Korean Job Discussion Forums

[young_clinton]

[Son Deureo!]

[Modernist]

[Son Deureo!]

Me too.

[kriswithak]

Well it is really as bad as you can think, I may be new but i know when I'm being screwed.

I really don't think its culture shock, as soon as I leave the school i feel better, normal even. I have met some cool Korean people and other teachers and they've told me "oh your school sounds crazy" I think they would understand if i up and left. And the beautiful seductress well is closely related to the boss so yeah i guess I'm caught in a honeypot.

I honestly don't care about the money I'm leaving before i get paid (whenever the hell that would be). And i be honest i think i have been busting my hump at this place, more keeps getting piled ontop of me. You that scene in 'The Crucible' where that guy is getting the rocks put on him? And he just says "More weight".

Well in a nutshell im that guy. They gave me lot of work to do, then they pile more ontop, and thinking this is normal i don't protest and i may as well be saying 'more weight' because more and more keeps getting dumped on me.


Below are some examples of my dodgy hogwon try to play games with my money and my life.


First week in, "oh the previous teachers cleaned the classrooms after class, we'll take turns each day of the week"
-Oh well I don't want to be rude it's my first week. Hell i can spare half an hour once a week to clean.

"So this is where you'll be staying"
-"oh looks nice, um hmm whats with all the kids toys and decorations?"
"Yes see the whole apartment is a kindergarten for the block of apartments in this area"
"I see......"
"So you have this room here, own toilet and shower and you share the kitchen with the kindergarten"
"I see......"
"But you leave in the mornings to go to teach kindy and elementary and when you come home no one is here."
"I see... so hm my door doesn't lock"
"Oh don't worry the Korean teachers wont come in your room"
"I see...."

Well after being suspect about the privacy of my room, i found a neat little program called 'TEBO cam' which sets your laptop webcam up as a security motion detect camera, and lo and behold, i get a teacher having a little peek in here and there.

Then another woman i think has the hots for me come into my room and hang in the corner where my dresser is for about 25 seconds, i dunno maybe she was smelling my underwear who knows wtf is going on. There is literally no reason to come in here, no gas switch, no electricity main, etc.

I was keeping my little trove of pics until i could collect some solid evidence of rummaging etc but i think with my laptop strangely facing the door each morning they caught on. Oh and waking up to the sound of kids playing, laughing and screaming is not a fun alarm clock.

Me:"So i need to wash my clothes, there is no washing machine"
"We have one you can use upstairs"
-"Right so you and the boss live above me?"
"Yes just come up put your clothes on"
-Uh ok.............
Dingdong, no ones home, ring ring hm no answer gee guess im wearing dirty jeans for the weekend.

Me: "So whats the dress code?, i bought some nice pants and a few button up shirts"
-"oh no see the parents want people who 'look' western, so you can wear casual clothes"
"T-shirt and jeans right got it"

"Oh the previous teachers taught Sunday school and they all went to our weird little church above the school every Sunday".
-Oh Hmm OK you guys know I'm not a christian right?
-"Oh all the previous teachers went and it's good for the students and the parents to see the teacher attending church"

-First morning of church, and not one of my children or their parents are there, in total about 7-8 people go who I've never seen in school.

Well after 4 Sunday mornings of Korean gospel songs and with the priest giving my hand a shake then not letting go and grabbing my wrist with his other hand, leaning in close and saying "I really hope you accept Jesus Christ as your savoir because he died for your sins"
Me:"Oh ummm hmm mmmm".
I said no more to church but agreed to 2 Sundays a month doing Sunday school for half an hour.

(Daves ESL is a treasure trove of experience and wisdom: "hmm oh dear my contract doesn't say anything about my tax rate or my pension" Gee i really should have posted it in the contract review thread, had i researched.)

"oh the previous teachers call each of there kinder students on Fridays after school has finished, a few minutes each kid it wont take long"
-Oh so I'm going to be staying back 30 to 45 mins twice a week after the school closes for cleaning and calling my students? Hmm well this is kinda crap but I'll manage.

Priest to me one lunch hour: "Oh I know you're not a Christian but can you please pray before you eat?" -"Oh um hmm heh well uhhhh haha?" (Inner monologue) "What the hell am I doing here? Why is his hand rested on my leg? Ok ok stay calm just keep dropping your knee down till he moves his hand..."

Me to the Boss: "So this is phone bill for March?" Boss "Oh yes it is" (A funny smile and a twitch of the eyebrow gave it away).

Hm well I get it checked and well well it seems the bill is for the last 4 months that i wasn't even in the country! Confronted them and sorted it out but hell lying to my face just cost you some major trust and respect.

"oh so and so a student is late, so can you finish 10-15 mins later?"
-"hm well its the last period and i kind of have things to do well ok i guess this kids education is important".

"Next week we are going to start projects"
-"oh projects what are those?"
"Well this projects theme is spring, you should get started now because its a lot of work, the previous teachers were very competitive and the parents will expect this years projects to top last years"
-"oh so 8 pages double sided with a nice cover hm so 72 pages of cutting pasting and printing etc, well goodbye this and next weekend"


"Phew I'm glad that's over with, gee my project rocks doesn't it, I'm proud of those hours i put in after work and on weekends"
-"yes your project was great, it's good you have done it well, the parents will be happy, now you have a better idea of what to do for the month after next's project, summer project"
-"shit"

So this is ontop of the major load of work i have to do already, Each week its , make flashcards, make mini reading books, a new nursery rhyme, new science topic, oh and i need to make each kid a new math workbook and phonics workbook to last the next couple months, hundreds of pages of printing stapling binding. We have a new safety message each week, new weekly promise, new discussion topic everyday of every week, make a weather date and day board. The list goes on, I have a small whiteboard to teach with, i stopped bothering to ask for a bigger one about 3 weeks in.

All this and more in my own time? I think not..... Goodbye Korea i will miss you and i really will come back

[WadRUG'naDoo]

Yester Yak always say "yes."

[marsavalanche]

no key for your apt? teachers comnping in? lmfao why are you still here? pull the runner already. you can come back. the shiny new visa in my passport says so.

[TNizzle]

For OP

I had a similar situation last year in Korea, I noticed that I was losing hair (25/M).

When I came back from Korea, I found out that my Vitamin D levels were extremely low (due to no sunlight aka. working all day and an altered diet).

Once, I started taking Vitamin D pills on a regular basis, it stopped.


Hope it helps you!

[Son Deureo!]

OK, it's a lot worse than your original post implied. You're working for some slimy crooks.

Make sure you turn in your ARC on your way out of the country and get a new set of docs, including CRC, in case you want to come back before the term of your current visa runs out.

It sucks that you rolled snake-eyes on your first job here, but it happens to the best of us.

[Oreovictim]

[Julius]

[Oreovictim]

[litebear]

OP this is one of the worst Hagwon tales I've ever heard. Wasn't even aware this kind of thing went on anymore (to this extent anyway). Leave ASAP