Looking For A Job?

I can't believe it but Shinjin is actually looking for someone to fill my position for next year already. It totally doesn't seem like it's been a whole year, and I know it's cliche' but time really does fly. I thought that putting the classified add up on my blog would be interesting for everyone to see. Here is what they're looking for...

Shinjin Science Technology Academy is currently looking for English teaching instructors. We want sincere and experienced native speakers. If you are interested, please send a copy of your resume, diploma, teaching credentials, TESOL certificate, and a recent picture of yourself to the address below. Job description is as follows.

-Preferred Qualifications
1. M.A. or B.A. (if possible, Education or English major is preferred)
2. TESOL / TEFL certificate and ESL / EFL teaching experience
3. An enthusiastic and good cross-cultural personality preferred

-Contacts
Kim, Joong- KI
Email: jjooongkim@hanmail.net Phone: 02-355-6709
Mobile: 010-3708-6844

-Address
Shinjin Science Technology Academy
114-1, Eungam1-dong, Eunpyeong-gu
Seoul, Korea. Postcode 122-010

© Conditions & Benefits

-Employment
a. Contract Length: 1-year minimum (Renewable, if needed)
b. Initial Employment date starts: March 1st, 2008 – Feb, 28th ,2009

1. Monthly Salary: 2.4 million won (some 2,500 U.S. dollars)
2. Class hours: approx. 20 hrs/week
3. Work days: Monday to Friday (8a.m to 4:30 p.m)
4. Work Place: Eungam1-dong, Eunpyeong- gu, Seoul
5. Holidays: approx. 5 weeks of paid vacation will be given : two weeks during summer vacation and three weeks during winter vacation.

-Transportation
Airfare (economy class) will be paid from your location to Seoul upon your acceptance to our school.
ø Contract Completion Bonus: Paid Flight Home

-Accommodation
School offers private spacious housing close to school
(furnished, two bedroom, living room, kitchen and washroom)

-Others
School will pay 50% of Medical insurance.
School will pay 50% of the compulsory payment to the national pension fund.
School will pay one-time settlement allowance of 300,000 won.
Part of everyday luncheon expenses will be met.

-Application Deadline

Jan. 18, 2008

I've actually done a bunch of interviews for the school already and there are some really good candidates. I just hope the people who replace Rachel and I like the job as much as I did.

Alright, I'm off to go pick up my parents at the airport. Yup, Mr. and Mrs. Kroll are on their way to Asia as we speak. I have 2 weeks of quality family time ahead of me, one week as a tour guide of Seoul and the next as a tourist in China. Can't wait, and I am looking forward to blogging about it all as soon as I can. I'm sure there will be plenty tell.

Never Been So Happy for SAT's

Do you remember taking the SAT's? Do you have a moment of sheer fear that you will never forget? A moment of epiphany? Or something else? My favorite memory will be my long time friend, Steven A. Tangen, turning around only seconds before the test began and saying to me "Hey, Paul, my initials are S.A.T." And he said it like he had never once given any thought to his initials ever referencing anything other than his name, as if they were GJN or VWX (do those letters stand for anything?). But it was a moment of epiphany for him, and a moment of calming comedy for me. Steve went on to score the highest in our class with a 1580. He just edged me out, like a fast ball from Rick 'Wild Thing' Vaughn was just a bit outside.
Well this past week in Korea the entire high school senior population in the country took their version of the SAT's. All high school seniors, at once, around the country sat in classrooms for EIGHT HOURS to take the test. Believe it or not, it's an even bigger deal over here. Getting into a good college is, so I'm told, almost all that matters for your future. Bad grades? No big deal. Discipline problems? Don't worry. Ugly? They could care less. Friendly? They're not asking. But if you got accepted to a major University you are qualified to do anything.
I hope my kids did well, but instead of worrying about them when another teacher finally told me why we had a random Thursday off (for the testing), all I could do was think about what I would do with my time off. But the good news didn't end there, apparently the seniors basically stop coming to school now that the tests are over too. Talk about icing on the cake. I mean I mentally checked out of high school as soon as I heard I was accepted to Penn State, but these kids really don't have to come anymore. I've heard that some do, but they spend most of the day playing in the gym. This would mean my heavy work load of 12 classes a week would deflate to a measly 9. That good news, added to the surprise day off, testing coming up soon, then vacation to follow, and I was on cloud nine.
Here are some pictures of what I did on my day off. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.



Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I'll be sure to document my first Thanksgiving in a foreign country tomorrow but I'm pretty sad that today is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and I'm not seeing all of my old friends at the local Roxbury bar. If you're there, please pour one for your homie. Peace out.

"I'm Kind of a Big Deal"

It's crazy to think how things can change in a few short months. Just before I left The Big Apple I was jobless, my lease was running out and it seemed like I couldn't get a freelance gig if my life depended on it. Who turns down free help, I mean really? Maybe the world didn't think I was ready, it wasn't my time, I was too young, too green, but just look at me now. I'm on the other side of the world and I've become the face of Shinjin High School. Ummhmmm, yours truly has become the new face of Shinjin. I guess it's slightly less prestigious than being the face of the McDonald's or Nike like Kobe Bryant, or even the faces of Bojangles 'Famous Chicken and Buscuits' like Jake Delhomme and Steve Smith...

Actually, when the dust settles from that barn I might have them both beat. It took them years to become viable advertising leads in such breathtaking commercials that leave the industry standard in the dust. But me on the other hand, it took me only 6 months, if that. I walked into school a month late, but someone there saw the twinkle in my eye. They saw that one thing, that thing you can't put your finger on, but you know it when you see it. Well, apparently I've got it...at least in Korea I do.
Well, there is enough of my "down on his luck model" shtick. The sad thing is that a lot of people actually come to Asia to feel more important. It's easy to get caught up feeling special over here because a lot of Koreans treat you as if you are a big deal, just for being white, or American. Little do they know how many of us are actually over because we can't cut it in our own countries. From bosses, to coworkers, friends, to friends family members, it always seems to be a more special occasion when the white person is around. People want to make the more expensive dinner when you're coming over, and drink a few more bottles of suju once you're there.
I'm definitely not saying that my situation is a bad one, but it is interesting. When the Shinjin website needed a makeover did they turn to the teachers who had been there for 20 years to project the wisdom of Shinjin? Or teachers who had been there for 10 years? Or even the good looking, young, first year Korean teachers? Nope, they picked me (and Rachel, but mainly me ;)
A white, English speaking, American who can't correctly pronounce the name of the school in it's native tongue is now the vision of:
I think it's awesome but I'm not about to get a big head about all of this and end up staying here forever. I'm pretty sure there's a lot more to life than being really, really, ridiculously good looking. And I plan on finding out what that is. Just like I said, it's amazing how things can change, but while I'm here, "as a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, so must I become Derelicte!"



Shinjin Photo Shoot