Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Dev]

EPIK, SMOE, GEPIK... They all tell you to ask your co-teachers for advice on how to settle down in Korea. As well-meaning as they may be, from my experiences with two teachers, I've found them less than competent at meeting my needs.

1) Bad Cell Phone Advice: When I first came to Korea, I told my co-teacher that I wanted a cell phone. He didn't take me downtown where all the best selection is and cheap second-hand phones could be bought. He just took me to a couple of stores located near the school. I guess I am part to blame for getting an overpriced phone (300,000 won 2 years ago) because had I waited a little longer, I could have checked out these options. Still, he's young (27 years old) so why didn't he tell me all of my options. The bottom line is that I got bad advice from him.

Also, now that I have switched cities, he acts like he doesn't know me anymore. He doesn't return my calls. That's wonderful cause the contract was co-signed by him and I can't even change my address or downgrade to a cheaper plan without his national I.D. card number. Lovely!

2) Bad advice on satellite TV: I asked my latest co-teacher to order satellite TV for me. He has a guy come over to my place assuring me that this is the only satellite TV provider in my area. After the guy installs the box, I realize that I'm not getting satellite TV, but digital cable. Not bad, but how is it that you can order a hamburger and the guy gives you a hot dog? My new co-teacher, also male and young (around 28 years old) doesn't know the difference between digital cable and satelite?

What's the wisdom I want to pass onto you? Don't let your co-teacher handle your cell phone, cable, or anything else for that matter. They'll probably mess it up! Look into it for yourself the best that you can even if it takes time and it's a hassle. You might regret testing the competence of your co-teacher.

[mrd]

In all fairness, they took the time to help you, despite whatever hang-ups you might have about the services they connected you with. Sounds like helpful and nice Korean co-teachers to me.

[dzeisons]

I'd guess it could just be a K male/ female thing. Guys in general and especially Korean guys often don't really listen- I find it funny with the occasional Korean student (guy) in class who says "yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah" while I am halfway speaking through a sentence like he already knows what I am going to say. I reckon if you had asked a female co-worker to help out you would have been fine.

[wylies99]

I've gotta agree with the OP- and I've had even worse experiences. If the situation was reversed, I'd help them with little things- but they can't find the time to do much of anything.

It sure would help makes things MUCH easier, but it's "not their problem."



I've now worked with a total of 12 Korean co-teachers- most of them female- and none of them would take even 5 minutes to help me, or any other foreign teacher, with anything. From conversations I've had with other native speakers, that's how most Korean co-teachers treat the native speakers.


Now, MAYBE some of you have worked with absolute SAINTS who would help you with ANYTHING. Consider yourself LUCKY.


Oh, but Korean co-teachers ALWAYS have time to go shopping during the day.

[poet13]

My co-teachers are really helpful, but it irks me sometimes when THEY decide what is best for me. Mine decided that I needed some expensive cable package. DOn't remember the cost, but I rarely watch tv cause I have internet at home. I was able to cancel it with another friends help, but I was kind of annoyed that someone would obligate me to a monthly charge I didnt want.
On the other hand, I was annoyed this morning at 7 am when my co-teacher showed up at my apartment......until I realized he was bringing me three kindds of kimchi his wife had made specially for me...

[cdninkorea]

[thegadfly]

This ain't a Korean-thing, this is a person-thing. If you ask someone for help to do something, they will most likely either do for you like they would for themselves, which may mean finding the closest, easiest place to get something, or they would find the easiest way to do what you asked...in either case, whether they were Korean or not has nothing to do with it. Human ignorance, human laziness, human stupidity...I mean, how lazy is it to ask someone else to do something for you anyway? If they took ANY of their free time to do ANYthing for you, you ought to be grateful...if they are being PAID to be your personal assistant/personal shopper, then yeah, you are right -- they didn't do their job.

Let's say you ask me to show you a restaurant, and I take you to a place that *I* like, and you hate it. Maybe the food was too spicy. Maybe the price per portion doesn't suit you. Maybe you should just go out and find your own restaurant and not rely on me to read your mind and go out of my way to please you. I'm not a Korean -- is your next set of advice to not trust your foreign co-workers (hmmm...actually, that IS sound advice, but you get my drift).

Stupidity, laziness, and passing the blame are universal human behaviors...do not try to selectively ascribe them to certain groups....

[Smee]

The moral of the story is you should do your homework. Know what you want before you ask for something. Why would you spend 300,000 on a phone in 2004 if you knew any better? Because you didn't know any better. And you need to communicate with your coteacher when it comes to things relating to you.

[Dev]

I agree with most of the comments written here. I guess I should be more grateful that I got any help, but my complaint in this thread is the quality of the help. I wasn't told all the options about cell phones and Satlelite TV. In both cases, the teachers that helped me were males in their late 20's. I expected better general knowledge regarding call phones and satlelite TV from people with these demographics. Anyway....

I just want to highlight the danger of having a co-teacher co-sign your cell phone contract. On one hand, you won't have to pay the "foreigners' "surcharge that the cell phone companies have added on becuase of deadbeat foreigners who skip town without paying their last bill.

However, if you stay in Korea another year and move far away from your co-teacher, making changes to your cell phone plan like downgrading to a cheaper plan or changing your mailing address will be a hassle because the cell phone company needs your co-teacher's permission and I.D. card number to do it. Something to consider.

[Smee]

Well, it helps to know some English-speaking Koreans who can help in such situations. Also, maybe you can start looking into cell phone plans that don't require a co-sign. Mine is with LG and I've never needed a Korean to sign anything for me.

It's good to know what you want before you start looking around for it. That's hard to do, especially for people who just got here, but sometimes Koreans won't have a clue. With the craze for getting everything new, everything top-of-the-line, it's no surprise that they'd set you up with a 300K phone, or an expensive cable package.

But I empathize with the feeling of dependency.

[Young FRANKenstein]

[Qinella]

It's possible the co-teacher guy got a new phone. I knew someone once who I thought had disappeared, but it turns out she just got a new cell phone and decided never to call me again.

[Wrench]

All the women under the age of 30 are useless in this country they couldn't pay a bill if it shit on their heads. Asking them for help is just stupid mainly because they are stupid , lack life experience, wisdom or any common sense.

I have a saying if you want to do things right you do them your self. I find that generally speaking Koreans make the worst friends. Never depend on a Korean thats just plain and simple, unless ofcourse your 1. Banging one 2. Are Married to one.

[rocklee]

[krjames]

Just remember there is a difference between asking people at work and asking your friends. They are not necessarily the same thing.
Generally I find people want me to have a good time and enjoy Korea.
There can always be a straight language problem, the words that are said don't always mean what is meant. So Newbies need to learn important words like cheap = 싸다 (I think- someone help me)
Yes, there is a problem with needing a tax number, how do the Taekwondo guys enter their tournaments or what ever? I would like to know for myself.
Generally try to work out what the possible problems are, prepare for them and yes, carry plenty of cash for the unexpected!!

Cheers