Teaching English on Jeju - A Warning
It is now the start of the "English Summer Camp" season in Korea. Jeju has a number of these "camps" that run during the summer months. From a pedagogical standpoint I believe their effectiveness is doubtful, but that is a different post. I saw an advertisement for a camp and thought I would use it as a general warning for those wanting to spend a little time on Jeju and make a few Won. On "work-n-play" I saw this:
Jeju International English Village working condition for camp
City of website: http://www.jeju.go,kr
Starting date : Jun 1st, 2007 ~ August 24th (4 foreign teachers)
Place : Jeju island (provide accommodation and food)
Visa Type : C4
Working hour : 9:00-21:00 but teaching hour is 350 minutes per day and rest of hour, play with students.(Mon~Sat)
Accommodation : Share with another teacher
Payment : 6,000,000 Korean Won plus flight ticket 1,100,000 Korean Won( Jun 1st, 2007 ~ August 24th, 2007)
Payday: July 15th 2,000,000 won
August 15th 2,000,000 won
August 31st 3,100,000 won
Requirements:
A) Complete 4 years Bachelor's degree.
B)Be a citizen of one of the six major English speaking countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, or the United States of America.
Please write us an email and we would like to help you to find a job!
Contact us at eslelite@gmail.com
This ad was placed by a recruiting company that probably has no idea about the history of a Jeju English Camp in Hallim. I don't know for sure, but it seems that the infamous "Mr. Lee" may be back at it again. Last summer "Mr. Lee" ran a summer camp called the "Jeju International English Village" in Hallim. I saw in the local newspapers last year that it turned out to be a complete and total sham. Parents who had sent their children to the camp from Seoul had to make emergency flights down to Jeju to pick up their children when immigration raided the camp, arrested the foreigners, and were looking for the ever slippery Mr. Lee. The foreign English teachers, who trusted "Mr. Lee" to handle everything with immigration, were found to be working illegally, fined and deported at their own expense. Of course, the teachers weren't paid for the work they did do. "Mr. Lee" proved to be nothing more than an ESL version of a white slave trader who ripped off the teachers, the parents and the kids.
Knowing how the justice system in Korea works, it is probable that Mr. Lee escaped any punishment and has decided to try it again. If it were me I think I would steer clear of any summer camp work at a privately owned/operated place called "Jeju English Village." The government sponsored/operated "English Village" opens on Jeju in the near future. If your heart is set on summer camps in Jeju you should wait until the government camp opens. But that is just me. You may have a different opinion - or like taking a risk - or are extremely gullible. There are plenty of reputable (in a Korean sense of the word) places to work on Jeju. Like anywhere else, you have to be careful and do your research - and be prepared to get out if things start to go bad.
Of course, it could be that there is another reputable company on Jeju that is using the same name as Mr. Lee's camp. If that is the case, they may want to consider changing it in order to avoid problems caused by mistaken identity.
Update: I saw a discussion of the camp on Rhymes with Jeju. It might be worth going over there and taking a look.
Jeju International English Village working condition for camp
City of website: http://www.jeju.go,kr
Starting date : Jun 1st, 2007 ~ August 24th (4 foreign teachers)
Place : Jeju island (provide accommodation and food)
Visa Type : C4
Working hour : 9:00-21:00 but teaching hour is 350 minutes per day and rest of hour, play with students.(Mon~Sat)
Accommodation : Share with another teacher
Payment : 6,000,000 Korean Won plus flight ticket 1,100,000 Korean Won( Jun 1st, 2007 ~ August 24th, 2007)
Payday: July 15th 2,000,000 won
August 15th 2,000,000 won
August 31st 3,100,000 won
Requirements:
A) Complete 4 years Bachelor's degree.
B)Be a citizen of one of the six major English speaking countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, or the United States of America.
Please write us an email and we would like to help you to find a job!
