Korean Job Discussion Forums

[fromtheuk]

I have played the game at this school so far. I've done everything my co-teacher has asked, and we seem to have an okay professional working relationship.

I knew it would happen eventually and it did. What?

The open resentment factor. Both myself and the other native teacher share our own office. We get on fine, he is in his early 20's and listens to music on his headphones in his spare time.

He has also been here for a couple of months longer than I have. This is my first year at this school. I was at a different public school for 2 years before I came here.

Resentment - The cleaners clearly bad mouthe my good self with a small male teacher, who screeches like a pitbull, right outside our office door.

It happens sometimes in the afternoon, they clean the toilets outside our office, and the guy teacher, who looks a bit like a dwarf talks nastily with the cleaners. Waygook is used frequently, they regularly walk off in a huff and then shut up.

They are like barking dogs.

Unfortunately, much of the time when I go to the toilet one of my 'superior' colleagues has left their diarrhea unflushed. The number of times the toilet bowl is full of diarrhea would silence any claim Koreans have that their food is healthy.

Why the resentment? Perhaps because I don't eat lunch with them, thank God. But more importantly, they may feel upset because I am not the scumbag foreigner they expect me to be.

I'm an early riser, I live right next to the school. I always get to school before almost everybody else, this doesn't impress these colleagues, but upsets them.

Anyway, I just exited the bathroom to return to my office upstairs, and directly opposite 2 colleagues are making loudish noises and using the word waygook. Again, the tone is derisive.

This time I am being clever. The advice on this forum which recommends you ignore, smile and proceed is my general approach. More importantly, I am keeping things controversy-free with my co-teacher.

The conclusion is don't give them an opportunity to get you into strife. Just let them stew in their own juices.

[blackjack]

I think it is time to accept the fact that maybe it's not them but you?

[AgentM]

[blackjack]

[madoka]

[fromtheuk]

I suppose blackjack is a metaphor for liking diarrhea.

I've been civil and polite, as usual. It's not my shortcoming if others are rude.

AgentM - You're right, some people lead very sad, miserable lives. At least the Principal acknowledged me the other day.

[thoreau]

Do you think the cleaning people are talking about the unflushed diarrhea and the Korean guy is blaming you?

[fromtheuk]

No, because that toilet is on the floor below. I also make a point of flushing the toilet before I leave the bathroom.

[thoreau]

[fromtheuk]

It's doubtful, because sometimes the cleaners go into the bathroom to clean it just after I've used it.

[Karea]

Obviously you've ran out (no pun intended)

[lifeinkorea]

Go in more frequently as a practical joke and leave messages on the door to the stall or in the stall ("Oops, I did it again!!", "What you lookin at?", "Guess what I ate for lunch").

[jonbowman88]

This may sound weird, but why not just ask them if they are angry at you or what they're angry about. Ignoring them will never make the problem go away. If they say they're not mad then you've done what you could. There are so many silly cultural things here they could be mad at. Maybe you're not using 2 hands when receiving something from someone, who knows. If it is something stupid, tell them to talk to you about it next time instead of talking badly about you behind your back. Just ask them, problem solved. Be the bigger man.

[SHANE02]

learn some Korean, then if they give u shit call them on it.

[fromtheuk]

I disagree. Like badly behaved, retarded children, they seek attention, I expect they hope I'll lose it, do something foolish, so they can then spread the word that they knew I was 'a bad foreigner' as they had said all along.

These antics are so obvious and pathetic, I would rather sit next to the diarrhea than some of my 'educated, professional' colleagues.

If I confronted anybody, they could raise a million questions as regards why I thought they were talking about me. My reputation for being the 'paranoid foreigner' would spread throughout the school, and the impudent nasty dwarf would then begin to laugh derisively outside my door, instead of sounding upset.

I like to hear them hit their heads against the same brick wall again and again and........

As teachers, they are not bright enough to realize I will consistently ignore them forever. That approach worked at my last school.

I managed to tire out the opposition until they ended up walking around silently in humiliation and misery. I was laughing inside.

I think one factor that irritates them is I leave work on time, not early or late but on time. Today, as I left work, one of my 'colleagues' shouted 'Goodbye', waving and smiling.

I returned the farewell, with a 'same to you' smile. I like it when people try to patronize me. Like a robot, I behave in the same manner, non-stop.

It'll take them a few months to get it.