Korean Job Discussion Forums

Boodleheimer

i'm really having a hard time getting used to it. i've been here since 1 july, so i suppose i should be okay with it by now, but i have a tendency to worry.

babtangee · Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 5:55 pm Post subject:

Anything they ask me to do last minute doesn't get done. Unless they present me with the required materials and I have some spare time.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

The last day of of the term is always amusing to observe. Unless you're still waiting for your visa renewal and are leaving for Canada the next day, like happened to me last summer.

charlieDD · Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Location: Seoul, Korea

Do like an American friend of mine does and put a sign on your desk that reads:

"P*ss poor planning on your part, does not constitute an emergency on my part."

( But then again, he works in Yongsan as an contract engineer. So, the meaning in English isn't lost. )

The managers of my apartment demonstrate the last-minuteness phenomenon all the time: Announcing on the speaker system that in ten minutes we are going to shut off the hot water, or something like that! No such thing as a planning it and posting a notice the day before!

(Oh, for those of you not in large apartment buildings: Korean apartments have speakers in them that go "bing, binG, biNG, bING, BING" at any time the management wants to announce something; it can be as silly as "the aujumma club is having a meeting" to as urgent as "we're shutting off the electricity at 1:00 o'clock for two hours, so the elevators won't be working." )

jennateacher · Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 7:15 pm Post subject:

I do not stress about it if it is a last minute thing. If they really need it they can wait. I am bigger than most of my staff memebers. If I just sit my butt down they can not do much to get me off it.

I was told I had to pack up my office in one day, while I was nasty sick with a cold. The new guy wanted to get settled before vacation. The korean English teacher agreed to it for me since I was out on a sick day. I told her I will pack up and get out when I can. Since the school gave me nothing but furniture, I had 8 boxes of personal materials and supplies. There was no way I was going to stay all night when I was sick. They had to wait and that was that.

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

I learned to just expect it. Not having expectations met due to lack of planning causes stress, so stop expecting anything but a lack of planning.

And soju helps.

twg · Joined: 02 Nov 2006 Location: Getting some fresh air...

ChuckECheese · Joined: 20 Jul 2006

I don't do it.

I have tendency of having amnesia when it comes to last minuteness.

"Oh that? I forgot/don't know." Laughing

poet13 · Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 9:13 pm Post subject:

If I can't be fished, I say I'm sorry, but I have something to do that has to be done. If I'm feeling like it, I look at my calendar, pull out to-do book, open my worksheet on ym computer and with a full thoughtful pen strokes and keystrikes, announce that I moved heaven and earth and am now available. I don't do it too much, just when I think they haven't appreciated me enough that week.... Laughing

wylies99 · Joined: 13 May 2006 Location: I'm one cool cat!

I know- the director of my school is a moron and the same BS happens to me. Rolling Eyes

To paraphrase an old Texas saying- "He's so dumb, he couldn't pour pee pee out of a boot even if the instructions were written on the heel"

Bukowski · Joined: 29 Nov 2006

In the public school system, things are very relaxed. That being said, two things are at play:

1) Far too often some foreigners in public schools don't understand Korean, nor do they attend the weekly/daily teachers' meetings. As a result, they do not know about things until the last minute.

This can be solved by either asking your supervising teacher to debrief you of any and all important information from the meetings or simply learn the language of the country that you live in and attend the meetings.

2) Lack of initiative on the part of the foreigner is a major factor here. For example, in the beginning of the school year, I ask for the yearly schedule, so I know when the tests are going to be held, when the school trips are, holidays, etc. and I plot them down on my calendar. I have access to the new online system that shows all the memos sent from the province or from the district, so I know about special events, meetings, projects, contests, and camps before most of the other foreigners do. Moreover, I can read the schedule board, so I know if my classes have been changed around or canceled for the day (I don't wait to be told things at the last minute, because I like to be prepared, independent, and proactive).

It's not difficult.

If you do the above, you are probably already the type of person that has a folder with emergency lessons ready to go. You are probably already the type of person that keeps all of the information that they could ever want from you on file as well, like a copy of passport, copy of bank book, degree, personal information, address information, medical report, lesson plans for the entire year, etc. Heck, if you do all of the things above, you know all of this already!

AC

Lizara · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Location: Seoul

Junior · Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Location: the eye

Short cuts..is the short answer. yep. Cut a whole lot of corners without too much worry.. Laughing

Qinella · Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Location: the crib

The last minuteness is driving me crazy where I work. It's not stuff I can just ignore. It's stuff like:

'Hey, it's 7:05. Why aren't you in class?'
'What class?'
'The one that started today! It was supposed to start five minutes ago!'

This has nothing to do with my Korean ability (but thanks Bukowski for your condescending thoughts) since eeeeverything at the hagwon is done in English. Everyone speaks English only, and all signs are in English. It's about the director having no time management skillz.

Another example, which happens a lot, is when new students arrive. I don't find out about it until I show up to the class, at which point the student doesn't have a book because we don't keep extras in stock (that would be too prepared) so I have to go down and make photocopies. Huge waste of time, and a pain in the ass.

A final example: Friday night, at 8:00pm, I get told that everyone is going out to dinner. Hope you didn't have plans!

Bleh. I hate this lack of preparedness. Drives me bonkers.

kermo · Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 10:52 am Post subject:

I've taught at elementary schools where *everything* is done in Korean, and it's true that people do forget to inform the foreigner, because 99% of the staff already knows. It's tough to be pro-active, though. How can I ask about an event that I don't know is happening?

I don't mind working off the cuff, but the trick to adjusting (for me) was not to take it personally. It's awkward being out of the loop, and sometimes embarrassing, but everyone saves face when you just jump in and do your best.