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Wanna Work on a Chain Gang

 
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Dan Giesler



Joined: 18 Feb 2003
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Fri Feb 28, 2003 3:47 pm    Post subject: Wanna Work on a Chain Gang Reply with quote

Disturbing news about ELSI-Kojen. I'm heading to Taiwan and had intended to sign up with ELSI. I taught for a small school in Korea and had faced constant insecurity. I always envied those teachers at ELSI in Seoul. I wanted something a bit more worry-free in Taiwan, even with a pay reduction. Now ELSI-Kojen seems questionable.

ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR A REPUTABLE CHAIN SCHOOL IN TAIWAN?

-Dan
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Joe Thanks



Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 25
Location: Asia

PostPosted: Fri Feb 28, 2003 6:50 pm    Post subject: Re: Wanna Work on a Chain Gang Reply with quote

Dan Giesler wrote:
Disturbing news about ELSI-Kojen. I'm heading to Taiwan and had intended to sign up with ELSI. I taught for a small school in Korea and had faced constant insecurity. I always envied those teachers at ELSI in Seoul. I wanted something a bit more worry-free in Taiwan, even with a pay reduction. Now ELSI-Kojen seems questionable.

ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR A REPUTABLE CHAIN SCHOOL IN TAIWAN?

-Dan



They have their perks and their downside, but.... HESS. It is reliable. If you don't like it you can survive for a while and move on. Unlike South Korea, most schools here are not vindictive: they will let you go if you ask. HESS is the most reliable, but it's for kids.

Adult chains pay poorly and have unreliable hours. DAVID's is the worst, often sponsoring a visa and then providing little work and lots of running around. Global Village offer more hours but the lowest pay in Taiwan: around 425 NT an hour. My neighbor works for them and has a pretty heavy schedule: 40 hours a week. He travels to four different branches but he insists he has a lot of freedom to do what he wants with the school materials and that he can take time off at the drop of a hat. He's also 43, so maybe he had slim pickings.

Taiwan has its major negative points, but here, if a school has a high turnover of teachers where visas get cancelled, it doesn't bode well for them in the eyes of the foreign affairs police. This can be remedied with bribes, but for the most part transfer of visas from school to school is common and accepted. You will find some aspects of working here, even with an unreliable school: easier. Still, come and find your job. Trying from abroad is nothing but trouble and sets you up for a fall. Same rule applied for Korea: that's why so many are doubly unhappy (horrible country coupled with corrupt, lying school). Here, it's just a careless country with some horrible schools. Sounds odd, but that's a major improvement in my book. Whatever the case, good luck.
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EOD



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 167
Location: Taiwan

PostPosted: Sat Mar 01, 2003 3:49 am    Post subject: Free Yorself From the Chains Reply with quote

Free yourself and more specifically, your way of thinking. There are several options to choose from, where teaching English in Taiwan is concerned. The situation in Taiwan is very fluid and can change without any warning, very quickly. The only way to prepare, is to keep your options open.
I think everyone will agree that working in Taiwan is a unique experience. There may be similarities to other places, but things here, change often. You also have to take into account the fact that some of the rules change, as you travel from one city to another. The same is true with chain schools.
I can understand the need for some people to have a since of employment security. For many in Taiwan, if not all, that security is a mirage. Even for those here, with a self sponsored ARC and an Open Work Permit, that security is not what it seems.
Foreign business people in Taiwan are permitted to live work and do business here with little to no legal status, taxes or ARC. The government actually encourages the business community to do this. English teachers who can present themselves as business people, will be afforded the same courtesy.
The better a person adapts to a new environment the greater the success on all levels.
Good Luck,
EOD
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Sunpower



Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Posts: 256
Location: Taipei, TAIWAN

PostPosted: Sat Mar 01, 2003 3:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd recommend staying away form Kojen.
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taiwan boy



Joined: 11 Feb 2003
Posts: 99
Location: China

PostPosted: Mon Mar 03, 2003 5:38 am    Post subject: look before you leap Reply with quote

Just to echo the comments of some of the posters above. Don't commit yourself to anything before you come to Taiwan. Come here and have a look around. Interview at a few schools and ask as many questions and talk to other foreign teachers as much as possible.

The main advantage of working for a chain school is that you will get your ARC without any hassles and you will get paid on time. The downside is lower rates of pay. The other problems mentioned are not unique to the large chain schools.

I think more than anything what makes a school a good or a bad place to work is the people that work there. If you have a good Academic Director and a few friendly and helpful teachers and staff it can make almost any school a joy to work at. However, if your Academic Director is not up to scratch and you have a few colleagues who you would rather not associate with then your work will be HELL. So like I said, it is important to come to Taiwan and look around.
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eslintaiwan2002



Joined: 22 Feb 2003
Posts: 10

PostPosted: Tue Mar 04, 2003 3:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You are getting some excellent advice. I would never advise someone to take a job in Taiwan from overseas. It is very easy to come here on a visitor visa and find yourself a good job if you have some qualifications.

As far as chain schools go it is going to be hit or miss on quality depending on the director at your branch. From what I have heard I think that you are moving in the right direction by going away from ELSI-Kojen. I have a friend who works at Hess and he seems to like it there after leaving Kojen a few months ago.

The point is that there are so many options the best thing to do is to come to Taiwan and take a look around. It should be very easy to get set up and find work. Buy yourself a copy of the China Post and start interviewing. That is all it takes here in Taiwan.
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MissusFish



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 16

PostPosted: Wed Mar 05, 2003 4:32 pm    Post subject: Hey EOD! Reply with quote

Do you want to talk about these things a little more: "self sponsored ARC and an Open Work Permit"? Are they what they sound like they are, how do you get them, and have you personally applied for/used either one?

Sounds very interesting...
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EOD



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 167
Location: Taiwan

PostPosted: Thu Mar 06, 2003 5:01 am    Post subject: Open Work Permit:It Eliminates the Visa Hassle Reply with quote

It does not entitle you to the same treatment or rights that the locals get from the government. An employer may not want a foreigner working for them if they are 100% legal.
Foreign teachers in Taiwan create a lot of extra money for the staff at many schools. As foreigners can't work legally, what they are paid and what they are supposed to be paid are two different things. This situation allows for a lot of "leakage".
Foreigners who have permenant residency, may file a complaint and cannot be deported without a direct order from the court. They may also appeal that order.
This puts the employer in a vulnerable position. Westerners in particular are disliked for their honesty and high ethics. Foreigners in general are widely viewed as a social pariah for that reason and many others.
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