Interview week for GIST

I went on a little trip to visit some folks and to see if I couldn't get my face in the door at a couple of prospective places to teach. First I went to see Kasia in Weonju. She had had baby Clovis Jr. a week before so I wanted to be one of the first to meet the little guy. He's cute. Long, wiry, strong arms and legs. And his hair is awesome. Made me jealous. I think he liked me. He usually went to sleep when I held him. Or just looked around quietly. He's a quiet baby. We went for a walk in a nearby park, Kasia, CJ, Caroline,(Kasia's friend), Jelly Bean, (Kasia's dog), and I. I'd say we strolled around for over an hour and he never made a peep.

Kasia is in the midst of planning a trip home to the States so her family can meet CJ too and it has been a logistical nightmare for her! Clovis Sr., (Kasia's hubby and CJ's Dad), wasn't even there when I visited. He was in China having his own little nightmare. Lost his wallet of all things. Then somehow Kasia misplaced her passport while I was there. I only stayed the one day because I figured Kasia had a lot more important stuff on her plate than entertaining me. But it was nice to see the two of them.

Then I went over to Pyeongtaek to visit with Scott, Minju, Alex and Justin. Their breakfast restaurant is doing great. And now they have a little bit more free time to visit. We spent July 4th on base at Camp Humphries. It was open to the public and we didn't have to be signed on by a soldier as is usually the case. It was nice to spend the day in America! I got to go into a Bradley armored troop transport unit, (not supposed to call it a tank I was told), and even put on the headware, stuck my head out the top and said, "Okay show me something to blow up!" It was riDONKulously hot and humid on the day but other than that it was fun. I was looking forward to a concert later in the evening Hoobastank was supposed to be putting on. I like their song, "The Reason." And they do some quality song writing for EA Sports hockey games too. I went to the archery demonstration with Alex and we both got to shoot some arrows. I shot 4 and got a piece of the bull on the last one thank you very much. Although the first one missed completely and I don't know of any game or enemy who will wait around for an assailant to fire four arrows at it. So I am not quite up to snuff as yet.

The base pool is awesome! Unfortunately I didn't have a swimsuit or a change of clothes so I just sat in the table area and watched while the others swam. I also had a beer. And that was the first time all day I stopped sweating. So I cooled off with everyone else. Alex and Justin looked cute in their swimming attire. I had a nice chat with Minju and Alex's wife. I am not sure of her name or their baby's. After that we started the mini-putt, (Scott, Alex and I), and we were joined by big Alex on about the fourth hole. It was a really great course! LOTS of water! I'd say we were on about hole number 12 when the fireworks started. Since the miniputt area was among the best for viewing, a throng of people invaded our course! It was pretty hard to get people to move or even stop their kids from picking up our balls. By the end of the fireworks show the lights went out anyway so we had to quit before we finished. But I want a rematch. I wanted to stay on base and see the concert and maybe enjoy some of the barbecue I'd been smelling all day long. The ribs looked, and smelled especially succulent. But we found out that Hoobastank wasn't going to show up so we went to a little gathering at the apartment of a helicopter pilot/church friend of Scott's and Alex's named Sam. Who better to visit on July 4th than Uncle Sam? I felt uncomfortable in my sweaty, stinky clothes but the folks were nice and the air con was wonderful! And Sam's wife, (whose name I also forget), is a great baker. I had a brownie there that knocked my socks off!

It wasn't long after that we all piled into the subway and went to Seoul on a little bit of a research/book buying trip. Alex needed some textbooks and Scott wanted to get some ideas for restaurant expansion. We looked around Kyobo Bookstore and then the I Tae Won district. I used to live there so I figured I knew a little that would help. But SOOO much has changed! I didn't realize how long it had been since I'd been there. New places going up, old places being torn down. This is what happens in your old age I guess.

One thing I was happy to see unchanged was my favourite place, Woodstock. I called up Mr. Woo and told him I'd come by for a visit. The boys had fun whipping balls all over the pool table, and the floor, and Justin gave a virtuoso performance on the drums. I was having a little too much fun to go home with the Jacksons on the subway. It's just a long, boring time standing. So I stayed and caught up with a few friends I hadn't seen in ages in I Tae Weon. Next day I went back to Pyeongtaek on a compfortable bus. Slept most of the way.

