Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Unposter]

I am sorry I guess that did come off dickish but I still stand by my original intent which is that you need to man up and take some responsibiltity and not blame all your problems on your "supervisor."

I don't think he or she has made any serious mistakes other than not meeting your expectations of what he or she should do or be able to do.

If anything, he or she went to great lengths to get the school cleaning staff to come to your apartment and clean it for you.

And, taking this huge moral stand about the cleanliness of the hallways and stairwells, well, I don't know...I would think you and your "supervisor" have better things to do but that is just me.

[transmogrifier]

[Smithington]

[Who's Your Daddy?]

[Malislamusrex]

I'm curios.

Why didn't you just clean your own apartment? Do you expect someone else to clean it for you?

It's your house you should clean it. If there is a problem with it after it's clean then you should raise it with the principal.

[edwardcatflap]

[happiness]

When I was at the HS, my CT left me alone, never bothered me at all, Im not a kid, he just made sure I did my job, and left me alone. Worked a charm.

[Malislamusrex]

It's not ideal for the person who is arriving. He might have traveled a long way and probably tired. But the bottom line is, he's got a roof over his head.

The school had an obligation to provide an apartment as stated in the contract. A clean apartment is not a contract requirement. This is not an employment issue. The school is not obligated to clean it if someone can't be bothered to do it themselves. What is the head of admin going to tell the cleaner? The apartment is dirty, can you go there and clean it? waygookin got confused with a mop.

[edwardcatflap]

[Malislamusrex]

The point you are making about the Polish couple is different to the OP issue. The Polish couple must have signed a contract without reading it properly. I doubt they accepted there situation and moved on. The OP initially had a problem with the building manager. Is now having problems with how clean the building is and a serious problem recently. That is not really a contract problem. If the building manager is not going to act the school shouldn't be expected to go there and demand action. Best thing to do would be to move to another place.

[Unposter]

The people I feel sorry for our the school's cleaners. Do you think they got paid an extra dime to clean up the OP's place? Probably not. They had to trudge all the way over there and clean it because the OP made such a fuss.

And, your poor supervisor too. He or she showed you the place like the Principle asked and you throw a fit. What did you expect her to do, roll up her sleeves and clean it on the spot?

I really do wish you all the best but if I were you I'd be worried about what my school is saying behind my back. Boy, is this FT high maintenance! He doesn't bother learning the schedule, he complains about the apartment, he doesn't pay his bills. We try to politely tell him that they are seriously overdue and they are going to shut off your electricity and he leisurely gets around to paying and when it is after the deadline he complains.

I would be worried that their point of view is a lot different than yours if I were you.

I've heard of some real horror stories. CT who try to sabotage FTs, lie to their face, treat them meanly, belittle them, some real mental abuse.

But, all I hear from you is that they are trying to be polite and cater to my fussiness but I am still not satisfied with them. They are like your servants who you tell what you want/need and it is their job to do/get it and if they do not somehow live up to your expectation, you complain they are useless.

That is what I make out from the OP, sorry. You may not intend that but that is what I would worry your Korean co-workers I thinking.

[riley]

The best tip I can give after working at public school jobs, is be proactive. Unlike a hagwon, they really aren't ready for you. Your "coordinator" (at the school) is generally the one who either speaks some English, is the youngest, or the one who was last to say "Not it!". Seriously, it's work that they may very well have no experience at or knowledge about how to do it. They really don't know about what you may need. They think you will know everything they know about holidays, school activities, important issues, and such. Their perspectives is of a Korean teacher's not a foreigner who may not speak a lot of Korean.
So, how can you be proactive? Get the school calendar. Look for red days and know that those are the holidays. Any days that have Korean written underneath, find out what that is because it may affect you. (tests, special events, etc.) Get the school menu, and then translate it for yourself. That way you'll know when there's squid or other crap. Ask your teacher in a gentle way about things, prod them gently when you are generally curious or concerned. Remember, they probably didn't want this job. Stand up for yourself, but remember that this person is generally simply a message carrier, nothing more, unless you give her grief. Then she'll just let you sink or spread gossip about you.
When shit happens, be calm and roll with it. If you fight everything, you'll just have a lot of pain. Pick your battles and listen and look around. My biggest mistakes have involved me making too big of a stink over something. Generally, the shit is hitting everybody at the same time. Be ready for last minute changes and understand that this isn't your "coordinator's" choice or idea. Finally, if you're in an office, find out who the office head is, get info from them also and definitely be friendly because that's the one who will have power.

Seriously, the "coordinator" or "coteacher" has little to no authority. She (or maybe he) can't do much on their own, so be prepared for that. Be ready for red tape and bureaucracy.

[Smithington]

[edwardcatflap]

[Unposter]

Personally, I don't see it as doing someone's job. I see it as being useful and adding value to your work.

Your supervisor is not your personal assistant. They are a teacher. Every moment he or she has not taking care of you is time they can spend on their students or their families or whatever... When you are less burdensome to your supervisor, you have a much better chance of keeping your job or even moving up, though I understand there are limits and not everyone is interested in that.

Overall, I think you will enjoy your time in Korea and find more opportunities, the more independent you can be in Korea.

If you expect your supervisor to be your personal assistant and do everything (or even a lot of things for you), you should not be surprised if there are troubles.

From what I've read, this is a major cause of conflict in public schools and a reason why some (many?) Korean teachers cannot wait for the day FTs no longer have a place in Korean public schools.

Having a good relationship with your Korean co-workers and not being too big of a burden not only benefits you but it benefits everyone in general good will.