All I Want For Xmas is a Daejon Drug Test~

[portlandzach]

Im just curious.....Is this only happening in Daejon? Has any teachers been here where something similar to this happned and it caused a domino effect to other parts of korea. I have nothing to worry about (i still dont know how people find the stuff here by the way....) anywho, im just curious...thanks

[raskal]

Interesting topic.
I feel that if you aren't guilty then what's the big deal? (As long as you don't have to pay for it.) Piss in the cup and prove them wrong. The parents will realize if you are still here that you are clean..

It's not fair treatment to paint all foreigners with the same  brush, but it's just their solution to eradicating the perceived drug problem. As was posted, many recruiters warn that you may be subject to drug testing while in the country without evidence or prior warning.

Because we are foreigners we are sometimes treated differently.. but "foreigners" have been treated poorly in our own countries' histories as well. It's not right, but its par for the course. You are a visitor here, and if you don't like the way you are treated by your host.. well...you can always go home.

For those that broke the law here lets hope they go easy and you can just go home! (And not to jail!)

[Koradian]

A few year ago I knew quite a few boys who smoked. One of these boys decided it was time to end it with his girlfriend. Well, that didn't go over to well with her and, guess what, she called the police and reported him for partaking in illegal activities! The police picked him up. He was scared shitless and gave them a few names.  They also went though his address book and took names and phone numbers. This was when the uni teachers were all piss tested.

Todays lesson: Trust no one and be careful!

FYI: There is a great book about an American who did 3 1/2 years in the Korean prison system for importing and selling hash. It gives a great deal of insight, from his perspective (un-biased - unlike most on this site!), into Korea's culture.
His name is Cullen Thomas and the books name is 'Brother One-Cell'.
You can order it from Kyobo if it's not in-stock.

[Janitor]

yea, i am very upset by that email. i worked hard for 2 years earning the trust of the parents, students, and co-workers. i hate the thought of police just showing up and ruining all that. Is this even legal? i feel like asking for a warrent

I hate to say it but if you don't smoke up then what is the problem? I think that the larger problem is that there are foreign teachers here who do smoke up in a country that strictly does not tolerate it and especially in a profession that foreign employees are scrutinized for being "low-quality" people are causing this to happen. It is the ones that break the law that make the system difficult for people who want to spend a few years here.

You don't see a problem with being accused of a crime because you belong to the same sub-group as one law breaking individual? Yea of course the easy solution is "don't do it", and most of us DO comply with the laws of the land. But we shouldn't have to be harassed or accused because of our status as foreigners. And when they accuse all of us it drags our collective names through the mud. Parents and the community aren't going to be informed that we came out clean, only that we've been accused. I comply with the yearly drug tests but we shouldn't be forced to take time out of our days to take a drug test on a whim because one person in a group as individually, culturally, racially, economically, geographically diverse as "foreigners" broke the law. It's insulting at best and a discriminatory practice at worst.

I understand that you feel that we all are from different background but we all work the same job. We all teach children and the safety of those is a priority just as it is back home. Yes, it takes some time to get tested but they are not going to dock your pay or throw you in jail. It is simply a test.

The law here is different than in the west and for the most part you do have to prove your innocence, but again it is simple; just don't do drugs in Korea because it is again the law and breaks your contract. When the police and the MOE catches wind of individuals doing drugs, what would have them do? Again I can only stress that this is also a common practice in many western companies as well.

As for being "informed that you came out clean" do they really need to blast it across the sky? or is it enough that you show up to work the next day? In the years that I have been working here I have learned that most of the parents do hold foreign teachers in high regard(Korean reporters on the other hand...). However, you have to understand that the law is the law and enforcing it is their right. Charging those who violate the laws of this country is also their right. Would you rather them start knocking on your do and searching you apartment like Western cops do?

[vitamin-d]

I don't disagree with obeying the laws of the country you reside in.
However, the idea of having it in your bloodstream and it counting as possession seems ridiculous.

I could, theoretically, go somewhere where it's decriminalised (let's say Amsterdam); sit in a coffee shop, partake in absolutely no smoking of said illicit substance, come back to Korea, be drugs tested and get arrested.   

[amn34]

I don't disagree with obeying the laws of the country you reside in.
However, the idea of having it in your bloodstream and it counting as possession seems ridiculous.

