Korean Job Discussion Forums

[fromtheuk]

My advice is follow the fromtheuk approach, it reduces all of the unnecessary stress you've talked about.

Be civil, be polite, but don't give any information about yourself which is private. Don't socialize, don't apologize for something when you've done nothing wrong, and when your colleagues start to drop obvious hints you're not welcome because you're not fitting in, smile in that awful fake Korean way and pretend you're a stupid foreigner unaware of eveything around you.

That's what I do, the good thing about that is you have a good laugh at their expense and eventually when they realize you've been taking the mick out of them all the time, they look deeply embarrassed and bitter they couldn't upset you.

They then begin to ignore you but still make fun of you when they are in groups. The trick is to avoid them all the time, bring in your own lunch at all times and when you see them trying to ridicule you, just raise your head and act indestructible like your Korean colleagues.

It helps to look absurdly proud at school, to demonstrate to your colleagues how their poor attempts to act superior only shows how useless they sometimes can be.

[IncognitoHFX]

So, the OP crawled around in the shit with a knife in his mouth and he wonders why people are interested?

Excuse me, but how many people did you kill?

You gotta tell stories about it to your students and they'll love you. Use your hands a lot. Demonstrate choke holds. Paint your face. Have flashbacks.

AWESOME.

[poet13]

I think this thread has lost it's point. It was about maintaining good work relations.

fromtheuk. "Be civil, be polite, but don't give any information about yourself which is private. Don't socialize, don't apologize for something when you've done nothing wrong,"
That's the only part worth considering.

[bobranger]

reinvent yourself

[poet13]

I did. I'm a teacher. I told them the truth. I told them that in the different jobs I've had, there's always been a teaching component, and that that had been the most enjoyable and satisfying part of any job. So I stressed that. At the hagwon I worked at, they assumed I was some kind of corporate instructor and didn't ask any more questions. That was good.

[Kimbop]

fromtheuk?? Now THERE is someone who needs to be ashamed of himself! It's no wonder that he is secretive about his beleifs/private life!

My advice: don't be weak! Share your personal views, and win over some admirers! Share some personal info, and leave a great impression on those who ask! Make some Korean friends!

[Hank the Iconoclast]

[poet13]

I received the following email tonight (and no phone calls as claimed). I think it reeks very much of politics.... what do you think? Just to be sure, read it twice.


"I bet you have a good time to take care of your baby.
I tried to ring you but I couldn't get through at
eight fifty.
I am terribly sorry to tell you bad news.
I got the call from the supervisor at XXXXX
Educational Office at around five ten.
I was surprised at the news that A new native speaker
will arrive at XXXXX on October 6th, next Monday. So
you should move to XXXXX Middle School on October
7th.
I am afraid you will not have time to say goodbye to
the students from XXXXXX Middle School.
As you know, it is supposed to move your school on
October 17th and we planned to move your ref, washing
machine and microwave on October 13th.
Actually I am worried about how to deliver the
direction from XXXXX Educational and XXXXXXXX
Educational Office for some time.
I was disappointed at the way to take care of
administration for native speakers again.
So I had to report this fact to our principal and vice
principal on the phone today. Principal and vice
principal expressed the regrettable feeling.
On Monday, we will have a farewell time to say goodbye
at staff meeting and have a dinner for the farewell
party at 5:30 p.m.
Please I'd like you to understand the embarrassing
situation. Please reply to me.
Cheer up! Have a great day! "
YBM...now you're right.

I'm goddamned disgusted.


(I moved this from a new thread. Didn't need a new thread.)

[spliff]

Get rip roaring drunk at the goodbye party and grope some female teachers. That's always endearing and it will give you an awesome reputation at your new school. Must suck teaching middle school, though. A buddy of mine does and he said that it just plain hurts the soul.

[poet13]

Well, considering that my antagonist (the person who had me moved) is my co-teacher (heard it from a couple of sources and is the person who wrote the email above.) I have already told him that I am not interested in any kind of party. What a fecking slap in the face.

I have spent a class period with each class telling them that we would have one more class. Yesterday a 3rd year boy came to my desk and just stood there and cried. So now they are telling me that I won't have a chance to say good bye to my students at either school.

I'm really tempted to tell them to go stuff themselves. I should on principle alone.

[PRagic]

Why would anyone have to be embarrassed by Motorcycle Club colors in Korea? Hell, Harley sells more merchandise here than in any other country outside the US! And if it is something you hold, for whatever reason, personal, then why leave the crap out when you have people over? You don't have a wardrobe closet?

Honestly, it sounds like the OP is attention starved. This is what I do...NO, DON'T ASK! Here are all my things laid out in a room in a country where people naturally walk around at a house warming univited and unescorted (Koeran culture 101), but NO, DON'T LOOK AT THAT!

Yikes, and the military yarns. Whatever. One of the dreariest intel jobs out there. Marketable? Yes, but more so with a GIS MA. Maybe the OP has a chip on the shoulder for not being a real troopie. Happens to a lot of techy intel people.

[spliff]

^Care to translate that?

[cruisemonkey]

poet13,

Do you have to move to a different apartment?... I noticed the reference to moving ref. & washing machine.

If so, I hope they have agreed to pay all reconnection fees for utilities - satellite/cable, phone, internet etc.; and they are paying a company to pack and move all your belongings.

I was asked to move (basically, 'next door') by my landlord and agreed with the above stipulations (I didn't lift a finger - only 'supervised'); plus, a day off work on moving day. If I thought there was any hope of getting some monitary compensation, I would have asked for that too.

No matter what, it's still a giant pain-in-the-ass and takes a month to get 'resettled'.

[poet13]

Wow PRagic, you're so far off it's hard to believe you read the thread... Intel job? Shit. Not in the least. I'm not ashamed of my colors. My relationship is simply no ones business. Leaving things lying around? It's MY apartment, I didn't invite them over....and no, there are no closets. Attention starved? Try the opposite. I wish people would leave me the hell alone. Good grief, read the thread.

cruisemonkey. I did not have to move apartments. One school is simply going to pick up their ref, washing machine and microwave, and the next school l will provide another set. I really hope they manage to do it within a couple of hours of each other so that all the rabbits I froze won't spoil.

[Ya-ta Boy]

I find turning any question back on Koreans works well. When some question comes up that I don't want to answer, I just ask, "Why are you asking?" I say it with a smile and if necessary, mention that different cultures have different rules about privacy.