Korean Job Discussion Forums

[TexasPete]

So, I was assessed by the local school board today and was told that afterwards we would go and have lunch with the principal, vice-principal and members of the school board who came to assess me. Just now i was told that the Korean coteachers can go to lunch with the vice principal, the principal and the School Board members, but us native speaker teachers (there are two at this public school) couldn't go because we're not "Korean."

At least my coteacher is very understanding and sympathetic to the situation, but it still sucks (it wasn't her idea and she told me it "breaks her heart" that i wasn't invited). Imagine a foreigner being told that crap back home.

[VanIslander]

you both take it, so it continues...

refuse to sit at the back of the bus and things will change

if both of you foreign teachers quit, or even didn't show up to work the next day in protest: saying it's because of THAT reason, expressing how you feel insulted

things would change quickly

... but one has to pick and choose one's battles, and that may not be where many would draw the line

but don't be fooled: you can make a difference

[laogaiguk]

This is not normal for Korea (especially public schools).

[Ya-ta Boy]

I agree. It is not normal. Usually, you'll be 'asked' to go whether you want to go or not.

It could be they are going to eat something they don't think foreigners would eat (boshintang comes to mind) or most of them don't speak English and they assume you don't speak Korean and want to avoid discomfort on all sides.

It's a good idea here to put your emotions on hold until you get a good, clear, complete answer to odd situations. Most of the time, you will find no insult was intended.

[TexasPete]

I know it's not normal. I've worked at this public school for almost two years and this is the first thing like this that's happened here. I've worked in Korea for nearly 3 years and nothing like this has happened before. I didn't particularly want to go to lunch with these people anyways, but the fact that i was told no because i was a foreigner is both humiliating and angering. I'm not going to do anything rash but i did decide to show the Korean version of Shrek in class instead of teaching English in protest.

[yingwenlaoshi]

Ha, ha. My boss stopped taking everyone out to eat a looooooong time ago. Might have something to do with him trying to be a big shot, making unwarranted little comments, and me coming right back and shooting him down.

[TexasPete]

I'm also hoping it was some sort of mis-translation...but i'm not holding my breath for that one.

[jlb]

It seems like many people have the opposite problem, as in being expeced to go out soju drinking/kalbi eating all hours of the night, whether they want to or not.

[Typhoon]

Showing a Korean movie is a great idea...do it for the next week to make a point. I agree that not going and not be allowed to go are two very different issues. Being told I couldn't go because I was foreigner would piss me off too.

[ED209]

[pkang0202]

[KYC]

[R-Seoul]

What you & the other foreign teacher should have done was just to go along to the lunch with them anyway. What are they going to do, physically remove you from the restaurant?

[hugo_danner]

Send them a sarcastic message thanking them for the nice evaluation and lunch.

[philipjames]

Just count your blessings that you don't have to listen to (and see) the neanderthals eating their food. I for one refuse to eat lunch with my Korean colleaugues until they step out of the stone age and learn some table manners.