Korean Job Discussion Forums

Pyongshin Sangja · Joined: 20 Apr 2003 Location: I love baby!

Start paying attention here or prepare to get run over.

You don't know where your degree is? What the hell does that mean?

That's just the start of it. You have an E2 visa in your passport. Wow, big man. Do you have an ARC? If not, you are persona non grata and ain't owed squat by nobody. Start packing, move to a hotel.

How did someone that doesn't know where their degree is get a B. Ed?

ulsanchris · Joined: 19 Jun 2003 Location: take a wild guess

2 weeks and a firing?! Aigo!!! All the posters dissing the op should piss off and go *beep* themselves. If someone gets themselves into a *beep* deal w/o it being their fault i say people should stick together. It's not like some guys getting drunk and brawling. Someone came over from a different country to experience a different culture and this is what they got. They experienced what too many people have to experience - the true experience that is Korea. God, I'm happy to be going home. Too much of this stupidity going on here.

End rant. *beep*!

Should I assume that all teacher here are normal with out any character defects. That all people here have no oddities at all or are not just rude b*stards. I don't think so. most people who are half way normal don't manage to get themselves fired in the first two weeks of a job. Maybe the boss is a jerk. However the bosses who usually jerk teachers around are doing it for money, and I would imagine that this guy is costing his boss money at this point.

Dan The Chainsawman · Joined: 05 May 2005

It might be the case of not having enough students, and to many teachers. When I started out in this here land of woodless mornings I was let out of a contract after 1 week when the language camp I was working at was nearly falling apart from lack of business. Worked well for me as even though my job is pretty boring now I get paid on time, my kids are not all that bad, and I manage to slide in a little fun now and again.

If the OP has a visa then the investment is fairly substantial. Recruiting fee, air fare, and other associated costs are nothing to shake a stick at. I imagine a person would have to be doing a heck of alot more than not having eye contact with students.

To the OP here is a thing I used when I first started teaching way back when as a Rifle Instructor at a Boy Scout Camp. I was always nervous and could not look directly at them. So I focused on somthing like their foreheads. Took me awhile, but I got over it, and now I really don't care what the person looks like. Frankly the kid could have a nut sack hanging off his forehead for all I cared as I learned along time ago that looking at their eyes tells you alot.

For instance, if you can't see their eyes it means they all fell asleep on you. Perhaps now would be that time to bang on the table like a gorrilla screaming BABO! BABO! BABO!

politricks · Joined: 24 Jul 2005 Location: Busan

Yeah, I have a visa, I got a plane ticket here, and I am sure there was a recruiting fee. I am costing this Director money, that is probably why they are so pissed. I did not do anything to warrent being fired, I am sure of this. I am for sure I did nothing to warrent my Director going to immigration and telling them negative things about me. My personality just clashes with these people, meaning they have misconptions about my person. I would not think that there is much to be mad at when I look at myself.

I look the students in the eye and have a good teacher-student relationship. The Korean staffers at my school have just thrown their weight against me. Result of a bad first impression and not looking them, Korean staffers, in the eye.

I will get my degree back from the School or immigration tomorrow. I trust that no one at my school or immigration would "lose" it.

Did I get screwed, yes. Am I supprised. Yes.

My, plan is to get my release letter, my degree, and try to salvage a few hundred thou. won and get out of here, the last part will be the hardest.

Thanks again for all the advise...advise that is always balanced in opinion when taken from Daves.

RachaelRoo · Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Location: Anywhere but Ulsan!

