Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Starla]

I've been suffering through my first cold in Korea the last week. It doesn't help that the public school I work in feels like a refrigerator inside. Please educate me as to why the windows in the school should all be open when it's 56 degrees Fahrenheit outside. I was told because there's lots of dust in the classrooms and hallways so the teachers open them for that reason. Are these teachers doing major construction that there's so much dust?

My co-teachers wear jackets and double or triple layers just to keep warm but I find that a bit ridiculous since it's not wintertime yet and I'll sweat on my way to and from work wearing that. When I asked today why the kids' classrooms' windows were all open today and the classroom was cold, even according to the students, I got the whole dust argument and then was asked why I don't wear a jacket then? Why??? Because I'm indoors. That's the beauty of the indoors. It's a shelter from the outside. I'm fearful of how it will be this winter and if I'll have one sickness after another because of the cold in the school. All they have are huge heaters in each classroom and don't have a schoolwide heating system so even with heated classrooms, the hallways are still freezing.

Are other people's public schools like this and if so, how are the winters? What in the world are Koreans talking about when they say dust? Since when does Korea have more dust in the classrooms than any other country in the world.

[mogbert]

YOU DON'T WANNA DIE FROM HEATER DEATH DO YOU?!!?!

[pootle]

Same at my public schools. I asked the kids and they said that older teachers believe in 'clean air'. I asked the teachers and they say that you must have heat and a through-flow of air to be healthy. It's possibly a throwback to the days when heating systems (primarily ondol) gave off noxious fumes and so opening windows and/or doors prevented being overcome by carbon monoxide or similar.

I also have a cold and I find fresh air easier for breathing when I'm bunged up - I like my body to be warm but I like to breathe cool air.

Would suggest you follow your co-workers' lead and dress in layers. You can take layers off if you feel too warm and put them back on when it's chilly. It's a good time of year to do action songs, moving-around activities and to go for general TPR madness in the classroom.

[Draz]

They are all like that. Never mind that the air outside in Korea is absolutely horrible right now and it is much healthier to keep the windows closed!

[yingwenlaoshi]

This is like the 15th thread on this topic.

[okokok]

I remember when the OP joined Dave's. It's funny to see people go through the same thing as everyone else here has gone through. It seems everyone's Korean experience is identical.

[Starla]

[BrianInSuwon]

I wear a long sleeve t.shirt. a button up shirt, a sweater, a coat, and a scarf in class. I even put on the gloves one day

But my windows aren't open. I keep them closed. The hallway is another story

Yep, I bike to school. Covered in sweat when I get there. Take off my coat for a few minutes to cool down and then zip back up.

In my school, teachers are allowed to bring a seat warmer to school.

[Xuanzang]

I have my own classroom heater that I blast when it`s really cold or even today. The principal wants to be cheap? Well then I`ll just use my plugin and he`ll still lose money. Opening the windows actually brings in more dust from their dust fields. D`oh.

[Adventurer]

[moosehead]

Hey Starla - quit asking about why and start closing the windows!!

ha ha - yeah - that's right - they'll be open when you arrive in the morning which is plenty of time to air out the halls - then as you walk by - just close them.

Bet ya' a nickel no one opens them up again!

and yes, you do have to learn to dress in layers - afternoons will warm up a bit, mornings are the coldest, especially on Mondays when everyone's gone for the weekend.

go to the BBC website and find the weather - then set it for Seoul and bookmark it - click on latest observations and they give temps for the last 24 hours - sometimes just 3 hours prior - you can estimate what the temp is going to be and see the forecast which wil help.

and yes, do get a plug in electric heater for your office.

cheers!

[cruisemonkey]

LOL... it's just one of those 'quirky' things about K-land.

I'm tempted to try and gather some stats. and try to figure out how many trillions of won are wasted in the K-public school system every year by having the windows wide open while the air con or heating systems are run 'full blast'.

[Horangi Munshin]

Haven't seen lots of windows open and the heat cranked in my school. There is always one or two of the smaller windows open though until I shut them.
Yesterday I wondered why the home room teachers were opening the windows to the corridor. It was so they could stand outside and watch the class for 2 or 3 minutes then skive off!

[sojourner1]

It's fine and dandy to open your windows some in the Winter to air out a place, but I find my indoor air is better with closed windows as old people burn trash every damned morning. I'm getting so sick of not having fresh air in the mornings and evenings due to there being cheap and thrifty by not buying trash bags.

Many people who live in small towns and rural areas do so to get away from pollution and have a breath of less stressful fresh air, but it's ruined by people too cheap to buy a bag.

Opening the windows on the apartment or school is only letting awful smelling smoke indoors, but I suppose it lets kid stink out the room. I think that's why Korean teachers keep the filthy classrooms mostly aired out. They need to clean with bleach and have central air with a filter.

I just want to go out there every morning and put the fires out to send a message we have the right to breath fresh mountain air. If I were Korean, there wouldn't be nothing stopping me from enforcing the law and people's rights.

I'm puzzled why Koreans are tolerant of others who intentionally infringe on their rights and just suffer in such obvious fixable ways. I'd argue and demand what I know is right. They handle it by not having anything to do with their neighbors and being rude and inconsiderate to each other indirectly. Even in small communities they don't know their neighbors who are throwing trash around and burning, but they don't do anything about it.

I'm puzzled why they do so many illogical ineffective things. You got me. I guess this is stone age logic meets the 21st century.

[Drew345]

I missed a multiple choice question on my Korean language exam. The question was:
"I opened the window because..."
and the correct answer was:
"I am cleaning."

I was rather new at the time. Sad thing is that now I also open my window when I am cleaning.