Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Whitegirlinasia]

I am currently working an after school gig. I am teaching the worst kids I have ever had in 6 years of teaching. Each day is basically 5 hours of WW2. If some child doesn't do violence to some other child, it's the exception, not the rule. Despite the hours it is the worst job I have ever had, ever. It's a nightmare. Other teachers at the school have told me they have nightmares about work. I am actually getting gray hair. No, I'm not being dramatic.

I'm 4 months out from finishing my contract. I am currently renting my own apartment but my company has put up the key money.

Here's the catch. My elementary school wants to cancel the contract with my company a month early. This is still up in the air. We have been gaining students every single semester, so my company WANTS to keep the contract as my co-teacher and I are making them money.

I suspect the school is going to quit us, and if they do, my company will refuse to pay my severance.

I have had one of those nightmare experiences in Korea, and the only reason I've stayed a second year was to take a chance on a relationship that in the end didn't pan out. If North Korea invaded tomorrow the only reason I'd shed a tear is that I still live here.

I'm resolved to leave and go back to Japan in April (the hiring season there. You should go, it's saner) I do not have the energy or the resolve to take a fight to the labor board for my 2 grand severance. I am so over Korea. If they refuse to pay severance I am just going to leave my job without notice, sticking my company with a furnished apartment, unpaid bills and down one teacher.

Here is my question. I may want to come back here for a visa run from Japan or travel or whatever. Do I need to worry about getting arrested for unpaid bills at immigration if I set foot on Korean soil again? What should I be preparing for this run (other than the vet paperwork for my dog)? Is there anything I should know that I don't know about possible repercussions? Can I still get back my pension? General advice?

Thanks.

[pmwhittier]

No, you don't need to worry about being arrested at the airport for unpaid utility bills. Not too long ago, lots of folks pulled runners when their jobs and/or bosses ended up being nightmares.

Life is short. Your mental health is important, and if losing severance (which you said you probably won't get anyway) doesn't bother you too much, I say go for it.

Good luck, and don't worry about immigration. They aren't concerned with unpaid bills or pension or healthcare. They are only concerned with folks that teach private lessons on E2's.

[Whitegirlinasia]

Awesome.

I still cannot believe this country exists. Someone needs to put warning labels on Korean dramas "Based deeply in reality".

Can I take out my pension if I run? I have a year banked from my previous nightmare job. That's my money. I put up with a year of sexual harassment from my boss to get it. I was also housed in a building where a hooker ring was being operated and therefore had the cops called on me for me being Russian (I'm American) and I was assaulted by someone who thought I was Russian. I want that money. It's mine. I friggin' earned it.

[OBwannabe]

[Overture1928]

Just curious if you can post or pm the name of the after school company. I recently had an interview with an after school company but declined because I didn't think I could trust the company. Just wondering if I dodged a bullet.

[Whitegirlinasia]

Overture1928,

I pmed you the name of the company. To the company's credit, they are trying to keep the contract. The management is very kind to the foreign staff, but they treat the Korean staff like dogs. When I got assaulted 3 days before I was supposed to start the job, they let me delay my health check so I could file all the documents I needed to with the police. Then they checked up on me to make sure I was okay the following week.

I actually don't know if they will try to keep my severance or not. I am just assuming so because, well everything else in my time in Korea has gone wrong, so this probably will too. Bosses here are narcissistic, selfish, vipers who will extract whatever they can from you. I don't know for sure what will happen with my contract, I am just prepping for the worst case scenario. But, in some respects, I think going home early may be a better than working for them for 4 more months because the kids are so terrible. I have had 3, 15 year olds go to prison for assault of teachers at a previous job, and they were easier to teach than these demons. So basically my advice would be, don't teach in Bundang.

[Fallacy]

[Whitegirlinasia]

Fallacy, you cracked me up.

I actually was warned. But having lived in Japan for 5 years and loved it, I witnessed a lot of complainers from lazy expats who were having a "nightmare experience" there. When really they were just culturally ridged gits. I had traveled to Korea 3 times before moving here and really enjoyed my time as a tourist. Should have taken my friend's advice who is a former Hagwon Slave himself. "Stay in Japan. People are calm here".

[Fallacy]

If you liked that, then here is some more:

[Whitegirlinasia]

You nailed it on the head.

I'm resolved. I'm booking my ticket and leaving next month, severance or no severance. 4 more months more of being a depressed, miserable, constantly intoxicated, marshmallow all for a couple of grand is not worth it. My liver, waistline and mental health need a break. I'd rather work at Starbucks part time and crash on my Dad's couch for a couple of months while I get a new job than tell the same kids one more time to sit down and shut up.

And it'll feel sweet to now be able to say with authority to anyone who asks, Japan is better than Korea.

諦める。韓国が大嫌い。

[wonkavite62]

If I was in that mood, I might WANT to take both the school and the company to court. You could hand in your notice. You might be doing future victims a favour by writing up a detailed expose of both the company and the elementary school on this forum, as well as others such as waegook.org. Publicise it as much as you can, when you feel able to.
You can also try to contact Hagwon Blacklist and mention your experience.
If you are in Bundang, I do get the impression there that some of the Koreans in Bundang are on an ego trip.
I was nearing the end of a contract in Korea, and I got an interview from a kindergarten/hagwon in Bundang. The lady who interviewed me really wanted to impress on my how wealthy Bundang was, how upscale it was, how chic it was, and how important, in her opinion. She asked me some questions. Then she said something else.
She said: "Oh, my Gaaaahd! You're from Scaaahtland, right? You're from Scotland." Never mind the fact that my voice is very easy to understand, and lots of Koreans have said so, they can't see past their prejudices, in some cases.
You can therefore see why I've never been able to secure a job in Gangnam or Bundang. The parents are paying for an American accent.

[SeoulNate]

Based on your writing style, I highly doubt your accent is the reason you never had any luck in the interviews.

[Whitegirlinasia]

I tend to agree about the accent thing. At my old kindie a mother complained that one of the Korean teachers was from Busan, so therefore the accent in which he spoke English must me wrong. That line of thinking doesn't make sense from any perspective.

Ironically that guy had the BEST English at the school. Which just goes to show it's more about image than understanding. (Only people from Seoul can speak American correctly) Clearly her understanding of English was 0.

[Keeper]

Have you talked to your boss and told them the kids are misbehaving to the point of not being able to teach? If you are supposed to do the discipline then ask your boss, "Can I hit them with a cane?". They may see the need then to do the disciplining rather than yourself. Many Koreans children are disciplined by lining their noses against the wall with their arms extended at shoulder height. It's cruel but it is also part of their culture of acceptable discipline by some educators. I have not done this but have seen it done by others.

Are you sure this is the reason for leaving or is it that you are tired of the entire country? I can sense the burnout in you. In that case like others have said, wait for payday and then go. Check with NPS before you go so you can cash out.

[Whitegirlinasia]

It's burnout. I hate the country in full. It's been a bad year and a half. I wanted to leave earlier but I got involved with someone. Now that I'm free I feel like F#@% it, I'm out of here. No severance is worth this BS.