I was declined by Aeon recently too. They didn't give any reason when I called the office. I was justcurious if you plan to continue the attempt to headover to Japan? How will you be going about it. I'mkind of off put by the rejection.
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Original Message
From: english teacher
To: Patrick
Sent: Sunday, September 24, 2006 12:48:37 AM
Subject: ive actually decided on korea instead.
hi patrick! its nice to meet a fellow reject yeah, i called for feedback on my decline too, but i was told that aeon doesnt give feedback. it was very embarrassing. i was turned down by nova the month before, but i thought i knew the reasons why - i was late, my tattoo was showing, etc. With aeon, i just knew i did everything great, my lesson plan went so well, i wished i had videotaped myself, it went so well. it was a real shock when i got the rejection letter.
i have a friend who has been in japan for two years, and got there via NOVA. i told him about aeon, and that i had an interview with geos next. This whole time, my friend has been telling me that i should just come to japan myself and find a job on my own. he was very encouraging, and i decided to take his advice.
i went onto daveseslcafe.com and found some posts by people who just showed up on thier own and found a job. seeing that it is possible, i told everyone that knew i was turned down by aeon that i was going to japan anyway.
in reading up on japan on the eslcafe website, i stumbled onto korea. Ive found that it is common for korea employers to pay your airfare and give free accomodations to their teachers. since i hardly know the difference between japan and korea anyway, i've decided on korea. going through the esl website, i found a lot of stories of awful recruiters, and then some stories of reliable ones. ive decided to go the recruiter route. in the next month or so, i'm going to send my resume and have them find a job for me. i plan to be in korea by march 2007.
if i may, any idea why aeon passed? for me, i suspect i got a little too political during my one on one interview. also, im 30 which is slightly older than their usual employee. and perhaps most importantly, in reading about the descrimination in asia, i do believe that my being black has a fair portion to do with it as well. im not angry about it, it's only ignorance, there are hardly any black people in asia so the masses cant help but believe the things they see on tv. it wont stop me, ive met some people of color in the forums that had a little more difficulty finding a job, but none said it was impossible.
im now very very excited about teaching abroad. if you are still interested in japan specifically, i would wager that there are recruiters you could check out. go onto davesesl and read on the japan forums. http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewforum.php?f=11 if you decide to go to korea, do keep in touch! please email me anytime for any other questions or anything else you'd like to talk about. best of luck in whatever you decide to do.
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----- Original Message ----
From: Patrick
To: english teacheri_teach_esl@yahoo.com>
Sent: Sunday, September 24, 2006 1:56:14 AM
Subject: Re: ive actually decided on korea instead.
Thanks for the response. I am well aware that theJapanese can be extremely racist people. It is verysad but I would wager that you are correct in thededuction that racism raised it's ugly head with Aeondeclining you for the job.
I taught in Korea for 1.5 years. You can make anabsolute fortune over there. Most people also getripped off by their employers before they put theirfoot down. I had to stage a walk out at one point toget my point across to my employer. I would suggest a few things to you before you departto Korea:
- Insist on going over on a tourist visa andbeing sent to Japan for a visa run. You get a freetrip to Japan, plus you are able to assess the schooland your apartment etc. before locking into a workvisa with that school.
- Insist on this with therecruiter. Once you are issued a visa through aschool in Korea they essentially own you for the year.They can make it very diffictult for you to workelsewhere by refusing to release your visa to anotheremployer.
- You should also really talk to a current teacher atthe school. Go to a school with several other foreignteachers. Don't be the only foreign person there. Itcomes down to wether you are paid on time and howdecent your single apartment is. Those are the twobiggies in Korea.
- Last suggestion is either go toSeoul or Busan (also called Pusan). The two largercities will offer you a much better experience than asmall Korean community might.
Hope that helps!Good luck in Asia. It is hellish and wonderful.
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----- Original Message ----
From: english teacher
To: Patrick
Sent: Sunday, September 24, 2006 2:51:38 AM
Subject: Re: ive actually decided on korea instead.
ah, so you've already taught abroad? doh! i hope i didnt give you any advice you already knew about! why did you apply with aeon? with your experience, i would wager that you could find a better offer on your own. will you still purse japan? have youtaught elesewhere beside korea? will you consider teaching in another country instead?
----- Original Message ----
From: Patrick
To: english teacher
S
Subject: Re: ive actually decided on korea instead.
The big chain language schools in Japan are a safebet, except for Nova which is supposed to be anightmare and a rip off. The large chains give you adecent apartment, work visa, pay on time is never anissue, etc. I don't know if I will continue to pursuegoing abroad or not. I probably will on principle,just to say I actually had the option after the intialrejection. It is all a complete and total luck of thedraw type of situation. You never really know whatyou'll get until you get over there no matter whatpeople might tell you on the phone. That's why Isuggest that you insist on going to Korea on a touristvisa to assess whatever school you may be working for.If something is unacceptable you can just go toanother school.
