Getting to know Korea : Geography

Physical Geography
Korea is a peninsula surrounded by three separate bodies of water. To the west is the Yellow Sea. To the south is the East China Sea. Finally to the east is the Sea of Japan. Being that it is surrounded by water on the majority of its borders, Korea experiences relatively humid weather in both winter and summer. However, there are dramatic differences in temperature between the north and the south throughout the year. In the summer, in all parts of the peninsula, expect to see the effects of the East Asian monsoon which amounts to a lot of rainfall nearly everyday for approximately one month.

Nearly 70% of Korea's landmass is mountainous for those of you who enjoy hiking or just getting out of the city to see a bit of nature. Baekdu Mountain is the highest point in Korea and it is located in the northern half of the peninsula.

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Major cities
Korea, although it is small in area, is a heavily populated country. The capital and most populated city is Seoul. It is the world's 8th largest city. Within the confines of the city, there are over 10 million residents. In the metropolitan area there are approximately 25 million! Seoul is centered around the Han River in the northwestern part of the country. The city is divided into 25 districts or ("gu") which are then in turn divided into neighborhoods or ("dong"). There are many corporate headquarters based out of this nation's capital as well as many tourist sites. Seoul is easy to navigate via subway, bus or train for those who want to travel outside of Seoul.

Busan (often written as Pusan) is the second largest city in South Korea with a population of about 3.5 million. It differs quite a bit from Seoul in lifestyle and climate due to geographical location. It is the largest port city on the peninsula and therefore offers an array of seafood. It is partitioned into 15 districts which were designed to fit around the sea. There are many beaches, hotels and resorts to enjoy in this city and "Texas Street" is a very well known quarter created with foreigners in mind. Busan is connected to other major Korean cities by rail, air and bus. There is also a ferry from the city's port to various other Japanese cities.

The 3rd biggest city is Incheon, which is also the location of South Korea's major international airport (ICN). It is also a coastal city situated just about 16.5 miles (or 26.75 kilometers) from Seoul by train or bus. In fact the Incheon Subway and Seoul Metropolitan Subway systems are linked. This city is well on its way to becoming the next Hong Kong or Singapore thanks to its efforts via the Free Economic Zone. Incheon, despite being the 3rd biggest city, enjoys a relatively large and dense population of just over 2.6 million inhabitants.

Other major cities in order of the greatest to the lowest population are :
-Daegu
-Daejeon
-Gwangju
-Ulsan
-Suwon
-Seongnam
-Goyang
-Bucheon

-- Information gathered from the following sites :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Peninsula

http://www.citypopulation.de/KoreaSouth-Mun.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_proper_by_population

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seoul

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Busan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incheon#Free_Economic_Zone

Let's Learn Korean!

The Korean Broadcast System is pleased to introduce to you...a segment on the Korean language. It is especially designed and well organized to help you learn some basic Korean skills.

http://rki.kbs.co.kr/learn_korean/lessons/e_index.htm

Start at the beginning to learn the Korean alphabet. Or begin with structuring phrase if you have already mastered the alphabet.

Below are some other free sites that may help you along the way to learning Korean!

-- http://www.learnkorean.com/home/index.asp

-- http://www.learn-korean.net/

-- http://learnkorean.elanguageschool.net/

-- http://www.learnkoreanlanguage.com/

-- http://langintro.com/kintro/

HandS Korea is also working on providing a language exchange program to help you practice! Be on the look out for more information!

Going to Guam...

On occasion, a teacher will be asked to come directly to Korea before obtaining his or her E2 visa. (The standard visa for foreign English teachers.) How is this possible? Well, for Americans, it is the easiest and quickest way to come to Korea without having to wait for your visa to be processed at a Korean consulate in the USA. Schools who need teachers urgently tend to go through this process.

As Guam is an American territory, Americans have the right to go there in order to get their E2 visas at this Korean consulate. You will still need to get all the necessary documents prepared before you leave, but everything else is taken care of by us at HandS Korea and the school for which you will be working. Below is an outline of the process :

1. Prepare all your documents prior to leaving the USA.

2. Get packed...you're coming to Korea!

3. Arrive in Korea and be taken to your accommodation in Korea.

4. Plan on staying in Korea approximately one week before your departure to Guam.

5. Fly to Guam for 2 days and 1 night in order to receiver your E2 visa.

Concerning the financial aspect should this situation arise, there is no need to worry! The school and HandS Korea will take care of everything. From your flight, hotel, and meal costs; everything will be provided!

FAQs...Part 1 (of many)

As a recruiting agency, we at HandS Korea have come across the gammit when it comes to questions regarding teaching in Korea. Below are a few questions that you may have already come up with!

* Do I need to learn the Korean language before coming to teach in Korea?

The answer is "No." However, as a foreigner in any country, it is generally seen as polite when the person has taken the time to at least learn a few basic phrases such as "Hello," "Thank you," "Good bye," etc. You will inevitably pick up the language as you spend more time here. Be on the look out for another blog entry pertaining to the Korean language!

* I don't have any teaching experience. Am I still qualified to teach in Korea?
Despite the lack of any teaching certificate or experience, it is not mandatory to teach English in Korea. Of course the afore mentioned would be a plus when negotiating your salary, but once again, it is not necessary.

