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EF Indonesia
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TEAM_PAPUA



Joined: 24 May 2004
Posts: 1679
Location: HOLE

PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2004 4:59 am    Post subject: EF Indonesia Reply with quote

I have read an awful lot about EF indonesia on this, and other forums. Some like it but many don't. I have worked for EF and experienced the good and the bad. As they are the prime advertisers on the internet at the moment i would like to share my experiences with those teachers looking for a career in Indonesia.

Indonesia, in my opinion, is a great place to live & teach. The people are very friendly, although the HEY MISTER syndrome can wear you down after a while. The Indonesians are generally a good bunch, and are usually very happy to help. In the cities their is also a large Chinese population, the majority of the chinese are also very nice, but as they have the wealth (as opposed to the Indonesians - huge wealth divide) some can be extremely arrogant to say the least. If you can deal with the 'divide' and the arrogance then no problem. It's fun to watch them walking around the A/C malls in the latest (?) rappers & bimbos gear looking like something out of a poorly made American music video, also driving around in ultra-low sports cars with more lights on them then a UFO Confused

I am now working in china and I am pleased to see that the above is not the norm here. Anyway, once you get to grips with this, you can then get used to the prices. Again due to the 'divide' or duality of wealth related social groups, things in Indonesia are both cheap & expensive. Though you may think that Indonesia won't be an expensive place to live, due to the fact that a small minority have the majority of wealth, it is expensive. Of course you can live a typically 'Indo' style very cheaply indeed, but if you wish to indulge in clubs, bars, cafes etc you will be paying almost western prices. nevertheless, it is very easy to do both, and you can stretch your money effectively by doing this.

Travel in Indonesia is incredibly cheap & surprisingly easy, and due to the amount of personal & public holidays you get you can see & do alot in a year: white water rafting, diving, treking, climbing etc. etc. etc. Also, if you want to get around buying a motorcyle is very easy (although not cheap but re-sale value is almost the same) and you don't require a licence (occasionally stopped, in particular on Bali & Lombok, simply pay a small 'fee' to the police) no insurance, no MOT. Also repairs are almost nothing due to the cost of labour.

Working for EF isn't rocket science. They use their own books which are a little challenging at first but once you have the various levels under your belt you can do it in your sleep (or incredibly hung over - which is often the case due to the lethal Bir Bintang). Hours aren't too bad either, salary is enough to have fun, travel & you can also save if you wish to live a monastic existence (taxis are relatively exspensive when costs are totaled over the month & the schools are rarely near your housing - another good reason to buy a bike). EF schools can be a little 'EF family-ish' you may fit in or you may not, not to worry there will be many opportunities to escape from the 'inner circle' and make your own friends, girlfriends etc.

IMPORTANT: when you work in Indonesia you are there for the year, impossible to do a 'midnight run' as you need an exit stamp from your company to permit you to leave the country - this information is NEVER told to applicants. If your stuck you could always ask for 'emergency' leave to return home Laughing

Girlfriends/boyfriends: not difficult to aquire, but very hard to get rid off, and equally hard to keep. By this I mean that if you wish to 'move on' girls can in some cases turn into stalkers doing the most bizarre things. If on the other hand you wish to settle down you have a multitude of parental, ethnic, religious issues & prejudices to deal with - not to worry it's alot of fun trying! Good possibilities for the ladies to as I've seen girls there that wouldn;t look out of place on a farm managing to get themselves married Very Happy (you know who you are) Very Happy

That's all I can come up with at the moment. In summary, great place with lots of small annoying daily problems. great vacation opportunites, biking & sports opportunities. work isn't challenging at all once you become familiar with the texts. it's HOT (but floods and turns the streets into rivers during the WET season) food is HOT, everything is HOT.

Go have fun.
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ls650



Joined: 10 May 2003
Posts: 3484
Location: British Columbia

PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2004 11:31 am    Post subject: Re: EF Indonesia Reply with quote

TEAM_PAPUA wrote:
I have read an awful lot about EF indonesia on this, and other forums. Some like it but many don't. I have worked for EF and experienced the good and the bad.

