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jum
Joined: 20 Apr 2003 Posts: 6 Location: n/a
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Posted: Sun May 25, 2003 1:31 am Post subject: coming 2 TW without a job lined up |
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i've heard that it is best advice to come to Taiwan and look for a teaching job rather than having a job lined up that you' got offered from overseas (your home country). The passage that i read this information stated that "coming to TW with a job lined up probably won't be one of the better ones. They generally offer lower pay and worse conditions all round if recruiting from abroad"
heres a link if anyone is interested:
http://www.geocities.com/esl_taiwan/TaiwanFAQ.html
what do you think about this? |
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EOD
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 167 Location: Taiwan
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Posted: Sun May 25, 2003 2:09 am Post subject: |
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Very accurate and straight forward. I give it 4 stars. |
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taiwan boy
Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Posts: 99 Location: China
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Posted: Sun May 25, 2003 1:50 pm Post subject: agree 100% |
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I agree 100% with this idea. Still I advise you to do the following. Do some research before you come. Find about both teaching jobs and life in Taiwan. Also it may be worthwhile to respond to some job ads on the internet or contact some employers before you arrive. You could even arrange to have an interview shortly after you arrive in Taiwan. Just don't commit yourself to anything until you have at least interviewed at a few schools and got some sort of idea about what to expect. |
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Okami
Joined: 25 Jan 2003 Posts: 121 Location: Sunny Sanxia
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Posted: Sun May 25, 2003 6:05 pm Post subject: |
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Before you arrive set up some interviews so that you'll hit the ground running. The first thing you'll need in Taiwan is a pay-as-you-go cellphone which are quite easy to get and use. Set up a language exchange to get you started, trade English lessons for all those tedious need to be done type things. In taipei, you can rent scooters by the month from the guy who works out of the shop with the laoban being the only person being mentioned as honest in the whole lonely planet Taiwan book. They cost $2600NT/month with a refundable $7000NT deposit. Make sure you have your international drivers license.
CYA
Okami |
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EctoPLaSm
Joined: 07 Jun 2003 Posts: 8 Location: Breda, The Netherlands
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Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2003 7:42 pm Post subject: What about the visa |
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Hello,
I am considering the same.
(get a job before even visiting Taiwan)
Because: Isn't the visa a problem? Suppose you can find a job on time. Then, you need to arrange the work-visa which takes (too much) time. This would mean you need to leave Taiwan because the (tourist) visa has expired. And then... suppose you cannot find a job on time (impossible? My English is very good but I am not a native speaker... more difficult to find a teacher job): then surely you need to leave Taiwan.
Leaving Taiwan again to arrange a visa a.s.a.p... no job, no income, extra flight ticket needed... hurry, hurry, hurry & lots of bureaucracy... I don't like that idea!
Am I right about this?
and oh - forgot to mention - my girlfriend (Taiwanese from Taipei) helps me! this might be my saving.
Bye
Ectoplasma
the Netherlands |
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wix
Joined: 21 Apr 2003 Posts: 250 Location: Earth
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Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 11:12 am Post subject: |
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Ectoplasma,
Sorry to say, but if you are from The Netherlands you cannot teach English legally in Taiwan. You must have a passport from one of the major English speaking countries. |
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EctoPLaSm
Joined: 07 Jun 2003 Posts: 8 Location: Breda, The Netherlands
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Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 1:33 pm Post subject: IT jobs then? Or Chinese language student? |
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thanks for your answer... sorry to hear that ...
other options are: register as a Chinese language student. You get a visa for that.
again another option is: I have 4 years experience in software engineering (and own a "B. Sc." title). I could try to find a job in one of the IT companies in Taipei. I know Philips is there, and currently I am working at Philips in the Netherlands... it's got to be an advantage.
Only... I don't know.... isn't Taipei one of those "work yourself to death" places (like Japan)? I would only accept an IT job for at the most, say, 30 hours / week.
Any foreigners working in Taipei as software engineers?
Bye bye
Ecto |
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bigjobs
Joined: 01 Apr 2003 Posts: 21
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Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2003 11:36 am Post subject: |
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I've just read the article, it's really great.
I'm about to arrive in Taiwan, but unfortunately, I've only been issued with a 30-day visitor visa. The visa office in Australia reluctantly gave me a 30-day visitor visa, after first knocking me back. Apparently, they think there are too many people arriving on 2 or 3 month visitor visas, then working illegally, and are trying to just issue standing visas at Taipei airport rather than issue visitor visas.
Anyway, because I only have a 30-day visitor visa, I will inevitably need to do a visa run. The article talked about Japan, specifically Okinawa or F u k u o k a, as ideal places to apply for a visa. The author write that applying in Japan, your application is a better bet of being accepted compared to Hong Kong or Singapore, and they may actually provide a 60-day visa.
Has anyone had any experience doing a visa run in Japan? Or, where do you recommend going for a new visa? Is old faithful, HK, still the place to go?
Thanks |
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jason_seeburn
Joined: 26 Apr 2003 Posts: 399 Location: Toronto
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Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2003 9:26 pm Post subject: |
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[[][]
Jason
Last edited by jason_seeburn on Tue Jun 06, 2006 1:12 am; edited 1 time in total |
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wix
Joined: 21 Apr 2003 Posts: 250 Location: Earth
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Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2003 12:36 am Post subject: |
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jason_seeburn wrote: |
Remember that you are coming to a country where you have no where to live, no internet access, no telephone, no transportation, no cooking facilities, no where to do a laundry, you cannot speak the language, you cannot read the road signs, and you are coming in August so it is going to be very hot and very busy. |
jason, I think your advice is quite good in general, but I would like to add a few things you can do to make life easier once you arrive in Taiwan. I think it is a good idea to contact potential employers before you arrive and arrange interviews, but don't commit yourself to anything until after you have arrived and had a look around.
1. Bring a mobile phone or buy one when you get here. Go to 7-Eleven and buy a pre-paid SIM card (called OK card or IF card). You don't need an ARC to buy a pre-paid SIM card. This will make it easy for potential employers to contact you when you are looking for a job.
2. Stay in a hostel with some other foreigners. While they may not be the best places to stay in long term they are good places to help you settle in until you find a job and some better accommodation. Talk to other foreigners staying there, most of whom will be working as teachers. They may be able to give lots of helpful advice about looking for jobs, cheap places to eat, visas, etc.
3. Make an effort to learn some Chinese. Even a few simple phrases and learning the numbers will make life easier for you. |
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matchstick_man
Joined: 21 May 2003 Posts: 244 Location: Taiwan
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Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2003 1:33 pm Post subject: I agree with Jason and wix |
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and despite the number of jobs in Taipei......there are a large number of foreigners so the competition is fiercer. There are pros and cons to both......I will be arriving without a job lined up when I return to Taiwan but I have been here three years and speak basic Mandarin. |
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jason_seeburn
Joined: 26 Apr 2003 Posts: 399 Location: Toronto
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Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2003 8:56 pm Post subject: Re: I agree with Jason and wix |
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matchstick_man wrote: |
and despite the number of jobs in Taipei......there are a large number of foreigners so the competition is fiercer. There are pros and cons to both......I will be arriving without a job lined up when I return to Taiwan but I have been here three years and speak basic Mandarin. |
Go to Kaoshiung. There are tons of jobs there. Don't stay in Taipei. Low pay, high expectations, high rent, cold winters. Taipei sucks. |
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Aristotle
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1388 Location: Taiwan
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Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2003 2:14 am Post subject: |
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I have got to agree with Jason on his assement of Taipei. However it is the easiest place to get started for those unaccustomed to the Taiwanese ways. |
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