farmer is hard work.

So, what it took for me to leave was arriving with a firm 5 year plan. I achieved what I wanted to achieve and got out.

My job was sweet too. And in arguably the most beautiful place and school in the country. Plus I was clearing 3.15 million a month. But my goals had been achieved. I did what I told my co-teacher I was going to do - give her 5 years - then I left.

I think most people go to Korea with no firm plan in mind. It's a bit of an adventure (according to me anyway but not everyone because chances of dying are slim) and they get stuck in the ease of life. Let's face it, being a teacher there is not hard work. being a blue collar labourer is hard work, being a farmer is hard work.

So, what it took for me to leave was arriving with a firm 5 year plan. I achieved what I wanted to achieve and got out.

My job was sweet too. And in arguably the most beautiful place and school in the country. Plus I was clearing 3.15 million a month. But my goals had been achieved. I did what I told my co-teacher I was going to do - give her 5 years - then I left.

When I first came to Korea most people arrived with a financial goal. One guy who had been an accountant was pretty fanatic about it.

3.15million--does that include housing factored in? Asking for a friend.

No, I took the 400,000 Won for housing and found a really nice 1 bedroom flat with awesome landlords for 250,000 a month. They had a small farm and kept our fridge full of veggies and all the kimchi I could give away.

I loved that apartment.

actually, I decided to leave. Firstly America, i;m going, and then China, when it opens up. "The new frontier" goodbye!