RANTING/VENTING MEGATHREAD 3.0

"Aren't you cold!?"
No, I'm not! Stop asking me!

Gotta prepare myself for this every day until May.  Because I refuse to wear my coat indoors like a heathen.

I am so sad, lonely, and depressed in this country.

I know the job is easy. I know I shouldn't be complaining.

But every single day is a struggle and I still have 161 left on my countdown app.

(more of a whine/moan than a rant/vent, but whatever)

Just when I thought I had the KEB Hana EZ  bank account figured out my school sends me a message that my remittance had been rejected even after a "success" text message from KEB Hana Bank...

A friend came to visit me a while back, and said as she used a public toilet, a cleaner was there.  When it came time to empty the paper bin next to the toilet......she tipped it all in the toilet and fluashed it!  The paper in the bin is about habbit, and not plumbing.  Basically, if it has a modern toilet, it can cope with paper.

The toilets weren't the problem. Korean toilet paper used to be F-grade or something. We're talking splinters!

It's not about the toilet or the paper, it's the pipes (or possibly a combination thereof). You should look at the age of the building itself, not the toilet, because older and cheaper buildings have the narrow pipes that always get clogged, and newer or more expensive buildings mave more modern plumbing. My building can handle toilet paper because it was built in the last 4 years, but one of my friends isn't allowed to flush toilet paper because her building is super old. The toilet is brand new, but the pipes can't handle it.

But - anyone who says this job is 'easy' probably either a) doesn't care about their job very much, or b) is really bad and lazy at their job.

I think a large majority of people who have previously worked in professional fields may find this job very easy. The main thing is that excluding stupid co-teachers (the ones that tell you something one day, then tell you not to do it the next day because they have self confidence issues) the jobs we do here are generally easy.

Korean's award and get very excited about average performance, so they don't really expect much from us because they believe that Korean people work very hard, and westerners don't. They don't understand the difference between "work long hours" and "work hard".

But - anyone who says this job is 'easy' probably either a) doesn't care about their job very much, or b) is really bad and lazy at their job.

I think a large majority of people who have previously worked in professional fields may find this job very easy. The main thing is that excluding stupid co-teachers (the ones that tell you something one day, then tell you not to do it the next day because they have self confidence issues) the jobs we do here are generally easy.

Korean's award and get very excited about average performance, so they don't really expect much from us because they believe that Korean people work very hard, and westerners don't. They don't understand the difference between "work long hours" and "work hard".

It think the fact that I find this job super hard definitely doesn't make me a good teacher. It makes me a try-hard and a newbie. But I feel like when/if I get good at this job, it will come more instinctively to me, and therefore be easy.

Just had another aftershock in Gyeongju. Rather than posting a bunch of articles scaring people I posted something about asking "Whats your favourite earthquake song?!" Cuz some people might need a little laugh. And of course people get offended. This is going to continue happening. What is the use of posting all these prediction articles that are probably BS?! You can't predict when an earthquake will happen. They've been predicting the big one in California for ages. People are also capable of looking up what to do in an earthquake themselves. I'm sure they already have. So sue me for trying to cheer people up with a little humour. 

But - anyone who says this job is 'easy' probably either a) doesn't care about their job very much, or b) is really bad and lazy at their job.

I think a large majority of people who have previously worked in professional fields may find this job very easy.

Yes. I've worked in three industires and if you truly think this job is hard than you obviously havent had much work experience in other professional fields.
I've been teaching now for 10 years and yes this job is absolutely easy. It has nothing to do with laziness. I have taught in 4 countries, to students of about 30 different languages, from ages to 1 to 90. The Korean method makes it even easier and concurrently more boring.

Just had another aftershock in Gyeongju. Rather than posting a bunch of articles scaring people I posted something about asking "Whats your favourite earthquake song?!" Cuz some people might need a little laugh. And of course people get offended. This is going to continue happening. What is the use of posting all these prediction articles that are probably BS?! You can't predict when an earthquake will happen. They've been predicting the big one in California for ages. People are also capable of looking up what to do in an earthquake themselves. I'm sure they already have. So sue me for trying to cheer people up with a little humour. 

Honestly if we have another big one like the first one I might have to leave. These earthquakes are seriously wearing on my nerves and the fact that there have been so many in a small area recently has really gotten me worried...

