Korean Job Discussion Forums

[teacher]

What are some people's thoughts about working with these Korean co-workers, especially the women? I mean at hagwons. In my time here, I've felt quite "abused"-albeit psychologically-by some of these women. They fail to communicate, often want absolute control, gossip, and are real bitches sometimes. I have a hard time dealing with them. Should you just ignore the wenches?
The same goes for other Korean co-workers. I'm surprised at how much Koreans "take sides," especially when it comes to their own. Often as a foreigner I 'feel at odds" with these co-workers. They treat you like crap, have crappier attitudes, and the bosses-let's just say, are real pals. This "psycological inundation" is enough to make one want to scream.
I'd like to know if some of you have had the same experiences, and how you've dealt with them. And one more thing: What about New Zealanders? I've this one lady at my hagwon who should be living back in 19th century, colonial and imperialist England, if you know what I mean

[PootyTang]

Read between the lines o' stranger......



Now hollow fires burn out to black,
And lights are guttering low.
Square your shoulders, lift your pack,
And leave your friends, and go.

Oh never fear, man, nought's to dread,
Look not left nor right:
In all the endless road you tread
There's nothing but the night.

A.E. Houseman, "A Shropshire Lad"

[Derrek]

Just don't date a korean coworker.

My hagwon is great. The owners are really nice, and helpful. But my life is not fun now. Why? Because I was stupid and dated a coworker, who used me and threw me away. Now she acts like nothing ever happened. And I'm stuck working with her for another 4 months.

She wouldn't give me a reason why, and doesn't feel she ever owed me any reason. My guess is she is trying to save face by not admitting why she didn't want me. Basically, I got used for whatever reason gosh knows.

I should have listened to my Korean friends who could tell by her appearance photo that I could have done better.

[william beckerson]

While I dont know too much about my Kiwi co-worker, I can tell you this about working with Koreans:

They work about tens times harder than you do and earn about 3/4 of what you do. AND on top of that they dont get free room and board like you do.

Yes, they resent you. It may be too late for where you're at now, but if you find yourself at another hagwan in the future, I suggest treating them like the princesses they no doubt are. Start smooching butt because the one thing you cant afford to keep here in Korea is your pride.

[Hank Scorpio]

This might just be my insensitivity talking (it probably is), but you got used? It sounds to me like you set yourself up for failure, firstly by breaking a huge rule: don't dip your pen in the company ink. Office romances are a bad, bad, bad idea.

Secondly, it sounds like you tried to be nurturing, sensitive, relationship guy. That's inherently weak, and women sense that. In dating you pretty much have to be a *beep*. If you like someone, that's fine, just take it slow and don't invest too much emotion into it too quickly. And by all means, if she breaks it off don't drag drama into the office, because that's just pathetic.

[william beckerson]

and people call me cynical.

[Hotuk]

[teacher]

Is this the same guy that posted on his website that "Korean children are evil?" You have a lot of nerve. Your reasoning seems a little abnormal, doesn't it? Go crawl back into your web-hole of hatred, bickerson.
Do you think foreign teachers don't work hard? Besides from this, I'm not talking about equality or fairness or whatever "extemist" thoughts of debate you tried to stir up. A person like you has twisted reasoning. I'm talking about "their attitudes." No body likes to be abused, mistreated, or slandered, which in the West we call "DISCRIMMINATION?!" Thanks for your apologist comments, but no thanks. Go marry a Korean hagwon owner and raise some "evil children."

[J.B. Clamence]

And lumping all kiwis into one basket with a big "hard-to-work-with" label just because you don't have much in common with one of your co-workers is really logical and anti-discriminatory...

[IconsFanatic]

Generally speaking, I'd take a Kiwi co-worker over a Yank or a Canuck any day.

And this is coming from a Canadian!

[kim jong il]

i've heard this stuff about korean hagwon teachers, and koreans as a whole, "working harder" than foreigners. i'll say this, in general they work longer hours than we do, but productivity seems low and the quality of work (or craftmenship as the case may be) standards are poor. of course on the surface it looks like things are happening very quickly and efficiently. but like many things in korea, it's a lot of show and very little substance. i was in the construction field for ten years, and when i see some of the practices and hackmenship that goes on here, it makes me shudder. i'm actually shocked that i haven't seen a building collapse since i've been here. remember appearences, in every sense, are very important in this society.

[Zandie]

No one will take you seriously if you just get nasty about people who write responses to you. Nothing Beckerson said seemed to be directed at you.

"Twisted reasoning?" That could be you.

Have you ever wondered if maybe it's you that's hard to work with?

[ChuQi]

are we? i didn't know that. thanks for the update.

Beckerson told it like it is on his website (in a very funny way as well). no point flaming him, it just makes you look stupid (now if anyone looks closely, i didn't call you stupid, i said you look stupid. Babu).

calm down chief.

Also i feel very sorry for the Korean teachers at my Hogwan (what the hell is the spelling of that anyways?), they do work a hell of a lot harder than me, not bc i am lazy or anything of the such, but bc their responsibilities far outstrip mine. Sure they aren't a box of bubbles whenever i walk into the room, but they are ever courteous and professional. I don't go to work to hang out with my buddies, and i suspect neither do they.

yay, its snowing!

[some waygook]

Sure they do, and they earn a lot less than we do. BUT!!!!
They don't have to leave family and friends behind and move to a foreign country. They don't have to try and adjust to an alien culture. They don't have to risk deportation and exploitation. It's very easy for them to change jobs, not so for us. They don't have to put up with kids swearing at them in Korean and or in English because they know both languages and they know what the kids are saying. They can talk to their boss and explain things, we can't. They can talk to the kids in their own language, they can find out what makes them tick, we can't.

Yes they work hard and I think they should be paid more, but let's not forget WHY we are getting paid more.
I get along well with the Korean teachers at my hagwan. There were a couple who bothered me back when I started, but I found that a smile and some common courtesy go a long way to ease any tensions.
Some of the Korean teachers are much better teachers than I.
Maybe it's time to look in the mirror and see what you could do to make things better.
End of sermon
Some waygook-in

[chi-chi]

Ok, just my two won worth:
Maybe at some places, the Koreans work much harder than us. I don't know, I don't work at those places.
All I know is that at my hogwan, the Korean teachers do get free housing, and they make just as much money as we do. (Actually one Korean makes more than us, and he is NOT a supervisor.)
They teach an average of 13-19 hours a week, and they are not part-time. They are considered full-time employees with the appropriate salary.
We have been having some problems with the students, and then found out that the Korean teachers were not doing their phone counseling, as had been requested. Hence the continued behavioral problems, which had not ever been addressed with the parents.
There have been several occasions where I have done monthly plans and report cards for the Korean teachers that I have shared classes with, just not to leave my students in the lurch.
They also make long distance calls from the teachers room when they think nobody's watching. (Except the dumb foreigner who doesn't know any Korean *wink wink*)
Not wanting to contribute to the flame war, but just thought that I would add my perspective.