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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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thu_tinh
Joined: 27 Sep 2006
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 Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 3:18 am Post subject: Should I buy gifts for the co-teachers? |
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| As you all know christmas is coming up. It's my first year here so I'm not sure how things work but should I be buying small gifts for the principal, vice principal and my co-teachers? |
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crazylemongirl
Joined: 23 Mar 2003
Location: almost there...
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| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 3:23 am Post subject: |
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I buy small gifts my co-teachers and principal.
Get a box (and I mean a nice box) of imported chocolates for the co-teachers. 10k each
Male vice-principals and principals get top-shelf booze. You need to spend the most on your principal.
Female principals 'something pretty' eg. a nice picture holder, letter opener etc.
Also to really win friends go and get a really big tin of those danish butter cookies from costco for the staffroom and one for the office. 15k |
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Muramasa blade
Joined: 26 Sep 2006
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| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 5:02 am Post subject: |
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| Do you have good co-teachers? Has your principal or vince-principal done anything for you? If not, screw it. |
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crazylemongirl
Joined: 23 Mar 2003
Location: almost there...
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| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 5:10 am Post subject: |
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| Muramasa blade wrote: |
| Do you have good co-teachers? Has your principal or vince-principal done anything for you? If not, screw it. |
Probably the stupidest thing I've read on Dave's in a while. Korea runs on gifts as a way to improve relationships. You don't give a gift to reward good deed, you give the gift to receive them.
Doesn't have to be expensive, but at the very least you should be giving your co-workers some food every once and awhile to let them know that you value them. That's the way that contracts magically bend in your favor in many places, especially public schools. |
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Delirium's Brother
Joined: 08 May 2006
Location: Out in that field with Rumi, waiting for you to join us!
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| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 5:15 am Post subject: |
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| Thank-you CrazyLemonGirl!!! |
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Tjames426
Joined: 06 Aug 2006
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| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 6:07 am Post subject: |
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I often buy small packets of chocolate for my co-teachers to enjoy. When I did my visa run, I brought back a box of goodies from Japan. I brought the female director some perfume and make-up as well.
I will be going back to Japan for Christmas weekend. I'll bring something back to them again.
There are a ton of small things you can do to show appreciation at your work place.
Course the Korean teachers ignore me a lot of times cause their English is bad or etc... . Not, that I am complaining. But I have not had a fifth of the strife a lot of you seem to be having. |
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Muramasa blade
Joined: 26 Sep 2006
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| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 6:21 am Post subject: |
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| quote="crazylemongirl"][quote="Muramasa blade"]Do you have good co-teachers? Has your principal or vince-principal done anything for you? If not, screw it. |
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Probably the stupidest thing I've read on Dave's in a while. Korea runs on gifts as a way to improve relationships. You don't give a gift to reward good deed, you give the gift to receive them.
Doesn't have to be expensive, but at the very least you should be giving your co-workers some food every once and awhile to let them know that you value them. That's the way that contracts magically bend in your favor in many places, especially public schools. |
Thank you for your opinion. I'm glad I've been able to entertain you. Perhaps you've been really lucky. Perhaps you've never had co-teachers that felt threatened by you, were antagonistic, useless, etc. If you think that a 10k box of chocolates is going to turn these people around, you might be overly optimistic.
I agree that buying the odd gift now and then might be a good idea. But the fact that you believe you need to buy gifts to get good treatment is odd to say the least. Giving gifts shouldn't be a determining factor in how flexible they are with your contract, being a good teacher should. Why not be more honest with yourself and give them little envelopes of money?
I work at six different schools, with at least two co-teachers. If I were to buy a gift for each co-teacher, the principal and vice-principal it would come out to quite a bit of money. Especially if I have to do it more than once. I'm more than willing to buy gifts for people who've been nice, have a good personality, etc. However, it makes me sick to think of buying gifts for people who've been horrible.
I do, however, thank you for your ideas. I will buy some chocolates for some of my co-workers. |
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Ianinilsan
Joined: 05 Dec 2006
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 6:45 am Post subject: |
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| Male vice-principals and principals get top-shelf booze. |
What would you call "top-shelf booze"?
You must have a lot of money to spend. I can't afford to spend that much on people who don't seem to care about anything I do. |
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mindmetoo
Joined: 02 Feb 2004
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| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 3:23 pm Post subject: |
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I certainly give my coteachers/boss gifts when I come back from Canada. Mostly because they cover shifts, etc. Christmas I always bring in a couple bottles of wine, some cheese/crackers, cake, cookies, etc for all the staff. Mostly in recognition that they work harder and longer than I do. Without them, I don't have the cushy job I have.
