Rick's Guide to How to Get and Keep a Foreign Worker

1) Do not assume the foreigner already knows Korean culture. Telling him after the fact is helpful but is bad timing.

2) Don't assume the foreigner knows the Korean language or wants to learn it. Most foreign ESL teachers only come to Korea for a year and hence don't have much need to learn the language.

3) Fluency does not happen overnight. When someone is immersed in a new language it still takes 5 ~ 6 years to become fluent.

4) Everything needs to be translated. When a teacher stands up and announces something or when a sign is posted on the wall, it needs to be translated. When there is information announced over the PA, it needs to be translated. When there is a meeting or a worship service, it needs to be translated. Please understand that hearing a sermon translated versus preached by a native speaker are not the same thing.

5) The contract is the law and is set in stone. A contract is a legally binding document that must be followed by both parties. The only way a contract can be changed is by the agreement of both parties. Changing or disregarding the contract by the employer without consulting with the employee results in distrust and sometimes with the employee leaving mid contract.

6) Not fully disclosing all of the requirements of the job (surprises) can lead to resentment. Also, telling them they are late with doing something they were never told to do is not good.

7) The Bible talks about taking care of the widow and the foreigner. It is not easy being a foreigner. There is often depression, discrimination, along with the understanding that they are now very limited with what they can and cannot do by themselves. They will needs assistance with simply things such as phone calls, obtaining food or toiletries, getting clothes, opening and keeping a bank account, etc.

8) Culture difference. In Korea when someone makes a mistake or is angry, often the reply is a smile or mild laughter to lighten the mood. In other countries this means you are making fun of the individual.

9) In Asian culture things are planned last minute. In Western culture things are planned far in advance and almost never change.

Make sure both parties know these items and both know that they need to be flexible.

(It's not fun being the first....)

Trials and Frustrations

This entire month has been filled with "one step forward - one step back" and often four or five times in a day. So many things are broken, or missing, or not working. And now they changed what grade I am teaching about 3 days before I need to start teaching it.

I can see the positive things in this. I know I am not getting flat out burned. I know this could be a lot worse. And I know that if I was here alone I would be in a much worse situation.

I have been reminded, several times today, of what a just incredible support network that I have. I know the people around me care for me and are truly looking out for me. I know that my other friends in the country are tried and true friends; they have helped me so much in the past. I know that I have friends and family in the US and in other countries who are incredibly supportive of me.

If I didn't know I am suppost to be here, if I didn't have the people supporting me, I would have quit awhile ago.

Tired Frustrated Lonely

Energy is low from Manila; still recouping energy-wise. Somehow almost no one knows what happened so I have had to explain my story so many times >_<
"You lost so much weight" (about 10 pounds in one week)
"Wait, why aren't you going to China?"
"So, how was the Philippines?"

One step forward and two steps back happened so much today.
Computer progress met with more problems. (fixed the fuse in the power supply only to have trouble with the RAM, the heat sink on the CPU, four drivers, internet, and Windows itself so now I am again unable to even start the machine).
Was able to save money only to have to spend it somewhere else unexpected and am unable to buy anything unless I silicate the help of others.
Am able to communicate more with the people around me (very excited and very happy) yet am unable to communicate with either one of my bosses and took over 20 minutes to get 15 seconds of information (this has happened how many times?) So incredibly frustrating. Today I learned why so many English teachers say "forget it" and leave the country in the middle of the night.

Spent the best part of the last two weeks being utterly alone for almost the entire period. And now that I want to be alone to recoup I am being told I have a full schedule and no, I can't back out of it.

Wish to meet with friends but of course they are too busy to meet/talk.

And while traveling to/within the Philippines:
Cell phone is missing.
Old glasses were partially broken by students.
New glasses disappeared.
Toothbrush is gone.
Toothpaste was stolen who knows how many times.
Clean clothes drying either fell and were covered in dirt, tossed wet onto a dirty floor, or flat out disappeared.
Both towels for showering disappeared.
etc etc...

Unsure if I want to scream and break something or simply cry and fall asleep

End of the Tour

My health troubles have lasted more than a week but due to the lack of internet I had been unable to tell anyone outside of our group until recently.

I have repeated the various tests, had a doctor interpret them, gotten a physical of my abdomine, and have been given a clean bill of health. This is just in time as we will be leaving the city tomorrow morning to go to Manila (hotter than Hades) and then the day after (Friday) will be going back to Korea (woo!)

I have talked with my supervisors and have mentioned that with my immune system taking a hit like it just did, I should not be going to China two weeks from now with the new freshman, as originally planned. I will still have a job but am unsure who I will be teaching in a few weeks *pauses* as if I ever know what is going on; life is constantly changing. Another reminder that we are not in control of our own lives despite the feeling that we sometimes are~

Cheers,
Rick

Dysentery

So I've been in the Philippines for about two weeks and almost the entire time I have been uncomfortable. We have been to three cities, never staying in a place for more than 4 days. We have eaten local food, Korean food, and fusion of the two. The heat has been a killer and never before have I been able to say "I've gotten sunburned while taking a shower or going to the bathroom."

I am, unfortinually, the sickest person in our group. I've been to several hospitals and am on two medications. I have given several stool samples; the second into a plastic bag and the first into a recycled KFC plastic cup while squatting over a newspaper on the bathroom floor of the dirtiest hospital bathroom I have ever been in...wait, I used one in China before, I think China wins this one. In an interesting note the cost of doing one of these tests is 60 pesos. This is also the same price as a taxi ride to the hospital, as is the same price as two bars of soap and three rolls of toilet paper.

To quote the famous line from Oregon Trail, "you have dysentery." Wikipedia says there are two kinds of dysentery; amoebic based (parasites) and bactaria based infections. Well, lucky me, first time to the Philippines, first time getting dysentery, and I get both kinds of dysentery at the same time. Woo hoo! Oh boy I'm going to buy another set of round-trip tickets here for my next vacation.

Several items of good news:
-We have more than 2 bathrooms for 40 people now; very happy with than development.
-I am no longer curled into the fetal position due to stomach pain.
-I can daily now eat more than a small bowl of rice porridge, which seemed to be my daily max total of food intake for the past week. This also means I have lost considerable weight in the last week, however, not by the methods I would have chosen.
-I am also not forced to do the work the rest of our group is doing (which would be impossible for me right now).
-No one has grabbed my stomach in the last 24 hours asking "does it still hurt?"
-And last but not least, I will be returning to Korea, back to civilization, in a few short days. God speed sir, God speed.

Oh, and before I forget, after taking a urine test I was told by a leader in our group "Rick, we got the test results back. I'm sorry but you have cancer."
Rick: (From a 15-minute urine test?) What?
Leader: Yes, you have cancer. I'm so sorry. (immediate exit stage left)
Thirty minutes later, as the doctor has not told me anything about my 'cancer' and we are now leaving.
Rick: What did you mean I have cancer?
Leader: What? Who told you that?
Rick: You did! You told me I have cancer. Thirty minutes ago. You don't remember this?
Leader: What are you talking about? You have cancer and a bacteria infection? I'm so sorry.
Another five minutes later....
Leader: Oh, 'cancel' we are going to 'cancel' the second test. You thought you had cancer? *Laughs* Let's go~