Korean Job Discussion Forums

[polonius]

I understand completely the sentiments expressed on this thread. It is part of my job description to help the new teachers settle into their work and life in Korea. I do my best to help them out, show them things that they will need so that they have an enjoyable time in Korea. The reasoning behind it is, if they are happy with their outside life, then they won't bring their problems into work.

That said, I hate it when I have to baby people. I had a teacher working for me. He wanted cable and internet set up in his apartment. I had the technician come over, and told the teacher what he needed to provide the technician. The teacher decided to do a direct payment for the service, and had the fees taken directly from his account. He left us after his term. 2 years pass and he calls me. He says that he noticed every month that 34,000 won had been coming out of his account. He thought it was simply a bank fee. Then when he realized that it was because he didn't cancel his cable and internet he called me. He asked me to find out where he lived 2 years prior. He wanted me to go walk around the apartment complex to find out which apartment was his so that he could cancel the cable contract.

I told him that I didn't have time to go walk around. I was busy doing other work things. I said that when I had time, I would look into the situation for him. That wasn't good enough. He wanted it done, and done right then. I said that was life, and he needed to accept it. It was his fault that this had happened. He even expected the company to pay for a portion of his bills. HAHAHA.

The thing that really got me was that he is a friend of my best friend back in Canada. He expected everyone to do everything for him. The bottom line is many of these newbies came straight from living in mommy and daddy's house. They had everything done for them, and they have no idea what it means to be independent. Also, many of them have never had full time jobs or at least a job that wasn't as a McDonald's server or bus boy ect...

I have had so many teachers come threw our company. Many of them could take care of themselves after a little guidance, but I can't tell you how many 4 am calls I have received. "Come take your teacher to the hospital." or "Give the taxi driver directions to their home." (even though I supply them with a card when they come work for us, which says in Korea "Please take me to ------ address.)

I rarely go out for drinks or dinner with my teachers, unless it is a company dinner. Like Mr. Pink, I am a family man, and my interest are very different from the 20 something crowd.

As for the poster who said that every generation seems to be digressing, it is sad that you feel this way. I make every attempt to put into practice the lessons my father taught me. My father was a great man, and I can only hope that I will be as good as he. Will I achieve this? I don't know, but you can be certain that I make every effort to do so. I also teach my son the lessons my father taught me.

[Demophobe]

I mislead noobs at every opportunity.

[polonius]

[vk33]

[daveweave2]

Yeah, I was a teacher in America I am older and have a couple of degrees, have been here for almost three years. I have gotta agree with you I seldom post here, and I have met many rude young teachers here. There is a certain click of people who think it is powerful to be rude. At my first job two of the foreigners were complete [b][Mod Edit][/b],and proud of it. These people give us regular Joes a bad name. On the bright side I have done really well here and make good money now, I bet they don't. Ignore them they don't matter, good luck to you

[Tobias]

[Tobias]

[Tobias]

for the bare necessities
The simple bare necessities
Forget about your worries and your strife
I mean the bare necessities
Old Mother Nature's recipes
That brings the bare necessities of life

Wherever I wander, wherever I roam
I couldn't be fonder of my big home
The bees are buzzin' in the tree
To make some honey just for me
When you look under the rocks and plants
And take a glance at the fancy ants
Then maybe try a few

The bare necessities of life will come to you
They'll come to you!

Look for the bare necessities
The simple bare necessities
Forget about your worries and your strife
I mean the bare necessities
That's why a bear can rest at ease
With just the bare necessities of life

Now when you pick a pawpaw
Or a prickly pear
And you *beep* a raw paw
Next time beware
Don't pick the prickly pear by the paw
When you pick a pear
Try to use the claw
But you don't need to use the claw
When you pick a pear of the big pawpaw
Have I given you a clue ?

The bare necessities of life will come to you
They'll come to you!

So just try and relax, yeah cool it
Fall apart in my backyard
'Cause let me tell you something little britches
If you act like that bee acts, uh uh
You're working too hard

And don't spend your time lookin' around
For something you want that can't be found
When you find out you can live without it
And go along not thinkin' about it
I'll tell you something true

The bare necessities of life will come to you

[Kikomom]

Funny, Tobias... need a tune to go with those lyrics?
http://www.geocities.com/kiko_christmas/giveandgive/

But the rest you say is so true. I've sensed it all along that people hold back on where precisely are the good jobs. That, and who wants to take the blame when they don't turn out quite as expected?

[Demophobe]

This isn't a Korea / expat phenomenon exclusively.

I don't show all my cards for many good reasons. I protect my lesson plans from people I don't trust and I am not going to recommend a job to someone unless I am 110% sure that they will do a good job. Also, if I were to hear of a good position, my close friends would come first, simple acquaintances probably wouldn't hear about it at all.

My friends are the same; a couple of them even have a kind of trust rubric for how far they will go for a near-stranger regarding recommendations. I am thankful to them for this, as they have done me great favors, but they didn't just throw that my way blindly; they made me earn it, in a sense.

For me, the recommendation requirements are quite high, and with good reason. For each person I have met who I would call a real professional (remember the meaning of this word), I have met 10 people who are clowns.

More on-topic: I always help when I can. Many newcomers to Korea are young and have a lot on their plate. No, it isn't as it used to be and certainly things now are far better than they were in '96, when I arrived. However, this doesn't detract from the magnitude of the experience for them, and I won't rain on that idea. It makes me chuckle, as in some ways, it reminds me of my own feelings back then.

Its good for us oldies to bear this in mind and it is good for the newcomers to bear in mind that the thoughts, revelations and insights they are experiencing are only new to them, and that as with every facet of life, there are many who have been there and done that. We should all be willing to learn from each other; newcomers help me remember how amazing Korea is - for better or worse - and we can help them settle into the experience.