Open Thread: GEOS Discussion

Yes, I think we have a Canadian manager troll on the boards here. Sounds like a GEOS manager lapping up the proverbial propaganda machine out of Mr. K's mouth.

Finding agent discounts isn't hard since they have to post them somewhere. Anyone in the industry can figure where to find this info. Korean agents are scared of GEOS in Canada...Just have to see at how. So 10% makes sense since so many GEOS NA locations in Canada have tried to desperately try to right their wrongs with the Korean market by hiring Korean staff members. Although, we all know this is not going to solve the serious bs going on at GEOS NA.

One of the key management in Vancouver left recently, that is a fact... She was well loved in the ESL community in Vancouver. But good people/ ethical people do not stay long at GEOS, as we all know. In Toronto, the old manager recently left...Replaced by a Korean-Canadian...Convenient, eh.

Oh, and it is FACT that Mr. K has been draining the coffers of GEOS Canada for quite some time...No matter what some blind Stalin-esque GEOS school manager says.

The Manager in Vancouver has not gone anywhere. Does it even matter to you to check if what you say has any basis in fact?

There are so many factual errors in your posts that it's hard to know even where to start.

The above post was from someone obviously in the know! Please confirm if it is also rumour that GEOS Cape Town is still in the same building being managed by the current Manager. My sleuth work has it as fact that the building is empty and the manager has opened up on his own somewhere else.

Surely someone is able to reply saying this is 'factually bullsh***t' and the Cape Town school is alive and well and booming. Can the above person simply not call Head Office and ask for confirmation to discredit me? Can anybody call Head Office to request a factual statement be put out regarding Cape Town. Surely somebody in GEOS would want to bury this rumour as yet another rumour tarnishing its 'glowing image'.

How are the student NEW BOOKINGS for 2010 compared to the same period 2009? (Estimate OK)
THere should be around 1 Million dollars in cash in the bank of all schools ALL THE TIME to cover fees in advance (Unless you can trust the person you loan it to) - probably Vancouver more and Calgary a bit less
If the Canadian accounts are running lower than this then this is evidence that money has been drained and sent over to Japan. (Same 'Modus Operandi' as Australia)

Just set up a false gmail and email for information and see if you get a reponse. Also call and ask?

Now now, no need to lose your cool and beat your chest and be insulting.

What we are really doing is playing 'mythbusters' except let's call it 'rumour busters'.

As an outsider looking in, it seems to me as the rumour regarding the Vancouver manager has been busted!

Now will the same 'chest beater' bust the Cape Town rumour? It really is in your interest to do so as the GEOS name is in tatters right now, so the more rumours that can be 'busted' the better.

Would the same 'chest beater' tell us 'no you complete loser idiot, GEOS Cape Town is alive and well....."

Now now, no need to lose your

Now now, no need to lose your cool and beat your chest and be insulting.
What we are really doing is playing 'mythbusters' except let's call it 'rumour busters'.
As an outsider looking in, it seems to me as the rumour regarding the Vancouver manager has been busted!
Now will the same 'chest beater' bust the Cape Town rumour? It really is in your interest to do so as the GEOS name is in tatters right now, so the more rumours that can be 'busted' the better.
Would the same 'chest beater' tell us 'no you complete loser idiot, GEOS Cape Town is alive and well....."

Ok, you know what? This is not dumb at all, and you'll get a perfectly respectful answer.

The problem here is that there is far too little "rumour busting", and far too much "rumour creating", and I'm serious, it's astounding what people feel confident in misrepresenting.

To answer your question about Cape Town, I honestly and truly have no information on it, and so as I don't know what I'm talking about in this instance, I will not beat my chest declaring one thing or another to be true or false.

"about Cape Town, I honestly and truly have no information on it"

Sounds like you have zero information on anything.

No no, definitely not a troll. Anything else but please, not a troll!!! I have just picked up on something that may well infer that the rumour has NOT been busted. Note the comment "Lies. Absolute Lies. The Manager there is the longest-serving Manager in Canada. Vancouver - Victoria - Vancouver. Prove me wrong. I dare you, yo

So this implies that this manager was first in Vancouver, then Victoria and back to Vancouver? Ok, then what happened to the manager in Vancouver that the manager in Victoria went back to Vancouver?

Can other NA managers, staff please comment? Will others please lend some support to 'chest beater'.

Rumour NOT yet busted!!!!!! Further evidence needed to bust the rumour, as to what happened to the Manager in Vancouver that led to the Manager in Victoria going back to Vancouver???

