ECC Dongducheon 02/08/2012
Well, yes, it's been a long time since I posted... I guess the reason for that is because, well, I'm not in Korea anymore! I am now back at home in Canada. I have been back home since September. I have been wanting to write about my old school, hagwon, in Korea, but have avoided doing so. I didn't want my post to be a bitter, angry post about my old boss, and let's face it, after what I went through, that's what it would have been. I have been made aware, though, that they are now seeking new employees, and so for the sake of all those who may be recruited to work with this school, I am going to share my experience with ECC Dongducheon, so that you will have all of the information you need before you go work for them. Let me just start by saying that my experience here is not indicative of all ECC's. I actually spent three years working at an ECC in Shiheung, and that experience was completely positive. I enjoyed the work place, the apartments provided and made some wonderful friendships there! ECC Dongducheon is a bunch of craziness all on it's own! My first day at ECC I heard the American teachers (Army spouses) talking about how they would never get paid on time, and that to get paid, they'd have to ask over and over for it. Of course, that was a warning sign, and so I asked the other foreign teacher (FT) there about his pay, and if he ever got paid late. He assured me that he always had his pay on time. So, that was fine. Shortly, though, it became very evident to me that I needed to get the medical insurance sorted out, and so I went back to my contract to see what it stated there about it, and found that it didn't say it was provided, but didn't say that it wasn't provided either. My contract also didn't state that severance would be paid out, but pension was stated that it would be paid. So.. yes, I'm not sure how I missed that, but I did when I signed the contract. I was just happy to have a job that paid well, close to my friends, and so I thought it would all work out, I guess. Well, I started asking about these things, severance, pension and medical insurance. Each time I did, I got the run around. Actually, if it weren't for my knee problems (which I now know was osteo-arthritis beginning) I probably would have been fine without any of those things, I might have just said, "Okay, I can handle a year here doing this." We were getting paid on time, and the hours seemed fine. Overall, it wasn't a terrible situation for my husband and I. Then, in May, I went to work one day, to find out that the school had been sold to a new owner, and that's when things just went from tolerable to much worse. Of course, we were still hopeful. Mostly, we were hopeful that the new management would have more sense, things would improve, and they would make sure that things were done properly according to acceptable hagwon standards. Sadly, this was not to be so. As soon as the new boss took over, pays started being late. At first there was the excuse that the old management took some kind of credit card that belonged to the school, and she didn't have the money to pay us until she got it. Then there came less and less excuses, and more and more anger with the fact that we'd even think to ask about why our pay was late. All that we, as the foreign teachers requested was communication. If our pay is going to be late, let us know. Her argument, though, was that she was the boss, and she shouldn't have to explain anything to us lowly teachers. There were numerous meetings where we were told to bring a brighter attitude to work with us, despite the stress of not getting paid, and the constant changes. I will admit, I have a reactionary problem. For instance, if I come to work and check to make sure my schedule is what it should be, and then, when class starts, and I'm not scheduled for a class, and five minutes into the class the boss lady comes and asks why I'm not in class when I'm supposed to be, yes, I have a problem with that. I tend to get angry. Boss lady didn't like that. Eventually, the accusations started. That students were leaving because of me, and I was a terrible teacher and all of that. All of this, and nothing had been stated before. Actually, when the boss lady had a problem with someone, she'd talk to the other FT's, and not that individual person. At first, there was talk that she wanted to get rid of the other FT's, because of their skin color, then probably she wanted to get rid of me because I wasn't thin enough. Really, in the end, I'm pretty sure she wanted to get rid of me because I was too vocal about the lies, and problems that were going on. Because of late pays I ended up having a huge credit card bill, and whenever my pay was put into my bank account, it was automatically withdrawn for the credit card bill. Since the card had also been shut off, that meant that I wasn't getting any money. So, I asked Boss Lady to change my bank account information, so my pay would go into a different account. She said she would, but she never did. It all came to a head in September when I was supposed to have a meeting with the boss lady one week, but she was too busy