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S'update!

 

Got a new job!

 

Im teaching English in Gangwon Do Korea as of next month. Got the contract today, so good to go.

Total luck! in a month of applying for no less than about 100-200 jobs, i got a total of 5 interview offers. FIVE. I also got two job offers. One i had to turn down because the contract was nasty. The other because i really think they offered me it by mistake. They never replied to my questions about the offer o_O?

 

Korea is a tough market to break into when you cross your mid-30s it seems. Its very much, and i shit thee not, 22, female, USA. Anything outside that demographic is liable to get no response. Im one of the cheeriest most positive dudes on this planet (with actual skills and qualifications - well, *A* qualification), and even i was struggling. Ive eben taught in the country before. I tick boxes dammit! but 5 interviews in about 4 weeks JUST to get my foot in the door! not even with the schools! Ridiculous!

 

So just as i was resigned (and actually sort of looking forward to) having to turn up in person and hit the pavements of gangwon do. I got an interview offer from a random job in Gangwon. Interview was delayed all through the day, but held my patience. Eventually got the phone call, breezed the interview and Boosh! got the job.

 

Gangneung City.

 

Its on the coast and 25km from Yongpyong. They said theyd send out the contract today. I waited all day. I was genuinely worried theyd changed their minds, but then at 4.30 my time the email came! Contract is here. Its on!

 

Its literally the job i would have listed as my perfect job benchmark: 2.3mill, gangwon do, near the resorts, easy going, medium city, with all main standard hagwon benefits - house/severance/airfare/health/ten days vacation - im not greedy). It has the lot, plus a beach, mountains to cycle in and explore, and traffic all going the wrong way after a day on the slopes (theyll all be going back to seoul, my house is the other way). On top of this, its a host city for the 2018 olympics. Party at mine then, since ill be doing what i can to keep this job until then. If that means dressing in a stupid costume and flyering elementary kids' parents in the local supermarket, you bet your ass ill be doing that :)

 

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Honestly, the karmic wheel exists, Last year was brutally unfair (i feel). This year, lottery winner jamminess!

 

Apparently, it does get snow :)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7C_2i-oiAg

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Picture if you will a poor little fat kid getting his first intercity bus. Its a 5 1/2 hour journey so he brought snacks. He is fat, thats what fat people do. Now picture him walking up to the driver

Yes, I can vouch that Ippy is a real person and a very messy room-mate!  

Ippy doesn't have sex though. He finds it troublesome, or something.

Nice one Ippy.

 

The powers that be obviously realised that importing a young Scot is a positive step towards addressing the female South Korean low fertility rate problem !! :evilgrin:

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Thanks dudes! Very tres excitement! Docs are now in the mail. No chance ill make the November 1st contract start date. Probably a week later. But still, looks yum! :highfive:

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Of course not GG. That being said, there is a girl at my workplace right now, from Cuba, stunning! Im sort of in puppy love with her at the moment. :) Of course, wouldnt dreeeeamm of pursuing it. I prefer the internal drama of stalker unrequited love!

 

As for gangwon, looks pretty chilly to be honest. Even out of season its got this cold grey feel to the pictures. Still, looking forward to the inevitable few weeks either side of summer where he temperature is perfect.

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Of course not GG. That being said, there is a girl at my workplace right now, from Cuba, stunning! Im sort of in puppy love with her at the moment. :) Of course, wouldnt dreeeeamm of pursuing it. I prefer the internal drama of stalker unrequited love!

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Ippy's Korea!

 

Yay! Well, not entirely legal at the moment. Until the E2 gets put into my passport im technically on holiday.

 

And my oh my, in case you ever had this question:

 

At the airport, should i switch my money in Korea or China.

 

Beijing 11pm Oct 30th:

5000CNY ----> 710,000KRW

 

Incheon 5am Oct 31st:

5000CNY ----> 840,000KRW

 

So glad to help clear that up. Dont change money in Beijing.

