Korean Job Discussion Forums

sojourner1 · Last edited by sojourner1 on Tue Sep 09, 2008 5:33 pm; edited 2 times in total

I teach in a rural school 2 days a week, but I'm finding my bus doesn't come half of the time. I look like such an idiot trying to ask every bus driver and old people at the bus stop if this is my bus and getting the frustrating, "annio." These buses don't have numbers nor the names of the out of the way hole in the wall places I'm trying to go. No one knows what I'm saying or doing. I'm having one of those, "I want to just say feck it and go home," kind of days. You really need a car if in a rural area. The Koreans here can't believe I'm trying to live here without a car. A motorcycle is useless as it will be Winter for a long 6 months, making it too dangerous on curvy hilly mountain roads.

I called in and have to wait 2 more hours for the next scheduled bus. I noticed last week these buses failed to run on schedule when I rode them. Pretty crappy, but these old people seem to understand what's going on though they just stare at me. I wasn't suppose to teach as the school today as it is having a festival, but the principal was really mad and yelling in Korean on the phone. I don't get what these people are saying, but I do understand their emotions.

I'm going to request a transfer as it's not right to lack transportation. I know at home not having transportation is not considered a legitimate excuse for not showing up on time to a job. You lose if you can't get to work. I'll just keep going in late until they fire me, I quit, or I actually make a whole year of it, but I'm not happy if they aren't happy. It's just there's a severe lack of transportation, infrastructure, and everything else while construction is going on all around the local area that begins at 6 every morning. This is a developing area and is not up to modern standards yet as it's behind the rest of the country due to being a defunct coal mining area.

I am quite disappointed that EPIK moved me to the smallest town at the last minute upon arrival when I was supposed to go to Taebeak, a town that has plenty of buses, taxis, an Emart, and several gyms as well as other infrastructure to meet my needs. Just trying to take a weekend trip is very difficult as bus services to small towns severely lack as well as the roads allowing only 20 to 40 Km per hour average speed making for a real slow way to go. If joining EPIK, demand to be in a town that has an Emart as that's a real indicator that the small city has enough services to meet basic needs.

spliff · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand

Borrow your principles car or don't go. You getting any extra money for this stint? I hope so. Also, you can just take a cab and have the school give you transportation allowance.

sojourner1 · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 5:36 pm Post subject:

I'm just going to get instructions in Korean today to show to taxis. These taxis are dumb as a box of rocks and don't even know their way around a rural area with tiny towns. They don't know any addresses or school locations either. I have tried em' and they just get confused.

karri · Joined: 14 Jan 2007 Location: south korea

I work at 4 rural schools, my schools gave me a car.

If that dosent work you should see if you can arrange a ride with fellow teachers. During the first month while sorting out licence and stuff i just carpooled with other teachers.

I don't know where you are in the country but the winters here are pretty mild, you can probaly ride a scooter/motorcycle 10 months out of the year. The worst months are January and February which are holiday months anyway.

I agree with the taxi soultion and your school paying for it if the car pool thing dosent work.

cruisemonkey · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 6:07 pm Post subject:

You should have co-teacher to help you with this. Where the hell is he/she?

D.D. · Joined: 29 May 2008

One school I take a bus and a taxi and it takes me 40 minutes and costs me over 100 bucks a month. The other school was too far so I said "no drive and I will not go" . Now some teachers drive me there.

The problem is the Korean teachers do not like to drive us. The other problem is the office of education expects them to drive us. We get stuck in the middle and made to feel like idiots.

If they want teachers to come to rural areas they should start treating us like they want us there.

I thought about quitting my job over this issue.

tefain · Joined: 19 Sep 2007 Location: Not too far out there

Get a car if the taxis don't work out. You have a professional responsibility to get to work on time. Some days this is easier than others, but you just have to find the best way. The school should be more than accommodating in helping you with this.

Fishead soup · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Location: Korea

There was a girl in my area who was in the same situation as you. She just stayed at home until they transfered her to another school. We all though she would either get fired or her contract wouldn't be renewed.
She was one of the best teachers in our area. It turns out they begged her to recontract.

Bus system is good but if you can't read Hangul you're screwed.

jellobean · Joined: 14 Mar 2006

Or you could ask for a car and a gasoline allowance. Cheap cars can be had on Dave's for 500 - 1 mil and decent used cars run 1-2 mil on the economy. If the car belongs to the school, then the next teacher just gets it when you leave... Or ask for a transportation allowance that is enough to get a car and cover the costs. Then again you can just show up late. They probably won't fire you over it.

MrRogers · Joined: 29 Jun 2008

I go to 9 different public schools out of a town district office...the deal before I came here, when I asked how I would get to all these schools in the mountains and rice paddies, was that I would be given rides ... the district and schools organized it (they said there would be a driver)...

many times things go wrong but most of the time it works...however, it is a hassle waiting and having to try to communicate on all these rides with different people...and no one speaks English well or at all, and so it is a little stressful

but the school district and the schools are providing the rides

SHANE02 · Joined: 04 Jun 2003

Oh my. Waiting for rides? Jesus, that would be a real pain. Yes teachers have a profesional responsibilty, but so does the Education Office and the school. I feel sorry for these people who didn't nail down independent job provided transport before accepting jobs in the middle of nowhere.

You should be provided with a car and fuel.

sojourner1 · Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:56 pm Post subject:

Their kindergarten teacher is to start picking me up now since she lives near me.

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

[quote="sojourner1"]A motorcycle is useless as it will be Winter for a long 6 months, making it too dangerous on curvy hilly mountain roads.
quote]

Glad your finally got rides.

I ride a motorcycle year round, though I am in Seoul. Handlebar covers and snow/wind gear are a must, and I only ride in daylight from Dec-Feb.