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----- Original Message ----
From: english teacher
To: Patrick
Sent: Monday, September 25, 2006 12:04:18 PM
Subject: Re: ive actually decided on korea instead.
how did you come to teach in korea in the first place?
have you applied at other eikawas? jet is supposed to be pretty good, also heard good things about ecc and kevins english schools.
have you taught in other countries? what do you do when youre not abroad?
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----- Original Message ----
From: Patrick
To: english teacher
Sent: Monday, September 25, 2006 12:07:40 PM
Subject: Re: ive actually decided on korea instead.I decided on Korea originally because it was takingtoo long to get on in Japan. Any larger school willbe fine in Japan. Korea is another story. I wouldstongly recommend Japan over Korea. I am currently inVancouver, Canada. Korea is the only country I havetaught abroad although I have traveled around enough. What about you? What's your story?
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----- Original Message ----
From: english teacher
To: Patrick
Sent: Monday, September 25, 2006 4:51:39 PM
Subject: Re: ive actually decided on korea instead.
i think ecc and kevins english schools interview in canada. will you try those eikawas? i have traveled abroad (bits of europe and africa) but have never taught abroad before. i substitute teach here in california, and i tutored throughout college. i really enjoy teaching, but have never entertained becoming certified to teach here in the states. did you stay at one school in korea? why did you decide to leave korea?
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----- Original Message ----
From: Patrick
To: english teacher
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 5:09:07 AM
Subject: Re: ive actually decided on korea instead.
I have another suggestion for you. I know of a schoolin Japan that hires with phone interviews if you arestill in North America. The name is American LanguageSchool, web site is http://www.ib-group.jp/american/english/index.htmlThis is a long story but please don't tell them that Ireferred you to them. Just say you saw them on theinternet or something. Thanks for that. I have afeeling you might have a good shot with them. Theyalways seem to be hiring. I attached a photo ofmyself to this email. I left Korea because I was getting royally screwed outof money too many times by my employer to put up withit any longer. I still have incredible memories of mytime there. Did you attend university? If so, where? I went to aschool in southern Quebec, which is the frenchprovince up here in Canada. The school was in Englishthough. As mentioned I am currently in Vancouver, duenorth of you.
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----- Original Message ----
From: english teacher
To: Patrick
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 10:07:57 AM
Subject: Re: ive actually decided on korea instead.
hi patrick. to answer your question, i graduated from san diego state university in 2003. i have a BA in Africana Studies, and a BA in Fine Arts. I minored in English Lit. im thinking maybe i will leave off BA in Afras when i send my resume to recruiters.
do you have any idea why aeon turned you down? are you going to apply with ecc or kevins english school? did you stay at one school while you were in korea? i have read many tales aobut people not getting their full wages. was this at every school you taught, or did you stay at one school? im sorry you were "royally screwed," what happened? just wondering, does fighting back even help when one is trying to get paid. sorry to bombard you with questions, im just curious. why did you decide to come home, instead of to another school? or was korea just a temporary thing?
did you work at american language school? why shouldnt i mention your name? just being nosy
interesting, you are the 4th person that has told me to NOT go to korea. others have said even to not go abroad, period. it makes me a little concerned, but not so much so that it will change my mind. its only been those i've met in the forums telling me to not go to korea. all that know me in person have been very encouraging. perhaps the discrimination factor is the reason eslcafe folks are cautioning me against korea, but being black has never stopped me from doing anything, its not going to stop me from trying to find a job teaching abroad.
i dont have a picture, but i do have myspace. www.myspace.com/....
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----- Original Message ----
From: Patrick
To: english teacher
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 11:20:14 AM
Subject: Re: ive actually decided on korea instead.
My ESL experiences were both very good and very bad. I would strongly recommend Japan over Korea, havingspent time in both countries. American LanguageSchool in Japan is a pretty good operation. I wouldtell them you majored in English. Looks better.
I think Aeon turned me down because I acted too alphamale in the group interview session. The schools wantsomeone who won't try and change the way things are,who will just sort of quietly put in their time andteach the lessons pleasantly.
I completed a full year contract in Korea and thenwent to another school in my community which I wastold was better. The second school turned out to be acomplete nightmare so I did what is called a midnightrun. A very high percentage of the teachers in Korealeave their jobs this way due to a variety ofcircumstances. Seriously, keep trying for Japan. Larger city offers more diversions. Just mysuggestion.Another option is to use Nova School in Japan just toget a work visa in your passport and then jump ship toa better gig after you get your feet wet over there. Many, many people do this. Once you get a feel forNova you won't feel bad about doing it too.Great myspace. Some of your friends are gorgeous!
my friends? what about ME?! jerk >:(
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