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blahness
Joined: 25 Apr 2011
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 Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 3:19 pm Post subject: Vacation for public school? |
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I just recently passed my interview for EPIK and currently I'm compiling all the required documents... but heres my dilemma: My sister is planning to have her wedding in October when school is still running.
So I was wondering how lenient public schools are in giving out vacations? Would they allow me to leave for a week or so to attend her wedding or is that too much to ask? My recruiter says that as long as I have a good relationship with the school, they should let me go. But I'm still scared because its not a definite yes answer :/ |
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sallymonster
Joined: 06 Feb 2010
Location: Seattle area
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| Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 3:41 pm Post subject: |
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I suggest you wait until after October to come to Korea, because you won't get to choose your vacation. The school chooses your vacation time for you at the last minute, and it won't be in October when school is in session. In fact, I believe the contract states that you have to take your vacation when the school is having its vacation. That means one vacation in July or August and one vacation in January or February.
Your recruiter tells you otherwise because he/she gets paid to get you to Korea. Some recruiters will tell you whatever you want to hear in order to get that money. |
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shostahoosier
Joined: 14 Apr 2009
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| Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 3:56 pm Post subject: Re: Vacation for public school? |
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| blahness wrote: |
I just recently passed my interview for EPIK and currently I'm compiling all the required documents... but heres my dilemma: My sister is planning to have her wedding in October when school is still running.
So I was wondering how lenient public schools are in giving out vacations? Would they allow me to leave for a week or so to attend her wedding or is that too much to ask? My recruiter says that as long as I have a good relationship with the school, they should let me go. But I'm still scared because its not a definite yes answer :/ |
A good relationship helps, but if you're starting in September and her wedding is in October, thats a really short amount of time you'll have to blow your school away. Ive heard of schools letting people go home for a wedding during the school year, but that's usually after they've finished a year and the school uses it as a bargaining chip to get the teacher to recontract.
I would say your recruiter is wrong. Schools in Korea dont even like to give sick days.
Last edited by shostahoosier on Wed Apr 27, 2011 4:00 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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winterfall
Joined: 21 May 2009
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| Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 3:58 pm Post subject: Re: Vacation for public school? |
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| shostahoosier wrote: |
| blahness wrote: |
I just recently passed my interview for EPIK and currently I'm compiling all the required documents... but heres my dilemma: My sister is planning to have her wedding in October when school is still running.
So I was wondering how lenient public schools are in giving out vacations? Would they allow me to leave for a week or so to attend her wedding or is that too much to ask? My recruiter says that as long as I have a good relationship with the school, they should let me go. But I'm still scared because its not a definite yes answer :/ |
A good relationship helps, but if you're starting in September and her wedding is in October, thats a really short amount of time you'll have to blow your school away. Ive heard of schools letting people go home for a wedding during the school year, but that's usually after they've finished a year and the school uses it as a bargaining chip to get the teacher to resign.
I would say your recruiter is wrong. Schools in Korea dont even like to give sick days. |
Yea you'll really need to develop a relationship. In your 1st month prove to them that your the best thing that's happened to them in a long time. Even if you don't know what your doing, your putting in the effort & hours to figure it out. Like don't leave till 8 at night and get good with your teachers. |
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ThingsComeAround
Joined: 07 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 6:36 pm Post subject: Re: Vacation for public school? |
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| winterfall wrote: |
| shostahoosier wrote: |
| blahness wrote: |
I just recently passed my interview for EPIK and currently I'm compiling all the required documents... but heres my dilemma: My sister is planning to have her wedding in October when school is still running.
So I was wondering how lenient public schools are in giving out vacations? Would they allow me to leave for a week or so to attend her wedding or is that too much to ask? My recruiter says that as long as I have a good relationship with the school, they should let me go. But I'm still scared because its not a definite yes answer :/ |
A good relationship helps, but if you're starting in September and her wedding is in October, thats a really short amount of time you'll have to blow your school away. Ive heard of schools letting people go home for a wedding during the school year, but that's usually after they've finished a year and the school uses it as a bargaining chip to get the teacher to resign.
I would say your recruiter is wrong. Schools in Korea dont even like to give sick days. |
Yea you'll really need to develop a relationship. In your 1st month prove to them that your the best thing that's happened to them in a long time. Even if you don't know what your doing, your putting in the effort & hours to figure it out. Like don't leave till 8 at night and get good with your teachers. |
Won't make that much of a diff.
