Tefl in South Korea

kraggy

red_bairn wrote: »

That will do. I'm in a hagwon job but I'm sure people have got into public schools with the same qualification. Tbh, just a degree would be diddly-squat imo. Dude, i-to-i can set you up with a job there. Ask them for a placement in the Busan area.

Don't worry too much about those forms until you've been asked to process them by the middleman. Well, unless you want to sort out the Garda check...but I was pretty much doing all that a few weeks before leaving for Korea.




http://globalgatheringkorea.co.kr/

[Line up at the top there.]

Hey, thanks. Must have been just put up in the last few days. I checked last Friday and it wasn't up yet.

It's a fairly tame line-up compared to other years. Looking forward to Digitalism though. What are Groove Armada like live? Think I heard that they're good.

FCUM wrote: »

What have peoples experiences been with EPIK? Me and my girlfriend are planning on going next September and would like to work in public schools. Is it very competiitive? Also obviously we dont expect to be placed in the same school but could we end up being placed very far apart? I know that Seoul is quite big so this could be a problem. Any advice on this, or any other general advice.

Thanks

Your best bet would be:

a. to apply to somewhere like Busan, which is a city as opposed to a whole province. That way, I reckon your maximum travel time to each other would be 1.5 hours, but lads living in Busan could confirm/deny that for you. I'm not sure.

b. Apply outside of the block recruitment time. i.e Start applying to agencies now for public jobs. There were loads of jobs in small cities (some of which were on the Seoul subway system) when my girlfriend and I applied last April. There are loads of jobs in the public system outside of the block recruiting times. This is because there are some no-shows or people arrive and have to go back home again for whatever reason.

Like I said, there were plenty of jobs in the same town, some of which were in the same school, when we applied last April. That was in the GEPIK area, which is the area that surrounds Seoul. But, as said previously, many of these places are on the Seoul subway system. e.g. 60 mins to the main drinking places.

Do not apply for Epik in general. You do not want to end up 2 hours, or even 3 hours, away from each other. You will have to go home again out of misery. Do not risk it.

How about going for a hagwon job? There's a lot to be said for it. Usually slightly more pay, jobs available all the time and most important of all, the kids generally are eager to learn. I'm teaching in a school in Seoul that is know to be a lunatic asylum. Windows broken regularly, students telling teachers to **** off etc. I'm a qualified teacher with experience and even I find it tough at times.

Finally, if you go for a public job, I'd select elementary over middle or high for your first preference. From what I've learned from talking to people here, most elementary positions require feck all planning, and the teaching time is split between the Native English Teacher and the Korean teacher. I'm in Middle School, and I know loads of others also in Middle School and we have to do all the planning and all the teaching and all the compilation of speaking tests and related rubrics etc.

I can't imagine what it would have been like coming here with no teaching experience or a teaching qualification. I wouldn't have lasted 2 weeks (I must add that this is mostly to do with the nature of my school, not teaching jobs here in general).

So I'd definitely recommend elementary.

Edit: Just reread your post and saw that you are leaning towards Seoul. My girlfriend and I are one hour apart, and we got lucky. It could have been way worse. Go for other cities, such as Busan, Daegu. Or like I said, GEPIk, however that branch of the ministry of Education are broke. They may not be taking on teachers again. There was a big story about it a few weeks ago.

Busan and Daegu are still much bigger than say Dublin. Busan has a decent beach, cleaner air and plenty to do. Has 4 million people, so you could be far apart down there too.

FCUM

red_bairn wrote: »

He did. I don't know of any other people who have.

hmm ****, not much i can do about it i suppose, only cross my fingers.

net86

col89 wrote: »

I'm still pinching myself that this is finally happening! I'm so excited but very nervous, too, because I've never traveled alone. I know that it'll probably be a very lonely experience at first, for anyone who has traveled out alone, but I'm sure the times do get better after a while when you go out and make new friends, gain some good experiences, etc.

I think you will love Geoje - im here just over a month now and feel like ive been here forever!! The first week is really hard - I had never lived or travelled on my own before this but I met people that first week and havnt looked back since. You'll have to come on over to Gohyeon for a night out when you get here

FCUM

kraggy wrote: »

Hey, thanks. Must have been just put up in the last few days. I checked last Friday and it wasn't up yet.

