Job Discussion Forums

[denise]

How would you describe your relationships with your co-workers? Friendly? Strictly business? Too close for comfort?

I have been lucky so far. In both Prague and Japan, I have been blessed with wonderful co-workers. In both cases, there was/is a fairly tight-knit community that hangs out together, supports each other at work, etc. Sometimes such closeness can go too far, to the exclusion of the local community (e.g., always hanging out in expat bars/restaurants, never mingling, etc.), but that has not been the case. I can think of several occasions in Prague on which a group of us would hop on a bus and spend a day/weekend in a tiny little town where nobody spoke any English. Here in Japan, everybody seems to have connections all over the place, and many of my co-workers speak Japanese (I feel the pressure to catch up!). We work well together, sharing ideas, materials, etc., and we have fun together. I really feel like I've got the best of both worlds: a great expat community around me, without the "expats only" exclusiveness that sometimes results.

The only negative bit that I can think of involved dating a co-worker. Ooops. When your social network is that tight and the relationship sours, it's a pretty bad situation. After things went down the toilet, I found myself staying home alone rather than going out with "the gang," because I knew the ex would be there.

What about the rest of you? What have your experiences been?

d

[Wolf]

There are four of us, and we live in the same building. Two of the others were friends from before. The fourth just got here last week. We get along fine, but we really don't see each other very often, or spend time together. I study, the others travel a lot. We all get innundated with students from time to time.

I've had no personality conflicts.

In Japan my second job - where I worked for two years - had a fairly good working atmosphere. When the school was going under things soured a bit (the management played one group of us off the other.) But all in all we had a great time working together.

NOVA I was lucky as well. My roomates were good, and we decided to move out into our own apartment together. At work was at work. I left it behind when I checked out. Even so, I never had any real problems with any of my co-workers there. We worked together well enough (and had a "common enemy" if you will) and I spent my free time doing other things (juku student.)

[Steiner]

I'm married to the only other foreign teacher here. We're the only two foreigners in the county. No complaints.

[Will.]

Co-workers!!!???
I do all the work in this place.

[Roger]

OH, at first it's always good vibes. Let's see what's around the next bend!
In one school, I quickly found out that the FAO was not happy with her job and her superiors. She had some pretty good ideas of what's wrong - at least from my point of view.
At first, I thought I was enjoying a special relationship with her, one in which she would share with me alone her own observations. SOme of them were pretty identical with my own ones.
But one day, I had a serious altercation with the school over contractual stipulations, promises made and not delivered; instead of staying neutral she took the school's side. I felt cornered and began ranting, and that she could nnot stand.
She chose to punish me - keeping me waiting for my salary when everybody else had gotten their pay.
She is not a bad girl, far from it; I think she is suffering enormously herself, but I have no inkling what the cause might be. One day, I saw her crying. It was after I exploded when I learnt she had unilaterally decided to axe some of my lessons of the same day. She knew I would get angry for having to put up with a reduced workload as they do not pay me a monthly salary but hourly wages.
I was really astonished to see her crying in the dean's office, with the dean herself gleefully watching.

But in school no. 2, I have excellent rapport with virtually everybody. Today, one of my colleagues reported to my boss that the parents had been watching my class, and expressed their immense satisfaction.
THis colleague is very sweet. Sometimes she buys water or coke for me - belatedly, I found out WITH HER OWN MONEY. I wanted to reciprocate, knowing that she earns only a fraction of my part-time wages. She declined any invitation to a restaurant.

[Will.]

Denise,
if you have been lucky twice it is probably because you are a person that fits in. Do you know the story of the two frogs? One from Osaka and the other from Tokyo? or the one about the two travellers from different directions asking info about the next town from a bystander who replies to one who didnt like the last place they had visited " you probably won't like it here" and to the other who did like their last town "you probably will".
Mixing business and pleasure, well you know the downfalls now, there are benefits too. I try not too, but.....
Age range in a school, groupings by likes etc in a big school can be divisive in a smaller one cohesive, smoking and drinking cause the most ructions and divisions. Generally you get back what you put in.

[Capergirl]

I get along just fine with my co-workers here for the most part. There is one instructor that we all butt heads with occasionally, but most of the time it is "smooth sailing".

My experiences in Taiwan and Korea were a little different. I got along great with my fellow expats, but for some reason struggled with the local teachers a bit. There was some jealousy on their part, I believe, that made our working relationship a bit strained. Our younger students fawned over us (pale-skinned foreigners) quite a bit and the local teachers were also aware of how much (more) money we were making, both of which seemed to be points of contention for them.

[rogan]

Denise -
my experience (from what I have seen) has shown that "Never date your students or your colleagues" is good advice.

Also; I have always tried to assimilate into local society.
That would be a problem in the ME and SE Asia - that's why I am not interested in working there


rogan

[denise]

[Wolf]

[scot47]

Wolfie is right.

Rule Number one :

NEVER, EVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES agree to a deal where you have to share accommodation with a colleague or colleagues.

If you choose to rent a place and share with friends that is up to you, but sharing with people from work is not a good idea.

[MartinK]

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[Will.]

I thought he shared ..........................................................................................with........................................................................................................... Pinter.....................................................................................................................................