Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bogey666]

one thing I forgot to mention about the Yellow Sea seaside dinner last week (and something that has repeated itself several times in the coming week) is that were seated in a "traditional" Korean manner, with the legs crisscrossed and folded.

Well, the last and only time I have ever sat like that in my life for any prolonged period of time was in my tae kwando classes stateside, and that was longer ago than I care to remember. Needless to say, I have lost a considerable amount of hip flexibility and the position was quite uncomfortable. Nonetheless, I grit my teeth and soldiered onward, relaxing a little when possible, but at the end of the long dinner when I got up, I could barely stand.. my entire hip area almost went "asleep" on me....it took a good 5 minutes of ginger regular walking to regain a feeling resemling normalcy.

Several days later, when taken to lunch again, this time I went with my co-teacher to be. One, is a new teacher, fresh out of school, a guy. He is essentially substituting until the other regular teacher comes back from whatever it is that he's off for (for several months). A very nice guy, but very effeminate, immaculately dressed, (even for koreans) my gaydar is flashing a very definitive "probably" rating. In the US he'd be a slam dunk, but in Korea I can't be 100% certain. Nonetheless, what he does and with whom doesn't particularly concern be about a person, so it's a non issue. I complimented him on his sense of fashion and dress and we get along well. The other teacher I am not sure what to make off, except she's a very bad driver (take your female and Asian stereotypes and mix them together, and that's what you get.) My perception of her is also that she's somewhat of an airhad and basically not very bright period. I could be wrong, but that's my perception. It was definitely reinforced by the fact she got lost twice.. heading to lunch and then returning from lunch. Even that GPS device she has on her dashboard wasn't much help. As she was jabbering with another teacher upfront, I leaned over to "gaydar" and said - she's lost...About 5 minutes later, he laughs and says.. you're right she's lost. I could tell almost immediately.

the teacher accompanying us in the front seat just got married this weekend. I was kind of keeping an eye on her, because she was a little different from the other female teachers. A little more pretty and a different sense of bearing/attitude which I found attractive. Turns out she's 36!!! (which is a little late for typical korean female getting married, no?, but so what?) . Anyways. I was told later everyone calls her 'babyface' because she looks so young (most people would give her 27 tops, and that's with the Asian "youth discount" (most Asians look younger period). Turns out my handler is also getting married... next month or so. The funny thing was that the other girl teacher there then said.. I'm getting married too! next year! This is the one who incessantly checks herself in the mirror and regularly puffs out her cheeks and holds them like that.. (to avoid wrinkles, smile lines?). I call her "blowfish". Laughing I asked, do you already have a candidate in mind? (that had to be translated) and as I had guessed, not yet hahaahahahaha

the last female teacher that sits next to me turns out isn't yet a teacher, she's still a student, and in training at our school. She's the shy one, the one who originally struck me as a dragon lady, and she has a killer set of legs and speaks almost no English (many of the other ones, even the non English teachers, speak or understand a little).

so on teacher's day.. a big set of boxes arrives in the teacher's room around 11am.. and the teachers attack these boxes like they are full of 100 dollar bills. I am told to try to some (you'll hear these phrase incessantly) .. "delicious Korean food" hahahha. So I try one and it tastes a bit too sweet to be "healthy". On cue, another person says to me.. Korean food very healthy, very delicious. Of course I just smile and nod and wonder what's inside these things. The outside tasted like a dumpling, made out of flour, but was told later it was rice based. Anyways.. the VP seeing me munching away, walks over and says be careful.. these will kill your diet.. (ha! I KNEW it!. Anyways... this explains the furor to get at these things.. they were Korean 'sweets' and pastries. I took the not sweet cakes given and stashed them away. Later in the afternoon, I offered some to student teacher. aka "legs" and immediately noted that even as she took small pieces, it was clear she was quite hungry. Being the gallant lad I am, I let a little time pass and when she finished half of the first cake.. took out the second one out of my bag and told her to take it home.

