Heart Attack

On November 10th I went to work for Park's English School on Jeju Island South Korea. I had heard of Mr. Park and knew he had a reputation as being a good employer. He spent a few days interviewing me and decided to hire me.

I began work on November 10th but had to watch during that day because I didn't have a legal visa. On that day I was given 15 minutes to meet another foreign teacher at another branch to learn how his system worked. The woman was young and seemed stressed out when speaking with Mr. Park and even more stressed with the prospects of teaching where I was suppose to work the next day.

Tuesday the 11th of November came but not the visa. Mr. Park, with his great influence went to the Department of Immigration and immediately snatched up my visa. I was trying to teach when he gave me the card. The following days were filled with stress as I slowly discovered that the academic system of the school was in total disarray. Not only was the system in total confusion but the schedule made no sense. There was no way to figure out how the alphanumerical code related to any teaching process and to compound the problem; there was no one who could tell me how it worked because the only English speakers where a very young female teacher and Mr. Park.

There was one day I approached someone in authority about a problem between text and activity books. I was looking in the newer edition for pages needed for homework and was told I was in error because the correct homework pages were in the older outdated edition. Still trying to figure this out. One teacher admitted to the fact that there was confusion in the academic system. I found missing pages, incorrectly numbered pages and was given attendance sheets written in Korean.

I have just finished my third week and there is still no clearing in the confusion. My schedule which began at 2:00 PM and ended at 7:00 PM was quickly changed the next week to ending every night at 8:00 PM. Now I am the first teacher to turn the lights on in the school and the last to lock the door and turn the light off unless I make a concerted effort to get out before someone hands me the keys.

This problem is a common problem in Korean Private English Schools and the hundreds of Black Listed Schools are easy to find under a simple search engine study with the words “Korean Black List.”

I have taught in Korea for 10 years and I have never ever experienced the level of confusion that I am experiencing at this school. I want to help Mr. Park get his school organized but at this point I'm heading for a heart attack in a literal sense.

I have to stop and think, ‘What would perfect Love do?” I came up with the thought that Perfect Love would never want to harm anyone so if there is danger, wherever Perfect Love is there would be a warning. For example, if someone with perfect love knew there was an open man hole in a sidewalk unmarked and they saw a person walking right towards it, Perfect Love would shout, “Hey watch out there is a danger ahead of you!!”

I do not understand what is going on but I know it is not safe or healthy for any living person. I write this page as a warning to anyone considering a walk in this particular path that is causing me harm. As a matter of fact my recommendation to any degree carrying English speaker considering work in Korean schools is to be sure to call the school first and ask for phone numbers so you can speak directly to at least two former employees of that school who now reside on their home turf. If a school has no references from former employees take it as a BIG warning and a place to avoid like poison.

I write this as if it were my last entry. Really, I'm having cardiac pain from stress that seems to be omni directional. If I were a tourist I would consider other parts of the world to visit before going to some place that survives by methods considered barbaric in the modern age. There are some good things to learn from a vacation here but most of what is good is being obscured by something that is dangerous.

If you do come to Korea be sure to bring a roll of bathroom tissue with you as you will not find it in the common bathrooms. Also get used to no hot water except in 5 star hotels and high class shopping centers (rare). It is also a good idea to carry a small spray bottle of alcohol to spray on your hands after a public outing; the common strains of infections here (the cold or pick eye) can become problems serious enough to require hospitalization.

I am optimistic that once Korea wakes (like China did) up to the idea that over population in a small country and compulsive education that keeps kids in schools more than 13 hours a day are bad idea, it will emerge into the modern world with a heart and mind that fosters creativity and a distain for ethnocentric thinking. The BIG secret is to wonder what Korean mothers and fathers are doing while they are sending their kids off to eternal school?  Why they are making more babies to send into the merciless system of education.

Also, a BIG warning to any teacher that might find a safe job in this county. Never and I mean never ever correct a Korean English teacher in front of their students. The last time I did that resulted in the teacher stirring the students into a riot. I was slugged in the back by one rather large sixth grader right where my back had been broken a year before by a misguided Korean driver while I was on a bicycle.

It's kind of funny, but Koreans react with horror that western people can own guns yet in the hands of the average Korean an automobile is more dangerous than a bomb and taxi drivers seem to be exempt from all traffic laws even trying to violate the laws of physics; like the speed of light.

I have my doubts that I will get out of this one alive but it doesn't diminish my faith in Christ at all. I know He still loves me and even gives me a chance to warn others of danger before I die of a heart attack. Yes sir! I still believe that even though I'm allowed to finally physically die I will always trust Jesus Christ, for the Bible says, “ Though He allows me to die I will still trust Him .” Praise the name of Jesus!! I can still pray right now for this poor little country and Mr. Park and his school. I believe it's all part of God's plan for my life everlasting!!