Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ChuQi]

Yes, hello. I am currently re-negotiating my contract at a hukwan, where I have taught for the last 10 months. Well, I am trying to renegotiate. The boss is intractable on offering any type of concession to me staying on, even though it would save her a ton of money not flying me home, and flying a new teacher in. Now here we come to the advice I seek. Her reason stated for not giving me a raise (I am on 1.8mil/mnth, 120 hrs, 7%tax) is that I am a kiwi. I am from New Zealand and not the great U.S. of A. apparently my pay rate is all that a kiwi can get. Plus, if she gives me a raise she has to give all the other teachers a raise too, and the hukwan is already in trouble and to do that would bankrupt her. Well I don't want to do that, though I suspect the reason the hukwan isn't doing too well is bc she just gave a bunch of money to her church, rather than the business performing badly. I get along great with the students and up till this point, the boss, I'm settled in the Hukwan teaching program, and am consulted on changes to anything regarding my classes (usually with my advice taken) and i am really enjoying being here. Now am I being taken for a ride? Should I hold out for more and start to look for a new job just in case? Is it true kiwi's never get a raise and only ever get 1.8mil (with 7% tax)? Thanks for reading. Even bigger thanks if you reply.

[Hotuk]

[Captain Obvious 2.0]

Despite the answers you will get from people saying otherwise, New Zealanders have one of the hardest to understand accents for a Korean, and you simply aren't as desirable as someone with an accent everyone can understand.

While you may want to leave and try to get a job somewhere else in Korea, you will be hard pressed to find a job as most schools won't even consider someone from New Zealand. Generally the only ones that end up here are ones that get work at new schools before the director learns that students can't understand the accent, or if they phone up the schools directly when applying and can prove they have an exceptionally mild New Zealand accent.

[Hotuk]

I'd certainly be interested in seeing evidence that New Zealand accents are inherently difficult for Koreans to understand. I'd also be interested in proof to back up the claim that "generally the (kiwis) that end up here are ones that get work at new schools before the director learns that students can't understand the accent, or if they phone up the schools directly when applying and can prove they have an exceptionally mild New Zealand accent."

You must have been busy conducting that study.

[ChuQi]

I know there is a certain stigma on the kiwi accent, and we well know it ourselves (for that i could direct you to a study done by the University of Otago) which is why there has only been one kiwi i have met in korea who has an actual kiwi accent. The rest of us have lost most of our kiwi vowels. My girlfriend recently visited, and she pointed out my strange manner of speaking, which made me hear myself. since then i have listened out for it and we all have changed. I guess its something we have to do for the job. Even my girlfrind started doing it and she was only here for 2 mnths, with no job. Anyway, my boss knows that i have moderated my accent, she has very good english and can pick it out. and as i said no problems with the kids on that front. But as well as Hotuk, i wasn't aware that koreans in particular are afflicted with difficulty in our accents. I find canadians have the most trouble. thanks

[GottaBeKD]

Yes, I agree.. To clarify I think Canadians have a lot of difficulty understanding kiwi's. Korean's though have no trouble understanding Canadians, indeed, I think for Koreans Canadians are the easiest to understand.

I believe though that you meant to say Canadians have difficult understanding kiwi's not koreans having difficulty to understand Canadians.

[ChuQi]

yes, thats what i ment to say. thanks for the clarification.

[jsmac]

To hell with your boss. Find a better gig. Inclement political conditions will make a lot of people think twice about coming here or renewing, so with the ensuing labor shortage you should have no trouble getting a better contract elsewhere. Could be a good opportunity to relocate and enjoy a different part of the country.

[Zandie]

I'm from NZ too. I get 1.9. I was offered 1.8 at the start - but was told that starting on 2 million is for Americans and Canadians, so we settled on a number in between. I was initially asked to use an American accent but I am completely useless at that sort of thing and never had to do it. I've never had any complaints about the way I speak. It was harder for the students at first because all their study tapes use a different accent. I pronounce words my way and try to demonstrate diferent ways of pronouncing different words. The students understand that they are the same word, just spoken differently. eg. can/can't.

I think I give the students an advantage - because after 9 months no one has problems understanding me. There are so many different English accents spoken around the world - to think that there's only one way to speak English puts you at a disadvantage.

Also television is a major factor in learning accents. There's not much of a range on Korean television. Although Once were Warriors was on a while back. Now there's a good advertisement for New Zealand - and the accent. I was pretty happy to see it though. "YAY! It's Tem!!"

I live in a small town though. They seem much more laid back here than in the bigger cities. Maybe that's why no one has gone bananas over my accent.

[Saori]

I'm a Kiwi. I just got a raise on my second year contract from 1.8 million to 2.0 million and I work at a hagwon with Americans, Canadians, Kiwis and Australians. If your boss values you enough she will give it to you, no matter what other teachers are getting or your nationality.
My students say that my accent is very easy to understand, in fact clearer than most of the Americans on staff. But it has changed since I first arrived here. Kiwis and Aussies who meet me think I am American or Canadian, but my accent still has a distinctly British twang from time to time to the American/Canadian ear.
I would start looking now for a place that will treat you better. If you can't find anything then consider signing again with your current school. But there are places out there that will pay you more and not discriminate based on nationality.
Good Luck

[IconsFanatic]

Don't be ashamed of your Kiwi accent. I'm Canadian, and I love it.

I listen to George FM over the internet, and hearing that Kiwi accent after a long day is somehow... soothing...

Up the Kingz!

[J.B. Clamence]

In response to all of this "which accent is easiest for Koreans to understand," I think it's important to point out that there isn't one particular accent that is inherently easiest for a Korean, or for another nationality. I think it has to do with what one is used to. If a Korean grows up listening to American-accented pop music, and being taught English by Americans, Canadians, and Koreans with North-American pronunciation, then of course that student would find a kiwi accent difficult.

But I think it's only fair to say that if a Korean was taught English in the kiwi accent from day-1, then for that student, an American accent would be very difficult. Americans and Canadians get jobs more easily in Korea, but it's not because our accents are just in general easier for the Korean ear -- it's because we've always been preferred from the beginning, and that's what makes our accents easier.

So it's kind of like a never-ending cycle. If more kiwis and other non-North Americans were given more of a chance, it might be a bit of a challenge for the students at first, but eventually it wouldn't be an issue anymore because they would have gotten used to a variety of different pronunciation styles, and I think the students would be better for it.

[hellofaniceguy]

You are paying TOO MUCH TAX! Tax is 3.5% KOREA WIDE. Just go to the tax office and find out for yourself. Hokwon teachers fall under a different tax system. I went through this many times at other schools. They tell me the tax is 7% also and I tell them to SHOW ME the law. Anything above 3.5% is money for the owner. Schools charge teachers 7% because some of it is paid toward unemployment insurance which you are not entitled to collect anyway! You tell the school that you want an accounting of monies that have been withheld. Then check up on the school and see if they have paid the additional money to the proper agencys. Each city has a tax office: the NTS "National Tax Service." Tell the school to sick it up their rear end. They don't appreciate your services and now you KNOW; hokwons are NOT education centers! I see Canadians teaching 9 50 minute classes a day for 1.9! Why I ask them? Because it's twice what I can make in Canada! But accepting less and teaching more screws it up for ALL teachers.

[Captain Obvious 2.0]

[hellofaniceguy]

I think you are a liar; you do NOT make double the rate of 1.9. Don't make stories. Not even the subway engineer/driver makes over 3.5!