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AtmaWeapon
Joined: 30 Jun 2011
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 Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 1:04 pm Post subject: Hagwon wants to move me to English village outside of Seoul |
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The hagwon I've worked for the past 14 months (I extended 6 months) is experiencing a significant drop in student enrollment and as a result they want to move me to Anyang English Village.
I work at AEV occasionally on Saturdays for 2 reasons: 1) for extra $ and 2) it makes me appreciate my hagwon job that much more. It's truly degrading work where you have to deal with hundreds of little kids who generally don't speak a word of English past "Hello" and on top of that it's outside of Seoul.
Personally, I have found my niche where I live (Guui) and I wasn't planning on leaving for 4 more months but at this point I'm honestly just thinking about quitting. My choices are basically staying in Guui and commuting to Anyang (1.5 hours each way including walking distance to the EV) or moving there.
Either way, I'll have no social life whatsoever and I will be miserable on a daily basis because I know exactly what the job entails. My hagwon contract specifically states "Olympiad has the authority to move the employee from one department to another with sufficient notice of 2 weeks or 10 business days" so there is not any sort of legal action I would be able to take against them.
Am I better off just ending my (extended 6-month) contract early and paying airfare home? |
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scooter44
Joined: 06 Jul 2011
Location: California
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| Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 2:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Sounds like you've already made up your mind about this. You didn't go abroad to be miserable - give your notice to end your contract and go travel. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 4:43 pm Post subject: Re: Hagwon wants to move me to English village outside of Se |
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| AtmaWeapon wrote: |
The hagwon I've worked for the past 14 months (I extended 6 months) is experiencing a significant drop in student enrollment and as a result they want to move me to Anyang English Village.
I work at AEV occasionally on Saturdays for 2 reasons: 1) for extra $ and 2) it makes me appreciate my hagwon job that much more. It's truly degrading work where you have to deal with hundreds of little kids who generally don't speak a word of English past "Hello" and on top of that it's outside of Seoul.
Personally, I have found my niche where I live (Guui) and I wasn't planning on leaving for 4 more months but at this point I'm honestly just thinking about quitting. My choices are basically staying in Guui and commuting to Anyang (1.5 hours each way including walking distance to the EV) or moving there.
Either way, I'll have no social life whatsoever and I will be miserable on a daily basis because I know exactly what the job entails. My hagwon contract specifically states "Olympiad has the authority to move the employee from one department to another with sufficient notice of 2 weeks or 10 business days" so there is not any sort of legal action I would be able to take against them.
Am I better off just ending my (extended 6-month) contract early and paying airfare home? |
Is this second job (the English village) registered with Immigration? As in it is actually stamped on the back of your ARC?
Because unless it is or unless your boss owns the EV as well, they can not legally force you to work there. |
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toadkillerdog
Joined: 11 Nov 2009
Location: Daejeon. ROK
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| Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 6:56 pm Post subject: |
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| How is the English Village a "department" of your hagwon? |
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AtmaWeapon
Joined: 30 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 7:01 pm Post subject: |
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| TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
| AtmaWeapon wrote: |
The hagwon I've worked for the past 14 months (I extended 6 months) is experiencing a significant drop in student enrollment and as a result they want to move me to Anyang English Village.
I work at AEV occasionally on Saturdays for 2 reasons: 1) for extra $ and 2) it makes me appreciate my hagwon job that much more. It's truly degrading work where you have to deal with hundreds of little kids who generally don't speak a word of English past "Hello" and on top of that it's outside of Seoul.
Personally, I have found my niche where I live (Guui) and I wasn't planning on leaving for 4 more months but at this point I'm honestly just thinking about quitting. My choices are basically staying in Guui and commuting to Anyang (1.5 hours each way including walking distance to the EV) or moving there.
Either way, I'll have no social life whatsoever and I will be miserable on a daily basis because I know exactly what the job entails. My hagwon contract specifically states "Olympiad has the authority to move the employee from one department to another with sufficient notice of 2 weeks or 10 business days" so there is not any sort of legal action I would be able to take against them.
Am I better off just ending my (extended 6-month) contract early and paying airfare home? |
Is this second job (the English village) registered with Immigration? As in it is actually stamped on the back of your ARC?