Just had another aftershock in Gyeongju. Rather than posting a bunch of articles scaring people I posted something about asking "Whats your favourite earthquake song?!" Cuz some people might need a little laugh. And of course people get offended. This is going to continue happening. What is the use of posting all these prediction articles that are probably BS?! You can't predict when an earthquake will happen. They've been predicting the big one in California for ages. People are also capable of looking up what to do in an earthquake themselves. I'm sure they already have. So sue me for trying to cheer people up with a little humour. 

Honestly if we have another big one like the first one I might have to leave. These earthquakes are seriously wearing on my nerves and the fact that there have been so many in a small area recently has really gotten me worried...

That one just before was a 3.5.
I understand it's scary. But having many in a small area is exactly the way earthquakes work. There is nothing unusual about this series of quakes. Other than them being in Korea which is obviously not synonymous with seismic activiy.

Just had another aftershock in Gyeongju. Rather than posting a bunch of articles scaring people I posted something about asking "Whats your favourite earthquake song?!" Cuz some people might need a little laugh. And of course people get offended. This is going to continue happening. What is the use of posting all these prediction articles that are probably BS?! You can't predict when an earthquake will happen. They've been predicting the big one in California for ages. People are also capable of looking up what to do in an earthquake themselves. I'm sure they already have. So sue me for trying to cheer people up with a little humour. 

Honestly if we have another big one like the first one I might have to leave. These earthquakes are seriously wearing on my nerves and the fact that there have been so many in a small area recently has really gotten me worried...

That one just before was a 3.5.
I understand it's scary. But having many in a small area is exactly the way earthquakes work. There is nothing unusual about this series of quakes. Other than them being in Korea which is obviously not synonymous with seismic activiy.

That helps a bit. I don't know a whole lot about earthquakes other than that they're scary and I want to stay away from them. I've never experienced an earthquake back home.

I get that. I lived in Japan for a few years and that was my first experience with them. Very scary to start with. But I guess like anything, you get used to it.

My first 3 years I worked at an all boys high school.  It was so great. Kids were hilarious. Had my own office where I had a kettle, microwave, and privacy! I controlled the heat or aircon!! I even had tissue for the bathroom!  Then EPIK was like no more high schools! and here I am teaching middle school/elementary school in the teachers office, never get a chance alone, kids are brats, and everyone has a comment because I bring my own damn lunch. Nice co teachers but would do anything to go back ㅠㅠ I like teaching in Korea but wish I could do it how I once did.

My first 3 years I worked at an all boys high school.  It was so great. Kids were hilarious. Had my own office where I had a kettle, microwave, and privacy! I controlled the heat or aircon!! I even had tissue for the bathroom!  Then EPIK was like no more high schools! and here I am teaching middle school/elementary school in the teachers office, never get a chance alone, kids are brats, and everyone has a comment because I bring my own damn lunch. Nice co teachers but would do anything to go back ㅠㅠ I like teaching in Korea but wish I could do it how I once did.

I never had my own office, but at least before I had my own cubicle. Now they crammed all the subject teachers together in a tiny side office. We also have an open floor plan where everyone can see my computer screen. People are constantly coming and going and the female teachers are so loud. Yuck.

Also, someone broke my expensive headphones I left in my desk. They tried to tape them back together. WTF?

I get that. I lived in Japan for a few years and that was my first experience with them. Very scary to start with. But I guess like anything, you get used to it.

I experienced earthquakes in Japan too, but always on the ground or basement floor. I've been in my 9th floor apartment for every earthquake except the tiny one today (which I didn't even feel), and already suffering from insomnia ... otherwise I don't think it'd be so bad haha

In one week this ridiculous open class will be over and my coteacher will stop freaking out about it. Now she's concerned that it's too long after worrying about it being too short. I'm pretty sure it's going to be fine, and she's severely underestimating how quickly the students do things. She thinks a game will take 15 minutes when I know it will take 5 or 6 top. Since she thought it was too long I recommended she cut the song at the beginning, but she keeps pretending not to hear or understand me when I suggest that. I don't know why she's so deadset on making them sing but I would really rather not when we have 20 other teachers plus the principle and VP watching.
 