It's a fairly tame line-up compared to other years. Looking forward to Digitalism though. What are Groove Armada like live? Think I heard that they're good.



Your best bet would be:

a. to apply to somewhere like Busan, which is a city as opposed to a whole province. That way, I reckon your maximum travel time to each other would be 1.5 hours, but lads living in Busan could confirm/deny that for you. I'm not sure.

b. Apply outside of the block recruitment time. i.e Start applying to agencies now for public jobs. There were loads of jobs in small cities (some of which were on the Seoul subway system) when my girlfriend and I applied last April. There are loads of jobs in the public system outside of the block recruiting times. This is because there are some no-shows or people arrive and have to go back home again for whatever reason.

Like I said, there were plenty of jobs in the same town, some of which were in the same school, when we applied last April. That was in the GEPIK area, which is the area that surrounds Seoul. But, as said previously, many of these places are on the Seoul subway system. e.g. 60 mins to the main drinking places.

Do not apply for Epik in general. You do not want to end up 2 hours, or even 3 hours, away from each other. You will have to go home again out of misery. Do not risk it.

How about going for a hagwon job? There's a lot to be said for it. Usually slightly more pay, jobs available all the time and most important of all, the kids generally are eager to learn. I'm teaching in a school in Seoul that is know to be a lunatic asylum. Windows broken regularly, students telling teachers to **** off etc. I'm a qualified teacher with experience and even I find it tough at times.

Finally, if you go for a public job, I'd select elementary over middle or high for your first preference. From what I've learned from talking to people here, most elementary positions require feck all planning, and the teaching time is split between the Native English Teacher and the Korean teacher. I'm in Middle School, and I know loads of others also in Middle School and we have to do all the planning and all the teaching and all the compilation of speaking tests and related rubrics etc.

I can't imagine what it would have been like coming here with no teaching experience or a teaching qualification. I wouldn't have lasted 2 weeks (I must add that this is mostly to do with the nature of my school, not teaching jobs here in general).

So I'd definitely recommend elementary.

Edit: Just reread your post and saw that you are leaning towards Seoul. My girlfriend and I are one hour apart, and we got lucky. It could have been way worse. Go for other cities, such as Busan, Daegu. Or like I said, GEPIk, however that branch of the ministry of Education are broke. They may not be taking on teachers again. There was a big story about it a few weeks ago.

Busan and Daegu are still much bigger than say Dublin. Busan has a decent beach, cleaner air and plenty to do. Has 4 million people, so you could be far apart down there too.

Thanks for your reply mate. Just to clarify i'm not leaning towards Seoul, the main priority is to be close to each other so the city is secondary to this.

Also we had agreed that we'd both prefer public but after reading your post im not so sure now. I actually thought if you wanted to do public you had to apply through EPIK. Is this not the case? Also are you saying not to bother with EPIK at all? And if so who to? If we joint apply we have no guarantee of being close to each other?

This is starting to look more complicated than I previously thought

red_bairn

kraggy wrote: »

Hey, thanks. Must have been just put up in the last few days. I checked last Friday and it wasn't up yet.

It's a fairly tame line-up compared to other years. Looking forward to Digitalism though. What are Groove Armada like live? Think I heard that they're good.

Haven't heard them live but here's to hoping...:D

red_bairn

Once again, if anybody is interested on this thread, in coming for drinks on Saturday night in the Wolfhound in Itaewon, please pm me and I can try help you out with directions to the destination.

squeakyduck

Two forums meets in one day for me.

I'm gonna see if the other guys from the other internet forum will be willing to meet up too.....more people and potentially more expat friends!

kraggy

FCUM wrote: »

Thanks for your reply mate. Just to clarify i'm not leaning towards Seoul, the main priority is to be close to each other so the city is secondary to this.

Also we had agreed that we'd both prefer public but after reading your post im not so sure now. I actually thought if you wanted to do public you had to apply through EPIK. Is this not the case? Also are you saying not to bother with EPIK at all? And if so who to? If we joint apply we have no guarantee of being close to each other?

This is starting to look more complicated than I previously thought

Don't panic.

If you apply through Epik, you have no say whatsoever over where you and your girlfriend will located. It's a total risk. Too big a risk if you want my opinion.

You can go through a recruiter also. However, again you will have no say over where you will be both located.

