Korean Job Discussion Forums

PaperTiger · Joined: 31 May 2005 Location: Ulaanbataar

Another tiresome rant:

So our school photographer came by yesterday to drop off some photos, when I asked I was told they're the graduation photos for the children. I recalled the day when this happened because the heartless viper that is our bi-lingual "English Department Head" not only failed to tell the only two foreign staff members that there was a picture, but also informed us that there was no need to go home and change because they didn't need us for this particular picture. So I thought nothing of it.

Yesterday the pictures came back and I asked the same two-faced harpy, that if indeed these are the graduation photos then why is it that nobody asked the foreign staff to be in them...since these kids didn't teach THEMSELVES English. I've taught these kids for a year and I've been asked to stay on for the next year, so it makes sense that I would've have been included. Even schools that openly displayed their disdain and lack common courtesy for foreigners always insisted that the white monkey be in ALL the school photos. She basically laughed and didn't say anything, as did the other teachers in the room. When I persisted they spoke in Korean, as if I wasn't there and couldn't understand them, remarking about how out of line I was and that I had absolutely no right to protest this issue let alone be in the picture.

Hey...maybe it's a "misunderstanding"...yeah, in most cases when people deliberately slight you or cheat you because of your status as a foreigner it's because there was a "misunderstanding". I guess it's possible that you could "forget" to ask a six foot eight white man that's been at your school FOR A WHOLE YEAR to be in the photo that's being posed in the room next to our TINY CLOSET OF A SHARED OFFICE. But I disagree, a misunderstanding arises when one or both parties genuinely don't understand some aspect of a situation. In Korea a "misunderstanding" seems to consist of a Korean doing something appalling to you, both parties being aware of the slight, and then they refuse to acknowledge that they've done something wrong.

Yeah, sure...in the grand scheme of things it's a small things. I guess it should come as no surprise, it's just that ours is a small school and when you work with people that closely you kind of expect that at some point you'd stop being "them" and become one of "us". Another reminder of what a foreigner's true place is here in Korea.

English_Ocean · Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 4:20 pm Post subject:

Isn't it terrible how small petty things really upset us? We are graduates from accrediated universities yet, somehow someone always seems to get our goats. It's the accumulation of slights which wears us down and makes us weary. There seems to be no reward system in this country for foreign english teachers. That in itself is troublesome due to the fact that we are raised on the reward system. Being included in your school photo would have been a reward of sorts for you, yet that one small reward, which you earned after a year of dedicated service was denied. What more can I say?
I'm terrible sorry that you have been wronged however petty that wrong may have been. Now, you need to do something rewarding for yourself and if at all possible let it be known to the others, if revenge is in the air.

Cool

andrew · Joined: 30 Jan 2003

.....

kat2 · Joined: 25 Oct 2005 Location: Busan, South Korea

Do yo uwork at a public school? I've had several public school teachers say that no one told them ti was picture day, so of course the foreign teacher is the only one with no makeup or no suit on.
One friend even asked why he wasn't told and was told that "the VP only told the teachers." Need I say more?
On my good days, I brush it off as them not considering me a real teacher.
On my bad days, I think it may be intentional to make us look like we aer the only ones who don't take out job seriously.

PaperTiger · Joined: 31 May 2005 Location: Ulaanbataar

Like the guy said...it's an accumulation.

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

I always figure these kinds of things go like this:

Everyone knows you haven't been invited

But it's the boss's job to invite you

Everyone knows its the boss's job to invite you

Everyone knows the boss hasn't mentioned it to you yet

Anyone taking the initiative to invite you would be causing a great loss of face to the boss

No one says anything

The boss forgets, because everything is left to the last minute, or the boss has minimal english skills and doesn't want to lose face by flubbing his/her english or having a subordinate speak to you.

My alternative theory is Koreans pass messages to each other via a chemical means and assume you have this ability as well.

(I've been at my school 3 years, the only foreigner, blond top, and they always forget to invite me to these things. And frankly I don't mind.)

Return Jones · Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 5:13 pm Post subject:

dmbfan · Joined: 09 Mar 2006

Ya know O.P., I can definately understand why you would be upset. And, no it is NOT a petty thing. You work hard, you teach, you give 100%...............and not being included in a graduation photo is a huge slap in the face.

So, the next time they ask something of you, remember this moment, and mention it to them.

Cheers.

dmbfan

khyber · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Compunction Junction

Missile Command Kid · Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Location: Daegu

"Oh, whoops! Sorry for forgetting for showing up to work last week. I'm not actually a teacher, you know, and I am a foreigner, so I'm not that intelligent. Oh, I have a feeling that I'll be forgetting to show up next week too. Sorry in advance!"

simpleminds · Joined: 04 May 2006

zappadelta · Joined: 31 Aug 2004

JJJ · Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Location: Seoul

Yeah, I agree the accumulation of these petty things gets my goat too.

My student won an English speaking contest and the prinicpal made a big deal in front of the school by thanking the K. English teacher when I was the one who wrote it, and trained after school everyday for 2 month.

The V-P says we can go home early now and no one tells me, so I sitting alone in the school for 4 hours waiting for 5 pm.

The teachers get together for dinner, no one tells me.

The annual camping trip come about (a Thurs. and Fri. {a holiday}) and they tell phone me at 8pm, telling me the bus is leaving at 8am the next day. I tell them sorry but I don't have a winter jacket...yet. I could have easily gone out and bought one, but thanks for telling me so late. Sorry, I can't go. No problem they say...oh, but you still have to go to school...even though there will be no one there.

Planning my lessons for this week and they tell me at 8:55am Monday that all the classes are cancelled. Jeez.

Etc, etc. But now I don't really care anymore. That is the way it is at my school and no amount of logic that I explain to them is going to change it. So, I just count down the months 'till I leave. 6 months. Can't wait.

ilovebdt · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Location: Nr Seoul

Wrench · Joined: 07 Apr 2005

Your making a mountain out of a molehill. I say Golden rule reverse it, it works for ME. I treat people like the treat me. If they treat me nice then I will reciprocate same goes for assholes..

In Korea your always on the outside looking in and Koreans don't even like that.. When they start bothering me trying to look inside my hypothetical box I just shut them out and tell them its the Korean way. They get the point and they foff quickly.