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Mozilla
Joined: 16 Mar 2003
Posts: 90
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 Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2003 6:21 pm Post subject: Asians discriminated in Asia? |
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From what I've been able to gather from just reading lately, I've found that asian-americans have little success in finding an english teaching job overseas? Is this true? To what extent? If this is true then this is very disheartening to someone who truly wants to get started in this field.
I've also heard that it is best if you are a blond haired blue eyed american woman. Someone please tell me this is BS!!!! |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2003 10:42 pm Post subject: |
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Mozilla,
Your comments seem to have come from a lot of hearsay, and I'd have to say that they are pretty general.
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| I've found that asian-americans have little success in finding an english teaching job overseas |
In what countries were you told this was so? I can only speak for Japan, and even then, my knowledge isn't firsthand. Here, yes, some non-Japanese Asians have problems finding work teaching because some employers and students perceive a person with an Asian face as one of their own, one who is not a foreigner, one who therefore obviously can't be fluent in English. Not all feel this way, though.
As for the other statement...
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| I've also heard that it is best if you are a blond haired blue eyed american woman. Someone please tell me this is BS!!!! |
Again, where are you talking about? In Japan, foreign male teachers outnumber the women teachers by about 2 to 1, so there goes that theory.
If you are concerned about work, let us know the country you're interested in, tell us your qualifications and what you'd like to teach, and we'll be happy to tell you what we know. |
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Mozilla
Joined: 16 Mar 2003
Posts: 90
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| Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2003 2:17 am Post subject: |
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Hi glenski, thanks for the response.
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In what countries were you told this was so? I can only speak for Japan, and even then, my knowledge isn't firsthand. Here, yes, some non-Japanese Asians have problems finding work teaching because some employers and students perceive a person with an Asian face as one of their own, one who is not a foreigner, one who therefore obviously can't be fluent in English. Not all feel this way, though.
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I'm interested in Japan actually. I am a vietnamese-american and from the heresay (and friends around me telling me this) I've heard that asians have MUCH more trouble getting work.
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In Japan, foreign male teachers outnumber the women teachers by about 2 to 1, so there goes that theory.
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That's good to hear! But is it more because there are fewer women applying? From the other threads I've read, I'm getting the impression that employers are sick of men coming in just looking for foreign women to chase, so now they prefer hiring women instructors. Is this true?
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If you are concerned about work, let us know the country you're interested in, tell us your qualifications and what you'd like to teach, and we'll be happy to tell you what we know.
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I'm just finishing my masters degree in computer engineering. I've taught computer science classes before, but I have no experience as to teaching english. Not sure how marketable I will be with an MS though 
So what do you think? I'm not sure too many people are in my situation, so I don't know where I stand in terms of employability. Any advice will be GREATLY appreciated.
advTHANKSance[/quote] |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2003 7:15 am Post subject: |
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Mozilla,
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| I'm interested in Japan actually. I am a vietnamese-american and from the heresay (and friends around me telling me this) I've heard that asians have MUCH more trouble getting work. |
Well, not to sound high and mighty, but just what do your friends and that hearsay get this information? Have they actually been here? Just curious, because lots of people say things about various countries, but they don't have any solid basis for it.
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| But is it more because there are fewer women applying? From the other threads I've read, I'm getting the impression that employers are sick of men coming in just looking for foreign women to chase, so now they prefer hiring women instructors. Is this true? |
I have no idea about either of your questions.
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| So what do you think? I'm not sure too many people are in my situation, so I don't know where I stand in terms of employability. Any advice will be GREATLY appreciated. |
Just be open and positive about your native English speaking abilities (that is what you have, isn't it?), don't call yourself Vietnamese-American until after you are hired and working, and stand by your qualifications, instead of shrinking in fear of your family background.
