Korean Job Discussion Forums

asc422 · Joined: 23 Feb 2009

I've been in Korea for 6 months.

I shared an apartment with the other foreign teacher from my school. My roommate, the other foreign teacher, was a good friend from college. He had been here for 1 year before I arrived. I had no problem sharing the apartment with him. Our Director owns the housing so it is in her interest to have teachers that are willing to share housing.

Well, my buddy split town on a midnight runner a couple weeks ago after we didn't get paid on time.

A new teacher is coming this weekend. I was told that he will be sharing my housing with me ... knowing how weird foreigners can be here, I'm not entirely comfortable with the situation.

Question: what are my options?

Can I refuse to live with someone I do not know in this situation?

Olivencia · Joined: 08 Mar 2009

When such individual shows up lay down the law with him. You have seniority here. In this society that's a biggie Smile

GoodMike · Joined: 18 Jun 2009

asc422 · Joined: 23 Feb 2009

"The Institute will provide a private single person accommodation or shared apartment with a private room free-of-charge to the instructor."

Issue: My room is a bedroom/living room/glass wall to the kitchen. In my opinion? Not private. In the school's opinion? Probably private. As a law school dropout, I know these are the technicalities that are the basis for major headaches.

GoodMike · Joined: 18 Jun 2009

Well, for shared apartments, according to what i read in your contract, there would need to be 2 separate bedrooms, both with doors IMO. Separate from the main living space. THAT is a private room. There is no other meaning of private. Means you can shut your door, roommate can shut their door as well.

Whitey Otez · Joined: 31 May 2003 Location: The suburbs of Seoul

I had a big apartment when I first landed here. It was just granted that anyone waiting for their apartment to get freed up would be my roommate for that time. It sucked to have strangers living in my apartment, especially considering the stringent screening standards of 2003. Honestly, I made good friends with them and we're all still facebook friends.

I also lived with a couple of girls that were strangers. After the initial awkwardness, we got over ourselves. It helped that I always keep an empty fridge.

All you can do is tell the owner how uncomfortable you feel about the situation, and she'll tell you to "just try it out." Then you either learn to check for single housing next time and pull a runner, or you find that it's not so bad.

curiousaboutkorea · Joined: 21 Jan 2009

nomad-ish · Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 3:18 pm Post subject:

it sounds like your director is within his rights according to the contract-- for the glass wall part, i would just insist that you need privacy and ask for a curtain to be put up at his expense. also, does your bedroom door have a separate lock that only you have a key for? if not, insist on a new lock as well.

Sector7G · Joined: 24 May 2008

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

Skippy · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Daejeon

God, some bosses just do not understand. In the previous situation he was living with a friend. And it sounds like they just went together as it was cheaper for both of them. Now the school wants to put him in with a stranger.

Yea I think of it this way. I live with my girlfriend. Let say we break up! Her school pays for apartment. They decided that since she was living with somebody they can fit another teacher in her apartment. Thus they can save money. Just because it worked once before does not mean it can work again.

Why not just have the new teacher move into the bosses house if she has a spare room. Or how about the new teacher and the old one should get married. I mean they can share a bed right!

I would push for your own apartment. OR at the least each person has a private room!