I worked in education in Korea (Seoul) for 8 years and recently jumped over to Shanghai.  I had a good job in Korea, but I hated the country.  As far as work drama goes, the lack of critical thinking, planning, and foresight permeates everything in the Korean "school".  That was something i got used to and learned to navigate / compensate for.

In China, so far I've found some of the same negative things:  useless meetings, lack of clear questions / answers / solution-based discussion, posturing and ego issues....but on a level that's somehow more tolerable than it was in Korea.  I think it's because I simply like Chinese people better.  They are more down-to-Earth and less insecure around foreigners.  I find myself making real Chinese friends here, and they are far more likely to be honest and open with me (both on a professional and personal level) than most Koreans would. 

I remember most of my interactions with Koreans being fraught with insecurity, giggling, face-saving, lying and just plain stupid decisions.  Not to mention the sad culture of status symbols, drinking / avoiding, animal abuse, and lack of substance (to anything!). Here, there is some of that but just far less ..insidious.  Most of the posters here insist that working with the Chinese is horrible (all the things said above to the max) but honestly, after living and working in Seoul...not only am I equipt to deal with it, but am pleasantly discovering that it's way less worse.  I see many happy Chinese people every day.  I rarely saw a truly happy Korean.

Good luck.  I am far, far happier in Shanghai (it's been 6 months now) than I EVER was in Seoul.

I didn't really answer your question "what was the most challenging part in the transfer?"

Answer:  nothing so far, nothing that doesn't pale in comparison to what I dealt with in Korea.  So I think you'll do just fine.

Thanks a lot for your reply Jen! I really appreciate it.

I have been in Korea for 5 years, 1 of which was Seoul. I can fully associate with everything you have just written and i'm really glad that you are happy in Shanghai.

I also find the lack of thinking in my 'school'  frustrating and like yourself came to just try and brush it off, but there is only so much one person can take when they actually care about the job they are doing.

The interactions and substance of anything from the peninsula are so paper thin its embarrassing.

Thanks a lot for the info.

Cheers

I love how Chinese are more open and less shy to talk or speak English in public. In Korea if i called my korean friend they would wisper: Sorry teacher, I'm on the subway, i will call you back later, I don't want anyone to hear me speak english~yyyy.. lol

I can really say i am loving China life more then Korea. But Korea was also great for food, milk and meat haha. I would have had a heart attack by now if I kept on eating that wonderful meat "sum~gip~sal"..And those were my single days before I ever thought about marriage, so Korea was the best "Love" time in my early twenties.

main difference:

Guys care more about their apperance.

Girls ware more makeup, it's nude makeup, you can't see.

Be prepared for food that is massively inferior to Korean food.

To royceH,

No doubt about the difference between Korean and Chinese food. Korean food by and large is delicious. Sort of the best stuff of Japan and China fused together with their own flavorings, and especially a lot more beef. I love Korean food. Much more than most Chinese crap.

As an aside, I first worked in Korea and did not like the country very much or the people. I did meet some nice Korean people, but I did not care so much for the country.

I am really dying to know is the construction at schools and apartments just as bad as it is here?

Clearly the internet, TV, and general safety (food, air, water, etc.) must be exponentially better. What about the pay relative to the cost of living?

I can give you the perspective form the Korean side.

The internet - amazing!

TV - well its all Korean but its HD and there are movie channels with English movies

Safety - the safest place i've ever been.

School setup:

public: English department - usually just one native teacher and Korean co teachers.

private: no co teachers and you work alone following a syllabus - usually its just a boss, korean head teacher and then the teachers.

I've worked in both and personally i prefer the private. It keeps you honest as such and doesn't allow you to slack off. You don't seem to see any progress with public school which can just get depressing. Lots of kids, little time.

Apartments are fucking shite!! Fair enough they are clean and efficient but its a bloody birdcage. 1 rooms they call them. Basically a bedsit (if you know the term from the UK) with a seperate tiny bathroom and kitchen. I had a 2 bed apartment when i left the UK and going into that in Korea was shit. You cant even get your own apartment because of 'key money' - you need a deposit of like 20 million won 10,000Quid. not going to happen.

Cost of living: It can be really good if you are good at your job and work for a private school but public school and for a newbie out of college i guess its ok but not great. probably 2.1-2.2million about 12000RMB a month. Free apartment and i think maybe a 1/3 more expensive than China (guessing)

You should be able to save about half your pay a month if you dont go mental every weeekend.

the housing situation, like the building construction, is about the same as here.  Poor ventilation and insulation.  However, Korean buildings have the ONDOL heating system, which radiates the water-pipe heat through the floor, is much better than the A/C blowing from the ceiling situation here.  (I'm talking about heat).  Walking around your room with a heated floor is lovely.  I have been constantly cold in Shanghai the entire winter and my energy usage bills for my tiny room are sky-high.

In the summer, it's just AC like in China.  And they have all sorts of stupid ideas about opening windows, keeping fans off (in case you get killed by one!  seriously) and turning on the AC power on certain dates, since that's the 'beginning of summer in Korea'.  A certain date.  Yup.  Strangeness and lack of common sense.

LOL yes I mean Koreans care about appearance more

i didn't realize I didn't say it clearly haha