Because unless it is or unless your boss owns the EV as well, they can not legally force you to work there. |
| toadkillerdog wrote: |
| How is the English Village a "department" of your hagwon? |
The EV is owned by my hagwon (OLA English, which is owned by Avalon) and is considered to be another branch AFAIK. |
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koreatimes
Joined: 07 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 7:02 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| My choices are basically staying in Guui and commuting to Anyang (1.5 hours each way including walking distance to the EV) or moving there. |
I can relate to the other stuff, but location shouldn't be a problem. That is what the subway is for. Even if all your foreigner buddies go to Itaewon, you could take line 4 back home. It's not really that far out. I think you are making an extreme case about this instead of realizing where you live. I mean WHERE you live, as in a big city with very good transportation.
Obviously, if you don't like the English village job you shouldn't continue. This is independent of any location decision.
The only thing that would make me stay in your case is if the pay was high. If the hagwon is in Guui, are they paying you 2.4 salary or higher? If so, it would be hard for me to pass it up. I would in that case try to negotiate a way to make the job more enjoyable. Anyang is filled with adults who want to learn English.
Anyway, if you have been there more than 8 months then it's time to look for other experiences. That is exactly what you can tell them. You learned a great deal (ha ha) working for them and learned skills in the AEV (double ha ha), but you feel you need to move on and try other "challenges" (smile).
You can negotiate stuff like airfare home if they don't want cancel it. Whatever you do, don't get in a fight with them at this stage. Telling them they can't move you to AEV will just show the real cause for leaving and they will resent that because to them, I guess, is their way of getting more money. Make the reason for leaving something else. |
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AtmaWeapon
Joined: 30 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2011 12:24 am Post subject: |
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| koreatimes wrote: |
| Quote: |
| My choices are basically staying in Guui and commuting to Anyang (1.5 hours each way including walking distance to the EV) or moving there. |
I can relate to the other stuff, but location shouldn't be a problem. That is what the subway is for. Even if all your foreigner buddies go to Itaewon, you could take line 4 back home. It's not really that far out. I think you are making an extreme case about this instead of realizing where you live. I mean WHERE you live, as in a big city with very good transportation.
Obviously, if you don't like the English village job you shouldn't continue. This is independent of any location decision.
The only thing that would make me stay in your case is if the pay was high. If the hagwon is in Guui, are they paying you 2.4 salary or higher? If so, it would be hard for me to pass it up. I would in that case try to negotiate a way to make the job more enjoyable. Anyang is filled with adults who want to learn English.
Anyway, if you have been there more than 8 months then it's time to look for other experiences. That is exactly what you can tell them. You learned a great deal (ha ha) working for them and learned skills in the AEV (double ha ha), but you feel you need to move on and try other "challenges" (smile).
You can negotiate stuff like airfare home if they don't want cancel it. Whatever you do, don't get in a fight with them at this stage. Telling them they can't move you to AEV will just show the real cause for leaving and they will resent that because to them, I guess, is their way of getting more money. Make the reason for leaving something else. |
Anyang SUCKS. I've been out there working (and done the "night life" as well) probably about 5 times. I would never live anywhere in Korea outside of Seoul with the possible exception of Busan (haven't been there yet).
Anyway, I have decided I'm going to cut out and end my contract early. My employer is supposed to be paying my severance along with what will now be my final paycheck on the 10th...is there any reason I should be worried about them not paying it? I mean this is required by law even if I tell them I am breaking contract and leaving? |
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koreatimes
Joined: 07 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2011 12:40 am Post subject: |
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| is there any reason I should be worried about them not paying it? I mean this is required by law even if I tell them I am breaking contract and leaving? |
I also chose another area (Bucheon) over Anyang, but mainly it was because of the job offer. Adults only in Anyang, and I didn't know how reliable that kind of job would be.
Anyang itself can be crowded, and it's not a place you want to hibernate in. However, I am a traveling man and I don't mind going from Pyeongtaek to Uijeongbu or Incheon to Bundang to see different parts of Seoul. I guess it all amounts to how willing and interested you are to "roam" around the city.
