Teacher, Baejae Institute. Ulsan, South Korea
Although I've been planning this for months, the reality of my decision is just starting to set in. I am leaving New Jersey to teach English in South Korea! Monday I mailed all of my documents to the school so they can start the visa process. I had to send my original degree, which made me VERY apprehensive. I insured that skinny envelope like it was made of solid gold, but I am still anxious.
I also signed the contract that says I'm willing to live, alone, in Korea, for one year while teaching small children to speak my language. Here are a few of my favorite excerpts from the contract:
This employment contract has been made between Baejae Institute E park., Samsandong, Namgu, Ulsan, employer (hereinafter referred to as "A") and new employee (hereinafter referred to as "B"). Other articles that don't exist on this contract will be followed by Labor Laws and employment regulations of Baejae Institute E park.
1 A monthly basic salary of 2.1_million won will be paid for 120 hours (with the standard of each teaching hour being equal to 50 min.) per month. Between each teaching hour a 5 or 10 min. break will be given to the teacher. Salary will commence from the first day of teaching, and monthly salary payments will be made on the 10th of each month.
2. “B” is paid 20,000 won per class (50 minutes) for overtime in excess of 120 hours a month. (Time = 2~9PM)
Translation: that's 30 hour work weeks, beginning at 2pm. The current exchange rate can be found here and is fabulous. Foreign teacher salaries in Korea typically range from 1.8 -2.1 million won, so I lucked out to find a school with a bigger budget.
"A" shall provide "B" with single accommodation. Furnishings provided by "A" include: TV, refrigerator, electric fan, electric rice cooker, dining table, chair, washing machine, bed, blanket, and pillow. "A" will select the place in which "B" will reside. The cost of monthly services, including utilities and telephone charges for the accommodation will be provided by "A" but will be paid for by "B". In the event that "B" chooses not to live in the accommodation which was secured by "A," "A" will provide a monthly housing allowance of 300,000 Korean Won.
Yes, I will be provided with an electric rice cooker. Priceless. (Also, my contact has assured me that the standard twin sized bed won't be purchased for my apartment - they're going for a full, which is great because twins were only made to torture college students and have no place in adult abodes.) And I guess my formal dinner party invites will have to be rescinded, since I only have one chair. Oh well.
And finally, the proof that I found a reputable school with an honest and trustworthy director:
This contract has been drawn up and has been executed in the English language; therefore, the English text of this contract will govern and prevail over any translation thereof. This contract will be interpreted according to the internal (domestic) laws of the Republic of Korea. A competent court in the Republic of Korea will have jurisdiction in regard to any dispute or claim arising out of, or in connection with, this contract.
My plane ticket has not yet been purchased, but I will leave Northern California sometime around September 24. Depending on how slowly my visa is processed, I may arrive in Korea on a tourist visa, and need to take what is called the 'visa run' to Japan to get my working visa validated. This is where they send the dumb, mono-linguistic American on a free trip to Japan by herself to find the Korean embassy and pick up her correct visa. Teachers do this literally all the time, but currently the idea is intimidating me more than a little. No point in worrying about it now though - I have plenty of other things to think about and plan for!
Like my ROADTRIP!
The excitement's mounting for the Jersey Exodus. We have reservations for all but one night, and are camping our way across the country. In attendance: Carolyn, myself, Sierra Kitten and Bodega Kitten. Carolyn will be driving Tommy the Toyota Tacoma, and I will have the kitties in Tony, my Jersey Jeep. We've been slowly bringing them out in the world more to prepare them, but it will still be an enormous adjustment for indoor-only cats. Here's the itinerary:
Day 1: Punderson State Park
Newbury, Ohio
Day 2: Geneseo Campground
Geneseo, IL
Day 3: NO RESERVATION
Louisville, NE
(Louisville Lakes State Recreation Area)
On Nebraska Highway 50
Day 4: AB Camping
Cheyenne, WY
(Nightly family BBQ)
Day 5: Green River State Park
Green River, UT
Day 6: Barstow Days Inn
Barstow, CA
Day 7: Casa de Seester
Templeton, CA
Day 8: HOME!
And finally- yesterday I submitted my official letter of resignation, after placing a preliminary phone call to Neal, the president of GDI. It all went MUCH better than I had expected, and we have parted on great terms. Everyone appreciates the value of this sort of experience, and Neal and John have expressed a desire for me to remain involved with GDI while in Korea as a region liaison or program facilitator. To have the support of GDI behind me is a great asset, not the least of which is our global network of intercultural trainers. I also gave notice of my last day - AUGUST 11!! And I decided that the following day will be my last at the restaurant as well, since I have more clothes than a Midwestern fleamarket and desperately need to get my belongings sorted out before trying to pack them into a Jeep Liberty for a 3000 mile drive. With cats. And camping gear. We are clearly insane.
(As a completely unrelated aside, as I spellchecked this post, it hit on "fleamarket" and suggested I replace it with "flamer." I have no idea what the correlation is there.)
I also signed the contract that says I'm willing to live, alone, in Korea, for one year while teaching small children to speak my language. Here are a few of my favorite excerpts from the contract:
This employment contract has been made between Baejae Institute E park., Samsandong, Namgu, Ulsan, employer (hereinafter referred to as "A") and new employee (hereinafter referred to as "B"). Other articles that don't exist on this contract will be followed by Labor Laws and employment regulations of Baejae Institute E park.
