Summer Vacation Travel Bans

Saw a post (can't remember on here or reddit) about someone's uni banning international travel (with job loss as a consequence for ignoring order) during the upcoming summer vacation.

Has anyone had any mention of this when talking to bosses/co teachers etc... Obviously travel is not going to be easy (perhaps even possible) but just wondering what those in power have told you.

We were told, that your schools probably won't like you traveling but, if you choose to travel, there is a mandatory 14 day self isolation upon return. This time, if you have to do it, you need to use vacation or unpaid days (might be able to ask about sick days if you have lots remaining) to do your 14 days.
So it's recommended you don't travel, or stick to traveling around Korea this summer if you can.

And they hope travel will be normalised by winter.

We were told, that your schools probably won't like you traveling but, if you choose to travel, there is a mandatory 14 day self isolation upon return. This time, if you have to do it, you need to use vacation or unpaid days (might be able to ask about sick days if you have lots remaining) to do your 14 days.
So it's recommended you don't travel, or stick to traveling around Korea this summer if you can.

And they hope travel will be normalised by winter.

With shorter summer vacation, 14 days of self isolation is most likely going to lead to missed days during the second semester. It's understandable that schools would be telling employees to not travel abroad.

With shorter summer vacation, 14 days of self isolation is most likely going to lead to missed days during the second semester. It's understandable that schools would be telling employees to not travel abroad.

We haven't been told not to, we have told "they probably won't like it if you do."
Also, we can use vacation time during the semester now. We could probably start vacation before the summer vacation period (during the dead part after exams in semester 1) and then take unpaid time / rest of vacation time during the summer vacation, to be back at the start of semester 2.
I personally have more vacation days owed than days during the summer vacation period, so my school has to choose which side of the vacation period they want me to take my time off.

We haven't been told not to, we have told "they probably won't like it if you do."

It's a bad look to tell people they can't do something. I'm surprised that some universities would say that and not be a little more subtle to get the message across. I'm sure if you went abroad and missed in semester days because of self isolation rules it would be held against you come renewal time.

It's a bad look to tell people they can't do something. I'm surprised that some universities would say that and not be a little more subtle to get the message across. I'm sure if you went abroad and missed in semester days because of self isolation rules it would be held against you come renewal time.

I'm not at the university level.
Yeah, it probably would be held against you. However, public school contracts allow vacation time to be used during the semester now. it's possible to start vacation before the summer vacation period starts, and do self-isolation during the summer vacation period, and be ready to start semester 2 afterwards. The first couple days of a semester, in a public school, are usually pretty dull anyway.

The odds of people traveling this summer are pretty unlikely, as lot of countries have a forced isolation period of 14 days upon arrival; or have cut off outsiders completely to begin with. And with it being so short, you probably can't get a decent holiday anyway on top of all that.

I'm not at the university level.
Yeah, it probably would be held against you. However, public school contracts allow vacation time to be used during the semester now. it's possible to start vacation before the summer vacation period starts, and do self-isolation during the summer vacation period, and be ready to start semester 2 afterwards. The first couple days of a semester, in a public school, are usually pretty dull anyway.

The odds of people traveling this summer are pretty unlikely, as lot of countries have a forced isolation period of 14 days upon arrival; or have cut off outsiders completely to begin with. And with it being so short, you probably can't get a decent holiday anyway on top of all that.

Are you on a summer contract? I can see why schools need to let those people take in semester days off to use up vacation days. They can tell people on winter contracts to wait until winter vacation to use days off.

I think you're right in that people won't be going abroad so it won't be a concern.

Are you on a summer contract? I can see why schools need to let those people take in semester days off to use up vacation days. They can tell people on winter contracts to wait until winter vacation to use days off.

I think you're right in that people won't be going abroad so it won't be a concern.

Yeah, my contract is Aug 21 - Aug 20. I had a big winter vacation, but still have too many vacation days left over to fit in this reduced summer vacation period, thanks to weekends and public holidays not counting and the renewal days from the previous contract. They'll probably have to do it before vacation as to not risk taking it out of my new contract.
I think some people will still go abroad, is just less people will go abroad. But the options of where they can go and what they can do, will be limited - which is what will put a lot of people off on top of the covid risks, and self-isolation stuff.

I can picture jeju getting crowded this summer.

Yeah, my contract is Aug 21 - Aug 20. I had a big winter vacation, but still have too many vacation days left over to fit in this reduced summer vacation period, thanks to weekends and public holidays not counting and the renewal days from the previous contract. They'll probably have to do it before vacation as to not risk taking it out of my new contract.
I think some people will still go abroad, is just less people will go abroad. But the options of where they can go and what they can do, will be limited - which is what will put a lot of people off on top of the covid risks, and self-isolation stuff.

I can picture jeju getting crowded this summer.

Mentioned Jeju as an option to a few of my coteachers and they looked horrified. It's a no from me dawg. Pretty much the whole of Korea vacationing in one place? I'm out.

Mentioned Jeju as an option to a few of my coteachers and they looked horrified. It's a no from me dawg. Pretty much the whole of Korea vacationing in one place? I'm out.

For me, I'll just be relaxing at home and not going anywhere. I can't stand hot weather to begin with.
However, schools can't stop people from traveling around Korea during vacation.
But, Jeju, and other beach areas around Korea, I can picture being very crowded this summer.

