Korean Job Discussion Forums

[lorenchristopher]

[shifty]

[southernman]

Not everyone pays maintenance. I've lived in four different apartments in 3 different locations in Korea and never once paid maintenance.

You usually only pay if you're in a large apartment. I've always lived in studio apartments of no more than 4 floors.

I feel sorry for those teachers that do because their monthly expendenture in bills and service is far more than mine (and actually a lot of my friends).

Just saying.....

[PRagic]

Step 1: Ask for a monthly copy of the maintenance bill receipt. It should be given freely.

Question 1: OP, are you being paid on time? Are deductions for insurance being made?

Question 2: Do you have an option to move, or are you supposed to stay in the school's 'apartment'? You are either in an apartment or an officitel. If you don't want to pay maint. fees, you'll need to make a move to a villa or a unit in a private building, maybe even a floor in a 2 story house. As many have posted, the amount you're paying isn't unreasonable.

Question 3: Are the work arrangements in line with the contract? Enough classes? Hours and breaks matching up?

In general, it would seem that pulling a runner is a bit drastic at the stage, particularly as you don't even have your ARC yet!

[jrwhite82]

[shifty]

@jrwhite

I've no doubt there are some people who pay as much as 100 000 for maintenance alone. If I were a lowly EFL teacher earning a paltry 2.3 million odd I wouldn't be happy with the idea. I would wonder why my stupid employer had seen fit to shove me into such accommodation.

You make no comment as to your feelings when you were saddled with this amount. I'm going to assume that you were fine with it, since it was legal and all.

I can't help noticing that all the posters unsympathetic to the OP can't find the number 5 on their keyboard when they need refer to the amount. You see, they don't want to be seen as 'cheap' and be bothered with specifics, especially if it's to do with the other's money.

You ask these same weigukin to coff up 5000 won in any contingency whatsoever, and it's like world come to an end, amen. They bring new meaning to the word 'miser.'

Your language of "blaming them for not putting internet under their own name; LOL" is a bit strong in my opinion. His main beef is have the ARC under his own name. That is, I don't think we should resort to unnecessary remarks just to pump our own case up.

As for me personally, I'm NOT INTERESTED in having to go to immi and get the ARC for myself. That's a matter of principle. I'll accompany the director, sure, if I have to, but that's AS FAR as it goes. Just a foible of mine. I'm sure you have yours too. Actually, very sure.

You contend that he was 'warned to research'. You're gonna have to concede that he did at least put his contract up for assessment. Well, actually you do admit having done so, but then promptly decide that his actions were still however worth nothing.

I will admit here that he should have got the 'maintenance' mugging from a previous teacher, but it's not a standout question exactly, I mean it doesn't easily come to mind. I would never pose the question to a prospective employer for fear of scaring him/her away with all my peskiness. Besides it wouldn't have entered my mind to ask such a peripheral question.

But I'm stupid, as I'm sure you'll agree.

We also see many posts that complain of vacation promises of ten days including weekends, getting cut to 7 days including weekends. Most posters are happy to lend their sympathy to complainants of this.

In contrast the OP teaching 3 days unpaid upfront is not being seen as anything for disquiet. Stick those same posters with 3 days unpaid work and it'll be like armageddon.

[jrwhite82]

The 100,000W I was paying was for a decent officetel right on the subway line. Most other teachers I talked to in my town were paying similar. All the other teachers in my building were paying the same. So there was no shadiness going on. Furthermore, this is something I asked as part of my research....

My language about blaming them is right on the money. He is accusing them of not cosigning internet because they are afraid he might run....well look at his thread title! Can you blame them?

If you are desperate enough to take a job where asking a couple of standard questions about living costs, conditions, etc is going to scare away an employer...I'd say you're doing your research all wrong. You shouldn't be asking the employer this. You should be asking an existing or exiting teacher these questions. I wouldn't say your stupid. Maybe a little naive though.

Basically, my entire point is that Mars may have some legitimate complaints. Especially about his happiness there. However, most of his complaints are easily repaired or should have been noticed with foresight as he was advised multiple times. Therefore, him pulling a runner is not justified. Does he have grounds to quit? Sure! But he doesn't have grounds to quit, leaving his employer, coworkers and students without a teacher. He doesn't have the right to stick his boss with a plane ticket bill. He doesn't have the right to screw his recruiter out of his commission. His reasons for leaving justify him giving proper notice and reimbursing his employer for airfare as laid out in his contract.

[thurst]

i'm assuming the "unmentionable" details are the real reason he wants to quit/run and the high (but not really unreasonable) maintenance fee is just icing on the cake.

[shifty]

[shifty]

[NYC_Gal 2.0]