Just name them

Unfortunately I can't substantiate this, but a friend with links to GEOS North America management has assured me that a major press release has been scheduled for next week. When pressed on the nature of the announcement he was certain it would outline details of further "downsizing" of the networks operations in North America... especially the Canadian schools. Don't quote me on this and I'm not stirring, but I have no reason to disbelieve this. Let's just wait and see if it materializes.

What is your source? You can be general to protect your friend, but what is the key info that would say something big is about to happen in GEOS NA? Is it only one school or more?

Breaking News:

Is your source in the U.S. or Canada?

Check the other thread for good info.

www.letsjapan.org/shawn/2010/03/08/why-geos-melbourne-shut-its-doors.htm...

No more Geos for me lastday never to return to that fucked up enviroment. Fuck I feel so much better and relaxed all of a sudden.

You lucky bastard. Congrats.

N**** A********o-I***a, fifteen, no almost sixteen years with GEOS Vancouver. And, then, mid 2009. gone. Well liked and respected and missed. Questions are asked.

Vale Vancouver...

On the money! Yes, she was well liked...

Update: GEOS Toronto and GEOS Montreal are both looking for Academic Coordinators. Current ones not staying to the end of the year contracts. People bailing?

Looks like the GEOS troll has runaway from here...Maybe looking for a lawyer.

Any news on the "press release"?

Marcelo couldn't orgainise a piss up in a brewery. Alot of these GEOS International Offices are now struggling to maintain any shred of credibility. Their respective markets realize that GEOS cannot be trusted and as a result they are struggling to even get off the ground, let alone reach their enrollment quotas. The GIO Turkey Manager, Sarah, hasn't been paid in 4 months and the Turkish authorities have been knocking on the door demanding unpaid fees (check out the e-mail exchanges recorded between GIO Turkey and GEOS Japan on the Let's Japan forum - "GEOS the next Nova" thread). Her requests for payment and clarification from GEOS Japan HQ fell on deaf ears as zero action was taken to assist her. What a way to conduct business.... absolute cowboys.

I have no vested interest in seeing GEOS fall - but there are too many players in this industry who deserve to go down through a complete lack of standards/ethics/business practices/(you insert the rest). If you are an agent reading this, DO NOT risk sending students to a GEOS school. You are risking the future of your own operations. There are well run independant schools that can/should be promoted.

Sorry, I'm stupid!

Oh yes because the CEOs/owners of American presidents are so much better... Just angels really...
CEOs/owners/presidents of big companies are usually terrible people period. Very few aren't. In fact these days it seems that to become a CEO of a big company you have to be an ass who looks down on the peasants.
I hate when people act like all these bad qualities/things are strictly related to the person/people being Japanese. It's disgusting.

No I'm saying most CEOs are crooked, not just Japanese or Eikaiwa CEOs.
I am in no way a supporter of GEOs. They've screwed me over the entire time I've been here and I gave my notice. I am out of the company soon.

Thank you! That's exactly what I was trying to say!

No, you're still not making any sense. Was that your Sprint 7 class idiom of the day and you just thought you'd try to throw it out there?

Who is talking to who?! This is mad!

Oh, no...Here come the left-wing monkeys and all their ranting about business this and business that. They fail to realize in all their wisdom that their would be no governments if not for the tax money they suck of corporations. And lets not forget communism/ socialism and all its failures in history...Kind of why China even gave up on it and is growing now.

Anyway, let's go back to talk specifically about GEOS only. PLEASE. Or this thread is dead. The other one is better anyway...

"Who is talking to who? This is mad". Well, I note your comments, but it's got nuthin much to do with nuthin much, cause either way, Japan is one hell of a Party Town. Oh yeah, you bet ya !

While I was listening to my favorite podcats named Rad on the Web, I heard this Dollar car rental coupon and it worked. Anyone can use them.

Here is discount code RAD10 for a 10% discount.

Apparently works at both Dollar and Thrifty.

Unfortunately you can't insert images on these blogs. I think you can on the forums though.

GEOS photo? I can help.

I relieved at a branch school in Yokohama today and heard from the manager that some schools hadn't paid their utilities for months. I too live in a GEOS accom. but luckily i'm quitting in a month so i hope this doesn't happen to me.

I am a admin staff member who now works for the new school that the Cape Town Manager opened.
At the end of the month we would have all been out of a job as the landlord was evicting us from the premesis. Well our Manager has always been very up front with us and he told us what was going on.

So to save us all including the students and admin staff he decided to open up his own school and pay us with his own money.Yes he did take all the furniture but since the landlord cut the electricity he thought to better save some of the furniture, however only the second floor furniture was saved as he spent 8 hours moving the furniture himself.
That man is a hero as here in South Africa there are no services that deal with bankrupt companys.
We would have all been on the street and so would have the students.
He took over in November and he imediatley noticed something was up and informed us all of that.
He never once lied to us and he always told us what was happening, so when Australia closed we already had a feeling that it would happen.

