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cubanlord
Joined: 08 Jul 2005
Location: In Japan!
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 Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 3:22 pm Post subject: I want the cash! No wait, I want the time off!!! |
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What to do? This is a question that many people ask themselves when reviewing contracts and deciding which one to take. What is your opinion on the issue? Let's rule out privates for argumentative sake. Do you go for the big bucks and long hours, or do you choose to have a lot of time off and still earn a good amount of money?
I like to strike a balance between the two. I am willing to work overtime, and at the rate that I get paid overtime, it's almost as if I am teaching on the side. The overtime suppliments my income enough to where I don't feel like I have to teach outside of my contract (I don't do privates. I don't want to take the risk and lose a good thing. There are two people I have to consider in this). For example, last month my wife and I raked in 1,000,000Won in overtime. We were still finished by 4:30pm (me 6pm twice a week). This month it is 500,000Won (a lot of teacher days off and workdays off "we didn't have to come to school on workdays"). I am not money hungry so that sufficed. That's my stance. What's yours?  |
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poet13
Joined: 22 Jan 2006
Location: Just over there....throwing lemons.
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| Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 3:27 pm Post subject: |
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| I dont have much need for time off. Weekends for sure, but outside of that, money money money.... I have a wife and baby son to take care of... |
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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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| Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 3:35 pm Post subject: Re: I want the cash! No wait, I want the time off!!! |
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| cubanlord wrote: |
| Do you go for the big bucks and long hours, or do you choose to have a lot of time off and still earn a good amount of money? |
I made my choice clearly and unregrettably this spring. I want the time off! ("time off"? what a concept! as if one should be working all the time; better: "time for oneself" or "time for living")
Offers of 2.5 in public schools and hagwons came in to work five days a week, even one offer of 2.8 for six days a week.
I took 2.2 to work only Monday to Thursday, with three-day weekends every week! (the two-bedroom place in the country helped too). I've just finished my first month and I love the extra time! From 8:20 pm Thursday until 3:00 pm Monday (2 pm to prep a bit) is my time, basically over half a week away from it all.
I took the extra time this year because I wanted to relax more (convalescing of sorts), write and travel. My first month of "work" I've already gone to the Jeonju film festival, Ulleungdo off the east coast, Hansando Lee Soon-shin's naval headquarters off the south coast, Seoul for a world cup friendly and Picasso exhibit, and a weekend in bed.
It all depends on your priorities, interests and state of mind. I've worked six-day weeks before and have no desire to do so again anytime soon. I was always a bit tired. These days I have much more energy and enjoy teaching more for it.
There's more to life than work. Though some prefer to grind it out then take long vacations. That's another way of living. |
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riley
Joined: 08 Feb 2003
Location: where creditors can find me
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| Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 4:01 pm Post subject: |
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| I wonder if those of us who are taking the extra work are doing this because we are married. I know I am. If I wasn't married, I wouldn't be working as many hours nor would I want to. |
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cubanlord
Joined: 08 Jul 2005
Location: In Japan!
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| Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 4:06 pm Post subject: |
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| riley wrote: |
| I wonder if those of us who are taking the extra work are doing this because we are married. I know I am. If I wasn't married, I wouldn't be working as many hours nor would I want to. |
Now that does raise an interesting question. If you are taking the extra money due to financial responsibilities (such as a family to support), then the decision would be obvious. I, for one, would want to make as much money for the family that I could. I would never want my family to worry about eating, where they live, etc. (as I had to when I was young). |
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Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
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| Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 4:09 pm Post subject: |
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My time off nets me more money than overtime would. I don't get asked to do overtime, but if I were, I would have to decline. Money, and freetime, which is a valuable thing; take it if you can get it.
The typical Korean reward for good work is more work.
"You are doing a great job! Here's more! 수고하새요!" Ugh.
In the past,I found that if you start doing overtime, it quickly becomes expected of you, making it seem more 'mandatory' than voluntary. |
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poet13
Joined: 22 Jan 2006
Location: Just over there....throwing lemons.
