My plans are always changing it seems. Last week we got a bill that we weren't expecting for about 1.2million won (£650). This tipped us over the edge and it didn't take much thought to decide to stay another month, providing work would agree to it.
I emailed the woman in charge and she got back to me very quickly and confirmed that it would be OK and then sent me my amended contract. I'm happy to have got this sorted out so quickly and feel lucky that they just agreed it basically on the spot. This is my final extension and there is no turning back when this contract is over.
Working one extra month (May) doesn't bother me one little bit. May is a great month here. Fine weather, sunny skies and not too hot so I'm going to be ending on a high note, hopefully. After finishing up we hope to have got my wife's visa by then and set off for a few weeks of travelling before heading home to the UK.
Showing posts with label contract. Show all posts
Showing posts with label contract. Show all posts
Wednesday, 15 December 2010
Monday, 15 November 2010
Departure dilemma
Time is really flying by right now. There's nothing particularly special that my wife and I are doing but right now we are enjoying ourselves. Last week was a tough one for me. I got a bit stressed out with work and was pretty angry towards the end of it. Over the weekend I relaxed and ate some really good food and now I feel so much better for it.
For the past few weeks we've talked over and over again about when we leave Korea. It's THE thing in our lives right now and will be up until my wife gets her visa for the UK. Do we have enough money? What do we need to prepare? Should we leave early? etc, etc. Making decisions together that are right for us.
I am determined that we have a decent amount of money when we finally arrive. There is no guarantee of a job short term or even long term so we need enough to be able to stand on our own two feet for as long as possible. My wife is set to finish work at the end of March and I have a contract till the end of April. And here we have a dilemma.
One of my wifes best friends, a Korean who lives in England, is getting married here in Daegu at the end of May. We would both like to go to the wedding but if things don't change we won't be in Asia then. Do we a) forget about the wedding? b) go on a trip for a few weeks after finishing and come back for the wedding before going to the UK? or c) I extend my contract by one more month and we go to the wedding then have a nice Asian holiday?
If I extended it would be no big deal to me. The work is easy and often painless. We would be able to save a decent chunk of money for that month. But, we/I am always delaying, extending and putting off our departure. Until yesterday my wife was 100% dead against me extending a little but last night she said it would be OK which has given me this dilemma. IF I extend for one more month it would be just that. There's no way I would stay till October. No way.
For the past few weeks we've talked over and over again about when we leave Korea. It's THE thing in our lives right now and will be up until my wife gets her visa for the UK. Do we have enough money? What do we need to prepare? Should we leave early? etc, etc. Making decisions together that are right for us.
I am determined that we have a decent amount of money when we finally arrive. There is no guarantee of a job short term or even long term so we need enough to be able to stand on our own two feet for as long as possible. My wife is set to finish work at the end of March and I have a contract till the end of April. And here we have a dilemma.
One of my wifes best friends, a Korean who lives in England, is getting married here in Daegu at the end of May. We would both like to go to the wedding but if things don't change we won't be in Asia then. Do we a) forget about the wedding? b) go on a trip for a few weeks after finishing and come back for the wedding before going to the UK? or c) I extend my contract by one more month and we go to the wedding then have a nice Asian holiday?
If I extended it would be no big deal to me. The work is easy and often painless. We would be able to save a decent chunk of money for that month. But, we/I am always delaying, extending and putting off our departure. Until yesterday my wife was 100% dead against me extending a little but last night she said it would be OK which has given me this dilemma. IF I extend for one more month it would be just that. There's no way I would stay till October. No way.
Wednesday, 11 August 2010
Getting a new contract
About eight weeks ago I had my latest observation. This was by my real boss, the one who decides on the renewal of contracts. It went well and a week later I got feedback and the results were my best so far, probably as good as I could conceivably get. This left me in a great place regarding a possible extended stay.
I'd decided before my observation that I/we needed to stay here a little while longer. We haven't reached the amount of money I think we will need for setting up a new life back in England. There are also places we'd like to travel to in Asia, and that costs money doesn't it. However staying for one more full year has never been an option.
I came to the conclusion that staying six months (well now six months and three weeks) longer is enough for me. Staying longer has been a very big decision for us. In truth it has been me who has kept extending our stay here. We both want to go back to England but right now the job situation is bad and will be for the foreseeable future. What kind of husband would I be bringing a wife home to this uncertainty unless we had a financial cushion to support us for a while? I don't feel entirely comfortable going home as things stand.
There are many positives about finishing at the end of April. We both get a chance to save and the nearer to our departure the more we can. In February at Lunar New Year we will be able to have a five day holiday. We will have enough time to make visa plans. We could also go to Japan again in April while the weather is fantastic. Talking about weather, going back to the UK in May, the weather will be much better for my wife to settle in to. And of course, working six months means I won't have to deal with any more Korean Summer. Good reasons to stay I think. The new contract means I will have seven days holiday (plus Lunar New Year).
