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How do I find out if I have a vacation?

 
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IncognitoHFX



Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon

PostPosted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 4:44 pm    Post subject: How do I find out if I have a vacation? Reply with quote

My public school (High School) refuses to tell me...

First they told me I'd have next week off (Monday onward), then I find out from my students that there are classes next week and I have to come in on Monday and Tuesday.

I also assumed I had January off because I was originally going to go to Canada during that time, but the school board denied my request (they were going to pay for it) and I'm going to be in Korea instead (I'll go visit Canada in June at the end of my contract).

No one will give me a straight answer about my vacation. My head teacher just told me I had it off but my immediate boss told me I had no vacation and that I'd be doing winter camps / teachers classes the whole time. I asked them to give me a schedule, so I would know, and the most I could get from them is "we'll call you in the morning if we need you to come in." That means I have to stay home everyday just in case!

Is there any way to get them to tell me in advance? I wanted to book a flight to another country for a week or so, but I couldn't because no one will tell me when I have a vacation. Is there any way to find out?
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xCustomx



Joined: 06 Jan 2006

PostPosted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 4:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tell them to give you a schedule by next Wednesday so you can prepare for the classes. If they don't, tell them you can't teach the classes because they aren't giving you enough time to adequately prepare.
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jiyull



Joined: 21 Mar 2008
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 4:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You are given a mandatory 7 days of vacation.
I don't know where you are...but some schools don't have any teachers or students attending from December 25th to January 4th.
They might make you take the vacation then.
You might be able to take a vacation in the month of January...in between or before or after your winter camps.
If they want to you to do all winter camps all the time...
you must be a good teacher Very Happy

haha...
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IncognitoHFX



Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon

PostPosted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 4:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

xCustomx wrote:
Tell them to give you a schedule by next Wednesday so you can prepare for the classes. If they don't, tell them you can't teach the classes because they aren't giving you enough time to adequately prepare.


I just found out... They told me after I posted this. I get the 24th of December until the 4th of January, then I get the 23rd of January off until Febuary 2nd.

Not much Sad I thought I'd get a lot more. Oh well. Apparently I'm only coming in for a few hours a day.
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cruisemonkey



Joined: 04 Jul 2005
Location: Hopefully, the same place as my luggage.

PostPosted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 5:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I assume your contract has a section on this subject. What does it say?
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IncognitoHFX



Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon

PostPosted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 5:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

cruisemonkey wrote:
I assume your contract has a section on this subject. What does it say?


It's a standard GEPIK contract... It's at home, I'll have a look see when I can. But as far as I know, it's the absolute standard.
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I_Am_The_Kiwi



Joined: 10 Jun 2008

PostPosted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 5:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

welcome to the seat warming club......
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crazy_arcade



Joined: 05 Nov 2006

PostPosted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 5:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's an awful vacation situation.
They have a schedule for vacation periods set well in advance, I've known since last March. Furthermore, Korean teachers would never accept being told mere days before hand when their vacation is. Why they should expect that of you is beyond me. I sincerely hope that you aren't staying on at that school. There are much better out there.
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IncognitoHFX



Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon

PostPosted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 5:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

crazy_arcade wrote:
That's an awful vacation situation.
They have a schedule for vacation periods set well in advance, I've known since last March. Furthermore, Korean teachers would never accept being told mere days before hand when their vacation is. Why they should expect that of you is beyond me. I sincerely hope that you aren't staying on at that school. There are much better out there.


Yeah, it was really annoying. When they thought I was going to Canada I just had the whole month off, but now that I'm not going to Canada (found out recently) they backtracked and changed everything. However it's not set in stone yet and I think they're still organizing my schedule, so it's subject to change.

My head teacher is receptive to feedback and I get along really well at my school, in fact I've already been asked to renew... so I'm going to negotiate with my head teacher today and see about getting those summer camp classes squeezed together in February as opposed to coming in for one or two hours every day in January. That's what it looks like, I believe the winter camp is going to be the same students repeatedly every day for an hour or two.
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cruisemonkey



Joined: 04 Jul 2005
Location: Hopefully, the same place as my luggage.

PostPosted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 5:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You should be 'telling' them when you're going on holiday, not the other way around. If GEPIK is the same as EPIK in this regard, you are supposed to come to an agreement (with your principal) and give at least 15 days notice.
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IncognitoHFX



Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon

PostPosted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 5:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

cruisemonkey wrote:
You should be 'telling' them when you're going on holiday, not the other way around. If GEPIK is the same as EPIK in this regard, you are supposed to come to an agreement (with your principal) and give at least 15 days notice.


Yeah I'm going to see about that today. I'm also going to tell them about my apartment and the dire need for new accomodations. My wall is caving in, I neglect to shower because the bathroom is -5C on a good day and I just found out the "money saved on me" and the other foreign teacher has gone to things without us in mind...

If they fix this vacation mess up and get me a new apartment then I will renew. I have a lot of friends here and I do like it, and I understand they have little to no foreign teacher experience, yet I think they really need to get their act together if they want to keep me around.
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IncognitoHFX



Joined: 06 May 2007
Location: Yeongtong, Suwon

PostPosted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 6:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

IncognitoHFX wrote:
cruisemonkey wrote:
You should be 'telling' them when you're going on holiday, not the other way around. If GEPIK is the same as EPIK in this regard, you are supposed to come to an agreement (with your principal) and give at least 15 days notice.


Yeah I'm going to see about that today. I'm also going to tell them about my apartment and the dire need for new accomodations. My wall is caving in, I neglect to shower because the bathroom is -5C on a good day and I just found out the "money saved on me" and the other foreign teacher has gone to things without us in mind...

If they fix this vacation mess up and get me a new apartment then I will renew. I have a lot of friends here and I do like it, and I understand they have little to no foreign teacher experience, yet I think they really need to get their act together if they want to keep me around.


Ugh, just found out that there is officially is no plan whatsoever for my winter classes and the teachers whom I've been asking have just been pulling dates out of their asses.

On the bright side, now it seems like