I could, theoretically, go somewhere where it's decriminalised (let's say Amsterdam); sit in a coffee shop, partake in absolutely no smoking of said illicit substance, come back to Korea, be drugs tested and get arrested.

I completely agree.  My Peruvian friend ran into troubles when he started applying for jobs in the US because pot is legal in Peru and he wouldn't be able to pass a drug test in the US.  It's a tricky gray area.  I vote for worldwide legalization!

[younameit]

yea, i am very upset by that email. i worked hard for 2 years earning the trust of the parents, students, and co-workers. i hate the thought of police just showing up and ruining all that. Is this even legal? i feel like asking for a warrent

I hate to say it but if you don't smoke up then what is the problem? I think that the larger problem is that there are foreign teachers here who do smoke up in a country that strictly does not tolerate it and especially in a profession that foreign employees are scrutinized for being "low-quality" people are causing this to happen. It is the ones that break the law that make the system difficult for people who want to spend a few years here.

You don't see a problem with being accused of a crime because you belong to the same sub-group as one law breaking individual? Yea of course the easy solution is "don't do it", and most of us DO comply with the laws of the land. But we shouldn't have to be harassed or accused because of our status as foreigners. And when they accuse all of us it drags our collective names through the mud. Parents and the community aren't going to be informed that we came out clean, only that we've been accused. I comply with the yearly drug tests but we shouldn't be forced to take time out of our days to take a drug test on a whim because one person in a group as individually, culturally, racially, economically, geographically diverse as "foreigners" broke the law. It's insulting at best and a discriminatory practice at worst.

I understand that you feel that we all are from different background but we all work the same job. We all teach children and the safety of those is a priority just as it is back home. Yes, it takes some time to get tested but they are not going to dock your pay or throw you in jail. It is simply a test.

The law here is different than in the west and for the most part you do have to prove your innocence, but again it is simple; just don't do drugs in Korea because it is again the law and breaks your contract. When the police and the MOE catches wind of individuals doing drugs, what would have them do? Again I can only stress that this is also a common practice in many western companies as well.

As for being "informed that you came out clean" do they really need to blast it across the sky? or is it enough that you show up to work the next day? In the years that I have been working here I have learned that most of the parents do hold foreign teachers in high regard(Korean reporters on the other hand...). However, you have to understand that the law is the law and enforcing it is their right. Charging those who violate the laws of this country is also their right. Would you rather them start knocking on your do and searching you apartment like Western cops do?

What makes you think they will not arrest you?

[lefty12]

I like that as well.. I do hope it is a good buffet... one of the best things about these meetings is the buffet

[Davey]

I don't disagree with obeying the laws of the country you reside in.
However, the idea of having it in your bloodstream and it counting as possession seems ridiculous.

I could, theoretically, go somewhere where it's decriminalised (let's say Amsterdam); sit in a coffee shop, partake in absolutely no smoking of said illicit substance, come back to Korea, be drugs tested and get arrested.

possibly, but extremely unlikely. according to a website, you'd have to  be in a "hotbox" for several hours (e.g., in a car) and the test would have to be the next day. also, "Non-smokers are safe in a ventilated area such as an average living room or garage where partygoers are smoking pot."

here's the web site: http://www.marijuana.com/drug-test/detection-time

anyway, like janitor said, just don't do it while you're in the country or on vacation. it's the law here, however stupid it may be (e.g., in the blood = possession). and we all came here knowing full well that we're supposed to be "clean."

[Janitor]

What makes you think they will not arrest you?

Why would they? I am not being naive or anything I just mean that they are not going to arrest all of the foreign teachers. Again, it is just a test. It would be different if they were forcing us to go on diets, get plastic surgery, or change our religion to meet the demands of the parents or the industry, but this is not the case. They have asked us to be compliant with the rules of our contract and the laws of this country, some have broken those rules and laws. In order to find out who are the law-breakers they are getting teachers to do a test. They are not showing up at your door in the middle of the night and taking you to a detention center for testing. Nor are they restricting your travel privileges on a theory that foreigners are more susceptible to H1N1 than Koreans thus can't leave the country. They are simply asking you to prove that you are not a drug addict.

[be the ball]

well, with this thread, waygook.org has officially jumped the shark and become Dave's ESL Cafe

was fun while it lasted


and to those who are indignant and upset about the letter..I feel sorry for you for the time and mental energy you will waste being indignant and upset instead of living your lives to the fullest....you are in a foreign country, you have to take the bad with the good....

