Job Discussion Forums

[Don]

Can you tell me the average length of the summer break for EFL teachers, particularly for university teachers? Two weeks, one month, two months?

Are there any other major breaks, like a mid-year break between semesters?

Also, when does the school year run, Sept to June?

Thanks.

[jason_seeburn]

][

[Aristotle]

Please keep in mind that only public school teachers who are fully certified by the Republic of China as such get paid summer vacations. Many of them don't get it even though they may be entitled. Most tenured professors will get paid for summer, as a general rule foreigners do not. A few years ago it was decided that having a six day work week was a bad idea. So the government gave schools and most civil servants Saturday off. Big business became very alarmed and demanded that public holidays be cut to compensate. So basically Taiwan has very few public holidays. Sorry this is not a place that values time off.
Particularly yours.
A.

[jason_seeburn]

][

[chi-chi]

Once again...why are you guys doing this?
I've stated this in another thread, and will state it again-Korea has changed a lot. It's changing veeerry slowly, so a lot of people don't notice.
I recently worked at a bushiban in Taiwan (2 schools actually) and worked like a dog at the first, working on all public holidays (which I didn't know about until after the fact.) The second school had me working on Saturdays.
I currently work at the second-worst chain in Korea, and have had more than a week's worth of paid holidays so far. On one holiday I was even given overtime pay (from teaching extra classes prior that week.)
My school, which I admit is horrible, is still better than what I recently had to put up with in Taiwan. Also, even though I work at the second worst chain in Korea, it is still better than the average-type hogwan that my boyfriend worked at here back in 1999.
No paid holidays? Geez. Jason and some of you others need to come work at a Uni in Korea (requires a BA and at least a year of teaching experience.) I've met several people who have 3 months paid holidays. They just go home and travel and whatever. Of course, being blonde and blue eyed helps in getting a Uni job, but this is not too different than many other places in Asia.
Once again, I do not think Korea is a great place to work. But here for my trouble at least I am able to afford to buy whatever I want as well as send home tons of money. I remember when I went to Taiwan, I shipped over all these boxes of electronics, and people were asking me how I could have afforded to buy such things on a teacher's salary.
Chi-Chi

[EOD]

Chi Chi,
It's just too cold in Korea. I spent the month of February up by the DMZ a few years back. At least in Taiwan I don't have to worry about frost bite.