Comments for I Am Not Harry Potter http://iamnotharrypotter.wordpress.com Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:26:14 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on About by Mike http://iamnotharrypotter.wordpress.com/about/#comment-43 Mike Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:26:14 +0000 #comment-43 I read with interest, your kyokushin experience in Korea. I've been trying to locate a kyokushin dojo - for that matter, any karate dojo nearby where I am (Kunsan AB, Jeollabukdo province), but there are none. In Korea, the options seem limited: taekwondo, hapkido, kumdo, etc... By chance, would you ask your colleagues there, if there are any karate options for me, nearby Gunsan? I'd appreciate any feedbacks. Thanks in advance. Also, does your dojo have a website? I might like to stop by whenever I'm in the Bundang area. I have relatives there, so I usually drive up on the weekends. Mike I read with interest, your kyokushin experience in Korea. I’ve been trying to locate a kyokushin dojo – for that matter, any karate dojo nearby where I am (Kunsan AB, Jeollabukdo province), but there are none. In Korea, the options seem limited: taekwondo, hapkido, kumdo, etc…

By chance, would you ask your colleagues there, if there are any karate options for me, nearby Gunsan? I’d appreciate any feedbacks. Thanks in advance.

Also, does your dojo have a website? I might like to stop by whenever I’m in the Bundang area. I have relatives there, so I usually drive up on the weekends.

Mike

]]> Comment on So You Want To Teach In South Korea by iamnotharrypotter http://iamnotharrypotter.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/so-you-want-to-teach-in-south-korea/#comment-36 iamnotharrypotter Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:19:30 +0000 http://iamnotharrypotter.wordpress.com/?p=68#comment-36 I know that the general preference is for teachers to come from countries where the national language is English--the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Canada, etc. Public schools are definitely looking for people who have passports from one of those countries. Hagwons will hire anyone as long as they think your ability is good enough, but they also have a preference for citizens from one of the aforementioned countries. In short, if your a citizen of the philippines, it's harder to get a job here than if you're a citizen of the U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada, etc. However, it's not impossible. You just have to find the right hagwon. I know that the general preference is for teachers to come from countries where the national language is English–the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Canada, etc. Public schools are definitely looking for people who have passports from one of those countries. Hagwons will hire anyone as long as they think your ability is good enough, but they also have a preference for citizens from one of the aforementioned countries.

In short, if your a citizen of the philippines, it’s harder to get a job here than if you’re a citizen of the U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada, etc. However, it’s not impossible. You just have to find the right hagwon.

]]> Comment on The Crowded Subway Platform: The Drunken Brawler’s Arena of Choice by iamnotharrypotter http://iamnotharrypotter.wordpress.com/2008/12/07/crowded-subway-platforms-the-drunken-brawler%e2%80%99s-arena-of-choice/#comment-35 iamnotharrypotter Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:12:37 +0000 http://iamnotharrypotter.wordpress.com/?p=53#comment-35 Hi Jess. I train in a martial art called Kyokushin, which is a form of Karate--a Japanese martial arts style. This style of Karate has a sizable following in Korea because it was started by a Korean named Choi Bae Dal in the middle of the twentieth century. My initial thoughts before coming to Korea were to pursue a Korean martial art like Taekwondo or Hapkido. However, I just happened to fall into Kyokushin because two of the first people I met when I got here were practitioners. At my particular dojo (dojang in Korean), my instructor knows enough English to provide me with relevant instruction regarding technique and fighting strategies. My only problems with the language barrier have arisen fairly recently; now that I'm a yellow belt (middle rank), it is frequently the case that I have to teach other students how to do things. I don't know enough Korean to say specific things, but since most of martial arts (the physical parts anyway) is visual, I can show people how to do something and have them mimic me. Once I got here and fell in love with Kyokushin, I knew I wouldn't pursue Taekwondo. Taekwondo appears a little too ornamental for my taste, and it doesn't seem to be as "hard" a martial art as I want. Many of the guys I train with are former Taekwondo fighters or people who crosstrain. In the words of one of them, "Taekwondo teaches you how to scream hard when fighting. Kyokushin teaches you to strike hard when fighting." Hapkido still strikes my fancy though; that art has an impressive understanding of pressure points and leverage, and I'd like to learn some throws and joint locks to round out my fighting skills. Kyokushin is striking, 100%. All told, there's no shortage of Taekwondo and Hapkido instructors--Kyokushin is fairly new in Korea by comparison. You'll have absolutely no problem finding a Taekwondo or Hapkido dojo with an instructor who speaks English fluently if that's something that's important to you. If you're curious about Kyokushin, I can see if there's a dojo in your area. Hi Jess.

