Korean Job Discussion Forums

zombiedog · Joined: 03 Oct 2011

I don't disagree that that OP should be willing to take the initiative and get these things done.

That said, I think that foreigners who have lived in the country for a number of years and have gone from job to job forget how completely disorienting Korea can be to a new arrival. Any school that refuses to help with these "chores" is no place that someone should want to work, and if the school doesn't provide help it should be a huge red flag to the teacher; it shows complete lack of care and common sense by the owner/manager of the school.

That is the implicit obligation the school has to their foreign teacher.

ontheway · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 12:18 pm Post subject:

Feloria · Joined: 02 Sep 2006

Sure, it's not the school's responsibility to do those "little chore" activities for the teacher.
But they should at least give you a little instruction on how to do it for yourself.

School: "You need to get an ARC"
Teacher: "OK-How do I do that?"
School: "Figure it out for yourself--We are not obligated to help you."

Come on!!

proverbs · Joined: 28 Apr 2009

9am-8pm!? 55 hours a week!? for a Korean worker, this could be normal, but i never met a foreigner that was putting in those kind of hours unless they were willingly doing it for the overtime pay. also, where do you live? why does everything close before 7pm?

its not that i dont believe you, I'm just trying to get a better idea. but it does seem like there are some details missing in this story.

shawniabroad · Joined: 19 Sep 2011 Location: South Korea

[email protected]

ssuprnova · Joined: 17 Dec 2010 Location: Saigon

akcrono · Joined: 11 Mar 2010

Some things are implicitly REQUIRED for the boss to do, such as basic instructions on how to pay important bills, where the teacher's apartment is located, how to get to school etc. These are things that a newbie will NOT be able to figure out on their own and failure to help will result in disasters.

So if we understand that the employer has some basic responsibilities that are not outlined in the contract, where do their obligations end? I would say it's comparable to bringing a foreigner to America who does not speak the language and doesn't know where anything is. Failure to set them up with basic services would make you look like an asshole. Once they get a handle on things, then they can take care of their own stuff, but until then, YOU brought them there so it's YOUR responsibility to cover the basic necessities.

Korea is not newbie friendly, and being able to become self reliant takes a decent amount of time, even with dedicated study. Let's be realistic about what has to get done and what someone with no language skills or knowledge of the area can accomplish.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

Assuming this isn't a troll post, (which would also explain some of the responses)

Any employer who wouldn't help their FOB newbie with some things

really doesn't deserve to have an employee.

Required or not, it's just common courtesy and good sense.

I'm surprised the OP hasn't pulled a midnight run already.

Troglodyte · Joined: 06 Dec 2009