New Rules for EPIK

The Korean MOE has just announced new rules for EFL public school teachers. 

On paper, they seem to make sense. All teachers now require a TEFL certificate and can't smoke near students and coworkers (cause no male teachers smoke.........).

Personally I am not totally against this, except that a 100+ hour TEFL certificate ranges anywhere from a CELTA (see my last post) to a gap year course offered from Universities of dubious accreditation. However, working standards and pay have not risen accordingly. In what should be a surprise to no one, it seems like a knee jerk reaction by the MOE. 

I personally think it is just an excuse to lower the costs associated with EFL teachers. While I think Koreans have started to figure out that anyone who speaks English is not automatically qualification to teach it, they still want English in their school system. A few years ago, a degree in linguistics and a CELTA could get you a 2.4-2.7 million won salary. Now, as they are basic requirements, you will only earn 2.2-2.4 (at least at present, the new hiring season is a few months away and this didn't affect those who were just brought in). There is also little to no opportunities for professional development. As Korea gets more and more expensive, one wonders why someone with such qualifications would choose EPIK over a private educator or, you know, another country.

I also think that this is just enough to weed out the backpackers but not enough to get educators. I know many EPIK teachers are great, but how many of them call themselves educators (In the private sector I've worked with journalists, actors, writers and engineers..... apparently)? I mean that as an honest question, my non-scientific observations would suggest not many. I think the sports groups and theatre stuff in Korea is great, but it is your hobby, not "what you do" and if you are an actual teacher, you may find that environment very stifling professionally. Otherwise it will get people who want two years of experience before they move on. Not that that is a bad thing at all, but a few senior educators in place to help those people would be beneficial both to them and the students at the school. 

I mean, if you have an MA or a CELTA or a teachers license and you work at EPIK, you either really love your job, are looking for two years teaching experience that opens up so many doors or...... well what is wrong with you?

Anyway, if someone at EPIK offers you 2.2 and you have any of the above qualifications, you can do better both in terms of professional development and money. 

On a final note, I do wonder why the MOE doesn't work to develop the teachers it has. For example, if you do a CELTA, we will pay you 100,000 a month for 24 months until it is paid off. Get a better teacher, save the costs of flights etc, and if they cut early, no loss to you. I guess that involves real planning and leadership though. Better to jump from policy to policy every six months.

CELTA

A bit of good news.

Before I got hot by the flu, I managed to interview for, and get accepted to, the CELTA programme in Saigon starting on Nov. 16th.

The CELTA is a sort of limited teacher training course. Very intensive, but it only lasts 28 days. I probably should have done it years ago, but oh well.

Anyway, I passed the interview with flying colours, and if anyone is thinking about doing it, here's how I did it.

I talked to Will about his experiences, read a few tips and strategies for the interview online, and a few horror stories about people who got rejected. After doing the actual interview, I can only imagine the sort of monumental fuck up  person who would fail that interview. They asked me a few questions about my application, and asked me why I wanted to do the CELTA.

My answer for why I wanted to do the CELTA was that I wanted real observed teaching because, despite teaching for years and (almost) having an MA, I have never really been properly assessed. I have had dozens of observed classes, but my marketing skills (it is private education after all) are judged, rather than my actual teaching ability. I put butts in seats = I am a good teacher. At Moonkkang yes, in real teaching? I also want that piece of paper on my resume, though I didn't mention that fact. My interviewer seemed very happy with that answer.

He asked me if I understood the commitment, I told him I plan to live and breath CELTA for 28 days. He seemed to think that was a good answer.

My pre-interview task (application) had a single mistake, which when pointed out I was able to fix on the spot. I think if you do that pre-interview task well you will be way ahead in the count before you even start the interview.

He warned me about a couple of spelling/punctuation errors on the last page. My bad, I was trying to finish it before work and didn't proofread the last page. Again, because I caught them right away he seemed to not care too much, as the rest of my application was good.

He also asked me to give a couple of examples of how I would teach something. I had shy vs. embarrassed. I simply told him what I would do in a MK class and he seemed to think it was a good answer. There were a couple more like that.



So if you want to get in, here's what you do (or at least what I did):

-Do a good job with your application and pre-interview tasks. I have an MA in linguistics and it still took me over six hours to get through. If you did it in 45 minutes, you fucked up. Do a good job on that and you are well on your way. This will involve actual research, reading books or websites and hashing out decent answers.

-Your motivation matters. If you are doing it for a piece of paper then you will be rejected. Not that you shouldn't want that paper (I do) but you should actually want to learn and improve. If you don't genuinely want to do that, maybe reconsider taking the course.

-Everyone always says how intense it is, so make sure you get across that you get that, and are ready for it (and actually get it and be ready for it).