But, you can also apply to a recruiter for public jobs just after the bllock recruiting period. That way, you email your cv's to a few recruiters explaining that you want jobs in the same city, or in separate cities that are not too far from each other. There's a good chance that this will happen. We got offered a good few situations like that. But we were adamant that we wanted to go to Seoul itself so didn't take them up on their offers.

The block recruiting periods are for teachers starting at the end of February and the end of August. So, a good few jobs will come up in the weeks just after that as some people who had signed up don't end up coming over or get sick and have to go back home or didn't like it here and do a runner etc.

But jobs come up all the time mid-semester so you can apply at any time really.

I'm not going recommend a particular recruiter as some are good for some folk and bad for others. The best thing to do is put this in the search field of google:

"eslcafe.com forums korea recruiters"

Then read through the posts of people's recommendations there and make up your own mind.

As I said earlier, another option would be to go for a hagwon (grind school). More attentive students, slightly higher pay (usually) and most important of all, you would be working with lots of foreigners so making friends would be easier. I'm the only foreigner in my school so making friends is harder. Especially in Seoul as it's so big.

Finally, 2 more important pluses about hagwons. Once you have your documents ready, the time between you sending your cvs to a recruiter to the time you hop on a plane to move to Korea could be as little as 4 weeks. Hagwon jobs are always available.

One important thing to take note of though is that there are some hagwons that have screwed people over. Not paying them on time, treating them like crap etc.

But, the good news is that this can be prevented by one simple manoeuvre: Ask to speak with at least 2 of the foreign teachers that are in the school at that moment in time (after they say that you've got the job if you want it. Ask them about hours, what the kids are like, do they get paid on time, are they treated ok. That should be a protection mechanism for ye. Ye could even work in the same hagwon if ye wanted. Plenty of couple's positions on offer regularly.

Good luck.

kraggy

I might be in the Wolfhound on Saturday night. How many have agreed to go so far?

squeakyduck

kraggy wrote: »

I might be in the Wolfhound on Saturday night. How many have agreed to go so far?

I dunno if many will go. Interest in the meet with the other forum seems to be drifting. They haven't even set a venue yet. I'm gonna be around Seoul during the day. I want to wander....have a look in the shops and find some landmarks!

kraggy

There should be some Seoul Gaels in the Wolfhound on Saturday night anyway. We've training tomorrow and most usually go for drinks after.

squeakyduck

kraggy wrote: »

There should be some Seoul Gaels in the Wolfhound on Saturday night anyway. We've training tomorrow and most usually go for drinks after.

Ah cool. If I manage to find it....I'll keep an eye out!

red_bairn

squeakyduck wrote: »

Ah cool. If I manage to find it....I'll keep an eye out!

When you get to Itaewon, just ask somebody where the Wolfhound is (pretty much most of the foreigners in that area should know).

FCUM

kraggy wrote: »

Don't panic.

If you apply through Epik, you have no say whatsoever over where you and your girlfriend will located. It's a total risk. Too big a risk if you want my opinion.

You can go through a recruiter also. However, again you will have no say over where you will be both located.

But, you can also apply to a recruiter for public jobs just after the bllock recruiting period. That way, you email your cv's to a few recruiters explaining that you want jobs in the same city, or in separate cities that are not too far from each other. There's a good chance that this will happen. We got offered a good few situations like that. But we were adamant that we wanted to go to Seoul itself so didn't take them up on their offers.

The block recruiting periods are for teachers starting at the end of February and the end of August. So, a good few jobs will come up in the weeks just after that as some people who had signed up don't end up coming over or get sick and have to go back home or didn't like it here and do a runner etc.

But jobs come up all the time mid-semester so you can apply at any time really.

I'm not going recommend a particular recruiter as some are good for some folk and bad for others. The best thing to do is put this in the search field of google:

"eslcafe.com forums korea recruiters"

Then read through the posts of people's recommendations there and make up your own mind.

As I said earlier, another option would be to go for a hagwon (grind school). More attentive students, slightly higher pay (usually) and most important of all, you would be working with lots of foreigners so making friends would be easier. I'm the only foreigner in my school so making friends is harder. Especially in Seoul as it's so big.

