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My Rant Against Racial Discrimination
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wayne1523



Joined: 02 Apr 2010
Posts: 100
Location: Toronto, Canada

PostPosted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 3:27 pm    Post subject: My Rant Against Racial Discrimination Reply with quote

Hello everybody.

So before I came to Taiwan I was already told that since I'm Asian, I'm going to get some different treatment from employers. Well, all I can say is that in the last 2 months during my search here, it has been completely and utterly felt.

I actually landed a job at a cram school teaching kids. They paid me like a white fellow: 600NT/hr. But I left it anyway, because I found a chain school that teaches adults, which is much much more suitable for me. Won't be naming any names given the nature of this ensuing message.

This place is everything I want. Teaching adults, very nice buildings and resources, good materials and textbooks which suit the CELTA-style which I've adhered to after getting the certificate last December. I applied, killed the demo, got hired. Then came the truth "I'm sorry to tell you, and I know it's really unfair to you even though you do speak a perfect Canadian accent...but because you have an Asian face, instead of paying 600NT/hr to the foreigner (face), we can only compensate you at 450NT/hr." Very tough to swallow, obviously. There's no doubt that's a significant difference. 25% pay cut. So whatever, I go with it anyway. There's nothing that's more important than coming to work happy and looking forward to class. I also want to build my career on teaching adults and add it to my resume for the first time. Besides, at that rate, I'll still survive in southern Taiwan given the living costs.

I still have regular work hours, right? Nah, wrong. Because I have an Asian face, not only do I get a huge pay cut, but I can't teach beyond a certain proficiency level out of all the taught levels that the company offers because only the WHITE GUY can teach the more advanced ones (in response to student demands). So I'm all limited with just one level, severely limiting my working hours. Not even 10-15 hours a week. I really want to teach advanced levels; it's where the language and the teaching becomes so much more rich because of student ability to understand and you can discuss about so many things within a teaching environment. It's what I was trained to do during my CELTA and I enjoyed doing it. It would also help me develop as a teacher.

So here I am, signed up to this place cause they're still willing to do the work permit for me and I want to teach adults, but I'm thinking about my situation in comparison to the white guy. He gets full-time hours given that he's qualified to teach 3 or 4 levels beyond me while getting 600NT/hr.
That's bigger than the difference between living in a house like this:

http://rent.591.com.tw/rent-detail-1297687.html

and a house like this:

http://rent.591.com.tw/rent-detail-1297494.html

Actually the difference is much more drastic, I could be goin for those posh 15,000 ones if my skin colour was just a little paler, my hair a little yellower, and my eyes a little bluer.

Can you see where I'm coming from though guys? It all hurts because yea, obviously I don't get paid as well and get even half as much hours. But unlike a black guy being limited by white America, it's like I'm being limited by my OWN PEOPLE. As if I'm being seen as inferior by my own kind. This is degradation at the core. I'm conflicted. I feel like I'm selling out even though I did teach there the first time yesterday and enjoyed it thoroughly. But what's a man to go for? His genuine enjoyment for teaching a much more engaged, enthusiastic, and mature group of individuals, or pride and dignity?

I appreciate being an English teacher overseas, I appreciate the opportunity in Taiwan, I appreciate the fact that there are alot more things in life that are unfair, and I do appreciate that the course of human history have seen a lot more disgusting examples of injustices due to race, but maaaaan.....
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creztor



Joined: 30 Dec 2009
Posts: 476

PostPosted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 5:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Your post about sums up the "English" business in Asia, at least at the non-public level. You basically can do one of four things. First, suck it up and just accept the shit deal. Second, try to build your own business (privates/whatever). Third, try to get out of the private and into the public sector, because you'll be treated much better. Fourth, just go home. Good luck with whatever you end up doing.

Last edited by creztor on Sun Mar 11, 2012 1:21 am; edited 1 time in total
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yamahuh



Joined: 23 Apr 2004
Posts: 1033
Location: Karaoke Hell

PostPosted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 5:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wayne 1523 - I'm sure you are aware of the concept of 'face' - it is all pervasive in China and Taiwan - unfortunately when it comes to English 'teaching' in English centers and Buxibans students want a Western looking face, preferably young and preferably beautiful or handsome.