for me, and finally, a Friday, during my break time, we had our meeting. Basically, I had to sit through her saying that I was the entire reason that students were leaving (regardless of the kids who loved me), that I was a huge disappointment to her because as head foreign teacher I should be more supportive of HER, and should be more cheerful regardless of the millions of problems and so on. I just kept asking, "What does she want to do?" Really, why beat around the bush, right? Well, she told me I was going to be let go, I had six weeks left, and that was it. By this time we'd already expected something like this, and we'd purchased my husband a plane ticket home with the money we did have for the following Friday. She told me I was fired, and then expected me to go back to work and teach my final two classes. She left me with the promise that if I didn't do my best, then I wouldn't get any pay for the last six weeks. To me, this translated as, "You won't be getting any pay." Clearly, the best that I'd been giving all along wasn't enough for her, why would anything else? Let me just share with you where I was emotionally, and mentally at this point. I was a mess. I had never experienced depression before, but it suddenly hit me harder than anything I've ever felt before. I truly thought that if my husband were to leave the following Friday, and I didn't go with him, I might not ever leave, I really didn't know what to expect, the way I was feeling. I knew I just wanted to go home, and be with my family, but we didn't have the money for that. It was suggested that I just 'suck it up' for the next six weeks, and try to make it through, and yes, if I didn't have the problems with my pay being taken solely for the credit card, then that might have been fine. But, since my boss refused to change my bank account information, I knew that for the next six weeks I wouldn't have any money to get by on, and so sucking it up wasn't really going to be much of an option. It was a mess, I was a mess, and going to work where I was being bullied and made to feel like I was the scum on the bottom of the pond didn't help matters much. Thankfully, by God's Grace, I did get home. Someone sent us money, so I could buy a ticket home with Derek the next Friday. It was a miracle, and one for which I will always be grateful. I went to work the Monday and Tuesday after I was told I was fired. I dealt with death glares from the boss lady, and was treated like crap, and so, when I had money to buy my ticket on Wednesday, I called in sick for work, so I could go to Seoul and get my flight booked. On Thursday, I also called in sick, and then DH and I packed everything up, as much as we can. See, at this point, I was also having panic attacks and could barely function. I just wanted to get out of there. Get away from where they could find us, and make sure we'd get to the airport with no problems. Finally, on that Friday, we did get to the airport without having to deal with anyone, and we made it home with no problems, and with our cats. I've since heard that the boss lady and her son were trying to get revenge with me here in Canada, that they figured they were going to call someone, and make my life more miserable. They accused me of telling lies about them, and of still causing them problems. As you can see, since September, until now, I've not posted about them, I've not shared my story, and so have not told lies about them. What I've posted here is the truth. They may state that it's not, but it is. Was I perfect and completely without blame? No, of course not. Was I totally to blame? NO, absolutely not. The school does not follow the law, in giving teachers pension, insurance and severance. Sure, I could have stayed and took them to court to get all of that, but with my mental state the way it was, it wouldn't have worked so well for me. The best thing that could have happened was for me to get home. I'm pretty sure I didn't do anything but cry for the first three weeks I was home, and that's NOT like me. I'm usually a much stronger person than that. So, if you're applying for work in Korea and you're recruiter suggests ECC in Dongducheon, Kyounggi-Do, please think about the risks you may be taking. Late pays, lack of communication, long hours, constant changes, and a contract that truly is nothing but a means of getting you your visa, it certainly isn't anything to be followed. If you have any more questions, please feel free to e-mail me at thehansons@live.ca . I will be more than willing to answer any other questions you have. Add Comment Smart Lunch 09/01/2011
