Job Discussion Forums

[santi84]

Agreed, the OP is a woman and for all we know, at 5'0 and 130lbs will be overweight in many parts of Asia.

Hell, even here in Quebec she would be considered the same yet average in most of the US and in much of Canada.

[sirius black]

OP, don't listen to any one who makes it any thing more than a minor issue. At least in Korea. Its almost a non issue.
Most Americans are overweight anyway and most of the teachers are.
There are tons of threads about guys complaining the teachers here are fat. I've seen tons of very fat teachers. Some look morbidly obese.

You will get a job. Not a problem. Schools are desperate for people and there are more jobs than candidates. Always have been.

These boards have a habit of discouraging people who I know will be able to teach successfully in Korea. Ethnic minorities, gays, over 30 or over 40 folks, etc. I've seen discouraged from teaching. I don't know why. Maybe its to stop competition. Maybe its some naturally negative personality.

I can tell you though, it will not be an issue in Korea.

[Aristede]

[Aristede]

[santi84]

I understand that socially an overweight person can feel 'out of place' in Korea or other countries with similar weight standards (as some of my friends have said), but none of them have experienced hiring discrimination. With the exception of one girl (who is of Asian descent but 100% American), their weight issues are either a non-issue or 'forgiven' ( ) due to their cultural background. Perhaps it is an expectation that the Western teacher is slightly plump

[Prof.Gringo]

[voltaire]

[Gringo Greg]

[Aristede]

[Aristede]

[santi84]

Sharing our experiences is one thing, projecting them as another.

With all due respect Gringo Greg (and that is an amazing accomplishment), being "overweight" clinically starts at a BMI of 26, so for an average 5'4 female that is only around 150lbs (a bit above average for North America, certainly above average cultural acceptance in Asia). This is a far cry from being 450lbs+ which is an extreme example of morbid obesity. Being overweight can put one at risk of health conditions, morbid obesity means those conditions are occurring already.

We have no idea if the OP is ill or unhealthy as a result of her weight, and I think people who are above-average weight face enough assumptions in life, do they not

I love to teach English but my hobby is in powerlifting. I'm a petite woman, but I lift with girls who are overweight - that weight doesn't mean they are unhealthy, some of them are very healthy. They just choose to keep a little more cushion. Don't assume.

[voltaire]

Well said (above) Aristede. It sounds like an obvious thing to say, but I myself hadn't realized it until reaching 'a rather advanced age'.

People can't help the way they look.

So it's really one's own problem if they dislike someone for being overweight, or generally having a vacant expression, or being 'ethnic' or just plain unattractive.

Appearances are deceiving.

Just one example, there was another instructor at a place I worked. My first impression was that she was a mousey, meek and milktoast Chinese woman. Rather plain, bad English (I presumed)and just a real zero.

When I got to know her better I found her very knowledgeable about her subject (biology), open-minded, brash and bold, an engaging conversationalist far beyond all the others at that school, a conscientious teacher of high moral standards and most importantly as funny as hell!

Just shows to go ya...

[HLJHLJ]

It's hardly surprising that the OP hasn't been back. It doesn't matter if the OP is 150lbs or 450lbs, she didn't come here looking for dietary advice. Why do so many people feel obliged to jump in with unwanted and judgmental 'advice' on other people's lifestyle choices when it's none of their business?

[majestic58]

First of all, thank you for all the constructive and informative posts... Just to clear things up, here is some background information about me:

I've been active all my life, I played 6 varsity sports all throughout high school. I've been on provincial track teams, and been to the Olympic trials for track and field. I played on a professional women's football team for 8 years, doing 3 hour practices four times a week with games on Saturday. I've also been fat my whole life. I'm 5'9 and overweight, not chubby but genuinely overweight. All the sports have taken their toll, I've had three knee surgeries (one when I was 17 to repair the shredded meniscus in my right knee, one when I was 26 to repair it again and repair a tear in my ACL and a third one to replace the ACL and repair the meniscus in my left knee) and I'm likely looking at a fourth.

I probably don't eat as well as I should, but I'm not gorging myself on crap... But, with the state of my knees serious exercise is difficult. I swim, I ride my bike, I walk... But the fact is, I'm a fat kid... always have been..

This isn't a pity party, and I certainly didn't mean to stir things up... I just wanted to know if my size was going to create an issue. I'm still going to go... Just wanted to know what to prepare myself for. <3

[Sashadroogie]

Cheers! Here's to you! Clink!

Best of luck to you!