A great way to foster good relations is bring in your coworkers a bunch of street food, like gold fish bread or hotduk. It's cheap and its comfort food to Koreans. If you can't blow 10K won a month on your coworkers, you're one cheap bastard. Of course if they're catty jerks, then screw it. But if you start off the relationship right from day one with humility and gratitude for the small efforts made on your behalf, you really are in a better position.
Your immediate coworkers, just let them know you're thankful for all their help. Even if you feel they didn't do a lot, it's a fair excuse to pass on a gift and foster better relations.
Yeah, you can go in, punch a clock, collect your paycheck, and then go home and drink. But some people value a good work environment and friendly coworker interactions. |
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Boodleheimer
Joined: 10 Mar 2006
Location: working undercover for the Man
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| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 3:27 pm Post subject: |
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i'm getting my co-workers little 3-packs of Ferrero-Rocher. even the ones that suck.
i'm getting my principal and vice-principal bottles of my home-brewed beer, and a ferrero-rocher for the principal to show he's more important. |
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riley
Joined: 08 Feb 2003
Location: where creditors can find me
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| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 3:57 pm Post subject: |
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| For my coworkers, I'm buying airline bottles of booze from the liquor store nearby. I gave them candy canes also. I'm also bringing in some homemade eggnog for people to try. |
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ella
Joined: 17 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 6:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Do your co-workers get you gifts? Is this an exchange or a one-way thing? |
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xox
Joined: 11 Jun 2006
Location: Bundang
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| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 6:49 pm Post subject: |
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i was wondering about this too.
my co-teachers don't give me things except for one who always seems to be giving me things, so for sure I was going to get her a nice gift. But I'm not sure about the others. Possibly small boxes of chocolates would be nice, but I did get them all gifts after a trip I had to Kumgangsan mountain recently.
In general I'm in another building so I don't generally see the other teachers so I was thinking of leaving a box or two of cookies in the main office, however, there is the treasury office should I worry about them?
Of course principal is someone I never see as well but I would have to get him a gift if I get just boxes of chocolates does it just mean that his has to be better/more than the vice principal? |
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thu_tinh
Joined: 27 Sep 2006
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| Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 7:06 pm Post subject: |
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but buying something for the main office is difficult for me because the teachers are all scattered everywhere. they all have their own offices and such. would it be better if I buy a bunch of those rice cakes with the red bean paste in the middle and hand them out?
how much do they usually cost anyways? |
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Muramasa blade
Joined: 26 Sep 2006
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| Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 12:11 am Post subject: |
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| mindmetoo wrote: |
I certainly give my coteachers/boss gifts when I come back from Canada. Mostly because they cover shifts, etc. Christmas I always bring in a couple bottles of wine, some cheese/crackers, cake, cookies, etc for all the staff. Mostly in recognition that they work harder and longer than I do. Without them, I don't have the cushy job I have.
A great way to foster good relations is bring in your coworkers a bunch of street food, like gold fish bread or hotduk. It's cheap and its comfort food to Koreans. If you can't blow 10K won a month on your coworkers, you're one cheap *beep*. Of course if they're catty jerks, then screw it. But if you start off the relationship right from day one with humility and gratitude for the small efforts made on your behalf, you really are in a better position.
Your immediate coworkers, just let them know you're thankful for all their help. Even if you feel they didn't do a lot, it's a fair excuse to pass on a gift and foster better relations.
Yeah, you can go in, punch a clock, collect your paycheck, and then go home and drink. But some people value a good work environment and friendly coworker interactions. |
Yeah, I agree with most of your post. It's good to maintain a good work environment. Although I believe a lot more can be accomplished by talking, getting to know each other, and yes, sharing food. You've provided some good ideas even a cheap *beep* can afford.
I'm not sure who you're referring to as a cheap *beep*. If it's just a general observation, that's fine. If you're referring to me, well, that might be a little off base. Let's use CLG's figures as a point of reference in my situation.
I work at 6 schools, with at least two co-teachers. Let's buy each co-teacher a box of 10,000 won chocolates=120 000 won. Now let's buy each vice principal and principal a bottle of "top-shelf" booze 6X 40,000 (assuming a bottle of "top shelf" booze costs around 20,000 won)= 240 000 won. And to really win them over, I should buy them 15,000 won butter cookies, so 6X15,000=90 000 won. If you add that all up, you should get 450 000 won. Let's say that I didn't buy this stuff on a monthly basis, but only every time that I switched schools, 450 000X3=1.35 M.
I don't know about you, but 1.35 million is a bit much to choke down. I realize I'm using an extreme example, citing CLGs suggestions. Some of the other suggestions are more doable. And yes, I don't always work at six schools, sometimes I work at five, so you can knock a few hundred thousand won off.
If not spending this kind of money makes me a cheap *beep*, so be it. I have given gifts in the past, but these posts have made me think more about giving back, and I will implement some of the better ie. cheaper ideas. |
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