Contact us at eslelite@gmail.com
This ad was placed by a recruiting company that probably has no idea about the history of a Jeju English Camp in Hallim. I don't know for sure, but it seems that the infamous "Mr. Lee" may be back at it again. Last summer "Mr. Lee" ran a summer camp called the "Jeju International English Village" in Hallim. I saw in the local newspapers last year that it turned out to be a complete and total sham. Parents who had sent their children to the camp from Seoul had to make emergency flights down to Jeju to pick up their children when immigration raided the camp, arrested the foreigners, and were looking for the ever slippery Mr. Lee. The foreign English teachers, who trusted "Mr. Lee" to handle everything with immigration, were found to be working illegally, fined and deported at their own expense. Of course, the teachers weren't paid for the work they did do. "Mr. Lee" proved to be nothing more than an ESL version of a white slave trader who ripped off the teachers, the parents and the kids.
Knowing how the justice system in Korea works, it is probable that Mr. Lee escaped any punishment and has decided to try it again. If it were me I think I would steer clear of any summer camp work at a privately owned/operated place called "Jeju English Village." The government sponsored/operated "English Village" opens on Jeju in the near future. If your heart is set on summer camps in Jeju you should wait until the government camp opens. But that is just me. You may have a different opinion - or like taking a risk - or are extremely gullible. There are plenty of reputable (in a Korean sense of the word) places to work on Jeju. Like anywhere else, you have to be careful and do your research - and be prepared to get out if things start to go bad.
Of course, it could be that there is another reputable company on Jeju that is using the same name as Mr. Lee's camp. If that is the case, they may want to consider changing it in order to avoid problems caused by mistaken identity.
Update: I saw a discussion of the camp on Rhymes with Jeju. It might be worth going over there and taking a look.
posted by loj at 2:10 PM
17 Comments:
I actually emailed "them" about this summer camp position. THANKS for the heads up. :) Nicole
Nicole:
Thanks for the nice comment!!!
LOJ
I had an interview with them set up by a reputable recruiter. The company had no idea of the schools bad rep (because they recently changed the name of the school). I tipped them off when they wouldn't tell me the name of their program before I had signed a contract. YEA RIGHT!
How do you steer clear of shams like this? Are most of the ads on ESL Cafe dubious?
Hello Wonder:
The only thing I can say is:
1) Dave's ESL Cafe DOES NOT verify the reputation and viability of the companies that post ads there. It is physically impossible to do so. So, just because its on Dave's ESL Cafe doesn't mean it is worth anything as a job.
2) Recruiting companies are a placement service only. Their customers are the employers, not you. You are a commodity that they trade to hogwons. They have no say on how you will be treated and do not really care if you get screwed 6 months down the road.
3) Where possible, stick with government jobs at public schools or universities. Can you still get screwed? Definitely, but the frequency, from my own research, is less than hogwans.
4) Between Japan and Korea, Japan is a better bet. In Korea, as an E-2 Visa holder, you are just a little above a servant. I am speaking of the policies/laws with regards to who owns your visa and by extension your freedom of action, you or the employer? It's the employer.
5) Overall, the only real advice I can offer is RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH. They need you more than you need them. Be careful. Don't take the first job offer that comes down the road if it doesn't meet your desires. Don't believe everything you hear from a possible employer OR a recruiter.
6) ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS!!! HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO GO HOME AT A MOMENTS NOTICE. DON'T GET INTO A SITUATION WHERE YOU ARE DEPENDENT UPON SOME EMPLOYER TO PAY YOU SO YOU CAN BUY A PLANE TICKET AND GO HOME.
7)Best of luck to you.
LOJ
this was a dead interesting read. i've yet to teach and figrued a summer camp would be a good introduction to it. plus, i'll be in s/e asia around then and figured it'd be good to put my skills to the test once and for all.
does anyone know anything about the reputability of:
===== Jeju Summer Camp=======
#(05-20-ESLcafe-Jeju Camp-01) Jeju
Visa & Airfare: Sponsored(C-4) + Covered
Period/Start/Salary:
5-week; From 23 of July; 2.5 Million Won
6-week; From 13 of July; 3.0 Million Won
Arrival Date:
5-week: 20 of July
6-week; 10 of July
Accommodation & Meals: Covered
posted by findateacher...
any help greatly appreciated.
