Yesterday was Korea's independence day. I asked some people at work what Koreans do for the occasion and the answer I got was "nothing. sit at home. watch tv." Well, ok then. My students seemed pretty tired on Monday anyway, so naptime sounded nice enough. At anyrate, I spent the day in a FORT at Lizzie's with my phone blissfully turned off. No alarms telling me to go anywhere and a break from communicating with the rest of the world. Cell phones sure are handy, but always being available wears me out. Anywho, there was drawing and legos and a Banksy documentary and 30 Rock and Black Books and BEING IN A DAMN FORT. With one of my favorite people. Win.
Also, before work today, I skyped with Jeremy. YES.
So, back to work today. Writing this blog entry to keep from panicking or yelling at Hanna (again...). Two English teachers left. They only hired one new one. I have 7 classes today and 9 tomorrow. I have loads of classes and all kinds of made up new ones where I'm being pimped out as a private tutor (meaning LOADS more new prep for me and LOADS more money for the school). I'm lucky to have seen my schedule at all and now I have to figure out an intense topic for a new student to discuss.....ahhhhhhhhhh
I have to stay later and can't really come in later because of prep time (but that's not sooooooo bad...I only have to be here 7 hours per day to start with)
Also, got in contact with my recruiter. First they told me to "stop being so negative" and I responded that not being prepared for a very real, albeit unpleasant, possibility in a foreign country is stupid and also I love my job (which was more true last week than now.....eeeesh). I got another e-mail which said "oh, right, ignore that e-mail, it was actually for another teacher at a very new school" (nice lie, doood. Were you berry picking and it was so cold that the strawberry's all turned blue?) and then included some mildly practical advice (make sure your pay is always on time...the more they owe you, the less likely you'll get paid at all) which, most importantly, acknowledged the situation. Nothing drives me insane quite like an elephant in the room. That's why I say pretty much everything in my head all the time..
ahhhhhhhhhhh
Also, dear now-head-of-the-English-department,
Why don't you translate when I talk (you can tell) or answer my questions or understand my answers? I need to you to communicate with me and you seem either annoyed with me, as if you think I'm a complete idiot, or as if you're waiting for me to slap you. I know you're stressed, lady and shit's all over and I don't know if my English is intimidating or what and I know we got off to a bad start and I did kind of yell at you last week...but I need you.
sigh. gonna put my e-mail and phone number on her desk. maybe I'll give her another chocopie.
K, got a lot of running today. also, want to see if I can make my laptop print things at work. And I think my classes are going to be observed, so gotta GET ON IT.
I call shenanigans. How many hours are you supposed to be working in your contract? Or is this one of those ha-ha-you-think-contract-is-a-real-word moments?
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your fort moments while you can, I guess...
Just reviewed the contract. My maximum teaching hours are 30 per week and I've got 30 classes. I've heard of "teaching hours" being stretched to being taken quite literally. With 40 minute classes, they've potentially got another 600 minutes they could tell me to teach without officially breaking my contract. And of course, there's a lovely catchall about my schedule. "However, teaching hours shall be flexible in accordance with the institutions schedule." Which, you know, I was aware of going into it. My contract last year had one of those too...something about I could be asked to work at any time any public servant in all of Korea is working. Eeeesh.
ReplyDeletesounds too sticky to wash off without some lava soap, if you know what i'm saying. i hope this school manages to pull its shit together before you really start to suffer. and have they or have they not been able to pay you yet? ah.... yuck.
ReplyDeletethe good news is, you're here in the country-- so if you have to jump ship, at least your sea is crazy-full of other academies, schools, and even universities you could attach yourself to, in that lil town and many others. you'll be fine, fine, fine, oh native speaker with experience and a pretty mug. just sit back and coast.