View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
Bo Peabody
Joined: 25 Aug 2005
|
Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 9:57 am Post subject: [deleted] |
|
|
[deleted]
Last edited by Bo Peabody on Fri May 16, 2008 6:34 am; edited 2 times in total |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Yu_Bum_suk

Joined: 25 Dec 2004
|
Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 3:40 pm Post subject: |
|
|
At my old hogwan there was a teacher who had a kindy class and had shoulder-length hair. It was the least of his conflicts with wongjongnim-babo. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Wrench
Joined: 07 Apr 2005
|
Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 5:24 pm Post subject: |
|
|
at my kindie everyone has long hair. Except for like 3 teachers out of 50. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
bellum99

Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: don't need to know
|
Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 8:50 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Why do you want to bother? What I mean is that people have to dress a certain way in any society to be given respect. In america you can't work in your boxers even if you want to express your individuality. The truth is that Koreans (and yes we live in Korea) have notions of what respectable behavior, clothing and hair styles are. I have found that more money and respect come if you try to look respectable (what they consider respectable). I wear a suit and a neck tie when the situation deems it neccessary and I get a haircut.
The truth is that most often long hair just looks nasty and unkept. It is even worse when the person is going bald and tries to hide it using long hair. Individuality is not more important than success.
Why not just conform a little? Some koreans have strange ideas about hair and often say "dirty". You may have no problems, but why not be pro-active about it? Save your personal fashion for when you go home.
--This is all with the assumption that you are not Fabio. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Yu_Bum_suk

Joined: 25 Dec 2004
|
Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 9:05 pm Post subject: |
|
|
bellum99 wrote: |
Why do you want to bother? What I mean is that people have to dress a certain way in any society to be given respect. In america you can't work in your boxers even if you want to express your individuality. The truth is that Koreans (and yes we live in Korea) have notions of what respectable behavior, clothing and hair styles are. I have found that more money and respect come if you try to look respectable (what they consider respectable). I wear a suit and a neck tie when the situation deems it neccessary and I get a haircut.
The truth is that most often long hair just looks nasty and unkept. It is even worse when the person is going bald and tries to hide it using long hair. Individuality is not more important than success.
Why not just conform a little? Some koreans have strange ideas about hair and often say "dirty". You may have no problems, but why not be pro-active about it? Save your personal fashion for when you go home.
--This is all with the assumption that you are not Fabio. |
But there is a hell of a difference re: kindie vs. say, a business school. Kindies and kiddie hogwans often want someone who looks like a typical American to sing and dance with the kids. And the kids will adapt to you no matter how you look. If your students are all businessmen in suits or high school students in uniforms I could see your point, but at kindie you're just there to make the kids happy and create the delusion for the parents that they're learning English. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
bellum99

Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: don't need to know
|
Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 9:28 pm Post subject: |
|
|
No, it is not different. You wonder why English teachers don't get respect. They don't get respect because they don't deserve respect. We get treated like garbage because Koreans don't think we are professionals. They judge us by appearance a lot. If we want to be treated properly then we have to dress the correct way and behave the correct way. It doesn't matter what job you do. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
zappadelta

Joined: 31 Aug 2004
|
Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:39 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Quote: |
Individuality is not more important than success.
|
Yes, this is a proven fact |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Yu_Bum_suk

Joined: 25 Dec 2004
|
Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 12:04 am Post subject: |
|
|
bellum99 wrote: |
No, it is not different. You wonder why English teachers don't get respect. They don't get respect because they don't deserve respect. We get treated like garbage because Koreans don't think we are professionals. They judge us by appearance a lot. If we want to be treated properly then we have to dress the correct way and behave the correct way. It doesn't matter what job you do. |
Hey, I'm sitting here in a blazer, cleanshaven, and my friend who teaches at a neighbouring high school and I are always making fun of the way the 'backpackers' dress at a nearby English camp. But I can tell you that if my job was to sing and dance and throw sticky balls with 5-year-olds I'd be in jeans and a sweatshirt with little regard for my hairstyle. However, I'd never, even for 3.0 a month, take a job teaching kindie because you're likely to be treated with the utmost disrespect regardless of your dress and grooming. Appearance might get you hired, but spine and not grooming is what's going to earn you respect in Korea's ECE and kiddie hogwan industry. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
tomato

Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Location: I get so little foreign language experience, I must be in Koreatown, Los Angeles.
|
Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 12:20 am Post subject: |
|
|
I don't have long hair, but I have a beard.
I'm now working my fifth kindergarten job, and no one has mentioned my beard--except for one time that I got drafted to be Santa Claus at a kindergarten Christmas party. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Poemer
Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Location: Mullae
|
Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 1:53 am Post subject: |
|
|
Grow your hair hair however you want. You are a foreigner in korea, you will generally recieve little professional courtesy regardless of appearance. Not to mention the fact that anyone who's level of respect for you is contingent upon your hairstyle is probably not worth being respected by in any case, here or elsewhere. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
bellum99

Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: don't need to know
|
Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 2:03 am Post subject: |
|
|
Do what you want. I give up. Don't listen to good advice. What I said was true and will help you through your whole life. Respect is not usually earned through hard work. but is given in the first few moments people meet you. First impressions matter in life and you want to give a good one. This is golden advice that I have given to you. If you think of this everytime you buy clothes or decide to do something to your appearance then you will see a huge improvement in your life. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
stat
Joined: 22 Apr 2005
|
Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 3:10 am Post subject: |
|
|
I had longer-than shoulder length hair in the UK, here I tie it back (I'm a man). I sent them a photo before I came, so I guess I got employed on the strength of my credentials rather than how I look.
I don't get any funny comments apart from ajummas who sometimes confuse me for a lady from behind, which everyone laughs about. It's not been a problem for me at all.
Incidentally, I'm outside of Seoul. I ocassionally see Korean men with long hair too.
Have some gumption man, and have confidence in your ability as TEFL teacher. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
The evil penguin

Joined: 24 May 2003 Location: Doing something naughty near you.....
|
Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 6:21 am Post subject: |
|
|
bellum99 wrote: |
First impressions matter in life and you want to give a good one. This is golden advice that I have given to you. If you think of this everytime you buy clothes or decide to do something to your appearance then you will see a huge improvement in your life. |
Ahhh yes....... we.......must.............conform..............
guess it all depends on whether or not you want to live a shallow superficial life surrounded by shallow superficial people.
Who wants to live a life worried about what the neighbours will think?
Sure, if you want to be treated with respect by people, than walking around the street wearing nothing but a large stained pair of your mothers underwear won't help your situation. Even if it is "expressing your individuality"...
Being hygenic is always good. Body odour is nver a good thing.
But who decides what image is good or bad??? If you want to grow long hair, then grow long hair. Expect possible problems with your employment prospects also reactions from narrow minded twits but, hey, its your choice....
I personally have shortish hair but only because its easy maintainence. I grow a beard when the urge hits.
Generally speaking, i think foreign teachers sporting a variety of "looks" is a good thing. gives koreans exposure to the real world and anything to break 'em out of their conformist "act like we're all cloned" funk is a good thing..... |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Demonicat

Joined: 18 Nov 2004 Location: Suwon
|
Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 6:26 am Post subject: |
|
|
Remember this is Kindy. As a kindy teacher I must say that schools DO NOT LIKE suits and ties and short groomed hair- it scares the kids and the parents. Dress in sweaters and jeans and keep your hair nice and non-threatening (at any length) and you'll be set. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
ajuma

Joined: 18 Feb 2003 Location: Anywere but Seoul!!
|
Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 3:29 am Post subject: |
|
|
Why don't you try growing it longer and see if anyone complains? That should answer your question! |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
|