Finally, 2 more important pluses about hagwons. Once you have your documents ready, the time between you sending your cvs to a recruiter to the time you hop on a plane to move to Korea could be as little as 4 weeks. Hagwon jobs are always available.

One important thing to take note of though is that there are some hagwons that have screwed people over. Not paying them on time, treating them like crap etc.

But, the good news is that this can be prevented by one simple manoeuvre: Ask to speak with at least 2 of the foreign teachers that are in the school at that moment in time (after they say that you've got the job if you want it. Ask them about hours, what the kids are like, do they get paid on time, are they treated ok. That should be a protection mechanism for ye. Ye could even work in the same hagwon if ye wanted. Plenty of couple's positions on offer regularly.

Good luck.

Appreciate you taking the time to write that mate. Starting to lean towards Hagwon now. I assumed that if you joint applied with EPIK they would try their best to get you close but obviously not.

Luckily its quite a while off yet so plenty of time to do some research. Ta for the help, i might be pestering you again soon, if you dont mind.

squeakyduck

FCUM wrote: »

Appreciate you taking the time to write that mate. Starting to lean towards Hagwon now. I assumed that if you joint applied with EPIK they would try their best to get you close but obviously not.

Luckily its quite a while off yet so plenty of time to do some research. Ta for the help, i might be pestering you again soon, if you dont mind.

I was rejected by EPIK. I have the best hagwon job now. I'm treated like royalty, they spoil me rotten and I'm having loads of fun! If you are looking into hagwons do your homework. Talk to a foreign teacher at the school and google that school to hell and back!

FCUM

squeakyduck wrote: »

I was rejected by EPIK. I have the best hagwon job now. I'm treated like royalty, they spoil me rotten and I'm having loads of fun! If you are looking into hagwons do your homework. Talk to a foreign teacher at the school and google that school to hell and back!

sounds good mate

hopefully we will be as lucky, and it definitely seems like good advice to talk to some current foreign teachers. anxious to get this year of uni out of the way and get cracking with this.

Choccie Lover

Is anyone going to be in there earlier than 8? I'm planning on hiking on Sunday morning (weather permitting), so wouldn't be hanging around too late as I'm a total lightweight :-)

red_bairn

Choccie Lover wrote: »

Is anyone going to be in there earlier than 8? I'm planning on hiking on Sunday morning (weather permitting), so wouldn't be hanging around too late as I'm a total lightweight :-)

Have you got a phone on you?

livinginkorea

Here's the end of the Ambassador message that I get by email. If you haven't registered yet (or know other Irish people who haven't) then contact them as soon as you can. Not only is it good for security reasons (in case anything happens they can contact you or your family back in Ireland) but any social events are relayed to us, such as the Asian Gaelic Games in October in Suwon (where I live!). Spread the word to other Irish to be up to date with their details with the embassy.


....For more information on the story of the Irish here, check out our brief survey at the Embassy website under the heading ‘Relations between Ireland and South Korea’ (www.embassyofireland.or.kr ).
Finally, the number of Irish registered here is now 900, up from the 580 when I arrived two years ago. If you know of any new arrivals, please encourage them to register with the Embassy via our website.
Happy Chuseok,

Eamonn

Eamonn McKee
Ambassador

livinginkorea

squeakyduck wrote: »

I was rejected by EPIK. I have the best hagwon job now. I'm treated like royalty, they spoil me rotten and I'm having loads of fun! If you are looking into hagwons do your homework. Talk to a foreign teacher at the school and google that school to hell and back!

To be honest, I think the number of teachers teaching in the public schools will start to fall because they are running out of money now. Hagwons will be the way forward but you have to be careful before committing yourself. I have worked for about a dozen hagwons and most of them have been very good, some have been amazing but a couple were awful and went through teachers like no tomorrow. Do your homework as ducky says and it will give you a better chance went to get to Korea.

red_bairn

livinginkorea wrote: »

Here's the end of the Ambassador message that I get by email. If you haven't registered yet (or know other Irish people who haven't) then contact them as soon as you can. Not only is it good for security reasons (in case anything happens they can contact you or your family back in Ireland) but any social events are relayed to us, such as the Asian Gaelic Games in October in Suwon (where I live!). Spread the word to other Irish to be up to date with their details with the embassy.


