Korean Job Discussion Forums

[humanuspneumos]

After a long time in this industry I wonder- Is there any roadmap to success or just luck of the draw combined with normal striving to finish a contract or two? Here's a checklist I've seen people follow and still end-up getting totally burnt:

a.) Do your best. Be a great teacher. Maintain the numbers and even increase them.

b.) Always be on time.

c.) Be friendly most of the time.

d.) Kssss the bosses Asssssssssss.

e.) Don't ask for extra this and extra that.

f.) Forego some things written in the contract.

g.) Contribute overtime and intellectually to the program.


I've known several people who did this and here's what happened to them- each point is a separate incident:


1.) one guy ended up getting banned from the country for a while because he had a Korean girlfriend whom he married later

2.) one guy ended up getting put in handcuffs and hauled off to immigration for asking for final pay

3.) one couple is still under serious verbal threats because they maintained their position/right to teach in the same city as the school in which they left- outcome pending

4.) one guy was blocked from working at other schools for a while because he didn't re-sign and re-sign and re-sign

5.) one couple had the police come to their door to blockade them from leaving the country after they gave sufficient/legal notice

6.) one couple being threatened with a law suit for giving notice according to the terms of the contract because it was bad timing from the school's point of view

[sadsac]

Impossible to create. Every individual and contract depending on the director is different. One person can have a horror story to tell about school X and another a great story about school X. The common denominators as we would judge them by western standards do not exist in Asia, not just Korea. In the three years that my wife and I have taught English the one factor that is consistent with survival is turn up, do what you must and no more and then go home and forget the school until the next time you have to teach. For many whom we associated with and spoke with, this was their way of getting through each contract.

[TheUrbanMyth]

Numbers 5 4 and 2 sound like urban myths. Think about them for a while

[humanuspneumos]

Think about what? History- past tense. And here I thought you had walked around the Korean corner quite a few times and talked to a few people and saw a few things. Think about what you've seen and heard.

[ryleeys]

[humanuspneumos]

Sadsac is right---- just look at a few of Sadsac's posts and take note- he likely did all of that and much, much more and still got screwed. Save your energy.... lay low, do your best and what will be will be------ whether that be slander, a kick in the assssssssssss, or even worse or just making it through peaceably.