RANTING/VENTING MEGATHREAD 3.0

Thanks guys, you actually made me feel better. 

So grumpy today. It's Tuesday (my least fav)  Also I saw someone said something on some thread about desks/chairs being too short here and that is so true. My knees/hips are killing me!  finally, wtf should I do with my life? I really have no idea.

  me too. Half way through this years contract and realising that after vacation I seriously need to start figuring out if I am going back home or not as I will need to prep my pets for export. What will I do if I go home though? I could teach, but we earn next to nothing back home...... I feel you;  WTF should I do with my life indeed

Ahh so you have six months, thinking of renewing? I'm due to sign my contract on Friday and it's scary.

I see people go on about they're going to do XYZ when they get back or go into ABC job and I feel like I'm just starting out and don't know what road to go down.

I've always had jobs but I don't have much experience in "grown up jobs".

My degree subject is okay but my result was underwhelming. I don't really have the money to go back to uni and I don't really know what I would do if i did.

I understand people my age don't really have it all figured out yet...but the difference between me and my friends back home is they are figuring it out, and gaining that experience, but I'm here with no idea what to do.


FFFMMMMLLLLLLLLL

Pennypie, I think that England at the moment would be a difficult place to get back into right now, both mentally and jobwise.  I love going back home twice a year for holidays, but that kind of 'everyone's moved on' feeling is not always what you'd expect.  People have just got older and are doing older people's things, like have kids and buy houses.  Which is tempting to get a house because for some unknown reason my guilty temptation is watching 'Homes under the Hammer' and there are loads of them on youtube.     But anyway, I used to have that pre-contract signing dread and then the post-signing happiness as all bonuses and money gets paid.  An extra year with saving and travelling around here and then heading back when the dust has settled makes more sense.  I'm looking at moving back to Europe in a few years, not England.  I just like the foreigner's lifestyle and am sure I can get that somewhere other than England.  Again depending on Brexit agreements, it'll be interesting.

You're totally right Dave. When I look at the situation back home, economically and politically I am pretty glad I'm out of it.

I think the whole buying a house thing is drilled into us. It's like the measure of being an adult, but it isn't really true anymore. Funny you mentioned homes under the hammer....I've been looking into things like that myself, buying a shitty house, investing in it, selling it on or letting it out.
 Looks too simple on TV though  Although the way things are going there might be a crash so who knows, I might be able to pick up something cheap.

I think the whole buying a house thing is drilled into us. It's like the measure of being an adult, but it isn't really true anymore. Funny you mentioned homes under the hammer....I've been looking into things like that myself, buying a shitty house, investing in it, selling it on or letting it out.
 Looks too simple on TV though  Although the way things are going there might be a crash so who knows, I might be able to pick up something cheap.

We pounced on a couple of properties when the market fell out.

It was one of the best decisions we could have made at the time, apart from buying AMZN and AAPL.

We have been fortunate in that we haven't had a single month of vacancy, super low turnover in tenants, and have continued to raise rents, which generate the same amount of income as my current post.

That said, if it weren't for family in the area to look in on things, you'd need to find a great management company if you ever took the leap.

We'd obviously like to acquire another, but there is another bubble at the moment in our area, as prices are higher than 2008.

I would wait for the other shoe to drop before buying, if I were you.

I hate how my CTs this year often make class go over into the break time. Even if we are just playing a game they will keep it going like 5-7 minutes into break and I'll barely have enough time to take a piss. Why??

OMG YES.

This seems to happen more when I have a class after that class and need to gather different materials. I'm all about leaving exactly on time.

I hate how my CTs this year often make class go over into the break time. Even if we are just playing a game they will keep it going like 5-7 minutes into break and I'll barely have enough time to take a piss. Why??

It could be one of two causes:
CT's piss poor planning?
Your poor piss planning?

On the matter of 'English Camp', who was the genius who came up with that term. Why a "camp"?

