Korean Job Discussion Forums

[humanuspneumos]

The following information is not for persons who complain about the smell of Kimchi and think that's a big deal.


I often find that teachers who don't have older "friends" can get into a mess of trouble that will make their head spin. I also noticed that many teachers- being "bugged" by the older guy who wants to just chat in a club or something brush them off as a huge irritant. They give a card- say, "Pone me" and it's all left at that. I've gathered about 100 business cards in my course in Korea. Government officials, school owners, billionaires, lawyers, ... I was always surprised to see the position of the person giving me their card. It was never the card of a shoe sales-clerk. In fact- I just reached down randomly to pick a card to see what it was- it's Dr. Seung-Doo Wee (Professor at Chosun University).


Lots of teachers need to learn the value of spending time with older folk- rather than the younger club crowd with funky T-shirts and who are not respected in society. Some people say- "Get a life!" I say- "Get an older friend."

I've had several interesting experiences in Korea and had to pull out the big gun once- when a school was going bankrupt. The owner of a major china (bowls, cups, dishes- beautiful) and his lawyer came in handy. The Hotel owner especially came in handy. And the Dr. , Pharmacist, and a Hogwan director too came in handy.


Under any and all conditions- don't drag your young friend with the funky T-shirt to immigration or the Labor Board- infact- don't even take them through the doors of your school! It only spells trouble.

Get an older friend- don't be judgemental- give them some time- you can never have too many older friends in Korea (40-60 yrs of age)- they spell HELP- big time!

When you have exhausted all diplomacy channels- get on the horn to your older friend. If you insist on hanging only with the torn T-shirt crowd you might as well hold a gun to your Korea ESL career when things get nasty. (Actually- I know- many of the club hoppers dress far better than Westerners- it's just an analogy)

[rapier]

Probably wise advice. But it smacks of the "finding friends that you can use" philososphy. I'd rather spend the evening drinking with someone fun I met on the subway, than talking about God only knows with some Doctor who knows someone who might oneday be able to do "X" for me. Friendship is a pleasurable thing, not a chore, taking up liesure time, by which you claw your way up the social scale.
C'mon, be a real person....!

[humanuspneumos]

Rapier is absolutely right- and those people with whom I have made friendships with have also shed tears with me and I with them. That's why posting boards really suck sometimes and my writing- trying to squeeze one concept in to counter-balance another can really come off sounding extreme, arrogant or any other bad word you can think of.

Those who know me know that the older Koreans are cherished far beyond helping and helping is really at the bottom of the list. However, being a cripple in a foreign land- the older friends proved to be true and good friends who carried me at times on their backs up the stairs- and I they- when possible. I say again- don't brush off the older person- they really can turn out to be a true friend and last but not least- a great help.

[Odysseus]