-Have ideas for how you would teach. The embarrassed/shy above is one example. There are many more. Have a few good ideas. If you have no teaching experience think about what your own teachers did.

-don't be a goof. It should go without saying, but anyone who has lived abroad knows that while most people who live abroad are interesting and amazing people, 10-15% are rather ....... different. If you aren't with it enough to have a stable internet connection before you start the interview, are too hung over to do a good job, swear like a mother fucker after a clusterfucked shitshow, and generally seem like a clown who can't take criticisms and doesn't want to learn, you won't get in.


Anyway, I'll probably post more on CELTA once my dissertation is submitted, but for now I am in.

The Never Ending Virus

All last week and in to this week, I have been down with a virus. Not down as is missing work etc. In fact, after a morning cough and blow I usually feel okay for a while. I haven't missed work and have been out and about doing things and working.

It does continue to surprise me just how long I seem to stay sick when I get sick here. A 3-4 day thing in Vancouver is two weeks here, at least. I am not sure if it is the pollution, or allergies and a cold together, or maybe I am just not 19 anymore. Whatever the case, I am really hoping to kill this thing by the weekend at the latest. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Apsan

A bit late here, but this week I have been miserable with a virus, and haven't had energy to do much more than sleep.

But

Last Saturday, I headed up to the Daegu's observation deck with Zeke and Julie. I have hiked Apsan 20 times but never started far enough west to visit the observation deck. It was a forty-five minute hike from Hyunchungno station. It was a grind but well worth it

Daegu from the Highway

view from observatory

We then went past the cable car and finished the four hour walk that finished behind Imhyusa in Sangin-dong.

It was great, and if I am feeling better by Saturday I may try it again.

Tokyo

I was wanting to write a bit about what I thought of Tokyo, but a busy week back and then a bit of a cold has kept me fairly tired. But I thought I would try now, despite the head cold.

Tokyo is truly a world city. I am not sure exactly what makes a world city. London certainly is one such city. New York is another. Chicago? Toronto? Sydney? Not as sure. It is a city that, while very Japanese, is also global in reach and influence. Shibuya or the Ginza are as iconic as Times Square or Picadilly Circus. People from all over the world congregate there for business, culture and cuisine. The only other Asian city I can think to compare it to is Hong Kong.

Also, much like Hong Kong the major tourist sites can be easily visited in a day or two. It is a city to experience rather than a city to visit. My personal opinion is because, unlike London, Tokyo is not the historic capital of Japan, and before 1600 it was a fishing village of 300 people. Also, the city has been completely flattened by the 1923 earthquake, the bombings of WWII, and multiple Godzilla attacks. If you want the ancient history akin to the Tower of London or St. Paul's Cathedral, head west to Kyoto, an equally amazing city that holds the Japan many western people look for. Tokyo has risen from bombings and very few places in the city date to before the 1950's or early 1960's.

Tokyo then, is a place to go out, enjoy some sake and Suntory whisky, and eat ... and eat and eat and eat.

Luckily for me, the yen is down against the won (and most other currencies) so it wasn't AS expensive as it might have been. It seemed to me the amount of food or transportation your money bought you was the real problem. I can deal with a sushi roll for $5, but not one that is essentially four small pieces. $8 quality whisky is expensive but a treat, but I expect at least a shot for that much. I can only imagine Tokyo when 800 yen equalled $10USD, versus the $7.50 it currently trades at.

With the possible exception of Thailand, Japan is my favourite country to be a tourist in (I have never really been a tourist in Canada or Korea so it is hard to say how they would compare). Hong Kong and the Philippines are up there too, but Japan is just a place that you experience, and modern Japan is best experienced in Tokyo. I hope to head back one day, to Tokyo and other cities in Japan that I have yet to see.

Bye Bobby

Last night in Daegu I said goodbye to Bobby, who I first met on that same Sangin strip in 2010. Our real goodbye was in Tokyo last weekend, but being that he was in Daegu for the night it made sense to hit the strip one last time.

We met in 2010 when he was Geoff's coworker at SEI. He was hired, and let go (due to well planned downsizing), after three months and moved to Seoul, but we always kept in touch, even if we went a few months without talking or hanging out. Now he is off home to Virginia and then the American west (or Osaka).

He was always a good guy to hang out with, was a great host in Seoul and we had an absolute blast in Tokyo. W also managed a fairly epic weekend in Busan in 2012 and several other adventures in Daegu and Seoul. He'll be missed, and added to a large list of people I will be visiting when I relocate back to Canada.

He is also friend #3 this year to hit the road. I get a couple months off before having to say goodbye to virtually all my Moonkkang coworkers, who all leave two months before I do. I am excited, change is good more often than not.

