How do you say "we're fucked" in Korean??

Joey and Suzy, two of the best foreign teachers this school has probably every seen, had their last day of work here at LCI Kids Club on Wednesday. Tired of broken promises from the management and daily schedules that just kept getting longer, they gave their two month notice in March. While we are all going to miss them (as they begin a whirlwind trip around Asia) we all feel a little jealous that their fight is over. They don't have to deal with the problems left here at the school, which, though perhaps small, are starting to add up.

Last week, I asked my supervisor and the director of the school to be moved from the exhausting night shift with the practically mute and disrespectful high school kids to the morning schedule with the kindergarteners. I had been given the late shift because the other four teachers were couples and the school didn't want to separate them. I understood this and accepted it. I hated being away from the other coworkers though, as I was constantly missing out on after work dinners and socializing. With Joe and Suzy leaving though, and a single teacher moving in to replace them, I thought it was a great time to ask to be moved.

I presented a great case. The school makes most of their money from the kindergarten and I already know most of the kids and have a good rapport with them. My older students could easily be taught by Korean teachers. And, after all, I did them a favor (at my own expense) in taking the late schedule and I felt I deserved some consideration. My director was dismissive at best. I talked to my supervisor and she attempted to explain the directors position. She wants to make sure their are existing teachers here for the kinder graduation in February and is concerned that my leaving in January (and Adam and Michelle's) would be disruptive and could cause students to leave the school. I assured them we all would do our best to make the transition as smooth as possible. My director refused.

I was pissed. I didn't want to continue my shitty schedule, isolated from my other coworkers and I was furious that no consideration was being given to me after I had done them a favor. Now, I fully realize that the director is boss and that her word is final, but this is one many examples of her unwillingness to cooperate and her refusal to have any dialog with her teachers about what is happening at this school. I was insulted and I threatened to quit. I posted my resume online immediately and three days later I've been offered 6 jobs.

After I threatened to leave, my director acquiesced and now I teach mornings Tuesdays and Thursdays. Certainly not ideal, but I lost my three worst classes in the process and my threat to leave was not wholehearted (though I made it sound like it was). Also I didn't want to cause a big stir right before the new teacher arrived.

She arrived Tuesday. Canadian, older woman and seemingly real nice. No previous teaching experience. She had one day of observation (7 classes) on Wednesday and was told she was starting a full schedule Thursday. That was today and from what I've heard it's been pretty rough. Even with a year or so of unprofessional teaching, my entire FIRST MONTH was horrible. And I had help, mostly from Joe and Suzy. The new teacher said if the first day didn't go well she was going to leave. And after just talking to her, she's decided to head home.

I don't blame her in the least. The school refused to pay for her airfare here, since she was traveling in Thailand right before she got here and she hasn't even been given a contract yet! It's another example poor management here. Our director turned down two couples who were interested in working here because of their nationalities (Aussies and Brits) and we were left with a single teacher with no previous experience. Our director has left us in the lurch and now all the current teachers are going to have to pay for it. Hopefully this will teach her a lesson about how to treat her staff better but I doubt it.