Korean Job Discussion Forums

[crazylemongirl]

The corriders at my school are pretty cold at the best of times. At the moment there is a large hole in the corrider which is creating a nasty nasty wind draft.

My desk is close to the door. I've lost count of the number of times that I have either had to get up and close the door or tell a student to do it. That is my pet hate of the day. Bought to you by the letters c, o, l and d.

[Koreabound2004]

I hear ya on that one...my school has all the sliding windows open, the hallways are bloody freezing...and I go to the washroom, and there's NO SOAP, and no TP, and best of all COLD WATER to wash my hands. I wear my coat all day....

[Wisco Kid]

It just does not occur to kids to shut the door. Just as it does not occur to them that there is anything wrong with throwing candy wrappers out of fourth story windows.
It also doesn't occur to hagwon bathroom builders to include hot water.
In a similar manner it doesn't occur to the director that his smoking in the stairwell stinks up the entine floor.

[uberscheisse]

yes. it doesn't occur to anyone that being swift on the uptake would negate the effects of being extremely dumb.

yeah.

[d503]

First born in a tent???? I have never heard that, back where I'm from people who leave doors open were born in a barn....but I concede regional differences.

But can we swap. My director thinks that korea and northern siberia are the same place. It is like an oven in my classroom. I have the fan on the windows open...and the heat doesn't stop. Then to make matters worse evertime I step out for a little bit I come back to all the windows closed the fan off and the door closed. I feel as though I am reliving the movie backdraft as the waves of heat flow out. I've mentioned that the classroom is a bit hot but she just smiles and keeps it cranked. It's almost funny she walks around school with scarf and four inch thick sweater on and I'm running about in skirt and short sleeves praying for a breeze.

I don't know 50F (10C) just doesn't quite seem cold enough to justify cranking the heat up....On a side note, will it really get cold here?

[eamo]

Don't get me started on the ignorance of temperature Koreans experience every Spring and Autumn.

Let's just say they're different.

[peemil]

That drives me up the bloody wall. Even my boss doesn't know how to shut a bloody door.

[Randall Flagg]

As I'm sure you're all aware, we are living in the only country with four distinct seasons. Summer is over therefore its cold, therefore the heat must be cranked to the max. Theres no middle ground at my school. Its either cold with extreme heat or hot with extreme aircon. And don't you dare suggest the middle ground.

Don't you dare.

[Grotto]

For whatever reason Koreans seem to be addicted to heat. In the summer I would go into classrooms and the heat would be stifling. Even now in fall the students are sitting in class with jackets or in some cases parkas and the temperature is actually not bad...maybe 18 C.

At lunch the cafeteria is a bit chilly.

How do you spot the Canadian at lunch time? He's the only one wearing a t-shirt

[Ya-ta Boy]

It seems to me that a significant number of people here feel hot or cold depending on what the weatherman says, not their personal experience of the temperature. On Thursday all my students were quite happy in shirtsleeves, but on Friday every single one had at least a sweater on, and most had jackets zipped up in the classroom. It was only a bit cooler on Friday.

Then there is the phenomenon of turning the heat on on Nov. 1 and turning it off on March 31, regardless of temperature. Don't quite understand that one.

But my favorite is the running battle during air conditioning season with the co-worker who opens the windows 'for fresh air' and lets all the heat and humidity in; then in winter opens the windows 'for fresh air', letting all the warm out out. Grrrrr. For some reason, me telling her that if she wants fresh air she should go outside doesn't solve the issue.

[the eye]

it freaks me out, how concerned most hakwan owners are with saving money.
they only turn on the air conditioner at peak heat and humidity.
no hot water, half the lights off.

but a wide open door letting out all the heat... doesn't even register.

[Randall Flagg]

[eamo]

[weatherman]

[shawner88]

Public buildings in Korea and most older buildings in general here are very inefficient. You would think with the high cost of gas/oil they would design buildings better. There is such a draft in our school from the windows. I think a great business venture in Korea could be made out of insulating buildings/windows.