Not all Managers are bad some of them always think about the staff and students, our Manager is such a person.

Call me a troll if you want or insult me I dont care all I know is that I or should I say we are lucky that he took over in november because I dont know what would have happened if I lived in Australia.

The new school is looking great but as he has to pay for everything himself it is taking a while to get it all together, he works most night untill 2 in the morning so I know he loves his job.
To all those people how lost theire jobs we are very sorry here in S.A I wish that GOD bless you all.
Nozipho.

Can the Capetown correspondence post any documentary evidence that Cape Town is no longer owned by the GEOS group? Is it using the GEOS name? Can someone walk past and observe and report? What about company name? And who is the new owner? It sounds like the situation in NZ where a new company with a new name is operating with some of the assets of the previous business. WHen this more solid evidence is received it makes ..... Domino number 3. Now after this I think only the most myopic of fools will contest that GEOS has a future. However it all depends on some better more factual reporting from the South African correspondents. At this stage it could still be an elaborate hoax.

Finally news on Cape Town. So rumour TRUE!

Well Nozipho, I guess many managers would have loved to do the same in Australia and elsewhere, but you must understand that whatever the state of a company you cannot simply walk off with the assets. This is called theft. With all the reports we read re South Africa, taking another's property without permission is the way of daily life.

Anyway I am proud of what he did (kind of condoning the theft) and go for it, becuase Kusunoki would have left you all high and dry like he has done in Australia and will continue to do. He's sinking fast, so well done for doing what you did.

In days gone by, he would have simply said 'don't worry money will come from Australia to pay your rent', but there are no more cash cows left. And I bet you have had NO correspondence from Japan?

And some advice......get rid of the GEOS name...make sure you have NO reference to it becuase the name is like dirt in the industry......

Hey Wena,

He did not steal these things he bought it from them, he had to pay for a few chairs and tables everything else he is bought new. He is paying Japan for the chairs and tables.

Why everybody thinks South Africa steals everything we have the world cup soccer and we dont need bad name from ignorant people.
Leave Africa alone we are trying to survive on our own and not ask for handouts.
At least in South Africa we still have black people who work hard and dont steal from people, but Japan steal big and make people loose theire jobs.

Dont call me by my name you dont even know me gaaa.

Hi SA chum, hope the new boss didn't pay thru the nose for the school gear. The GEOS stuff that went out thru Grays auctions here in Aust effectively fetched peanuts. No mention on the auction sites of any of the teaching stuff like textbooks/CDS and the like. Wonder where all that crap ended up.
PS I was green with envy when I saw the big screen, modern TVs GEOS Melbourne had. When I think of the junk audio/av stuff at my old GEOS schoool, puke!

I got my documents a few weeks back. Went to the place last week to fill in the forms. Got my postcard today ready for collection. Luckily the immigration centre must have processed it before they changed their address "today!" which would make the info on my forms wrong.

Geos Head Office is no longer located in Osaki. They've relocated to the Shibuya school building. GIEA has been sent to Ikebukuro.

I had visa renewal documents problems with GEOS last October.....Immigration wanted financial and tax documents from GEOS head office...that caused a 20 day delay to get those documents from head office. Immigration was suspicious and wanted loads of documentation about GEOS back in October 2009. My area manager was surprised by the requests and told me this never happened before. My area manager went to the immigration office with me to try and sort it out, but it didnt work, immigration wanted all the documents within 30 days. I was sent the financial and tax documents from head office and they were sealed in a special envelope, only to be opened by immigration officals.

One of the problems for me was that immgration officals at the branch in my area strictly adhered to the visa renewal guidelines. One of the problems I had was that GEOS was not listed in a publication thaｔ lists all companies in Japan, which includes sales, tax and income information, number of workers..etc...GEOS is not in this publication because its a private company and does not need to publish any information about its operations. That made the immigration folks suspicious and asked me for a laundry list of documents from GEOS...including a color brochure from my school. Immigration refers to this publication when renewing visas.....doesnt mean anything wrong because GEOS is not in this business publication. But I think immigration has got wind of the problems at GEOS and doesnt want to have an old-NOVA style problem of a large number of unemployed GEOS teachers running around if there chance of a company collapse.

I can only imagine what its like right now if you are renewing your visa with GEOS at the immigration office.

If anybody is renewing your visa at GEOS, please share with us.

immigration changed the required documents even the form is different but it wont affect your renewal
geos is a registered sponsor the head office location doesnt matter
u can still get the renewal

I had visa renewal documents problems with GEOS last October.....Immigration wanted financial and tax documents from GEOS head office...that caused a 20 day delay to get those documents from head office. Immigration was suspicious and wanted loads of documentation about GEOS back in October 2009.

