Work has been kind of unpleasant lately. It's not because of the kids – mostly, I enjoy my time in the classroom, as always. But the staff room has been awkward and tense ever since the merger – the disparate "company cultures" of Karma and Woongjin trying to come together. But my boss's shocking lack of "people skills" (an admittedly Western concept that may or may not even be relevant in Korean culture) seems to create more tension than is strictly called for. The native Korean staff just buckle down and deal with it (which is why I say it may not be relevant in Korea), but for me, and perhaps even more so for the various gyopo (Korean returnees – ethnic Koreans born and raised in other countries, including Canada and Australia in the case of the current staff at Karma)… well, it's hard to have to listen to the boss's various rants and complaints and carrying-ons.
Yesterday was really bad. I don't like going in the staff room.