Wait until October to come here. After your sister's wedding. |
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SocknRoll
Joined: 07 Jan 2011
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| Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 10:18 pm Post subject: Re: Vacation for public school? |
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| ThingsComeAround wrote: |
| winterfall wrote: |
| shostahoosier wrote: |
| blahness wrote: |
I just recently passed my interview for EPIK and currently I'm compiling all the required documents... but heres my dilemma: My sister is planning to have her wedding in October when school is still running.
So I was wondering how lenient public schools are in giving out vacations? Would they allow me to leave for a week or so to attend her wedding or is that too much to ask? My recruiter says that as long as I have a good relationship with the school, they should let me go. But I'm still scared because its not a definite yes answer :/ |
A good relationship helps, but if you're starting in September and her wedding is in October, thats a really short amount of time you'll have to blow your school away. Ive heard of schools letting people go home for a wedding during the school year, but that's usually after they've finished a year and the school uses it as a bargaining chip to get the teacher to resign.
I would say your recruiter is wrong. Schools in Korea dont even like to give sick days. |
Yea you'll really need to develop a relationship. In your 1st month prove to them that your the best thing that's happened to them in a long time. Even if you don't know what your doing, your putting in the effort & hours to figure it out. Like don't leave till 8 at night and get good with your teachers. |
Won't make that much of a diff.
Wait until October to come here. After your sister's wedding. |
Yeah, I agree. It's going to get your relationship with the staff at your school off to a very bad start. I've never taught in Korea, but I've taught in China, and over there something like that would've made things difficult.
Therefore, I agree with the above poster - delay your new job by a month or two until after the wedding if at all possible. |
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Fishead soup
Joined: 24 Jun 2007
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 10:20 pm Post subject: Re: Vacation for public school? |
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| ThingsComeAround wrote: |
| winterfall wrote: |
| shostahoosier wrote: |
| blahness wrote: |
I just recently passed my interview for EPIK and currently I'm compiling all the required documents... but heres my dilemma: My sister is planning to have her wedding in October when school is still running.
So I was wondering how lenient public schools are in giving out vacations? Would they allow me to leave for a week or so to attend her wedding or is that too much to ask? My recruiter says that as long as I have a good relationship with the school, they should let me go. But I'm still scared because its not a definite yes answer :/ |
A good relationship helps, but if you're starting in September and her wedding is in October, thats a really short amount of time you'll have to blow your school away. Ive heard of schools letting people go home for a wedding during the school year, but that's usually after they've finished a year and the school uses it as a bargaining chip to get the teacher to resign.
I would say your recruiter is wrong. Schools in Korea dont even like to give sick days. |
Yea you'll really need to develop a relationship. In your 1st month prove to them that your the best thing that's happened to them in a long time. Even if you don't know what your doing, your putting in the effort & hours to figure it out. Like don't leave till 8 at night and get good with your teachers. |
Won't make that much of a diff.
Wait until October to come here. After your sister's wedding. |
I agree Octobers one of the worst times to take time off work. Even if they allow for it you will work in an enviroment where people will envy and dispise you at the same time. |
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blahness
Joined: 25 Apr 2011
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| Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 5:01 pm Post subject: update |
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Just wanted to give an update for my situation. I decided to accept the job in Aug and went to Korea to work.
I was lucky that I got a good school and my coworkers were all really nice. Of course I sucked up to them.. gave them gifts and worked extra hard (not that I don't work hard now). But in the end they gave me 3 days off so including the weekends I got 5 days to go to my sisters wedding. And the thing was my vp and p changed so I had to ask the new ones for permission and still got it. I have to say I am extremely lucky. ^^ I am sure that many people aren't as lucky.. but its not impossible either  |
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Skippy
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Daejeon
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| Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 9:54 pm Post subject: Re: update |
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| blahness wrote: |
Just wanted to give an update for my situation. I decided to accept the job in Aug and went to Korea to work.
I was lucky that I got a good school and my coworkers were all really nice. Of course I sucked up to them.. gave them gifts and worked extra hard (not that I don't work hard now). But in the end they gave me 3 days off so including the weekends I got 5 days to go to my sisters wedding. And the thing was my vp and p changed so I had to ask the new ones for permission and still got it. I have to say I am extremely lucky. ^^ I am sure that many people aren't as lucky.. but its not impossible either |
Wow congratulations... You played the game and had a victory.
Plus thanks for the update. |
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Weigookin74
Joined: 26 Oct 2009
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| Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 12:51 pm Post subject: Re: update |
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| blahness wrote: |
Just wanted to give an update for my situation. I decided to accept the job in Aug and went to Korea to work.