She also was wondering about showing them a picture and getting them to guess what the question was, and she asked me if she would have to print them. I replied that yes, if she wants to have a physical piece of paper she'll have to print the pictures. She let out a cry of anguish and dismay and went on a mini rant about how we have "too much materials" for this open class. I don't know what to do with her but in one week it will all be over.

Also I thought my keratosis pilaris was finally disappearing, but since moving here it's just migrated down to my forearms. 

tl:dr open class prep 

But - anyone who says this job is 'easy' probably either a) doesn't care about their job very much, or b) is really bad and lazy at their job.

I think a large majority of people who have previously worked in professional fields may find this job very easy.

Yes. I've worked in three industires and if you truly think this job is hard than you obviously havent had much work experience in other professional fields.
I've been teaching now for 10 years and yes this job is absolutely easy. It has nothing to do with laziness. I have taught in 4 countries, to students of about 30 different languages, from ages to 1 to 90. The Korean method makes it even easier and concurrently more boring.

 

Yeah, I've worked a variety of jobs and find Korea is, by far, the easiest most stress free job that I've ever had.  Anyone who finds this job even a smidge difficult has obviously never had to work very hard in life.

this is a minor annoyance but i really wish they would keep the toilet paper in the bathrooms stocked at my school. no hand dryers or paper towels i accepted easily. i keep my own TP at my desk now but sometimes i've had to go to like 4 or 5 bathrooms just to find some, and it'll stay that way for days and days. are they trying to save? is it just not in the budget? do the people here just not care about kids running around with no access to toilet paper at school? i know the cleaning ladies go in there more often than they restock the toilet paper because they empty out the trashes. just.. do better, c'mon.


and if someone is going to reply to this with some annoying word vomit about how constant access to toilet paper is a wasteful western invention and we really don't need it as evidenced by how koreans have magically self-cleaning asses, i don't care. i really don't care.

Anyone who would literally call access to toilet paper 'western intervention' is silly.

Actually, 99% of homeroom teachers keep some toilet paper in their classroom, and most students keep some or have a friend who keeps some in their little cubby locker or bag.

So, the school doesn't stock it because dumb kids will make a mess out of it and waste it, and also it's just expected that people will have their own toilet paper, or borrow from a friend, because that's normal.

I was lucky, I've always had washrooms for teachers at all my schools, and they always have toilet paper, because teachers aren't going to grab it and run through the halls or cover the bathroom in it.

That's fine for when they are in homeroom, but I often see kids in between classes run into the stalls with absolutely nothing, do their business, and then run out. No one is giving them toilet paper in those situations.  My coteachers don't give students toilet paper when they leave in the middle of class and they never ask me for it. Granted, it's the younger students I see doing this. I'm sure the 6th graders are a little bit more conscientious.

"and also it's just expected that people will have their own toilet paper, or borrow from a friend, because that's normal." Yes I know, as everyone knows access to toilet paper isn't just a western thing. It was a joke about how completely useless the majority of responses on here are. Kind of like telling someone who has lived in Korea for three years that people generally carry toilet paper on them.

My point was I wish the bathrooms had toilet paper, I don't care about their reasons or how they make up for it sometimes.

There's a lot of toilet paper everywhere in this country. But damn you if you flush it down the toilet. I have seen messages on stall doors for ages in both Korean and English: Don't flush the toilet paper down the toilet. I understand that Korea has small pipes, but toilet paper is made to dissolve. And ok, I understand that sit toilets instead of squat toilets were put in during the Olympics in 1988. And the toilet paper at that time clogged up a lot of pipes. But that was 1988! Toilet paper has evolved man. Modern toilet paper is supposed to dissolve in about 30 seconds. It's the least offensive thing you could flush other than your own piss. But the belief prevails anyway. Where are the scientific experts in this country? Certainly not in the news. Food and other solids are ok to flush, by the way.

When I moved in with my wife I told her that having a bin full of poopy toilet paper was pretty disgusting, especially when you're sitting there and you can smell it.  She did her little head tilt thing she does when she's contemplating something, and then told me 'yeah, I guess that is pretty gross isn't it?'  She's been a flusher ever since.

But - anyone who says this job is 'easy' probably either a) doesn't care about their job very much, or b) is really bad and lazy at their job.

I think a large majority of people who have previously worked in professional fields may find this job very easy.

