Korean Job Discussion Forums

chaz47 · Joined: 11 Sep 2003

I don't know what it is but lately whenever my coteacher talks to me it aggravates me. I've been trying to make a conscious effort to grow up and not let it bother me but...

Embarassed

mrsquirrel · Joined: 13 Dec 2006

I find that the worst is being brought out in me lately. My last job I could leave work p1ssed off but never went to work the next day with the same feeling. Here I do.

Example - Last night pizza magically appeared at 3:45pm. I don't really like pizza and I don't want to eat pizza at 3:45pm when I am going to be getting dinner shortly after.

CT plus various other teachers - Here have pizza.
Me - No thank you. I will be having my dinner when I get home.
CT plus various other teachers - Here have pizza.
Me - No thank you. i will be having dinner when I get home.
CT plus various teachers - some random comment in Korean and a laugh whilst looking at me.
Me - I'm sorry I didn't understand your joke, can you repeat it for me so I can try and catch it.
CT - (looks away.)

You don't hassle the other Korean teachers who say no thanks or they are busy to slice of f?cking pizza so why me. F?ck off you miserable past it hag and inhale my slice yourself.

I was still annoyed when I got to work this morning. I don't like it. I know they are trying to be friendly. I know I ain't getting down with the Jung or whatever the fark it's called . I know.

BUT I DON'T WANT PIZZA.

nomad-ish · Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 6:14 pm Post subject:

yeah, also i think it's because it's christmas time... school is coming to an end and many kids have already written their exams for the semester, and teachers have already checked out.

i got a little pissy last class when another bloody camera appeared in my class. last week, i was sent to another school to attend some dumb meeting (all in korean, i might add), just so they could take pictures of the foreigners. i usually don't mind missing some work, but seeing as i was only missing my spares and had actual work to do, i was pissed.

i'll be glad when the school vacation comes just so i won't have to put up with this ridiculous PR crap.

ceesgetdegrees · Joined: 12 Jul 2007

thegadfly · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

mrsquirrel,

We all have odd things that tick us off sometimes, things that maybe shouldn't tick us off...I am quite ready for this vacation myself, and am strung a bit tight. However...turning down pizza? ...and being ticked off about it being offered?

Hope the stress lets up soon...but pizza? Razz

Oh, wait, it wasn't the pizza, it was the snarky aside that wasn't repeated -- reading skills ftw -- sorry, that would tick me right off too....

spliff · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand

Everything's cool at my school...no pizza hassles and the Ss were right attentive today. Very Happy

renzobenzo1 · Joined: 08 Sep 2007 Location: Suji, Yongin

I'm hanging in on a whim too....fake smiles all around :/
Compare the me at the beginning of the year all smiley and happy to be there to now. I'm glad I only have to look at my face in the mirror lol.

It's not that bad really!

CentralCali · Joined: 17 May 2007

It's finally reached the point where people at my school--all but one individual--understand my dietary requirements are based on both my religion and the simple fact that I DON'T WANT TO DIE FROM A PARTICULAR FOOD ALLERGY! The one guy who doesn't understand it is a bit "out there" and isn't a teacher anyway, so I don't have that much to do with him.

What gets me is that in the US, all it took was once to explain to a person with sense that "No, I don't drink coffee or booze and I'm not going to make any exceptions" and "No, I can't eat that, I have a severe allergy to it and 'just once' will put me in the hospital." Here, it's repetition ad nauseum and people still don't grok. Come to think of it, rote repetition is the Korean method of education.

Kudos to the poster here who coined "Korea, where Logic goes to die." I'd like to agree with him, except that I don't think Logic has even dipped its toes into Korean waters.

TexasPete · Joined: 24 May 2006 Location: Koreatown

Carmy · Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Location: Seoul

Yips, I'm at the same place right now.

Everything my school does, wants, demands from us is making me hate them more and more.
From the phone teaching, to judging contests, to not turning on the heating (saving money of course, in Summer we had to nag to keep the air con on) and playing favourites is making me resent them to the extent where I just want to finish up my contract here and find another school to teach at.

Actually the only redeeming feature about my school are my kids, who are great. So I guess it could be worse.

tsgarp · Joined: 01 Dec 2003

mrsquirrel · Joined: 13 Dec 2006

^ I would gladly do that if I wasn't made to feel like a f?cking social leper.

THey don't hassle the natives who don't want a slice. Just because I am a foreigner doesn't mean I want pizza.

I DON"T

thatwhitegirl · Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Location: ROK

They can be persuaded.
My husband and I don't drink (anymore) either...more for health and tendencies toward alcoholism...
but we have convinced and persuaded all the teachers and principal that we don't drink.
We were having a giant dinner, and were seated right next to the principal, when some tosser came up and wanted to drink with/to us. The principal himself told him off. Very Happy

Excellent.

And OP, some of your teachers sound quite snarky! Irks me when people pressure me. Doesn't matter if it's pizza, alcohol, or something along the lines of "but this Korea culture. Korea numbah 1."

However, to make nice, I often take whatever is being offered me with a giant smile and 'kamsamnida' and then go toss it in my waste basket/throw it in the bushes when no one is looking.
Rolling Eyes

tsgarp · Joined: 01 Dec 2003

mrsquirrel · Joined: 13 Dec 2006

^ true very true.