Fresh Perspective: Work to Live or live to work?

I just want to say that I don’t harbor bad thoughts about Korea nor do I think that my job is 100% unsatisfactory but I do think there are problems that need answers and some badly needed changes should occur here.


I came here with an open mind in June of 2007 as a young naïve individual seeking answers about my past, 3 years later I have found out a lot about myself and have begun to right the wrongs that I had held after I first left Korea. Since then I have worked 3 jobs. YALE Academy children's teacher, YBM ELS Adult teacher (where I went through many opportunities) In my hayday I had 4 jobs. Private teaching, Company work, Adults, and Saturday work. I was burning the candle at both ends but for the most part I was happy and now this.
To put it simple I hated my life, I hated Korea and I wanted to desperately leave it all behind while I lived in Gumi. I didn’t think Korea was positive in any way.



I came to Busan with a fresh perspective. I wanted to leave it all behind and look for other things to enjoy.


As far a work goes-it’s the same almost everywhere. People are supposed to care about their work but there is a difference. I live here everyday so I am seeing it and just wanting explanations. In America work is called your livelihood. Literally meaning how one supports his or her life. Its also ones life work and hopefully a source of contentment.
While its true that Americans work over 40 hours a week and maybe 10-12 hours a day its under a different principle. There are many socio-economic classes within America and within these subgroups follows many different lifestyles. Some are dirty rich and greedy. They appear as borderline thieves plundering or exploiting the weak. Others are literally thieves having to steal bread or something else in other to make ends meat. Other people are having to work 2 or three jobs. Its not important to talk about this right now since America is beset with a recession but from the America I left people had a different feeling and approach towards work. I feel Americans work to live. If we have a surplus of money we as most people do either save it in our bank or spend it on something fun for the time being. When we aren’t working we aren’t worrying about more money or wanting to do our actual job at home.


Unlike the situation I am apart of in Korea. I feel that this society literally Lives to work. People push their employees to do more than they are expected. I don't believe in working for free, or doing work during my time off. This doesn't mean I hate volunteering. When it comes to my job I follow my contract and do the best I can. I hate it when fellow co-workers try to appear as my boss and compare me using only salary as a basis.

In Korea it is what it is. Foreigners are overpaid babysitters. They don't really teach anything and they are used only to make parents believe that their kids are getting a first hand ESL experience. I am a tool nothing more nothing less. I came from a distant land, I am not getting round trip airfare I don't get a severance or bonus pay at the end of the contract I am getting paid for watching disrespectful kids, listening to people complain about me and seeing absolutely no change in teaching practices.
A side note- Circling a kids book in red doesn't constitute teaching. Simply saying the answers isn't really teaching but that's what the Korean teachers are paid to do. I am paid to say Repeat after me...blah blah blah............Horse shit. I am in a passionless job yet again and I hope to evade asap.