Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kylehawkins2000]

I believe that taxes also vary depending on what country you are from. Canadian's have to pay income tax but the US has a tax treaty with the ROK so they don't have to pay taxes.....this is what I"ve been led to understand anyway....

[Vollrath]

Austin, you play it safe but you're happy to take it in the A$$ if it means "avoiding conflict" or whatever. I don't care about the money--but she should have been deducting it monthly like all my friends get their taxes deducted monthly. I'm not gonna pay a lump sum of taxes at the end of the year UNLESS I get proof I paid it so I can show Revenue Canada that I was paying in Korea and not have to pay in Canada. In the short time I've been here I've learned that there are is a BIG difference between the above- and below-board bosses here. She is way below man. I'm not gonna raise a finger to help her least of all try to curry favor with her by shutting up. And no I'm not just a sh!t disturber but I also know when to call a spade a spade and not take any crap. I've seen a lot of teachers here who just take abuse because they're a bunch of pansies. We're the ones who travelled thousands of miles to come here (on THEIR dollar) because apparently we're so valuable to the Koreans for our speaking abilities. They should start treating us accordingly. We're not freaking royalty but we're not dogs either. I'm neither elitist nor racist but some Koreans sure makes it hard to remain that way sometimes.

[Vollrath]

AUSTIN,
Another thing about this poor Korean to whom I'm coming across as petty and whiny (like I care), is that she's already lied to immigration and had to pay a fine on the last teachers she had. She fired them for no reason, then they sued her for their last months wages (and they won by the way), and THEN she told immigration that they pulled a midnite run, which they found out about, and she had to pay a further 2 million won fine for lying! She's not worth sucking up to or any of those other absurd things you said. MY bottom line is that if I'm paying taxes, I'm making SURE it goes to the government. If you can remain silent while witnessing crooks like this then that's your business but it sure doesn't make for good advice.

[Austin]

Vollrath:

I fear you misunderstand my post.

I avoid conflicts by being proactive and establishing a harmonious relationship with my employer, I said nothing about taking it in the "ashtray."

Why should your boss have been deducting it monthly? She can do what she likes. Moreover, if you were so concerned about it, why did not you address the issue upon receiving your first month's pay, as opposed to waiting until month eight?

Who is really trying to avoid paying the tax? After all, you are the one that stated "I'm not gonna pay a lump sum of taxes at the end of the year..."

Again, I thank you for proving my assertion that those people who generally have problems here have failed to establish a healthy relationship with their employer. You work for her, yet you insist your "not gonna raise a finger to help her!"

Is it fair to expect her to have your best interests, when you openly confess to not having her best interests?

Since when does fostering a positive and healthy work environment equate to the negative things you stated in your post?

Your attitude and belief come blaring through your post loud and clear! Why do you think that you are owed something for volunteering to come to Korea? Why do you expect to be treated better because you traveled from one mile to a thousand miles away? Why should that matter? You are here now, are you not?

Again, you say you do not care if you come across as petty and whiny, so why are you surprised by the treatment you receive? Moreover, why do you repeatedly consider creating a healthy, trusting environment with "sucking up?"

My advice was free, but it was far from absurd.

Would you like us to believe that you are reporting her because of your steadfast belief in doing what is morally right?

Sorry, but I am not convinced. It sounds more like you are bitter and would like to be vindictive.

SCSA

[Canuck]

Austin, why the hell are you such an ass kisser? Have you ever sided with anyone here in any case that involves a korean-foreigner conflict? Seriously man, you are one messed up dude. And yeah, you will leave here alone, just as you came. I dont know who would want to spend any time with a slug like you. *&#$@ you.

[Austin]

I am sorry that you are so easily offended by my views that they would cause you to lose your sense of decorum and decency.

I tend not to side with any person regardless of where they stand, because more often than not, they are looking for insight and alternatives to help them with their situation, not another member in their band.

What is so messed up with searching for the truth and the actual cause of a conflict in order to pose possible solutions?

The advice is given freely, so the poster does not have to pay any mind to the suggestions that they do not agree with in principle. It is not like they are not getting their moneys worth.

[Harvard Material]

Vollrath. Contact the Korean Taxation Office and report the owner. It's pretty simple. Photocopy attendance records if you can as well. If she isn't paying employee taxes, she is probably not honest about the student number attending the institute.

