Job Discussion Forums

[nasigoreng]

My only teaching experience has been Taiwan and I have not enjoyed it: don't like the environment, the kids, or the culture.

I'm considering teaching in Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, or Latin America.

I welcome feedback from people who have taught in these (and other) countries.

Thanks

[taiwan boy]

You might get a better response if you post on the boards relevant to the countries you want to know more about.

Remember you might find the things you don't like about Taiwan, you also won't like about other countries. The grass is always greener on the other side...

[comenius]

For what it's worth, I've taught in Prague, Istanbul and Taipei, each for a period of about 10 - 14 months. Taipei was my least favorite destination by far. I'm not 100% sure why, either. I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that I found it quite difficult to culturally assimilate in Taipei. Being a white guy, I suppose that may seem obvious to some point, but in Prague and Istanbul I found I developed much stronger relationships with the local community, even though I didn't pass for a local there either.

For whatever reason, I felt a kind of wall between me and the local Taiwanese. This could have been purely in my head, but I just never felt as warmly accepted and welcomed. The end result was that this sense of emotional distance negatively colored many of my impressions of my time there.

The good news is that Taipei isn't the same as elsewhere in the world, and that a less than overwhelmingly positive experience there doesn't mean you can't have a really excellent experience elsewhere. I know you were specifically asking about other areas than Prague and Istanbul, but thought I'd toss in my two cents regardless...

[sigmoid]

I've taught in Thailand for quite a few years, but I wouldn't really recommend teaching here. It may be OK for a year or two, but in the long run it will probably be financially draining as the average salaries are quite low. I have definite plans to go elsewhere in order to make more money.

The following is just my opinion. Hopefully, others who have lived/live there can add to or correct it:

Indonesia may not be the best place for Westerners to be if the invasion of Iraq occurs. I don't think you can make much money there either.

Ditto for Latin America. I don't think there is any country where you can earn a decent living by teaching English. But, like Tahiland, it may be enjoyable to live there a few years depending on which country you chose.

Japan offers higher salaries than most other places, but has possibly the highest cost of living in the world. Many people complain Japan is sterile and rigid.

[TheyCallMeTrinity]

[nasigoreng]

Thank you all for your input.
I should have mentioned that money was NOT a priority. I just want to learn stuff: martial arts, batik painting, thai massage, samba dancing, etc....

[WorkingVaca]

What exactly do you hate about Taiwan's "environment"? The lack of imaginative architecture, the air pollution, that international cuisine means McDonald's and Sizzler, too many little motorcycles...? Culture: you mean the narrow-minded "family values", the striving towards corporate slavery, the double-takes whenever a WAIGOREN happens by...?

If that's the stuff you mean, stay away from Thailand...this stuff is all magnified down there, with the added bonus of Third World inconveniences like peddlers, two-tiered pricing systems, absolutely pitiful wages for ESL teachers, garbage rotting in the hot sun, cocroaches, etc. Except Thailand has it all over Taiwan in the food department.

But at least in Taiwan you can save some decent money.