Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Mr. BlackCat]

I just arrived back in Seoul a week ago to work for SMOE. I'm pretty far from anywhere of note, but still in the city. I thought this location would mean nice housing. I was wrong. My room is just that, a room. I'm not complaining that it's a studio. I've lived in a couple of studios here, as do all my foreigner friends. But this is a 4 pyong bedroom with a wardrobe and a fridge. It's depressingly cramped.

Besides the size, there is heavy construction going on right outside my window. It has woken me up all 7 mornings I've been here between 6:30-7am with jackhammers, saws, hammering, machinery and shouting. They end for the day around 9:30pm, so my evenings spent either out of the house or with my music/tv full blast so I can maybe hear a couple of words. In addition, they seem to be constantly burning someting so my bedroom is filled with the smell of burning rubber/chemicals. I have headaches everyday, although this could be from any one of the noise, clutter or poison in the air.

I've brought up my concerns with my co-teacher and she agrees that my place is too small. Luckily, I found a great apartment on my own this week and plan on switching places.

Now here comes the nonesense. When I arrived I was told if I want to move I have to give 30 days notice. I did that today. But now it becomes, "Oh, well, unless we find someone else to move in, you have to keep paying for it. And you have to pay for the realtor. And cleaning."

I haven't had a chance to talk at great lengths with my co-teacher about this, but I call BS. My contract says I have the choice to find my own place, and I've done that. I'm willing to pay the double rent for a month because I think 30 days notice is reasonable. This isn't coming out of nowhere, either. Right when we walked in I said it was much too small and I would be looking for a new place. I told my co-teacher on Wednesday that I would be moving out in April, I just didn't know the exact date.

Obviously someone is pocketing money on my situation. My new place is in a great part of town, very central, three times the size of this one with better furniture. The rent there is my housing allowence exactly with no key money. How can this closet be anywhere near that price in this dodgy part of the almost-suburbs? There's no way I can live here. If it was just the size, maybe I could pull it off. But the cancer slowly developing inside my lungs and the stress from the constant pounding and sawing is driving me nuts. I realize the construction won't last forever, but it looks like a big project that just started.

I just wanted to vent. I've heard similar horror stories about SMOE housing. If this was my first year maybe I'd pay my dues, but this is #3 for me and I know they could have done better but decided to keep the money instead. I will fight for this one. People always say that SMOE should offer less hours and more vacation to draw more teachers. How about reasonable housing and some sort of say where in the city you end up for people who have been here for a while?

I will talk with my school more extensively on Monday and will update. I would like to say that the job itself is great and everyone at the school has been fantastic thus far. But if any other people have been disappointed with their SMOE housing or have been able to get their own, I'd like to hear it.

[cruisemonkey]

Exactly who is saying -

"Oh, well, unless we find someone else to move in, you have to keep paying for it. And you have to pay for the realtor. And cleaning."

Find out and play 'hardball'. No job is worth living in the hell you describe.

[wings]

I had the exact same situtation and had to fight to move, but I did get to in the end. PM me if you want some details.

[MollyBloom]

^ he/she probably got your old apt!

[TheChickenLover]

Your 'housing' isn't housing. It's more like a cage. Putting a teacher in a small single room that is constantly surrounded by noise pollution is NOT considered acceptable housing by any standards.

It's not much different than putting you in a dog house on the roof of the school & saying you have a free roof over your head.

I would put it very firmly that they should find you proper housing or you will leave. Back it up. Do NOT go to work due to the pollution, noise stress unless you are physically able to. If you become physically ill from that place, then simply do not go to teach.

Watch & see how fast you'll get a new place.

Chicken

[Mi Yum mi]

Call in sick on Mon. Them you couldn't sleep all weekend due to stress/chemicals/noise and go somewhere nice on Mon.

[PGF]

if they could stick us in cargo containers with doors, they would. every time one of us allows this sort of defecation, it makes it that much harder for the next guy.... don't take it.

i can't believe they're taking a dump on a 3rd year veteran when the number of available teachers is definitely shrinking...

[Mr. BlackCat]

Right now it's just the landlord saying I will owe all this money, but the lease is with the school. When I first got here my landlord and co-teacher told me that if I leave I have to give 30 days notice. Like I said, I find that reasonable. Then on Thursday, before anything was finalized, my co-teacher first mentioned the one year lease and my responsibility to it. That's why I have to talk to her more on Monday.

The fact of the matter is that this 'housing' is unacceptable and I've already set up my own housing. It's not a matter of if they 'let' me move. If they choose to not give me my housing allowance or to charge me for a realtor or whatever, then I'll put up a fight. Perhaps taking off the appropriate amount of days to compensate for these costs.

Maybe I should suggest that a Korean teacher from my school take this place and I take their's. If this apartment is so great this shouldn't be a problem. It's clean and everything, and if I was in University it'd be fine. But if they want me to be a professional then I expect to be treated like one. I can't entertain here, have company or even cook. It is not a home and I am not comfortable.

I should also clarify that my previous two years experience were not with SMOE.

[cruisemonkey]

Unfortunately, I think you're legally screwed. I do not know the provisions of a SMOE contract with regard to housing. However, my EPIC contract states -

"Article 12 (Housing)
④ Employer shall decide whether to provide Employee with housing or a rent subsidy after discussion with the employee. Once decided, Employer's decision shall not be subsequently changed during the term of Employment."

If your SMOE contract is the same, and you decide to 'go to war', always remember - they need you more than you need them. Take no prisoners! (or any crap from the Ks.)

[Mr. BlackCat]

My contract states:
Article 12 (7)

If...employee prepares his/her own housing, Employer shall provide Employee with 500,000 won per month as a rent subsidy..."

It goes on to state that they will not provide key money or furniture, which I'm not asking for.

Thanks for eveyone's moral support. I come for validation, I stay for...well, the validation. I vedeoed the noise pollution today for my defence.

Out of the five people who have worked with SMOE that I know, all five have had serious issues with their housing. At least they all lived centrally. I'm in butt-flick Dong-land and I would expect better.

[PGF]

[OiGirl]

Why don't you take care of and pay for your own housing?

[Mr. BlackCat]

OiGirl wrote:

[ddeubel]

This is a good example of why SMOE and schools should be out of the "housing" market and left to focus on school stuff. I've had my own say a few times regarding this and always have advocated that they employ a realtor to handle the housing needs of teachers. Set realtors who will negotiate pre arrival on the housing. Then after the contract is signed/started issues are mute.

DD
http://eflclassroom.ning.com

[Bibbitybop]