I don't know anything about this. I do know that some company leases or rents out the facilities of Cheju Tourism College every summer to hold a camp. I don't know if this is the same outfit or not.
I haven't heard anything positive OR negative about the one at Cheju Tourism College. It would be a crap shoot, just like any position.
Sorry I couldn't be of more help.
LOJ
I wish I had found this site about 6 weeks ago. I just went through the most horrible experience of my life! Yes "Mr Lee" is still in business and doing well. I was an English teacher and chaperon for 14 American Volunteers from July 20, 2010 to August 23 2010. Everything you state on this blog is true. I experienced it first hand but did not know of what has happened before. The website for the camp that I worked at is www.jejuevillage.com Mr Lee is the owner and works the Korean teachers as much or more than the American Volunteer kids. I worked 9 am to 5 pm. They did not complain about me but did hold the return flight over everyone's head if they did not comply. We toughed it out and made it home.
You can email me at cmamyers@yahoo.com for more information about my experience.
MAKE SURE YOU DO YOUR RESEARCH before you sign a contract to go over and teach.
Hello Brighteyes:
I'm sorry to hear about your experience.
I'm a little confused, though. What is this with "American volunteer kids."
I'd sure like to know more about what happened. Please send some more detail. Thanks.
LOJ
Wow. Mr Lee is still at it! I reported that motherfucker to the police, the labor board, and even the embassy but nothing was done.
Asshole made me work 12 hour days for TWO MONTHS and at the end I GOT NO PAY!
KOREA IS FUCKED. DON'T TRUST ANYONE.
I can verify what brighteyes said. I worked at the Jeju international winter camp in January 2009. I am a New Zealander and a teenager. They paid for a number of adults and over 10 teenagers flights to South Korea. Only a few adults were supposed to be teachers and we were only suppposed to work 6 days a week but they manipulated us into working overtime and some of the adults were forced to teach even though they didn't hold a teaching degree. They threatened to not pay for our flight back as well.I would advise NOT to work at this camp, the children are amazing but it's not worth it to work with such a corrupt organisation.
Hi All - Is this the 2010 advertisement for Mr Lee's camp ? Or is this a different opportunity . Really appreciate any help, as the below are recruiting again for 2011
http://www.korearecruiting.com/job/teach-english-jeju-summer-english-camp-05189.html
I looked at the link you provided and, based on the sketchy information, can't say if it is the same outfit I and others are talking about.
Ask the recruiting company and, if they balk at giving you the name of the company or manager until AFTER you sign a contract, then I would be very hesitant to obligate myself.
Good luck.
LOJ
I'm in the same boat. I am arranging a spectualar end to the last Jeju International English villiage camp because they didn't pay me after a months work.
I'd give my email address but there is no point because you are mr enigmatic. I let you find me through your own means, as I take it you are resourceful enough to do so, and not identify yourself as LoJ.
Hello "Anonymous"
Sorry to hear what happened to you. Rest assured, I have no desire to find out who you are. It would serve no point. As you can see from the above comments, you are not alone. You seem to be yet another person who has run afoul of shady practices in the "English Camp" industry.
Best of luck to you.
Screw being anonymous.
I am helping bring down MR Lee who didn't pay me my wages a month before my wife gives birth.
http://cafe.daum.net/hojuruku (in Korean)
40+ mainstream newspaper articles later.
Today I featured on Jeju's current affairs program and the video will be added to the site shortly. Now to sue him in Ministry of Labor with the rest of the staff.
Yes he does do mafia threats. I put one of them online.
Credit to Miss Mun of jejudomin.co.kr who has been fighting him longer than I have and my wife that let me have two weeks to fight this injustice.
Both of which of course Mr Lee Chan Won has threatened to kill. What a vile bastard, but of course if that's a well publicised fact. He had kids freezing in their rooms in the middle of winter because he refused to pay the gas fee.
Dear Luke, you know, that doesn't surprise me? Geez. Bring this guy to justice, already! Evil Mr. Lee and Jasmine need to be locked up.
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