"They Will Always Try Not to Pay"

When I first started working primarily in the office of the school the Headmaster explained to me about the different payment options for the different programs available for students.  So, being used to having a range of freedom as to how my clients can choose to pay I take these guidelines and go go go.

Unfortunately, I was unaware that the payment options were no exactly what they seemed.  So for example a 1 year plan where a person can pay a certain amount each requires that they write 12 checks on that first signing of the contract, or they must give the debit card number otherwise the monthly charge is more; and cash is completely frowned upon.  So the person who wants to pay cash is completely out of luck even if they sign the 1 year contract, they don't get the 1 year discount cause they pay cash.  

I still cannot understand this kind of logic.  If they SIGN A CONTRACT that says that they are to pay $X dollars each month, it shouldn't matter how they pay as long as they pay each month for 12 months in a row.  

"They ALL  always try not to pay" says the Headmaster and the Co-master while we are discussing how to handle different contract situations.  They use this to make me understand the importance of getting a card number or 12 checks all in a row (I refuse to make somebody ever write 12 checks). I actually think its so that they can charge it whenever they feel like it.  

"Credit Card-uh Number", seems to be the moto of the Co-Master who is like a viper when it comes to expiring contracts, due dates, and other things that need to be payed for.   So much so that she will ask a child for payment, or refuse a child his earned reward as it is being handed to him by the instructor because his parents haven't paid yet.  She actually tries to make me ask the 7 yr old when her mother will bring in a check. At this point is where we always bump heads since I don't ask children for money, and she doesn't seem to understand the problem with it.  

I don't like to believe that ALL people try to get things without paying.  Most people understand that they have to pay for things.  But that must be just me and my naive American thinking.

Until Next Time

Gal-Keh-Yoh! (I'm going!)

"Yes Sir", she says, No Matter What She is Thinking in Her Head.

Very early in my fulltime employment, the Headmaster told me he wanted me to help more with the business side of the school.  This was exactly what I wanted as instructing alone can really take its toll, not only on my fragile body, but also on my schizophrenic voice.  Both the Headmaster and I agreed that my talents were truly stronger behind the desk than on the matt.  We agreed and I began to put all my energy into organization, charts, payment databases, student rosters, and communications of the company.

One day after my efforts had began to pay off and finally show through the Headmaster tells me he wants to have a "proven system" for his business.

"We must-uh hab-ah dah simplest-uh way ob a plooben system" (We must have the simplest way of a proven system"), the headmaster tells me as work is just beginning.

"Yes sir", I reply even though I know that although I could pull off a simple system for their company, if they gave me full reign, I'm sure that a "proven system" will take not only many years to perfect and prove, but also it will take much more than the efforts of a Korean Headmaster and an average college graduate.
Not sure if this is true but sometimes I think he might add an English word into a sentence just because he likes the way it sounds and not because he knows what it means.

I wish I could produce a proven system for the headmaster to use for his business, but, unfortunately, his helicopter boss wife, the co-master, is unwilling to let go of the old ways that she likes or to even bother learning the more modern ways that I suggest.  I can understand this, it is her business and she is ultimately responsible for it.  But her stubbornness and my stubbornness and a headmaster who likes his own way of doing things as well find me doing things 2 or 3 different ways.

For example, the headmaster likes to have all the contract information in the computer and the hardcopies are put somewhere out of the way to never be looked at again.  I like this way but I think that even though we hardly look at the hardcopies of the contracts, they still need to be organized and readily available.  But the co-master, likes to have everything in one place in one big notebook and nothing in the computer.  She keeps changing the organization of her big notebook as well.  First she organized by type of contract with a special type of invoice number.  Then she decided it should be organized by having who was still paying tuition in the front organized by data and just have the invoice numbers all in a row, no matter the contract type.  So I am stuck processing each new and expiring contract in the following ways: 1) the way I think it should be done that makes it easier for me, 2) the way the headmaster likes it for when he comes in to look, and 3) the way the Co-master likes it because she is constantly hovering over what I do.

Therefore, instead of having a simple system, we actually have a more complicated way of doing things, thanks to the haywire need to constantly reorganize things, the stubbornness to only think that your way is best, and no time to sit down and decide like professional adults which way is best and use that way without having hurt feelings.

Oh well, I must say, I am very glad that I'm just a "paid student" who says "Yes sir, Yes Ma'am" no matter what she may be thinking in her head about how ridiculous a request may be.  That way if their systems fail it won't be my fault because I only did it the way they told me too.

"American-Style Cool!"

The other day my 73 yr old. grandma told me that my outfit was "off da chain gurl!" I was so jolted by her use of this highly hip-hop, and highly teenage remark that I did not know what to do but to laugh and say thanks.  I'm sure many people can think of this type of instance when an older person says something typical of a person belonging to a much younger generation.  Pretty funny right?   It is even funnier when that old person is also a Korean whose number one cultural goal is to be "Amedikan styll kool"(American-style cool).