Today, DH actually woke up in enough time before work for me to drag him out of the apartment and out to lunch. It was a good thing, too. I'm starting to get pretty unimpressed with going to work with no lunch, which of course, I feel perfectly fine blaming on him still being asleep at noon. I know, I know, it's not really his fault. I'm an adult and am perfectly capable of getting food for myself, but I am not motivated when the whole house is still sleeping at noon to get up and do much myself, so I don't, and then 12:30 sneaks up on me, it's time to rush to work, and I haven't had anything to eat. So.... today, we headed to Pizza Hut, for some smart lunch.  Pretty flowers at a church across the street from our apartment.  Pizza Hut at Jihaeng Station.  When we sat down, the waitress promptly gave us the English menu and tried to take this one away. I very, very kindly asked her to leave this one, since... well, we wanted the smart lunch, and it's not listed in the English menu.  What's left of the small sampler we got. There were three wings, three chicken tenders and two potato skins. Yummy!!   DH gave her the money to pay for our lunch... and... she promptly ran off to get change, leaving the cash register open the entire time. Umm? Bad idea, chickie. Thankfully, we are honest folks, and didn't cause any harm.  I think this guy had the smartest lunch of us all! :) So, it was a good lunch. We had two mini pizza's, the mini-sampler, and two cola's, all for 23,000 KRW. It's still Pizza Hut in Korea expensive, but not as expensive as it can be there. The best thing was spending time with my hunny! Happy September, friends!  Nothing to do with lunch, but.. just sad. :-( Being Positive and Thankful... 08/27/2011
There are times when it's maybe a challenge to see anything positive, and times when you aren't really sure what there would be you could possibly give thanks for. These days, I'm feeling a lot of pressure at work, and so being positive and thankful hasn't really been on my list of priorities. What I am noticing, though, is that I'm becoming way too negative, and that's not great, either. I do feel like negative energy can attract more negative energy, and then it just becomes a nasty cycle. So, this weekend, while DH and I are relaxing, resting, and not really doing much at all, I just thought I'd share some things with you that I'm thankful for. Friends! I have some really amazing friends. Just the other night I really needed to share my stress at work with someone, and asked a friend for a visit, and we had such a great time. It was a huge relief to just talk out my thoughts, frustrations, and concerns, and to know that someone was listening, giving feedback and offering help. I have another friend who I know will also do the same for me here if need be, and an amazing friend who I can message and he will always be there for me, giving advice, information and just kindness without judgement. I am truly blessed by some wonderful friends. Family! As much as they drive me nuts sometimes, they really do truly care for me, and are always there when I need them. Even my father was texting me one evening this week to see how things are going, and although we didn't text for long, it was nice to know that he cared enough to ask!   Taking Action! DH and I have made a decision about what our next step will be, and although I'm not prepared to share it yet, I am excited about it, happy with what's coming, and scared out of my mind. Haha... It will be great, and it is what's best, I'm sure, but will just be strange for the first little while. Fall! It's coming. There are times when I feel it in the air. I am very much looking forward to to cooler weather, and even more importantly, what comes after that.... meaning, winter, and Christmas! My Husband! Yes, he's pretty awesome, and I am very thankful for him. He always knows what I need and does his very best to be there for me when I need him. He is a wonderful listener, and is a super daddy for our kitties!! They just love him! And, with all of this, it always helps that God is good, and He has an ultimate plan for us. We may not be sure yet 10 On 10 - August 08/10/2011
 Working on a Christmas project... with a little help from Caramel!          Korea & Background Checks 08/09/2011
I just wanted to write quickly. Our blog gets a lot of traffic from Google, and one of the queries that brought people here is the question "Do all hagwons ask for criminal background checks?" For those who are interested in traveling to Korea, and working here, it's not the hagwons or the public schools who are requesting a background check, but rather immigration. When I first came to Korea in 2000, background checks were not needed to get a job. Things have changed a lot, and in my own opinion, I'm sure a lot of the changes, in regards to necessary documents has to do with some pedophiles who were busted, and it had been discovered that they'd been teaching children in Korea. Of course, I don't know for certain, and don't hold me to it. I will say, though, that if something like that can protect children, the I'm all for it. What I don't really appreciate, though, is the need for an apostilled degree thingee. It would make sense that if I can provide the original, then that should be good enough. The problem, though, is too many people were able to provide fake original degrees, and so a real original is no longer enough. That, I find annoying, but it's all good. There are processes to go through to get both required documents, and so just get them done. If you have questions about what kind of things on a background check might be a deal breaker for immigration, it's possible your school or recruiter can provide more information. Friday Field Trip - Honey Land, Paju 08/05/2011
