Korean Job Discussion Forums

politica · Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Location: Suwon-si

Yes, I understand Korean culture. I understand that they never take sick days despite obviously needing to. BUT, I am living in some sort of Korean-American cultural twilight zone. I can never conform 100% to Korean culture.

That being said, I took a sick day yesterday. I threw up several times in the morning, and had an extremely sore throat (which I still have, though I'm not throwing up anymore). That means, after 8 months, I have taken 5 sick days. Yes, I seem to get sick here more often than at home. I blame it on different strains of viruses or whatever. Regardless, I will not take a sick day unless I absolutely need it- that means I am 1) contagious, 2) puking, 3) can't speak, or 4) all of the above.

Today I lunch I just got scolded for taking a sick day. "The Principal doesn't understand." I just said, "Fine, next time I'm sick, I'll bring my puke bucket with me and infect all the students."

What can I do? I entitled to 10 sick days, and when I'm sick, I don't give a rat's ass about Korean culture. My coteacher told me the following. "Maybe if you have cancer, then you take a sick day."

WTF?!?!?

jadarite · Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 7:47 pm Post subject:

When I was in middle school, I would try to rub my eyes so my mother thought I might need to stay home. Then, one day, I changed and decided attendance was more important than pretending to be sick.

The point of this is not to say you aren't sick or that Korean standards are or are not practical, but it's look at what is getting you sick in the first place. Why are you sick now in early November? If there is no health condition which would affect your immune system, then things like stress and lack of sleep would be prime causes of your sickness.

I try not to have the gas on and use many blankets. The change from a warm environment to a cold one is not healthy. The change from a cold environment straight to a warm one is even worse. In February 2007, I was working outside in the cold for 2 hours, got on a warm train, and I almost passed out. I got 15 minutes out of the station I arrived at and had to sit until my energy level came back. I had not eaten and strained my body.

There are some things you can do to avoid getting a cold. Prepare for winter and get gloves and a hat. Don't take your jacket or coat off when you teach. Try to keep your body temperature the same. When you have to go from one environment to the other where the temperature is considerably different, then make it as quick as possible.

Also, if you are working with young kids, wash your hands like a doctor. Do it several times a day. Bacteria can be easily carried with their frequent trips to the bathroom. When you add cold weather to this, you are asking for trouble.

Don't shout unless you need to. This causes strain on your vocal chords. When you do, make sure you drink liquids between classes.

samcheokguy · Joined: 02 Nov 2008 Location: Samcheok G-do

When I as a foreign teacher am given the same perks and benefits a korean career teacher has, and the same duties, I will respond in kind.
-Until then I do what I want.

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

You have every right to take sick days if you need them.

If your principal doesn't like it, drag out your contract and point to the clause that talks about sick days.

If there is still some "fuss" about it, contact the person in charge of the foreign teacher program in the area that you work in. Have them explain the contract to the principal or the co-teacher.

Girlygirl · Joined: 31 Oct 2008

Another tip of mine: carry a Purell Hand Sanitizer at all times. It really works.

Easter Clark · Joined: 18 Nov 2007 Location: Hiding from Yie Eun-woong

nicam · Joined: 14 Jun 2008

I don't quite understand this aspect of the culture either as it seems to serve no greater good.

I don't see any dire consequences for you taking a sick day. If it revitalizes you and improves your performance immediately afterwards, instead of sending you into the downward spiral that is consequential of not adequately caring for yourself when you are ill then WTF is the big deal.

I had the death flu last week, and I went in every day only to be sent home in the morning or after lunch. One of my schools made me stay and sleep in the lounge while sweating out my fever and convulsing in the morning, only to make me teach my classes in the afternoon, which were DISASTEROUS to the point where the students were frightened. It's ridiculous!

