Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Koreabound2004]

Ok, the 5 Korean Engrish teachers in my school are having a meeting to talk about next year's schedule....this WILL affect me!!!!

They tell me about the meeting, and they can all speak in English(I think), but I am left out of the meeting.

So now, I am watching and listening to the meeting(in Korean), I am sitting 5 feet away at my desk.....I have heard my name about 1000 times in the last 10 minutes.

If they can all speak English, and I am here, isn't this kinda rude?????

Don't they want to practice English with me???? Or no, they are afraid that they will all reveal how bloody incompetent they all are?

P'd off!!!!!!!!

[SpecialK]

And I thought I was the only one that happened to!

I work with no other foreign teachers, and only two Korean teachers. They can both speak English but never do and I also have to listen to them talk non-stop in Korean in our little teachers room. I've decided if they will not make an effort (I've tried starting conversations many times) I will listen to my MP3 player to my hearts content.

[mithridates]

Uh-oh, that's no fun...are you the only non-Korean teacher in the school?

Maybe you should chair the meeting.

[dogbert]

I think that "superior" people should be able to learn Korean well enough to be able to communicate with their cow-orkers.

[SpecialK]

I am learning Korean as fast as I can but it makes it hard to use it when my two other co-workers (both Korean) will not talk. I definitely don't think they should have to speak in only English to accommodate me but if the tables were turned and I worked with two people who couldn't speak English but I could speak their language I would definitely speak the other language from time to time.

I'm not looking for conversation from the moment I get to school till I leave, but my Korean co-workers don't talk to the point where if we get a new student and they are supposed to tell me about it, they don't. I find out when I get to class and I am facing a new student in the crowd.

Unfortunately I am the only foreign teacher at my hagwon so I guess it hits me a little harder when the other 2 teachers here won't speak.

[Grotto]

ahem

May I rebut?

Welcome to Korea. You are not part of the school you are simply there to show up in class, spout English and be a good little waygookin!

Koreans usually resent our presence because we get paid more and work less than they do.

They dont want your input because they are afraid to show their ignorance in speaking to you.

Your first hunch was correct, plug in your MP3's sit back and relax. Trying to get involved will just lead to rejection and frustration.

[Zed]

A lot of the reason that's happened to me is that the director of the school could neither speak nor understand English so the meetings had to be conducted in Korean. Why they insisted that the 6 of us at my first place had to sit through that when we were all in year 1 in Korea and couldn't possibly follow it is beyond me.

Even when they did take advice it was for show as they never actually considered anything that we said. We were just there to give the illusion of participation.

[d503]

Yeah well I have to go to the meetings at my school but the other foreign teacher doesn��t. Pisses me off, so I sit there and try not to bang my head on the walls as they chat chat chat in Korean. The Korean teacher who used to give me the pertinent info later was just fired (oh thank the hagwon gods for their supreme sense of justice) So now when I go I sit and have no clue what is going on and don't know what is going on after even. So I can sympathize, I wonder if they think I don't understand the Korean pronunciation of my name...cause it sure as hell feels like it when they talk about me for like 20 minutes and no one tells me what was said. Also don't give me that you should learn Korean carp, I am trying but they hired me with the knowledge that I spoke no Korean so they should be willing to accommodate me some.

So the meetings are also at 9am on Saturdays or during the split in my shift, neither of which I enjoy giving up.

[Mashimaro]

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Real Reality]

Grotto,
Please say it ain't so. How can you be so negative?

[itaewonguy]

[Koreabound2004]

I am full-time here, and teach more than the average K-teacher. I check their schedules, and I definitely do more, but don't have to plan as much, because English comes easier to me I suppose......But they also claim to be overworked and busy all the time, teaching less than I.

However, it is annoying as someone said earlier, when you know that you are being talked about....although you are not supposed to be the subject of their meeting.

So after the meeting yesterday, the all bowed to one another and said their formal goodbyes or whatever. I didn't acknowledge them at all upon their departure, just sighed, and I hope that they took notice.

I asked what my coteach later what the meeting was about, since I figured MOST of it might be about me...

I was told, "Oh, we just decided who is in charge or what grade..."

Ya, whatever, LOST in TRANSLATION, or purposely not telling me!

Hmmmm.....still p'd off.

[Zed]

[Gollum]