Packing, packing and more packing. That's where we're at right now. I feel like we're packing everything but as my wife just pointed out to me, I've only lived here just over five years but she's lived here all her life. Putting it like that then I understand her wanting to take a lot of things. We're sending so many boxes that the post office are coming to us to pick things up. You'd never get that back home.
Recently my co-workers have been pointing out to me it's my last this and my last that. It's true a lot of the things I've been doing for seemingly ages are coming to an end day by day but to be honest today as I finished my classes I felt very little. Nothing was at the back of my mind saying "I wish I was staying". Bearing that in mind I feel very calm and relaxed. Perhaps that will change tomorrow but with just four classes I doubt it. I know some of my co-workers are jealous of me leaving. They'll get there chance too one day!
Last week I picked up my final wage. For a few weeks we've been low on money due to a few unforseen expenses. My final pay packet was a lot more than I'd calculated. Either I got my sums wrong or they did. Either way I was delighted when the money came in as we've been able to buy a few extra things and take a bit more money away with us to Hong Kong. In about forty eight hours from now we'll be setting off for Busan to Gimhae airport. The end of a long journey is finally in sight.
Showing posts with label money. Show all posts
Showing posts with label money. Show all posts
Monday, 30 May 2011
Wednesday, 2 February 2011
Timely Lunar New Year gift
Yesterday came and there were no gifts at work. Strange I thought because we usually get something small at Chuseok and Lunar New Year - the two biggest holidays in Korea. Over the years I've been given toiletries, green tea sets, and one time even seaweed (which my wife loved). I know a lot of teachers around Korea get similar presents and there are plenty of stories of people getting boxes of tuna or Spam, which is very popular here.
This year though we did pick up something from work, just not wrapped up. I checked my bank account today and found an extra 100,000won (£55) deposited yesterday from my employers. Another thing I'll miss about the company I'm leaving soon. This came at such a great time for me. Shame Mr Taxman is picking up most of this.
This year though we did pick up something from work, just not wrapped up. I checked my bank account today and found an extra 100,000won (£55) deposited yesterday from my employers. Another thing I'll miss about the company I'm leaving soon. This came at such a great time for me. Shame Mr Taxman is picking up most of this.
Monday, 1 November 2010
Six to go
Six months left in Daegu, Korea. Not time to wind down yet or pack up my things but it feels great to know that the end is in sight.
Over the weekend we went to a travel agent that we've used a lot for trips and she told us that we may not be able to get cheap flights to Hong Kong. We were planning to go there for Korean New Year. If we can't go then we can't go but the both of us would really like to go somewhere then. Still, if we stay in Korea we will be saving a lot of money.
Money, always on my mind. With six months to go almost every thing I do I am scrutinising. Do I need that expensive coffee? Do I need another beer? My Costco membership is up and I'm faced with the dilemma of renewing or now. I think I will because I can't go without the food I get there. Luckily, beyond day to day expenses, birthdays and holidays I don't need to buy many things from now until we leave.
I need to step up my saving. Every month I have a target and it's not always easy to meet it. Now with so little time left and no big bonus OR pension at the end of my contract if I don't try harder to save I may not meet the target I have set for my wife and I for moving to England where everything is much, much more expensive. Hopefully a cheao month for me.
Over the weekend we went to a travel agent that we've used a lot for trips and she told us that we may not be able to get cheap flights to Hong Kong. We were planning to go there for Korean New Year. If we can't go then we can't go but the both of us would really like to go somewhere then. Still, if we stay in Korea we will be saving a lot of money.
Money, always on my mind. With six months to go almost every thing I do I am scrutinising. Do I need that expensive coffee? Do I need another beer? My Costco membership is up and I'm faced with the dilemma of renewing or now. I think I will because I can't go without the food I get there. Luckily, beyond day to day expenses, birthdays and holidays I don't need to buy many things from now until we leave.
I need to step up my saving. Every month I have a target and it's not always easy to meet it. Now with so little time left and no big bonus OR pension at the end of my contract if I don't try harder to save I may not meet the target I have set for my wife and I for moving to England where everything is much, much more expensive. Hopefully a cheao month for me.
Friday, 29 October 2010
When teaching in Korea, check your payslip
Last week I received my contract completion bonus but the total was missing some 600,000won or so. Work let me know that it was a mistake and it would go onto my next payslip, so no big deal. Yesterday was pay day but still no bonus. I made a few enquiries and work got back to me and told me that again, it was a mistake and if I really needed it they could pay me now but would prefer to pay it in a months time at the end of November.