Yes. I've worked in three industires and if you truly think this job is hard than you obviously havent had much work experience in other professional fields.
I've been teaching now for 10 years and yes this job is absolutely easy. It has nothing to do with laziness. I have taught in 4 countries, to students of about 30 different languages, from ages to 1 to 90. The Korean method makes it even easier and concurrently more boring.

 

Yeah, I've worked a variety of jobs and find Korea is, by far, the easiest most stress free job that I've ever had.  Anyone who finds this job even a smidge difficult has obviously never had to work very hard in life.

The hardest part about teaching English in Korea is the open class or keeping the kids/parents happy, whatever else you do really doesn't matter, or at least it was in my case.  Tell me what other job you could constantly fail at (as in, do the kids actually learn any English), but as long as the people in charge of personnel are happy, you get to keep your job?  I feel really lucky as I never had to impress or bow down to my co-teachers, as they had absolutely no say in whether or not I kept my job.  I have a personalty that is well suited for teaching kids, and honestly, I really don't mind it.  During open class I'd teach class like I'd normally do, the parents were happy, admin were happy, and I'd get a new contract at the end of the year.  Beyond that, the job was easy, and I believe it had a lot do with there being no accountability.  If all my students got good grades in English great, but ultimately, it didn't matter.  If all my kids got bad grades in English class, again, it didn't matter because they'd still move on to the next grade.  When you're not being held to a standard, life is pretty easy.

this is a minor annoyance but i really wish they would keep the toilet paper in the bathrooms stocked at my school. no hand dryers or paper towels i accepted easily. i keep my own TP at my desk now but sometimes i've had to go to like 4 or 5 bathrooms just to find some, and it'll stay that way for days and days. are they trying to save? is it just not in the budget? do the people here just not care about kids running around with no access to toilet paper at school? i know the cleaning ladies go in there more often than they restock the toilet paper because they empty out the trashes. just.. do better, c'mon.


and if someone is going to reply to this with some annoying word vomit about how constant access to toilet paper is a wasteful western invention and we really don't need it as evidenced by how koreans have magically self-cleaning asses, i don't care. i really don't care.

Anyone who would literally call access to toilet paper 'western intervention' is silly.

Actually, 99% of homeroom teachers keep some toilet paper in their classroom, and most students keep some or have a friend who keeps some in their little cubby locker or bag.

So, the school doesn't stock it because dumb kids will make a mess out of it and waste it, and also it's just expected that people will have their own toilet paper, or borrow from a friend, because that's normal.

I was lucky, I've always had washrooms for teachers at all my schools, and they always have toilet paper, because teachers aren't going to grab it and run through the halls or cover the bathroom in it.

That's fine for when they are in homeroom, but I often see kids in between classes run into the stalls with absolutely nothing, do their business, and then run out. No one is giving them toilet paper in those situations.  My coteachers don't give students toilet paper when they leave in the middle of class and they never ask me for it. Granted, it's the younger students I see doing this. I'm sure the 6th graders are a little bit more conscientious.

"and also it's just expected that people will have their own toilet paper, or borrow from a friend, because that's normal." Yes I know, as everyone knows access to toilet paper isn't just a western thing. It was a joke about how completely useless the majority of responses on here are. Kind of like telling someone who has lived in Korea for three years that people generally carry toilet paper on them.

My point was I wish the bathrooms had toilet paper, I don't care about their reasons or how they make up for it sometimes.

There's a lot of toilet paper everywhere in this country. But damn you if you flush it down the toilet. I have seen messages on stall doors for ages in both Korean and English: Don't flush the toilet paper down the toilet. I understand that Korea has small pipes, but toilet paper is made to dissolve. And ok, I understand that sit toilets instead of squat toilets were put in during the Olympics in 1988. And the toilet paper at that time clogged up a lot of pipes. But that was 1988! Toilet paper has evolved man. Modern toilet paper is supposed to dissolve in about 30 seconds. It's the least offensive thing you could flush other than your own piss. But the belief prevails anyway. Where are the scientific experts in this country? Certainly not in the news. Food and other solids are ok to flush, by the way.

When I moved in with my wife I told her that having a bin full of poopy toilet paper was pretty disgusting, especially when you're sitting there and you can smell it.  She did her little head tilt thing she does when she's contemplating something, and then told me 'yeah, I guess that is pretty gross isn't it?'  She's been a flusher ever since.

Man, you're lucky. You got a keeper.