RANTING/VENTING MEGATHREAD 3.0

usually when you encounter a mentalist like that,

Man alive, you've embarrassed yourself.  Play a record.

bfarrell1987, do you like your main school apart from her?  If I were you and I liked my school I'd really stand up for myself in that situation.  I'd hate to have to move just because one teacher has a grudge against you.  I don't think it's fair considering the other teachers and students like you.

I'm so so angry (mostly disappointed) cause one of my students stole my airpods (2nd gen).  I have never had to "lock up" my stuff from my kids in over 10 years I've been working here in Korea.

 I teach a double reading class on Tuesday afternoons (period 5 and 6) and most of the time the kids are so so bored.  Today I thought...before we read the book (The Grinch Who Stole Christmas) I would surprise them with the movie...I even gave them the choice between the 2000 one with Jim Carrey and the updated 2018 one.  (Personally I love the 1966 version but...they would hate it..not enough glitz). 

Soo they naturally chose the 2018 version..and I had my airpods and ipad on my desk (in the English Zone).  Period 5 we watch the movie (my stuff is still there)....then recess (ten minutes).  I come back from the break..ipad there, airpods gone with the wind.

My coteacher came in and I told her and other students about the missing airpods…..everyone searches...airpods still not recovered.

I'm pissed because never has a student stolen anything from me in over 10 years here in Korea.... Also...they are only grade 1 and I was doing them a solid by showing a movie!
 

Sorry to hear, but why Airpods? Good riddens I'd say. Frying your brain with low-level radiation isn't my idea of 'cool'.

Disclaimer: Bluetooth and wifi are perfectly safe.  But I remember a time of weak routers and cabled pc-stations in classrooms and never feeling like my head was on fire/continually charging up. Hard to concentrate as well and I get cranky as hell.

Everyday my head hurts from the 30 laptops charging up the room connecting to the Apple Router above my screen. But I 'm the 'only one' recognising it as such. Instead, all of my colleagues are just 'tired and irritable and rubbing their eyes and forehead' for no apparent reason. At first I thought the women were all in menopause but it's clearly the harmless radiation because we all have that pained, haunting, red-eyed stare at 2 pm. each meeting. Believe me, it cannot be the kids, they're great!

Korean drivers are f@cks. Late for school cause Korean drivers repeatedly entered an intersection when traffic was not flowing and traffic was blocked in 3 directions.

On the positive side saw a delivery scooter slowly slide out on an icy bend. Didn't bat an eyelid cause they deserve no respect with the way that they ride

On the positive side saw a delivery scooter slowly slide out on an icy bend. Didn't bat an eyelid cause they deserve no respect with the way that they ride

Wow. You're actually a terrible person.

I'm so so angry (mostly disappointed) cause one of my students stole my airpods (2nd gen).  I have never had to "lock up" my stuff from my kids in over 10 years I've been working here in Korea.

 I teach a double reading class on Tuesday afternoons (period 5 and 6) and most of the time the kids are so so bored.  Today I thought...before we read the book (The Grinch Who Stole Christmas) I would surprise them with the movie...I even gave them the choice between the 2000 one with Jim Carrey and the updated 2018 one.  (Personally I love the 1966 version but...they would hate it..not enough glitz). 

Soo they naturally chose the 2018 version..and I had my airpods and ipad on my desk (in the English Zone).  Period 5 we watch the movie (my stuff is still there)....then recess (ten minutes).  I come back from the break..ipad there, airpods gone with the wind.

My coteacher came in and I told her and other students about the missing airpods…..everyone searches...airpods still not recovered.

I'm pissed because never has a student stolen anything from me in over 10 years here in Korea.... Also...they are only grade 1 and I was doing them a solid by showing a movie!
 

That sucks. I had a small little elephant souvenir stolen off my desk in my first year working here, and ever since then, I've kept any valuables locked up when I'm not in the room. And I lock my classroom door whenever I leave, even if it's for a few minutes.

Also, AirPods are the must-have item for kids in their age range, and they're expensive and easily pocketable - too tempting of a target for some little jerk, I guess :(

...here in Japan, taking a breather.

I know Japan has its own challenges and people like to pretend it is so much better and what not (and one numerous levels, it is).  The expat population is filled with nasty hipsters, doing the same things, talking about the same things and subbing their noses at anyone that tries to join in the conversation. 

However, my ranting/venting is this....I am absolutely NOT, looking forward to flying back to Korea.  Well...at least to my job and the location).  Usually, I was content on getting back...no, I just feel ill thinking about it.

However, my ranting/venting is this....I am absolutely NOT, looking forward to flying back to Korea.  Well...at least to my job and the location).  Usually, I was content on getting back...no, I just feel ill thinking about it.

I felt that for the first time when I returned from a month long trip in Feb 2018. And every subsequent trip since. I knew it was game over once i felt dread on landing at Incheon.

On the positive side saw a delivery scooter slowly slide out on an icy bend. Didn't bat an eyelid cause they deserve no respect with the way that they ride

Wow. You're actually a terrible person.

Nah! Screw them. They frequently ride through pedestrian green lights and do other asshat riding.

On the positive side saw a delivery scooter slowly slide out on an icy bend. Didn't bat an eyelid cause they deserve no respect with the way that they ride

Wow. You're actually a terrible person.

Nah! Screw them. They frequently ride through pedestrian green lights and do other asshat riding.

Ehhh, I'll actually slightly side with Savant on this. The fact that the rider was a delivery driver, which I think makes it fair to generalize as the delivery industry is exclusively filled with line-steppers, and the fact that the dude didn't seem to take too bad of a tumble, means a little schadenfreude is not unwarranted.