The day after that I decided to go to Pyeongtaek University and look around. I had mailed in an application package about a week earlier and I thought if I could meet the people in charge of the English program it'd give me a better idea of what kind of place it was. It could also score me some points for keenness. I got there a little before noon and the place was absolutely deserted. Even information kiosks had nobody manning, (or womaning), them. So I just walked around. All the buildings were unlocked but conditions could be best described as post-apocalyptic around campus. So I found a few unmanned, (or womaned), computers, sat at one and brought up the employment ad. I found a number on the ad for more information about the job. I called and the guy who answered said he couldn't understand English. On an English ad for an English teacher you give a number of a guy who doesn't speak English. This may seem odd but it is the norm here. I thought nothing of it. There was also an email address on the ad and it was someone's name. On a hunch I spoke the name into the phone and the guy gave me her number in Korean numbers. I called it hoping my Korean number translation had been correct and it was a lady this time who DID speak English though it was pretty deep into the phone call before I confirmed that. She answered, "Yoposayo." I said, "Hi, I applied for a job in the English department here at Pyeontaek U. and since I was in town anyway I stopped by the campus today. I am on campus now. Are you?" She paused a long time before saying, "Yes. Where did you get this number?" I explained how the other guy was happy to give me ANYthing so he could get off the phone and stop speaking English. Though I think I just said, "I got it through the contact from the ad on Dave's ESL Cafe." Then I continued, "I'm on campus and if it's not too much trouble could I ask a few questions about the job and the English department." She said, "No." I said, "Oh. Are you busy now?" You have to understand there was absolutely nothing going on and NOBODY working at the place. She was ANYthing but busy. She goes, "What kind of questions did you want to ask?" I said, "You know the usual questions about class sizes, accomodations, student levels maybe look at a classroom, things like that." She then says, "There were 90 applicants for the position and their papers have all been sent to the selection committee." I said, "Yes, I sent in an application package." She FINALLY asked, "What is your name?" So I introduced myself so that she would recognize my application package. She was firm about not allowing me to go to the English department though. And I never did.

This sort of experience sets off all kinds of warning alarms for me because if things are like this when I am working there, it'll make for a long year. I got a distinctly familiar feeling from Pyeongtaek University and that is exactly what I'm NOT looking for. I'm not really sure if I helped or hurt my chances of getting the job but I am now not sure it matters. It might not be the greatest place in the world to work.

So it's now back to hoping GIST will do the right thing and hire me. I am back at my room in the Seokang Dorm breathing in fumes as we speak. When I got home after being away less than a week, there were about a bazillion ants on the floor. So before I even unpacked I had to spray down the entire floor, then wash it with soap and bleach. That still didn't kill the Raid fumes though and I breathed them in all night long. The bathroom contruction/destruction had progressed marginally in the time I had been away. They had poured cement on the floors of the bathrooms they'd dug up with the jackhammers. As luck would have it I have arrived home precisely on the day when they covered the cement with sealant. Now I'm breathing in THOSE fumes.

While I was away Peter, my supervisor here, sent me a message that he wanted to meet. I told him I was out of town. Then he sent another saying, "I think we should talk about closing your working with us." So I told him I'd be back in a couple of days and I'd call him. I think I know what's coming. He's going to try to get me out of the dorms and maybe try to get out of the contract early. I'm not going to let that happen of course. I will stay here until the end of the contract, (end of August), or until I move, whichever comes first. Also, I have the address of the Gwangju labour board and I'm going to get them to pay me severance. They didn't pay it my first year here but I didn't mind because they treated me nice. The past two years were something altogether different so I'm going to get my severance pay from them even if I have to go to the labour board. And if I do, I just might bring along the ACTUAL marks of students in my classes and tell them that if they are compared to the final grades they'd be VERY different in most programs here. I'm not sure the labour board can do anything about that but I WILL mention that I was asked several times to change the grades myself, sign the phony grades etc. None of which I did, but these kinds of labour standards and practices, (asking your workers to break the law), are probably frowned upon. If Seokang isn't fined, at least the labour board will demand a huge bribe not to report the findings. Either way heads just might roll around here when the owner has to pay the fine or bribe and I think I know which heads they will be.

But I'm not sure I'm gonna do that yet. Depends how things go when I meet with Peter. I'm not yet ready to put any faith in a Korean government agency. I may not even be able to get help from the labour board getting my severance. It'd be nice if all this could be avoided but that's just not the route they have chosen these past two years. I'll keep you updated.