Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Suwon4AGT]

Here are the parameters:

1. Small hagwon (around 50 students - mom and pop style hagwon).
2. First confirmed case of one of our kindies getting the swine flu.
3. Director has decided to close down the morning side of the business (kindies in the morning, elementary kids in the afternoon) for the week. Hasn't decided yet whether to shut down the afternoon sessions.
4. I have 4 months to go - no plans to renew the contract.

What I'm worried about is that this hagwon isn't very large and something like this could wreck the business. The location is on the far country outskirts of Suwon, and during my time here, student population has fluctuated due to bad location.

How concerned should I be? I'm so close to the finish line, but if something were to happen to the hagwon now and I was forced to go home, it would really put me in a huge bind. I'm about 2-3 months away from meeting my financial/savings goals.

Any advice/thoughts appreciated.

[Teddycakes21]

[sketcha]

closing the school for a week could be big trouble for a small hagwon like yours

if worst comes to worst, get a letter of release, extend your visa and look for jobs while you're still here -

potential employers will like you because you're already here (they dont need to pay for your airfare)

but signing with a new school will mean 12 more months of teaching

[Captain Obvious]

I'd have trouble not sweating it if I was in that situation. The owner's probably wigging out and doesn't know what to do himself. I'd have my resume and LOR ready just in case.

[mysterious700]

Put enough money away to cover your flight and maybe a little more to act as a safety net, just in case.

[Suwon4AGT]

Thanks for the responses! The hagwon elected to stay open for the non-kindies. Damage control seems to be ok for now. But there isn't a day/week/month that goes by where it seems like that this business is on the brink of falling apart. It's not just the mom and pop thing, but the way Koreans seem to do business. Not a lot of planning and forethought going into it, IMO.

[lifeinkorea]

There isn't much you can do. If you leave now, they might hold it against you (plus other schools will wonder why you "left"). If you ride it out and it tanks, you are more like to get a LOR and be able to find another school.