[Scrompie]

well, with this thread, waygook.org has officially jumped the shark and become Dave's ESL Cafe

was fun while it lasted


and to those who are indignant and upset about the letter..I feel sorry for you for the time and mental energy you will waste being indignant and upset instead of living your lives to the fullest....you are in a foreign country, you have to take the bad with the good....

People here are always saying things like 'lets not make this another Dave's'. What does this mean? What happened on Dave's ESL cafe?

[younameit]

Why would they? I am not being naive or anything I just mean that they are not going to arrest all of the foreign teachers. Again, it is just a test. It would be different if they were forcing us to go on diets, get plastic surgery, or change our religion to meet the demands of the parents or the industry, but this is not the case. They have asked us to be compliant with the rules of our contract and the laws of this country, some have broken those rules and laws. In order to find out who are the law-breakers they are getting teachers to do a test. They are not showing up at your door in the middle of the night and taking you to a detention center for testing. Nor are they restricting your travel privileges on a theory that foreigners are more susceptible to H1N1 than Koreans thus can't leave the country. They are simply asking you to prove that you are not a drug addict.
[/quote]

Ok, I assumed you meant they would not arrest us if we failed the test. Now I see what you mean. 

[Davey]

well, with this thread, waygook.org has officially jumped the shark and become Dave's ESL Cafe

was fun while it lasted


and to those who are indignant and upset about the letter..I feel sorry for you for the time and mental energy you will waste being indignant and upset instead of living your lives to the fullest....you are in a foreign country, you have to take the bad with the good....

LOL. well, i hope nobody gets stressed/upset/angry over this thread. but some people have free time and would rather debate or whatever than do something else which might be less productive.

totally agree, though: "you are in a foreign country, you have to take the bad with the good...." well said.

[Davey]

well, with this thread, waygook.org has officially jumped the shark and become Dave's ESL Cafe

was fun while it lasted


and to those who are indignant and upset about the letter..I feel sorry for you for the time and mental energy you will waste being indignant and upset instead of living your lives to the fullest....you are in a foreign country, you have to take the bad with the good....

People here are always saying things like 'lets not make this another Dave's'. What does this mean? What happened on Dave's ESL cafe?

because Dave's ESL cafe has a ton of useless threads or a lot of threads where people just debate and argue instead of focusing on lesson plans.

gosh, i hate that forum--i remember asking a question and i got so many useless, instigating replies.

anyway, bottom line: don't do drugs and you won't have anything to worry about.

[Morticae]

anyway, bottom line: don't do drugs and you won't have anything to worry about.

Even if you don't do drugs, your reputation will be affected by those who do... because, as is evident by that email, all of the NETs and our individual actions are lumped together.

I don't think your school would be too happy if the police showed up to test you, even if you had nothing to do with it. Maybe they would pretend to be understanding of the situation, but I suspect that it would still reflect poorly on you.

[Davey]

anyway, bottom line: don't do drugs and you won't have anything to worry about.

Even if you don't do drugs, your reputation will be affected by those who do... because, as is evident by that email, all of the NETs and our individual actions are lumped together.

I don't think your school would be too happy if the police showed up to test you, even if you had nothing to do with it. Maybe they would pretend to be understanding of the situation, but I suspect that it would still reflect poorly on you.

yeah, possibly, but i don't have to worry about getting caught if i didn't do anything.

school not happy? again, possibly, but i think they'd understand if ALL NETs in Daejeon had to get tested again, much like how i'm sure they understand that we have to get tested for HIV (i say "again" because we do have to do a TBPE/drug test every year we're here anyway).  like you say, we're all lumped together, so i would assume every NET would have to get tested again if the gov't wanted to.

 

[vitamin-d]

★Don't★ 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★ Worry ★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/\ 。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜田田 門 ˚be happy!

[Davey]

★Don't★ 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★ Worry ★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/\ 。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜田田 門 ˚be happy!

AHAHA, i'm fine. i didn't smoke, so i got nothing to worry about.

agreed--let's just relax and enjoy X-mas. happy holidays, everyone!

[adamwatch]

"anyway, bottom line: don't do drugs and you won't have anything to worry about".

Great! and don't join the South korean army and you will be safe when the next war comes! I dom't think so!

Adam