RANTING/VENTING MEGATHREAD 3.0

I really dislike when a teacher in the school gives out gifts, food, invitations to events or weddings, or anything unimportant to all other teachers, but then walks right past me without saying anything or offering said thing to me. Like it's fine don't invite me to your wedding because you don't want me there or don't know how to ask me.....but when you are offering food etc it's pretty rude....at least make it less obvious. I  am a foreigner yes, but I am a person just like you. Also, hate when coteachers are so condescending....it's like I have a degree just like you too and although I may not understand Korea or Korean 100% I'm not stupid.

I really dislike when a teacher in the school gives out gifts, food, invitations to events or weddings, or anything unimportant to all other teachers, but then walks right past me without saying anything or offering said thing to me. Like it's fine don't invite me to your wedding because you don't want me there or don't know how to ask me.....but when you are offering food etc it's pretty rude....at least make it less obvious. I  am a foreigner yes, but I am a person just like you. Also, hate when coteachers are so condescending....it's like I have a degree just like you too and although I may not understand Korea or Korean 100% I'm not stupid.

Ehhh, it's not that simple. In some cases there's a distinction made between teachers and other employees. Some of this has to do with union membership and such. They simply have the number based on that list and buy accordingly. Then there's also the cycle of obligation that might go with it and so on and so on.

You're a contracted temp worker. You are not the same. And be thankful because that also lets you get out of a host of functions and obligations that I would give up 20 boxes of towels/cooking oil/tuna/weddings where I have to give 50k/events that ruin my weekend/etc.

If you're going to be a part of it, everything has to come with it. Not just the good, but the bad as well.

Ulsan is cutting all public school NETs.

That’s a big city, too. Population: over a million.

Very rich city, too. According to Wikipedia: “In 2017, Ulsan had a GDP per capita of $65,093, the highest of any region in South Korea.”

But because of budgetary constraints, they can no longer afford NETs.

Seems to me like they just don’t want them.

Yeah quite worrying but not all jobs are gone.

https://news.v.daum.net/v/20191124173029753

42 NET positions out of 147 will be cut due to budgetary restraints and reallocation.  Money to be used elsewhere - expanding free lunches, free school uniform for middle and high school students next year.

I threw that link into the translator.


The Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education has decided to gradually reduce the number of native English teachers from next year. The education office attributed the decrease to the reduced funding due to the Ulsan city government's tight budget, but it has decided to expand the free school uniform support project by injecting some 2.3 billion won into the city's budget starting next year, and plans to continue the eco-friendly free school meal project. Critics say the liberal education chief, Roh Ok-hee, who took office in July, will only fuel private education as he turns a blind eye to easy education by sticking to the pretext of "expanding educational welfare."

According to the Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education on Monday, 42 out of 147 native English-speaking teachers will not renew their contracts. The education office will gradually reduce the number of native English teachers, saying, "It is unclear whether we will secure the budget." Regarding the reduction of native English-speaking assistant teachers, the city education office said, "This is because the city of Ulsan has decided to provide only 500 million won, down 2.5 billion won from 3 billion won last year, due to a reduction in tax revenues." Accordingly, next year's budget for supporting native English teachers will total 4 billion won, including 3.5 billion won in the education office, which is about 700 million won more than last year, down 1.8 billion won from 5.8 billion won last year. It also explained that instead of reducing the number of native English-speaking assistant teachers, the city education office decided to allocate 800 million won for the budget for enhancing the capabilities of Korean English teachers to create a "Ulsan-type English education" model. "We will strengthen our English teachers' capabilities and develop and share good teaching methods," said an official from the Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education.

While reducing the budget for native English-speaking teachers, the Ulsan Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education decided to spend a total of 5.6 billion won to provide middle and high school students with summer and winter uniforms free of charge starting next year, up 3.3 billion won from this year. The free school uniform project is designed to provide uniform and uniform uniforms for new students entering middle and high schools, a pledge project by Roh. Until now, the city education office has provided 50 percent of the upper limit of 250,000 won for ordinary students, and 100 percent for low-income and multi-child students. Although the city education office conducted the school uniform support project with 3.2 billion won (approx. 3 million U.S. dollars) in its own budget this year, Ulsan City and five districts and counties will provide an additional 2.2 billion won (2.4 million dollars) from next year.

The city education office will continue its eco-friendly free school lunch program next year following this year Regarding eco-friendly free school meals, the city of Ulsan implemented free school meals from September 2018 to high schools, and started to provide eco-friendly meals this year. The related budget for next year also increased by 4 billion won from this year to 86.4 billion won, including 60.9 billion won from the municipal education office and 25.5 billion won from Ulsan city, county and district. Due to this reason, the amount of money that Ulsan City and five districts and counties will provide to education offices has also increased from 91.5 billion won this year to 96 billion won next year.

