Korean Job Discussion Forums

swigs · Joined: 20 Apr 2008

I am in a public school during working hours of the bank. How am I supposed to get to the bank if my school will not let me leave?

My co-teacher, whom is very nice and helpful, recommends I take vacation time to go to the bank. Is this legit?

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

hell no, make them let ya. go over their head about it. Asking to go to teh bank once a month or something ain't a huge deal, they do it all the time.

wylies99 · Joined: 13 May 2006 Location: I'm one cool cat!

You should be able to go when you don't have class.

swigs · Joined: 20 Apr 2008

Yeah, I thought that it sounded strange. They said I can go next Wednesday, but thats rather a long time away, because I was trying to open a bank account before my first pay check. (so it can be deposited into the right account.)

KYC · Joined: 11 May 2006

cruisemonkey · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 2:25 am Post subject:

Vacation time? Rolling Eyes

I've never even asked - I just walk out when I don't have classes.

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

When I need to go to the bank I just say "I'm leaving now, I have to go to the bank". Nobody ever say anything but "OK, see you tomorrow".

ckub · Joined: 28 Apr 2008 Location: Seoul

my school lets me go once per month, and if I need to go more than once, I have to stay longer at school to make up the time I lost going to the bank.

I'm sure you can work something out with them!

icicle · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Location: Gyeonggi do Korea

I was in a public school last year and just had to follow the same procedures that the Korean teachers did when they needed to do similar things .... usually called "a business trip". As long as it was after I had finished teaching it was usually easy to get the OK for ... Just needed to write it up in the "book" and get it authorised by several people ...

It was not as simple as walking out for a short time for me either ... I did most of my banking via ATM's and Internet banking ... but when I needed to do my International Transfer once a month I had to travel 40 minutes on a bus to the closest branch that could do it ... and the bank closed at 4:30 ... So it was only possible when I had no after school classes ... I had to leave as soon as school finished to have a chance to get there in time ...

You should have no trouble in getting the OK to do it ... For me once a month was enough to go to an actual branch ...

It is actually possible that there is miscommunication over using "vacation" to do it ... Because from conversations I had over the time I was there ... a lot of different things ended up being written up in what I call "the book" ... This included things like short term sick leave ... going to meetings in other schools ... things like going to the bank ... I was told that as long as it didn't end up being "too much" it was OK ... I had one real sick leave day that was actually written up in the book initially so I didn't have to use the sick leave ...

cj1976 · Joined: 26 Oct 2005

I regularly venture off school grounds during free periods. I even go to the gym near my school after lunch sometimes. No-one gives a hoot because they're all too busy sleeping and surfing the internet.
Just get up and go.

wylies99 · Joined: 13 May 2006 Location: I'm one cool cat!

swigs · Joined: 20 Apr 2008

Thanks for all the replies.

Before I even got to the school during orientation I was given a bank account. I hear it is an alright good bank, but I want to do internet banking and this particular bank does not have English internet banking. So I was going to open a new account with a bank that had English internet banking.

I would be happy with once a month, it seems crazy that I can't leave to a bank that is literally just 70 meters away from my school.

But my co-teacher has been more than helpful with everything, it just seems like this this 'policy' is only for me... Crying or Very sad

Although I did get my health check done on a Saturday, which sucked...

I like my school and my co-teachers... It's just that they never want me to leave campus... Seems so strange. I guess maybe they had troubles with the last teacher leaving early???

I'm also surprised that banks are not 6 days a week in South Korea.

Also, do banks charge you for closing an account?

seoulsucker · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 7:12 am Post subject:

Do NOT use an account set up by the school. Get your own, and demand that the school uses it for all payments. No need to explain why.

Since when did PSs not let you leave the school grounds when you have a free period? I mean, cutting out early before your 3:30/4:30 contract time is one thing, but if I have a free period before or after lunch, I'm out of there to enjoy a few free hours.

Are there others out there who have to stay on campus the entire day?

wylies99 · Joined: 13 May 2006 Location: I'm one cool cat!

Don't do any business in that account- none at all. It's not your account and can't be in your name. If they insist on using that account, there's something VERY wrong.

Definitely get a bank account of your own, now. Someone from the school can help you with that, but don't let them sign anything or see your passwords.

So you don't have an ARC, yet? You'll need that ARC to open an account.

lohengrin · Joined: 16 Mar 2008 Location: Loompaland