Korean Job Discussion Forums

IncognitoHFX · Joined: 06 May 2007 Location: Yeongtong, Suwon

I was supposed to be off today. I had all last week off, and on Friday I called my head teacher and confirmed that I was suppose to come in on Monday. She said "no, you come in on Tuesday". I asked one of my co-teachers the same question in person on Friday as well (I shared a bus and a plane with them on my vacation) and he said that I was supposed to come in on Tuesday.

So, I took Monday off and I got a phone call just over half an hour ago (from one of the people who told me "come in on Tuesday") asking me where I was. I told them that I thought I had Monday off, but apparently I didn't.

This is totally all their fault, but I'm still wondering... will I get in trouble for this? Would a Korean employee just kind of went in anyway? I was told by three separate people in the last two weeks that I was supposed to come in on Tuesday, not Monday. Two of them told me this when I got back from my vacation on Friday.

They canceled today's summer camp classes for me so I don't have to come in until tomorrow. But I'm worried about losing my job.

Has this ever happened to anyone else?

genezorm · Joined: 01 Jul 2007 Location: Mokpo

i wouldn't sweat it.....tell them not to misinform you next time to ensure there is not another misunderstanding

Hootsmon · Joined: 22 Jan 2008

Aye, these thing can happen. I wouldn't be worried in the slightest. If anyone gives you any grief at all, ask for all schedules to be in writing a month before to prevent any further misunderstanding...no chance of getting that here but hey, should stop anyone whining.

IncognitoHFX · Joined: 06 May 2007 Location: Yeongtong, Suwon

The annoying this is that they did text message me two hours before hand telling me about this, and I didn't see it until now. I could've made it on time but I didn't check my phone until it was too late. I was %100 sure I didn't have to come in, so I wasn't sitting around in my apartment waiting for my phone to ring or anything. They could definitely use that as ammo against me.

Jandar · Joined: 11 Jun 2008

Firing frees you up to find another job. Don't sweat it.

sojourner1 · Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 10:36 pm Post subject:

This kind of stuff happens all the time. It's highly NOT likely you'll get fired. The worst part of it is how much this sort of mis communication annoys foreigners and how it puts you on the spot of them trying to make you feel guilty or look wrong which can further frustrate or piss you off. Sounds like someone is challenging or trying you out, but it's nothing serious.

blade · Joined: 30 Jun 2007

captain kirk · Joined: 29 Jan 2003

Kcoteacher said no classes tomorrow. Hokay fine. I roll in forty minutes late for the first time in my life and BAM. So and so homeroom teacher wanted an English lesson for her class first thing in the morning. Guess who wasn't there. The sky is falling!

Thing is it was the day after some jackass 'open class' event which was totally full of shit, weeks of preparation for this turd (which went very well). But hey, I show up late and miss a last minute sprung class and the sky is falling, everyone falling to pieces. Public self-immolation after hari kari the only honourable remaining recourse.

merkurix · Joined: 21 Dec 2006 Location: Not far from the deep end.

Hey OP, they didn't have to tell you anything. You should have known what day you were supposed to come in by reading their nunchi. Don't you know that nunchi body language trumps oral statements (their mouths said 'Monday' but their nunchi actually meant the exact opposite)?

I'm just kidding. I'm sure you don't have anything to worry about. But this is the second post I have read from you so far where you are afraid you will get fired over something like this. They need you more than you need them. Don't stress too much.

aarontendo · Joined: 08 Feb 2006 Location: Daegu-ish

I was told since ALL my students were on a camping trip for 4 days, I would have "vacation". Cool, I was going to ask to leave a couple of hours early to make it to my graduate classes those days but didn't have to!

Showed up the next week, co-teacher bitched me out how angry she was. She told me I was a public school teacher and had a duty to be at school. When I reminded her that she told me I had vacation, she told me that vacation in Korea means to sit in the office. I laughed and said no it doesn't and walked away.

Never heard any complaints from anyone else at my school or my district office, just renewed for another year.

teachergirltoo · Joined: 28 Oct 2006

It is very important to request that you get a schedule in WRITING, especially with so many little changes over the summer. Over the course of a week I may run into three different people that give me information telling me about schedule changes and upcoming days off. I take it all with a grain of salt until I see it on a piece of paper - then I pop it in my purse and keep it with me. I learned this in my prior career in business - always create a paper trail for yourself to cover yourself at all times. Even if someone says it's not a big enough thing to write it down just make them jot it down regardless. It's your record.

As to what you wrote about in the beginning OP. As other posters have mentioned I wouldn't sweat it. I have seen this happen before. Don't let it make you feel insecure. Just tell them it was a communication misunderstanding by both parties. They either accept that reasoning or they don't. Take equal responsibility for the error but not more than the other. If you try to over explain yourself it makes you look weak and guilty.

Matty · Joined: 13 Jun 2008

I wouldn't worry too much, finding new teachers is harder and more expensive than it's worth. If your boss says anything just be very respectful but firm and confident. Don't let them push you, explain you're very sorry how things turned out but you were given wrong information and that perhaps the school (referred to as "we" for relational reasons) should consider implementing some newer communication policies for the future to prevent such things happening again.

You want them to feel they can't push you around, but that you are on their side and not trying to be a problem. Try to appear proactive.

Rob'sdad · Joined: 12 May 2008 Location: Seoul

In FLHS there are no co-teachers. So one of the foreign teachers who spoke Korean....er...me, would mark the days off with a highlighter at the start of the year. So ask one of the English teachers to mark the schedule.

The year after I left one of the English teachers pulled an April Fools joke. He called the foreign teachers and told them that there was no school on April 1. They all bit. Only he and the Japanese and Chinese teacher showed up. Anyway, shit hit the fan and there where alot of job openings the next year.