I was lucky that I got a good school and my coworkers were all really nice. Of course I sucked up to them.. gave them gifts and worked extra hard (not that I don't work hard now). But in the end they gave me 3 days off so including the weekends I got 5 days to go to my sisters wedding. And the thing was my vp and p changed so I had to ask the new ones for permission and still got it. I have to say I am extremely lucky. ^^ I am sure that many people aren't as lucky.. but its not impossible either |
Wow! Is that what public schools are expecting now from their foriegn teachers? Never occured to me to do that crap. Just do my regular teaching with the kids and go home at 4:30. Never had any issues.
Then again, when I came here for EPIK, I only got asked a few questions such as whether I knew Korea had 4 seasons or not. My recruiter even payed the flight. Ha ha.
Think I brought in strawberries once for everyone. Is that sucking up? |
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Weigookin74
Joined: 26 Oct 2009
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| Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 12:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Also, what about this new vacation nonsense? K teachers get saturdays off now so we have to suffer by getting virtually no time off in the summer? I use to take a month of vacation in summers past, now I get a week? What a bunch of hogwash!! |
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dairyairy
Joined: 17 May 2012
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 5:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Weigookin74 wrote: |
| Also, what about this new vacation nonsense? K teachers get saturdays off now so we have to suffer by getting virtually no time off in the summer? I use to take a month of vacation in summers past, now I get a week? What a bunch of hogwash!! |
What is this about? |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 10:56 pm Post subject: |
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Korean teachers had to teach every second Saturday until this year.
However that cut into the required amount of teaching so much that they had to shorten the summer vacation and make some of those days teaching days.
That said we are (or should be) getting all of our contractual vacation days.
Anything beyond that is at the discretion of your VP/P |
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jurassic82
Joined: 21 Jun 2006
Location: Somewhere!!!!
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| Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 2:21 pm Post subject: Re: update |
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| blahness wrote: |
Just wanted to give an update for my situation. I decided to accept the job in Aug and went to Korea to work.
I was lucky that I got a good school and my coworkers were all really nice. Of course I sucked up to them.. gave them gifts and worked extra hard (not that I don't work hard now). But in the end they gave me 3 days off so including the weekends I got 5 days to go to my sisters wedding. And the thing was my vp and p changed so I had to ask the new ones for permission and still got it. I have to say I am extremely lucky. ^^ I am sure that many people aren't as lucky.. but its not impossible either |
Congrats!!! I was in a similar situation about a year ago and was able to get a few days off to go back home for my best friends wedding (sounds like a movie). I don't see what you did as sucking up. I think it is more or less just being a good coworker. I like my job at my public school and I work extra hard because I like my students and the administration at my school is always fair and understanding. Head teachers, VP and your principal I think notice this. It seems like some NET's just expect to come here, do the minimum amount of work and then go home. If you did that back home you aren't going to develop much in the way in relationships with coworkers and may even seem extremely introverted and anti social. The same goes for here. It can be like pulling teeth trying to get your korean coworkers to speak but in the long run it is totally worth it as you have shown. Anyways, best of luck with the rest of the school year. Wish you all the best.  |
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Weigookin74
Joined: 26 Oct 2009
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| Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 5:23 pm Post subject: |
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| TheUrbanMyth wrote: |
Korean teachers had to teach every second Saturday until this year.
However that cut into the required amount of teaching so much that they had to shorten the summer vacation and make some of those days teaching days.
That said we are (or should be) getting all of our contractual vacation days.
Anything beyond that is at the discretion of your VP/P |
Yes, but now I have to shift most of my vacation time to winter. Also, a double whammy, my local ed office decided to try a one school a year system. Not every school gets a native speaker in town. Now, only some schools now, then next year others, then next others. In the past I went to multiple schools and booked my vacation directly through the ed office. They granted it and then booked camps around the city after vacations were set. I got 8 days plus two weeks for renewing plus august holiday. Worked out to a month off. Was nice. Now because I belong to the school, they insist on camps first and vacation second. No longer deal with ed office. So, this year I have to do two weeks of camps and not much time left for vacation in summer.
Guess this what you GEPIK and SMOE folks go through. Going to one school blows because they own you more and can control you more. Think I'll find me another smaller town to go to. Multiple schools all the way!!!!!
I will get my time off but scattered throughout the year. Offered me a couple on exam days. Thing is I use to get exam days off as a bonus up until a couple of years ago. Who wants to go to Canada in winter? Makes no sense to me!! |
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