Has it been mentioned that I hate my boss? I may have let that slip once or twice. But I do. I really, really do.
I had been working at a kindergarten four days a week from 10 a.m. to noon for most of the last 9 months I've been in Korea. In the beginning, it was for 80 minutes a day twice a week. But apparently She Devil decided she wasn't making enough money off me so she upped my schedule. Then she rearranged my regular schedule from 2:30-9:30 p.m. so that I would have one or two 45-minute breaks throughout the day, so that I would never get overtime.
I later found out that Agnes and the owners of the kindergarten were friends. I wasn't aware that it was possible for Agnes to have friends, but when making money is involved I guess anything is possible.
The new schedule became such a giant pain in the ass. I never had a chance to have a life outside of school. I never had enough time to get anything done. I have to walk everywhere I go and it's a mission just to go to the bank or the grocery store.
I got to the point where I told She Devil I didn't want to do the kindergarten classes anymore. Two hours with 3-5-year olds is a REALLY long time. And then I have to deal with the rest of my students for 7 hours a day.
Agnes had a complete conniption fit and said I had to do it. Then I reminded here that my contract wasn't with the kindergarten, which is in a seperate location, but with Talking Club. I also called the Talking Club headquarters and had them talk to her, which further pissed her off.
She eventually relented, but said to give the kindergarten a 1-month notice. Fine. Whatever.
About two weeks after this all transpired, She Devil dropped a bomb on me telling me that because I wasn't going to be doing the kindergarten anymore I would be starting an adult English class Monday-Thursday from 6:30-7:30 a.m.
I told her, the hell I was. I told her it was unreasonable to ask (tell) me to do that. She said I had no choice and under my contract I was obligated to work 120 hours a month and that time would be part of my contract hours.
I told her I would call Talking Club headquarters again and ask them about it. She said, "Ok, go ahead."
I called the headquarters, explained the situation and the guy (who sounded like an Aussie) told me that unfortunately I was contractually obligated to do the class. He told me the way my contract was worded it didn't stipulate when the 120 hours had to be done.
He said, "I'm really sorry. I know you don't want to hear that."
I asked him what I could do. He told me, "Off the record, you should contact your recruiter or hand in your resignation. If headquarters got involved, it would make her more angry and she'd make your situation worse."
Super.
I contacted my recruiter and told him everything that had happened throughout the year. I hadn't contacted him throughout the year because I was afraid of what would happen to me. I didn't tell him everything because I wanted him to do something about it, I finally told him because I wanted him to be aware in case she tried to do something to me. I've heard stories about English teachers being fired in their 11th month for bogus reasons. I also don't want the next person to have to go through the same crap I did.
My recruiter said he was really sorry and he agreed with me that what she was asking was unreasonable. He told me he wouldn't send another teacher to this school ever again and he asked me what I wanted him to do. I told him I just wanted to finish my contract and get the hell away from her.
She came up to me the other day and said, "The morning class must be really difficult."
I said, "Yeah, it really sucks but there's nothing I can do about it."
She then said, "Uhh, yeah. I'm sorry about that." And then she just walked away.
I have three months left. I just have to get through the next three months. I've been looking for the next contract and I want to get as far away from here as possible. I've been looking for jobs in Busan or Jinju, which are both cities on the south region of South Korea. Basically I want to get as far away from this woman as humanly possible and since I can't afford to go home, that means I head to the southern coast.
I just really hope the next three months fly by.
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