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P.S - 2 Questions
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Darkness



Joined: 12 Oct 2006
PostPosted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 6:09 pm    Post subject: P.S - 2 Questions Reply with quote
My co-teacher can't tell me when my holidays are, I would like to book my flight NOW, cause last time I couldnt get a flight out of the country, due to the whole country taking vacation at the same time. Amazing idea, btw.

The other thing is i only have a small bar fridge in my apt, and i would like them to upgrade it. I can barely fit a 2L bottle in my fridge and some eggs. Will they upgrade it, who has the final say in this? If i have to buy my own used fridge, can i get one fairly cheap? I'm in a REALLY small town....
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BS.Dos.



Joined: 29 Mar 2007
PostPosted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 6:22 pm    Post subject: Re: P.S - 2 Questions Reply with quote
Darkness wrote:
My co-teacher can't tell me when my holidays are, I would like to book my flight NOW, cause last time I couldnt get a flight out of the country, due to the whole country taking vacation at the same time. Amazing idea, btw.


Whatever you do, don't book it without clarifying it first. I know of another FT who assumed he'd be getting Xmas week off, booked a flight to Cambodia and was then told that he was expected to be in school over Xmas week. He ended up not going and being seriously out of pocket.

Think you'll have to sit tight with it for the time being. I imagine that your contract summer holiday will be taken in August. Just keep asking your CT and explain that you'd like to make some travel arrangements to be with your family or something. Hopefully, they'll give you some dates at some point.

Darkness wrote:
The other thing is i only have a small bar fridge in my apt, and i would like them to upgrade it. I can barely fit a 2L bottle in my fridge and some eggs. Will they upgrade it, who has the final say in this? If i have to buy my own used fridge, can i get one fairly cheap? I'm in a REALLY small town....


Think this will probably depend on your relationship with your school/CTs. If it's harmonious and they appreciate what you do there, then they may dip into the funds (assuming of course that they have some) and upgrade for you.

Try and work on just one of the two points above at once rather than hitting them with both. They may think you're being demanding.

Good luck with it.
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wylies99



Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
PostPosted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 6:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Quote:
The other thing is i only have a small bar fridge in my apt, and i would like them to upgrade it. I can barely fit a 2L bottle in my fridge and some eggs.


A dorm fridge? In a public school job? Wow, that's bad.
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Darkness



Joined: 12 Oct 2006
PostPosted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 7:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Well it's a 2 bedroom apt, with a queen size bed. It's a nice apt, except for the fridge. I dont have any big grocery stores in my town, only small K grocery stores, so when i go into the major towns, i will be wanting to stock up, but cant' if my fridge is too small.

I'm sure I'l get my vacation dates eventually, I would just like to be able to know so i can book my tickets home for a festival i already have tickets for in Aug.
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cruisemonkey



Joined: 04 Jul 2005
Location: Hopefully, the same place as my luggage.
PostPosted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 11:15 pm    Post subject: Re: P.S - 2 Questions Reply with quote
Darkness wrote:
My co-teacher can't tell me when my holidays are


No, No! You have it all backwards... you 'tell' them when you're taking holidays. However, you do it in a very nice way - by writing a formal letter to your local, School Inspector requesting holidays from a certain date to a certain date. Expect to wait at least two weeks for the reply. Once he has been 'locked in' nobody can jerk you around without him loosing face... and you can make plans. Very Happy


Darkness wrote:
The other thing is i only have a small bar fridge in my apt, and i would like them to upgrade it. I can barely fit a 2L bottle in my fridge and some eggs. Will they upgrade it, who has the final say in this?


Again, a formal letter to the School Inspector is required... I hope he likes you. If so, you'll get a new fridge.
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Darkness



Joined: 12 Oct 2006
PostPosted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 1:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Ok, so a formal letter to my school inspector. I'll do that before I ask about holidays.

I was gone all weekend, and someone came into my apt!! It looks like they took the old comfortor off my bed, and gave me some new/washed bedding...it's all wrapped in plastic. I was told I had the only key to this apt!!!!!!!!!
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MrsSeoul



Joined: 31 May 2007
PostPosted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 1:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
That means warm beer. Warm beer is where I draw the
line. I would be very angry.
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Darkness



Joined: 12 Oct 2006
PostPosted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 2:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
My fridge sucks so bad, I bought $40 worth of food today, and I can't fit some of it...dang!
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bacasper



Joined: 26 Mar 2007
PostPosted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 7:47 am    Post subject: Re: P.S - 2 Questions Reply with quote
cruisemonkey wrote:
Again, a formal letter to the School Inspector is required... I hope he likes you. If so, you'll get a new fridge.

Who is "the School Inspector" and where do I find him?
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cruisemonkey



Joined: 04 Jul 2005
Location: Hopefully, the same place as my luggage.
PostPosted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 1:17 pm    Post subject: Re: P.S - 2 Questions Reply with quote
bacasper wrote:
Who is "the School Inspector" and where do I find him?


He'll be based at the district Office of Education. Ask your co-teacher.
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Easter Clark



Joined: 18 Nov 2007
Location: Hiding from Yie Eun-woong
PostPosted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 3:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Careful about asking for holidays too soon into your contract--you want to create a favorable impression. Korean logic says that if you ask for time off months in advance, you're not concentrating hard enough on your job. I had a discussion about this with my boss not too long ago. I explained to him that by Western sensibilities, asking for holidays months in advance shows consideration for those having to make schedules.

At any rate, I would wait at least another month or so (you just started today, right??) before talking about vacation dates. You're bound to create the wrong impression if you start asking about this too early (i.e., within your first week)!