Korean Job Discussion Forums

[asams]

Ok, little background.

I'm 22 (in America) and had never been out of the country. I just graduated from college (UNC Chapel Hill) and plan on going to law school, but first wanted to travel. So I got on Dave's and started sending out resumes and such. I read up on stuff, Korean etiquette, etc.

Now I'm here, have been for 3 weeks, and I've had a few miscommunication problems with the "bosses" at my school. First, let me clarify, they call themselves bosses, but they're not the VP or Principal. Supposedly they're our handlers.

One of them told me that my degree was no good in Korea. I didn't send my original, I got a copy and had it apostilled at the SoS office. He told me this in between classes and I wasn't understanding so I said "I have class" and walked off to get my stuff. He was calling my name but I was hurrying to get to class and all the students were there in the hall watching us. When I come back upstairs he pulls me into the bathroom and starts to yell at me about disrespect, and I was like "everyone was staring at us and I have a class right now, can we talk about this after?"

Also, the 3 native teachers live side by side in the same building. Ever since we've been here we've had a problem with heat. We keep telling them and they keep asking for our codes so they can "fix" it but they keep messing mine up. The last time we said something they got angry. Well, I tried to go to the VP about our handlers neglecting us and about the one guy yelling at me in the hall while I needed to be in class.

So the next day I try to ask him what he was saying and he keeps running away from me and finally says "Just call your recruiter." So I do and she calls and the other handler gets pissed. He had seen me sitting down with a student (the only one in the class) and pulled me into the hall and told me that wasn't acceptable, so I said "ok, I understand, I just thought it would be more personal and help her feel more comfortable speaking" (she was new). So I stood the rest of the class and lectured to her.

So I tell my recruiter, on the office phone, that they aren't honoring our contract (taking care of our housing, haven't bought us dishes or anything) and explain about the sitting down thing. So the handlers get pissed and call me in and start yelling at me, telling me they're not my friend, they're my boss. I said "trust me, you're not my friend, I don't think of you as a friend AT ALL."

Today was better but I think the handlers still hate me. I'm beginning to not even care, I'm kinda hoping they get rid of me so I can find a better school or work at a public school.

Am I wrong for feeling this way? What would you do?[/list]

[VanIslander]

ps jobs now come with handlers? ... ignore them (or humour them), collect your paycheques, go to law school

[afsjesse]

Yah you gotta be careful about showing respect to superiors here. When he "pulled" you into the bathroom, do you mean he motioned to you or he literally dragged your ass in their? First off, NEVER LET THAT HAPPEN AGAIN. Make clear lines in the sand when it comes to your treatment in this country.

If your job stinks, than put in your notice and leave. Ask for a Letter of Release and find a new job. If they refuse to give you one, get an Exit Order from immigration and come go home and come back.

Suerte,
Jesse

[ChinaBoy]

I would never let another man pull or invite me into a bathroom with him.

But you should have known before you came that they weren't your friends and don't care about education. That's pretty much how it works here. You don't have heat or dishes because that costs money.

[esetters21]

Isn't it grand when Koreans tell you that your degree from UNC-CH doesn't mean anything. Last time I checked there was not a university in this country that ranked higher than Carolina in world rankings. I went to undergrad there btw.

I know that this isn't your point about the degree, but I wanted to comment on that, because they have no clue about good universities.

Get out of there and get into the public school system when you have the chance. Hakwons are full of resentful and ignorant people.

[asams]

well he didn't pull me, i would not allow anyone to touch me. he would be laying on the floor if he put a hand on me. he basically stood in front of the door to the classes and told me forcefully to follow him. so i did, because my students were watching and i didn't want to cause even more of a scene. but you could here him yelling from the bathroom to the classroom i'm sure. i immediately went to the vp, and that's what pissed them off i think. everyone is telling me they're my boss.

and i don't really want them as friends. they're all about 30 or older, i'm 22. if they were cool or i could actually carry a conversation with them it would be different, but they're uptight and i can have better conversations with my students.

and money isn't the issue, this is a large franchise. they actually told me, when i showed the contract, that they hadn't seen it before. made me think something fishy went on between the recruiter and school. and i haven't been here long enough to have enough money for a plane ticket home. plus i want to travel. i actually told them that if they wanted to get rid of me to quit wasting their time and do it.

[asams]

esetters, when did you go to undergrad? what major? i was there from 2004-2008 and majored in history

and i told some people i met that us UNC grads come off as kind of arrogant, but it's just pride. i miss basketball.

[waynehead]

I'm also a UNC-CH alum (05 English). I won't be back to Korea for another coupla weeks but if you need help then feel free to PM me.

[Ruairi]

Do people normally just walk away when their boss/superior is talking to them?

[asams]

ok, i told him i shouldn't have walked away. he had never told me before that he was my boss or anything. actually, we were told he was the supervisor of the teaching assistants who copy the texts and stuff for us. and another teacher came up to him and they started talking, so i told him i had class, and let's talk about it later.

would you let him destroy your credibility in front of your students?

and thanks waynehead. it'd be nice to have some tar heels to hang out with around march and april, if you know what i mean

[poet13]

I would say he was yelling because he wanted everyone to hear that he could bitch out whitey. It makes him look bigger. Next time he raises his voice, just walk away. If he touches you, well...what you said works for me. (either that, if no one else is around, shout "Don't touch my pen1s you bad man!!!"

Just so you know. Raising your voice, shouting, losing your temper....all of those things are cause for embarassment (losing face) in Korea. When my hakwon boss shouted at me a few years ago, I just lowered my face and eyes and said, "Please don't shout, it's embarassing." That shamed her well enough....perhaps more so because I didn't lose my temper in return and the few students within earshot knew it too.

[buymybook]

Sorry, but you are a young pup. You will be treated as such if you let them. If anyone yells at me I walk away. It is pretty simply, you should let them know that if they yell at you at anytime, especially in front of your students then you will absolutely walk away. Tell them if they do not respect you, you will do anything to not allow them to do that.

FYI, if you touch them you will be in BIG trouble. You could end up in jail. There isn't a Korean law enforcement official that will stand up for you. If you "drop" your Handler in the bathroom expect to wind up in the slammer. It does not matter if he touches you first, you are the foreigner any you will NOT win.

You said they didn't touch you and then right after that they he/they "forcefully" made you go into the bathroom. Which is it? FYI, forcefully usually means physically.

[asams]

[esetters21]

[asams]

[quote="esetters21At least we both got to experience a National Championship (you-May, McCants, Felton era)( me-Lynch, Williams, Montross era). I played JV ball there back in the early 90s.[/quote]

nice. my aunt and uncle were there for that season.

cool story, sean may actually dates one of my old friends from high school