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| I'm just finishing my masters degree in computer engineering. I've taught computer science classes before, but I have no experience as to teaching english. Not sure how marketable I will be with an MS though |
I would have to say that with a degree unrelated to teaching English and no teaching experience, you are probably best marketable only for the eikaiwa market. Do yourself a favor and try getting some experience or training in teaching. It's not as mindless and simplistic as many people say it is, even in an eikaiwa. Besides, if you like it, you may want to branch out and work in areas that require a little more training, so why not plan ahead? Don't worry about the MS degree. I have one, too, and it's not in an English related field. |
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xiaoyu
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Posts: 167
Location: China & Montana, USA
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| Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2003 10:44 pm Post subject: |
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mozilla-
the information you have been told by your friends probably has more basis in china (mainland) than japan (from what i have been told by friends who have worked in japan)..... in china i have seen the discrimination towards asian americans or brits....expected to speak chinese fluently or be a japanese or korean tourist usually.... and there is a tendency for businesses (not the best, but quite a few) to want blond, blue eyed american women to teach (mostly for the exotic aspect and for the foreign "monkey" aspect)....
but since it seems that youa re interested in japan then you shouldn't have as much of a problem as glenski pointed out.
xiaoyu |
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Mozilla
Joined: 16 Mar 2003
Posts: 90
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| Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2003 2:51 pm Post subject: |
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| would have to say that with a degree unrelated to teaching English and no teaching experience, you are probably best marketable only for the eikaiwa market. |
Where is the eikaiwa market?
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| Do yourself a favor and try getting some experience or training in teaching. It's not as mindless and simplistic as many people say it is, even in an eikaiwa. Besides, if you like it, you may want to branch out and work in areas that require a little more training, so why not plan ahead? Don't worry about the MS degree. I have one, too, and it's not in an English related field. |
I've got experience teaching...just not in english. |
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Mozilla
Joined: 16 Mar 2003
Posts: 90
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| Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2003 2:52 pm Post subject: |
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| xiaoyu wrote: |
mozilla-
the information you have been told by your friends probably has more basis in china (mainland) than japan (from what i have been told by friends who have worked in japan)..... in china i have seen the discrimination towards asian americans or brits....expected to speak chinese fluently or be a japanese or korean tourist usually.... and there is a tendency for businesses (not the best, but quite a few) to want blond, blue eyed american women to teach (mostly for the exotic aspect and for the foreign "monkey" aspect)....
but since it seems that youa re interested in japan then you shouldn't have as much of a problem as glenski pointed out.
xiaoyu |
damn...and I was considering china as well! This can't possibly be true for all of china, right? |
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xiaoyu
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Posts: 167
Location: China & Montana, USA
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| Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2003 10:17 pm Post subject: |
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mozilla-
while i can't speak for all of china... it being such a big place.... i can speak for what i saw of it happening in dalian, shenyang and even in shanghai to a lesser extent.... the farther it seems you get from hongkong, guangzhou, shanghai and beijing the worse it gets apparently.... however, just because of this prejudice don't let it determine what you do..... the friend i mentioned enjoyed her stay in shenyang a lot once she got used to it and got some language behind her..... she is cambodian/chinese but raised in america since 3 yrs old...
again good luck
xiaoyu |
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doggar
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 5
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| Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2003 12:59 pm Post subject: experiences from an asian teaching in asia |
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Ok let me tell you my experiences as an asian working in asia. Glenski, maybe you should hear the opinion of an asian so I can dispel your image of a perfect asia 
I have worked in asia for 8 years teaching english. For the first 4, I was in Korea. In korea I always had work, but as an asian I was fired about 4 times, and failed about 9 interviews because they were looking for a white person. Basically if you are not 'white', you are not considered to be a native speaker. I think this situation is getting better, but there certainly no question that some places still look for teachers based on the color of their skin. I didnt' see too many black or brown people there, either.
Japan. I am currently teaching in Japan and I had no problem getting the job I have now. I have to say that it is easier here and asians are still better accepted, but I will say that when I first came to Japan to look for work(1993) I failed in finding a job. Times have changed, but I'm sure at that time, they were considering my race during the interview.
Right now as an asian, I don't look forward to the day when I have to find another school(even in Japan). I think I'll get out of teaching to avoid this
As for other asian countries I dont know but in my experience it has been
rewarding, but the reality is some people look at race when hiring teachers. |
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arioch36
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 3589
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| Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2003 2:39 pm Post subject: |
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In the Henan area of China I have known Asians able to work here as aforeign teacher . I currently know a native Chinese man who spen 30 years in America, working here as a foreign teacher. But this is at a college. I don't know, but have heard (hearsay) it is much more difficult at the chain language school (for which I would never work again, at least not full-time.
If you are qualified, I am sure you can do it |
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