In my first year, I thought I was going to the countryside for a week with my students. Spent a fortune on hiking gear and a tent. 

I hate how my CTs this year often make class go over into the break time. Even if we are just playing a game they will keep it going like 5-7 minutes into break and I'll barely have enough time to take a piss. Why??

It could be one of two causes:
CT's piss poor planning?
Your poor piss planning?

charming

Seriously, I worked with a CT who did this as well. The most embarrassing incident being her catastrophic open class; the bell actually rang while she was still explaining the rules to the first game.

I went out last night and ordered some french fries... that were covered in sugar. I have never seen that before and it was so disappointing! I know they have sugared garlic bread and sugared other things, but I have never seen it on french fries.

Waiting in line at a store and a woman comes out of nowhere and skips me in line. Ok, I just take my single bottle of water I was buying and move it ahead of her items. The cashier then begins to scan her stuff as I tell explain, in Korean, that I was first.  So annoying. In the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter but my blood pressure definitely went up.

Yeah, the line-cutting here can be really frustrating, not just because it's so inconsiderate, but also because it's incredibly disrespectful. Most line-cutters I've seen usually pretend that they don't know they're cutting. Some legit aren't paying attention, but a lot of them know exactly what they're doing and count on the idea that you won't say anything.

Recently was waiting in line to enter a subway car and a young woman with her boyfriend tried to squeeze right in front of me. Or really, the woman did, the boyfriend didn't really want to but was just kind of following her lead while looking at me to see what I would do. I didn't say anything, I just squeezed my way back in front of her once the doors opened, lol. Pretended I didn't even see her. I can play that game, too, sista.

On the matter of 'English Camp', who was the genius who came up with that term. Why a "camp"?

In my first year, I thought I was going to the countryside for a week with my students. Spent a fortune on hiking gear and a tent. 

"English Prison" isn't quite as catchy or friendly a title.

I went out last night and ordered some french fries... that were covered in sugar. I have never seen that before and it was so disappointing! I know they have sugared garlic bread and sugared other things, but I have never seen it on french fries.

I remember one time at High School when during lunch I was out with friends to the local burger van (UK thing) and ordered some chips (fries). Without looking, I accidentally grabbed the sugar bottle instead of the salt [right next to each other, why?] and doused my chips with some sugar. I had to pour some ketchup on them just to try and balance out the flavour but I spent a lot of time just trying to select the sugar-free fries. Wasted lunch!

These stories of line cutting make me really appreciate the small things-- the other day I was at the bank and people don't really line up, they just kinda cluster around the teller's desk.  There was an ajumma in front of me who noticed I had just one bill in my hand-- she had a big handful and insisted I go first. 

Yeah, the line-cutting here can be really frustrating, not just because it's so inconsiderate, but also because it's incredibly disrespectful. Most line-cutters I've seen usually pretend that they don't know they're cutting. Some legit aren't paying attention, but a lot of them know exactly what they're doing and count on the idea that you won't say anything.

Recently was waiting in line to enter a subway car and a young woman with her boyfriend tried to squeeze right in front of me. Or really, the woman did, the boyfriend didn't really want to but was just kind of following her lead while looking at me to see what I would do. I didn't say anything, I just squeezed my way back in front of her once the doors opened, lol. Pretended I didn't even see her. I can play that game, too, sista.

Korea improves everyone's pick and roll game.

Just had one class reach that magical age where they like to say Puck You. So I deployed my usual massive overreaction. Shouting and all fun cancelled for the next two periods. At the end of the hell class I ask my co-teacher to explain why they should never use those words unless they like being punched in the face.

Dear girl could barely pretend to give a toss. It was all giggles and whatevs. Kids think it's just some odd quirk of mine now.

Does anybody teaching out of Korea feel like filming their students learning the Korean expression for 18, dog baby, eating boiled candy and crazy guy? I'm sure my co-teacher would see the humour in this situation.