In and around the city of Ulsan, the city education office seems to have pushed for a drastic expansion of the budget related to Roh's pledges, instead of cutting the budget for native English teachers during budget consultations. "The decision was made based on internal circumstances of the education office during the consultation with the education office," a city official said. In response, Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education said, "We will not sign contracts for 42 people whose contracts expire in February next year, but we will continue to take charge of the rest," adding, "We are not quitting the system at all."

Local parents are divided over the news. Some parents expect free school uniforms to reduce the financial burden. Others, on the other hand, worry that the city's education office will eventually be forced into the private education market if public English education becomes poor. The budget bill will be finalized on April 13 after a review by the city council. /Ulsan: Zhang Ji-seung

I really dislike when a teacher in the school gives out gifts, food, invitations to events or weddings, or anything unimportant to all other teachers, but then walks right past me without saying anything or offering said thing to me. Like it's fine don't invite me to your wedding because you don't want me there or don't know how to ask me.....but when you are offering food etc it's pretty rude....at least make it less obvious. I  am a foreigner yes, but I am a person just like you. Also, hate when coteachers are so condescending....it's like I have a degree just like you too and although I may not understand Korea or Korean 100% I'm not stupid.

Ehhh, it's not that simple. In some cases there's a distinction made between teachers and other employees. Some of this has to do with union membership and such. They simply have the number based on that list and buy accordingly. Then there's also the cycle of obligation that might go with it and so on and so on.

You're a contracted temp worker. You are not the same. And be thankful because that also lets you get out of a host of functions and obligations that I would give up 20 boxes of towels/cooking oil/tuna/weddings where I have to give 50k/events that ruin my weekend/etc.

If you're going to be a part of it, everything has to come with it. Not just the good, but the bad as well.

I know what you mean, but I am talking about stuff unrelated to the teachers unions or any group, I also pay to be part of the teacher friends group as they call it for school dinners etc.....I just mean students make cookies...teachers give cookies away to all teachers except me.....

In the grand game of Office Politics, there's nothing to be gained from being nice to the NET, and nothing to be lost from excluding us. We aren't one of them. We never will be. We have no say in their performance reviews, there are no professional benefits to cozying up to us. That can lead to exclusion and frigid office interactions, of course, but in my experience there's usually at least one Korean coworker who will try to make you feel included simply because they're nice people and it's the nice thing to do.

Interestingly, back when I still attended office dinners, it was often the bus drivers or the groundskeepers who were the most likely to come over and pour me a drink. While all the teachers and admin are shuffling around trying to find the right people to schmooze, the people at the bottom of the hierarchy can just sit back and relax.

I really dislike when a teacher in the school gives out gifts, food, invitations to events or weddings, or anything unimportant to all other teachers, but then walks right past me without saying anything or offering said thing to me. Like it's fine don't invite me to your wedding because you don't want me there or don't know how to ask me.....but when you are offering food etc it's pretty rude....at least make it less obvious. I  am a foreigner yes, but I am a person just like you. Also, hate when coteachers are so condescending....it's like I have a degree just like you too and although I may not understand Korea or Korean 100% I'm not stupid.

Lol why would you want to be invited to a wedding? Having to give wedding money, plus actually having to go to the wedding? Barf.

Also, the food that is given out is typically a thank you for wedding or funeral money. If you want 떡 that badly, there are a lot cheaper ways to get it.

I think it's pretty clear what nightninja is saying. It's not so much the lack of invitation or gift of food. It's more the way that it is openly done in front of those who weren't invited. At least try to do it lowkey or whatever.
Last month a toeic teacher brought in donuts from Krispy Kreme and over dramatically handed them out. She purposefully just missed one guy out. There were plenty of left overs too. This wasn't a gift for funeral/wedding/etc money. Just a random snack. The guy she didn't give to is part time so I guess that's what she was thinking. But to do it directly in front of him is comedically rude.

In the grand game of Office Politics, there's nothing to be gained from being nice to the NET, and nothing to be lost from excluding us. We aren't one of them. We never will be. We have no say in their performance reviews, there are no professional benefits to cozying up to us. That can lead to exclusion and frigid office interactions, of course, but in my experience there's usually at least one Korean coworker who will try to make you feel included simply because they're nice people and it's the nice thing to do.

Interestingly, back when I still attended office dinners, it was often the bus drivers or the groundskeepers who were the most likely to come over and pour me a drink. While all the teachers and admin are shuffling around trying to find the right people to schmooze, the people at the bottom of the hierarchy can just sit back and relax.