If you are leaving Korea, then they need to pay. I would stick around past the end date to make sure I got the money. If you are transferring to another school, you would need a release letter. So, if they aren't willing to pay you, then they won't be willing to give the release letter. |
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marsavalanche
Joined: 27 Aug 2010
Location: where pretty lies perish
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| Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2011 5:43 am Post subject: |
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so outside of the kids low level wha dont you like about it?
no social life? do you work all saturdays?
plenty of people here commute that distance every day.
seems more like whining than a legit reason to leave |
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sojusucks
Joined: 31 May 2008
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 5:56 am Post subject: Re: Hagwon wants to move me to English village outside of Se |
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| AtmaWeapon wrote: |
| The hagwon I've worked for the past 14 months (I extended 6 months) is experiencing a significant drop in student enrollment and as a result they want to move me to Anyang English Village. |
English villages are worse to work at than hogwans. I would leave. Why work at a job where you are mistreated and made to feel miserable? |
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some waygug-in
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 8:02 am Post subject: |
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| marsavalanche wrote: |
so outside of the kids low level wha dont you like about it?
no social life? do you work all saturdays?
plenty of people here commute that distance every day.
seems more like whining than a legit reason to leave |
Sounds like they'll have an opening soon, you should apply now, beat the rush. |
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litebear
Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Holland
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 10:40 am Post subject: |
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| marsavalanche wrote: |
so outside of the kids low level wha dont you like about it?
no social life? do you work all saturdays?
plenty of people here commute that distance every day.
seems more like whining than a legit reason to leave |
I don't see what the problem is. The OP isn't happy and decided to hand in his notice and leave. He is not breaking his contract. Does everyone in the world have to stay in the same job forerver or be branded a whiner?
Edit: I actually agree with some of your opinions in other threads about foriegners in Korea and their attitudes. However, IMO you should learn to pick and choose your battles. This guy has done nothing wrong and is leaving his job in a dignified and legal manner like millions of people do all over the world every day. He even goes as far to say that he accepts and understands the school aren't breaking his contract.
You'll have no credibility if you just have a go at the foriegner in every example. Feels like that's what you did in this case. |
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koreatimes
Joined: 07 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 12:43 pm Post subject: |
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| You'll have no credibility if you just have a go at the foriegner in every example. Feels like that's what you did in this case. |
Teachers leave for different reasons, but it's hard for some (like myself) to see how going from the northeast quadrant to the southwest (not even the lowest point) is that big of a burden. They even have it set up for commuters on line 4 were you switch to line 1 on the same platform. This typically doesn't happen with subway lines "in Seoul". Japan does it a lot, but Seoul and Beijing don't.
This person would only go 2 stations on line 1. I think we can get the estimated time from Seoul station. I'll use http://www.smrt.co.kr/english_smrt/index.jsp
38 minutes with line 1, 41 to Geumjeong with line 4, and 6 minutes more on line 1.
The subway system itself can take from NE to SW within the range of 222 minutes (3 hours, 42 minutes), and from NW to SE 168 minutes (2 hours, 48 minutes).
All of these calculations were arrived at by using a Seoul transportation guide.
I don't see the loss of credibility. |
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litebear
Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Holland
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 1:06 pm Post subject: |
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| koreatimes wrote: |
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| You'll have no credibility if you just have a go at the foriegner in every example. Feels like that's what you did in this case. |
Teachers leave for different reasons, but it's hard for some (like myself) to see how going from the northeast quadrant to the southwest (not even the lowest point) is that big of a burden. They even have it set up for commuters on line 4 were you switch to line 1 on the same platform. This typically doesn't happen with subway lines "in Seoul". Japan does it a lot, but Seoul and Beijing don't.
This person would only go 2 stations on line 1. I think we can get the estimated time from Seoul station. I'll use http://www.smrt.co.kr/english_smrt/index.jsp
38 minutes with line 1, 41 to Geumjeong with line 4, and 6 minutes more on line 1.
The subway system itself can take from NE to SW within the range of 222 minutes (3 hours, 42 minutes), and from NW to SE 168 minutes (2 hours, 48 minutes).
All of these calculations were arrived at by using a Seoul transportation guide.
I don't see the loss of credibility. |
But you don't work there. The OP does. What does the OP care if it wouldn't be a big deal to you? It's a big enough deal to the OP for him to decide to hand in his notice and change jobs/go travelling whatever. Why should he get stick for that? If he was running it'd be a totally different story, but he isn't.
Have you never left a job before? |
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some waygug-in
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 1:38 pm Post subject: |
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| The commute is irrelevant. Just the idea of being full time at an EV would be a deal breaker for many. |
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