"What do you you do?"
"I'm a writer." or "I'm a musician."
No, you are fucking ESL teacher who does something else on the side.
I can't count how many ex-pats have given a stupid answer like that when asked by a Korean, or other foreigner, what they do in Korea. I am not talking about people lying about their job when hitting on a woman I am talking about people who are either embarrassed to say they are an ESL teacher or who have deluded themselves into thinking they are something more, or sometimes less, in Korea. If you were hired as an ESL teacher and/or your VISA is for doing that then guess what? You are an ESL teacher.
If you don't want to be an ESL teacher quit your job and try getting an entertainer VISA to be a musician. Or get the proper VISA and go work for a newspaper if you want to be a writer. God knows you can't be worse than some of the assholes who write for the Korea Times. IF you have an F VISA quit your job and get one doing whatever.
I remember one ex-pat whining on and on at a bar about how teaching was interfering with his music. I had enough and said;
"Quit your ESL job and get work as a musician or shut the fuck up. You are here on an E-2 VISA to teach ESL. That is your job. Not playing in a band. Not making an album. Quit your whining."
Then you have the ones that don't want to say they are a teacher. I remember one ass on YouTube who went on about not wanting to be called a teacher. He is an English coach. He actually wanted his students, and people leaving him YT messages, to call him coach.
I don't know why some people are so embarrassed to call themselves a teacher. You are in Korea, or where ever, teaching English. Whether your skills are being underutilized, misused, over utilized, or ignored you are here so people can learn English.You teach and they learn. You are a teacher. If the thought of telling people that embarrasses you get another line of work and piss off.
I always said I was a teacher, because I was so proud of what I was doing. It doesn't matter that I was being misused by my employers, I knew I always tried my best.
ReplyDeleteI would love to write a book about my experiences.
It seemed like everyone and their dog was doing the same thing. I can't think of a foreigner who wasn't writing a book.
But until I actually begin writing, I think I'll hold off calling myself an author.
Ummm ... I wasn't writing a book! :) I am still NOT writing a book. Yet. ;)
ReplyDeleteLike you I had no problems saying I was a teacher. I was proud of it and still am.