Korean Job Discussion Forums

NightSky · Joined: 19 Apr 2005

how do you handle the situation of casual adult acquaintances wanting lessons?

I feel bad to charge someone who's been kind to me, but OTOH I value my free time and this person's level is really low so it's not as if we would be just chatting. It would be work on my part. I am charging much less than the going rate but I still feel kinda guilty. In a perfect world I would meet this person and just take coffee or whatever they offered me for it, but the cost of living is rising and I need to save.

thoughts?

Xuanzang · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Sadang

Let them buy you dinner or dessert and a coffee. A less guilt free way to help out. Depends what kind of lessons and how close you are. Intensive textbook with a listening component? No way. Normal conversation with an explanation sketch/example set could be worth a bowl of pasta or galbi. Man's gotta eat right?

DWAEJIMORIGUKBAP · Joined: 28 May 2009 Location: Electron cloud

Or get them to teach you Korean in exchange...?

If you totally don't wan to do it a ttactful way could be too say

'Oh, I'm really sorry, but I teach English for ____ hours everyday and by the time I leave school, it's the last thing I want to do in my spare time.'

That was my Interior decorator Father's excuse to Mother for not decorating the house when it got shabby. It seemed to work okay with her. Bear in mind she was noticably less genourous with crumpets and scones on a sunday evening for a week or two after. (No, she wasn't really. Ive just got VD verbal dior... today)

Countrygirl · Joined: 19 Nov 2007 Location: in the classroom

Solution -- Don't feel guilty.

I also have a friend who gives me wine and monetary gifts whenever she asks me to help her. She is such a great person and I would help her without question with anything. I'm not in a position to say no to some of her gifts and I also feel like I might hurt her feelings if I reject what she offers me.

My solution...do the best job I can and sometimes pay for dinner etc. I figure in the end it will balance out.

hellofaniceguy · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: On your computer screen!

Friends don't let friends toutor friends.....you won't remain friends.

NightSky · Joined: 19 Apr 2005

with most eager prospective students I do in fact use the "I'm sorry, but I value my free time too much" excuse. It's just that the person seems to genuinely want to learn English (not just for bragging rights or prestige) and I don't need a Korean tutor, I could use the cash though.

I'm just not one of those whiteys who can charge 50 thousand per hour without blinking an eye and patting myself on the back for having such an easy job. especially if the family/person in question is not making Kim Yeon-A kind of money.

mongolian spot · Joined: 15 Sep 2009 Location: Seoul

i wont do this. period. im sat in the gym the other day and this drone head korean started asking me if i wanted to help him with his english for free!, so i asked him if he wanted to show me how to design cell phones for LG. Cheeky idiots. just give em the middle finger and stroll on, there is some english the paul mcartney heads understand.

DWAEJIMORIGUKBAP · Joined: 28 May 2009 Location: Electron cloud

smoggy · Joined: 31 Jul 2009

The way I handled it with one friend who speaks fluently is to help her improve on her writing and speaking and she teaches me a dozen of chosen Korean words. I just want some survival language. It has been working well for me.

Goon-Yang · Joined: 28 May 2009 Location: Duh

Just don't do it. Tell him you won't. Teachers are teachers. Friends are friends. Your teacher should never be your friend. Just cause.

Unless you're banging your teacher the above is always correct.

winterfall · Joined: 21 May 2009

I'm no Picasso · Joined: 28 Oct 2008

In my opinion, it's just like dating in reverse:

You can start out as friends and move to dating. Going the opposite direction is not so easy.

You can start out as tutor/student and move to friendship. Going the opposite direction is not so easy.

MattAwesome · Joined: 30 Jun 2008

solution: get someone else to tutor them right.

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anbrainblasta · Joined: 14 Feb 2009

my contract says its illegal for me to do private lessons. that one has gotten me out of a corner or two since being here

longlivetheclash · Joined: 08 Aug 2009 Location: Bundang/Seoul

"I'm looking for Spanish lessons and I'd hapilly pay up to 35,000 an hour and I'm not flush with cash...."

We will be back in Korea in late October 2009. I am an English teacher and my wife will be looking to tutor Spanish (she is Peruvian). E-mail me at [email protected]

Thanks,
longlivetheclash