Korean Job Discussion Forums

[hyridmonochrome]

Ok, first of all, this is my first time in Korea, and I've only been here a month. The school seems decent enough (even though training was promised and there has been none, but I hear this is fairly common), except for one very glaring oversight on the part of the director. First, they slept on my ARC (which means phone and bank account) for almost the entire month. I was promised "laundry" in my apartment when I came here, which I assumed would mean a washing machine. They have not provided one, even though (1) they said they would give me one and (2) they actually came to my apartment on the day it was supposed to arrive (Friday) and said it was too heavy to get up the stairs; it would arrive by Monday. Well, that was two weeks ago. Now, I've got laundry. Oh, I've got plenty of laundry. Just no "washie-machine". They're an arm and a leg at the Homeplus, and I don't want to buy the stupid thing if there is one waiting for me somewhere in the vicinity of the director who was supposed to give me one. Have they forgotten about me? Should I just buy one and send them the bill? Or, conversely, how do I handle this gracefully and enjoy the lavish comfort of putting my clothes in the washer instead of the kitchen sink? Any help would be appreciated. I should also mention that I am not in Seoul, but in Ulsan. blech.

[caribmon]

No, just get a bucket and hand wash.

[VFRinterceptor]

Wow...1st month, huh? All I can tell you is:

1. Welcome to the wacky world of hagwons.

2. By your 6th month here, judging by the type of director you have, the posts you put on Daves/Job Related will only get worse. Someday you will look at this post and say, "should've saw it coming..."

My advice, google the term: midnight run

[bliss]

Is a washing machine mentioned in your contract? That could be important.

Anyway, since a washing machine was promised, you need to grow some stubbornness/strength and REFUSE to teach until a washing machine is installed.

"No washee machine, no teach Englishee!"

Be firm.

[bliss]

Or if the above fails, just put your dirty laundry into bags and bring it to your hagwon. Put it in your director's office and remind him that he promised laundry.

[blackjack]

you can get a bank account with a passport.

Simply ask the director. If he says soon, indicate your clothes are smelly. I wouldn't buy a new one if I where you.

[blackjack]

[hyridmonochrome]

I've got a bank account now, and a phone. They were both, um, adventures. They can't fire me for demanding my washing machine, can they? I mean, I don't want to offend anyone, but I also have to watch out for myself.

[KoreanAmbition]

They can't fire you for demanding something in your contract.... but they certainly can HATE you for demanding something in your contract.


That will lead to them wanting to fire you and their actual reason will:

1) have nothing to do with your contract whatsoever
2) probably be a lie
3) happen when it suits them best

[hockeyguy109]

I'm really sorry this is happening to you. Have you gotten paid/ticket refund/settlement fee? It sounds like trouble, but maybe this washing machine is just a little setback. I'd be ticked off too.

If you haven't been getting your money, I would probably tell the boss to f-off and jump on a plane heading home.

If you are getting paid and everything else is okay, I would go to the boss, be firm and say "Listen Pee-Wang, my clothes smell like bum. Students are going to leave your school if you don't give me a washing machine. Nobody likes a teacher smelling like foreign bum."

That should do the trick.

[Xuanzang]

Buy a cheap used one and give them the bill.

[hobakmorinam]

There are places that do your laundry for you. Cheap and easy. No drying rack lameness. Get someone at your school to show you where one is.

[hyridmonochrome]

I have gotten paid on time, though the director informed me that I should pay for my health exam, my pictures for the ARC application, and a trip to the hospital before I got my medical insurance, which, by the way, I still do not have. She then said that she would split the cost with me, and pay half. Does this sound right? Oh, and thanks for the tip for the laundry service. I'm afraid that would just be a band-aid, though, on an otherwise annoying problem.

[blackjack]

[PatrickGHBusan]