Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Morton]

I work at a public school in Siheung. Recently the powers that be have started introducing some new ideas and lessons that the teachers should do. One of these is called "Home Sweet Home." This entails the teacher, me, going to one of the students apartments for dinner. The dinner should last for 2 hours. Now here's the kicker, it should be once a month on a Saturday. I would be paid my normal overtime rate which is w20,000. Not a lot i here you say.

Needless to say i am less than keen to partake in this. I said that i cannot work at night or Saturdays but i would be willing to go to students apartments for lunch. Unfortunately i have been told that it should be on a Saturday. My contract says i work Monday to Friday so this is breaking the contract.

If anyone has any advice as to how i can handle this as diplomatically as possible then please let me know. Also if anyone knows of any good positions coming available soon then please let me know.

[The_Conservative]

Simply point to the contract and stand firm. If they want you to go somewhere between Monday and Friday then fine (as long as it is within working hours). But if your contract says you get Saturday off then you get Saturday off. You could also call up that guy who works as a liaison between the FT and the government

[ED209]

Just explain you wouldn't have taken the job had you known you'd be working on Saturdays. That you see your public school job as a step up and a move away from the jobs where you had to work unsociable hours. Explain how important your weekends are and that you would not be able to enjoy these 'dinners'. If they still fail to understand this then this is what you do:

1. Turn up at student's house wearing last night clothes stinking of club smoke.
2. Have with you a six pack of Cass Red and a Korean/Russian girl/boy who you met last night, and whose name you can't remember.
3. Refuse to take your shoes off, also make sure they are covered in mud or crap.
4. Speak Korean but drop the honorific terms, 'Anyong!' instead of 'Anyongshimnika'
5. Bring a stray dog with you.
6. Stink out the toilet, fill it with toilet paper, don't flush.
7. Tell them how much you hate Korean food, can't stand Kim Chi, it's too spicy, don't know how to use chop sticks, and that Korea's four seasons are driving you crazy.


I wouldn't mind visiting my student's or teacher's homes, but only on an informal basis and not as part of my job.

[garykasparov]

[soju pizza]

Morton, do you really need advice on this? There is no easy answer. Buck up and tell them you won't be doing it.

[laogaiguk]

SCREW BEING DIPLOMATIC, pinch this in the butt before they get any idea you may allow it. In no way should you do this, even if you had wanted to. There are so many reasons you should say no that they shouldn't have even asked this. Ask if they are up for going with you to chaperone (sp?) it all.

[soju pizza]

Do you have an E2? You aren't allowed to teach in people's homes anyway.

[Atavistic]

My public school recently asked me to start teaching privates. I tried to decline by saying I didn't have time. They then wanted me to do it in the 90 mins an evening between getting home and going to taekwondo. I never told them it was illegal, I just refused, claiming I didn't have time.

Refuse dude.

[bosintang]

I'm very skeptical this is legal and someone would be getting kickbacks from it earning at least the same as you for just sending you there. The whole point of putting foreign teachers in public schools is to take the elitism out of education, and I'm fairly certain private lessons at someones house doesn't fit that philosophy.

Just say no. This is a time when diplomacy means nothing more than politeness and you need to stand up for yourself.

I highly doubt they'll fight this one, because like I said it's probably illegal or at least unacceptable, and if they do, go above their heads to the next level and I'm sure it will disappear fast.

[Morton]

The plot thickens.

I went into school today and told them i was not willing to go to the students apartment on Saturday or in the evening. I said i would go for lunch as a compromise. I had said this earlier when the idea was initially brought up.

My coteacher then informed me she had sent letters out to the students telling them about this scheme. These letters were sent out without my permission. Now this makes me look bad and causes resentment among the parents.

It seems my school is constantly scapegoating me and putting me in unprofessional situations.

To anyone considering teaching in Siheung or Ansan please heed my warning: DO NOT ACCEPT A JOB HERE

[bosintang]

[ED209]

I think the best way out of this is too point out how illegal it is(a point I somehow missed earlier). You're not having lunch or dinner you are teaching privates on an E2. If anyone sees you doing this they can tell immigration get you deported and receive a tidy sum for their trouble. Does you co-teacher not know this? Hell I might grass you up myself, where's your school again

[The_Conservative]

[garykasparov]

[Morton]

Regarding the legality of this situation: does anyone have contact details for someone who could confirm this is illegal on an E2 visa?

My coteacher has also said that every other teacher in the whole Siheung/Ansan area has agreed to this. If this is true i will give you details of each of the teachers and we can all report them to immigration and split the money.

My coteacher told the principal i was refusing to do this, without me present even though i asked her to tell me when she was going to tell him. He has said nothing to me so far.

My coteacher has also been complaining about more things and generally making an ass of herself.

Once again folks: STAY AWAY FROM SIHEUNG PUBLIC SCHOOLS