* So I get my documents in order to obtain my visa. What does HandS Korea do exactly?
While you are busy getting your documents in order, we will be getting your contract ready and contacting schools in order to set up interviews for you with someone from the school over the telephone. During this time, you will also be receiving lots of helpful information regarding culture and other things to help you better adjust upon arrival.

* Will I have any official training before I begin teaching?
You will have some type of orientation to get you adjusted to your new surroundings as well as your new place of employment. Typically, you will receive your contract and written within will be an official start date. That is the day that you will begin teaching. Schools generally like to have the teacher arrive anywhere from 3 days to one week prior to that date. During this time, you will most likely be getting familiar with your neighborhood, settling into your new apartment, and observing what is going on at your school. While in your "training period," you will be familiarizing yourself with the curriculum, observing classes taught by other teachers, and have materials to read on what the standard is at your school.

* Are there high seasons and low seasons for being hired?
In Korea, the school system is different from most Western countries. There are public schools just like in your country. The schedule is standard and the class sizes are larger (20~30 students per class.) However, there exists also a special kind of school called a hagwon. It is a private academy that costs money and students go there after their regular school hours to receive supplementary education. Being that education is very highly esteemed in Korea, there are a vast amount of hagwons all over the country. HandS Korea works with many of them.
** Stay tuned for the suite of this FAQ entry!

Why choose HandS Korea?

Going to a foreign country for one year is a big step for many. Even if your sense of adventure is at a maximum, it is still important to have as much information as possible before jumping on a plane to a foreign land. That is why HandS Korea would like to propose our services to you. We are a company who prides itself on taking care of its teachers, prospective and present. It is not in our best interest to give you, the teacher, the raw end of the deal in order for us to profit. We realize that ultimately, it is a happy teacher that is the most productive and therefore helps us produce more business among our clients. This is a factor that we take into great consideration while helping candidate teachers find a position in South Korea.

Many teachers ask us : Why should I come teach in Korea? There are several attractive reasons to come teach in Korea.
* First of all, it is a great way to experience a culture that is very different from any that you may have already experienced. There are some things of course, that you may find odd or even silly. The best way to increase your chances of a positive experience in Korea, is to come with an open mind and remember that you are in a different place than what you may be used to.
* While in Korea, you have the opportunity to gain professional experience in the educational sector without holding a teaching license or certificate.
* The expatriate population in Korea is perpetually growing. You will be able to create valuable professional and/or personal relationships during your stay here.
* Other benefits of teaching in Korea include :
~ round-trip airfare provided by the school for which you will be working
~ monthly rent paid for by your employer
~ a low tax deduction from your monthly salary (approximately 3%)
~ health insurance at a low premium
~ pension deducted monthly from your paycheck, which you can collect in one lump sum
at the end of your contract
~ a low cost of living that enables you to live comfortably
~ a monthly salary of at least $2,000 USD (depending on the exchange rate)

Another frequent question we hear is a propos our company. Why should I allow HandS Korea to help me find a teaching position?
* As you have read in previous blog entries and perhaps on our website, we pride ourselves in taking care of our teachers as best as we know how. We make a large effort to be with you every step of the way. From the beginning of the visa document process to your visit to the consulate and everything in between, we are there!
* You will be received cheerfully upon your arrival in Korea. Whether it is one of our team members or a person in charge from your school, someone will be there to take you from the airport to your accommodation and show you the neighborhood a bit as well as take you to the school at which you will be teaching.
* HandS Korea is a small, but growing company and we well are on our way to organizing get togethers for our teachers which include, but are not limited to :
~ language exchange meet ups with native Korean speakers
~ supplementary courses on teaching skills and tips

Now that you have a notion of what HandS Korea and this opportunity can offer to you, please feel free to contact us via email or our website. We look forward to hearing from you!

Who is HandS Korea?

HandS Korea is composed of 4 full time members. ** Pictures coming soon!!! **

The director :

~ Masao is the owner of HSK. He also lends a hand with recruiting when needed.

The recruiters :

~ Hero is a top notch recruiter who is also in charge of communication between prospective teachers and schools.

~ Ray is another excellent recruiter who is our in house source of all knowledge pertaining to Korean Immigration laws.

Other staff :

~ Rebecca is the in office American who helps interview candidates as well as the creator of our company's blog!

What is HandS Korea?

안녕하세요 (Annyeonhaseyo)! Greetings from Seoul, South Korea! We are HandS Korea, better known as HSK, or recruiting extraordinaires! We are pleased to present you our blog, especially designed to propose to you events of interest, restaurant reviews, and other random occurences happening within the Korean peninsula. We've also added regular sections like 'Getting to know Korea..' (information on various aspects of Korean culture) and FAQs (questions asked by teachers that we have recruited.) Be on the look out for our "guest columnists" and please DO leave a comment! We love comments! :D

HandS Korea is a recruiting agency based out of Seoul, South Korea. We have been in existence since 2003 . HSK has devoted itself to placing teachers in promising positions teaching English in schools all over South Korea. Our mission is to help you (the teacher) find a job with a school in which you will best flourish professionally and personally. We do our utmost to maintain open lines of communication prior to and during your stay in Korea to optimize your experience. For more information about us as well as teaching in Korea, please visit our website : http://www.handskorea.com. (Best viewed in Microsoft Windows Internet Explorer.)

For more information about teaching in Korea, feel free to email one of the following HSK team members :
Hero : Hero4250@yahoo.com
Ray : gongik78@naver.com
Rebecca : rebeccamoeller.hsk@gmail.com