LostinKSpace · Joined: 17 Feb 2008

Just take your sick days. Tell them in advance and then carry on as normal. I know many Koreans who do this.

egrog1717 · Joined: 12 Mar 2008

Illysook · Joined: 30 Jun 2008

There's no reason to wonder why someone is sick in early November. Cold and flu season is here. These things are caused by germs. You can break the cycle of infection through handwashing and (since bathroom sinks in most schools are filthy) using plenty of hand sanitizer. However, since we work with children who put their hands just about everywhere without washing them, or even thinking about them, we are fighting an uphill battle.

The kids at my school are as sick as dogs and have been since I got here. I've been extremely sick. I started puking in the middle of lunch one day. I took part of that afternoon off. I haven't taken a whole sick day just yet. I am afraid that if I start taking sick days, I will lose momentum and enthusiasm for both Korea and my job. I want to make this work. I think that my boss appreciates this. I am treated very well at my school. For example, when they took my coworkers to e-mart last week, they followed me around to see what groceries I would choose, and then they told the cook at our school to prepare some of those foods the very next day.

yeremy · Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 9:34 pm Post subject: Sick Days

My philosophy is to pick my battles and to stand up for what is right. I worked at the same school for three years and I took two days off for being sick. I wasn't hassled about taking a couple of sick days, but when my wife had to have thyroid cancer surgery at Severance Hospital in Seoul last February, I ran into a lot more turbulence but I was able to negotiate a compromise for time off with the help of my former co-teacher. I owe my former co-worker a lot for her help. she went to bat for me with my former school and it worked out but it was not always very friendly when it came time for me to leave that job and go to another English teaching program in Korea.

It is the norm in Korea for a spouse to take time off of work to be with their wife/husband if they have to have surgery, but I had to request it in writing. It was important for me to be there for my wife, who is Korean, so I stood up and asked for what I really needed, as necessary and eventually we worked it out.

I request and take sick days when I am too ill to stand or walk. When i worked at a hagwon, for example, I caught a really bad cold and I could not get up out of bed except to go to the doctor's office for a cold shot in the hip with my wife's help. That hagwon never bothered me about it and I wouldn't have cared because I was as sick as a dog or sicker and that was that.

If you're really sick, request if you can and/or take a sick day. Get a note from your doctor to back yourself up if you think it's a good idea. As someone else pointed out, show your contract to those who question you but try to be polite about it. Stand up for your rights per your contract when you need them but it helps to be polite but clear and firm.

It is not a really good idea to take a sick day when you are not sick and you want an extra vacation day. That irritates the school authorities to no end. It's hypocritical for sick days to be put into the contracts and then to hassle people who really need them. I agree that that should end.

plynx · Joined: 03 Jun 2008

funny enough, i just asked my co-teacher about her "sick days" and she didn't even understand the question. her contract doesn't have them, so obviously they don't exist. Wink

take your sick days and tell everyone else to kiss your ass. they're in your contract, you're entitled to them.

Ramen · Joined: 15 Apr 2008

K-teachers take sick days like there's no tomorrow. And there's nothing VP or P can do about it since there's KTUnion backing the K-teachers.

Take'em if you got em.

KYC · Joined: 11 May 2006

my immune system is usually very strong and I don't get sick very often. Even back home in the states, I rarely took sick days. It IS different in Korea. Like one poster stated, we are exposed to a very filthy environment and the kids are gross. Sorry, I love them but they are dirty. I caught the flu from them already and had to take a sick day. I didn't blink twice about taking it. I needed and took it...end of story.

ernie · Joined: 05 Aug 2006 Location: asdfghjk

i don't abuse my sick days but since i don't get reimbursed for those i don't use, i kind of feel like a chump for not using them.

my advice is to stay home if you're sick. when they play the korean culture card, inform them that you are not korean but will gladly honor your contract and anything else that you have signed. don't worry about having to stay late after class or on saturdays unless that's in your contract. if a korean co-worker complains about that, tell them that they should have negotiated a better contract. if they expect foreigners to move halfway around the world to work like dogs, they're going to have to pony up some more dough.

there are a million ways to get sick in this country. my first winter here, i must have caught a new cold literally every week. i was being exposed to a whole new set of germs, plus little kids (especially here) are filthy.