Austin. Your opinions/advice are one-sided. Don't you have better things to do with your time?

[Austin]

Thank you for being concerned with what I do in my spare time. I am not sure why you think my advice is one-sided.

Would that make your advice one-sided as well?

It troubles me to think that you view your advice as superior to others' views, least of all mine. After all, can't the posters decide for themselves?

The fact remains that your advice is extremely shortsighted. Sorry, but I do not advocate burning bridges in Korea with your employers, unless you are absolutely positive you will never need to cross them again (even then I would exercise caution).

Why would you want a person to champion limiting their choices in the future?

Granted, there are people out there that like to paint themselves into a corner, but I am not one of them.

Enjoy your weekend,
SCSA

[Vollrath]

Austin,
I'm going to reply again because I know you're going to read this and come back with another one of your I'm-higher-than-Socrates enlightened views. So for the record:
I would probably say that no, I don't have a healthy relationship with the woman I work for. I have in the past always gotten along well with my bosses. Additionally, yeah it would feel nice to see her suffer a bit for her dishonesty. I will go to the tax office and if she's reporting things fair and square NO PROBLEM: I'll pay the taxes even in one lump sum *IF* it's going into legitimate hands (and I need documentation to prove I paid taxes here so I don't have to pay those god awfully high Canadian taxes). I don't know why that's so hard for you to understand. Yes it annoys me that she didn't take off taxes right from the get go and no I didn't make an issue of it then because it was my first time in Korea and I didn't know any better. I hope that makes you feel better than me, it doesn't seem to take much for you to think so.

The rest of your "advice" is your own opinion, of course, but man you sure are one strange cat. I don't think the majority of people agree with you, and if your methods work for yourself, then power to ya. You just have to realize that not everyone CARES about burning bridges in f'n Korea because we're not gonna stay any longer than a couple of years.

[Austin]

You certainly do not understand me, and that is fine. However, I do not take comfort in your troubles, but what can I do other than offer some free advice to you?

I am glad that I do not share the view of the majority, because the masses are asses. Might does not make right, if you have not already noticed.

I appreciate you admitting that you do not have a healthy relationship with your employer and that you came here knowing very little if anything about the country, only because it helps prove my main assertion of why people have problems here in the first place.

I am sorry that you do not care about how you treat other people just because you think that you are not going to see them again. The truth is that this world is a very small place, and we will get back that which we create.

I hope you reconsider.

SCSA

[Vollrath]

So the majority of people who opposed war in Iraq over the world are just asses too, right Austin? Or the majority of people who think killing is wrong--they're just asses. What about the majority of people who love their parents? Aren't they just asses?

And yes, I DO know that "there are the wise and there are the many", but that doesn't mean that all majority opinions are wrong--and you're wrong for thinking that just because you never agree with the populous (or they never agree with you) that you're better than the rest of them.

Either you live in an ivory tower here in Korea and can't see or understand common problems or you're just deliberately offering crazy advice like "oh, just pay the money--who cares if it goes to the government or not?" just to be a jerk.

Your answers are FAR from the bottom line.

[Austin]

[Mody Ba]

He baked some apple pies and the crust did not turn out at all well.Sooooo....he is extremely reluctant to take poorly baked pies to his principal.

Some of his assertions...such as many problems are caused because the teacher fails to establish a "healthy"relationship with the employer yeah,well,DB,not all of us can bake apple pies.The idea of establishing a "healthy"relationship(or ANY kind of relationship,for that matter) with some of the rapacious, won-grasping hakwon owners out there...is...eminently...risible...

And yet, Austin is a guy who frequently takes up the cudgels on behalf of EPIK and other employers...but has the hypocrisy to post on another thread advice on how to teach "true"( ) privates and avoid getting caught by the authorities.

Well,anyway,DB...better luck with the apple pies next time.Maybe you can do something else to curry favor with the principal until next baking day.

[cubase]

[marcy]

A deposit for bills? B.S. Your boss can easily phone the electric, gas, and phone company and see if your bills are up to date. Moreoever, she can ask what how much electricity, gas, etc, you have used so far for your next bill. My boss checked when the last teacher left and had her leave enough cash to pay for usage up to the date she flew out...

good luck...