....For more information on the story of the Irish here, check out our brief survey at the Embassy website under the heading ‘Relations between Ireland and South Korea’ (www.embassyofireland.or.kr ).
Finally, the number of Irish registered here is now 900, up from the 580 when I arrived two years ago. If you know of any new arrivals, please encourage them to register with the Embassy via our website.
Happy Chuseok,

Eamonn

Eamonn McKee
Ambassador

My paps told me to do so asap and I got those emails too.:)

Choccie Lover

red_bairn wrote: »

Have you got a phone on you?

Hey, actually, I don't have a phone at the moment, long story! But, I'll be in Itaewon tomorrow afternoon/ evening regardless. Have some "book shopping" to do (Note for newbies in Seoul: "What the Book" is a pretty good place to pick up cheap second-hand books). Anyway, I'll pop into The Wolfhound at some stage and see if I can recognise the Irish faces:)

livinginkorea

red_bairn wrote: »

My paps told me to do so asap and I got those emails too.:)

Your paps is a wise man!

squeakyduck

Choccie Lover wrote: »

Hey, actually, I don't have a phone at the moment, long story! But, I'll be in Itaewon tomorrow afternoon/ evening regardless. Have some "book shopping" to do (Note for newbies in Seoul: "What the Book" is a pretty good place to pick up cheap second-hand books). Anyway, I'll pop into The Wolfhound at some stage and see if I can recognise the Irish faces:)

I'm really excited about tomorrow night! I can't wait to make new friends!

red_bairn

Choccie Lover wrote: »

Hey, actually, I don't have a phone at the moment, long story! But, I'll be in Itaewon tomorrow afternoon/ evening regardless. Have some "book shopping" to do (Note for newbies in Seoul: "What the Book" is a pretty good place to pick up cheap second-hand books). Anyway, I'll pop into The Wolfhound at some stage and see if I can recognise the Irish faces:)

Unfortunately I won't have my alias written all over me but you'll see some lanky, black haired fellow who may be talking to a bar stool - that'll be me!

Choccie Lover

red_bairn wrote: »

Unfortunately I won't have my alias written all over me but you'll see some lanky, black haired fellow who may be talking to a bar stool - that'll be me!

Grand. I have total faith in my "Irish Radar", so no worries.:)

Andy!!

Do you guys know of any good TEFL message boards? I'm stuck on one of my checkpoints (have failed it twice) and would like to ask a few people's opinion on it.

roosh

Hey guys,

got an email from my recruiter today saying that I was recommended for a position with EPIK, and should be starting in October. I'll be located in Gangwon, but not sure where just yet.

Has anyone any ideas what the region is like?

squeakyduck

Andy!! wrote: »

Do you guys know of any good TEFL message boards? I'm stuck on one of my checkpoints (have failed it twice) and would like to ask a few people's opinion on it.

what have you failed?

ekevosu

roosh wrote: »

Hey guys,

got an email from my recruiter today saying that I was recommended for a position with EPIK, and should be starting in October. I'll be located in Gangwon, but not sure where just yet.

Has anyone any ideas what the region is like?

I'm in gangwon-do. It's very very rural but it depends where you end up. There are a good few big cities there as well. It's one of the most scenic and beautiful parts of Korea, lots of mountains, national parks, beaches, ski resorts etc. I love it here but find out where in gangwon-do and I'll tell you. Gets very cold in winter, very cold.

If you get stuck in the wrong place it can be very isolating. At least 2 hours from Seoul if you're lucky. Who was your recruiter?

roosh

ekevosu wrote: »

I'm in gangwon-do. It's very very rural but it depends where you end up. There are a good few big cities there as well. It's one of the most scenic and beautiful parts of Korea, lots of mountains, national parks, beaches, ski resorts etc. I love it here but find out where in gangwon-do and I'll tell you. Gets very cold in winter, very cold.

If you get stuck in the wrong place it can be very isolating. At least 2 hours from Seoul if you're lucky. Who was your recruiter?

cheers ekev, the recruitment agency was reach to teach - found them very helpful.

They mentioned the ski resorts and stuff alright, as a selling point. I normally don't mind the cold too much, so hopefully I'll be able to stick it! Is it possible to get winter clothes out there, or should I bring them myself from home?

I'll try and suss out where in gangwon-do, and let you know - cheers. Would you know many of the EPIK teachers in that region, or is it just too big to get to know everyone?

