IT’S HARD TO TRUST ANYONE HERE

I have seemed to run into a group of people without honor. First I have this school where the principal is a liar and a man without honor. I have now decided that the supervisor at the Provincial Education Office is also another man without honor. Is this the Korean way? Yoon-Soo tells me that Koreans lie. They don’t consider it lying but Westerner’s do. A lie is a lie. I don’t know how you can see it as anything else.

Yesterday morning I get an email from Wenice telling me about a possible job in a city called Yangpyeong. I call her and try and ask a couple of questions such as would I be a co-teacher or on my own. Her reply was I shouldn’t ask questions and just be grateful that they mentioned this school. She told me she had no intention of getting any information about the school for me. Strange. I asked if it was possible to meet the school first as this would give them the opportunity to meet me before deciding if they want me, and I could meet them and ask my own questions. She said she’d get back to me.

Not wanting to wait on this I continue perusing the job boards looking for potential jobs. I find a middle school job in Ilsan which is close to Paju and a very nice city. Great, I think. I call the agency which is the same agency that placed me in this hellhole. I speak to the agency owner and he’s heard about me. I tell him that the Ilsan job sounds great and he tells me he will call Mr. Kim (at the Provincial Office) and discuss it with him. He will then call me back.

I still hadn’t heard from him a few hours later so I called him. He was on the phone and I left a message. No reply. I still hadn’t heard back from Wenice. Yes, I admit I’m anxious. I want out. I call the agency guy again but he’s not there and I leave another message. He actually did call me back at 6:30 last night. He told me that Mr. Kim said I couldn’t go to Ilsan so he can’t place me there. He tells me that there are a lot of jobs in another province that I might be interested in. I tell him no, because I need to be a reasonable distance from Seoul. I get off the phone quite puzzled as I was under the impression that the Province wanted to help me. I find a job in one of their schools and I assumed that they’d be pleased.

I called Mr. Kim and I say, “Hello Mr. Kim. This is Martin King. I hope I’m not bothering you”. His reply was, “you are bothering me”. This was going to be fun. He starts off by saying he wants to give me some advice. His advice was that when I’m in Korea I shouldn’t ask questions and I should just do what people tell me to do. Of course I want to tell him to go fuck himself because he’s an ignorant moron, but I don’t. I tell him that I’m learning and thank him for his advice. I can play the game when I need to.

I asked him what happened with Ilsan and what he told me was that he didn’t say no but that the agency wanted more money to place me than he was willing to pay. That’s just great I think. Then I ask about the Yangpyeong job. He tells me that the agency said no to placing me there as the Province and the agency are having some sort of squabble. So, I’m in the middle confused as hell. Why can’t the Province just hire me and put me in the school? I don’t ask this question because the obvious simple questions might be too difficult for him to handle. He basically tells me that there is nothing he can do, which is much different than what I was told the day before.

I tell him again that my situation is intolerable and could he please do something for me. He says he will try to work something out and get back to me. Do I think this will happen? No. It might, but I’m not counting on it. I’ve had people tell me to not trust any Korean and I’m starting to believe it. Their school system sucks and they are quite happy to let it suck. A lot of the principals are incompetent, the class sizes are too big, the teacher’s hit kids, and so on. All the schools aren’t terrible, but it seems no one cares about fixing the ones that are.

I’m ready to fold my tent and leave. Who needs this crap? I don’t. This was supposed to be interesting and fun. Now when I’m calm I realize that with patience that all will work out. It usually does. I don’t want to put this on Saeyoon’s head, but if it wasn’t for her, I’d pack it in. There are other places to see and try. I think my personality requires a certain environment to thrive in. I’m not afraid of the work, and I’m not afraid of advice and learning. I just don’t want to be dictated to and told stupid things without reason. I am not some piece of dog crap under their shoes. I know that there are good places here and I can keep trying until I find one or I can leave. Obviously I feel my personal relationship warrants me trying to tough this out and make the effort.

I keep sending out resumes without much luck. I did get 2 job offers yesterday. One was teaching adults but it was a split shift. You work from 8 to 11 in the morning, and 7 to 11 at night. That’s not for me. The other was in Mongolia. That sounds more than fascinating and I’m sorely tempted. It just sounds so exotic and different. The money is lousy. Broadband Internet is unaffordable. Fruit and vegetables are probably expensive. But how many people do you know who have worked in Mongolia? Exactly. I want to be the first one on my block to do so. But once again I can’t leave just yet.

The boy I’m helping with his speech brought me lunch again yesterday. I had already eaten and I told him that he doesn’t have to bring me lunch. I appreciate the gesture though. I think it’s most kind.

The 2 kids I’m helping for their foreign high school entrance exam asked me yesterday what I liked. I said money. We all laughed and I asked them why they were asking. (I knew why). They said they wanted to get me a gift. I told them that they didn’t need to, and if they did well on their test that would be a great gift. They insisted and to be polite I had to think of something. I said to get me something Korean. They said like a souvenir and I said yes. I complain about the terrible manners that the kids have, but there are some that are just so well behaved and good people. I hope by some miracle they get in because of who they are. They will work hard and I believe they can succeed given the chance.

I found out the boy goes to academy to learn different subjects after school. The academy hours are 5PM to 2AM. The girl goes to an academy from 6PM to 1AM. This is one fucking crazy place. The boy sleeps from 3AM to 7AM. He spends 5 minutes rushing down his dinner. His Sunday academy hours are 10AM to midnight. I can’t believe this is either right, or healthy. I would NEVER bring my children up in Korea. I know why many Koreans want to leave before their kids start school. It’s crazy. And because Mrs. Kim sends her kid to academy, Mrs. Lee has to send her kid to academy. It’s the competition. It’s just so nuts to me.

As I walked into school today past a bunch of kids, no one said anything to me. I’m finally just another teacher to the kids. Rarely do I hear, “you’re beautiful”, or “I love you” anymore. In a way I miss it, but in another way I’m glad. It means I don’t have to be “on” all the time. I know the kids like me (the boy I help with his speech told me), but they don’t like the subject I teach.

I really do want out of this school. I know if I’m patient something should turn up.