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katepult
Joined: 19 Oct 2008
Location: the other Gwangju (Gyeonggi-do)
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 Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 3:46 am Post subject: |
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I'm in an elementary school in Gyeonggi-do.
I fully expected something stupid when I signed another contract in Korea. I expect to be a status symbol, a dancing English speaking monkey, and to teach a little English. There has been something slightly ridiculous in almost every school where I've worked. It's the Korean way.
Currently, my co-teacher hates me. I put up with the greeting because the vice principal loves it and I want allies. I also won't mind the extra vacation. It's not so bad - I talk to the students who want to talk. The co-teacher occasionally stands outside too (I think the VP wants her there and the CT hates it.) and runs down kids to make them speak English.
That is entertaining. |
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Xuanzang
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Location: Sadang
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| Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:13 am Post subject: |
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| I hope they give you the promised vacation time. I`m always cynical and expect a double cross. |
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valkerie
Joined: 02 Mar 2007
Location: Busan
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| Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 2:48 pm Post subject: |
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| And that the 5 extra days is above what you get for being in a rural area...(if you qualify for that). |
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katepult
Joined: 19 Oct 2008
Location: the other Gwangju (Gyeonggi-do)
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| Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 8:59 pm Post subject: |
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I do qualify for the extra 5 vacation days for living in a rural area, so in theory, I should get 30 days vacation. I fully expect the school to "forget" about the extra five days or possibly not even offer them.
As of today, I found out that the last teacher got two extra days, not five, and it was apparently because the principal liked her. I'm supposed to meet with the principal at the end of the week about it.
"The Korean way" would be to suck it up because school principals are demi-gods. I'm not Korean, so it's harder to justify working for free, especially doing something outside of my working hours that I don't see much value in. |
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red_devil
Joined: 30 Jun 2008
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:34 pm Post subject: Re: Official Time Wasters |
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| katepult wrote: |
My public school has me outside three days a week doing a "morning greeting." This means I come twenty minutes early so that I can stand outside the school gates with a hand-made poster and greet the students. The poster has an English question on it and I say good morning and periodically accost the students and make them answer the question. I'm not paid money for this, though in theory I'll get 5 extra vacation days because that's what it adds up to over the year.
Apparently, the morning greeting is very important (more important than anything else I do all day) because "Korean students don't get to meet foreigners and are afraid of them. The Morning Greeting helps them not be afraid of foreigners and practice their English." The principal and VP are really jazzed about it.
Personally, I think it's a sideshow, and a bit unpleasant in the cold, but am resigned to it. I'm curious, what foolish uses of your time do your schools come up with? |
ROFL. Come on, you can't be serious. It's like prostitution almost...you're so ownd. |
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katepult
Joined: 19 Oct 2008
Location: the other Gwangju (Gyeonggi-do)
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| Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 11:36 pm Post subject: |
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Almost like prostitution, except for selling my body for sex... 
I prefer "English Mercenary." I'm hired to do English-related things. Standing outside with a poster is pretty stupid, but it's in English. If I'm paid for my time and it's English-related, the school can use my time how it wants, especially when it's not very much time. You can't work in Korea for a while without expecting to do "dancing monkey" activities. Some schools hire foreigners to teach, some hire them to dance. I got unlucky and they want me to dance part of the time. It could be much worse. |
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maingman
Joined: 26 Jan 2008
Location: left Korea
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| Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:19 pm Post subject: camp returns email to me ! |
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hello xxx
somehow i lost contact with you. how are you doing? 
last time you mentioned about your visa problem, was it solved?
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
i feel sorry, i hope all things go well. 
you might not respond to us for oure contract since it requires E-2 visa.
i can't help you for that, but personally, if you feel like to ask help, let me know,  
i personally desire that every foreigners have good memory in working in my country 
sincerely,
xxxxx
two.. more I would not use
http://www.etjkorea.co.kr/korea/doc_root/
AND englishwork.com both I think based in Korrea |
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maingman
Joined: 26 Jan 2008
Location: left Korea
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 10:48 pm Post subject: ,, |
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another one here
www.younikorea.com
after email to the recruiter/agency from me
Hi xx
I am so sorry but I am not sure if you can get your visa.
Without working visa you can't get a job in Korea
one further response by me
and then I received... (an hour or so later)
Can I contact your school and get a reference? 
anothr one possibly not worth using !!
EslSolution Recruting Firm-South Korea
Website http://www.eslteacherkorea.com |
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maingman
Joined: 26 Jan 2008
Location: left Korea
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| Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 7:02 pm Post subject: , |
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annother one possibly not to use...
Replying to my visa/ korea question, I received
I don't think you can....
But I am not sure about that
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egrog1717
Joined: 12 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 7:22 pm Post subject: |
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| Monday afternoon meetings are about as bad as it gets... But at least we get to go home 25 minutes early, lol... |
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sarbonn
Joined: 14 Oct 2008
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:29 pm Post subject: |
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| katepult wrote: |
Almost like prostitution, except for selling my body for sex...
I prefer "English Mercenary." I'm hired to do English-related things. Standing outside with a poster is pretty stupid, but it's in English. If I'm paid for my time and it's English-related, the school can use my time how it wants, especially when it's not very much time. You can't work in Korea for a while without expecting to do "dancing monkey" activities. Some schools hire foreigners to teach, some hire them to dance. I got unlucky and they want me to dance part of the time. It could be much worse. |
I'm not sure I'd be able to do what you're doing, but I have to say that your attitude is quite exemplary and quite impressive. This situation may suck for you right now, but regardless of the "you're a dancing monkey" comments from people who would claim to never do the same, I think you'll do very well with whatever you decide to do with your life. That kind of attitude is very rare in people. |
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sarbonn
Joined: 14 Oct 2008
Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 9:31 pm Post subject: |
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| jackson7 wrote: |
Back in the states there was this high school kid that would wear his headphones and jam out playing air guitar on his Little Caesar's Pizza board while twirling the thing. Driving by we'd always give him the universal "rock on" symbol and he would always give us a little extra effort. I miss that guy, he was a real day-brightener. Maybe you can do something like that  |
We have something similar in Northern California with a sandwich shop called Mr. Pickle. There's this guy dressed up in a big pickle uniform who dances on the corner non-stop for hours. I always feel that guy has to either have the greatest job in the world, or he's so high he doesn't even know he's working. |
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