Korean Job Discussion Forums

[charliebrown84]

Here's a link to a blog that debunks the true nature of this so-called seminar that all hagwons teachers are required to attend in Daegu and possibly other cities:

http://scroozle.blogspot.com/2010/06/and-thus-it-begins.html

Basically, the blogger explains that the seminar is going to be used as an ambush to make us dirty foreigners ashamed that some of our brethren are rapists and pedophiles.

Whether or not this blog is 100% factual and legitimate is unknown to me, but at least its worth something to think about and discuss.

[CentralCali]

[Smee]

The seminar in Seoul on the 19th was brought up on a few threads last week. But, when bumping them up to try and get information about what they talked about, nobody responded. I don't know if there's any evidence to suggest these seminars will be about dirty foreigners and sex crimes, but then again I guess you can't put anything past hagwon operators. There has already been sessions in Jeonju and Seoul, but nobody who attended has talked about what happened.

[Seoulio]

You want to discuss if hypothetically this seminar is going to be used to trash foreigners?

How about you go first and see what the subject matter is, and if it is then you can discuss it.

Crazy idea I know.

Also this whole "koreans think we are demons" indignation is getting a little old. Some teachers come here to drink, party, have sex with Korean girls, and some are quilty of molesting students etc.

This happens in every country when minority groups come to the country and start breaking laws.

In my country they are ticked off at Asians for all of the Asian street gangs.

They don't want ALL of us out, but they sure want the less than desirable, and many of the illegal ones who they can't regulate out, just like people in any country would.

[banjois]

The topic at the Seoul seminar was actually how to spot signs of abuse in kids and where to report it (and was probably the most informative part of the whole thing). No demonization of foreign teachers involved.

That being said, what a waste of a morning.

[oskinny1]

[Seoulio]

[Milwaukiedave]

Seoulio,

The reason people are being a little flippant about it is because there have been some fairly nasty and misleading stories in the Korean media the past few years. There was even a leader of a Korean teacher's union that put out a statement which made some bold accusations.

That being said, I agree it's their country and they should be concerned. I think sometimes foreign teachers are typecast as a one size fits all though.

[Seoulio]

[AsiaESLbound]

[charliebrown84]

Well, it has come and pass, so I suppose I should update everyone about what happened.

I arrived about 20 minutes late, so I'm not sure what happened in the beginning. I did, however, come in time to hear the long-winded speech by immigrations going over every detail that we all pretty much knew about getting an E-2 visa. I suppose an addendum to the procedures was a note about now having to get a Korean CBC in case we do happen to be a sex offender.

The next speech was by a police officer from what precinct I can't remember. He did a pretty good job icing over the elephant in the room (e.g. the filthy foreigners being pedophiles government agenda) by saying he didn't personally believe it was necessary. He then shared a couple stories with us about crimes that happened in Korea to Korean children by Korean men (how this had to do with foreigners getting more regulations, I'm still not clear on). He also said that its not okay for us to hug the students and that Koreans only pat them on the back for encouragement.

The rest of the time was spent being drawn out by a five-minute speech about banking, an inapporpriately funny speech about the post office, and two songs by a decent band of English teachers.

Overall, I'd say it was a waste of time. I learned what I already knew, and was vaguely informed about things I didn't know about. At least its over... for now...

[Arthur Dent]

[charliebrown84]

[Smee]

[Arthur Dent]