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BoholDiver
Joined: 03 Oct 2009
Location: Canada
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 Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 8:19 pm Post subject: |
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Laws and policies, many, Customs... the only one that comes to my mind is gift giving at Xmas.
| bobbybigfoot wrote: |
| What stupid customs do we have back home? |
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sirius black
Joined: 04 Jun 2010
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| Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 8:41 pm Post subject: |
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| The jist of it is this. What are the consequences if you dont. Will they make life hell? If so, then you have to make the choice between principal and pragmatism. Maybe nothing will happen. If you pay, then you may be asked again. So, for me is are the consequences or possible consequences worth it? Could be nohting of consequence will come of it if you decline. You are a foreigner and that gives us some leeway with regards to customs or in this case a bribe possibly. I've played the 'gee, I'm a foreigner and don't understand or its not our custome so if I decline its because of that'. card. |
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BoholDiver
Joined: 03 Oct 2009
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 12:15 am Post subject: |
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I am guessing you're not married. If you are, you will find that more and more of these things come up where you are culturally 'obligated' to fork over money or gifts, and it's harder to get out of it.
| sirius black wrote: |
| The jist of it is this. What are the consequences if you dont. Will they make life hell? If so, then you have to make the choice between principal and pragmatism. Maybe nothing will happen. If you pay, then you may be asked again. So, for me is are the consequences or possible consequences worth it? Could be nohting of consequence will come of it if you decline. You are a foreigner and that gives us some leeway with regards to customs or in this case a bribe possibly. I've played the 'gee, I'm a foreigner and don't understand or its not our custome so if I decline its because of that'. card. |
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jrwhite82
Joined: 22 May 2010
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| Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:21 am Post subject: |
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| My 3 year old niece just came over in hanbok and gave me a deep traditional bow. I said, "To hell with your stupid customs. Get a job!" |
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sojusucks
Joined: 31 May 2008
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| Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 4:46 am Post subject: Re: Bribes |
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| VanishingBoy wrote: |
| Today, however, I was asked (or told) to give 30, 000 W to my principal as a New Year's gift. I already give them 20, 000 W a month for funerals & weddings (?) and consider this extra 30 a bribe. I know Korea well enough to know how corrupt it can be. |
Bribes "grease the wheels of society" here. However, bribes have the habit of getting bigger and bigger. And you are viewed as a rich foreigner so it could get hefty. Personally I wouldn't pay the bribe. If things got bad there, I would look for another school. Just because Korea ha "treated you well" (somewhat doubtful), there is no reason to bend over and take it in the rear unless you want to (common metaphor and nothing else). |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 6:05 am Post subject: |
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| jrwhite82 wrote: |
| My 3 year old niece just came over in hanbok and gave me a deep traditional bow. I said, "To hell with your stupid customs. Get a job!" |
Way to go! 
Keep trucking.  |
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BoholDiver
Joined: 03 Oct 2009
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 6:12 am Post subject: |
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Give if you want, don't if you don't.
If you were taking a shot at me, whatever. I was mostly referring to non-family members.
| jrwhite82 wrote: |
| My 3 year old niece just came over in hanbok and gave me a deep traditional bow. I said, "To hell with your stupid customs. Get a job!" |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 6:16 am Post subject: |
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I think jr was just having some fun with the thread...nothing more.
It was damn funny. |
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jrwhite82
Joined: 22 May 2010
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| Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 6:45 am Post subject: |
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| Sorry BD. Not directed at you. Just cracking wise. |
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BoholDiver
Joined: 03 Oct 2009
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 4:22 pm Post subject: |
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Okay cool. I wasn't angry or anything.
| jrwhite82 wrote: |
| Sorry BD. Not directed at you. Just cracking wise. |
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Troglodyte
Joined: 06 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 9:35 am Post subject: Re: Bribes |
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| sojusucks wrote: |
| VanishingBoy wrote: |
| Today, however, I was asked (or told) to give 30, 000 W to my principal as a New Year's gift. I already give them 20, 000 W a month for funerals & weddings (?) and consider this extra 30 a bribe. I know Korea well enough to know how corrupt it can be. |
Bribes "grease the wheels of society" here. However, bribes have the habit of getting bigger and bigger. And you are viewed as a rich foreigner so it could get hefty. Personally I wouldn't pay the bribe. If things got bad there, I would look for another school. Just because Korea ha "treated you well" (somewhat doubtful), there is no reason to bend over and take it in the rear unless you want to (common metaphor and nothing else). |
Plus, the wheels of society don't need to really be greased if you aren't going to be around for more than a couple years. There are no really big favor that you're going to need that will merit the "greasing" you gave.
I'm surprised that you're even being asked to contribute to the principal. At a hogwan or another company, the big cheese will usually give YOU a gift or money. |
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ThingsComeAround
Joined: 07 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 5:15 pm Post subject: |
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My first Seolnal in Korea, all the workers at the hagwon were taken into the lecture hall, we walked past the huge gift boxes of rice cookers, heaters, and water purifiers. We sat down and the foreign teachers got boxes of ginseng gel packets while the Korean teachers got the more expensive gift packets of rice cookers, heaters, and water purifiers.
When I came to public school, my first CT slyly asked me to "donate" to a dinner (which I got sick at) because it was "polite" and we should "help" my head teacher. I tried to fight her, but in the end, relented and ponied up the 10,000. In retrospect, I shouldn't have paid her because she was a slimy She-devil (the CT that is) and I hope she rots in hell.
If the OP is still here, I'd say "There's no cash". Leave it at that. |
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