Topic: Avoid Teaching at G&B (Palma Foreign Language Institue) Suncheon [Kumdong] Korea

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I would never recommend this school to anyone. For starters upon arrival I was compelled to teach at two different schools (the other school being G&B in Suncheon [Hoban ill Cha Section]; Although the salary remained the same (the standard 2.0 mil Won). Initially, one school payed the incurred taxi expensives to travel between the two different schools; however they stopped after a few months. When five months lapsed and I was not getting my taxi reimbursment; I informed the director of the school. He payed most of it back to me, but then said his school could no longer afford a foreign teacher. Their thinking was that their clever idea of buying pizza would help offset the cost of having to pay for the $25/mo taxi fare or even hoping I would forget.

I was never provided with medical Insurance, pension enrollment, sick days or vacation days. Additionally, I had to beg to get my initial flight cost reimbursed. On departure and completion of full contract; the school director did not pay my flight out of Korea. His reason was: "I paid a roundtrip airfair for you when you first arrived in Korea" Even though he contradicted his earlier promise when I first arrived in Korea; that upon completion of my contract, he would provide a return airfare. His reasoning was that because the ticket was priced $1,300 when I came to Korea, that this must have been a roundtrip (when in fact it was just a one way fare from Europe to Korea).

The students at both Hagwons are extremely uncooperative and not motivated to learn english. Excessive horse-play and smart mouthed students with habitual disrespect towards foreign teacher. The Korean Teachers, especially two out of the three are anti-foriegners. Although they have not come out and said it directly; it is quite noticeable in how they interact and and lack social etiquette with foreigners. They were both extremly cold in character and very unfriendly. In particular, Emily was very personal and out-right rude for me having missed 1 of her classes (despite me having informed the school director ahead of time). In all, the Korean Teachers and the School Director take it very personal (to the point of being out-right disrespectful and holding grudges) if you miss any class or are late for any reason (even if you are sick). While most public schools were off for one month for winter break, this Hogwon did not even give me one day off until I fought and begged with the director. I was sick only 2 days out of the whole year and managed to convince the director to let me have four days off vacation after one year (even this was asking to much of them).

In reference to the student's behavior. I notified the directors of both schools several times but they refused to do anything meaningful to remedy the situation. In my opinion, they are just running their business and throwing bodies in that school so they can make money (and of course, they would never remove any students or discipline them because then they would be afraid they would loose businesss).

The textbooks the school uses are also useless, in a sense that they don't offer anything substantial for students to learn. Instead of teaching students normal day to day conversations or things they can use outside of class; they instead teach them nonsense things such as "the bird was chasing the cat" etc. Most of the students are taught mainly to memorize everything and not really understand the actual concepts.

Throughout this all, In good faith I completed my contract. In trying to recruit a new foreign teacher to his school, the school director advertised on Dave's ESL Cafe that a reference was available for prior teacher; however, this is a false statement as I was the prior teacher and would never have accepted or approved to give a reference to the school nor is there any reference available for previous teachers.

Finally, I was never allowed to lesson plan, grade students or administer exams. This whole concept reinforces the idea that it is not a legitimate language school but just a business. In addition, the same books are used through out the year, even though they have been memorized and recited to death by students.

The school sheduling and teaching hours are also continously changing with little prior notice.

This was a very bad experience at these two Hogwons both personally and professionally. I would not recommend this school not even to my worst enemy. The school is located in a very bad area as it is not close to any major city. Seoul is five hours by bus and Busan is at least two hours away.