Interesting. Sounds like Immigration had got wind of the financial problems GEOS were having in October with the late payments to management. I guess, post-Nova, they're keeping a closer eye on the financial health of English schools.

my problem is a complete lack of response to requests for documents for quite a while now. a paranoid voice is suggesting it would be a convenient way to dispose of staff in a way that would mean they couldn't hang around to claim wages due, while enabling them to foist extra classes on those who remain due to "unavoidable" staff shortages.

Your fears are probably correct. When I was on the phone/fax/email to head office last October requesting the long list of documents that immigration wanted from GEOS all I got was the run around....the manager at my school said right off the cuff....`if you cant get the documents, then it could be an excuse to get rid you without having to fire you`and she said that with a real smug look on her fxcking face...it sounded like she was familiar with this GEOS tactic....I pressured the head office and area managers about my renewal documents everyday for 3 weeks...and I eventually got them 11 days BEFORE my work visa expired!! It was a real close call. I had to have students from my classes come with me to immigration as the school manager and JET refused to help me with my visa renewal process. I had to go to immigration 5 times in 3 weeks with a student from my class. I got almost zero help from GEOS. Anyway, head office dragged its feet and had an indifferent attitude...and the j-staff were full apathy.

If you are having problems getting your renewal documents...you better be prepared to dish out some serious pressure on head office and the area manager for them...dont wait...because the documents wont come. After I got my visa renewed...I quit a week later.

That might be the reason GEOS has been slow to give you your documents, as I have read about GEOS teachers who got their visas renewed turned around and walked off the job or gave their notice...hell, I dont blame them...thats exactly what I did.

F You GEOS!

GEOS Cebu - something happening there
GEOS Calgary - question the economics, can it make it into summer?
GEOS Cape Town - something happening there
GEOS Costa RIca - never hear about them now

If you check out the GEOS Shanghai website, GEOS is full steam ahead. Wow, 620 schools!!!!!!!! And we all thought they were contracting!

Will they ever stop lying????? Have they no shame whatsoever?

GEOS International school
GEOS was founded as Amvic in 1973, with the goal of furthering international communication through English language education. Today, GEOS is a global network with more than 620 schools and colleges in 22 different countries, and offers a wide range of courses in a variety of languages. With branches throughout Europe, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia, GEOS is currently providing students of over 140 nationalities the chance to study in an academic environment that is educationally and culturally diverse.

Has any other GEOS teachers had contracts that were UNSIGNED by your area manager or a head office manager??
The teacher has their signature on the contract but there is no signature from a company representative.

When I told my area manager on the phone last fall when I was trying to get my visa renewed and told him about my unsigned contract...he made a stupid giggle and said.....`you noticed that?`....

Anybody else had a similiar experience???

Looks like some kinda of bullshxt by the company to avoid any legal responsibilty for the teacher if and when GEOS decides to let the teacher go or screw them over.

I noticed I had an unsigned contract on my first day of training and I knew the head trainer knew it to...but I decided to keep my mouth shut as it was my first day at GEOS and thought it was some oversight or a manager would sign it later.

If you got an unsigned contract...have your area manager sign it.

You actually can't start to process a Visa application until a month before your visa expires. You can give them the documents the day before your visa expires if you really wanted to, it doesn't make a difference.
As for Visa problems, things have been stricter since Nova went bust. It might be that immigration are paying more attention to things, but that'd be a drastic deviation from usual procedure. That said, when I was renewing my visa this time (spouse), they made me jump through hoops too... But I just figured they were being bureaucratics cocks as usual.
Interesting to hear about a sealed envelope, if it's true. GEOS used to send those things by registered mail, because it is confidential, but I never heard of them (or anyone) sealing the envelopes. Very cloak and dagger...
No smoke without fire, but there are so many other things to talk about at the moment (unpaid wages for example, or the closure of Australia) to talk about, I think you're all wasting your time talking about a system that's already fucked.
Back on topic - does anyone know if
i) the Japanese teachers got paid,
and
ii) are Geos still paying end of contract bonuses?
Those are better topics than wether the Visas are a problem.

As of last month, leaving teachers are no longer being paid contract completion bonuses. HO are coming up with novel excuses to mark down the completion report - (ie finding ways to give you zilch/nada/zero/sweet nothing) - another cost saving measure with FA cash flow available. So if you're going to give 4 months notice or are in the midst of completing this 4 months because you think GEOS will honor your bonus then think again. Move on now.