Job Discussion Forums

[gregoryfromcali]

Hello I have my BA, a CELTA, and two years of experience teaching English in Europe. I enjoy teaching in Europe but it's tough to save very much here at least compared to Asia. I would like to experience Asia and I want to return Taiwan which I had visited last summer.

The problem is I have some Chinese blood and I've heard stories from people who couldn't find work as a result. Or they would be replaced as soon as someone with the "right face" came along. But these stories were from a few years ago. Have things changed?

I want to come to Taiwan to study Tai Chi so I don't mind if I'm only working 4 days a week. But it would be nice to have some kind of stable job.

I take teaching English very seriously, I teach all levels and ages. I also spend a lot of time preparing my lessons. Do you think I'll be able to find a professional school in Taipei? Have you seen other Asian Americans enjoying their work Taiwan? In general I have it pretty good in Europe, which like anywhere else can take awhile, do I think I should just stay here?

Gregory

[email protected]

[TaoyuanSteve]

My CBC girlfriend has been able to find work here. I have met other foreign born Chinese who have found work as well.

I won't lie to you, however. The discrimination is out there. Having a white face in the classroom is a selling point for many schools. Often this factor outweighs other considerations and can also lead to many non-native English speaking whites getting employed as English teachers. I've seen it a few times. A number of factors will affect your success.

Are you full Chinese. If you are half or less, you likely look sufficiently foreign and won't have that many problems. Are you able to speak Chinese? This can help you get certain jobs not normally open to the average foreign teacher. In my girlfriend's case, she got a job at a school that doesn't employ local teachers. They would only hire Chinese speaking foreigners or FBCs. At other times, you may be asked to conceal your ability to speak Chinese. I met one FBC who worked for a school that asked her not to speak Chinese at the school. The reason being they were afraid the parents would not believe she was truly foreign born if she spoke Chinese too often or too well.

I won't advise you either way, stay or go. It's up to you. I've met people who have done reasonably well and I've known others who've given up and returned home in disgust. I'm optimistic in your case, at least, as you are looking for more casual work to suppliment your Tai Chi study and therefore will likely be more satisfied with slightly fewer hours.

[gregoryfromcali]

Thanks for your reply. Your words are encouraging.

To answer your questions no I am not fully Chinese and I only know a few words, which I learned when I taught in China.

However I do look relatively Chinese but I don't have a Chinese surname (not sure if that matters).

I am asking because when I was in Taiwan I visited two schools so that I could get an idea of what it would be like when I returned to work. One school told me that they only hired Canadians. Which I think was really there way of saying, "No thank you, you don't have the look we want." (But then again who knows.)

Then I tried another school which wanted to hire me on the spot.

Recently my girlfriend who is still in college, blond, fluent but not a native has been offered a job at a summer school we both applied for. I on the other hand wasn't offered the job.

So I've been wondering what you guys think.

But as long as a few others wtih Asian blood have found good jobs then that is good enough for me as I mostly want to study Tai Chi and learn Chinese I think Taiwan will be the place for me.

Thanks,

See you in Taiwan

Gregory

[puiwaihin]

I'll just echo the respondent to the original poster and say that Asians can find work in Taiwan. I'm not Asian, but I have worked with several Asians or Asian looking teachers. Some have been Asian/Western "mixies" (I use the term in a positive sense- if any feel it is a pejorative term I don't intend it that way) who look fairly Asian, some have been ABC's, CBC's or Viet-Americans, and even one native Taiwanese who later got New Zealand citizenship.

But as noted above, you may not get preference at some schools.

[Fortigurn]

And for the record, people who are black can also find work. My wife (originally from Michigan), works as a paralegal for an attorney. And makes twice the money I do.