Andy!!

squeakyduck wrote: »

what have you failed?

Checkpoint 3: Teaching the Language (doesn't sound like a great one to fail does it :P) It's part of the main 80 hour section; right at the end of the half-way point. I was being asked what grammatical structure was being taught, and I answered 'The past simple and Present continuous are being taught.' in both attempts; thinking I was going wrong in a different way in the assignment. But now I am pretty sure they were looking for me to say 'used to' was being taught; but I'd like to run it past some who've done the i-to-i course; scared I'll fail the third attempt!

By the way this thread is great guys, thanks all for taking the time! You're making all the newbies lives easier.

ekevosu

roosh wrote: »

cheers ekev, the recruitment agency was reach to teach - found them very helpful.

They mentioned the ski resorts and stuff alright, as a selling point. I normally don't mind the cold too much, so hopefully I'll be able to stick it! Is it possible to get winter clothes out there, or should I bring them myself from home?

I'll try and suss out where in gangwon-do, and let you know - cheers. Would you know many of the EPIK teachers in that region, or is it just too big to get to know everyone?

In my county (pyeongchang) where they olympics will be held in 2018 there are about 12 foreign teachers and a few more talk teachers so I would know them all as we've done camp together and occasionally meet up for dinner etc but I wouldn't know everyone in gangwon-do as it's too big. I can get you a name or email though hopefully once you know the area or school.

Minus 26 or so here at one stage. You can buy clothes over here but maybe no harm to bring some. Hot in the summer but not as hot as Seoul and the air is ten times cleaner. I didn't need an air con here but in Seoul I would have died without it.

hyperbaby

red_bairn wrote: »

Was there only once, but would be nice to hit up the town again.

Ye guys should come to visit some weekend!!

*nevermind I see where ye are based now.



I bet there is more than 900 Irish people living in South Korea.

hyperbaby

Global Gathering sounds class...

roosh

kraggy wrote: »

More than likely.

Tickets are only 88,000 if you buy them before 16th September. 110,000 after that I think.

Not sure what the line-up is yet though.

just on the global gathering website and it gives the date - that it's on - as september the 1st. There was one in August as well, does that mean there's one on october, or when is it on?

squeakyduck

Andy!! wrote: »

Checkpoint 3: Teaching the Language (doesn't sound like a great one to fail does it :P) It's part of the main 80 hour section; right at the end of the half-way point. I was being asked what grammatical structure was being taught, and I answered 'The past simple and Present continuous are being taught.' in both attempts; thinking I was going wrong in a different way in the assignment. But now I am pretty sure they were looking for me to say 'used to' was being taught; but I'd like to run it past some who've done the i-to-i course; scared I'll fail the third attempt!

In my celt course that was my worst assignment. I asked one of the teachers in my school to look over it and correct it for me, so I got through. I would ask people who have done the course though!

red_bairn

roosh wrote: »

just on the global gathering website and it gives the date - that it's on - as september the 1st. There was one in August as well, does that mean there's one on october, or when is it on?

The price increases each month. The cheapest time to get the ticket is in Aug @ 77,000. It is in Oct.

Chalad

hyperbaby wrote: »

I bet there is more than 900 Irish people living in South Korea.

Definitely. I think it's 900 that are "legally" living here.

I've been here for four years and living in Asia for almost 8 years.

squeakyduck

My god I'm still suffering severely after last night. Twas an absolute blast!

roosh

red_bairn wrote: »

The price increases each month. The cheapest time to get the ticket is in Aug @ 77,000. It is in Oct.

when in October is it? and where abouts is it on? I only scanned the website sorry

kraggy

900 is the number of people who have registered with the embassy here.


There's way more than that.

900 actually called to embassy to tell them that the are here.

Couldnt make it last night. Was in Itaewon but couldn't make it to the Wolfhound. How many from here turned up, how was it?

red_bairn

roosh wrote: »

when in October is it? and where abouts is it on? I only scanned the website sorry

[Performance date & Venue]

2011. 10. 8 Saturday @ Nan-ji Han River park

squeakyduck wrote: »

My god I'm still suffering severely after last night. Twas an absolute blast!

kraggy wrote: »

900 is the number of people who have registered with the embassy here.


There's way more than that.

900 actually called to embassy to tell them that the are here.

