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Any "Good" EF's out there?
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peas4luck



Joined: 08 Jan 2011
Posts: 26
Location: Atlanta, GA

PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2011 11:46 pm    Post subject: Any "Good" EF's out there? Reply with quote

Hi,

I'm currently teaching in Chengdu, China but hoping to head to Indo soon. I have read the EF Indo horror stories - same thing exists in China. But, some of the EF's are good - it depends on the particular franchise.

I have been very happy with EF Chengdu and would definitely recommend it. Are there any "good" EF's in Indo?

I'm afraid the new visa law may make other options difficult. Any other suggestions? I was rejected from Wall Street due to my degree/visa.

Thanks for your help!

Christy
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Tudor



Joined: 21 Aug 2009
Posts: 339

PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2011 5:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've never worked for EF, but know plenty of people who have; EF Central Jakarta and EF Surabaya have been spoken of quite highly by ex-employees. Good luck.
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benbobaggins



Joined: 17 Sep 2007
Posts: 60
Location: Jakarta

PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2011 12:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

EF in Kelapa Gading.
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peas4luck



Joined: 08 Jan 2011
Posts: 26
Location: Atlanta, GA

PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2011 9:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks so much for your replies!

Do you know if Kelapa Gading is part of the Central Jakarta group?
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Tudor



Joined: 21 Aug 2009
Posts: 339

PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2011 10:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

No it isn't. As far as I know EF Kelapa Gading have two branches in Kelapa Gading itself and another branch just down the road at Cempaka Mas. I've heard that the contact hours at these schools are unusually low (about 16 a week compared to a usual load of 22-24) which is quite nice if true.

Some posters may disagree with me but I think Kelapa Gading is the best part of Jakarta to live in. Yes, it's a bit out of town but it has everything you'd possibly need within easy reach including malls, cinemas and hundreds of dining options. It is susceptible to flooding but then so are other areas of the city. It's also a relatively wealthy area (and predominantly Chinese) so some of the typical annoyances (staring, catcalling etc) are minimal.

EF Central Jakarta is, as its name suggests, centrally located so again you'd have all the facilities on your doorstep. I believe the teachers' houses are virtually opposite the huge Grand Indonesia mall and thus very close to the useful Kota - Blok M busway route.

I'm surprised nobody's been on yet to tell you how appaling the wages are at EF. They're not great but if you're sensible with your money you'll be fine. At the end of the day, hundreds of other EF teachers seem to manage on the wage.

I'm by no means an expert on either EF or Jakarta but am happy to offer advice (or opinion) if you require any further info.
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jhemmila



Joined: 15 Feb 2008
Posts: 49
Location: Batam, Indonesia

PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2011 11:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

EF Depok and Taman Mini are owned by the same guy; I worked at Depok before the move to ITC, and it was great.
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peas4luck



Joined: 08 Jan 2011
Posts: 26
Location: Atlanta, GA

PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2011 3:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Many thanks for your responses! So helpful!

Very Happy Christy
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rayman



Joined: 24 May 2003
Posts: 427

PostPosted: Thu May 19, 2011 12:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I remember working at EF Cempaka Mas when it first opened about 7 years ago. It was just me and one other British teacher and we had about 12 hours of teaching a week. A very relaxing entry into Indonesia. Although if they still house teachers at Cempaka Mas Apartments, it's pretty shoddy. At least it was then. I imagine it's worse now.
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dxn283



Joined: 19 Dec 2008
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 12:11 pm    Post subject: EF opinion Reply with quote

Hi Christy,

I work for an EF in west Jakarta which is part of a big group. I came over in January 2008 and had read the same stories.

I've honestly never had a problem with the group i work for. I know people who have come and gone from our centre who have had bad experiences, but i really can't say it's any worse that the stuff I hear from friends in other institutions.

Indonesian business is very different from the west and most EF teachers come as newbies to ESL. If you've been in China teaching I'm sure you won't find any practices shocking over here.

Good luck in selecting a school, its ESL roulette I suppose.

James
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mamagorilla



Joined: 02 Jan 2011
Posts: 7
Location: Minnesota

PostPosted: Sun Aug 14, 2011 10:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have appreciated this thread as well! Thanx all.
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samsie23



Joined: 10 Aug 2011
Posts: 1

PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 9:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Has anyone any experience or views on the EF in East Jakarta and Bekasi.

cheers,

Pete
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Tudor



Joined: 21 Aug 2009
Posts: 339

PostPosted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 6:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had an interview there a couple of years back; it was pretty shambolic to be honest. The guy was pleasant enough, but he just didn't seem quite with it and therefore didn't really inspire much confidence. The school in Kali Malang was actually really nice though and looked well-equipped, but the salary was shockingly low, even by EF standards.

It was about 6.5 million a month - this included housing but they deducted some money from the above figure for housekeeping or something. Furthermore, there was no accommodation allowance if you chose to get your own place. The other problem is that there's very little to do in East Jakarta or Bekasi and you're a long way from the bright lights of the city. What's more, on that salary you wouldn't be able to afford taxi rides into town too often. Perhaps have a look at EF Central Jakarta or EF Kelapa Gading - their salaries are still pretty low, but they're better than the above and their locations are much more favourable.
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Lmbenv



Joined: 24 Jun 2011
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2011 12:43 am    Post subject: Which are the best East Java EF schools? Reply with quote

Such great info on Jakarta...

any similar info on schools further east?

hoping to find a solid reputable EF to move to soon. please let me know. You can PM me if you wish!

many thanks!
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godmachine12



Joined: 06 Feb 2009
Posts: 62

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

EF Palembang has a good reputation. The owner is supremely helpful and will do just about anything to make sure her employees are comfortable and happy. The old DoS was fantastic as well but he has recently left so I can't speak for his replacement. The intro pay was up to 7.2 million a little over a year ago. They were in the process of opening a brand new school which was enormous compared to the old building. Palembang can be a bit dull but if you want a Sumatran experience and don't know where else to turn, it's a safe bet.
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lapzod



Joined: 04 Jan 2009
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 6:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm up in Permata Hijau, and have been for 7 months now.

It's pretty good, but does have a few problems.
Our DoS left at the start of the month and we still don't have a replacement. The Centre Manager is leaving, so he's kind of stepped into the DoS role, while training his replacement.

Pay is at 7 million, with 1 million for accomodation. 3 classes a day, maybe 4 if you need to cover.

I don't know if I'd recommend it, purely because there's not a whole lot to do here. I realised the other day that I drink a lot with friends, because that's pretty much each...
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