Job Discussion Forums

[bnix]

"Born to Run"-Springsteen
"Little Runaway"-Del Shannon
"Running on Empty"-Jackson Browne
"Running Scared"-Roy Orbison
"Who Will You Run To?"-Heart

[PanamaTeacher]

I have never heard any of these songs (maybe I'm too old). Are you saying the all have "run" in the title or that it is fun to listen to them while you run?

[bnix]

Both.The word "run" is in the title of all of them.And runners could listen to them.I am talking about TESOL runners, of course, not joggers.Maybe you do not have TESOL runners in Panama.
In Korea,Taiwan,and numerous other TESOL venues,"pulling a runner" or "doing a runner" means leaving an unsatisfactory( !!!) job without first telling your employer. In other word, escaping.

You may not be old ENOUGH to remember a couple of the song titles."Little Runaway",sung by Del Shannon is from 1959.I believe it was reissued later,maybe in the eighties. "Running Scared", sung by Roy Orbison,is either from the fifties or sixties.The others are more recent.I am quite surprised you have never heard the Springsteen song.

[Wolf]

I believe that a "runner" is someone who doesn't like their job so much that they leave without giving notice. They just pack up and ship out - possilby leaving the country. On the Korean forum this is called a "midnight run."

Kind of like "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" movie version, where Arwen says "if I can cross the river, the power of my people will protect me."

Okay not quite, but some DOSs rival the Nazgul in their treatment of teachers. Unpaid wages, unpaid overtime, verbal abouse, stealing passports, refusing to obey labour standards laws of the land, unnecessarily stressful working contions. On top of all that, getting used to teaching and getting used to living in a foreign culture are both stressful enough in a "normal" working envoirnment.

My vote, incidently and in case you can't guess, it the track from said movie where Arwen and Frodo are fleeing from the Nazgul.

"Give up your passport, waygook!"
"If you want it," *draws sword* "come and claim it!"

Edit: binx's second post wasn't there when I started typing. Sorry to answer the same question twice.

[PanamaTeacher]

Hey you guys are funny--I can't imagine running away from a job, I'm always looking for more work. But as I say, I don't want students, classes or work--I want to get paid.

Now that I think about it, I did suddenly quit one of my first teaching jobs here and I avoided that part of town for a couple of years because I was afraid I would get stabbed or shot. People die for $2.00 here in the Land of the Canal.

I am also surprised that I never heard these songs; maybe I did but didn't know what they were. I hate radio and I'm not into MTV. I do know that "Born in the USA" is famous, and I have heard it several times. I guess that otherwise I'm culturally deprived.

[bnix]

A good post.He also explains "runner" very well. Interesting sidenote on "Lord of the Rings"
In some TESOL venues,like Saudi,you HAVE to surrender your passport.They give you something called an "iqama" to carry around in case anyone(e.g. the "friendly" religious police) stops you and asks you for ID.
Consequently,sans passport, it is much more difficult to "pull a runner" in a place like Saudi.Some knowledgeable Saudi hands get around this dilemma by "washing their passports".Claiming one of their passports was destroyed or lost(but not really),applying for another passport....and bingo...you have a spare.It is my understanding,however, that this practice is strictly illegal.

[Wolf]

Yes, I think our friends from Saudi have well documented their passport surrendering on this forum. They aslo need a special visa to leave The Kingdom, I belive.

I was talking aobut east Asia, where not even in the PRC do you have to give up your passport at a matter of due process - the governments don't require it (but your employers might ask - REFUSE! It's your right.)

[elainenatal]

I must ask "Back Doors" what his theme song is .......we celebrated and sang songs all night when he did his runner.

[scot47]

In Saudi Arabia it is normal to surrender your passport. Even if you hold onto it you can't use it to leave unless you have an exit visa - which you get through your employer. So :'Washing your passport" does not help you get out of the K of SA.

Washing the passport comes in when you want to change employers. You cannot do that legally without the permission of your current employer, who can refuse to allow the transfer. What some unscrupulous teachers then do is leave the country, apply for a new passport and pretend they have never been in the Magic Kingdom.

Incidentally more enlightened employers(especially in the Eastern Province) let you have a multiple exit visa andalso let you hold onto your passport.

And why would anyone want to leave Saudi Arabia ?

[Capergirl]

"The Midnight Run"...ah yes, also known in Korea as "Get the $#@% out of Dodge". Not that I would know anything about that....

My employer in Chonju wanted to take my passport when I first arrived, but I refused to give it up. I insisted on accompanying his little flunkie to Iksan for the visa paperwork. Not the trusting sort, moi. Of course, if he hadn't whited out parts of my contract and made "changes" prior to my arrival, I might have been a bit more trusting.

[Shaman]

"Take this Job and Shove It" - Johnny Paycheck
"Run Through the Jungle"- Creedence Clearwater Revival
"Run Like Hell" - Pink Floyd
"Run to the Hills" - Iron Maiden
"Leaving Here" - Motorhead



Shaman

[biffinbridge]

Bat out of hell-meatloaf orSteppenwolf..."getcha motor runnin', head out on the highway,looking for adventure and whatever comes my way......"

[gerard]

"Hit the Road Jack"...and dont ya come back no more. One of my all time favorites.
Theres also Running on Empty but most people are flush when they do the run. I have done it twice and mt themes were whatever I heard at the time. One was we sail tonite for Singapore by Tom Waits. Another was It Never Rains in Southern California. Dont know what that has to do with the runner though. Come to think of it that was my getting fired song. "Jack" is a party song though.

[MissMolly]

I vote for "Running on Empty" or "Ramble On", Led Zepplin

[Wolf]

Here they are folks. These will be my running songs, if and when the need arises.

Just becasue I'm from Nova Scotia:

http://www.mixed-up.com/lyrics/round/serenity-waltz.html

And for all those USians who live near there:

http://www.anysonglyrics.com/lyrics/h/hermeshouseband/takemehome.htm