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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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some waygug-in
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
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 Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 1:19 pm Post subject: |
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Her driving is pretty normal for Korea, at least Busan and area. Getting upset over the way others drive? Well, if you let it bother you, it will.
If the OP has lived in Korea for 4 1/2 years and still gets upset over the way Koreans drive, my advice is to quit driving.
Judging by the attitude expressed in the original post, I'd guess that this incident is only a symptom of greater problems. If the school is using this as an excuse to fire you, they probably have other reasons. This is just the
proverbial 'straw' that they were looking for.
Last edited by some waygug-in on Wed Jul 06, 2011 8:13 am; edited 1 time in total |
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madoka
Joined: 27 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2011 6:53 am Post subject: |
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| walter235 wrote: |
| Given how manipulated and crooked the market is now a days, why not just invest in physical gold and silver?!? |
| walter235 wrote: |
| someone jumped up, climbed thru the window and ransacked the apartment while I was at work. I had some gold coins in the bottom drawer of a dresser in the bedroom closet, but they found them. |
Answering his own question. |
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roybetis1
Joined: 13 Jun 2005
Location: Not near a beach like my recruiter promised.
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 2:50 am Post subject: |
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So, Mr Sims, I get the impression that you are older and more experienced than the average NET. Do you realise that the cut off age for EPIK is 55? And that working privately in a hagwon is unlikely since they prefer younger/more easily manipulated teachers. Universities-it's possible but unlikely since they are increasingly hagwonesque. This leaves working for a large company such as Hyundae (extremely difficult to find) or a "Global Highschool"-extremely hard to find and you have to be a qualified teacher.
Also, your experience, skills and credentials in Korea will work against you here. Not only for financial reasons in that you would be too expensive to employ, but also for cultural reasons. As you said, age and status is very important here, and as a highly qualified, experienced and elderly gentleman you are, well...unemployable. No school is going to want someone who knows more about education and has more experience teaching than then entire school, especially when they are foreign.
This would seem to me to be ageist, racist, and unethical.
However, of course, since we are "guests" in this country that's perfectly okay. |
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Bruce W Sims
Joined: 08 Mar 2011
Location: Illinois; USA
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 4:17 am Post subject: |
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| roybetis1 wrote: |
So, Mr Sims, I get the impression that you are older and more experienced than the average NET. Do you realise that the cut off age for EPIK is 55? And that working privately in a hagwon is unlikely since they prefer younger/more easily manipulated teachers. Universities-it's possible but unlikely since they are increasingly hagwonesque. This leaves working for a large company such as Hyundae (extremely difficult to find) or a "Global Highschool"-extremely hard to find and you have to be a qualified teacher.
Also, your experience, skills and credentials in Korea will work against you here. Not only for financial reasons in that you would be too expensive to employ, but also for cultural reasons. As you said, age and status is very important here, and as a highly qualified, experienced and elderly gentleman you are, well...unemployable. No school is going to want someone who knows more about education and has more experience teaching than then entire school, especially when they are foreign.
This would seem to me to be ageist, racist, and unethical.
However, of course, since we are "guests" in this country that's perfectly okay. |
And, perhaps, the difference between us is that I am more willing to accept those truthes as you have identified them.
If, as you say, all of those variables fall into place in the manner that you have outlined I believe that I am willing to accept the outcome. Here in the States exactly the same dynamics come into play including the ability to manipulate younger teachers, the matter of getting the cheapest warm body to fill a place and the matter of Race or Ethnicity in determining an acceptable candidate. The only difference I can identify in what you wrote about Korea vis how things are in the States is that Americans are far more facile in their hypocrisy.
Yes, Anglo teachers ARE guests in another person's country. Instead of the contention I would suggest working to build a respectful professional relationship with your counterparts. The first step towards this is to stop automatically determining that each and everything they do is "bad" or motived by a malicious agenda. Can you do that?
Best Wishes,
Bruce |
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roybetis1
Joined: 13 Jun 2005
Location: Not near a beach like my recruiter promised.
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 5:27 am Post subject: |
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Oh god help me, I agree with you. I just hope that I don't come off to other members as pompous and condescending as you sound to me. (If I do, other members...nah. I don't really care).
Personally, I also do not like some of the anti Korean sentiment on this board. However, while I do not condone it I do understand it. And I admit when I was younger I also fell into that mindset for a long time. Working in a Korean (or much worse, Japanese) junior highschool can be an extremely hostile working environment where it is made clear from the moment you arrive that you are not wanted, but forced upon the school by the Board of Education. It is not always like that, but it can be.
The only contention I have is with the term "guest". I am not a "guest" in this country, I am an employee of this country's government. Do you remind expatriate workers in the US that they are "guests" and should act accordingly? |
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Bruce W Sims
Joined: 08 Mar 2011
Location: Illinois; USA
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 6:46 am Post subject: |
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| roybetis1 wrote: |
The only contention I have is with the term "guest". I am not a "guest" in this country, I am an employee of this country's government. Do you remind expatriate workers in the US that they are "guests" and should act accordingly? |
Yep... and in all possible honesty, they don't like any better than what I am hearing on this forum. The governmental postings are the worst with with Counselate, Embassey and agency folks doing all sorts of things and then representing that they are (essentially) above the rules because of their posting. Some folks are distinctly worse than others, but I think I'll stop there. Ugh.
Best Wishes,
Bruce |
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Gorf
Joined: 25 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 2:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Yes, why not invest in gold or silver, a material that has an arbitrary value placed upon it by the government, it's totally different than cash/futures/bonds. |
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