Anybody from August, 2006 take off?

I was just wondering if you knew of anyone from the August 06 group who has done a midnight run or taken off yet.  There's gotta be somebody out of the 48.   It looks like the people I predicted to leave are still here . . .

Well, I thought I'd be here for 2 years, but I am leaving at the end of this contract.  I am not leaving due to a bad experience, but rather because of a very good one.  I am really glad I came to teach here, it proved to be more worthwhile then I thought.  I'd be lying if I said that I only came here because of a fervent desire to educate (although I am greatly interested in putting theory and practice together), and I think we'd all be deceiving ourselves in thinking that we're only here for the job itself.

Anyway, since August Kimchi has really grown on me, and I have it with every lunch now, I still haven't touched a drop of Soju though, out of religious reasons.  I still don't listen to the principle, but I can afford to as the foreigner.  Life is sweet, with a tinge of Korean strangeness.  "I'll say I was here, and it was beautiful".  :D:D:D

Hahaha, Yeah, I'll participate in the Gossip

Laurel broke with her contract at her school, and is now working in an English Town north of Seoul.  ...just left in March.

She broke her contract? What did Shane say?

3 other kids from mokpo broke their contracts too. 

Not too sure what Shane said exactly but they didn't seem to have any problems getting out.  None of them took off - they all gave their proper notice and stuff.

Wow--three people from the JLP people took off from their Mokpo positions? Were they teaching elementary, middle or high school? Any reason why they left?

Well, 2 were in there second year already - one of them left to go to teacher's college, the other found a better opportunity that she was more interested in somewhere else.
And the third was from the Aug. 06 group and she left because she was unhappy and sick (I think).
One was elementary school, the other two were middle school/high school.

Yo, I need names, man!

Laurel was split between two schools.  One good, one bad.  Unfortunately her bad school was her main one, and that wasn't helpful.  She also went through proper chanels to leave, and was rehired by a different company.

Karen went to teachers college and Mary is moving to Indonesia and Maura just left today to go back home. 

Not gossip...just passing along useful information!  lol

Yeah, I didn't think Maura would last.  I don't know the other two, though, and I don't remember Laurel. 

Well,
I would appreciate if someone could tell me the names of those schools from which those teachers left. I do not want to select a school for next year that some other teacher considered bad. I think we have the right to inform ourselves about the choices we make, but if someone considers this to be gossip, he or she can email me privately.
We also might want to consider telling the truth about our schools, the good and the bad, for the sake of others considering working for JLP. Perhaps this can be done anonymously?

Mary works at different schools so I'm not sure what the names are, Karen was at Shinhung ES, and Maura was at Youngun MS or somethng like that.  But I don't think any of them left because they were unhappy with their schools.  They just had other things to move onto or whatever.  I think Maura was just unhappy in general.  She said her school was good and I know the teachers who were there the two years before her and I know they loved it.  So I don't think any of them left because of their school situation.

Hahaha, Yeah, I'll participate in the Gossip

Laurel broke with her contract at her school, and is now working in an English Town north of Seoul.  ...just left in March.

Hahaha . . . Paju English Village . . . what a nightmare!  Two threads on Dave's here and here, and a blog about the Village here.  I hope she did her homework.

Wow--I would hate to work in such a crap hole, or in a hagwon. Slave labour. It's also in the middle of nowhere. It must be a nightmare not to have any privacy, just East Europeans that want to get drunk and party at night. Sounds like rez all over again. The horror! Being stuck in south Cholla ain't always so hot, though, so if the town had been closer to Seoul it might have been better. I am actually thinking of leaving Mokpo for Yeosu. Nicer.

Oh, I had no idea...
I knew a guy who worked in Paju and he really enjoyed his time there...and so far, Laurel says the same.  Different strokes for different folks.

hey guys!!

yes I left JLP! mwahaha..... worth it for me?? of course!! I was miserable and alone and that's not what I was told/ signed up for. I was also tired of being treated like a 2nd class citizen in my school. when I quit they were freakishly nice to me because I think they realized that they were in the wrong. I'm sure shane couldn't give a crap.... he got his money.... it's not like anyone in JLP ever really helped me all that much. I'm in a job now that I could only describe as SWEET! I came here to be with foreigners and that I have done for sure. There's about 100 here and it's fun. It's still super nice to leave the village though and rejoin the rest of korea. For the people here who have never lived in 'real' korea.... i think they should venture out into another job, but they enjoy the bubble. Of course though with so many ppl working here there are TONs of politics and problems with admin. But whatever... I get paid for than I did before. Sure it's more work... and I'm not surfing the internet 4-8 hours a day.... but my job is really easy, no lesson planning and I always co teach witha  foreigner. and I take kids to the stores, fake jail, post office etc etc etc. it's fun I enjoy it and am glad I made the switch. There's activities everynight like yoga, dance, poker, improv, movies so it's fun! no more sitting at home anymore. and there's also a wicked gym and indoor/outdoor pool. Jeollanamdo really is 'out there' in terms of korea, and everything in gyeonggido is just nicer. The area where paju is located is SUPER nice and there is tons of money around. I enjoy it etc.....
so yeah- my two cents.

I am envious of you!

If I were to stay for another year (which I am not), I wouldn't be working for JLP either, not because of any experiences I've had, but rather due to the better opportunities out there.  JLP is a good start, however if it doesn't pan out for you, there are alternatives.  I just met a couple who have awesome contracts from a different company.

I am happy for you Laurel, :)