Korean Job Discussion Forums

Qinella · Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Location: the crib

I found out Friday that my hagwon teachers get no time off for Christmas. Apparently, Christmas falls on a weekend this year, and our director doesn't see fit to cancel his hagwon for a few days.

My friend who taught here last year said she got a week off for Christmas, not counting the two weekends that capped the vacation, making it a 9-day vacation. I get nothing and would really like to curse about it.

What do you all get? Is this simply the run of the mill in hagwon land, or is my director a vacation Nazi? When I asked for two days off to go to Thailand, he really had to think about it and almost said no. He's rich, and has never once been outside of Korea and works until 11pm-midnight every day. So I'm hoping perhaps this isn't normal...

Q~

jazblanc77 · Joined: 22 Feb 2004

I don't think we're in Kansas anymore Toto

VanIslander · Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 12:36 am Post subject:

Others have lamented the fact that every holiday between now and the end of January's Lunar New Year falls on the weekend.

Small hagwons can't give a week off of regular Korean work days without losing income.

I too am preparing mentally for the long haul. I'm planning to make the most of the end of January break, as well as the extended vacation I'll give myself at the end of the contract.

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

nope, in my experience hagwons will close for red days and that's about it.

Though it could be worse. My first chirstmas here my school called me at 8.30 telling me that I needed to be packed and ready to move apartments at 10am on boxing day and still had to come into to teach the elementary classes that afternoon. They then charged me a cleaning bill because the apartment wasn't left in good shape (surprise surprise)/

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

Yeah my hagwon only closes on the legal holidays. If it falls on a Sunday, well, tough. Christmas isn't really a family time here, either. Save for maybe the Christian minority. Christmas/New Years is almost the exact opposite in Korea. You hang out with your friends on Christmas Eve/Christmas Day. It's a big drunk. Like Martin Luther King Day. However, New Years you spend with your family.

kprrok · Joined: 06 Apr 2004 Location: KC

I'm getting the week between Christmas and New Year's Day off for regular vacation, one of the 2 weeks I get per year. No big deal that it's on a Sunday.

KPRROK

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

Ya know, there are times when growing up and having responsibilities really sucks.

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

I don't know why people always "expect" Christmas in Korea to be like it is in their home countries.

Korea doesn't look at that holiday as anything more than a "couples holiday." My first year in Korea I got to do what I never got to do before in my life: sleep ALL day on Christmas. It was awesome. It was also my only holiday way back then.

I figure at least they don't have it so we work on Christmas over here, so whats the big deal?

I don't work in a hawgwon but I am pretty sure I have to work the 26th/27th doing admin stuff before the winter holidays start (which are like 2 months...so I can't really complain about xmas holidays, can I?)

Anyways those new to Korea don't get stressed. Go out on the 24th and have a blast. Sleep it off on Christmas.

VanIslander · Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 3:32 am Post subject:

Yeah. We don't work on Christmas, nor on Christmas Eve this year for many of us, since it's a Saturday.

Maybe a Christmas Eve Saturday night get together of otherwise solitary expats is in order.

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

As other people have said...Christmas isn't important to Koreans, about as important as Valentines Day to most and you won't get any time off because of it..

But look on the bright side, we get chuseok and seollal, do you think the Koreans get those times off in western countries????

Qinella · Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Location: the crib

denverdeath · Joined: 21 May 2005 Location: Boo-sahn

Well, I get Christmas off as it falls on a Sunday. However, that may be a Sunday that my poor wife has to work...I hope not. Regardless, we'll make the best of it, same as last year: get the tree and lights up and I'll get her a present and the cat will destroy all the ornaments. Actually, with six different employers and eight years here, I don't think I ever had a break at Christmastime...I'm not complaining as I have had other times off and I have a month this January and maybe another in February depending on how my job search goes. Make the best of it that you can...get together with some people, maybe invite the boss and your co-workers over for a party and some rum and egg-nogs.

Rteacher · Joined: 23 May 2005 Location: Western MA, USA

As far as I know, Christmas is a legal holiday in Korea. Unfortunately, if most any Korean holiday falls on the weekend they don't observe it on the following Monday like they usually do in the U.S.

Two hagwons I've worked at had Christmas trees and some other decorations set up, though, and I brought in (mostly to entertain myself) a Christmas CD featuring songs by Bruce Springsteen, John and Yoko, the Ronnettes, Wham, etc...

My first hagwon director was a total workaholic, and we were lucky to get the legal holiday off. My second director was more easy going, and we got the whole week off...

Saxiif · Joined: 15 May 2003 Location: Seongnam

aaaaaaaaaaah, yet another reason why I love getting paid by the hour. Its reduced the amount of job-related stress I have SO much, you should try to find a hagwon that pays hourly.

Qinella · Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Location: the crib

What is Oliver?

Hey, they sell egg nog in Korea? And where's a good place to buy rum?