1 A monthly basic salary of 2.1_million won will be paid for 120 hours (with the standard of each teaching hour being equal to 50 min.) per month. Between each teaching hour a 5 or 10 min. break will be given to the teacher. Salary will commence from the first day of teaching, and monthly salary payments will be made on the 10th of each month.
2. “B” is paid 20,000 won per class (50 minutes) for overtime in excess of 120 hours a month. (Time = 2~9PM)
Translation: that's 30 hour work weeks, beginning at 2pm. The current exchange rate can be found here and is fabulous. Foreign teacher salaries in Korea typically range from 1.8 -2.1 million won, so I lucked out to find a school with a bigger budget.
"A" shall provide "B" with single accommodation. Furnishings provided by "A" include: TV, refrigerator, electric fan, electric rice cooker, dining table, chair, washing machine, bed, blanket, and pillow. "A" will select the place in which "B" will reside. The cost of monthly services, including utilities and telephone charges for the accommodation will be provided by "A" but will be paid for by "B". In the event that "B" chooses not to live in the accommodation which was secured by "A," "A" will provide a monthly housing allowance of 300,000 Korean Won.
Yes, I will be provided with an electric rice cooker. Priceless. (Also, my contact has assured me that the standard twin sized bed won't be purchased for my apartment - they're going for a full, which is great because twins were only made to torture college students and have no place in adult abodes.) And I guess my formal dinner party invites will have to be rescinded, since I only have one chair. Oh well.
And finally, the proof that I found a reputable school with an honest and trustworthy director:
This contract has been drawn up and has been executed in the English language; therefore, the English text of this contract will govern and prevail over any translation thereof. This contract will be interpreted according to the internal (domestic) laws of the Republic of Korea. A competent court in the Republic of Korea will have jurisdiction in regard to any dispute or claim arising out of, or in connection with, this contract.
My plane ticket has not yet been purchased, but I will leave Northern California sometime around September 24. Depending on how slowly my visa is processed, I may arrive in Korea on a tourist visa, and need to take what is called the 'visa run' to Japan to get my working visa validated. This is where they send the dumb, mono-linguistic American on a free trip to Japan by herself to find the Korean embassy and pick up her correct visa. Teachers do this literally all the time, but currently the idea is intimidating me more than a little. No point in worrying about it now though - I have plenty of other things to think about and plan for!
Like my ROADTRIP!
The excitement's mounting for the Jersey Exodus. We have reservations for all but one night, and are camping our way across the country. In attendance: Carolyn, myself, Sierra Kitten and Bodega Kitten. Carolyn will be driving Tommy the Toyota Tacoma, and I will have the kitties in Tony, my Jersey Jeep. We've been slowly bringing them out in the world more to prepare them, but it will still be an enormous adjustment for indoor-only cats. Here's the itinerary:
Day 1: Punderson State Park
Newbury, Ohio
Day 2: Geneseo Campground
Geneseo, IL
Day 3: NO RESERVATION
Louisville, NE
(Louisville Lakes State Recreation Area)
On Nebraska Highway 50
Day 4: AB Camping
Cheyenne, WY
(Nightly family BBQ)
Day 5: Green River State Park
Green River, UT
Day 6: Barstow Days Inn
Barstow, CA
Day 7: Casa de Seester
Templeton, CA
Day 8: HOME!
And finally- yesterday I submitted my official letter of resignation, after placing a preliminary phone call to Neal, the president of GDI. It all went MUCH better than I had expected, and we have parted on great terms. Everyone appreciates the value of this sort of experience, and Neal and John have expressed a desire for me to remain involved with GDI while in Korea as a region liaison or program facilitator. To have the support of GDI behind me is a great asset, not the least of which is our global network of intercultural trainers. I also gave notice of my last day - AUGUST 11!! And I decided that the following day will be my last at the restaurant as well, since I have more clothes than a Midwestern fleamarket and desperately need to get my belongings sorted out before trying to pack them into a Jeep Liberty for a 3000 mile drive. With cats. And camping gear. We are clearly insane.
(As a completely unrelated aside, as I spellchecked this post, it hit on "fleamarket" and suggested I replace it with "flamer." I have no idea what the correlation is there.)
posted by pixelpulp at 3:42 PM
1 Comments:
Texas and the Southern route would have taken a few additional days (read: TOO EXPENSIVE)and although I like exploring the deep south as much as the next guy, August is not the month I would choose in which to do it (read: HORRIBLY HUMID AND MUGGY WITH MURDEROUS MOSQUITOS). I was also very concerned with keeping the cats cool enough at night in the tent. We went to the Coleman outlet in PA and got some really cool camping supplies, including a fan that has a light in the middle and affixes via magnet to the top of the tent. We also picked up a special tupperware egg carrier for $2 and a cool lighter that has a long, bendable wand so you can put the flame whereever you need it. They also had a machete for sale for $7. I wracked my brain but couldn't come up with a reasonable excuse to buy a machete. Other than it being $7 of course.
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