Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ajgeddes]

So, GEPIKers it's that time of year and the deadline was yesterday. Just wondering if you are staying or moving on.

I myself was planning on staying, worked out some things with the school and we came to an agreement that I would stay. We got all contracts signed yesterday and I went home a happy man. Today, when I came back in, I had to go down for a talk. They told me that the things we agreed upon now couldn't be done and there was no budging on anything. Anyways, I devided to take this as a sign, and I made the decision to move on, hopefully to bigger and brighter things.

It's too bad, I liked my school and my co-workers, and even the students, but I just didn't like the way they were telling me something one day and something the next, after I had signed.

So, what are you guys doing?

[mack the knife]

Same thing happened to me. I have a great rapport with the teachers, students and principal, but apparently GEPIK has come down hard on them to enforce the rules (or else!) this year. No pay raise, no more long vacations, and "You'll probably have to work at camps in different schools and English villages during the holidays." Screw. That.

So, I predict the vote count in your poll will weigh heavily towards the "moving on" direction.

[flotsam]

I'm not in Gepik, but the Seongnam City version and I was planning on moving on to go back to school anyway, but if I was looking for a job here again, I would be leaving mine.

Like you guys have said, the rule-bending and flexibility is getting crushed by the powers that be and I wouldn't risk hanging around for the rest of the reformation.

Shooting themselves in the foot, really. Hopefully after a few years they'll realize what they've done and counter-reform themselves.

[philipjames]

I will be resigning. I'm resigning for a number of reasons. I adore my students. I have a great classroom to myself and a great apartment. My coworkers are decent, I get an additional two weeks vacation for resigning, a modest pay increase, and a round-trip ticket back to Edmonten for my vacation. Suwon, although not the most exciting place to live, is definitely within striking distance of Seoul.

THere's also the hassle of moving, adjusting to a new school, finding a comfort level with a new co-teacher, etc etc etc

However, I must admit that I was initially very annoyed initially at receiving VERY different answers into enquiries about the terms of a second contract from a) the board of education and b) the local city deparment that administer the program. It was like I was talking to individuals with no connection to one another whatsoever. But I got it sorted out. This is, after all, Korea and Koreans will do things their own way. Wherever else I would go the Korean administration style will be there to aggravate me. Might as well hang with the devil I know.

[Doogie]

[ajgeddes]

[Demophobe]

Staying. Outstanding students, a raise, a new classroom, a longer vacation and only 4 working days per week. Perhaps the clincher for me is still having no co-teacher.

[TML1976]

@ ajgeddes

I was just curious who your recruiter is? I too am in the gepik program but I found a uni job in seoul that I'm going to. However, my wife is looking for a new public school position in seoul for sept. and she would also like to have 4 weeks vac. time.

[TheUrbanMyth]

[ajgeddes]

[mack the knife]

[livinginkorea]

I am in the same boat. Was going to stay but since they can't give me anything I am deciding to move on. Also I had a crap co-teacher in the first few months who was trying to push me around and we ending up fighting most of the time. This year I have a better co-teacher but who knows what happens next?

Too many undecided factors for me

[Hyeon Een]

This GEPIK thing sounds... less than awesome.

I haven't, and don't, work for a public school. However I know a LOT of people who do work for public schools. Where I live (Jeollanam do) almost everyone has been recruited through an outfit called Canadian Connections. They all get at least a month (up to 6 or 7 weeks) in the winter, and 2+ (up to 6) weeks in the summer vacation. I reckon if I wanted a public school job and didn't mind being miles away from Seoul I'd go with them..

If I was gonna stay in Korea another year I'd either take a university job, a good independently hired public school job, or one of these Jeollanam-do jobs. No way in hell I'd go for this GEPIK thing I've heard so much about on this board. Sounds freakin terrible.

The only reason I could see to sign up for GEPIK would be because you really wanted to be near Seoul, but you couldn't score a decent contract outside of GEPIK.

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Paddycakes]