Korean Job Discussion Forums

[gillod]

So: Last year I worked 2 weeks of Winter Vacation and then took off for like 3 weeks. No big problems there except that they said I HAD TO BE BACK by January 30th for some "In School Program". I went and they had me take a photo and leave by 9:30. Pissed, but whatever.

Summer was harder- They wanted me to do a week of camp, take a week off, then do another week of camp, then anothr week off.

Much fighting ensued, I eventually got my way- 2 weeks in a row, 3 weeks off.

Now for Winter they're being super dodgy. We got a new VP and I was getting ready to buy plane tickets. I stopped to check vacation dates with my co-teacher and she said he wanted me to do a MONTH of Winter Camp. I put the ax to that and he said "Maybe we'll only 2 or 3 weeks, but he has no answer".

Tickets are getting expensive. I'm not waiting until a week before for him to decide. What're my best options for pushing the issue? I don't mind doing 2 weeks, but 3 sucks. And if I take a 3rd week, I won't have enough "Vacation-able" days to use up my remaining vacation.

I'm on a GEPIK Public School contract for what it's worth, I'm on my 2nd year.

[Skippy]

Vacation days will always be that difficult time for teachers.

EPIK/Public school has changed over the years. It used to go like almost a month off in Summer and another in Winter. But schools have got more difficult and orny, so they say only a week of or two if lucky in break times. Thru some people still seem to get the break and long time off while others get the shaft and have to desk warm.

Now the question to ask is this. Do you want to renew! If you do not care about renewal you can fight and complain till you can get what you want but bad blood will arise and do not expect renewal.

Second question is what the heck is in your contract. If you contract says three weeks. It should be three weeks. I know it will be annoying to get the three weeks off then come back and sit/desk warm for two more but that is the contract.

One point this is Korea and you have to understand its culture and foibles. Korean Condition needs to be accounted for. Korean Condition mean the inability for them to plan ahead or give notice about things. Expect surprises. You can get permission for one month break, buy your ticket, and be told the day before you leave that everything just changed. Thru public schools do seem to be a little bit better and planned then hagwons.

Good Luck

[offtheoche]

Hardball Tips?

Invite your boss out for dinner, get him wasted on Soju (you somehow trick him by filling your glass with water, whilst you guys do "shot" after shot). Make him sign something that agrees to whatever vacation time you need, before he passes out.

After that you're golden.

[oldfatfarang]

OP. I feel for you. I was in your position last year at an EPIK private/public school. I had a perfect and harmonious relationship with my school/principal/VP's and co-teachers. It was a sweet deal and I renewed for another year. The school had always been kind, and acknowledged that I came in early and taught my guts out. They gave me a month extra (paid) for winter vacation in Thailand - and the rest of the winter off (paid but in-country).

Then things changeee. My extra summer vacation (1 month paid - in writing) was cancelled last minute (twice, even after negotiations and pleading), and my holiday got canned, I got stung for cancellation fees, and our relationship soured (I eventually recinded my renewal application and resigned).

Point is: if your school is dragging their feet about giving you extra vacation - they don't want to give it to you - and chances are, they will cancel at the last minute (to save face and maintain harmony). If you purchase flights/bookings etc, this will cost you money, embarrassment - and probably a whole lot of inconvenience.

PS have changed. POE's have told PS's not to grant special leave - but to utilize their NET's in 'camps' (which are basically unpaid babysitting to keep parents happy and politicians looking good).

I have noticed a marked shift in attitude this year in my new PS. At second term we got a new VP and he even cancelled my days/afternoons off during test season (I was made to deskwarm with the photocopying lady - while the K teachers went home). Them's the breaks - and this is why I'm leaving EPIK in 100 odd days.

Good luck (and don't invest any money on any Korean 'promises' - written or otherwise).

[jonpurdy]

OP, last year I just booked my dates and told them that I was taking them off. Though you might not want to do this if you're not prepared to lose your job over it.

I also took vacation days during the regular semester and missed a week of regular classes because of camps. Apparently the MOE camps come first, then school camps, then regular classes.

[Fishead soup]

Find out when your camp is. The rest of the time you don't really need to be in your school unless you have to deskwarm. Once yo have your camp schedule in hand make the reservation with the airline. If they give you a crappy vacation schedule it's plain and simple they don't like you don't re-new find another school.

[nathanrutledge]

I think I may the one responsible for that new line in the contract about splitting the vacation days between summer and winter.

I used all my vacation time during the summer and scheduled it so that with weekends, I got a whole month off. Not only that, I went to the US AND Mexico (and this was during the swine flu problems) and came back a day before I had to teach two weeks of summer camp.

The problem came when the district told my principal that I couldn't do all four weeks, that I had to be back early for the quarantine, etc... I told my principal sure, I'll come back early and won't spend a whole month away, but you're buying the replacement tickets as you already approved it.

I got my way.

In your case, just tell him what's what. You want to take your vacation, you need to buy your tickets, you're giving him the notice required by the contract and you expect him to give you a yes/no answer. Give him a deadline (I need to know by this Friday, because that's when the ticket prices change. something diplomatic) and then see what happens. The key is BE DIPLOMATIC. But put the pressure on him. Follow your contract as best you can, see what shakes out.

[gillod]

Glad to know it's not just me. With our new VP a lot of stuff changed- Canceled classes now ALWAYS have to be made up. Last week they made me make up a class from AUGUST. What's the point? I think he's being a tough ass on vacation. My Co-Teach/Advocate (The new VP speaks absolutely 0 English. Like none. Not even "Hi") said that he thinks we should have a month of camp and that all camps should be taught WITHOUT co-teachers, so that they can teach another camp.

He alwso said that no one should take more than 2 days of avcation in a row. I wanted to take 20.

We'll see. I'm phsyched to get the heck out of here next Summer.

[Son Deureo!]

[Fishead soup]

[TheUrbanMyth]

[JBomb]

if you time your winter break right, you can get three weeks off since Seollal is the first week of Feb this year.

[sojusucks]