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ra-ting
Joined: 12 Jul 2007
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 Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 2:40 am Post subject: Mapo Ewha Insititute reputation...? |
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Hi guys, i wonder if you can help me out. This is very important so any input or information would be very useful.
I have a pending contract with the Mapo Ewha Language Insititute in Seoul, however i have seen it blacklisted on one site, and there was a rather negative thread concerning it on Dave's as well.
I have to make a decision whether to go there or not very soon, can anyone tell me anything worth knowing about the school from past experiences or its current state? Does it pay on time, is the accomodation good? etc.
Please, any info you have would be so appreciated, as it could determine the outcome of my next year in Korea. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 5:37 am Post subject: Re: Mapo Ewha Insititute reputation...? |
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| ra-ting wrote: |
Hi guys, i wonder if you can help me out. This is very important so any input or information would be very useful.
I have a pending contract with the Mapo Ewha Language Insititute in Seoul, however i have seen it blacklisted on one site, and there was a rather negative thread concerning it on Dave's as well.
I have to make a decision whether to go there or not very soon, can anyone tell me anything worth knowing about the school from past experiences or its current state? Does it pay on time, is the accomodation good? etc.
Please, any info you have would be so appreciated, as it could determine the outcome of my next year in Korea. |
Their recent history has been to pay late or not pay at all. Most of the teachers there in the last 2 years have lost their severance and deposits and have paid for and not received their pension/medical benefits.
This has been due to financial troubles with the school and may have changed but the only way to know for sure is to check with current teachers about the current state of affairs.
When it comes to the school - again - repeat - Do your own DUE DILLIGENCE.
1st - READ the contract over very carefully. If that doesn't scare you away then...
The best you can do is minimize the risk by talking to MORE THAN ONE of the foreign staff and ask POINTED AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS (*when the boss is NOT listening over their shoulder). Don't accept non-specific answers and broad generalizations.
No foreign staff references to talk to = walk away now.
Accept NO EXCUSES for any reason.
The hard questions to ask AND get acceptable answers to ARE:
-What are the hours? (start time / stop time / breaks).
-How many classes per day, week, month? NOT hour many hours per month. 30 classroom hours can mean anything from 1350 -1800 minutes per week standing in front of the class. The difference can be up to 7.5 HOURS in front of the class EACH WEEK.
-Do they ALWAYS pay on time? (no=red flag 1)
-Do they pay at the end of your month or do they have a hold back period (5-10 days after your month end) to prevent runners? (no=red flag 2)
-Do they really pay overtime or avoid it with creative book keeping? (no=red flag 3)
-Do you get credit for classes on the national holidays or do you get the day off but still have to work your 120 hours before you get overtime? (no=red flag 4)
-Do they have national medical (with the little booklet)? (no=red flag 5)
-Do they pay into pension? (no=red flag 6) These two are legal requirements (not optional) and are usually NOT complied with (to your detriment).
-What about the holidays? 10 or more WORKING days? (legal requirement here) (no=red flag 7)
-When and how do you get your holidays?
-What extra stuff do you really have to do - mentioned or not in the contract.
-Then consider the quality of life issues - things that are important to you that aren't mentioned here (housing, furnishings, THE BATHROOM, access to recreational facilities, shopping, banking).
Do they take additional deposits in addition to the delay in payday? (yes=red flag Cool
I would also like to mention for comparison:
My co-worker who is a green as grass, fresh of the boat newbie gets a base salary of 2.1 mil per month for 22 classes of 40 minutes each.
She gets 20k won for each 40 minute class over 22 per week and works from 8:30-4:30 each day. She usually averages 26 classes per week and her salary works out to about 2.5 mil per month.
She also gets (as required by law and ignored by most hakwons) NHIC medical, pension, severance, non-shared housing, airfare and 4 weeks annual PAID vacation.
Do NOT be in a rush to sign anything. There is NO rush or urgency in spite of what your recruiter may tell you.
Take your time. The job (or more likely a better one) will still be there next week and probably next month too.
There are 30,000 openings in Korea each year and only about 25,000 applicants to fill those jobs each year.
I hope that has been of some help. |
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Roch
Joined: 24 Apr 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 6:05 am Post subject: |
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When Cho Young Gin was the owner, he ripped all of us for millions and millions of won and had a bunch of his Korean employees attempt a home invasion on my apartment near Daeheung Station.
I had three foreign teachers as witnesses to their knife-wielding assault. The U.S. Embassy finally got the police from the little station next door to Daeheung Station to arrest Michael Min, Cho, and his buds.
Perhaps normal Koreans run the place now. |
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dutchy pink
Joined: 06 Feb 2007
Location: Incheon
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| Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 6:16 am Post subject: |
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That is the biggest red flag right there.
The 2 previous posters.
Don't do it.
I met a school owner in New York before I came here. He was/is a very reputable guy. He told me, I'm not hiring a teacher for another 4 months... but I wanted to leave NY asap. His advice was just fly here and then have your pick of the litter. Obviously, the free flight is a big thing, but if you have the money, you'll make it back in 3 months max and work at a good school and maybe even get the flight reimbursed if you ask.
If you have the money, just come here. The past 6 months that is my only complaint about Korea. Not Being here before I signed the contract.
And granted, I work in a great school. |
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ra-ting
Joined: 12 Jul 2007
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| Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 6:07 pm Post subject: |
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Wow Roch, that sounds pretty intense man. Do you have any idea if the ownership has exhanged hands? Im obviously not going if its the same owner...that sounds like the worst experience ever.
ttompatz- I understand exactly what you're saying, but it is very difficult for non-North Americans to find a school in downtown Seoul, that is why this makes for a difficult decision. I have found only three offers that are suitable location and hours wise, this is why i am considering Ewha.
Yeah the flights are a big thing though, really need them to be paid for.
Any more news on Ewha anyone? Like any recent experiences? The school might have changed over the last few years. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 1:49 am Post subject: |
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| ra-ting wrote: |
Wow Roch, that sounds pretty intense man. Do you have any idea if the ownership has exhanged hands? Im obviously not going if its the same owner...that sounds like the worst experience ever.
ttompatz- I understand exactly what you're saying, but it is very difficult for non-North Americans to find a school in downtown Seoul, that is why this makes for a difficult decision. I have found only three offers that are suitable location and hours wise, this is why i am considering Ewha.
Yeah the flights are a big thing though, really need them to be paid for.
Any more news on Ewha anyone? Like any recent experiences? The school might have changed over the last few years. |
So you want to party... get a school in the burbs with a good reputation and use the subway to get downtown and a cab to get home. Cabs are cheap here and will cost you less over the course of a year than your lost severance. Party till 5am and take the train home. There is no shortage of clubs, bars and fun places close to anywhere in Seoul.
Base your decision on the nightlife rather than the work conditions and you will be pulling a runner 3 months in with no cash in your pocket or you will be stuck because you can't leave. Don't take my word for it. Ask the thousands who have posted on the blacklists over the years.
You got your priorities back asswards. You better bring your KY-jelly. Sounds like you're gonna need it.
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