I asked my co handler to set up Internet at the appt, she makes a call and then says they'll be over at 3 pm. I'm like TODAY? do you realize it's 2:15 right now? I ask her to make sure (in some Latin American countries it takes weeks, if not months to get it).. yup sure enough. We walk over to my place.. the guys are there... she already has the modem (from previous FT) and the thing is set up within 5 mins. Turns out they need my ARC (Alien registration card) and of course i don't have one yet. Luckily they allow me to have it on an interim basis until I get one. I was worried I was screwed.

that meant that now my handler became focused on me getting me ARC. The head teacher (also female, who does NOT fit the Asian female driver stereotype) took us to Incheon to the Immigration Office. There I saw somed interesting sights... a Russian girl (who gave me an interesting glance with a half smile, not sure what it meant if anything) there with some Korean businessman.. and a young Vietnamese girls with her Korean husband. Very interesting. I was the only waygookin there though, though saw a young what looked to be Canadian kid sitting as well. (don't ask me how/why I thought he was Canadian, I just did). Anyways turns out my handler didn't know anything about the new rules, which meant I hadn't gotten my medical exams.. so the entire trip was for nothing (I knew i needed exams, just wasn't sure when).

btw.. the head teacher drives a very nice car. My hander says. this is the best/most luxurious car in korea.. (wouldnt surprise me).. and then says (of the korean head teacher).. her husband.. very rich (with a note of envy, or something all women should shoot for.. hahhaha)

so the following morning I was taken to the hospital for the battery of tests. take your height/weight, blood pressure, vision test, color blindness test, chest x ray and blood test for AiDS and you piss in a cup for the drug test. I was making a lot of jokes about "sequestering the alien", and a lot of "alien" jokes in general, which my handler could appreciate since her English is good enough. I took the drug test despite the fact I pointed out to my handler that they had suspended this..(even found it on the website for her).. but she nonetheless just followed the instructions given by the immigration officer, and I had to take the drug test (I didn't care.. I haven't done drugs in God knows how long and had only used them like 4x in my lifetime) . Was told I couldn't eat or drink anything in the morning, which of course led to me asking my handler when I had to stop doing drugs.. I was being a wiseass about all of this, but she actually enjoyed it (I think). So I told her she could invite anyone/everyone for my "smoking of my luggage marijuana stash prior to 9 pm).
Anyways.. the whole thing cost me 60K won (which I had to pay out of my own pocket). When I went to piss in the little cup I of course joked that the Korean male driver from school that drove us there. that we had exchanged cups. She translated, they both laughed but then she said he said his results would probably be worse than mine LOL

It was smart for me to bring a decent amount of dough and change it at the airport (though I would had gotten better exchange had i waited and done it slowly). The VP and handler were worried if i had enough money.. but I told them I do, and not to worry. Apparently I won't be getting anything from them (like the 300K settlement allowance) till the regular public school paydate of the 25th. Since I have money, it's a non issue and I'm certainly not worried about not getting it.

On my next trip to E-mart I concentrated intently this time around on what was there that was important and of use to me and what wasn't. Essentially, the only thing I really really need E-mart for are the chicken breasts.. which I buy in the 2 pieces in a pack, costs about 2500 won... that's one serving of 2 pieces for dinner. Turns what i had previously thought was tuna that I was eating out of can is CHICKEN... in soybean oil. Quite delicious. So I had the real tuna.. but the best tuna I tried was the "red pepper" tuna. OUTSTANDING!!!!! The cans of tuna and chicken are somewhat expensive often at 2000 won or in the case of chicken.. 2500 or so.. but these will be the staple of my everyday diet and I will be quite content. Unfortunately I still don't have a good answer for the good non caloric drink conundrum... (outside of water obviously). The Coke Zero is way too sweet, I can't drink the regular tasting Coke/Pepsi anymore, and I need a zero calory drink!). No Diet Coke/Pepsi to be found. Bummer.

Talked to landlord about the upcoming "tanning" issue. I am resolute and determined to get sun/color in the weeks/months ahead and amazingly enough he didn't even show even a hint of his occasional "dick" syndrome. Having lived in the US he understood perfectly where I was coming from. After asking him about the roof .. turns out he recently put a special protective paint on it.. so he didn't want anyone ruining that, he actually offered an excelllent suggestion. There is a very large athletic park/area a couple of blocks away (with at track which I will use to jog).. It is large enough with enough potential spots so that I can expose my big hairy chest without the Koreans having to call the police.. hahahaha.

On Friday.. I got a little angry.. It's like 4:00 pm, when my co handler says.. well Monday are your first classes, here's your classroom etc.. play around. Turns out the multimedia room which I thought was of occasional use is my main everyday room!. This is good.. but as I sat down to play around and learn to work the equipment, I got really pissed off she finally saw fit to expose me to this at the last fucking minute! I had countless amount of bored hours sitting around the office all week that could have been utilized getting myself perfectly comfortable with the setup!!!!!!!

