| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
toddt82
Joined: 28 May 2009
|
 Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2013 8:19 pm Post subject: The one thing I surely won't miss |
 |
|
| I outta here in just under two weeks after teaching in the public elementary school system for two and a half years, and the one thing I will never miss--among the many things I am happy to be getting away from--is having to share the washroom with students. Why there aren't private, staff-only washrooms I'll never know... God, I've hated it! |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
robbie_davies
Joined: 16 Jun 2013
|
| Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2013 8:52 pm Post subject: Re: The one thing I surely won't miss |
|
|
| toddt82 wrote: |
| I outta here in just under two weeks after teaching in the public elementary school system for two and a half years, and the one thing I will never miss--among the many things I am happy to be getting away from--is having to share the washroom with students. Why there aren't private, staff-only washrooms I'll never know... God, I've hated it! |
This is not a personal dig at you - but most people who seem to be in Korea are not really suited to living there. Funny what kind of teacher the place attracts nowadays. People who shouldn't be there and whose personalities and outlook are totally incompatible with the place - I understand that was me if I am being honest.
Taking a dump with the kids isn't the best, but if that is the worst that happened in your two years, then you got off light. Good luck on your return.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
maximmm
Joined: 01 Feb 2008
|
| Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2013 9:31 pm Post subject: Re: The one thing I surely won't miss |
|
|
| robbie_davies wrote: |
This is not a personal dig at you - but most people who seem to be in Korea are not really suited to living there. Funny what kind of teacher the place attracts nowadays. People who shouldn't be there and whose personalities and outlook are totally incompatible with the place - I understand that was me if I am being honest.
Taking a dump with the kids isn't the best, but if that is the worst that happened in your two years, then you got off light. Good luck on your return. |
Well, leaving one's country requires one to possess a sense of adventure of a sort. I suppose Korea, much like any other country outside of one's domain attracts that sort of people - people who wish to see new places, people and experience new things. The problem is, the world is a complex place, and many/most countries outside of your nation may not be as open to outsiders or be compatible with people of such mindsets. Then there are various cultural differences which one may encounter - though I admit, adventurous types are usually better able to adapt to these, but it really depends. A different type of work culture, for example, is not as easy to adapt and then there are cultural differences which are primarily driven by sexism, racism, etc. If you were a woman who moved to Saudi Arabia as a part of your adventure - you may be open to covering your face at all times in the beginning, but over time, you may begin to realize that this adventure may not have been your best pick^^
Those who are solely committed to work and quite life do that well enough in their own countries. Furthermore, these people often lack the sense of adventure, and may actually find it even more difficult to integrate into cultures outside of their own. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Otherside
Joined: 06 Sep 2007
|
| Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2013 10:37 pm Post subject: Re: The one thing I surely won't miss |
|
|
| toddt82 wrote: |
| I outta here in just under two weeks after teaching in the public elementary school system for two and a half years, and the one thing I will never miss--among the many things I am happy to be getting away from--is having to share the washroom with students. Why there aren't private, staff-only washrooms I'll never know... God, I've hated it! |
I'm sorry, but that's not really a Korean thing. I've worked at 3 public schools here, and in none of them did I have to share a bathroom with students.
If anything, it's a "your school" thing (though I've heard other teachers having the same problem). As robbie_davies says, if that was the worst thing about your job (or Korea), you can be pretty grateful. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Paddycakes
Joined: 05 May 2003
Location: Seoul
|
| Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2013 10:45 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
Well, leaving one's country requires one to possess a sense of adventure of a sort. I suppose Korea, much like any other country outside of one's domain attracts that sort of people - people who wish to see new places, people and experience new things. The problem is, the world is a complex place, and many/most countries outside of your nation may not be as open to outsiders or be compatible with people of such mindsets. Then there are various cultural differences which one may encounter - though I admit, adventurous types are usually better able to adapt to these, but it really depends. A different type of work culture, for example, is not as easy to adapt and then there are cultural differences which are primarily driven by sexism, racism, etc. If you were a woman who moved to Saudi Arabia as a part of your adventure - you may be open to covering your face at all times in the beginning, but over time, you may begin to realize that this adventure may not have been your best pick^^
Those who are solely committed to work and quite life do that well enough in their own countries. Furthermore, these people often lack the sense of adventure, and may actually find it even more difficult to integrate into cultures outside of their own. |
Korea gets all types.
In the past you'd get a lot of people here who are "running" from something back home (see the Freaky Waygook Thread), and some people who just wanted to try Asia for a fun working holiday.
All it took to get into Korea was a BA and a heart beat, and the ability to make it to an airport to get on a plane.
Now it's a lot tougher, so the general caliber of new people is higher than before.
You'll notice that "main stream" people almost never stay in Korea though for the long term.
They can't function here because they're not used to being Outsiders, which is what foreigners are in Korea.
Whereas if you were an Outsider back home, then you're used to being an Outsider, so being on the outside of Korean society doesn't bother you so much because you were always on the fringe in the first place. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
peachKitten713
Joined: 13 May 2013
|
| Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 2:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Paddycakes wrote: |
| Whereas if you were an Outsider back home, then you're used to being an Outsider, so being on the outside of Korean society doesn't bother you so much because you were always on the fringe in the first place. |
I agree with this. I know for me, I don't mind too much because I am used to being the outsider/different person and here it can sometimes be a positive thing (as far as positive attention goes), so I even enjoy it sometimes. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Julius
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
|
| Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 4:45 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Todd82 wrote: |
| having to share the washroom with students |
At both my public schools the staff had separate washrooms. You were unlucky. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
augustine
Joined: 08 Sep 2012
Location: México
|
| Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2013 6:49 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I'm in a separate building than the rest of the school and there are never really any kids running around until class time, which is nice in some ways; but in others, it's not, since there are squat toilets only in both of the men and women's bathrooms on all three floors. I almost crapped on the bridge of my pants trying to do my business during the colder days with long johns on, freezing cold trying to hold my body there in position with three layers of clothes pulling me down. I didn't even know which direction to face. Luckily, I'm never at work for more than four and a half hours a day, so I can just about always hold it in until I reach the subway on my way home. So... yep... that's my story... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Ballerina2012
Joined: 17 Jan 2012
|
| Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2013 4:50 am Post subject: |
|
|
  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Squire
Joined: 26 Sep 2010
Location: Jeollanam-do
|
| Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2013 2:46 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| In my first year I worked at three public schools then when that position was axed I switched jobs and now do two schools. Five schools in total, none of which have separate bathrooms for the staff. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
LeaforKorea
Joined: 29 Jun 2013
|
| Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 10:25 am Post subject: |
|
|
The high school I taught at here in the U.S. didn't have private bathrooms for teachers.
We didn't even have a teacher's lounge.
No matter what country you're in there are going to be schools that are less affluent than others.
Welcome to the real world.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
xhaktmtjdnf
Joined: 20 Mar 2011
|
| Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 9:19 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| The schools I've worked at have had an adults only bathroom near the administrative office. If sharing the bathroom with students is your biggest problem seems like you've had it fairly easy here. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
young_clinton
Joined: 09 Sep 2009
|
| Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 10:37 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| There are bathroom situations in the world that are far more worse than Korea. With that in mind you might just want to stick to teaching in Korea. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
