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JacktheCat
Joined: 08 May 2004
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 Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 6:59 pm Post subject: Interesting Converstation with Korean Teacher |
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I had an interesting conversation with one of the Korean teachers at my public high school this morning. (one of the few who speaks passable English)
Korean Teacher: "Why are you [making a fuss] about vacation time"?
Me: "How much vacation time do you get"?
Korean Teacher: "One month in summer and two and half months in winter".
Me: "Well [admin] wants to only give me two weeks in summer and two weeks in winter. That's why I am pushing for more vacation time."
Korean Teacher: [puzzled look] "You are a foreigner. You don't need as much vacation time as a Korean".
Me: "How many classes do you teach"?
Korean Teacher: "18 classes a week".
Me: "I teach 37. If anything, I should be getting more vacation time."
Korean Teacher: [even more puzzled look]"But you are just a foreigner. You are not Korean. You don't need vacation time".
That's Korea for you. Sometimes it drives me up the wall. Well, at least apart from the vacation time they are treat me more than decently and are actually paying me in full and on-time, unlike my previous hackwon jobs. |
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captain kirk
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 7:24 pm Post subject: |
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That's funny. Good thing you two have nice chats  |
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margaret
Joined: 14 Oct 2003
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| Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 7:43 pm Post subject: |
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Ask the KT why a Korean needs more vacation. I'm very curious about the answer.
Margaret |
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mindmetoo
Joined: 02 Feb 2004
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| Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 7:51 pm Post subject: Re: Interesting Converstation with Korean Teacher |
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*snicker*
Japanese: But you are a Korean in Japan. You don't deserve as much vacation time as Japanese.
I'm not sure of his rational why foreign workers don't deserve the same treatment as Korean workers. If the shoe was on the other foot in Japan...
Maybe he felt you were paid more and didn't need as much holiday time. |
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crazylemongirl
Joined: 23 Mar 2003
Location: almost there...
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| Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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| my vice principal fretts that i work too hard. She cut down my teaching hours over holidays! |
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JongnoGuru
Joined: 25 May 2004
Location: peeing on your doorstep
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| Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 8:17 pm Post subject: |
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Just guessing here....
1) You're not Korean, you're just a foreigner. You have no family, no school seniors, and few friends in Korea. So just where exactly is it that you have to go (which elders, inlaws, ancestors' graves, etc. must you supplicate yourself before) that you think you need so much vacation time?
No good? OK, try this one...
2) You're not Korean, you're just a foreigner. This isn't you're country. You're only here temporarily as a guest(worker) of this school and at the sufferance of my country's government (Immigration Office). I don't notice those Bangladeshi factory workers complaining about 10 days off a year. What is your primary malfunction?? And stand at attention when addressed by a citizen of the Republic!! 
Still not buying it? All right, this is my last guess...
3) You're not a Korean, you're just a foreigner. I don't know how I can make it any clearer than that. Me Korean (touches chest with extended forefinger), You foreigner (points forefinger between your eyes). Korean here (holds hand above her head), Foreigner here (stretches hand down just below her kneecap). Understand now? 
The Guru had no vacation at all for two years. It wasn't fun, but I really didn't notice it because I was so busy. |
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pollyplummer
Joined: 07 Mar 2005
Location: McMinnvillve, Oregon
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| Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 9:33 pm Post subject: vacations |
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| I work at a Public High School, too, and I'm wondering about vacation time. I'm supposed to get the same- two weeks off in the summer and two in the winter. But I know the teachers and students are off for much longer. What exactly will I be doing? Do they have summer school? Or will I be here at the school painting my toenails and wasting 8 hours a day on Dave's ??! Does anyone know how this works? |
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crazylemongirl
Joined: 23 Mar 2003
Location: almost there...
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| Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 9:37 pm Post subject: Re: vacations |
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| pollyplummer wrote: |
| I work at a Public High School, too, and I'm wondering about vacation time. I'm supposed to get the same- two weeks off in the summer and two in the winter. But I know the teachers and students are off for much longer. What exactly will I be doing? Do they have summer school? Or will I be here at the school painting my toenails and wasting 8 hours a day on Dave's ??! Does anyone know how this works? |
They may want you to run half day camps. you may get luck and you school will send you home, But yes be prepeared to spend a lot of time sitting on your butt doing nothing if you are in GEPIK. |
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pollyplummer
Joined: 07 Mar 2005
Location: McMinnvillve, Oregon
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| Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 9:43 pm Post subject: day camps |
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| I'm not in GEPIK, thankfully. But I do enjoy spending time on my butt! I'd just rather do it at home than at school. Especially if the school is empty and they wont allow me to turn on the heat/air conditioner. I'm a bit of a pansy when it comes to temperature. Day camps sound lame. I'm not a clown. |
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Captain Corea
Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 9:46 pm Post subject: |
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At my old school, the korean teachers complained that the foreigners got more vacation time than they did. It was a decent school so between contracts (or even "in one" ifyou resigned), a few foreigners were allowed to take extended vacations (myself included).
This was abrubtly put to a halt though after the Koreans complained and the wonjoneim explained that "the parents don't like it". |
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steroidmaximus
Joined: 27 Jan 2003
Location: GangWon-Do
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| Posted: Fri May 06, 2005 6:24 am Post subject: |
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Jongno wrote:
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1) You're not Korean, you're just a foreigner. You have no family, no school seniors, and few friends in Korea. So just where exactly is it that you have to go (which elders, inlaws, ancestors' graves, etc. must you supplicate yourself before) that you think you need so much vacation time?
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I think this is the most applicable explanation. But if you're married to a Korean that logic goes right out the window.
I signed on to Epik because the experience is applicable to a public school teaching job back home: I'll get a higher salary when/if I go back. But I've also hinted not so subtly that if I have to sit around and pick my ass alone in the office, or teach some dumb camp over the break, I might not be back in September, let alone resign. Starting Korean teachers make less money than I do, but then again, there are more of them. Being a Tier 1 with many years of teaching AND a rare commodity, I deserve to get paid more. I also deserve the same time off as they do, as any professional will tell you that teacher burnout is real, regardless of the extra responsibilities quoted above.
The salary I'm getting is at least a million above the majority of uni gigs, but i'm doing double/triple the time, and I'm pulling a lot of extra work. I don't mind soooo much because I've been teaching so long I have tons of material and again, the experience is more legitimate. I've also been getting some sweet time away from class thanks to midterms and sports days. As others have said, this is mostly contigent on what supervisors you have. It helps that I'm well organized, white, Canadian, work hard, and the students like me. If I was some joker who showed up hungover (occasionally is acceptable judging by some of the other teachers  ), slobbishly dressed and in need of an attitude adjustment, I might not be so fortunate. So far (2.5 months in), I have no serious complaints about Epik; the litmus test will come vacation time. Stay tuned for further developments. . .
I actually miss the testing, and being able to become more familiar with students, a disadvantage of this job. I like being told I have to make a presentation to the KETS twice a month for extra won, since it gives me an opportunity to stretch my brain while collecting information from teachers and padding the bank account. All this helps improve my teaching  |
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