Korean Job Discussion Forums

[zizi]

So, in hagwans they tell you to take care of you health so you don't get sick, and they don't give any sick days. So, what are you supposed to do? Parents send their kids in sick and we catch it from them. This just happened to me and I dragged myself to work everyday, all the time spreading this to other falculty and students. I felt really bad about that. I know exactly how it happened, one of my students came in sick, and do you know that feeling when you know you're going to get sick? Well, I am so sick and feel so awful, I guess I'm just venting. But despite that, opinions anyone?

[Zaria32]

It;s the Korean way...kids and adults go to school/work sick.

One of the things that some people swear by is hand sanitizer. You are always handling things that the kids have touched, and hand sanitizer will stop you from transferring germs you to your face.

Of course, it doesn't help with the airborn germs...

[Hollywoodaction]

As far as I know, the law obligates your boss to give you 10 paid sick days per year (which hagwons make you use up by claiming it's your vacation). So, if you're sick you shouldn't be obligated to make up the classes unless you're paid overtime.

[Hollywoodaction]

[PGF]

You're gonna get sick teaching here or anywhere. Kids are germ vessels.

How to handle getting sick in Korea?

- Come in sick.
- when asked what's wrong make sure you say how god-awful you feel.
- perform like you feel god-awful. hand outs with your head down are ok.
- ask the hagwon owner to take you to the hospital during teaching hours. Why? Because you can not speak Korean and desperately need his help Worked for me.....

[cruisemonkey]

Welcome to K-land. One of those mysterious cultural K-nundrums is that you're expected to work when you're sick... but go to the doctor if you have a cold. The doc. will give you an injection of B12 and write a script for a 3-day regimine of antibiotics.

My Korean friend told me he had to to the doctor three times to cure his latest cold. I didn't have the heart to tell him his immune system cured the cold, not the doctor.... and that antibiotics only work against bacteria, not viruses. Of course, he also believes in fan death.

[idonojacs]

Hollywoodaction wrote:

[cruisemonkey]

[esetters21]

My school allows 3 paid sick days per year, and I use them . As others mentioned, you are going to have a better chance of becoming sick more often by simply being in contact with children daily. It wasn't any different for me teaching in the US.

[idonojacs]

esetters21 wrote:

[zizi]

idonojacs, I'm sorry you feel so bad. I get down like that a lot here I've been finding. Anway, I was already sick once and took a sick day. I almost got fired and part of the terms we worked out was that I couldn't use any more of the paid sick days that were in my contract, and it was understood that if I ever took another sick day even without pay I would be fired. My boss actually called the doctor who gave me a sick note twice and grilled him, trying to get him to say I wasn't really sick. When I told her she had gone over the line she insisted that wasn't the case because I was her employee. I was so sick on Friday, just awful and coughing so much. I was bringing a cup of water to class to help with the coughing. I teach young children and a few of them picked up my water and drank some. I had no choice but to go in, but I feel bad that I probably infected my students. I think they deserve better than that. And you know their parents won't let them rest if they get this. Korea is not so shiny, is it?

[wylies99]

[wylies99]

[idonojacs]

Let me take it a step further:

Newbies: Not only do public schools in Korea not have substitute teachers, they are kinda illegal. If you think you can get another E2 to fill in for you when you are sick, paid or unpaid, I don't think that would work.

E2s cannot do volunteer work, especially if it involves teaching. It violates your visa. And you certainly cannot teach English outside your job and get paid for it.

So what happens if you do substitute work on an E2? You could get arrested. While in jail, it would be illegal for you to speak English. You would be fined. And you would be deported.

So it is a lot easier to just go to work sick. Until you drop dead or finish your contract, whichever comes first.

Or just get a job in a country where the people care whether you live or die.


(OK, maybe this is an exaggeration, but not as much as you might think. Most Koreans are nice people. But most Koreans are also chickensh1ts. They would rather keep their mouths shut than tell the principal that you are so sick you should be sent home. In other words, they would stand by and say nothing while you are so sick you might die at work. What they will say is you should go to the hospital, ie, see a doctor. And when you return to work sick they will ask if you have seen a doctor. And when you say yes, you are really sick, they will just say, "Oh." Most. But not all. There are some Koreans with balls. But not enough.)

[R. S. Refugee]