Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bsrosenfeld]

I will receive my 1st paycheck for my new school this week and would like to buy every teacher a small gift. We have almost 50 so I will need to be budget conscious. I was thinking of Jeju oranges (about 1,000won a piece), but I'm not sure how this will go over or how easy they will be to transport to school on the bus.

Does anyone have any suggestions? What have you given as a gift?

[chellovek]

I bought chocolate for the office, rather than every teacher. Though if any other teachers came in for whatever reason they could have some too.

[Steve_Rogers2008]

find the best lookin' one, get something extra nice, and give it to her alone....lean in the room and say "Hoe YOU doin'?" like Joey on Friends.... she'll either go estatic or simply take it and then later at lunch of somthing call ME-CHIN under breath.... but even then she may dig it....

[bsrosenfeld]

I like the idea of chocolates. It would be really easy and less expensive to buy a box.

I don't think I'll try to sexually harass any of my co-workers. I'm pretty sure that my school and my girlfriend wouldn't approve.

Let me know how that works out for you...

[Goon-Yang]

Why buy them anything? Did they get you something? If you want to buy them something then follow their customs. Buy something (usually food) and leave it out in the teacher's room. Fruit, candy, donuts anything is good.

[sesyeux]

yeah, something for all is probably the best. if people miss out, too bad. "when they're gone, they're gone"

[fergalreid]

EPIK's website recommends ordering pizza for the teachers with your first paycheque. No, really.

[dirving]

E.P.I.K. can be accused of not playing fair at all from the get-go. For instance, look at our contracts: They are against the Labour Standards Act in at least a few respects. So, don't feel that it's your obligation, as such, to buy anything for anybody. In other words, you're not a Korean and all of you shouldn't feel that there's an obligation to give your money or gifts of any sort to Korean colleagues to keep your jobs safe.

Don't be a politically-correct minded Sucker is what I'm saying.

Do any of you recall the time when E.P.I.K. used to be known as K.O.R.E.T.T.A.? Explore online for the low and dirty on this Min. of Ed. ever-changing, yet not changing, entity. The Metropolitician's Mike Hurt could give you the inside scoop.

[jvalmer]

The whole 'buy something for colleagues after your first paycheck thing' is for new college grads that get their first full-time professional job. Young Koreans will do it, if they're fresh out of college. If you really want too, go ahead. It might be a good idea to find another one, or few, newbie hired Korean teachers and pay for dinner together for a select few elder teachers.

But, I never did it, because this wasn't my first professional job. Not sure if you should, but it's totally up to you.

[sheba]

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Ralphie]

Go to staff dinners often, learn to enjoy the taste of soju, be familiar with Korean social etiquette regarding the pouring, toasting, and drinking of soju. When everyone is drunk, the language barriers come down. It's a free alternative to buying individual gifts for everyone. Otherwise, buy a general treat for sharing in the staff room.