An Email

Again from Ruined for Life
I wrote this in response to a talk with my unprofessional director about teaching more in lock-step with my colleagues. I went to a progressive education school and incorporate ideas that were not commonly used in the 19th century. I am not a slave to the text book and that bugged a few malcontents, who wanted the safety of just going through the book page by page.

October 11, 2010

Dear Dr. L,

I've thought a lot about our talk. I appreciate all your feedback and I will now use the book a lot more and do it all in sequence more slowly (one concept at a time).

Also, I need to ask you a favor. If one more student comes to you with even the smallest complaint, please fire me. I am so stressed in this job. I can't sleep or eat properly. I think it's because I'm living in such a dirty, run down apartment, surrounded with men who enjoy toilet humor and now teaching students who complain about every little thing because they love to criticize the woman who's below them in the pecking order.

I will try to do this job, but really perhaps unemployment would be better.

Also, today I will tell Reggie that I will not be in his crude movie full of bad jokes.

I offered to write the teachers' script, but he wanted to do this horrible, degrading movie. When I was in my 20s I actually pursued screenwriting as a career. While I never became famous, I was accepted into Act One: Writing for Hollywood. One thousand people applied and I was one of 30 selected. I have received writing honors from the American Film Institute and gotten praise and been invited to interview to write for the television program "Family Ties" and "Growing Pains."

As a Christian, I will not participate in his movie. I was going to, but should follow my gut and refuse.

Thank you for your consideration.

Susan

Originally Posted in Sept. 2010

September 12, 2010

Still NO VISA

Okay, now I'm anxious. I thought for sure the visa would be in today's mail, if not yesterday's. I need the passport and visa to go. I hate the idea of having to change this flight again. I have half a mind to just not go and find a different job as much as I'm tired of all this job hunting and waiting.

I'm especially put off because the department Coordinator refused to come pick me up at the bus station. We've gone back and forth on this request. I've said that I'd really appreciate some help with my bags and finding the way to a new place after being on the road so long. I'll leave my house at 5am if not before to get on a 7am flight to San Francisco followed by an 11 hour flight to Seoul. Then I have to get a 2 hour bus to a town near my small town. That's when I'd like to have a welcome and someone to take the reins.

Nope.

I even offered to pay the Coordinator for her time and the cab. She refused.

I suppose they just don't do this, though every other job I've had does. In China and Japan several people met the new teachers and we didn't have to touch our bags. In Korea the first time two people met me at the airport. It's just nice to see such people and relax about a new endeavor. I really thought this young girl would be happy to make some extra money.

The thought I have is if I don't get this help, does it mean that I won't get other help at KNUE.

Yes, that's exactly what the refusal meant.

Signs

Signs that Korea National University of Education was going to be the worst employer I've ever had:

1. It took five requests to get someone to agree to meet me at the bus stop. The Coordinator just didn't want to bother. I even offered to pay her or a friend of hers to come get me. Still no luck. In the end they did come.
   
2. I asked them to send me a copy of the text book I'd use and they refused.
   
3. The Coordinator sent me on a wild goose chase twice giving me the wrong information on where to go to get the documents for my visa apostilled
   
4. It's in the middle of no where, Miho. Generally, the farther away from Seoul, the worse the school. Though some do get bad jobs in Seoul.
   
5. The director asked few questions during the interview. He really only asked what I did with Black Sheeps.
   
6. The lowest grade a student can get is an 80%.
   
7. With the creation of websites like Happy Campus, it's so easy for students to plagiarize, so don't teach writing in Korea.
   
8. The pay was lower than I got before. I thought it would be okay since I was in the country and doing teacher training. The prices have gone way up since I left in 2007.
   
9. I ignored my impulse to see photos of the apartment I'd be in. Though pictures aren't enough. One needs to check the water and find out if to get a good shower one needs to go into the students' dorms as I did. In this case pictures would be enough. There wasn't one comfortable chair. There were grease stains on the walls. Most of the lights were burnt out. Though I was allowed to fix it all up.
   

Let the teacher beware.

If you have a college degree, you can do better.