Now if it had been say, just some random person on an unmarked scooter and the accident was more serious, then I might agree. But I think those two things Savant cited are significant enough to not go for pitchforks and torches.

I do feel bad if someone's food was in there, because they don't deserve getting bunch of shaken and spilled crap or a 45 minute delay on their feast.

The genius of my principal:

My school has 2 designated parking lots, but even so, space is extremely limited with many more inconsiderate teachers, who arrive late, parking some of the other teachers in. A few weeks ago, I was under the impression that they were renovating the parking area as all teachers were requested to temporarily park on the soccer pitch (one of the parking areas has access to it). This parking area is right at the back entrance of the school, making it convenient to come and go when it rains.

They're not renovating the parking area, they're making another playground for the students. The students at this school are particularly lazy, preferring to wander the halls or chill in their homerooms, regardless of the weather. What gave him the idea of building another playground is anyone's guess.

So... all teachers will now have to fight for parking spots at the one remaining parking lot, with the rest having to park on the soccer field. This parking lot, and the area of the soccer pitch reserved for parking, are about a 100m uncovered walk from the school entrance. I can see us teachers having lots of fun walking 100m through snow and rain to get to and from our cars.

To summarise the principal's grand vision:

- Teachers parking 100m from the building, having to cross the soccer field to get to and from their cars... The soccer
   field gets particularly muddy when it rains (better invest in a pair of gumboots).
- Converting the main parking area to a 2nd playground, while one already sits barely used
- Having cars permanently parked across one of the soccer goal posts.
- improving the aesthetics of the soccer pitch with perpetual tread marks

This is what happens when one guy is put in charge and nobody is allowed to question.

Are you sure he's 100% behind this and it isnt a "use it or lose it" funding thing or a mandate from on high, like from the county office?

However, my ranting/venting is this....I am absolutely NOT, looking forward to flying back to Korea.  Well...at least to my job and the location).  Usually, I was content on getting back...no, I just feel ill thinking about it.

I felt that for the first time when I returned from a month long trip in Feb 2018. And every subsequent trip since. I knew it was game over once i felt dread on landing at Incheon.

To be fair, this  pure, honest contempt is mainly due to the job and the specified location.  If I were in a location that was not a suck-hole, with a school that does not drain the life out of me, I would feel different.   But...it is not the case.  Even the decent things about overall package are failing to register. 

Luckily, I get paid on Tuesday.  I very well may just say...."Despite what the contract says, I am giving you 30 days, not 90, to find a replacement.  No, I will not be able to help on that level because I just cannot imagine myself selling this school or the area to anyone.  Also, I despite what the contract states about taking 1/2 of my salary should I leave for any reason, I am not going allow that, not at least without a fight.  So...I here is a post dated Letter of Release.  I will stay 30 days, only, if you sign and stamp it now.  If not, I walk...right now.  Should it come to that to ease the burn, you can keep the illegal housing deposit that you have collected". 

I only took this job because due to circumstances beyond my control, the wolves were at the door and I thought could handle it. 

No...once you have tasted the awesomeness of being at a good school, having good working hours,  with a boss that listens, with no Korean teachers to attempt the bully tactics (only to put on a drama show when they get showed up on it), in a decent location....it is extremely difficult to go back to what Korea is known for in this industry.

yep. i absolutely hated my job last year. i hated it. everything annoyed me, too. could have happily left korea, then

this year, i have a job i love, and am more than happy. when you have a job you like you like, the day-to-day niggles don't bother you so much.

yep. i absolutely hated my job last year. i hated it. everything annoyed me, too. could have happily left korea, then

this year, i have a job i love, and am more than happy. when you have a job you like you like, the day-to-day niggles don't bother you so much.

Were you at least in a location in which you could hang out with other people (expats)?  There is nobody around me....though, I did run into that type of crap-expat that goes out of his/her way to pretend you don't exist ,whilst waiting for the light to change at the same corner.  That is when I gave an exaggerated "HELLO...how are YOU?". 

Even at my first school, which is along the lines of SLP, Kids CLUB, Wonderland...we were taken out twice a month by the owner.  The Korean staff were awesome and we all got a long, went out together.....it really did make the time bearable.  These days...it just sucks. 

I cannot motivate myself to be productive at home, the gym or even be a good teacher.  II am always on edge... think....I actually may be done. 

yeah. i'm in the centre of seoul. i'm married anyway, so i never feel lonely. but i get you. when you're done, you're done.

honestly, the reason i've been here so long is because england is...worse

honestly, the reason i've been here so long is because england is...worse

You mean financially, opportunity-wise, culturally or some other reason?

honestly, the reason i've been here so long is because england is...worse

You mean financially, opportunity-wise, culturally or some other reason?

well, i'm currently in a job i like, earning a very decent amount of money (with decent hours), in a new apartment which doesn't cost me much per month, while living right in the centre of seoul

i know i wouldn't be able to achieve even half of those things in the uk. plus, it's very difficult to bring my wife back to the uk anyway (which generally pisses me off). not that i really know what i'd do in the uk, besides.

i miss the culture though. and my friends :(

Are you sure he's 100% behind this and it isnt a "use it or lose it" funding thing or a mandate from on high, like from the county office?

I thought so too, but my CT confirmed that it's all him. It's not his first cockamamie idea, he's been leaving chaos in his wake with all sorts of ridiculous decisions since he was transfered to the school at the beginning of the year, as the new principal.