I train in a martial art called Kyokushin, which is a form of Karate–a Japanese martial arts style. This style of Karate has a sizable following in Korea because it was started by a Korean named Choi Bae Dal in the middle of the twentieth century.

My initial thoughts before coming to Korea were to pursue a Korean martial art like Taekwondo or Hapkido. However, I just happened to fall into Kyokushin because two of the first people I met when I got here were practitioners. At my particular dojo (dojang in Korean), my instructor knows enough English to provide me with relevant instruction regarding technique and fighting strategies. My only problems with the language barrier have arisen fairly recently; now that I’m a yellow belt (middle rank), it is frequently the case that I have to teach other students how to do things. I don’t know enough Korean to say specific things, but since most of martial arts (the physical parts anyway) is visual, I can show people how to do something and have them mimic me.

Once I got here and fell in love with Kyokushin, I knew I wouldn’t pursue Taekwondo. Taekwondo appears a little too ornamental for my taste, and it doesn’t seem to be as “hard” a martial art as I want. Many of the guys I train with are former Taekwondo fighters or people who crosstrain. In the words of one of them, “Taekwondo teaches you how to scream hard when fighting. Kyokushin teaches you to strike hard when fighting.”

Hapkido still strikes my fancy though; that art has an impressive understanding of pressure points and leverage, and I’d like to learn some throws and joint locks to round out my fighting skills. Kyokushin is striking, 100%.

All told, there’s no shortage of Taekwondo and Hapkido instructors–Kyokushin is fairly new in Korea by comparison. You’ll have absolutely no problem finding a Taekwondo or Hapkido dojo with an instructor who speaks English fluently if that’s something that’s important to you. If you’re curious about Kyokushin, I can see if there’s a dojo in your area.

]]> Comment on So You Want To Teach In South Korea by ja http://iamnotharrypotter.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/so-you-want-to-teach-in-south-korea/#comment-33 ja Sun, 09 Aug 2009 13:28:36 +0000 http://iamnotharrypotter.wordpress.com/?p=68#comment-33 im a registered nurse in the philippines too and im also planning on working in korea. im fluent in english and has worked in a call center however i haven’t teached anyone or has any experience in teaching. is it still possible for me to work in a hagwon in seoul? hope to get a response from you because i’ve already set my mind in going to seoul and now i’m just looking for a good recruitment agency. btw, can you also recommend a good hagwon recruiter? thank so much for your help. im a registered nurse in the philippines too and im also planning on working in korea. im fluent in english and has worked in a call center however i haven’t teached anyone or has any experience in teaching. is it still possible for me to work in a hagwon in seoul? hope to get a response from you because i’ve already set my mind in going to seoul and now i’m just looking for a good recruitment agency. btw, can you also recommend a good hagwon recruiter? thank so much for your help.

