Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Free2be]

Thanks for your understanding...thanks to anyone who understands really.

It has to be said, to anyone who replied rudely, that I did not list a rambling amount of reasons why I am leaving so it should be understood that you cannot reply in a rude manner when you do not know all the facts.

It started when I got here 1) I was lied to about the pay
2) I was lied to about the hours
3) I was lied to about the housing
4) The worst thing in the start was that I was put into an apartment where the previous teacher at the school had been sexually assulted by the security guard there and ended up leaving her contract. I of course was not told about this and after about 3 weeks, I had the same thing almost happen to me...in the elevator...I quickly put it to stop. When I asked and told the AD about it, I was told that yes, the other teacher had left because of that but that " we did not believe her, because we thought she just wanted to break her contract, we heard that foreign people sometimes do that."

So with this said, I kept my spot, trying to be a professional as some put it and stayed, after demanding I be moved. After this, other things kept happening...too many to list.

This is not my first time working overseas as a teacher so if I decide on the midnight run, I can honestly say to myself that it is the best because people do get shafted when they give notice and I am not going to have that happen to me! I have seen it done many times before!

[Optional Toaster]

There are a lot of lies in contracts and it isn't like you can just say that you won't take it once you've signed and come over. Of course, you can but it doesn't necessarily do much good. I think some situations can be dealt with and others can't. If you could just go to your boss and say, "This isn't working out, I'll refund you your airfare (or whatnot) and then I'll be getting another job in Korea." ...well, it'd be nice. It doesn't always seem to be that easy.
Honestly, I'm not surprised people run when you come to a new country and find that things aren't all roses. The money and free housing sounds good but it is a two way street where the owner sometimes takes up both lanes. A lot of people are thrown into a classroom without any clue and it is sink or swim. I honestly feel bad for a lot of people who probably go home (midnight run or otherwise) wishing they could have had a better experience.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Do the midnight run and then inform the boss and everyone else who works there exactly why you left. Leave a note in your desk at work and somewhere not too conspicuous but where it will be found in your apartment listing exactly what the past history with employees is so that the new teacher will be forewarned. If the boss was so callous I would even try to find a way to let the parents know their children are losing their teachers. It's hogwan owners like him that give the entire country a bad image to so many teachers. Be sure to put him on any blacklists you can find.

Sorry to hear about what happened - sneak away when it will cause them the most harm and feel good that you're still doing the right thing.

[Homer]

Well, free2be,

Running is the option for you then.

Considering the reasons you stated...it sounds like a get out of dodge thing.

Perhaps reporting the director to the Labour Board (i.e. sending them a detailed letter) after you are clear would do some good for others....

Giving them notice in this case would be a bad play.


Anyway, best of luck out there.

[T-dot]

name of school?

A hagwon ignoring a sexual assault on a teacher, I find a bit odd. Even for Korea.

This is a pretty big accusation.

If it is true, you should report it or at least the name of the school etc. for any other prospective teachers that might unkowingly apply to that school.

[laogaiguk]

[harryh]

Sounds like it's a bad school.

Lying about hours, pay etc is one thing (sure happens here)........

but sexual assault (not once but twice), AND the school not believing the previous teacher AND not supporting her, doesn't sound like a school I'd like to be at.

If a contract is seriously breached, nobody owes a boss like that a dime.

Why suffer?

[Grotto]

I believe I mentioned a similar case last year. One of the teachers in the GEPIK program picked up a stalker. A K guy who wasnt quite right in the head. He would follow her from her apartment to the school, hang around her hallways in the apt building and try to touch her. Well she made several complaints and was told:

You should be flattered...he likes you.

Oh you lucky girl.

Oh dont worry, he is wrong in the head.

The public elementary school principal and staff dismissed her claims and told her not to worry about it. After being 'professional' for 2 months she'd had enough! She gave notice and left. The school kept pretty much her entire last months pay to repay the airfare and the settlement bonus...so she worked her last month for pretty much nothing

As much as I would like to tell people to give notice, that its the right thing to do...I feel even more strongly that if you do and you get screwed over...well then you're a sap. When the Koreans start being more professional then perhaps so will I!