The only major downside about not staying for one year is financial. I won't get a raise and my bonus will only be about ⅙ of what it would be if I completed a full year. Never mind. A small bonus is better than nothing and I will have been paid three times for my air plane ticket back home by then. Of course, the material I teach is repetitive. This will not get better during my stay but I hope it won't be too big of an issue.
Today I finally got my contract in writing. I finish this contract in two months, though it had been agreed that I would be staying over two months ago. I hadn't pushed anybody on not having anything official in writing until this week because recently the visa process has changed making it more awkward. Indeed the goalposts seem to change constantly it makes you wonder if all the authorities are on the same page.
The latest is that all I need to do is bring my passport and Alien Registration card, plus 61,000won (£33ish) and that's all. I thought I'd need my degree apostilling but it (for now) it looks like I don't, just verified by 'a Korean agency'. I'm not too happy about paying to get a new visa when in previous years my company has but to be honest it's not too much and if it means there is no more hassle and it's done, then OK this time I will put up with it. Indeed it would cost more to send a degree back, get it done there and then sent to Korea again.
I have just under nine months left here and the countdown really begins when my new visa is completed. It seems like a long time but I know it will just fly by.
I'd decided before my observation that I/we needed to stay here a little while longer. We haven't reached the amount of money I think we will need for setting up a new life back in England. There are also places we'd like to travel to in Asia, and that costs money doesn't it. However staying for one more full year has never been an option.
I came to the conclusion that staying six months (well now six months and three weeks) longer is enough for me. Staying longer has been a very big decision for us. In truth it has been me who has kept extending our stay here. We both want to go back to England but right now the job situation is bad and will be for the foreseeable future. What kind of husband would I be bringing a wife home to this uncertainty unless we had a financial cushion to support us for a while? I don't feel entirely comfortable going home as things stand.
There are many positives about finishing at the end of April. We both get a chance to save and the nearer to our departure the more we can. In February at Lunar New Year we will be able to have a five day holiday. We will have enough time to make visa plans. We could also go to Japan again in April while the weather is fantastic. Talking about weather, going back to the UK in May, the weather will be much better for my wife to settle in to. And of course, working six months means I won't have to deal with any more Korean Summer. Good reasons to stay I think. The new contract means I will have seven days holiday (plus Lunar New Year).
The only major downside about not staying for one year is financial. I won't get a raise and my bonus will only be about ⅙ of what it would be if I completed a full year. Never mind. A small bonus is better than nothing and I will have been paid three times for my air plane ticket back home by then. Of course, the material I teach is repetitive. This will not get better during my stay but I hope it won't be too big of an issue.
Today I finally got my contract in writing. I finish this contract in two months, though it had been agreed that I would be staying over two months ago. I hadn't pushed anybody on not having anything official in writing until this week because recently the visa process has changed making it more awkward. Indeed the goalposts seem to change constantly it makes you wonder if all the authorities are on the same page.
The latest is that all I need to do is bring my passport and Alien Registration card, plus 61,000won (£33ish) and that's all. I thought I'd need my degree apostilling but it (for now) it looks like I don't, just verified by 'a Korean agency'. I'm not too happy about paying to get a new visa when in previous years my company has but to be honest it's not too much and if it means there is no more hassle and it's done, then OK this time I will put up with it. Indeed it would cost more to send a degree back, get it done there and then sent to Korea again.
I have just under nine months left here and the countdown really begins when my new visa is completed. It seems like a long time but I know it will just fly by.
Saturday, 15 August 2009
The clock starts now
Yesterday I signed a new contract to stay at my workplace for one more year. It starts in October and finishes at midnight October 10th 2010 (which is a Sunday so I will be finishing teaching two days earlier). I'm happy with the terms of my new contract. I'll be getting around £75 extra a month along with three weeks holiday of my choosing. I'm not as happy with the work I'm doing but the need to stay for a bit longer outweighs the need to come home for now. Got to make the most of the next sixty weeks here and got to start saving some serious money!
Thursday, 30 July 2009
Contract offer
Good news this week. I received an email from one of my managers asking if we can sort out my next contract as soon as possible. In the email was a bunch of options that I can choose. More days vacation means less pay naturally but the pay offer is fair when I consider the actual amount of work and preparation I do. I've just emailed my manager back with confirmation that I'm opting for three weeks vacation (days off of my choosing) and raise of roughly £75 a month. The contract offer was expected but it's always nice to get things sorted as soon as possible. The actual contract is about £500 a month more than what I started on back in 2005 and with two extra weeks holiday. If things go to plan, I will be leaving Korea in October 2010, so just over fourteen months left here.
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