Today my school went on a field trip. We went to Honey Land, in Paju, South Korea. I'm sure Honey Land has seen better days, but really, it's all good. We did have a great time, the kids were happy, and the swimming was refreshing! OH, I also got a wicked burn. Thankfully, I have all weekend to recover!  Team Jennifer, ready to go!        It's been a long, hot day, and everyone is tired on the way home! Yes, that's what a student said today, to one of my co-workers. I'm pretty sure that she was NOT too surprised to hear this. It is not the first time something like this has been said in the same class. The student was being disrespectful, he has been for a long time now, and she asked him why he was being this way, and this is the response she gave him. She then called me into the room, and asked him to repeat what he said to her. I told them both that I wasn't surprised, because I knew he didn't like me either, and asked him, "Student, do you like me?" To which he responded, "No, I don't like you because you're fat." This boy is consistently rude, disrespectful, arrogant, and very full of himself. He's all of nine or ten years old, and has a very smug air about him. It's terrible. The sad thing is, I'm sure he must be like this because of what he's been taught. I'm not sure, though. My co-worker did ask him if he's learned this from someone else, and he said that no, it's just how he feels on his own. I did suggest to him that maybe I don't like him because he's Korean, and is that fair? When he suggested that to judge him based on that was not fair, he still could not see how it related to being unfair to also judge my co-worker based on her skin color, something that she hasn't any control over. I did ask him why he wants to learn English, and he told me that he wants to learn the language so that he can meet and talk to Americans. I suggested to him that if he goes to America and makes comments like this to people there, then he will not make it there for very long, and certainly won't have many friends. Deep down, I think I'd really like to see him go to somewhere like New Orleans, and see how he survives. Well, you know, not as a nine or ten year old, but once he's older, and probably still has the same backwards ideas. Here's the problem I have. I'm always trying to find an excuse for the behavior. I know there's really no excuse for it. This child has been offensive, and needs to be taught the right way to treat people. It is wrong to be this way. BUT, at the same time, if he has grown up hearing such things, then of course he's going to believe them, isn't he? His parents are both teachers, and his mother is constantly coming into the school apologizing for his behavior, and trying to see how we can improve his attitude, but, as in many hagwon situations, the truth is not always told to her about how he is behaving. How can we assist her and help her teach her son to behave better, if she isn't told the things that her son is doing? At the same time, as a teacher, how do we react to such statements? How do we more appropriately teach children that this kind of thing is offensive? Do we tell them that it's okay to think that, and feel that way, but is wrong to say it? Most people have that kind of line in their brains that says that such a thing is not appropriate to say, this child does not. Of course, what he said to me, well, that's fair. He wouldn't be the first to say it, and while it's not a good reason completely judge someone and base it on whether or not you like them, I get it. It's fine. As for skin color, though, it's hard to imagine that in a country where people are already seen as xenophobic, and unkind to foreigners, what hope is there if kids, even at this age, have such ideas and think this way? Will Korea ever become an open society, where every one is treated equally, and skin color is just that, a color, not something to be judged by? I really hope, that someday, everyone in Korea will take the time to get to know people, to understand their situations, and to really grasp what kind of amazing world awaits them. It would be a fantastic movement for this country. To judge someone based on skin color, or weight, or even just because someone is not Korean, is really just deplorable. Wake up, Korea. Teach your children how to respect and be open about all kinds of people, from all over the world. A Trip To The Vet At Yangju E-Mart 07/30/2011