As a sweetner, the guy in charge of this - who has always been helpful and accommodating - said if they can pay me next month then they will throw in an extra day of holiday of my choosing (or the money for it if I don't use that day). Of course I chose the extra free day of holiday. I'm lucky that my work has never cheated me over money and has always been fair even if they have made a mistake but I also know not every academy works as fairly as mine does. Anybody teaching teaching in Korea reading this, make sure you check your monthly payslip as sometimes your work does make mistakes.
As a sweetner, the guy in charge of this - who has always been helpful and accommodating - said if they can pay me next month then they will throw in an extra day of holiday of my choosing (or the money for it if I don't use that day). Of course I chose the extra free day of holiday. I'm lucky that my work has never cheated me over money and has always been fair even if they have made a mistake but I also know not every academy works as fairly as mine does. Anybody teaching teaching in Korea reading this, make sure you check your monthly payslip as sometimes your work does make mistakes.
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
$25 watermelons in Korea
I read something today about weather being blamed for produce prices going up this year in Korea. And it's true that things have been a bit different weather-wise this year but prices for things like watermelons are ridiculous right now. A few months ago a co-worker of mine couldn't believe they were up to $16, how cheap that seems now. It could be a seasonal thing, but $25 or £16 for the ones I saw in Homeplus today is a bit steep. A few days ago I saw them up to 31,000won too, for that price I'd want one of those square watermelons you get in Japan. How expensive can these get?
Monday, 12 October 2009
End of year bonus
What does a years worth of coins look like in Korea and how much are they worth? From talking to a few co-workers I think I accumulate more coins than most people. This comes from a decision here to only use notes when paying for something which means I get a lot of change as the weeks go by. The theory is that by using only notes, the coins add up slowly and when it comes round to cashing in the coins I have money that I haven't been accounting for and feels like a nice bonus.
Korean coins come in denominations of 500, 100, 50 and 10 won. The 500 won coin is not actually worth much, about £0.25. It would be nice to have the equivalent of the British £1 or £2 coins. I don't think the picture below shows clear enough but the four jars and bottles were heavy. The larger bottle is actually a two litre water bottle filled almost to the top with 100 won coins. This time last year I had about the same amount, before someone climbed into my apartment from the window and stole them from my home, so I am thankful not to have a repeat this year. For the record I saved 336,190 won which works out at about £182.
Korean coins come in denominations of 500, 100, 50 and 10 won. The 500 won coin is not actually worth much, about £0.25. It would be nice to have the equivalent of the British £1 or £2 coins. I don't think the picture below shows clear enough but the four jars and bottles were heavy. The larger bottle is actually a two litre water bottle filled almost to the top with 100 won coins. This time last year I had about the same amount, before someone climbed into my apartment from the window and stole them from my home, so I am thankful not to have a repeat this year. For the record I saved 336,190 won which works out at about £182.
Wednesday, 30 September 2009
Cashing in some of my chips
Yesterday was pay day and possibly the biggest single pay day I will see in my life. On top of my monthly wage I picked my assorted bonuses for finishing my contract and I can tell you I am one happy man right now. The bonuses for an ESL teacher in Korea can make it worthwhile living here, that's for sure. I have a few days left on my current contract but I got paid up for the whole twelve months. One thing though. My maths and the accounting staffs maths seem to be different and I feel I am missing around £150-300. I cannot dispute this yet as I am yet to receive my pay slip though should get it any day soon. I hope everything can be ironed out soon.
Pay day has come at the right time as the exchange rates have recently been pretty favourable. About three months ago £1 was about 2,100 won and now the rate is around £1 = 1900 won which is not bad at all. Not perfect and not even a twelve month high but OK considering around one year ago £1 was 2413 won. I don't know if its a strengthened Korean won or a weakened British pound but I suspect its a stronger Korean currency. I have sent home roughly three months salary with more to be sent home after I come back from Hong Kong. Maybe the exchange will be even better then, who knows.
Pay day has come at the right time as the exchange rates have recently been pretty favourable. About three months ago £1 was about 2,100 won and now the rate is around £1 = 1900 won which is not bad at all. Not perfect and not even a twelve month high but OK considering around one year ago £1 was 2413 won. I don't know if its a strengthened Korean won or a weakened British pound but I suspect its a stronger Korean currency. I have sent home roughly three months salary with more to be sent home after I come back from Hong Kong. Maybe the exchange will be even better then, who knows.
Monday, 20 April 2009
Selling Beer in Korea (a low blow)
Right now the poster below is plastered all over a lot of the bars in Korea. Proving once again that the only thing that truly sells big name products and brands here are celebrity endorsements. Those funsters Big Bang are at it again, only this time they are telling you to buy beer. Korean beer, and they are telling you that it's probably the most fun you can have known to man.
