Korean Job Discussion Forums

HollyLove · Joined: 07 Nov 2009

I'm moving to Korea at the end of the month and I wanted to get some type of gift for my co-teacher. I realize I don't have to do this but why not start off on a good foot. Any suggestions? I was thinking of getting those "I <3 (city)" t-shirts but thats pretty corny sooooo...

BigLarry · Joined: 09 Sep 2009 Location: Anywhere there is wine.

If you're not the first FAET teacher there then your best bet is to ask the one you are replacing. Though chocolates and tat are always popular, it's better to get something that your co-teacher would really like.

MattAwesome · Joined: 30 Jun 2008

dont get anything they wont like and throw away. i would never wear a t-shirt like that even as a gift from dieing grandma. a cell-phone charm would be good. most girls / women have/like those. or some good native candy / snack.
on second thought, bring whatever you like from home for yourself. there is a lot you cant get over here without monster searching or paying exorbitant prices. thats off topic.

sulperman · Joined: 14 Oct 2008

Is it a public school? Do you know how many co-teachers you will have for sure? It wouldn't be cool to give one a gift if you have 5 more. Forget it, bring donuts or something in the first week instead.

Pa Jan Jo A Hamnida · Joined: 27 Oct 2006 Location: Not Korea

A kiss is always welcome.

Goon-Yang · Joined: 28 May 2009 Location: Duh

A "dick in a box" is always fun for everyone.

rookieglobetrotter · Joined: 19 Dec 2008

Yes I need ideas too. The teachers here have been kind at my new school compared to the probs I had last year. The thing is I sit in a room with 7-10 people and we all spend time at work together. I am thinking the route of fruit or those little vitamin c bottles in a couple weeks. Its mostly women though so maybe I should get other foods? What do korean ppl like?

For the people helping me most though I feel I should get them more. After all, they moved me to a new apt and have done great in making me feel welcome. Most of my coteachers are married 40 year old women so I have no clue what to get lol. I was thinking perfume or chocolates or something.

lovebug · Joined: 29 Apr 2009

as sulperman says, it's possible that you could have anywhere between 2-10 coteachers (some homeroom teachers still act as coteachers) depending on your school. most of the time, you'll be in a subject teacher's room, where you'll spend your afternoons when you're not teaching. there will be about 7-9 teachers there.

some people on this forum will tell you that gifts are a waste of time and go unappreciated, but i don't believe this is always the case. a little thoughtfulness goes a long way. when i started at my school, i gave my principal, VPs, and coteachers something. i brought a variety of little things because i wasn't sure how many CTs i'd have or the gender of my VPs, etc.

a few suggestions:
principal's gift needs to be nicer than the VPs, which need to be nicer than the CTs, etc. stick to hierarchy.
wrap everything. give it to them and do not expect or demand that they open it in front of you. koreans don't like to be put in situations where they can see what the gift is when you present it. if they don't like it, it will be hard for them to save face in your presence.
don't expect a major thank you, but know that often, it definitely makes an intangible difference.
alcohol is good for a male principal, and anything native to your country is appreciated.
a big thing here is to get multivitamins as gifts, but if you feel weird giving them, i don't blame you.

in my 2nd week, i got a small cake tour les jours for all my subject teachers to enjoy after lunch together. every time i travel, i get something small from the place i go for them to share. it cuts down on the awkward guilt you feel when they moan about how they can't go anywhere because they have so many babies.
no matter how many CTs you have, the person you really want to focus on is your handler or main CT. this is the person who fights for your holiday time and tells the admin if you're doing a good job or not. whenever mine goes above and beyond, i get her a small thing, like a pair of coffee milks or cheese kimbap or something. it makes a world of difference.

good luck!

miljeong · Joined: 07 Mar 2010 Location: Bundang

dirving · Joined: 19 Nov 2009 Location: South Korea

Him no funny.

Cerberus · Joined: 29 Oct 2009

get your coteachers say a baseball hat with your town's name embroidered on it, or something like that.

K's love those touristy types things.

Bring a couple of extra ones for perhaps the P, VP and a dept head or two.

DrugstoreCowgirl · Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 9:42 pm Post subject:

I gave my co-teachers magnets and key chains from my hometown.

the oak llama · Joined: 05 Dec 2008

I did get my coteacher, principle and vice principle gifts when I came (coffee, liquor from home, and coffee, respectively) and they definitely appreciated it.

BUT...

I asked my coteacher about it later and she said it's very uneccessary.

BUT...

I think it definitely got me off on a good foot. So I would recommend.

Just wait until you're here for a week or so. Find out what might suit them. Nothing terribly fancy. You'll make a lot of friends if you buy some pastries and bring them in for everyone.

MalFSU1 · Joined: 27 Jan 2009

I really am against giving "presents" to co-teachers. I did it last year and every time they just didn't seem very appreciative. I even bought one co-teacher a $30 bottle of wine and then like a week later she went on for like 10 minutes about how she doesn't like wine. Definitely don't assume all Koreans drink(I've had plenty of male and female coworkers who don't).

I DO think it is a good idea to buy your coworkers pizza or chicken one afternoon(especially appreciated if the school lunch that day is lame). Food is a huge part of culture here and seems to always make my coworkers smile and allows time for us to sit around and chat.