 

Anyways, after an incredibly stressful day of will they/wont they pay me my final salary. at 6.30pm got the email telling me it was in my bank. Ran downstairs, checked and sure enough! 17,000 yuan! hoorays! Took out 15,000, hit my daily limit. Grabbed the first train to Beijing south and as luck would have it, it was the next one (this is not as odd a statement as it sounds - of the three times ive used the bullet train in china, ive always had to wait for the next but one train (and even "missed" the very last train despite being... er... 10 minutes early for it - seating room only).

 

Easily transitioned from Beijing south to the airport (not half as complicated as people seem to suggest on line - in fact very straightforward) and arrived at the aiport around 10.30

So only 3 hours to kill...

 

Amazingly wriggled through check-in with nary a glance at the size nor weight of my snowboard bag (which was too big to fit comfortably on their scales - rocking it at a cool 12kg despite clearly being low 30s). No one seemed bothered and just sent me off with it to oversized luggage. Which was nice.

 

Then off to the plane, guardians of the galaxy, no sleep, and 1.5hours later, incheon.

 

Breezed through immigration without even a question about my intentions.

I pulled up to my house around 7 or 8 and said to the cabbie, yo holmes, smell ya later... except there was no ****er at the desk at my hotel until 9am.

 

Anyways, im now here in a room akin to a low security prison cell. Still, free wifi :) Nice to not have to use a VPN any more. Oh, and they let me check in early as well. So thats nice. I just realised though its halloween, i wanna go outside, but the forced jolity of it is gonna make me vomit right now.

 

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home sweet home

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I had honestly forgot how much i like Korea. Its such a cool place.

Now bad news for Grungy Gonads. I saw a lot of 7s or 8s, but maybe not a single 9 or 10. Must be all the Japanese girls doing shopping bringing the average way down. To be honest though, ive also plummeted down the leaderboard. I reckon im hovering at a 2 or a 3.

 

Best get back to the gym and stop eating my nacho cheese sauce with Lays (walkers) ready salted cri... ooops! too late!

And the twix multipack! And the johnny walker double black i treat myself to at the airport.

 

Basically im going to get fat as **** and theres nothing this world can do to stop me. :(

 

Anyways, a few pics from tonights wander about myeongdong. Man, its good to be back. Its like having a haze lifting. Hopefully the self-deception will kick back in for two years time when i suddenly realise i hate korea and need to leave for China again. Im sure i can trick my brain into thinking i really enjoyed Tianjin... Actually, i reckon that puts me near to ten years out of the JET programme! Perhaps it'll be time to reapply :p

 

Anyways, 3 pics of tourism!

 

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South gate (the one hit my arson in 2008)

 

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Myeong Dong. So many plush hotels! wild to think that people have that much money theyre basically renting a view for the night. What a thing! Imagine the pure peace of mind that lifestyle gives you. It genuinely blows my mind. I dont begrudge them it. In fact im delighted that in the cosmic scheme of things, some humans escaped.

 

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I totally forgot these things existed. But can i point out: that front bench is 2 20kg plates (bolted in - about 90lbs) and the back one is 4 25lb plates and 2 10lb (120lbs). Its usually just little old men and women doing their morning workouts that use these things. Thats some hardcore little old men and women.

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Hey Ippy, us Albannach oldies are relying on you young Siol nan Gaidheals to enrich the local gene pool.

 

Remember: "Scottish: The sexiest accent in the world. The typical Scotsman abroad is often plagued with hot women wanting to f@ck his brains out.

Hot girl: "OMG he is soooooo hot!"

Other Hot girl: "Yes he has a Scottish accent !! I wanna f@ck him too."

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No contest: China.

 

Students are high level, smart, motivated and energetic. They respond to mad serious disciplined teaching without complaining of boredom (theyre very much used to grinding through lessons), but will absolutely bounce off the walls if you give them a fun game or activity. You get total respect as a teacher as well. You arent just the foreign dude babysitting them.

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