Mentioned Jeju as an option to a few of my coteachers and they looked horrified.

Tell them no other province has LESS infections than Jeju!!!

 That is a fact.

Aside: I am not Saudi Arabian. I am from a free country, a democracy, living in a free democracy, and no one will ban me from travelling except if the police and government physically coerce me. Try to prevent my travels during my time off. The best you can do is stop employing me, in a world FULL of employment opportunities for English Language Teachers.

Game. Set. Match.

fewer

Yes you CAN travel. Should you? If this is still raging, the responsible thing is to stay and travel locally. I know some people are addicted to travel and the dopamine hit it provides, but sadly, you may have to give up that high this year.

but the real question is, why is there even going to be summer vacation????

We've just had 5 months off of school (technically speaking the winter vacation + 3 months of school closure = 5 months of no school)
so why would students need to have the usual August summer break??

If schools start up in late May early June, we should just go straight through to January and have 7 months to finish the year that has already been drastically shortened.

What is the point of coming back to school for 2 months and then have a 1 month summer vacation?   

I'm planning to use all my vacation time in Winter anyways like I always do, so I'd much prefer we just try to salvage and catch up whatever we can of the year by going straight from June to December and get January/February as winter break.

Anyways, I suspect when 1 school reports a tiny outbreak somewhere in the country cuz you know it's going to happen, they will shut down the entire school system again and we're going to be over paranoid and go through this again.  So as I predicted way back in March, the whole year could be lost.

but the real question is, why is there even going to be summer vacation????

We've just had 5 months off of school (technically speaking the winter vacation + 3 months of school closure = 5 months of no school)
so why would students need to have the usual August summer break??

If schools start up in late May early June, we should just go straight through to January and have 7 months to finish the year that has already been drastically shortened.

What is the point of coming back to school for 2 months and then have a 1 month summer vacation?   

I'm planning to use all my vacation time in Winter anyways like I always do, so I'd much prefer we just try to salvage and catch up whatever we can of the year by going straight from June to December and get January/February as winter break.

Anyways, I suspect when 1 school reports a tiny outbreak somewhere in the country cuz you know it's going to happen, they will shut down the entire school system again and we're going to be over paranoid and go through this again.  So as I predicted way back in March, the whole year could be lost.

With winter camps, graduation week, and online learning. It really only came to about missing 5 weeks of school.
And semester 2 should be back to normal with classes, probably with the social distancing measures in place though.

Also, some of us on summer contracts still have vacation time to use before the end of the contract period. Giving a vacation period in which to use it without hindering the school is a good thing

We've been off school for 3 months of school closure??

Why have I been waking up at 6am and sitting at my desk for 8 hours a day for the past 3 months then??

I wish someone would have told me sooner!

but the real question is, why is there even going to be summer vacation????

We've just had 5 months off of school (technically speaking the winter vacation + 3 months of school closure = 5 months of no school)
so why would students need to have the usual August summer break??

If schools start up in late May early June, we should just go straight through to January and have 7 months to finish the year that has already been drastically shortened.

What is the point of coming back to school for 2 months and then have a 1 month summer vacation?   

I'm planning to use all my vacation time in Winter anyways like I always do, so I'd much prefer we just try to salvage and catch up whatever we can of the year by going straight from June to December and get January/February as winter break.

Anyways, I suspect when 1 school reports a tiny outbreak somewhere in the country cuz you know it's going to happen, they will shut down the entire school system again and we're going to be over paranoid and go through this again.  So as I predicted way back in March, the whole year could be lost.

I agree that there is no point going for a short while and then having vacation, however, the students and teachers will need a little bit of a recovery time somewhere in the middle. Students and teachers alike will be stressed about the lost time and making it up, not to mention that the students need to adjust back to being in the classroom and the teachers need to adjust to the students being back.......it will be exhausting

We've been off school for 3 months of school closure??

Why have I been waking up at 6am and sitting at my desk for 8 hours a day for the past 3 months then??

I wish someone would have told me sooner!

Yeah, exactly.  Feels kinda pointless doing that doesn't it? 

With winter camps, graduation week, and online learning. It really only came to about missing 5 weeks of school.
And semester 2 should be back to normal with classes, probably with the social distancing measures in place though.

Also, some of us on summer contracts still have vacation time to use before the end of the contract period. Giving a vacation period in which to use it without hindering the school is a good thing

Yes, good point.  I find you to be quite reasonable.
But I think saying "without hindering the school" is kinda too late in this case.  The year has already been hindered.  What difference is it going to make if the english teacher wanted to take 2 weeks vacation during school?  Are the kids going to miss out on english education so much that this 2 week gap is going to mean the difference between success and failure for the rest of their lives? 

They could easily do without english for a couple weeks if they've been without it for 3 months already.  Or they could easily have english switch over to an online practicum which is what we are doing now.   I don't see how anyone in the education system can complain that the english teacher is going on vacation for 2 weeks during school year when we've already missed 3 months of it. 

It's like pointing out the speck of sand in someone else's eye when there is a plank in yours.    (not you, just the saying).

Yeah, exactly.  Feels kinda pointless doing that doesn't it? 

100%. But that doesn't mean I don't need a vacation. I've been working.