Korean Job Discussion Forums

[moosehead]

obviously there are a lot of us who would like to see better working conditions as well as a more foreigner-friendly visa process here in Korea - after all - K does tempt the ESL industry with its promotions and ads for teaching E here, right?

I'll be heading back to the states later on this year and it has occurred to me - thanks, in part, to yet another nasty remark from the head K I work with at my school - there's more than one way to skin a cat.

What happened was she handed me a tax form a few weeks ago - all in K, of course - and said I needed to complete it and hand it in along with certain docs so the school could complete my return. I don't read K so it was like - huh? how am I supposed to do this? of course she was totally uninterested in helping me because she's a total witch (to say the least).

Then when I didn't turn it in on time she said, well never mind you can just pay more taxes and contribute to K's economy - in the end her boss wound up helping me get the forms signed properly as did the office manager who was doing the filing for us in the first place - but her stupid crass remark got me to thinking about all the serious $$$$$$ the U.S. has in the past and continues to contribute to the K economy.

Ergo - when I return to the states and get settled in, I am going to start a letter-writing campaign to my elected officials explaining the situation here - and certainly this can all be readily supported by the U.S. Embassy's own warnings on its website about teaching in K. I'm going to explain in detail about the difficulties I had personally and how I was cheated, as well as people I know. Perhaps even discuss the lousy way foreigners are treated when someone dies, or has other emergency issues here.

And then I'm going to explain how important it is that if a country is going to receive funds from United States taxpayers, that there should be a certain reciprocity involved regarding the receipt of those funds and how citizens residing in that country are treated.

Goodness only knows, the huge increase in ESL teachers from America into Korea is a recent phenomenon and it can very well be that our elected representatives just haven't been made aware of just how badly many of us are being treated over here.

Anyway, I'm sure there will be more than a few who will huff and puff at this post and express outrage ad nauseum - but I don't really give a flying f*ck - not a whit - this is my plan and you better believe I will do it and am totally urging all American teachers that have a negative experience here to do the same. If you don't (have a negative experience) - well more power to you - but rest assured, you ARE in the minority.

[dimitri31]

delete

[John_ESL_White]

PM Sent

[yingwenlaoshi]

Yeah... *sigh*. Your co-worker sounds like a real winner. It would be great if our home countries banned us from coming here and let these jerks teach themselves English. My days are numbered here.

[D.D.]

I love how Americans always point out how they help other countries all the time. I feel that usually Americans set up relations with other countries that are more beneficial to the Americans.

I noticed when I lived in Shanghai that they Europeans were very patient with the Chinese and were tryng to build win-win type relationships.

I also noticed most Americans were looking for the quick buck and how to exploit the Chinese.funny thing is the Chinese did it right back to them.

You yanks really buy into that other contries are dependant on you guys and you are the freakin saviours of the universe.

[candyteacher]

i dont think its fair to brand all schools as bad! Its such a pity that some schools treat their esl teachers so badly. This is why my former school finds it difficult to recruit people. I was in an ECC hagwon, and my experiences were fantastic, we were always paid on time if not early, our director gave us a bonus at holidays, any problems we had were delt with straight away, and we had every support to help our teaching. Both the principal and director went out of their way to help us and make our time in korea excellent.

So wouldnt it be fairer to attack the school, rather than the whole industry??

[madoka]

Yes, Moosehead, we all know that government officials will do whatever some internet nutjob asks of them. And yeah, look over your posting history and people will see that your K worker is not the only witch around. Your stench of obnoxious self-righteous is overwhelming. You're oblivious to the fact that you are the cause of your own problems and you seem to think that your problems extrapolate to the majority of the population. Typically self centered and illogical of you.

[moosehead]

[moosehead]

[DC in Suwon]

To OP and others.....doesn't this same sh** happen in the U.S. too? How many illegal immigrants are working here, while at the same time are treated like garbage (by bosses and citizens). I think when people get to Korea they somehow have this romantic memory of back home. There are plenty of dirtbags and scumballs here in U.S., especially federal employees and those that work at DMV's, Tax Collectors, Social Security offices. Maybe we should learn by the latinos here in U.S. They get their own into these government positions and can then help their fellow people by explaining how to get around certain things, or in other words, how to play the game.

[madoka]

[Godhasbeengoodtome]

I think you have a point. Americans come here to teach and our tax dollars go to protecting the Korean citizens. For Koreans then to cheat lie and deceive Americans is absurd to say the least.

Of course people are people and without Christ they sin and cannot stop sinning, so the real answer if salvation through the cross so they CAN stop sinning.

But I think writing letters would be beneficial.

[DC in Suwon]

Yeah, right. People with Christ in their life never sin. Keep drinking the Kool Aid (you brought up religion first).

[lebowski]

[D.D.]