Politricks, I am not clear on what you are referring to when you say that your boss has said 'bad things about you to immigration' and that this will make it hard for you to find a new job here. Based on what I've read on Dave's and heard from other sources, I don't think that this is possible. Does immigration in Korea actually have some kind of blacklist where teachers can be prevented from obtaining a new visa simply based on the allegations of a Hagwon director? I was under the impression that this is not the case, but anyone out there correct me if I'm wrong. Are you leaving Korea and giving up because you were told that this is true? You think you will be unable to continue working in this country? You should have no problem getting another job here - this time, one that doesn't have video cameras watching your every move.
Who is your recruiter and what company are they with? Where are they based?
Also, can you share more information about yourself? What is your age and gender? Do you studder? Why don't you make eye contact? I'm not trying to offend or accuse - I just want to understand your situation.
Don't give up though! Do you have a little bit of money to pull you through until you can get a new job?

teachmeenglish · Joined: 14 Dec 2004

OK, stop worrying, play hardball, get your degree, get release letter, be friendly and polite but do NOT let them screw you. if they say they will say bad things to immigration, say that you will persue your care in the courts. They are BSing to scare you, do the same, but be nice.

shortskirt_longjacket · Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 10:29 am Post subject:

To me, this is the best of both worlds; you didn't have to pay for a plane ticket *and* now you're free to shop around for a job that's a better fit for you.

Get a yeogwan or find another waygook who will put you up for a few days and hit the pavement. Check the employment sites (worknplay.co.kr, but write it down fast because it will get stricken by the mods) and find yourself something.

Most teachers have to choose between affording a ticket or coming here already locked into a job that might suck. You got a ticket *and* you're free to shop for jobs now. If you're a freak, or you did something deserving to get fired, trust me, I've worked with worse in the Korean ESL industry. Don't do it again. Move on.

PaperTiger · Joined: 31 May 2005 Location: Ulaanbataar

Wowee, both your school AND your recruiter screwed you over? Sounds like you work in Kimpo for a guy whose name rhymes with "pee" at a school that rhymes with "gay-day-o". Mr. "Pee" was quite adept at provoking shouting matches with even the most sedate Korean staff as well as the strained foreign staff.

Education de America recruiters, am I right? Office in LA? They had indicated that if I was unhappy with my assignment that they would be happy to help me find another job. I let them know how I felt about Kimpo "Gay-day-o"...the shouting matches, living with four other white monkeys, living in the most heavily excrement and blood-scented corner of Gyeonngi-do, having to spend an excessive amount of my free time manufacturing and copying the materials I was assured would be provided.

In any case, instead of helping me out and getting me another job, these lowlifes simply told Mr. "Pee" everything I hated about working for him, for which I was lectured for several hours about and subsequently fired.

Apparently libel is a serious offense when committed by a foreigner, but when oh saaaaaaaaaay a hogwan owner libels a foreigner to unemployment and back, very few people take their side (even the Marching Morons of Dave's ESL Cafe...you know who you are).

pegpig · Joined: 10 May 2005

sheba · Joined: 16 May 2005 Location: Here there and everywhere!

Why not give it another go? You got royally screwed on your first job, enough to put anoyone off! But why not stay and find another? People here would be happy to help.

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

Are you overweight? Are you over 40?

I could see this happening quite easily if either of the above are true.
And even if they are not the case, I can also see this happening because of one angry mom. People who are blaming you need to get their heads out of their backsides and realize where they are.

This is Korea, for God's sake. These things DO happen!

I suspect the "owner" may have some "very handsome" teacher waiting to take over as you walk out the door.

By the way, if you don't have your ARC yet, I don't think you need a release letter. Just start from square one again and better luck next time.

Best of Luck to you,

Don't let the "it's all the teacher's fault" people get to you.

Check this out while you're at it.

http://seamonkey.ed.asu.edu/~jonb/blacklisted.html

magicwolfman · Joined: 01 Sep 2005

Maybe she was a bad teacher. I havent been here long, but my boss and co-teachers love me. Maybe there is something that she is not telling us. A kind of skeleton in the closet thing. I would like to hear the directors point of view.

RachaelRoo · Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Location: Anywhere but Ulsan!

pegpig · Joined: 10 May 2005

I'd like to never read magicwolfman posts again. Why don't you get a big avatar that's easily recognizable so that when I see it as I'm scrolling down the page I can easily avoid reading you. Thank you.

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

Maybe, but I doubt very much that after only 2 weeks they can make a fair assessment of that.

Maybe Santa Claus is real too.