To current or former teachers who had an enjoyable experience, I would say first of all, that's great, I'm glad you had a good year, two years or whatever. I'm glad you were able to work so long, finish your contract and leave satisfied with the overall experience.
Then I'd say I'm not trying to bring down YY by writing this blog and I don't want to do anything to hurt the teachers there - past, present or future.
After that I'd say that I think you and all other teachers in Korea (and others) need to be aware of the many types of experiences people have had working in Korea from absolute best to absolute worst.
Even if I were totally satisfied working a some hagwon I would want to know all of these stories.
I can't say though how other teachers would feel. Maybe some wouldn't want to know. I'd have to ask them.
What about Korean mothers sending kids to hagwons or other average Koreans working at all kinds of jobs? If I were them I'd want to know, really would. I can't speak for them of course.
'Til next time.
June 5, 2009
Why Didn't I Quit??
I think people hear stories of teachers in Korea having bad experiences and ask themselves this question, 'Why didn't they quit?'
Everyone would give their own answer. In my case if I think about being at Yes and wanting to quit, I remember that I thought to myself that I should just hold out until the end. I liked some things about the job. I probably didn't want to do the job search again and I am pretty sure that I said to myself that I could find another job after finishing at Yes. Also at the time I was repaying student loans like a lot of people and wanted to send home money every month continuously. Having time between jobs would mean sending home less money or none one month and I wanted those loans gone! ^^
Not long ago I was talking with a young, first year in Korea teacher who wasn't having an overall good time. She said to me her student loans were also one thing that kept her teaching in Korea. I'm happy that she's in her country now.
How many answers would people get to this question? Some things I've thought of over time are these: some foreign teachers have a spouse or relationship with someone living in Korea, westerners take contracts seriously and don't want to break them, resumes - having to write that you worked at some school for something like 4, 6, or 9 months may make it harder to find a job later, not wanting to tell the family that you quit, needing the money, liking some aspects of your job, wanting to stay in Korea for fun, friends or a variety of reasons...others? I would say that a reason a lot of people didn't quit is that they made a decision to hold out until the end and then look for better work as I did. After lots of experience in Korea I believe that to be true.
One more possibility, not wanting to return to one's country, particularly now considering the global economy.
Everyone would give their own answer. In my case if I think about being at Yes and wanting to quit, I remember that I thought to myself that I should just hold out until the end. I liked some things about the job. I probably didn't want to do the job search again and I am pretty sure that I said to myself that I could find another job after finishing at Yes. Also at the time I was repaying student loans like a lot of people and wanted to send home money every month continuously. Having time between jobs would mean sending home less money or none one month and I wanted those loans gone! ^^
Not long ago I was talking with a young, first year in Korea teacher who wasn't having an overall good time. She said to me her student loans were also one thing that kept her teaching in Korea. I'm happy that she's in her country now.
How many answers would people get to this question? Some things I've thought of over time are these: some foreign teachers have a spouse or relationship with someone living in Korea, westerners take contracts seriously and don't want to break them, resumes - having to write that you worked at some school for something like 4, 6, or 9 months may make it harder to find a job later, not wanting to tell the family that you quit, needing the money, liking some aspects of your job, wanting to stay in Korea for fun, friends or a variety of reasons...others? I would say that a reason a lot of people didn't quit is that they made a decision to hold out until the end and then look for better work as I did. After lots of experience in Korea I believe that to be true.
One more possibility, not wanting to return to one's country, particularly now considering the global economy.
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