Korean Job Discussion Forums

heyrube · Joined: 30 May 2008

My public school won't put on the AC. It was uber hot on Friday and think I was suffering from heat exhaustion. Is there anything I can do?

Chuggiya55 · Joined: 19 May 2008 Location: Canada

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

My wife doesn't mind me running the aircon-- especially since the school pays for most utilities.

The problem I have is that the school centrally controls all of the aircon units in classes and offices, and they won't even turn on until the temperature reaches a certain number. I believe it's 28 or so.

It ROYALLY pisses me off, and I was so angry about it once that I almost smashed my fist into the controller the first day it got really hot, because nobody had yet set the central control to recognize the hot temperature.

They do this with the heating during winter too, and everyone just brings electric heaters, which suck up more energy and are a fire hazard anyway. Korean logic and obsession with control gone haywire. My coworker was sick this summer, and got very upset when he couldn't turn on the heat. I don't blame him.

Kwangjuchicken · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 1:24 am Post subject:

Don't forget they have some strange ideas about temp. For example, for Koreans the calender is what they base the temp. on and not a thermometer. I have been here 10 years. Every winter it is the same. It is a hot sunny day. The students are packed like sardines in the class. The temp in the room is at least 90 F, they are all wearing their coats, their faces are bright red, and they are dripping with sweat. I suggest they take off their coats. They say no. I say why? They say because it is winter.

I have seen this in kids classes, college classes, university classes, and even evening adult classes with top people from top companies, doctors, lawyers etc. They all say the same thing. It is cold because it is winter.
Shocked

R. S. Refugee · Joined: 29 Sep 2004 Location: Shangra La, ROK

Public schools have air conditioning? I didn't even know that. I have fans on 3 out of 4 of the walls in my English Zone classroom. Didn't know that there is air conditioning too.

Kwangjuchicken · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 1:36 am Post subject: Re: air conditioning

Chuggiya55 · Joined: 19 May 2008 Location: Canada

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

cruisemonkey · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 2:40 am Post subject:

I've developed a ritual whereby if it's over 25 degrees C in a classroom, I make the class prefect go and get the school maintenance ajoshie to enable me to turn on the 'air con'. Cool

CTs inevitably 'freak out' because I also assign a student to close all the windows. Twisted Evil

LOL.

So far... no deaths. Rolling Eyes

cruisemonkey · Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 3:03 am Post subject:

heyrube,

You're obviously new to the game.

Just wait until December when Klogic decides to 'kick in'... to reverse. The Ks will have the overhead, air con/heater unit cranked up to 'max' and all the windows open. The kid (wearing a down-filled parka) sitting directly underneath will complain that it's too hot. When you tell him to take off his coat, his reply will be "Teachuh... I can't... it's winter." Crying or Very sad

heyrube · Joined: 30 May 2008

Thanks for the reality check. I'm not new to the game, just have been in America too long. I worked in a Hagwon in 2005 and they always had AC this time of year and yes the Korean students and teachers were not happy most of the time.

My fiance is Korean and we never have the AC on at night for more than 30 minutes, but we do get a nice breeze going. My body is hot and her's is cold so we compliment each other and sleep well.

Last Friday, even the students were complaining about the heat. The Korean teachers also believed the AC should be on, but the principal won't hear it. It was definitely hot in any gene scheme. I just think our principal is trying to save cash.

heyrube · Joined: 30 May 2008

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

How do I handle the AC thing?

When I was on an E2 I basically said if I can't get air conditioning I would wear shorts, a t-shirt and sandals (which I did my last year before I got married I remember in September the supervisor asked me why I was still wearing shorts...I told her because it was still over 25 degrees outside. Yes the Chicken is right in that Koreans look at the calander not the temperature.)

My last school job they provided me with AC and let me have access to the central control in the main office, so that if it was hot out I could turn it on for my area of the building and be cool.

On an F2 now, at my present place they didn't want to turn it on before June 1st because of government regulations...we had a few days at the end of May that were 28-30 degrees.

I essentially told them I would not teach in such conditions, so either they get the AC going or I'd find another place to work that would. One of the reasons I took the job as I saw they had good air conditioning setup, and it makes the summer go much faster than sweating your arse off with fans and having students ask every 5mins why their FT has huge pit sweats going.

To the OP, if the school won't put any AC on, come to work in shorts and a t-shirt. Then explain that it is too hot for you. I explained in it terms they could understand: I am used to cold climates and heavy AC in the summer. While the winters here aren't that cold, the summers are unbearable. I get heat stroke easily and need to stay cool or I get sick. Sick=no work...I take my health more seriously than any teaching job. If you let them know in a very serious way, you should get some type of compromise.

heyrube · Joined: 30 May 2008

Thanks mr pink.

I would do that but I really like wearing my buttoned down with tie to work. It makes me feel professional and the kids really respect me more (it makes me look older.) I guess a lot of this is my fault because of the clothes I like to wear.

But I'm telling you guys. It was too hot for everybody last Friday. The principle is the only one stopping the AC arrival.

JJJ · Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Location: Seoul

You are correct that there is a strange Klogic (love that word) going on, but I also think that possibly they are built differently. What I mean is, they don't sweat as much. I walked into the teachers office in school this morning and as usual, its a sauna in there. Some teachers are wearing suits, the ladies have sweaters on, one has a light jacket and no one has put on a single fan, even though we have 4 huge floor models.

Of course, I am sweating a storm, toweling my face, standing in front of the fan that I switched on. Same at my gym, one a/c on, in this huge space and 25 windows open and it's boiling. I ask if they could put the others on, or if I could close the windows and they look at me like I have an arrow in my head. Funny, but maybe there bodies just work differently than us westerners. I dunno, just a thought.