[xeno439]

Did anyone read the incredible story about a 16 year old girl who was sexually assualted not once, not twice, but three times in a day by three different people?

I read it about a week ago. They were discussing the rise of this kind of misbehaviour in Korea, and the article included a reference the government
official who "mistakenly" grabbed the female reporter's 00. Anyway, they said there was this girl who met a guy in a chat room. She met the guy and he subsequently raped her. She was worried she might be pregnant, so she went to the doctor. He raped her. She was on her way to the police station in a taxi. The taxi driver raped her!

Please tell me if anyone else caught this. I will try to find it online if no one believes me. It is truly unbelievable. I am not saying she is lying. But I always considered Korea a relatively low crime country. Am I wrong?

[Grotto]

Nice hijack

Korea is about the only country I have been to where I never once felt that I was in any kind of danger...whether it was walking outside at 3 AM or in a rough looking part of town exploring. Korea for all its problems is quite possibly the safest or at least in the top 5!

[margaret]

I think a general rule of thumb might be that if you don't like your job or Korea, give notice but if you are being really screwed/and or abused above the usual crap, you are justified in pulling a runner. If someone is cheating or abusing you, why be polite and resposible to them? Yours definately sounds like the second case.
Margaret

[bosintang]

There's no "rules" for leaving or 'pulling midnight runners' or whatever...if you are intent on doing it, just do it. Pass your ARC in at the airport and tell them you're not returning. Keep in mind that it could make problems for you in the future if you ever want to return to Korea on another working visa.

But honestly, I don't get this scaredy-pants sneaking away in the middle of the night stuff. Nobody is going to force you stay in Korea against your will unless it's a criminal matter, and ultimately you're the better man for it if you tell them. If you're worried about getting screwed over financially, why not pick up your last pay and tell them right then and there that you quit? Even if you gave them two weeks notice even with the threat of not receiving your pay, at least you wouldn't have to hide the fact that you worked for the place for future employers. If they push you to stay longer, perhaps you could work something out like they pay you weekly. Treat it as a pure business transaction rather than something personal, and don't let your employer make it personal either.

[Free2be]

Actually Korea appears to be a relatively low crime country on the outside but sexual assualt is rampant here as is spousal abuse. Korea is a country in which the people do not like confrontation and they also do not like to "air their home business" to others. So when a girl is abused or a man for that matter, it is usually kept quiet. I believe that story about the girl who was abused many times, it may have gotten blown up some as it went from person to person but it probably did happen.

As for the previous sexual assualt on the teacher from my school, it did indeed happen. I spoke to many of her friends who were still here and they all backed it up. When I told the AD, I was informed that the owner wanted to go to the police but that there was too much red tape involved and that they best thing to do would just be too move me.

I feel bad about the children, cause I would like to say BYE but at the same time working in a respectful environment goes two ways and given the history of this school I know that I would get screwed. With that said: During a conversation with the AD one night I was told that the boss would give me 30 days notice if I kept insisting on "bringing up matters" and that he would also make sure I could not work anywhere else in Korea!

[Free2be]

Actually Korea appears to be a relatively low crime country on the outside but sexual assualt is rampant here as is spousal abuse. Korea is a country in which the people do not like confrontation and they also do not like to "air their home business" to others. So when a girl is abused or a man for that matter, it is usually kept quiet. I believe that story about the girl who was abused many times, it may have gotten blown up some as it went from person to person but it probably did happen.

As for the previous sexual assualt on the teacher from my school, it did indeed happen. I spoke to many of her friends who were still here and they all backed it up. When I told the AD, I was informed that the owner wanted to go to the police but that there was too much red tape involved and that they best thing to do would just be too move me.

I feel bad about the children, cause I would like to say BYE but at the same time working in a respectful environment goes two ways and given the history of this school I know that I would get screwed. With that said: During a conversation with the AD one night I was told that the boss would give me 30 days notice if I kept insisting on "bringing up matters" and that he would also make sure I could not work anywhere else in Korea!

[Yu_Bum_suk]