]]> Comment on So You Want To Teach In South Korea by ja http://iamnotharrypotter.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/so-you-want-to-teach-in-south-korea/#comment-32 ja Sun, 09 Aug 2009 13:28:06 +0000 http://iamnotharrypotter.wordpress.com/?p=68#comment-32 im a registered nurse in the philippines too and im also planning on working in korea. im fluent in english and has worked in a call center however i haven't teached anyone or has any experience in teaching. is it still possible for me to work in a hagwon in seoul? hope to get a response from you because i've already set my mind in going to seoul and now i'm just looking for a good recruitment agency. btw, can you also recommend a good hagwon recruiter? thank so much for your help. im a registered nurse in the philippines too and im also planning on working in korea. im fluent in english and has worked in a call center however i haven’t teached anyone or has any experience in teaching. is it still possible for me to work in a hagwon in seoul? hope to get a response from you because i’ve already set my mind in going to seoul and now i’m just looking for a good recruitment agency. btw, can you also recommend a good hagwon recruiter? thank so much for your help.

]]> Comment on The Crowded Subway Platform: The Drunken Brawler’s Arena of Choice by Jess http://iamnotharrypotter.wordpress.com/2008/12/07/crowded-subway-platforms-the-drunken-brawler%e2%80%99s-arena-of-choice/#comment-31 Jess Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:20:39 +0000 http://iamnotharrypotter.wordpress.com/?p=53#comment-31 I'm curious about your dojo actually. I'm training in Goju Ryu in Canada, and my shihan suggested I try Taekwondo while I'm teaching in Korea. Did you find it difficult with the language barrier? Are they fairly traditional? I’m curious about your dojo actually. I’m training in Goju Ryu in Canada, and my shihan suggested I try Taekwondo while I’m teaching in Korea. Did you find it difficult with the language barrier? Are they fairly traditional?

]]> Comment on So You Want To Teach In South Korea by grace http://iamnotharrypotter.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/so-you-want-to-teach-in-south-korea/#comment-27 grace Tue, 10 Mar 2009 10:41:14 +0000 http://iamnotharrypotter.wordpress.com/?p=68#comment-27 hello... I have read all the infos you have given and its very helpful. Ive been thinking of applying for a job in korea. The thing is, im not a teacher by profession. I am a gradyate and a licensed nurse in philippines. Is it possible for me to apply as a teacher in korea. Hope to get a response from you. Thanks. God bless hello…

I have read all the infos you have given and its very helpful. Ive been thinking of applying for a job in korea. The thing is, im not a teacher by profession. I am a gradyate and a licensed nurse in philippines. Is it possible for me to apply as a teacher in korea. Hope to get a response from you. Thanks. God bless

]]> Comment on So You Want To Teach In South Korea by James Jackson http://iamnotharrypotter.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/so-you-want-to-teach-in-south-korea/#comment-24 James Jackson Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:42:07 +0000 http://iamnotharrypotter.wordpress.com/?p=68#comment-24 Great information! Thanks, I will use this as a resource. Great information! Thanks, I will use this as a resource.

]]> Comment on So You Want To Teach In South Korea by Rhett http://iamnotharrypotter.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/so-you-want-to-teach-in-south-korea/#comment-23 Rhett Mon, 02 Feb 2009 16:19:47 +0000 http://iamnotharrypotter.wordpress.com/?p=68#comment-23 Go ahead. Write a long treatise on Korean social conservatism vs. Western social liberalism. See if I don't comment on it too. Go ahead. Write a long treatise on Korean social conservatism vs. Western social liberalism. See if I don’t comment on it too.

]]> Comment on The Crowded Subway Platform: The Drunken Brawler’s Arena of Choice by I am Not Tony Lauricella http://iamnotharrypotter.wordpress.com/2008/12/07/crowded-subway-platforms-the-drunken-brawler%e2%80%99s-arena-of-choice/#comment-22 I am Not Tony Lauricella Tue, 30 Dec 2008 14:04:55 +0000 http://iamnotharrypotter.wordpress.com/?p=53#comment-22 You know, "I'm not Harry Potter" is just what I'd expect Harry Potter to title his blog. Good over. You're being watched, "Chris." You know, “I’m not Harry Potter” is just what I’d expect Harry Potter to title his blog. Good over. You’re being watched, “Chris.”

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