Korean Job Discussion Forums

darkhorse_NZ · Joined: 20 Feb 2007 Location: South Korea

My principal and vice principal say that I can't ( I think they just mean "should't" ) go overseas during my summer vacation. they reckon i should stay here and "learn the culture and learn how to teach Korean children". i'll do whatever the hell I like with my free time thanx. Actually, this whole thing makes me want to pitch the both of them off the fourth floor of the building, it's really got my blood boiling.

so, can anyone out there who has had the same problem or has dealt with applying for vacation uner a GEPIK contract, give me their stories.

in the contract it says we have to apply for the PERIOD of vacation, which is fair enough and subject to the approval of the principal. but in the application there is a box for Reason and Destination:

Reason: becasue i want to

Destination: whereever I feel like going

we had a good relationship and I don't want it ruined by this petty insecurity that they're showing towards me going overseas for my holiday.

Ilsanman · Joined: 15 Aug 2003 Location: Bucheon, Korea

It sounds like you know exactly what you're doing.

aaabank · Joined: 27 Feb 2007

i have the same issue at my school with the 'reason' and 'destination' boxes to fill out. just tell them where you are going and say it is for cultural awareness to be able to better teach the students. most teachers in korea don't take time off and so we are doing something very strange in their cultural mindset.
just go with the flow and they'll let you go.

ajgeddes · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Location: Yongsan

That sucks. It's normal though. When I wasin GEPIK last year, they wanted all my information, copies of my flight tickets, the parents phone number and address as well as all my girlfriends information because they were positive that I wasn't going to come back. In the end it just made me not want to come back because obviously they didn't trust me. In the end, I gave them my parents phone number and that was it. I told them there was no way they were going to see my tickets or know what hotel I was going to stay in.

Oh yeah, they said they wanted to know my parents phone number so that if anything happend to me, they could call and tell my parents. I just laughed and told them that if something did happen to me, they would not be the first ones to find out and my parents would know long before they would.

I am glad I got out of that place.

darkhorse_NZ · Joined: 20 Feb 2007 Location: South Korea

mrsquirrel · Joined: 13 Dec 2006

I've not been asked any of this.

Why don't you give them an hour by hour detailed description of where you will be and what you will be doing, wearing etc.

Mosley · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Fack 'em. Go anywhere you want. Just make sure you have a valid re-entry permit in your passport.

gmat · Joined: 29 Jan 2003

Alyallen · Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2007 7:41 pm Post subject:

darkhorse_NZ · Joined: 20 Feb 2007 Location: South Korea

horang · Joined: 16 Jun 2007 Location: Seoul

You are so immature and childish swearing at your principal on an internet forum just because he said something that you didn't like. He just gave you suggestions for the sake of you, and I don't see anything wrong with staying in Korea, learning culture, traveling, making local friends. You shouldn't be teaching in the first place. You don't seem to be ready for all this new adventure of your life, so you'd better quit your job before you head for China or learn yourself the bar culture in Itaewon.

I can't believe a person like you got even hired by a public school. Pity!

mrsquirrel · Joined: 13 Dec 2006

^ Do you have to tell your principal then when you want to leave the country?

Theda · Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Location: Australia

My experience, for what it's worth: I work in a public school and wanted to go to Hong Kong earlier this year. I had to ask my school's permission, and they were OK with it - no forms to fill out, no "you shouldn't go overseas."

However they in turn had to inform the local educational board about this, and they were the ones who weren't happy about my going (though they couldn't do anything to stop me...) One of my co-teachers explained they were worried I would do a midnight run.

Mr Crowley · Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Location: Suwon

Tell them you are going on a Korean red light district tour.

Octavius Hite · Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2007 7:55 pm Post subject:

In your contract it says you need to tell them so that they know, but it often also says you need their permission to leave the country.

The problem with that last part is that it is a violation of international law. No one except a government officer can prevent you from leaving any country and then only with cause. Your school's principal can't do shiite to stop you from leaving.

I don't tell my school anything, if I do, I say I'm going to Busan.