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megahertz
Joined: 16 Feb 2004
Posts: 1
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 Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2004 5:06 am Post subject: how do I teach and study? |
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I am about to graduate from university and would like to go to taiwan to teach english. I have done a little teaching and enjoy it enough, but my main motivations are to start paying back my student loans while continuing my mandarin studies. Does anyone have any advice and info?
Here are some specific questions:
I've heard it is best to show up on the island before contacting schools, and I believe I heard August is the best time. Is this true, and if so, is mid or late August too late to arrive? What time does the school year begin?
What institutions are best for studying upper level mandarin? Universities? How much would regular classes cost? If I am worried about the cost of living in Taibei, are there other good schools in other cities, i.e. Taizhong, where the salary:c.o.living:course cost ratio is more in my favor?
Any advice on how to get as immersed as is possible for an english teacher? Are there homestay programs in Taiwan?
Thanks in advance to answers to any one of these many questions.
I'd also like to thank you all for contributing so much to this site. This certainly is a valuable tool to greenhorns like myself. |
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jason_seeburn
Joined: 26 Apr 2003
Posts: 399
Location: Toronto
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| Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2004 3:40 am Post subject: Re: how do I teach and study? |
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| megahertz wrote: |
I am about to graduate from university and would like to go to taiwan to teach english. I have done a little teaching and enjoy it enough, but my main motivations are to start paying back my student loans while continuing my mandarin studies. Does anyone have any advice and info?
Here are some specific questions:
I've heard it is best to show up on the island before contacting schools, and I believe I heard August is the best time. Is this true, and if so, is mid or late August too late to arrive? What time does the school year begin? |
You don't really need to just show up. Here's a little site I go to when I am looking for work on the island. This guy is really good for searching out schools: http://home.kimo.com.tw/iaa_taiwan/jobs.html He will be able to set you up nicely. A lot of people make the mistake of landing in Taipei and then wandering around the city doing demos. There are too many ESL teachers in Taipei and it is hard to find work there. It is also very expensive relative to the rest of the island. And it is more westernized. I would get the above mentioned agent to find you a school (or another agent, or just find a school yourself through looking at the want ads on various sites) and then get the school to pick you up at the airport. It is much nicer that way.
Re: arriving in August: Do not arrive after June 30 in any year. The reason for this is Taiwan's 183 day income tax refund rule. It's kind of complicated, but basically you get charged 20% tax for your first six months, and then you get a refund if those six months occured in a single calendar year. If you come after July 1, then your last month of the six will straddle December and January, and you will not get your refund.
School year: Same as North America. Kids are out in June, back in September. Summer time has summer camps in the ESL schools.
| Quote: |
| What institutions are best for studying upper level mandarin? Universities? How much would regular classes cost? If I am worried about the cost of living in Taibei, are there other good schools in other cities, i.e. Taizhong, where the salary:c.o.living:course cost ratio is more in my favor? |
no idea about learning mandarin. Do a google search for learning Chinese in Taiwan and you'll get lots of results. Taipei is the most expensive place on the island. Taichung is moderate. Kaoshiung has the cheapest rents that I've seen. You can get a 2 bedroom, nice appartment for under $200 US per month. Avoid the East coast because it tends to be a bit racist and there aren't many schools over there (though the air is much cleaner). They also get wicked bad typhoons every year (Hualien is often under water for a while).
| Quote: |
| Any advice on how to get as immersed as is possible for an english teacher? Are there homestay programs in Taiwan? |
probably, though I don't know where you'd find them. Most people get "foreigner" roommates so they can speak English and hang out together. Living with the Chinese can have its ups and its downs.
| Quote: |
Thanks in advance to answers to any one of these many questions.
I'd also like to thank you all for contributing so much to this site. This certainly is a valuable tool to greenhorns like myself. |
no problem |
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