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| Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 4:11 pm Post subject: |
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It might also partly be an age and experience thing....
I am 40 years old. In my work life, I have had jobs where I worked (for a few years) an average of 60 hours a week. My longest week was about 115 hours. The heaviest month almost 450 hours. Yeah, thats insane, but at the time, I was a FEMA project officer working at the trade centers after 911. My point, and this is no slam against younger, less experienced people, is that a thirty hour week to someone who has many years of experience working FULL time, is almost a holiday anyways.
I hope that makes sense. No intent to offend.... |
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cubanlord
Joined: 08 Jul 2005
Location: In Japan!
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| Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 4:19 pm Post subject: |
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| poet13 wrote: |
It might also partly be an age and experience thing....
I am 40 years old. In my work life, I have had jobs where I worked (for a few years) an average of 60 hours a week. My longest week was about 115 hours. The heaviest month almost 450 hours. Yeah, thats insane, but at the time, I was a FEMA project officer working at the trade centers after 911. My point, and this is no slam against younger, less experienced people, is that a thirty hour week to someone who has many years of experience working FULL time, is almost a holiday anyways.
I hope that makes sense. No intent to offend.... |
I would be surprised if someone took offense to your post. Before coming to Korea, I was a property manager working 50+ hours a week on salary. Coming here, and now 2 years later, I STILL feel like this is vacation. That is why I don't mind the overtime. Makes it feel a little more realistic for me. |
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Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
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| Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 4:22 pm Post subject: |
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poet13...I agree with you for the most part, but let's not forget that being in Korea is stressful to some and they need the time to meet friends and generally stay loose. Some people are so settled here, overtime seems like overtime, not time added for good behavior! 
I'm not sure that young people don't know what a long week is, but that they just aren't interested in it. |
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poet13
Joined: 22 Jan 2006
Location: Just over there....throwing lemons.
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| Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 4:28 pm Post subject: |
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| yes, i agree. thats why i said 'partly'. I'm sure there are as many reasons as we and twenty of our friends can think up on a drunk friday evening.... |
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Hanson
Joined: 20 Oct 2004
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| Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 4:55 pm Post subject: |
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| riley wrote: |
| I wonder if those of us who are taking the extra work are doing this because we are married. I know I am. If I wasn't married, I wouldn't be working as many hours nor would I want to. |
It's funny you mention this, because since getting married and having a child, I've gone from working more, to working less - by choice. I'd like to think that spending time with my family is worth more than the money I make doing extra hours.
That being said, I am planning on doing more hours next semester to bolster the ol' bank account after what will be a very expensive 2 months spent back home this coming summer vacation.
So, I guess I go in waves/cycles. Depends how the bank account is doing... |
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Natalia
Joined: 10 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 5:02 pm Post subject: |
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I've worked longer hours before, but the thing is that Korea can be a very stressful place, and the hours seem longer here (especially if you work long or split shifts at a hagwon).
I certainly do not want any more hours than I already have, but it would be nice if my boss understood the concept of overtime, seeing as I seem to be doing quite a bit of it...... |
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kiwiliz
Joined: 20 Apr 2006
Location: New Zealand
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| Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 10:36 pm Post subject: |
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I would love to get overtime, but no one is offering me any. I work in a Primary/Elementary school..well 4 of them actually, one day in each school and am a long way off, hours wise, to when I would earn overtime!
and working in a small town...not much to do after 4.30 pm! |
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poet13
Joined: 22 Jan 2006
Location: Just over there....throwing lemons.
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| Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 1:03 am Post subject: |
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| wow kiwiliz, thats a lot of places to work. I hope your ARC has three extra endorsements on it to make them all legal.... for an E-2 that is... |
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stumptown
Joined: 11 Apr 2005
Location: Paju: Wife beating capital of Korea
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| Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 1:31 am Post subject: |
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| poet13 wrote: |
| wow kiwiliz, thats a lot of places to work. I hope your ARC has three extra endorsements on it to make them all legal.... for an E-2 that is... |
Yeah, he's right. You better check on the legality of your job. That's sounds mighty sketchy. |
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