True that. The most down to Earth people I know and interact with here are usually also the most downtrodden ones. They tend to empathize more with others, and are more likely to sympathize with the isolated NET. They're the ones who express the most concern for me and who will go out of their way to try to make me feel included, even when they can't speak any English.

While I appreciate most of the coTs I've had over the years, there's only been two who didn't treat me like a novelty, a burden/duty, or an outsider. Unsurprisingly, they both grew up in poor communities where they had to work harder than most to get to where they are. They still get involved in office politics because that's unavoidable and you've got to learn how to play the game, but they play it based on their own standards and values. I have the upmost respect for them as people. No matter what power play is going on in the office, they absolutely refuse to exclude anyone. They'll divvy up their share of anything if someone gets left out.

Teenagers in South Korea are the laziest in the world, according to a global study.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7711713/The-worlds-laziest-teenagers-7-children-South-Korea-active-hour-day.html

Korean kids are spending too much time playing cell phone games and computer games. 

Incidentally, without exercise how are they able to stay so thin? Ectomorphic genetics?

Teenagers in South Korea are the laziest in the world, according to a global study.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7711713/The-worlds-laziest-teenagers-7-children-South-Korea-active-hour-day.html

Korean kids are spending too much time playing cell phone games and computer games. 

Incidentally, without exercise how are they able to stay so thin? Ectomorphic genetics?

Anna and Bella

Anorexia & Bulimia

Teenagers in South Korea are the laziest in the world, according to a global study.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7711713/The-worlds-laziest-teenagers-7-children-South-Korea-active-hour-day.html

Korean kids are spending too much time playing cell phone games and computer games. 

Incidentally, without exercise how are they able to stay so thin? Ectomorphic genetics?

I've been in a similar situation these past few weeks. The end of a long ass year has left me mentally drained. I'm training 6 days a week (conditioning for surfing during the holidays) so I'm physically drained.
The mental drain makes it difficult to sleep and the physical drain makes you too tired or lethargic to want to do anything besides videos games or TV, which makes sleep even more elusive. 
This is a temporary state for me and I think I'll feel refreshed after going on holiday. For these kids, it's a lifestyle.

When I stop exercising, I shed weight too. The worst is when I eat junk food and don't exercise, then a begin resembling a Somalian.

Anna and Bella?

Searched this, watched it, and still don't get the connection.

Care to explain?

Anorexia and bulimia. Koreans are hypersensitive about their size, and they go on crazy diets to keep their weight. Eating disorders are common here.

Aside from that, just want to state in general that being overweight isn't just about a sedentary lifestyle. It's mostly diet, which is further complicated by lifestyle and other variables (level of activity, age, metabolism, etc.). This is why you can commonly find people who are overweight and aren't losing weight but who are also very physically active -- what they're doing just isn't enough to burn off all of the access calories that they consume or the stored fat that they have -- and also why you'll meet people who will lose weight even if they aren't physically active.

The mental drain makes it difficult to sleep and the physical drain makes you too tired or lethargic to want to do anything besides videos games or TV, which makes sleep even more elusive. 

This is what I have at the moment.  I'm knackered after this long year, so sleeping properly is kind of difficult during the week.  I get home from school at 8:30pm and then watch Rick and Morty for an hour and I really feel like I could sleep like a log, but when I go to bed it's a lot of tossing and turning.  On Saturday, I'll wake up early, eat breakfast, go back to bed, then up again at lunch and eat lunch, then an hour nap, then up in the afternoon for exercise, then in the evening a film or talk to my mum.  That's my day.  That's all I have the energy for at the moment.  Winter holidays can't come quick enough, and teachers from my school and couple of other schools are already talking about my schedule for next year. 

Teenagers in South Korea are the laziest in the world, according to a global study.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7711713/The-worlds-laziest-teenagers-7-children-South-Korea-active-hour-day.html

Korean kids are spending too much time playing cell phone games and computer games. 

Incidentally, without exercise how are they able to stay so thin? Ectomorphic genetics?

Crap article title.
Is studying 10 hours a day lazy? Nope.
Inactive, sure, but not necessarily lazy.

I would definitely say genetics have something to do with it: some people can eat whatever they want and still retain a really low BMI (myself for example, thankfully).

That said, changes in diet and habits are causing the percentage of overweight Koreans to explode.

Interestingly, part of the reason for this increase is that Korea uses a different standard of measurement for obesity: the WHO defines obese as a BMI of over 30, whereas Korea (and some other Asian countries defines it as over 25. The justification for this is that East Asians tend to have higher body fat percentages for a given BMI than many other ethnicities.