Gaaaaawd, some people are so overly sensitive and reactive, I feel like I should carry little feeling band aids  around with me.

These stories of line cutting make me really appreciate the small things-- the other day I was at the bank and people don't really line up, they just kinda cluster around the teller's desk.  There was an ajumma in front of me who noticed I had just one bill in my hand-- she had a big handful and insisted I go first.

They don't pull numbers at your bank?
 the concept of one transaction at a time.

Nah, super small rural town.  It just happened to be a "busy" time and there were like half a dozen people clustered around one teller (apparently the only one who handles utility bills?).  I noticed this time that people just put their bills on the counter to show who was next in "line."  Reminded me of days of old when people would put tokens onto the arcade game screen to stake a claim for the next round. 

One of the bank employees handed out those small glass fruity (energy?) drinks to everyone who was waiting!  That was a nice surprise. 

Just had one class reach that magical age where they like to say Puck You. So I deployed my usual massive overreaction. Shouting and all fun cancelled for the next two periods. At the end of the hell class I ask my co-teacher to explain why they should never use those words unless they like being punched in the face.

Dear girl could barely pretend to give a toss. It was all giggles and whatevs. Kids think it's just some odd quirk of mine now.

Does anybody teaching out of Korea feel like filming their students learning the Korean expression for 18, dog baby, eating boiled candy and crazy guy? I'm sure my co-teacher would see the humour in this situation.

Well,  that is one approach.

Have you ever tried simply to ignore it and not react?

Then, at the end of class you can simply address the student, individually, when the others have left, ask why he was held back and explain why using such language leads others to believe you are an uneducated dolt, a half-wit.

It has worked a charm at times.

Different strokes, different folks.

Just had one class reach that magical age where they like to say Puck You. So I deployed my usual massive overreaction. Shouting and all fun cancelled for the next two periods. At the end of the hell class I ask my co-teacher to explain why they should never use those words unless they like being punched in the face.

Dear girl could barely pretend to give a toss. It was all giggles and whatevs. Kids think it's just some odd quirk of mine now.

Does anybody teaching out of Korea feel like filming their students learning the Korean expression for 18, dog baby, eating boiled candy and crazy guy? I'm sure my co-teacher would see the humour in this situation.

Well,  that is one approach.

Have you ever tried simply to ignore it and not react?

Then, at the end of class you can simply address the student, individually, when the others have left, ask why he was held back and explain why using such language leads others to believe you are an uneducated dolt, a half-wit.

It has worked a charm at times.

Different strokes, different folks.

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Different strokes, different folks: I had a CT (she used to be an air hostess on international routes) who told me that it was OK for the students to swear at each other and everything and everyone else in English because English is another language so it doesn't count as being bad or rude or disrespectful.
However, if they swore at each other in Korean then it was bad. Then she went off on all of them.

Just had one class reach that magical age where they like to say Puck You. So I deployed my usual massive overreaction. Shouting and all fun cancelled for the next two periods. At the end of the hell class I ask my co-teacher to explain why they should never use those words unless they like being punched in the face.

Dear girl could barely pretend to give a toss. It was all giggles and whatevs. Kids think it's just some odd quirk of mine now.

Does anybody teaching out of Korea feel like filming their students learning the Korean expression for 18, dog baby, eating boiled candy and crazy guy? I'm sure my co-teacher would see the humour in this situation.

Well,  that is one approach.

Have you ever tried simply to ignore it and not react?

Then, at the end of class you can simply address the student, individually, when the others have left, ask why he was held back and explain why using such language leads others to believe you are an uneducated dolt, a half-wit.

It has worked a charm at times.

Different strokes, different folks.

"Wow! Good English!"  has always stopped my kids dead in their tracks.  It's not the reaction they were hoping for expecting, and they never seem to feel the need to say it again.
I'm actually low-key proud of them when they pull out English swears.  It means they took the initiative to learn English outside of English class.