IMPORTANT: when you work in Indonesia you are there for the year, impossible to do a 'midnight run' as you need an exit stamp from your company to permit you to leave the country - this information is NEVER told to applicants. If your stuck you could always ask for 'emergency' leave to return home Laughing


I'm nearing the end of a one-year contract in Indonesia. I would agree with just about all of your comments regarding working for EF in Indonesia. I think it's a good place to do a first year of teaching to decide if this is really something you want to do for the rest of your life.

I've had a reasonably good year in Indonesia. I read a lot of negative stories about EF, but the franchise I work for is decent and has treated me quite well. That said, I've decided that a year in Indonesia is plenty and have already lined up a teaching job in Latin America.
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Chester



Joined: 15 May 2004
Posts: 383
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2004 1:51 pm    Post subject: You call ESL Baby-Sitting a Career? Reply with quote

Give me a break.
EF Baby sitting is humiliating.
You guys - come on!
I would define a career as having a respectable salary, respectable hours, good job satisfaction and opportunity to progress and using the stuff between your ears.
You are telling me that after college and or university, you consider child minding for a pitiful salary a career.

get real. you wasted your studies guys.
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ls650



Joined: 10 May 2003
Posts: 3484
Location: British Columbia

PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2004 3:12 pm    Post subject: Re: You call ESL Baby-Sitting a Career? Reply with quote

Ooo-kay, Chester. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us, and have a g-r-e-a-t day... Rolling Eyes
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TEAM_PAPUA



Joined: 24 May 2004
Posts: 1679
Location: HOLE

PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2004 3:14 pm    Post subject: ? Reply with quote

I agree completely, but it's only a career if you stick it out with them. I didn't, I moved on to another & better company in Indonesia for my second year in Indo. My point is that EF gets you in and is the easy route as everything is provided (including the shitty salary and poor medical cover, over crowded housing and more senior teachers than you can count!). Best to do what everyone does, go with EF then move on. I would be the last person to defend EF Indonesia as anyone who knows me would agree - but I simply did my hours then went out and enjoyed my time away from the school.

Regarding wasted studies, I do have a degree & CELTA, but EF require neither of these (they prefer a tefl of some sort but it's not set in stone criteria for recruiting) they will take anyone, all dysfunctionals are free to apply. I did Laughing

IMPORTANT: if considering EF Indonesia be aware that salaries vary greatly from city to city based on cost of living in each respective city - this means that a plate of fried rice with meat (?) is cheaper in Jogja or medan than it is in SBY or JKT but the cost of western goods remains EXACTLY THE SAME! So in SBY or JKT a night out on the town will cost you half a weeks salary, it will cost you a week's salary elsewhere. I've seen recruiting information that says you can have a night out in JKT for 200.000rp WTF??? more like 500.000 + unless your drinking Bir Bintang in a Warung & walking everywhere Confused
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willy



Joined: 29 Mar 2003
Posts: 215
Location: Samarinda,Kalimantan,Indonesia(left TW)

PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2004 5:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ya i agere with TEAM_PUPA 100% as for EF: cant say.just like at home you can work for Mac D`s or find a better job its all about how you want to live if you are happy with 6,000,000 good for you need 10,000,000 you can find it, or 18,000,000 can find that too out of English teaching you can find 30,000,000 to 60,000,000 and thats living like a KING.
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khmerhit



Joined: 31 May 2003
Posts: 1874
Location: Reverse Culture Shock Unit

PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2004 6:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very interesting post, Papua. Thanks.

