Teaching English in Korea

If you are not a native speaker (from the U.S., the UK, Canada, Australia, etc..) then it's illegal for you to teach English in Korea. Some Filipinos who got married to Korean are teaching English illegally unless they would get their Korean citizenship. If you were caught teaching English illegally, the fine is $3,000 (according to my friend) and they would send you back home but if your husband is Korean then you are excuse with the second rule. Some directors are kind enough to hide you if they know that the immigration officers are coming like what my boss did when I worked illegally. I was heading for work when he called me and told me to go back home and come back the next day because the people from the immigration were there. That happened twice that's why I changed my citizenship after staying here for two years so that I can work freely.

Teaching English in Korea is very tough specially when you can't speak any Korean. There are many rude and naughty students so you have to carry your "patience" everyday when you enter the class. You need to deal well with your co-workers so that they can help you with it. Or you can just say to the homeroom teacher and they will manage it for you. They just talk to the students and call their parents if they continue to make trouble in your class and students are afraid of that.

Teaching Koreans is also fun if you know how to handle the students. Some kids are loving, sweet and thoughtful. Anyway, each student is different. Some can't be disciplined without holding a stick and some don't want to be hit and they are getting more rude if you hit them. Others just need your attention so they make noise.

I've been teaching here for seven years and i'm not saying that i'm expert enough but I can say that I already learned a lot and willing to learn more. Everyday is a challenge for me when I enter the classroom. I don't know what kind of day I should have but fortunately I always have a good day with my students. I don't only work for the money but also I work because I enjoy my job.

Snakes Flying Lesson

One day Snake is talking to two birds.
"I live in the desert on the hot ground. I can't fly," says Snake.
"Everybody knows snakes can't fly," say the birds.
"I want to fly like you! Help me!" says Snake.
"We can try," say the birds.

"Hold on tight, friend. Don't open your mouth or you'll fall!" say the birds.
The birds carry Snake high in the air.
The air is cool. The sun shines through the white clouds.
Flying is wonderful! thinks Snake.

"Well, well. A silly snake who thinks it can fly!" says Eagle. "Are those feathers down there on your tail? Can you fly without that stick in your mouth?"
Snakes gets very angry. He opens his mouth to bite Eagle.
He falls through the air to the ground. He lands on a cactus. Ouch!

"Now I know snakes can't fly. I'll stay on the ground from now on!" says snakes.

Source: Backpack 3 Book

Tired of working with new co-workers

I've just mentioned here that we had a new teacher. She had a week training and attended a seminar but when she had a demonstration, the boss didn't like her. She was rejected by the boss and hired another teacher. I was just surprised when we had a meeting and saw a new face in the office. I wondered if she was the teacher that my co-worker trained so I asked her, she said it was another one. My boss hired another teacher instead because this new teacher has a 3 years experienced and seems better than the other one. Well, I think so but I still feel sorry for the other one who didn't get the job.

My new co-worker is good and she knows how to handle the students. Because she had years experience, she's also better at teaching kids. I like her but I miss my former co-worker who I had a good relationship with. We keep in touch and wanted to meet me soon. She called me on her last day because I couldn't dine out with her. We went to my in law's house so I'm gonna meet her soon. Students and my boss also like her because she's pretty. She's also kind to the students.

Oh well, I'm tired of working with new co-workers. I can't count how many teachers I have worked with. I'm the oldest ("senior" i'm not referring to age here) employee there. I also sometimes think of quitting my job but my boss told me just last week again that I have to work with him forever. Ngeeeekkk!~

My new co-worker

I've just mentioned that my boss was hiring a new worker and there were two applicants but he only chose one. My boss already chose among the two and he sent her in a seminar last Tuesday. But applicants kept coming so my boss tried the new applicant. They had both demonstration for a day and my boss thought that this new applicant is better than the one who he sent to the seminar so he chose her and asked the other one to go home. I just feel sorry for her because she spent days for training and attended a seminar but after that she would just go home because my boss didn't like her. That's a pity but I understand my boss because this newly hired teacher has many years experience in teaching so she's good.

She also lives near my apartment so we take the same bus. We already talked a lot of things when we were on the bus. Hmmm...she seems so nice!

My boss was hiring a teacher

There were many applicants last week because my boss was hiring a new teacher. Last Monday, I saw two new teachers in the office. My boss told my my co-worker to train them although they have years experience in teaching. Yesterday, teachers attended a seminar including the new ones and my boss told us that he would hire only one teacher so one of them will fall. Before I left for home yesterday, I heard that my boss hired the younger one. I already expected that. In our profession, younger and prettier have more opportunities to be hired than the older or uglier one. Not only because my boss like young and pretty ladies but because students have more interest in learning if their teachers are pretty and young. Of course we also have two not too old hajuma (old woman) but they are good at teaching kids and i'm sure my boss doesn't want to hire older than them.

Ooppsss... nobody knows in my class that I'm married although I wear my wedding ring. But I wear two rings. Our engagement ring and wedding ring. I wear them both so my students are confuse. When they asked me about that I just tell them it's a secret. They even don't know my real age. When I asked them how old do I look, most of them answered 24-27. Oh well, it's better not to say my age. I just smiled at them and didn't say anything and I said it's time to start our lesson. Some said i'm bad, others said they hate me when I try to make an excuse whenever they asked me those two questions. Oh well, hehehe...

The Goose that laid the Golden Egg

Once there was a man and woman who were fortunate enough to own a goose that laid a golden egg. Every day the goose laid one golden egg. Before long, the man and woman began to grow rich. One day the man said to his wife, "We are not getting rich fast enough. That goose must be made of gold inside. If we kill it, we can get all the gold at once. We would get rich and never have to work again." Well, they killed the goose and cut it open. When they looked inside, it was not made of gold like they thought. The inside of the goose was just like every other goose.