Here's an interesting article that talk about some of these points.

Teenagers in South Korea are the laziest in the world, according to a global study.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7711713/The-worlds-laziest-teenagers-7-children-South-Korea-active-hour-day.html

Korean kids are spending too much time playing cell phone games and computer games. 

Incidentally, without exercise how are they able to stay so thin? Ectomorphic genetics?

Crap article title.
Is studying 10 hours a day lazy? Nope.
Inactive, sure, but not necessarily lazy.

I would definitely say genetics have something to do with it: some people can eat whatever they want and still retain a really low BMI (myself for example, thankfully).

That said, changes in diet and habits are causing the percentage of overweight Koreans to explode.

Interestingly, part of the reason for this increase is that Korea uses a different standard of measurement for obesity: the WHO defines obese as a BMI of over 30, whereas Korea (and some other Asian countries defines it as over 25. The justification for this is that East Asians tend to have higher body fat percentages for a given BMI than many other ethnicities.

Here's an interesting article that talk about some of these points.

There was a report a few years ago that said the type 2 diabetes rate was same per cap in South Korea as it was in the USA. Which was shocking because what, 2/3 of American adults are overwight or obese? while the number here would be much, much less. Metabolic disorders seem to effect East Asians at relatively lower weights then they would other ethnicities.
Like Indians or other South Asians and heart disease.

Anna and Bella?

Searched this, watched it, and still don't get the connection.

Care to explain?

Anorexia and bulimia. Koreans are hypersensitive about their size, and they go on crazy diets to keep their weight. Eating disorders are common here.

Aside from that, just want to state in general that being overweight isn't just about a sedentary lifestyle. It's mostly diet, which is further complicated by lifestyle and other variables (level of activity, age, metabolism, etc.). This is why you can commonly find people who are overweight but who are also very physically active -- what they're doing just isn't enough to burn off all of the access calories that they consume or the stored fat that they have -- and also why you'll meet people who will lose weight even if they aren't physically active.

This is true, PARTICULARLY for women. The dieting leads to rapid muscle loss as well, meaning it becomes increasingly easier to put on fat. So, while possible, many Asian women are in a state of perpetual diet, I can only imagine how miserable this must make life.
I saw a rather interesting video about a Japanese Idol group of fat girls, they call themselves Big Angel. One of the members claimed that she lived on nothing but yoghurt and water for 6 months.
Mentally she wasn't in a good place and eventually, she snapped. She gorged herself and put on 10kg in a week! One extreme mental state leads to another extreme mental state.
I really think it's all in your head and has very little to do with metabolism.

My wife is pretty slim and trains almost as regularly as I do. However, the moment she slacks, she puts on fat. I'm the opposite. If I look at my brother, we're polar opposites, despite growing up in the same house and eating the same food.
From an early age, my wife and brother developed a much stronger emotional attachment to food and tend to eat when stressed, bored, happy etc. They both tend to get anxious whenever they begin feeling peckish. I grew up surfing, which
means you spend the whole day surfing and trying your best to ignore the massive hole growing in your stomach. When you get home, you're asking for 3rd helpings. I learned to ignore hunger and still do, I oftentimes forget to eat when I'm occupied
with something else.

I ordered a heater on gmarket 5 weeks ago, which still hasn't arrived.
Attempts from myself, and my co-teacher, to try and find out when it will arrive have resulted with no new information.
And I can't cancel it without contacting the seller, and they are a nightmare to try get a hold of; they also flagged it as having been shipped after the first week. >.<
I just want it to arrive already.

And I can't cancel it without contacting the seller, and they are a nightmare to try get a hold of; they also flagged it as having been shipped after the first week. >.<

I was under the impression you can use the Gmarket customer service to contact the seller and then if there is no reply back from the seller to Gmarket, you can cancel it through them. 

And I can't cancel it without contacting the seller, and they are a nightmare to try get a hold of; they also flagged it as having been shipped after the first week. >.<

I was under the impression you can use the Gmarket customer service to contact the seller and then if there is no reply back from the seller to Gmarket, you can cancel it through them. 

This. Some sellers will set it as having been shipped already even if the item hasn't actually shipped because they're trying to prevent you from canceling the order while they wait on other customers to order the same thing (that way they can save on shipping costs to themselves by ordering in bulk). You can get around this by contacting Gmarket's customer service about it. They'll try to contact the seller and will give you an estimated time to wait. If you don't here back from either the seller or Gmarket by that time, you can follow up with Gmarket and get them to cancel the order.

They have an option where you can email or PM them through the site. It's how I did it both times I needed to.