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koreatimes
Joined: 07 Jun 2011
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 Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2011 3:29 am Post subject: |
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| I don't agree with you to throw a fit over something that is easily fixable for 800 won. |
If it is easily fixable for 800 won, then why doesn't the landlord or school fix it before the teacher moves in? There is a reason. Same reason why they won't do anything about other problems (like leaky faucets, no heat, etc...)
It's your choice. If YOU want to take on these responsibilities, it is YOUR choice. Absolutely 100% your choice. A teacher shouldn't feel expected though to fix pre-existing problems.
If 10 months go by, and no other problems come up, then yes I would deal with it. In Japan, I did this. However, in China (the Fushun incident), there were many other problems. In this case, it is not throwing a fit. It is a legitimate complaint. There were too many other problems well in excess of 800 won fix to let it slide.
A school with common sense would not give a teacher an apartment with these existing problems. In my case, the school knew about it, other teachers knew about it, none of them wanted to trade apartments with me, yet they were saying, "If you think it is a problem tell the school". Well, of course, if you aren't willing to live there then what makes you think I want to? |
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thegadfly
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2011 4:11 am Post subject: |
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| young_clinton wrote: |
| quackzilla wrote: |
The boric acid is definitely good advice! I think you can mix it with something tasty to attract more to the poison, and I think it takes a few days to kick in so they should all eat it before they start dying. Even if they catch on an realize it's bad, it's too late!
I don't really like chemicals, and if you have dirty neighbors who are helping the cockroaches thrive they can carry the boric acid back to their nest or whatever and kill off the lot of them. |
Cockroaches don't eat the Boric acid. It accumulates on thier cuticle as they walk thru it and breaks it down. Once the cuticle has holes in it, they dehydrate and die. |
Close. The pure boric acid that I suggest is not intentionally eaten -- it DOES get stuck to their feet, as you say...but cockroaches are fastidious animals, and they clean their feet off when they have stuff stuck to it -- and they do that with their mouthparts. They ingest some of the boric acid in this way, and then it does indeed turn their insides to soup, which kills them (usually hidden back in the walls).
There are baits that use boric acid jelly mixed with attractants that DOES entice them to eat more of it more quickly...but they are more expensive (though not THAT expensive), a little messier to use, and do not inspire the same confidence in their safety as does boric acid.
When I was young, we took in an abandoned litter of kittens that we had to bottle feed with tiny bottles...and their eyes would be gummed closed each morning. We used a boric acid solution to wash their eyes open....
It is safe enough to wash newborn kittens' eyes! Try claiming that of Raid or Combat!
Koreatimes,
I get it -- the last straw in a huge pile. In such a case, I won't disagree that ANY little thing could be the final thing.... However, I have never moved into a state or country in which roach problems exist and NOT had roaches when I first moved in. I expected it the first week in a new place anywhere in Texas, and I expected it the first week anywhere in Korea. I did the boric acid thing, and the problem was gone.
To me, this is like complaining that when you moved into the place, it wasn't cleaned to your standards...to which I would reply, "of course it wasn't. No cleaning company ever cleans a place up to the standards of the new occupant." Sure, there are unacceptable levels of "cleaning," but again, I expect when I move in to a place to wipe everything down, sweep everything up, mop, vaccuum, and wipe out the cupboards. If that is ALL that needs to be done, I figure it was a pretty good move.
Have you SMELLED the spray that the people your school would hire would use? Do you WANT to be breathing that crap, and have that residue all over every surface in your place?
Take the housing allowance and find your own place, and if the school refuses to do that, then give your 30 days. This issue is apparently the line you would draw in the sand, and you can draw that line anywhere you want, so go for it. I see it as a reality of life, rather than a failing on the part of the school, and personally would prefer the school NOT to take care of this particular problem, because I think the common "solution" is worse than living with roaches...but hey, maybe you think the mosquito fogger trucks are a good idea, too. I prefer my air with a little more air and a little less pestidicide...maybe a LOT less pesticide. |
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koreatimes
Joined: 07 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2011 4:32 am Post subject: |
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| the last straw in a huge pile. |
1 straw in a huge pile. There is no ordinal necessity. You look at all the pros and cons and weigh the options. For example, my current job I work very few hours and the bathroom and kitchen are in terrible condition. They have given me a "crappy" schedule with some of the hours I do have to teach, but I have said nothing because I don't teach many classes. This September we will be at a new location for the school, but they want me to live in the same apartment. If my schedule isn't better, then this will mean 4 hours some days will be deskwarming (and this won't be holiday days). In that case, I will account for these 4 hours accordingly and address the school if it becomes a problem.
I will look at it similarly as with the cockroach issue. You might say, get an "800 won newspaper/magazine" or whatever and just wait it out. Again, I would say, it's your choice 100%. Personally, I don't want to sit around, so I will complain if the schedule isn't better. For now, I am going to be quiet about it because the school year is over and I am only scheduled 1 "demo class" this week for summer classes starting in July.
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| However, I have never moved into a state or country in which roach problems exist and NOT had roaches when I first moved in. |
Ok, then that would mean those roaches would be there before you moved in. This means the school and landlord could walk in, see the problem, and deal with it before you arrive. Any sensible employer would do this, just as any sensible teacher would request paper and pencils if they need them for their students.
For me, I haven't had cockroach problems as often. I have moved to many different places. Only extreme places where there is a significant problem do I experience cockroaches. Other than that, it's a non-issue. I don't see this as a routine problem like changing lightbulbs or dusting the windows each week.
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| Have you SMELLED the spray that the people your school would hire would use? Do you WANT to be breathing that crap, and have that residue all over every surface in your place? |
Do I want cancer or AIDS? I want neither. Give me a new apartment or I walk.
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| personally would prefer the school NOT to take care of this particular problem, because I think the common "solution" is worse than living with roaches |
Then this is up to you to fix on your own. Don't tell the school about it. However, a teacher shouldn't feel expected to fix pre-existing problems. |
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