Korean Job Discussion Forums

Bigs · Joined: 15 Oct 2006

Just for a bit of interest - is there anyone else on EPIK/GEPIK who feel like they are getting the bum's rush on their vacation/camp schedules?

(Yes, I know what was in the contract I signed, and yes, I know that it varies from school to school and on your relationship with your school - I'm just interested on other's schedules)

I'm working 2 week long camps (5 days (finish by 1ish I guess?) x 4 straight hours = 20 hours of teaching the same students = headache), one at each of the middle schools I teach at, plus another week (4 hrs strraight each day, but different students each day) camp run by the cty's BoE

60 hours of camps - then I get my vacation (12 days straight - my 7 contracted days, weekends, and a red day in there)

How are your summer "vacation" schedules looking?

The_Conservative · Joined: 15 Mar 2007

40 hours of camp at my school.

lowpo · Joined: 01 Mar 2007

jvalmer · Joined: 06 Jun 2003

Been in epik for 3 years now. So, I don't think I'll be called to do any camps. Last year I only did a grand total of 10 hours for summer camps.

Usually, after year 1 in epik, the province will only use a few "vetern" epik people in their provincal camp. Anything else is done by local schools and that depends on your relationship with the school.

sjk1128 · Joined: 04 Feb 2005

Our school vacation starts July 23rd and ends August 31. That's 6 weeks. I have 4 weeks off and then have to teach for 2 weeks in our camp. I'm not on a GEPIK or EPIK contract - and this is why. Next year I may be as these private contracts seem to be disappearing quickly, particularly in the city. What do you guys have to do the rest of the vacation (if there's no class, no camp, etc.)?

xCustomx · Joined: 06 Jan 2006

I'm taking one week of vacation right after school lets out. Then I'm doing a 2 week camp run by a university. The university is offering 2million, plus I get my regular salary. After the camp I've got 2 more weeks left, but I'm not sure what's happening at that point. My co-teacher seems like she is gonna stick to the contract and not allow any additional days. I'll ask next month once it gets closer to vacation time what I'm expected to do during those 2 weeks.

spliff · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand

We'll probably have a two week camp if we have any...after all, I'll be on vacation after that for 3 weeks. Don't really have any time for more than 2 weeks.

Jizzo T. Clown · Joined: 27 Mar 2006 Location: at my wit's end

Vacation starts July 23 and ends August 31. No camp(s).
Apparently at vocational/tech high schools, there isn't a big demand for English camps in the summer... Confused

sojourner1 · Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 5:07 am Post subject:

That's some good time off along side getting paid extra on top of your salary to do a summer camp. I now believe no hagwon can beat public school job offers, but I was under the impression last fall that public schools required one year of teaching experience. I know many Korean kindergartens are taking one month off, but guess what, kindergarten students are going to hagwons in the afternoon during each day of vacation while the Korean teachers take the month off. I can now see why my co-Korean English teachers and vice-director are tense, stressed, and burned out due to a nonstop school schedule which makes them edgy and tough to work with at times.

Hagwon vacation? 2 weeks locked in for the last week of July and the 1st week of January. That means me and my students go to school a solid 50 weeks a year! No wonder why many hagwon students are rotten, sullen, and burned out. Getting these students to listen, obey, and actively engaged is the painfully exhausting part that wears on you as the months pass by with no vacation. I have been going 6 months straight so far and got a real travel bug itching.

You couldn't get me to sign on with another hagwon. The quality of life is low on account of lacking time off along with the stresses that come with working in a non-stop hectic work place just like in a factory, restaurant, or retail store job where it is an unpleasant grueling grind 50 weeks a year.

cookie7 · Joined: 05 Sep 2006 Location: Suji, Yongin

I have a GEPIK contract and my Korean teacher told me during the 5weeks of vacation that the school has, I can take one week off and the rest of the summer I would have to teach a summer camp for four hours, 5 days a week. Maybe I should re-read my contract since it seems like a lot of you guys don't have camps for the whole summer like I've been told to do.

xCustomx · Joined: 06 Jan 2006

LuckyNomad · Joined: 28 May 2007

Vacation is from July 16-August 22. I have a 4 day camp at a ski-resort which I'm doing with a bunch of other teachers.