Couldnt make it last night. Was in Itaewon but couldn't make it to the Wolfhound. How many from here turned up, how was it?

Squeaky here was dancing on a bar top in this new club...*tut tut tut*

There was another Boardsie who Squeaky can name because I've forgotten it but the rest were other people from different forums invited by Squeaky.

Choccie Lover

Sorry I missed Saturday night, was in Itaewon earlier in the evening, but my timing didn't suit. Sounds like it was a fun night:D

col89

Okay, I'm moving over on either Friday or Saturday! I'll know for sure on Wednesday after the Korean holidays, and the director will know about the itinerary at that stage.

I don't know much about flights but do those that are travelling to South Korea allowed to bring as much/little luggage as they wish? I mean, are there usually regulations for packing and moving? It might sound like such a stupid question to ask, but I really don't want to pack too much just in case I have to pay a load of money to get the case on the plane! And, I'm still a newbie with travelling, because I've only ever been to the UK once. If anyone can answer this question for me, I would appreciate it!

cloneslad

col89 wrote: »

Okay, I'm moving over on either Friday or Saturday! I'll know for sure on Wednesday after the Korean holidays, and the director will know about the itinerary at that stage.

I don't know much about flights but do those that are travelling to South Korea allowed to bring as much/little luggage as they wish? I mean, are there usually regulations for packing and moving? It might sound like such a stupid question to ask, but I really don't want to pack too much just in case I have to pay a load of money to get the case on the plane! And, I'm still a newbie with travelling, because I've only ever been to the UK once. If anyone can answer this question for me, I would appreciate it!

Most will give you 20-23kgs check in, depending on the airline. You'll also be allowed 10kg carry on suitcase and a laptop bag. I flew with emirates before and they gave me 30kgs. But any other time I've flow to korea it's been 20kg with klm, 20kg with lufthansa, 20kg with air france, 23kg with B.A.

Also, you'll most likely have to code share to another european country, the flight out of dublin will possibly be with Aer Lingus, if you're doing a code share, then Aer Lingus will honour the carry on and check in limit of the connecting flight (if the entire flight is purchased on one ticket).

Oh, and congrats and have a great time.

red_bairn

cloneslad wrote: »

Most will give you 20-23kgs check in, depending on the airline. You'll also be allowed 10kg carry on suitcase and a laptop bag. I flew with emirates before and they gave me 30kgs. But any other time I've flow to korea it's been 20kg with klm, 20kg with lufthansa, 20kg with air france, 23kg with B.A.

Also, you'll most likely have to code share to another european country, the flight out of dublin will possibly be with Aer Lingus, if you're doing a code share, then Aer Lingus will honour the carry on and check in limit of the connecting flight (if the entire flight is purchased on one ticket).

Oh, and congrats and have a great time.

I got away with around 25kg for my check on luggage. It was Air France. I flew to Paris and then straight to Incheon.

catweasel10

I had 23kg for check in luggage and 7kg carry on, excluding my laptop, with Etihad. My flight was Dublin to Abu Dhabi, then Abu Dhabi to Incheon.

kraggy

I've gone over and back with both Lufthansa and Etihad.

Lufthansa are harsh on a long haul flight. No room and crap entertainment selection. And the food is rank.

Etihad were great. And one of the cheapest usually too. They fly Dub to Abu Dabhi and then Abu Dabhi on to Seoul.

Both flights are around 6.5 hours. Lufthansa is 2 hours to Frankfurt and then a horrible 11 hours to Seoul. Don't go with them, seriously.

red_bairn

kraggy wrote: »

I've gone over and back with both Lufthansa and Etihad.

Lufthansa are harsh on a long haul flight. No room and crap entertainment selection. And the food is rank.

Etihad were great. And one of the cheapest usually too. They fly Dub to Abu Dabhi and then Abu Dabhi on to Seoul.

Both flights are around 6.5 hours. Lufthansa is 2 hours to Frankfurt and then a horrible 11 hours to Seoul. Don't go with them, seriously.

When I went to Ireland for my summer vacation :rolleyes: , I came back with Etihad. I had no sleep on the my first leg of the journey but from Abu Dhabi to Incheon, they gave me and many others Business Class. Awesome food, comfort and other little comforts. Had a solid 3hours on that flight - and that's good for me!