Similar to the previous discovery of the phrase "give him a big hand" (most of us know what happened with that one), the Head master always finds himself in situations where he will miss-learn the pronunciation of a word to the point of disaster and total confusion. 

"Dats-uh Kohl" (Thats Cool) the master, says when he figures out how the new air conditioning works. 
"Wow dat is-uh sooooh unique" (Wow that is so Unique), he says when something is presented to him that he has never heard of before. 

Of course, the headmaster is most often aware of his all-too-often misfortunate pronunciations and has a humorous way of navigating them when they occur.  One such occasion was told to me by the Headmaster himself. 

It was toward the begining of his teaching TaeKwonDo in America and he had been trying to learn different ways of praising children.  He had grown bored with the traditional "Gooh Jah" (Good Job) and was looking to mix it up a bit.  He came across a new word, learned it, and the next day he used it in class. 
"Wow!!! You are TEDABLE!!!" (terrible) he says with a big, huge, proud smile of his face to a 5 yr old yellow belt student.  Nobody made any comment, the kids were confused as usual but since he had such a nice smile on his face and his intonation was "exciting" as he would put it, they continued class like nothing. 

"You are Tedable!!!" (terrible) he continued to shout out to students in each of the following classes throughout the day.  Each student continued on without question.

The headmaster tells that he did not realize that Terrible was the opposite of what students want to hear when they are first learning.  He finally realized he was saying it wrong when an adult student took the word for what it meant instead of deducing that it was meant to be good based on the smile and intonation of the headmaster.  After he went back to his English notes he approached that same student and learned that the new word he had been mispronouncing all day was actually pronounced ter-if-ik (Terrific). 

The headmaster now uses this story to teach new instructors the importance of intonation and facial expression when teaching children.  He was telling children all day that they were terrible but they didn't cry because he said it with a smile. 

This is one perk of my job here.  Comic entertainment when the Headmaster ventures outside of the normal instructor script and talks to the class, or when he trys to be "American-style cool". 

Imagine... the "Big Picture"

Ever notice that you don't see too many "part time" instructors working at your local martial arts studio?? Me either, and if I do see them, they are either on their way out or just starting on their way down a long road of what the Headmaster will call the "Big Picture".  Unfortunately, this "Big Picture" will not materialize until their 4th or, dare I say, 5th year of complete and total servitude to the headmaster's every need. 

See, I have come to realize that working at your favorite place to work out, presents the need to find a different place to work out.  Once you become an "employee" and not a paying student, your needs and your training get placed on the back burner; as now your life's goal is to serve the Headmaster.  But, you won't notice that the Headmaster's promises of more intense and accelerated training are actually imaginary until the 4th or 5th month of working.  Then, when you do realize it, you will feel like an impatient complainer who doesn't see the "Big Picture".

Oh, but wait for the best part.   You will soon learn that your monthly paychecks are no where near worth the blood, sweat, and tears that you lost while carrying out their every demand; they miss a few multiples in their calculation if you ask me.  Upon giving you this measley envelope though, the headmaster explains that a new instructor must climb up the ladder (which makes sense), and be preparing for that "Big Picture" that he keeps saying is coming.  After a few months of working for scrap, however, you will start to realize that this "Big Picture" is synonymous with that "extra training" that you're gonna get.  IMAGINARY!!!!!

You might be a very patient person, or you may feel like you have no other options at this point. Maybe you're in school, maybe the job market is just not interested in you at the moment, or maybe you are just a die hard who will do anything to be involved in some way.  Either way, you may stick around to see if this "Big Picture" is of any benefit to you.  But me???? I do not think so.  Sure the check has gotten fatter as a result of my tireless toil both on the matt and behind the desk.  But each month, more promises are made and less work gets done. 

So, I spoke to the Headmaster....

It might be the Korean in him, but I think it is just human nature to realize just how much you need something, or someone, when faced with the possibility of losing it forever.  I explained that times are changing and my current situation may not allow me to waste time at TaeKwonDo anymore.

"Buh, Sa-boo-ree-nah, yuh hava-tooh undastand da "Biig Pichuh" (But Sabrina, you have to understand the "Big Picture") the Headmaster begina, in his attempts to guilt trip me into staying. 

Although he was not happy, he did understand my situation and reluctantly allowed me to drastically change my schedule in order to continue helping him as much as I could (my persuassiveness has improved since working for him).

"Ah Kay AhKay, Sa-boo-ree-nah, Of courrse I undastand yuh hava-tooh help-uh yoh daddy"m (Ok, ok, Sabrina, of course I understand you have to help your dad) the headmaster says finally realizes that, though he may want to, he cannot put his own needs above my family's.

"Big Picture" aside, there is one thing I value and highly respect about the Korean culture: Family is #1 no matter what, and each member will do whatever it takes to ensure the welfare of his or her own family. 

Until Next Time:
Ahn-Yuhng Ha-Seoh!!!! (Aloha!!!!)