Korean Job Discussion Forums

Lizara · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Location: Seoul

Um... you have to submit your degree and transcripts to immigration every year to get your new visa. If they can't keep something that basic straight, then how on earth do you expect them to be organized enough to not only note who attends this thing, but have that information ready when they need to find it to approve your next visa?

ESL Milk "Everyday · Joined: 12 Sep 2007

Atavistic · Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 5:53 pm Post subject:

nomad-ish · Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 5:54 pm Post subject:

babtangee

wylies99 · Joined: 13 May 2006 Location: I'm one cool cat!

It's a load of BS. You do not have to attend. Rolling Eyes

purple_buddha · Joined: 18 Apr 2003

Once upon a time, when I was a hagwon noob, I was informed of a "mandatory" meeting like the one mentioned by the OP. Foolishly, I gave up half of a Saturday to attend, because my director intimidated us into going.
Not only was it a HUGE waste of time, it was far from mandatory.
The following years this subject came up, I simply refused to go. Nothing happened!

As far as immigration is concerned, they couldn't care less, and there is no mark or "gold star" placed beside your name for either attending or abstaining from said meeting. Unless it is specifically written in your contract that you have to attend such a meeting, then you DON'T HAVE TO ATTEND! Your boss can do nothing about it. Just nod your head, tell your boss you'll "try" to be there, and enjoy your weekend. Don't be duped into attending. I'm sure your director won't be there!

Young FRANKenstein

wylies99 · Joined: 13 May 2006 Location: I'm one cool cat!

It's BS.

garykasparov · Joined: 27 May 2007

It's probably written somewhere in their bylaws.

wylies99 · Joined: 13 May 2006 Location: I'm one cool cat!

Bylaws?

It's just BS.

NeonRain · Joined: 30 Jan 2007

Lovely...a world where "BS" is a valid point in a debate.

sliderama · Joined: 24 Oct 2007

no money no honey, words to live by...

a gold star? what is this, kindergarden???

sjk1128 · Joined: 04 Feb 2005

If you agree to terms not listed in your contract and do extra work, many Koreans will appear pleased with your behavior and say what a good person you are. Behind their smiles, they are thinking that you are foolish and easily manipulated. They will have less respect for you and see your status as lower than it was seen before. Consequently, you will be expected to do even more when it is ordered in the future.

The best way to deal with this is to do what Koreans would do: lie about why you cannot attend. Some suggestions:
*Your family is having an online webcam chat to celebrate your mother's birthday and you must be home to attend.
*You committed to volunteer with your church every Saturday morning in a local orphanage and can't possibly break your promise.
Your boss will then reiterate how important it is for you to come, and you will reiterate, very politely, how important your other obligation is. This usually happens 3 times before he/she walks away.

Keep in mind that it is best never to tell the truth: that you are refusing to go because it is not in your contract and you are not required to. That would be insulting and no Korean would ever do it. They use these same kinds of lies very judiciously and sparingly. As a foreigner, you can use them almost constantly with no consequences aside from these: Your boss and coworkers may frown and shake their heads slightly. Behind their frowns they will think that you are much more clever and difficult to manipulate than they anticipated. They will have more respect for you and see your status as higher than it was before. Consequently, you will be expected to do less than other people in your workplace.

NeonRain · Joined: 30 Jan 2007

Notice how all this topic has become is a collection of complaining and scrabbling to find reasons not to do things.

Is it really too much to be asked to do something extra in ones life? The thing is, that's what the teaching profession is all about. It's about giving of yourself even when you are not being compensated for it. It's the name of the game and that's what makes a good teacher, be it in ESL or else where.

Can I ask if anyone here is paid for lesson prep, or staff meetings, or essay and test grading, or monthly report and comment writing? Are you paid to decorate your classroom for a special day or organise a special lesson for a special holiday? The fact that not every teacher will do these things happily when asked and few will even volunteer to do these things is probably what's going wrong in this industry at the moment.
Why should we complain and try to find excuses when the fact is that we are probably being over paid as it is?

I know of ESL teachers else where in the world, fully trained teachers with years of experience, working from 9 until 5 everyday and earning less than half of what we earn (don't forget we also get housing and medical, most teachers are not getting either). The thing is, they aren't unhappy, they love their jobs, that's why they're doing it.

I can't assume that this forum accurately represents the entire population of foreign teachers in Korea, their feelings towards their jobs and their attitudes to work. But what you see here on a day to day basis is not happy or willing to do what needs to be done. Is it not kind of true that a person will only seek a place to rant and vent if they are unhappy and need to complain? Why would you spend time ranting on the internet and looking to spill your bile if you are totally satisfied?

I can't understand why it's so hard to just do something extra when asked. Why do we have to make up lies so that our bosses won't think we're "weak and easy to manipulate". Maybe it is as easy as going the extra mile and then your employer will look at you and think, "Well here is a good teacher, someone willing to do something extra."

Being here should be about doing the job that you are paid to do and doing it well, just like any other profession in the world. Maybe many foreigners in Korea have spent far too long in this comfortable place, and now that things are going to start getting more complicated in terms of getting in, they're feeling threatened. Perhaps it's about time that the system tightened up. It's too easy right now. I don't know how many people using this forum are from North America, but I am not. I recently travelled to the USA and I have never felt more pigeon-holed, probed, prodded or despised than I did when trying to get in and out of the country for a few days holiday. It's not as if Korea is doing something out of spite just to get back at the foreigners.

The system needs teachers, or at least people willing to learn to be better teachers, not just people looking for an easy way out, ready to run when they have to take 4 hours out of their day to do something they aren't being paid for.

"No money no honey"? Is that what you really believe? Is life so simple that it can be broken down into "If you don't pay, I won't do it"?

"What is this? Kindergarten?" Well if only life were so easy, we wouldn't all be here debating this point ^^