Korean Job Discussion Forums

[seoulsista]

Tell me if you think this is totally lame or just fine.

I work at a school where we are required to travel about an hour and 20 minutes on the metro to the head branch for monthly meetings (yes, this is definately lame but that's not the main question). This month all 6 of the teachers at my school had to go to different meetings. Usually our boss gives us money for cab rides there and back and we all car pool. This is out of her own pocket.

Since we all had to go to different meetings this month she gave every teacher 20,000 won. Well, a friend and I felt this was too generous so we shared a cab to one meeting (because ours started at the same time) and took the train home.

The other teachers at my school took the money even though some of them had overlapping meetings and then took the train and used the money that my boss gave them (out of her own pocket - I just want to emphasize) for something else.

What do you think?

[Homer]

What do you think?

It never ceases to amaze....

[Dan The Chainsawman]

20k is alot of soju.

[seoulsista]

You are easily amazed.

[Homer]

You are easily amazed.[i]

Nawww...that was sarcasm...

To be clearer: your co-workers were cheap...it happens quite often here it seems.

More example abound.

I had a co-worker who always accepted that korean co-workers paid lunch but never offered to pay. He rode that wave for months.

Always "shared" cabs but never had "change".

Ate the free food at work and put double portions in his bag to bring home for his dinner...sometimes not leaving enough for others who ate after him.

[Dodgy Al]

So do you think the other teachers should give the money back?

Perhaps you should make this thread a poll...

[red headed stranger]

Doesn't sound like a big deal. Your boss likely knows how far the 20,000 goes. Besides, it could be pretty awkward coming back just to give the boss a few thousand won.

[Porter_Goss]

What's a waygook?

[Dodgy Al]

Naughty waygooks!

Seoulsista, I think you need to relax a bit, and just let your colleagues enjoy that little bit of extra cash. I know it's not much, but if it makes them smile, why should you care?

[peppermint]

There's no doubt that lots of foreigners here are cheap. I've been around a few sterling examples, but this particular case doesn't sound like a cause for complaint.

[Qinella]

I would just pocket the extra, as well. How much could it possibly have been? 5,000 won? Less?

If the boss asked for the change, that's one thing, but if s/he didn't, then I don't see a problem.

[hellofaniceguy]

Trival matter...I'd mind my own business and not worry about what others are doing. More better things to be concerned with. That's just me though.

[seoulsista]

I'm not loosing any sleep over it but I thought it was an interestesting topic of discussion and people could share some of their stories.

But I think I didn't make the situation completely clear. The teachers at my school all complained that we shouldn't be asked to spend 2 1/2 hours of our time travelling in addition to going to the meeting. So we asked that our boss use compay money to get us there. However, she's only a manager and not the owner of the branch and wasn't able to do that. So, instead she gave us money out of her own pocket.

Now, after complaining about transportation it would seem quite dishonest to me to then take that money (the entire amount minus 1,600 for the train) for other things after they all guilt tripped her about spending time on the train. It's not that they didn't give her the change. It's that they asked her to pay for something and then took the money and used it for something else.

[mithridates]

Cheap waygooks include China, pretty much every country in between there and Europe, and a lot of places in South America. You don't want to get too cheap though if the price is risking your safety or possible disease. I prefer a mix of low prices with modern conveniences like internet in the hotel room for example, because I always have my laptop with me.

[spliff]