Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Burndog]

I got to school this morning and was immediately summoned to the stately office of my Principal. He is a nice enough fellow...not much English...not much personality...a bit of a hard nosed government official kind of vibe. Anyway...he starts pointing at a Korean children's book...and pointing at himself. I'm thinking he might be trying to tell me that his Korean is as bad as his English...but then work out that he is telling me that he wrote the book! I state that I am impressed...and he then tells me that he is going to give me Korean lessons...two nights a week...after school...starting tonight. His English isn't good enough for me to negotiate...so I acquiecse. How would you handle this scenario? Just go each week? Study a little on the side so that way he appears to be a fantastic teacher? I really don't see how this is going to work...the Grade 5 teachers all had a big laugh when I told them, and then looked at the book, joking about how it is older than I am....t does look pretty old....so do I though.

[KYC]

I'd do it. Rub elbows with the big guy..and learn the language. I doubt it'll last long so I'd go while it last. It might just turn out to be a drinking session btw you and him.

[Whistleblower]

You will probably end up at some hostess bars. Make sure you bring a camera to record the evening.

[Otherside]

I'd bet he knows more about teaching korean than you (or I for that matter) know about teaching English.

Free Korean lessons, I'd take it. Not to mention big brownie points come vacation time.

And if you wind up at a hostess bar...at least you'll learn some survival korean: _____ Juseyo

[ttompatz]

sounds like fun.... can I trade you jobs?

[Stormy]

[joshuahirtle27]

I wish I could get Korean lessons from my boss... or even my co-teachers.

[Burndog]

Well...the reason why I had said that he may not be the greatest teacher...is because he has never taught before. He has always worked for the Ministry Of Education and got moved into a school in September. He was alright...I learnt four words...bag, squirrel, butterfly and noodles. Now...I can see how bag and noodles might be good survival Korean...maybe even butterfly...but squirrel? I leafed through the book...I am gonna be learning these four words for a month or two yet....sigh! At least we ended up going out for dinner with a few teachers after...he said that I was a good student...I said 'no way, I am a very bad student, but principal is such a good teacher, that he makes me a good student". This made the old boy puff up his chest, order one of the teachers to fill two tumblers with half soju and half beer...and then we downed them in one. So...it would appear that the lessons are not such a bad idea at all.

[nicholas_chiasson]

in the west we call it "brown noseing"
in asia they call it "a neo-confuscian system of respecting your elders."
cultural relativism, chap.

[Burndog]

[genezorm]

do it, and tell him you want to study at the room salon

[ED209]

[Burndog]