As many foreigners here have figured out, the local brews are of dubious quality and certainly not enough to get anywhere near this excited. Once again an example of Koreans over egging the pudding. A product cannot be good, it must be the most amazing product ever made and buying it will send you into a state of bliss. I have noticed that reactions to even the most mundane product are so over the top that you cannot help but laugh. Such is the exaggeration on their faces it looks like three of them have all been punched in the testicles mere seconds before the snap was taken. For the full commercial/music video and a further insight into how beer commercials run like click the link below
As many foreigners here have figured out, the local brews are of dubious quality and certainly not enough to get anywhere near this excited. Once again an example of Koreans over egging the pudding. A product cannot be good, it must be the most amazing product ever made and buying it will send you into a state of bliss. I have noticed that reactions to even the most mundane product are so over the top that you cannot help but laugh. Such is the exaggeration on their faces it looks like three of them have all been punched in the testicles mere seconds before the snap was taken. For the full commercial/music video and a further insight into how beer commercials run like click the link below
Sunday, 19 April 2009
Phoning it in. Cultural differences you cannot ignore
Whenever someone asks me what the differences between the UK and Korea/Asia are I try to take some time to think about it. I mention the food, the respect for older people, the education system, the bright neon lights and the poor beer. I usually tell them that there are so many cultural differences but we also have many things in common. After all, are we so different? Then I see things like this, exhibit A.
It hits me straight between the eyes and says Korea is very different from the UK and everywhere else. For good or for bad, for better or for worse. The above is a commercial for a mobile phone starring five pop stars who are the hottest thing in Korea right now. At some later point I may post about how celebrities all across the fame scale attach themselves to whatever product they can for money but for now I will just leave this - some Koreans like to make money and will do whatever they are told to do to a) put coin in their back pocket and b) stay in the public eye and conscience for as long as possible.
Onto exhibit B. Another commercial but for a different phone. Boy do Koreans love phones - possibly more than there children. If you think Koreans rest on their laurels think again. Those boys working so hard to sell those phones came up with something else more preposterous and have four new faces (a new girl group here) with them. I do not know what came first, the commercial or the phone. I'm lying, it must be the phone and the 'song' is a real song not a thirty second snippet. So essentially they wrote a song to promote a phone. Split the cash for this one nine ways and whatever they got can't be much especially when their agents take their piece of the pie.
The quality is poor for the above clip so just to reinforce the point click here to see what one of the singers is prepared to wear as long as you slip money into his pockets. I struggle to think of an amount of number someone would have to pay me to wear that. When questioning my students, adoring fans of the singers, they just say it's "Big Bang's style". God bless the girls in my classes who swim against the tide and say they don't like or understand the fashion of these Justin Timberlake wannabe's.
Korea's history is long and proud. 5,000 years of hard work, tradition and culture, pride and achievement, war and bloodshed has culminated in this! It's a free country these days here and people are allowed to make money, but when you do a commercial as this surely you have no artistic credibility left. There is nothing wrong at all with the clips, the people in it, or the culture/fashion etc etc. But right now it's a slice of Korea, like it or not and it's very different to Western culture.
It hits me straight between the eyes and says Korea is very different from the UK and everywhere else. For good or for bad, for better or for worse. The above is a commercial for a mobile phone starring five pop stars who are the hottest thing in Korea right now. At some later point I may post about how celebrities all across the fame scale attach themselves to whatever product they can for money but for now I will just leave this - some Koreans like to make money and will do whatever they are told to do to a) put coin in their back pocket and b) stay in the public eye and conscience for as long as possible.
Onto exhibit B. Another commercial but for a different phone. Boy do Koreans love phones - possibly more than there children. If you think Koreans rest on their laurels think again. Those boys working so hard to sell those phones came up with something else more preposterous and have four new faces (a new girl group here) with them. I do not know what came first, the commercial or the phone. I'm lying, it must be the phone and the 'song' is a real song not a thirty second snippet. So essentially they wrote a song to promote a phone. Split the cash for this one nine ways and whatever they got can't be much especially when their agents take their piece of the pie.
The quality is poor for the above clip so just to reinforce the point click here to see what one of the singers is prepared to wear as long as you slip money into his pockets. I struggle to think of an amount of number someone would have to pay me to wear that. When questioning my students, adoring fans of the singers, they just say it's "Big Bang's style". God bless the girls in my classes who swim against the tide and say they don't like or understand the fashion of these Justin Timberlake wannabe's.
Korea's history is long and proud. 5,000 years of hard work, tradition and culture, pride and achievement, war and bloodshed has culminated in this! It's a free country these days here and people are allowed to make money, but when you do a commercial as this surely you have no artistic credibility left. There is nothing wrong at all with the clips, the people in it, or the culture/fashion etc etc. But right now it's a slice of Korea, like it or not and it's very different to Western culture.
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