Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Real Reality]

English tutors complain of Chinese abuse
Though foreign teachers in South Korea, Japan and other countries have run into similar problems, the number of allegations in China is much higher because "the rule of law is still not firmly in place," said a U.S. Embassy official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"A number of substandard English language teaching mills have sprung up, seeking to maximize profits while minimizing services," the U.S. House of Representatives International Relations Committee said in a recent report on Russell's case. These institutes have become virtual "'sweatshops' where young, often naive Americans are held as virtual indentured servants."

Jobs offers teem on the Internet. On Dave's ESL Cafe, one of the most popular sites, more than 340 were posted in three months, ranging from positions in prosperous Zhejiang province in the east to the poverty-stricken grasslands of Inner Mongolia in the north.

But also on Dave's ESL Cafe is an anonymous warning from a teacher about a school in China's south.

"They will use you, abuse you, cheat you, and disrespect you," it says. "You will hear it all when they want you to sign the contract. Then after it's oh sorry that isn't in your contract or a bunch of excuses that go on and on."

There is no standard rule on contracts -- some are in English, some in Chinese.
By AUDRA ANG, Associated Press Writer, Yahoo!News (August 5, 2006)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060805/ap_on_re_as/china_schoolhouse_sweatshops

Have you been paid late in Korea?
Never - I must be lucky! 38% [ 34 ]
Once or twice - no big deal, minor annoyance... 20% [ 18 ]
Several times - hate it! 17% [ 15 ]
Several times - but I understand the culture, doesn't bother me... 4% [ 4 ]
Many times - sigh... 15% [ 14 ]
WTF! I've never been paid on time! ARGH!!!!!!!! 3% [ 3 ]
Total Votes: 88
post by shawner88 (April 08, 2004)
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=18732

ILLEGAL CONTRACTS --- SICK OF IT ALL
is your contract in any way at all illegal? biggest to smallest infractions.
yes 40% [ 15 ]
no 45% [ 17 ]
probably 8% [ 3 ]
i don't care 5% [ 2 ]
Total Votes: 37
post by Vollrath (June 03, 2006)
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=58403

Do You Feel Like a Welcomed Guest or an Outsider in Korea?
How do Koreans make you feel?
I feel like a welcomed guest by most Koreans in this country.
40% [ 23 ]
I feel like an outsider. I am rarely treated like an equal in this country.
59% [ 34 ]
Total Votes: 57
posted by Dev (August 01, 2006)
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=62626

Giving notice: "Nice guys never win."
Do teachers who give notice before finishing win?
Never 10% [ 4 ]
Rarely 40% [ 16 ]
Sometimes 30% [ 12 ]
Often 12% [ 5 ]
Always 7% [ 3 ]
Total Votes: 40
posted by humanuspneumos (March 20, 2004)
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=17775

Foreigners Experience Difficulties in Living in Korea
by Jae-Dong Yu and Soo-Jung Shin, Donga.com (July 4, 2004)
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?biid=2004070522448
A Country of Liars
by Kim Dae-joong, Chosun Ilbo (July 3, 2005)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200507/200507030027.html
For Housing Rentals, Foreigners Easy Victims
by Byun Duk-kun, Korea Times (August 28, 2003)
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200308/kt2003082818233111970.htm

[mishlert]

The easy solution for Dave, and others who have similar sites is to not allow job ads from China.

[chiaa]

[igotthisguitar]

Are the Chinese generally more straight-foward & nowhere the two-faced weasels the way too many Koreans are?

While i could be way off base here, i even suspect the "Nips" are more genuine & honest

[Bulsajo]

[Butterfly]

[Bulsajo]

I guess he got confused and thought he was still posting on a National Vanguard forum.

[igotthisguitar]

[Bulsajo]

Well, can you give a better explanation for your post? You've finally got a captive audience- we're all dying to see what you'll write next.

[Bulsajo]

[igotthisguitar]

OMG ... what kind of "explanation" are you looking for

[On the other hand]

[Bulsajo]

Yes.
At the very least, something like
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was a racial slur that some might find offensive (even though- as a university graduate [ostensibly] teaching English in Asia [ostensibly]- I really should have known better)."


Am I the only one who is beginning to think that IGTG's BIG SECRET is that he is in fact a 13 yr old living in some place like Red Deer or Muskogee or Poughkeepsie?

[Ya-ta Boy]

[On the other hand]