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AndrewInKorea
Joined: 12 Jul 2007
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 Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2007 3:03 am Post subject: Warning about Mentor |
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I just want to warn everyone about the English Mentor / Mentor Camp people. They promise you the sun and the moon and the contracts look great. But they change the contract any way they want, they refuse you leave/vacation, the accommodation isn't what they promised and you spend about three hours per day commuting between schools on some days. They call themselves "educational consultants" and they have some kind of contract with the public schools to place teachers in public schools. The teacher works at between 6 to 8 schools and is transported by one of the Mentor drivers. Time spent waiting for the driver and actual travelling time varies between 2 and 4 hours per day, depending on your schedule. None of which you get paid for! The public schools pay them more than 4 million won per teacher, which gets deposited in the teacher's account. They open a bank account for the teacher, but take the internet pin access card to control the account via internet. They leave the teacher's salary in the account, but take out the balance "for expenses".
During the public school vacation, they arrange english camps where the teacher has to work at no extra pay.
They are now also opening Hagwons and have opened in Jeungpyeong, near Chungju. The hogwan is about a month old and there is nothing in place. They change everything on a day to day basis and the teacher has to spend hours preparing for class.
They have a massive turnover of teachers due to this problem and are now using recruiters to do their dirty work for them. The problem is that a recruiter can only do so much to help you after you get to Korea and start working, even if they wanted to.
That is why I am warning everyone on here. If you still want to work for these people, that is your decision, but I felt I should just warn everybody so that people don't get taken in. |
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Stephne
Joined: 16 May 2007
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| Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2007 5:18 am Post subject: |
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I posted something different here and then decided to delete it, sorry.
Last edited by Stephne on Tue Jul 17, 2007 2:52 am; edited 3 times in total |
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boyne11
Joined: 08 Jul 2007
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| Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2007 5:20 am Post subject: |
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| Stephne wrote: |
| I thought it wasn't legal for a teacher to work at more than one school on E2 visa? |
Not if you have permission from your employer and register with immigration. |
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Harpeau
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
Location: Coquitlam, BC
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| Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2007 5:26 am Post subject: |
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| This really sucks! Bumpity bump. |
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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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| Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 1:55 am Post subject: |
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OP- Thanks for posting the warning.  |
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AndrewInKorea
Joined: 12 Jul 2007
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| Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:02 am Post subject: |
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The FT in question has asked me to remove this, to avoid confrontation with employers. I hate to do it, but I understand the reasoning.
Last edited by AndrewInKorea on Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:27 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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betty74
Joined: 12 May 2007
Location: USA
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| Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 9:01 am Post subject: |
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| AndrewInKorea wrote: |
| I just heard today that one of the FT's in English Mentor's Jeungpyong Institute has a lung infection, probably because of mold in the classrooms. She is expected to still continue working a full day, every day and the mould is still there. I told her to sue them, but she won't. We all know how it is once you start working for these places, so I guess I can't blame her. |
SHe has no legal backing so she's just sol. WHy would she go back? If she has a doctors note she can quit and get an LOR and get a better job. Ask her if it is worth her health. |
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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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| Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 9:21 pm Post subject: |
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| AndrewInKorea wrote: |
| The FT in question has asked me to remove this, to avoid confrontation with employers. I hate to do it, but I understand the reasoning. |
Do what you can for yourself. Obviously the other FT is too scared or immature to join you in battling the crooked hogwan. |
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AndrewInKorea
Joined: 12 Jul 2007
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| Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 10:40 pm Post subject: |
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| I just heard they lost three more FT's. Not sure how true it is. Will keep my ear to the ground and post it here. |
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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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| Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 10:43 pm Post subject: |
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Typical rotten hogwan chain.  |
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rutan668
Joined: 03 May 2006
Location: Incheon Korea
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Roch
Joined: 24 Apr 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 5:26 am Post subject: Re: My warning |
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This is likely the same forty-something Brian I ran into three times at the Sting Rock-n-Roll club in Gumcheon Square in Gumcheon-dong, Cheongju City. He was seated at the table located directly behind the one that's right in front of the centre of the stage. He wore black clothing and was swilling tequila each time I saw him.
He admitted to me that he hates foreign teachers and claimed that we 're owners of fake degrees and storied pasts at McDonalds, etc. |
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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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| Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:24 pm Post subject: |
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| Roch- you've met this person? |
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Roch
Joined: 24 Apr 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:33 pm Post subject: |
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| wylies99 wrote: |
| Roch- you've met this person? |
I'd bet money on it, Wylies99.
By the way, another scumm bag hogwon owner - reputedly the biggest in Cheongju City- hangs out at Sting Rock-n-Roll club, too. This guy admitted to me and my lesbian friend that he hates all foreign teachers and would kill any black or white dude seen in the presence of a K-chick. In fact, the fork tried to poke my right eyeball out in the restaurant located on the 1st floor of the building in which Sting is located.
The guy is a real load who likely got the cash for the hogwon from a credit card or from his parents.
Anyway, let's hope that Jade, the owner of Sting, wises up and gets these arses out of his life and club. |
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AndrewInKorea
Joined: 12 Jul 2007
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| Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:17 am Post subject: Re: My warning |
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Weird. When we were researching these people before, we didn't see this post of yours, which is exactly why I am posting about them whenever and where-ever possible. To prevent others from making the same mistakes I (and others) did. So they tell me I'm trying to scare the noobs. Hell, you got that right! I want to scare them from ever working for these lower than shark sh*t people and getting taken as many have! Does that make me a bad person? Then I guess I'll just have to be bad. 
rutan668 ..... Does your g/f's first name start with a S and yours with an A? If so, I know exactly who you are and my lady even met yours. You should hear their version of your story. PMSL. 
On a side note, the director has learnt "some" English on the long rides from the FT's home to the institute. Apparently she used these (plus-minus) 2 hours per day to get free English lessons for herself. And no, the FT didn't get paid a cent as far as I know. 
I can't comment whether it's the same Brian, because I don't know the one referred to "who likes drinking", but I do know the one rutan668 is referring to in his post and he is a card!
There is a rumor that the Education Department has put the whole Public School program with Mentor on hold indefinitely. So maybe someone read or heard something somewhere? Otherwise just more of the "different day, same crap" kinda thing we see too often in Korea?
This should turn out quite interesting I think. |
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