Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Spionen]

I think I'm going to get fired soon.*

I've been assuming that if and when I'm booted, I'd have to pay back the airfare cost for getting here. It occurred to me not five minutes ago that this MAY not be the case- I may only have to pay it back if I actually quit.

My contract has the following infuriatingly vague note on the matter: "If the teacher fails to complete the contract through his or her own fault, the teacher shall pay back the total amount paid by the employer for airplane ticket." I have no idea if getting fired counts as my fault or not; it's not as though I've been turning up late or abusing students or anything.

I imagine that nobody else will be able to magically understand exactly what's meant by that clause, but it would be helpful to know if paying back airfare after getting fired is standard in Korea or not...

Thanks in advance.


*(Disclaimer disclaimer disclaimer: I don't feel that it's through any fault of my own, although I'm obviously very biased here. I've always been polite to the director and I've never had any confrontations with him. This was my first teaching job, so I may not have been the world's greatest teacher, but I did my very best and was certainly not horrible. The director has has never seemed to like me much, though, a fact which led to me periodically checking the website of the recruiter he uses to see if there's an offer for my job. A month ago, there wasn't. When I checked the other day, there was. So now I suppose it's just a matter of time until he tells me I'm getting the sack).

[Pa Jan Jo A Hamnida]

Midnight Run.

[Goon-Yang]

All your boss/director has to d is give you a notice that says "you are a bad teacher" and it's your fault. If you feel that uncomfortable about the place I say you take Pa Jan Jo A Hamnida's advice.

[dirving]

Hi,

Do you feel that the co-teacher(s) and Principal like you? I'd need to know more about your relationships at school before dispensing advice to you.

Abusing students is completely acceptable for the Korean teachers in public schools and hogwons even though it is against the law. You'll get the axe if your co-teachers decide that they do not like you or if one of the parents decides that they dislike you for any reason they invent - including insisting to your co-teachers that juvenile delinquents/students stop throwing 4.5 ounce marble Dies and swearing at you.

You could even get the axe for not bowing the right way to a younger teacher or one of the county bus drivers. You could get the axe for swearing under your breath 150 feet off campus if a middle school punk overhears you and cries to his friend's momma about it.

Actually trying to help the kids learn Phonics and obeying the EPIK demand that you share your nation's culture could get you the heave ho as well. Doing one's job is dangerous for the foreign teacher's financial well being in the very impoverished village schools where I worked until a couple of weeks ago.

Many, many Koreans are corrupt, and lying is normal in their culture. PM me for advice that is tailored to your particular situation.

[Spionen]

dirving,

I'm interested in what you have to say. I haven't posted enough to have PM privileges, though.

I have a good relationship with the other Korean teachers at my hagwon, but I dislike the director and have a strong feeling it's mutual. As I mentioned in the OP, we've never had an outright argument or raised our voices or anything like that. He does often call me into his office and describe a list of complaints he has about me and my teaching style (things which every other teacher there also does, so I feel that it's personal rather than a genuine desire to raise standards in the school). My typical response is a polite "okay, I understand, I'll do my best to implement the changes you suggested." Followed, of course, by a genuine effort to do so, regardless of whether or not the other teachers continue to do the things he told me not to do.

I'm not terribly upset about the prospect of getting fired. In fact, the only other thread I've ever made on this forum was about a month ago when I asked whether or not it made sense for me to do a midnight run, so it's not as though I'm devastated by the idea of not being able to remain at work/in Korea for my full contract period.

I'd essentially already made up my mind to leave sometime in June- now, assuming I get fired- which seems like a very safe assumption, given the new job posting- I have to decide whether or not to midnight-run it or wait until the school's contractual 2-months' notice for firing is up (which at this point would be in June anyway) and go then.

So one of the major deciding factors is whether or not I'd have to pay back the plane ticket USA->Korea which they paid. If I don't, great, I'd probably stay until they're ready for me to leave and get my housing deposit back and all. If I do... well, they're firing me for basically no reason, so screw 'em. I might run.

[mr.whiskers]

[afsjesse]

Spionen,

I was kind of in a similar situation as you were. When I was working for a hagwon the director always brought me into his office about once a month to give me a list of "complaints from parents." Like you I was polite and focused on improving myself... until he accused me of giving a child a nightmare. That's when I totally lost all respect for him.

Take my advice. First, your director isn't going to give you no notice, even if it's in the contract. Contracts aren't worth anything in Korea. Second, if you do get fired, just buy a ticket and go to the airport. Voila! No airfare will be paid back. There is no blacklist and your visa is soon to expire so you can always get another job after June. However, if you do run, i'd make sure it's after your last payday, otherwise you wont get your last months pay.

[peonnette]

Wow, I was in a very similar situation just recently. I realize how disheartening it can be. I did a runner. Very easy, just book that ticket and go. Your director's number 1 interest is how to milk as much money from you, not your welfare. Do yourself a favor and do NOT feel obligated to pay them--they got their money's worth already.

[oskinny1]