Today we took our kitties to the vet, to get some shots for them. It was fun. They, of course, are superstars, and handled it all very well! I just thought I'd share some photos with you, of our trip.  I think they knew something was up. We had to find them first.  There's one!  There's the other!  She is not happy!  Yes, the babies are heavy! LOL. They do weigh about the same, 6.68 KG's, or almost 15 pounds, with the carrier.  They so patiently waited to see the vet. Actually, the only time they were really noisy was in the taxi ride to E-Mart, and then it didn't really matter, because the taxi driver is also a cat owner, and so he understood.  This cutie lives at the vet's office, I think. :) He or she is such a poser, laid like this as I was snapping photos, and turned back around as soon as I stopped. LOL   How cute are these guys? They were so fun to watch! Just playing the whole time we were there! Loved them!  After they both had two shots, we went down to the food court to have a late lunch/early dinner with some friends. The cats drew a lot of attention. They were rockstars, though, and just sat quietly in their cases, waiting to go home.  Thanks for hanging out, guys! The cheese pizza was great, and the company was fantastic! Have a safe trip home! After pizza, it was time to go home, and the cats were so quiet in the taxi this time. They were great! Once we got home, everyone settled in for a nice nap, and then they were rewarded with some mushy foods, because they really are the best kitties EVER! By the way, we didn't get any photos of the shots being done, because well, DH is creeped out by needles, and so I had to hold the cats down, while they were being given, and he had to leave the room and couldn't take photos. It's all good, though, I'm sure everyone can imagine what it's like to see a cat getting shots. Monsoon Season 07/28/2011
We are in the midst of monsoon season in Korea. This week I have been on vacation from Wednesday until next Monday, and that's a bonus, since I haven't had to go to work in this weather. Sadly, though, many people have had to. It's been very bad weather. Rain, floods, mudslides. If you've been following the news at all, you've probably heard about it. It is terrible. There are many photos all over. Actually, yesterday, I stayed home, and listened to the rain, thunder and all of that, but did not even look outside until it started to get dark. Then, I saw how bad it was, half of our road was flooded with water. Still, we were okay, in our fifth floor apartment, all was well. We had to go take Jingles to the vet today, and we saw what a mess the weather had made then. One main road has been blocked off, because of a big mudslide, and trees and mud are blocking the road. There is actually mud everywhere! Still, though, I didn't really the extent of the damage. DH decided to go to Bosan, to get a game at his favorite shop, and once he got there, he had the surprise of his life. Bosan is no longer the shoppers paradise it always was. It is a muddy, messy disaster. I couldn't bring myself to go there and take photos. My heart is breaking for these people. Many of these people are small business owners, and their businesses have been wiped out from the flood. It's terrible. If you'd like to see some photos of the damages, please check out the Backpack Bee's site. They have documented it well. Please keep the people of South Korea in your prayers as they deal with this extreme weather. Today we had a break in the rain, but now it's starting again, and we are supposed to get slammed again. It will get worse before it gets better. Thank you for your prayers. Some Questions About Us... 07/28/2011
I found this at this great blog, Bles-id. Please join me as I share some information about DH and myself with you! TELL ME ABOUT YOU AND YOUR HUBBY.. Your names: Derek & Jenn How old are you? Both 33 When did you start dating? August 7, 2006 When were you married? October 25, 2010 Where were you married? At my sister's house in Oakland, NB, Canada What was your first dance song? We didn't have a wedding dance, but our first song was Hero, by Enrique Iglesias. Did you take a honeymoon? if so, to where?No, it was back home and back to work the next day. Soon, we'll celebrate a honeymoon in Phuket, Thailand. Any kids? (Names, ages):No kids yet. Any pets? Two cats, Caramel and Jingles How many kids do you want? One or two, I think. What do you and your husband do for a living? I teach English as a Second Language, and DH is a stay at home hubby/cat-cleaner-upper-afterer. Where did you meet: He worked with my mom, and helped her move into a new place, and me in with my mom. Favorite vacation you've been on with your hubby: We went to Portland, ME once for a weekend get away. That was really nice. Favorite things to do? Play games, watch movies. Where do you live? South Korea What are your spouse's favorite things to do if they had ANY choice and unlimited funds: Hmm, I'm sure he'd live in Toronto, and volunteer at Air Canada Center, so that he could watch every Toronto Maple Leaf's game possible. What are your favorite things to do if you had ANY choice and unlimited funds: Travel, do crafts, and continue to write. Perhaps go to school to learn a trade. Favorite foods? Pizza for me, and salad with Catalina dressing for DH Last but not least, if you could offer one piece of marital advice, what would it be? Just be patient, loving, and learn how to listen, even when nothing is being said. Always let him know how much you love him, even if at that moment you don't. Forgive, and don't punish for mistakes. | Just some thoughts about life in the ROK.We are trying to make our way through life, with some fun experiences and challenges along the way. ArchivesFebruary 2012 CategoriesAll  
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