Korean Job Discussion Forums

sunnata1 · Joined: 19 Nov 2009

I live very close to my school. I'm not keen on fish and some of the Korean cuisine. I'd prefer to eat either at my desk or go home for lunch.

Do any of you not eat lunch at your school on a regular basis?

Right now on Tuesdays I desk warm. During lunch I go for a walk and take care of bank stuff like paying bills. I usually grab something to eat while I"m out. I tell my co-teacher before I go and no one has ever said anything. I have never had to ask permission or sign a log saying I'm leaving the building.

But the rest of the days I've been eating lunch with the other teachers.

Anyone skip out for lunch on a daily basis?

eac02 · Joined: 23 Jan 2008

I ate the school lunch with my fellow teachers for about the first 4 weeks I was here but haven't done it since. I don't like the food and would rather eat at my desk and get some work done than eat with my fellow english teachers who don't speak English.

Last year there was only one Korean teacher who brought her own lunch everyday, this year I've noticed more and more have started bringing their own lunch. I only know this because sometimes they eat together in my office. And for some reason when they eat in the office and I'm there working all they want to do is talk to me, practice their English, and share their food but in the lunchroom they ignore me.

I also leave during lunch or free periods to pay bills/ go to the bank or post office. I dont sign out.

Triban · Joined: 14 Jul 2009 Location: Suwon Station

Not eating lunch with your faculty is signing your own death warrant.

ippy · Joined: 25 Aug 2009

I love my school lunch. I spent 4 years with kyushokku (japanese school lunch), and i promise you, compared to that korean school lunch is a 5star banquet. And its cheap. And i dont "have to clear my plate and set a good example for the students".

Murakano · Joined: 10 Sep 2009

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

opthomps · Joined: 05 Sep 2009 Location: Nowon Gu, Seoul

I am new in korea. 3 months. I reluctantly ate school dinners in september. When it became apparant that they taste bad and I had no conversation with anyone there due to language barriers I decided to go out for lunch every day time permitting. (note I am also allergic to fish and nuts, and despise the taste of kimchi)

I have no 'friends' at school and 11 co teachers, so there's no time for bonding with anyone in particular. I just see it as me getting some food sustenance and treating it like a normal job back home. I am by no means the only teacher who goes out, its common as the canteen food is that bad.

As time goes by I hear more and more that the principle and vice principle are concerned for my health. So much so that I have had to go to my vice principles for lunch on saturday, and I have a meeting with the principle himself next week about it.

I find the cuisine in korea very different, but I am eating kimbap, bi bim bob, bagels, sandwiches etc for lunch.

Can anyone tell me the reason why this diet issue is so massive here in Korera. To be honest I am sick and tired of it

DrugstoreCowgirl · Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2009 9:56 pm Post subject:

I tried that in the beginning. I still ate lunch in the cafeteria but I brought my own food and the dirty looks the other Korean teachers gave me was enough to give in and just eat the gross Korean lunches. I usually eat rice and if they don't have fish or sea creatures I will eat the meat part too.

nathanrutledge · Joined: 01 May 2008 Location: Marakesh

I ate the first month I was here, then after I renewed I ate for another month. Usually I eat some noodles in the office, but sometimes I duck out to Subway and grab a sandwich. The teachers in my school all thought I didn't like Korean food, but we all went out and I ate everything they ate and explained that I thought school food, no matter what country you're from, is terrible. The only ones who bug me about it are the kids!

DrugstoreCowgirl · Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2009 10:00 pm Post subject:

Missihippi · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Location: Gwangmyeong

I pick and choose the days i want to eat school lunch, and i have a deal worked out with the school that they only charge me for the days i eat. Works out good for both parties, just a little more work for the admin people. It's a good thing i'm ridiculously handsome, otherwise it may be a problem.

Loudog · Joined: 22 Oct 2009 Location: Shiheung

I ate the school lunch a couple times, but I am a vegetarian so sometimes there was only rice and kim chi for me to eat. I brought my own lunches and explained to my co-teachers and VP, that I could not eat lunches when there is meat so I would just bring my own.
My principle says that he is a vegetarian too, but I guess in Korea vegetarians eat meat, because he certainly does.

candiep20 · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Location: South Korea

I've never eaten lunch at the school cafeteria. I brought my own lunch from the first day I started and no one's said a word about it to me, except to maybe ask what I was having.

One of my co-teachers brings her own lunch and eats at her desk (although she's in a different office), and another two of my other co-teachers started bringing in their own lunch after they saw that I brought my own. We regularly eat lunch together in the English Zone or another empty classroom. No one seems to care.

cruisemonkey · Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2009 10:35 pm Post subject:

In almost two and a half years at my present school, I've eaten in the cafetreria exactly twice (two times too many).

Goku · Joined: 10 Dec 2008