Where in Indo would you recommend? I've heard Java and Lombok are good, but I really no nothing about them.

khmer[/i]
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Chester



Joined: 15 May 2004
Posts: 383
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2004 4:05 am    Post subject: Lombok Reply with quote

good place for a honeymoon.
nice handicrafts.
snorkelling is excellent.
unfortunately i dont think there are a lot of english teaching jobs, or we all would be there - doh!
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TEAM_PAPUA



Joined: 24 May 2004
Posts: 1679
Location: HOLE

PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2004 5:08 am    Post subject: schools Reply with quote

Does anyone have links for decent schools in Indonesia? People always comment on what can be earned but there are never any helpful contacts provided...I'm guessing that these are well kept secrets Confused

Ok, java & lombok...I did east java - bali - lombok on a motorcycle trip a few years back & it was incredible, the scenery is amazing and the roads aren't too bad either. Java is the centre of Indonesia, the political & economic hub (drawing it's wealth from the surrounding islands). I worked in Surabaya and it's a very developed & prosperous city with many western amenities (but nothing compared to JKT - or so I am told). Of course it also has people living in poverty, be prepared for the divide between social & ethnic groups. Lombok is a small island within a group of small islands - as far as I know it doesn't have any major esl schools, possibly has a few small enterprises which I doubt hire expat teachers.

I am currently working in China & hoping to return to Indonesia at the end of this year, but like everyone else I am having trouble finding anything with the exception of EF 6.5 juta (and I don't wish to return to my old school in SBY as I need something new)- any help greatly appreciated.
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KCA420



Joined: 08 Apr 2004
Posts: 54

PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2004 10:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

edit

Last edited by KCA420 on Thu Jul 15, 2010 9:54 pm; edited 1 time in total
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TEAM_PAPUA



Joined: 24 May 2004
Posts: 1679
Location: HOLE

PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2004 11:13 pm    Post subject: * Reply with quote

Thanks for providing the information. Last I heard IALF were paying around 10 juta in SBY but that was 18 months ago. I recently contacted TBI but they require teachers to be there for interview - handy if you are in Indonesia (handy for anyone at EF who is pissed off and needs a change). 8 juta in Malang would be nice, as I think EF are paying around 5.5 for the same city (maybe less).

Anyone familiar with SHINES? They are based in Singapore & have branches in Indonesia. I would appreciate any information you may have. Dammit, I can't go the national plus way as I'm too old!!! (just) damn descrimination Shocked

Thanks again.
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Chester



Joined: 15 May 2004
Posts: 383
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Fri May 28, 2004 12:42 am    Post subject: National Plus Reply with quote

Age is not the issue with most of these schools. Some prefer a young-ish female to be domestically suitable with very young children and I would agree with this. My experience is that the pre-requisite with the majority of the group is a teaching diploma - i.e. they hire REAL teachers.
The Korean school (Jakarta) advertise ALL the time.
A couple of guys I know have applied, been interviewed then been told they will be required to teach kindergarten, but they are not suitable anyway?
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guru



Joined: 27 Jan 2003
Posts: 156
Location: Indonesia

PostPosted: Fri May 28, 2004 3:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

KCA420 in reply to your post, I work in a national plus school and get over 2k a month plus accomodation. It beats language school work hands down but you need a teaching qualification.

the best bet is to apply to all schools and you'll get a reply.
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TEAM_PAPUA



Joined: 24 May 2004
Posts: 1679
Location: HOLE

PostPosted: Fri May 28, 2004 5:19 am    Post subject: * Reply with quote

1. Why has my pic grown HUGE?

2. I have a degree in southeast asian studies & CELTA & 3 years experience + IELTS, Cambridge BEC, business and all the usual stuff...is that enough for national plus.

3. Why is my pic so BIG?
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ls650



Joined: 10 May 2003
Posts: 3484
Location: British Columbia

PostPosted: Fri May 28, 2004 5:45 am    Post subject: Re: * Reply with quote

TEAM_PAPUA wrote:

2. I have a degree in southeast asian studies & CELTA & 3 years experience + IELTS, Cambridge BEC, business and all the usual stuff...is that enough for national plus.
3. Why is my pic so BIG?


I think he means you need a qualification to teach in a western country, such as a PGCE.
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