About
melpudding
Bio: I'm just trying to find out what I want to do with my life. While I'm doing that, why not have some fun, travel, and eat great food?
melpudding
My first time teaching and living in Korea. Hopefully what I post here will be helpful to people who read it.
Floundering can be a good thing 
Hey!
I was actually looking for reviews on the CDL location at dongtan since that’s where I’ll be placed at the end of February. I was just wondering how you like it so far and if you think I should take the offer from CDL or look for a different hagwon as I have read a lot of negative things about CDL in general.
Thanks,
Lysha
Hi Lysha. Chungdahm itself is a good company, but the dongtan branch is not a place I would recommend teaching in. If there’s any way, try to get placed at a different branch. Headquarter branches in Seoul, branches in daejeon or daegu are good also. But I strongly recommend not signing up with dongtan. There are many good hagwons out there. Have you looked at SLP? Or maybe consider EPIK Which is public school?
Thanks for the prompt reply. Unfortunately the only options I had were the ilsan branch and the dongtan branch. Can I ask why you would not recommend CDI dongtan though? I’m kind of on a tight schedule as I’m hoping to leave by February. I HAVE tried EPIK, but they were a load of jokes as well. I haven’t heard if SLP. Is there an email I could email you at that would be easier to contact you? 🙂
Yes, please email me at supertenni@gmail.com
I have to start work soon, but the short answer is that you will either be replacing me or a cdi teacher or both.Unfortunately, this branch does not have enough teachers or money to give time off, or a fair schedule. You may very well have to twach not only cdi but april as well. Imagine coming to work at 130 and teaching until 10~1030. Whereas if you only taught cdi it would be 430-1030. The teachers that teach dually are constantly telling me how they hate it. I personally also feel like I’m doing more favors than what I’m being promised.
hey. I emailed you and I’m not sure if you had gotten the email. Now i’m worried since I have about a month – 2 months left to find a job…… any places you’d recommend? Thanks!
I actually didn’t get any email. Like I said, chungdahm itself is not a bad company. It’s just certain branches that are bad. I would look on Dave’s esl cafe or call up branches directly. The branches in Daejeon are well run. I don’t have that information but maybe it’s on the internet. Also, try emailing headquarters and ask for help.
Ben Ha might be helpful if you ask. Though I can’t guatantee that he can or that he will find you a place for February. I just have to say thay it’s very difficult to transfer from dongtan to another branch. So I know you’re on a tight schedule, but it’s not worth it to take the job just to get here. You said you had the option of ilsan or dongtan. Can you still take ilsan?
Yup. I just emailed Ben to see if I can still take Ilsan up on their offer. Is Ilsan better than dongtan. I have emailed a lot of other places, but a lot of them aren’t giving me a chance because I’m not a gyopo and I’m not white T.T
That’s weird. But I’m sure ilsan has to be better than dongtan.
Hey! I just wanted to say thank you for your help. I’ve declined the Dongtan offer and got in touch with the Daejeon director, so I hope there’ll be some good news there. Also, I want to go out for coffee with you when I get to Korea if you’re down 🙂 I just feel like you were a big help and wanted to show you thanks! 😀
I’m glad I was some help. I never thought that this abandoned blog would be useful to someone. I hope you get a job with daejeon. I leave in the beginning of march. If you do get a job in daejeon we can definitely meet! Best of luck!
Hey I just talked to the manager in daejeon. Looks like you’ll have a job! Don’t tell him I told you though haha.
Random dude here, but i worked for dongtan cdi for about 6 months back around 2011-2012. It was the most miserable insanely god awful job ive ever had in my life. You are so lucky to have turned it down. Chungdahm is just ok, but dongtan cdi is an absolute crapshoot, mostly due to the manager Kaylin. Good luck to you!
Hi there ! I just came across your blog because I got an offer from CDI April Dongtan . Is that the exact place you taught ? Do you know if the management have improved now compared to when you were there ? I haven’t had any other offers these past months because recruiters keep telling me that hagwons do not want to hire Asian Americans, so I was about to accept the job before I can across your blog .. ): Now I’m conflicted .
Hi Jelly,
That is the exact location that I worked at. The management had changed a few times while I worked there and it never really got any better. There is currently some new management but the current teachers tell me that not much has changed in terms of the quality if the workplace. I know it is easier going through recruiters, but it might also be easier to go through the actual branches themselves. Also, Dave’s esl cafe is a good place to look at who’s hiring at the moment. Another option is to pick another country? Hope that helps.