Korean Job Discussion Forums

[smartwentcrazy]

Quick question for you vets. I was originally planning to remain in Korea for my winter break, but seeing as how my schedule has changed, I now plan on visiting Thailand for a week or so. I had originally informed my school that I would be remaining in Korea for my winter break - I signed the vacation papers stating where and when I would be taking my winter break. Say I leave for Thailand without informing the school of my updated vacation plans, would they find out? Does immigration inform my school if I leave the country? I am likely just going to tell them I have changed my plans for vacation, I was just curious what the responses would be.

[OculisOrbis]

they don't but if youre school asked them, immi would prob tell them.

it's your vacation and your time. do whatever you like, they dont own you.

[lifeinkorea]

"Dear school, your teacher for the past year (few months) has boarded a plane." - Immigration

[Chris_Dixon]

[vagabondhoosier54]

Are you in a public school?

If so, THEY WILL inform your school that you left the country. This happened to me over summer vacation and it created quite a stir, not only with my school, but with my MOE.

I too had planned on staying in Korea over the summer, but had six weeks of free time. I made a last minute decision to take an extended weekend trip to Japan to check out a music festival and thought nothing of it at the time. I didn't communicate with my school or my co-teacher over the entire break, and I didn't feel the need to let them know I was going to Japan on what I perceived as my own time.

It was a big mistake.

My trip was in early August, but in late September, on a Friday afternoon after school, I received a call from my co-teacher at my main school. She told me that the school was informed by immigration that I had been out of the country. I told her this was true, and then she proceeded to tell me I was in "big trouble" on Monday with the VP, and our entire school was in trouble with the MOE. She told me I was an embarrassment to her, to the administration, and to our entire school.

I was upset that she called on Friday evening as it put a damper on my weekend. To make matters worse, I was out eating with a friend that same evening when the director of our MOE called me. This person was quite angry, threatening me with the possibility of being fired, and that at minimum, my pay would be docked for my time out of the country.

This really ticked me off, because I felt I had left on my own time, and that it was nobody's business what I chose to do during that time. However, the MOE informed me that vacation time must be requested, and even though I construed my six-week hiatus from school as "vacation," it is actually considered professional development, and thus, is not vacation. Of course, no professional development is necessarily required during this time, but you have to remain in Korea.

I really felt like the fact that the school and MOE was notified in regards to brief time away from Korea was an invasion of privacy, and considering things at my school were pretty bad to begin with, I contemplated putting in my thirty day notice. After this all happened, all the teachers at my school treated me horribly, and I was definitely anathema, which I was already close to being before this incident occurred.

So, if you are planning on renewing with your school, I suggest you let them in on your vacation plans. If not, then don't bother, but you'll most certainly get docked pay for the time you were away. This happened to several teachers in my city, and the outcome was most unpleasant.

Sorry for the long reply, just thought you might want to consider this.

[espoir]

As another poster said, immigration doesn't contact your schools telling them if you in or out of the country. The only way the school finds out is if they make a formal inquiry. The only time that immigration will contact your school is if you have a valid visa, but not a valid re-entry permit. Other than that its your school thats been checking up on you

[Juregen]

[mulligc3]

Maybe it's only if your school enquires. I left the country for Japan and didn't tell them as the whole quarantine thing was happening at the time. That was months ago and nobody was any the wiser!
It's not their business anyway.

[Juregen]

[mulligc3]

That's ridiculous. I am an adult. They are not responsible for me over here. We are not kids. I am under a contract to work as a teacher, which I do.
What I do in my free time is none of their business.

They are responsible for you for your entire stay in Korea.
So if I go out and get pissed and fall and break my leg, I can claim of them or my parents can?? what are you talking about ?

[nautilus]

[curiousaboutkorea]

Freedom of Movement is a basic human right.

[Ramen]

[Pikkle]

[curiousaboutkorea]