Korean Job Discussion Forums

R. S. Refugee · Joined: 29 Sep 2004 Location: Shangra La, ROK

This week I'm here at school for graduation week with very little to do or expected of me other than to show movies. The students are here only in the morning.

But Feb. 18th through the 29th, all the students are gone on spring break, but the KTs will be here for the normal 40-hour work week preparing for spring semester. That's great and I expect they do a good job of it. But I don't really need to spend 40 hours a week for 2 weeks here preparing. I have plenty of spare time during the semester for planning.

The first 4 weeks of January, everyone including me was away from school. But I didn't actually request that as the 14 days of vacation I'm entitled to under my contract. I've never requested that yet.

So, what I'm wondering is whether I could ask for Feb. 18th through the 29th off as my contractual vacation days. Has anyone here been in a similar situation of being not told not to come in for 4 weeks and then asking for their contractual vacation time in addition to that?

genezorm · Joined: 01 Jul 2007 Location: Mokpo

i is going to be chilling

tob55 · Joined: 29 Apr 2007

You can certainly ask for those days off as it is a good time to get caught up on sleep or travel if that is your choice of free time. I am going to use the time away from my public school position to do a little more traveling around Korea. there is way too much to see and too little time during the rest of the year to do it in.

Pass on some of my other responsibilities to those who want them and get a way for R & R which I get too little of during the school year. Although the rigorous schedule isn't too difficult working in a public technical high school.

nomad-ish · Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 5:27 pm Post subject:

same thing i do every work day-- work. luckily we've got some heat going now, although we're all still in coats, scarves, and i'm wearing gloves.

4 weeks off already?? and you're asking for your contract vacation time now, eh? how very ballsy of you, but you might as well try!

sjk1128 · Joined: 04 Feb 2005

I'm going to Bali.

Ask for the time off. All they can say is no, and they've no reason to do that unless you're on bad terms with somebody.

Good luck.

R. S. Refugee · Joined: 29 Sep 2004 Location: Shangra La, ROK

nobbyken · Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Location: Yongin ^^

Some Korean teachers will be coming in to do 2 days service, with either the P or VP. It hasn't been decided yet what I am doing, but I said I would be OK to do a some half days if required, as contract says up to 20 hours a week during vacation times.

I hope to get most of the 2nd week free to pack stuff and organise moving or preparing for vacation home. Haven't found a suitable job yet.

frankhenry · Joined: 13 Mar 2007

What will I be doing during the spring vacation? Have you ever heard of Summer Camp, Winter Camp, or Spring Camp? Well, I'll be teaching Spring Camp. I just got the news, today. I thought I was going to have a day of because I was asked to write another Teaching Development Paper, yesterday. I wrote the paper! Today, *%#%, I was informed that I would have a Spring Camp! &*%.%! When I finish this contract, I'm going back to a hogwan, or at least this will be my last run with this school and GEPIK!

Atavistic · Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 5:39 pm Post subject:

I will be sitting in my classroom. No classes.

I will be knitting, studying Korean, emailing people, screwing with my websites, and practicing poomse in an empty room.

The 29th I have been granted a day off of work as I have my second degree black belt test and my VP thinks it's cool I do taekwondo.

R. S. Refugee · Joined: 29 Sep 2004 Location: Shangra La, ROK

nomad-ish · Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 5:45 pm Post subject:

tob55 · Joined: 29 Apr 2007

R. S. Refugee,

To answer your question, yes I received the 4 weeks break during January. If it hadn't been for the winter camp I volunteered (my school did not demand that I work) and agreed to work in an area high school I would had the time free entirely, but I thought it would be nice to help out a neighboring school. It was fun, I got paid a little more money than I would have received, and it was only an extra four hours each day for two weeks.

To answer your other question, I have already asked my school about the time off and they have indicated that it is cool for me to take the time off and it is not considered my "official" 14 days of paid leave. That is my school. You have to work out what is best for your situation, but if you approach them and discuss it as a request and give good reasons for it, then they will likely have no problem giving you the time off. I can answer more questions if you have them, but it is fairly easy to do if you have a good relationship with your school handlers.

xCustomx · Joined: 06 Jan 2006

I've got a 7 day spring camp for the incoming 1st graders

R. S. Refugee · Joined: 29 Sep 2004 Location: Shangra La, ROK

tob55 · Joined: 29 Apr 2007

If you have any question about how to approach them on this just PM me and I can give you a phone number to call for the details.