Some of this is my fault.. I had lots of questions. etc but didn't want to bother my handler with constant questions.. bugging her about this/that.... as she had her own classes, courseload and she also goes to graduate school several times a week. Advice to newbies.. ask anyways.. be a pain until completely comfortable.

Now I will be playing complete catchup. and will have to learn how to use Powerpoint (I was fortunate that in my real life business job I didn't have to be a tool, wear a suit and play with Powerpoint and make presentations). These things I can overcome, but why did she fit to wait until the last fucking minute.. when we had all this time beforehand?
I'm going to be fucking careful with her... don't completely trust her.

But I get along splendidly with the VP and the senior staff around him. He sees me in there late on Friday. it's now 5 pm.. (I can go at 4:30) but I am playing around trying to make the Korean Google earth work and wondering why my Internet connection isn't working (later it does) and how to manipulate everything. on the 2 screens.. what is shown on the projector.. etc etc. I mentiont to him this stuff isn';t working.. he gets on phone, the handler comes running over from her class..by this time I have figured some stuff out and the Internet is working..
but I'm still pissed.. thinking.. bitch.. why the *beep* did you wait until 4 pm the day before my first class?? why!!! ?

VP says.. let's go have dinner.. I'm really not in the mood and still pissed off but decide now isn't the time to decline invitations anyways. So we go have dinner at restaurant nearby... the VP, head of the electrical dept and another man higher up on chain of command. We have this grilled pork.. very tasty actually! I have to say that I have been consistently surprised on the POSITIVE side when it comes to trying out Korean food of all kinds. Even when I have not completely liked the food, I have never hated it. (and that was a fear of mine, I hate certain food). I have to sit crosslegged again, but at least this time I'm not dripping sauce on my pants like I did at the last restaurant with the lost driver..(that annoyed the shit out of me. The seafood/tofu "stew" had like nothing in it of substance. This time the pork was quite good.. the grill ensured it wouldn't be too unhealthy (I won't eat anything "fried").

Anyways.. dinner went great. I can say with confidence these guys quite like me. (of amusement is a comment my handler made earlier that I "know Korean culture"). This was meant as a compliment. Of course, I really know jack shit outside some of the stuff I have read on dave's etc (but this stuf has been IMPORTANT) but I know enough to keep my head, shut up, observe. nod and bow. and smile a lot. so the soju comes out.
Don't particularly care for it (as I don't really care for alcohol period) but I can drink it. Of course, first time I see the VP's shotglass empty I refill it. Smiles and nods. (of approval). See? Dave's IS good for something
We talk about travel, etc as they know I am widely traveled and compare countries visited. Turns out these guys are no flowers themselves.. they have traveled a bunch themselves. Europe, US. etc

so of course next they invite me to go to a norebang..I was planning on going to the gym, but I figure.. first dinner, night out. you go with the flow.

it's a good thing that norebangs don't have video cameras inside (maybe they do) because what happened next is something I could be blackmailed with in "normal"/Western company for the next 40 years. So I'm insider a comfy karaoke room with 3 middle aged guys.. who are singing away loudly on very cheesy 70's songs... one of them takes his tie, and wears it around his head like a bandana, while pretending to bang away on the conga drums (which actually exist and are setup precisely for this reason) or you could shake that whatever those circular things are called. all that was missing was a COWBELL! (shades of Will Ferrell and the famous SNL skit). I wasn't drunk as I was carefully watching my alcohol intake, but that guy was well on his way.

the VP is actually a pretty good singer! and he "admitted" to it beforhand. I think he takes a small amount of pride in it.. and welll. he can take some pride! I did a creditable job on sinatra's my way.. which of course went over prettty well, before trying to stretch myself on Stairway to Heaven (amazingly they didn't know this song) and then tried a song I really love .. would by alice in chains (shocked that they had a song like this.. but the menu/choices were suprisingly extensive). Coudln't hit some of the higher notes.. as I was practicing my Lane Staley wail. maybe I should have done some heroin beforhand (morbid Staley joke there.

So we leave after our prepaid amount of time is up.. (had a great fruit plate in there btw). and would have gone to play billiards but there were no full tables in our particular area (very adjacent to school btw). So we went up to a hof joint (hof=beer) and kept drinking. The beer was quite good btw.. and had beef jerky (dry beef) to munch on along with. Now as the alcohol was flowing and one of them was flying drunk the conversation descended into stuff more salacious. (btw. small change of bogey.. turns the word into the Korean equivalent of "vulva").

