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NBF
Joined: 29 Aug 2004 Posts: 13
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Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 5:41 pm Post subject: EF Palembang |
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My partner and I are currently considering a teaching position with EF in Palembang, and were just wondering if anyone had any feedback regarding the school, the city, or life in Indonesia in general. Thanks. |
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TEAM_PAPUA
Joined: 24 May 2004 Posts: 1679 Location: HOLE
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Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 5:19 am Post subject: 8 |
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Quote: |
My partner and I are currently considering a teaching position with EF |
say no more...help yourself now by avoiding this company like the plague.
Indonesia is incredible, despite recent (and not so recent) events, but leave EF Indonesian franchises well alone.
T_P |
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NBF
Joined: 29 Aug 2004 Posts: 13
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Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 5:20 am Post subject: |
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Update: We've actually been offered the position now, and would greatly appreciate ANY feedback that anyone has. Is it common for an employer in Indonesia to offer a job without a phone interview at least? |
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gugelhupf
Joined: 24 Jan 2004 Posts: 575 Location: Jabotabek
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Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 7:40 am Post subject: Re: 8 |
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[quote="TEAM_PAPUA"]
Quote: |
Indonesia is incredible, despite recent (and not so recent) events, but leave EF Indonesian franchises well alone.
T_P |
That's a bit unfair isn't it? There are some EF franchises in Indonesia I wouldn't touch with a long stick but there are also reputable ones - just look at other posts on the forum. You won't get rich working for them but there are some decent DoS's working for EF. |
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El Llama
Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Posts: 70 Location: The Big Durian
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Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 8:42 am Post subject: |
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It is extremely uncommon to be offered a post without even speaking to anyone at the school and it would not be prudent to accept without knowing the kind of details that a phone interview could provide.
NBF, have you been offered the position directly, or through a recruiting agency? This smells like ESL Asia to me (may be going under a different name by now. Check this thread: http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=12155 ). Have you been asked to send off original documents or pay an "administration fee?"
Even if this is a direct offer from EF, it might be a good idea to at least have a chat with your prospective boss. Indonesia is desperate for teachers, but are you desperate for EF Palembang?
Good luck.
El Llama. |
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Joachim
Joined: 01 Oct 2003 Posts: 311 Location: Brighton, UK
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Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 9:42 am Post subject: |
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Hmmmmm, well the food from that region of Sumatra is delicious......
But other that that I can't think of any positives (bear in mind though, I never actually worked there, or for EF in Indonesia). |
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ls650
Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia
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Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 3:43 pm Post subject: Re: 8 |
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gugelhupf wrote: |
That's a bit unfair isn't it? There are some EF franchises in Indonesia I wouldn't touch with a long stick but there are also reputable ones - just look at other posts on the forum. |
I agree. It's a franchise operation: some EF schools are bad but others are decent. I recommend the OP try to contact teachers who have worked or work now at this school to ask them directly what they think of the school. |
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NBF
Joined: 29 Aug 2004 Posts: 13
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Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 6:48 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry all, I've made a mistake with my original post. The position is with EF Cibubur, not Palembang. We had applied at both and I got them mixed up.
Anyway, the offer is directly from the DOS (I believe) at this particular school. They have not asked for anything in the way of documents or fees. My initial feeling was that it seemed a little too easy, and when the position was offered without asking for a phone interview I got that suspicious gut feeling.
We requested the email address and phone number from teachers currently at the school, and were provided with an email address, so we do have the option of some further feedback.
Thanks to everyone who has replied. |
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AsiaTraveller
Joined: 24 May 2004 Posts: 908 Location: Singapore, Mumbai, Penang, Denpasar, Berkeley
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Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 7:19 pm Post subject: |
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TEAM_PAPUA wrote: |
All Chinese girls should be herded into a large field & SHAVED
T_P |
I wouldn't (and don't) trust any opinion from somebody who has that sentence as part of his signature.
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AsiaTraveller
Joined: 24 May 2004 Posts: 908 Location: Singapore, Mumbai, Penang, Denpasar, Berkeley
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Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 7:48 pm Post subject: |
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NBF:
I assume that you know that Palembang and Cibubur are worlds apart, although not that far by plane within Indonesia!
Palembang is a rather nice, medium-sized city that is the capital of the province of South Sumatra. Its main focal point is its river. There are nearby green parks and mountains to visit. The food from west and south Sumatra is famous all over Indonesia as being very spicy but extremely tasty.
Cibubur is part of the urban sprawl that is Jakarta, Indonesia's capital metropolis on the island of Java. Cibubur is actually a district in the 'city' of East Jakarta but is not too bad as far as urban places go. There are plenty of green spots. It is also home to military installations (including a notorious detention facility with torture) and major sporting events held at the Cibubur Scout Camp.
Also in Cibubur (or very close) is one of Indonesia's prime urban tourist destinations: Taman Mini Indonesia. This is a huge theme park that tries to reproduce the culture of each of Indonesia's provinces. Very kitsch, but a must-see.
Do a search on 'Cibubur' here on Dave's ESL Cafe. I think it came up recently in some discussion or other.
Hope this is helpful! |
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Winmar
Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Posts: 125 Location: Melbourne
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Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 2:34 pm Post subject: |
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Hey that was a nice and helpful reply!
Definitely find out from someone who's worked there what the school is like. Some EF franchises are horrible, but others are pretty good. Certainly pays to do your homework, as if the place turns out to be dodgy, there are always plenty of others which will take you. |
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everybody_loves_chandler
Joined: 22 Nov 2004 Posts: 6
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Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 2:44 am Post subject: EF Palembang |
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hey folks,
I live in Palembang and run with the EF crew in the weekends. Tight bunch but as usual everyone has their hangups. The DOS is friendly and approachable. I've met the boss and she seems ok. I havent heard any complaints about her. The thing I have against working there is the 4 million rupiah a month. Its just not enough. With the market being as it is and the difficulty in supplying teachers for positions, for those of us already here, negotiating contracts is simply a must. They need us more than we need them.
DoC
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