Tokyo Trip

I flew in to Tokyo Narita airport from Busan on Thursday morning, landing around 2pm and meeting Bobby at the international arrivals. We took the Narita express (still a good 90 minutes in to Shinjuku and checked in to our capsule hotel.

Capsule hotels are designed for businessmen who miss the last train home, through overwork or over drink, and while cool for a night, I got very little sleep and would probably not do it again. Plus, checking in and out is borderline work. That being said, it was a cool experience for a night.

After we checked in it was getting close to five so we decided to head out for a whisky and dinner. I had not found Japan horrendously expensive in Kyoto or Fukuoka but I certainly did in Tokyo. Mostly because food is served on small dishes that cost what a small meal would cost elsewhere (an $8 sushi roll). I can only imagine what it would have run me if the yen was what is was at in 2012. Still, how often am I going to be in Tokyo? So I paid up for what was great food and drink.

The next morning we got up and were sure that we did not want to do another night at the capsule, mostly because you had to check out and check back in again six hours later, but also because noise is an issue. We found a hostel in Korea town (seriously) that had bunk beds for $40 a night each. A steal in Tokyo. We got our own room and made our way to Tokyo Metropolitan Buildings for a view of Tokyo and then to the Meiji shrine.

Shinjuku at night

Government buildings

view from south tower

again

me at the Meiji shrine

gardens

entrance to te shrine

Because we had spent a couple of hours trying to get new accommodation and were walking through Shinjuku it was almost six by the time we finished the shrine. We were meeting Bobby's friend Emiko at Shinjuku station at six so we booked it there. We then went out for a great dinner and world class sake, before finding a whisky bar and an izakaya. We got back about one but I was tired.


The next day I woke up feeling a bit sore, but got up early as I wanted to do a bit of sightseeing. Due to relocating on Friday I had lost a morning. Not that I regret in (on the contrary, the move to Sophiearth was a good one) but it still was a lost morning.

We decided to head to the Imperial palace. Probably the biggest tourist thing in Tokyo. Like Buckingham palace in the U.K, the Imperial palace is the actual home of the monarch, and so the actual palace is closed most days. However, the Emperors east garden is free and accessible year round. It was quite spectacular actually.

our hostel

Imperial palace from outside

palace from the inside

me trying not to look hung over

After the palace we stopped off for lunch, we ended up with Chinese food that was probably our only bad meal while we were there. Enough salt for an army in a small bowl of pork. Then we walked to Ginza to see the famous shopping street. I didn't bring enough credit cards to buy anything more than a coffee, but it was still cool to look around.

Ginza

We had to be in Shibuya at seven to meet Emiko and Bobby's friend Yu, but being that it was four, we hopped the subway to Asakusa to see Senso ji, the biggest Buddhist temple in Tokyo. The area itself had seen better days, but the temple itself was up there with the ancient ones in Kyoto, though this one was reconstructed after WWII. The riverfront was cool too. We saw the Asahi headquarters (shaped like a pint of beer) and the golden turd. It is supposed to be a flame but I'll let you decide.

The Asahi building, behind the "flame"

better look

Entrance to Sensoji

temple grounds

again

some people

By this time it was six and I was tired. We decided to hop on the subway to Shibuya, which was fifty minutes, giving us time to nap. When we got out we were at the largest intersection in the world.

here it is during the day from above

my view

some people

We also saw the statue of Hachiko, the dog honoured in Shibuya for his loyalty. It is actually kind of a sad story, but also amazing.

Hachiko

From there we went out for a much lighter night in Shibuya with Yu and Emiko, both of whom were wonderful people to meet, and I hope to be able to see them again at some point in my life.

On Sunday I had to get up and get to Shinjuku station early. It is only two hours from Tokyo to Busan but with travel time to Narita airport and then Busan to Daegu, plus waiting at the airport, it is a good eight hours of travelling.

I already miss Tokyo, I will have to head back at some point in my life. Cool city in an amazing country.

Up Wonggisa Again

On saturday, the weather was a war, though VERy windy, 18 degrees. With that in mind, I decided to head up to Apsan with Zeke and Julie and see Wonggisa, a Buddhist hermitage I previously visited alone last April.

It is a very steep climb to the top, but great for burning a few calories and the view from the top is amazing.

Zeke and Julie heading down

Buddha

again

After that grind, Zeke and I headed to Wolgwang water park for a couple beers and to enjoy the weather. However, by around 4 it had started raining and the temperature had dropped at least 8 degrees. Being downright cold, we opted to head home. It hasn't warmed up since.

Sunday, Yen and I were lazy, as it rained and was generally miserable outside.

This spring has been odd. 21 degrees one day, 12 the next. Saturday was a perfect example. Oh well, just a couple weeks til May and summer weather.