Then the guy says.. you know "room salon? of course I have heard of them (on Dave's) , but I shrug and say no. Then it's all explained to me.. I just listen nod.. then the guys like 'you want to go to room salon". hahahahahaha I shrug.. and said.. I'll go whenever convenient for curiosity's sake, doesn't have to be tonight.. we have time. I notice the VP isn't particularly enthusiastic about it.. and the other guy (who I was told is "Christian") is almost uncomfortable.. so I pretend not to be very interested (whereas I actually am.. just to see the scene actually).

but there's time.. there will be another time. Turns out this guy is the "king of the room salon", the other two joke. The say he has a very beautiful wife, but doesn't like her. Well, I note... that often happens.. with wen and women alike with passage of time. Everyone laughs. The VP tells me I am a very lucky man.. a "free man" (not married). Indeed I am, though I do note it's also nice to have children.... unfortunately freedom and children aren't compatible.

so the night ends.. after we drink some more beer. The "king of the room salons" is barely standing at this point, the VP is actually ok, despite having drunk a prodigious amount of alcohol and I'm ok.. not drunk, yet a little "happy".

but tired.. I go home and crash.

Tomorrow is first day of classes.. and I'll be playing catchup all the way...
but it turns out I essentially will must need one lesson plan for my classes for each week, as there is no big difference in levels and ability for the students.. and they see me once a week. Should be incredibly easy once I figure how the setup works and learn powerpoint.

I am a little worried about motivation and general levels/enthusiasm. My VP has brought up this several times now.. almost as if to WARN me..(and again at dinner on Friday)

we shall see. I'll try giving it my best shot..

p.s. they're now mumbling about setting up a teacher's class for me.. (it woud be an extra class which I would get paid for presumably, even though I have only 18 hours a week here, unlike typical 22 in gepik contract). If I get paid, I'll gladly do it.. especially since the teacher's no matter the low levels, will at least make for enthusiastic students.

turns out my handler later told me, our area of town is working class/poor and many of these kids come from one parent homes.

should be interesting. Tomorrow will tell.

p.p.s at dinner with VP and cohorts there was one older ajosshi who came in who was giving me/us decidedly unfriendly looks. His face expressed distaste (presumably at me). Was blatantly obvious. Since I was with company I completely ignored this guy, (though looking at him often out of side of my eye). If we were alone, I would have of course essentially called him out on this.. and would have caught his eye and returned his glance, with a smile.

you know.. one of those looks that says.. yeah I can see you're looking at me and don't like me/ like me being here, but I am and you can't do anything about it, so please go *beep* yourself.

All with a smile of course

[weatherman]

Maybe you should get a blog for your thoughts. It would be a much better format than this discussion forum. It is only a thought, and not to be taken the wrong way. You are after all free to post what you want.

[bogey666]

[kentucker4]

Post about your nights out as well. I think this could be interesting with the way you write.

[bogey666]

[kentucker4]

[bogey666]

[quote="kentucker4"][quote="bogey666"]

[theholyinnocent]

[Arthur Dent]

About the drug test you mentioned. It is true that the cannabinoid test is no longer required but they also test for other drugs. Due to recent comments in the news, and events involving this drug, that may change again. TBPE test is required. This is for ecstasy. Just had my health test done last week. One of the reasons I have heard for the removal of the cannabinoid test is that it is not - strictly speaking - illegal to smoke it in some countries. So if you have this in your system when you arrive, it does not mean you have done this in Korea. They can not legally punish you for "obeying" the laws in your own country.

Seems unlikely as a reason in Korea, given their attitudes towards drugs. And who can say they are wrong in this? Certainly, they have enough problems with alcohol. The mere rumour of it has been enough to get one tossed out. So for all the newcomers. I would suggest avoiding it altogether in the time before you arrive here, if you want a trouble free stay.

By the way, I have seen Coke Zero. But Zero....well, you get the idea...

[kentucker4]

[quote="bogey666"][quote="kentucker4"]

[bogey666]

[quote="kentucker4"][quote="bogey666"]

[bogey666]

[phusion]

Hey, just wanted to say that I really enjoyed your post and I hope that you can continue to write about your initial experiences in Korea.

[kentucker4]

[quote="bogey666"][quote="kentucker4"]

[bogey666]

[quote="kentucker4"][quote="bogey666"]