Experience? So what?
Teaching credentials? So what?
Do you have blue eyes and blonde hair? Do you have a square jaw or a shapely figure?

The biggest boxes to tick for a manager or school owner are:
Will you make students happy?
Will they come back with their wallets open?
Do you look like the Asian conceptualization of Western?

After all it isn't important how you teach - it isn't important what you teach - they're paying their money to be taught by somebody who looks WESTERN!!
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yamahuh



Joined: 23 Apr 2004
Posts: 1033
Location: Karaoke Hell

PostPosted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 5:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

BTW - sorry for you recent harsh dose of Taiwanese reality...
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creztor



Joined: 30 Dec 2009
Posts: 476

PostPosted: Sun Mar 11, 2012 1:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You aren't working for "Wallstreet International" are you? Smile I know an ABC there who gets paid 450NT an hour despite having a CELTA. She continues to do it because she doesn't want to teach children.
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wayne1523



Joined: 02 Apr 2010
Posts: 100
Location: Toronto, Canada

PostPosted: Sun Mar 11, 2012 3:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for hearing me out guys, just wanted to get it off my chest.

No, it's not Wallstreet, but I'll refrain from using names. And isn't it Wallstreet Institute instead of International? I might take a look at it when hiring season comes around again during the summer.

I understand how it is now. I guess the bottom line is, my first language is a white man's language.
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creztor



Joined: 30 Dec 2009
Posts: 476

PostPosted: Sun Mar 11, 2012 3:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

wayne, avoid WSI because you will get the exact same treatment. 450NT an hour because you aren't white. The only reason the woman I know stays there is because she can't stand teaching children. Honestly speaking, 450NT would be enough to send me back home. It sucks that you have to face issues like this.
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wayne1523



Joined: 02 Apr 2010
Posts: 100
Location: Toronto, Canada

PostPosted: Sun Mar 11, 2012 4:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

450NT is fine. I certainly won't die, I just need hours. When I was told I'd get a big pay cut, that was not nearly as tough to swallow as being told I'm only limited to teaching a certain level.

I'm in the same boat as her. I can't stand teaching kids anymore either, mostly. Unless it's those higher-end buxibans in Kaohsiung which I applied for and did a demo for but didn't get.

So right now, all I want is hours teaching adults. If I could get full-time hours, I'd be around 40,000-45,000 per month, even though I know I should be at around 60,000.

When I move out, I will also make serious plans to run my own class.

What are some other adult schools? So far, I'm aware of:

Global Village Organization
Wall Street Institute

Thanks
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creztor



Joined: 30 Dec 2009
Posts: 476

PostPosted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 2:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's about all the schools in KHH.
GVO = 450 - 500 an hour, depending.
WSI = 450 an hour with ENORMOUS amounts of "extra" time.
You have Gjun or whatever they want to call themselves, and that's about it... at least from what I know.
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wayne1523



Joined: 02 Apr 2010
Posts: 100
Location: Toronto, Canada

PostPosted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 3:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks creztor, I'm aware that I'm already aware of all 3.
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yamahuh



Joined: 23 Apr 2004
Posts: 1033
Location: Karaoke Hell

PostPosted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 4:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not sure if David's English has branches in Kaohsiung or not but they are exclusively adults and business professionals. Might be worth checking out.
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creztor



Joined: 30 Dec 2009
Posts: 476

PostPosted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 4:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

David's does have a branch, and I think the starting pay is 500 - 550, can't remember. GVO students will run for the hills if they walk in on a class taught by an ABC.
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yamahuh



Joined: 23 Apr 2004
Posts: 1033
Location: Karaoke Hell

PostPosted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 4:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That may be true - is the wages figure you quoted for ABC or not?
Cos if it's not then it's pretty low.
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wayne1523



Joined: 02 Apr 2010
Posts: 100
Location: Toronto, Canada

PostPosted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 8:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

David's huh?

So, no chance at Global Village? or it depends on the branch?
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yamahuh



Joined: 23 Apr 2004
Posts: 1033
Location: Karaoke Hell

PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 12:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry, I know nothing about Global Village.
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