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sunvibes
Joined: 24 Apr 2006 Posts: 1
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Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2006 4:55 pm Post subject: Questions about Kojen and the recruiter Footprints |
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Greetings!
I am a teacher currently in search of employment in Taiwan and have received an offer from Kojen through Footprints. Due to the fact that I will be moving to a foreign land, I want to be as prepared and knowledgable as possible. Do you have any insight into the reputation of both the school and the recruiting agency?
Thanks in advance |
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wix
Joined: 21 Apr 2003 Posts: 250 Location: Earth
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Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 12:11 am Post subject: |
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Kojen is one of the largest chain schools in Taiwan. In general they are pretty reliable employers. One problem with going through a recruiter is that you may not be able to choose which branch or which city you work in. Your experience in Taiwan may vary greatly depending on this. I suggest you discuss this with the recruiter. |
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Pop Fly

Joined: 15 Feb 2003 Posts: 429
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Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 4:43 am Post subject: |
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Also, try doing a search. This has been discussed many times. |
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clark.w.griswald
Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 2056
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Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 12:05 pm Post subject: |
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Pop Fly wrote: |
Also, try doing a search. This has been discussed many times. |
Yes it has.
For anyone who has not yet realized, there is a search function at the top of the page that you can use to do a keyword search of the forums here at Daves. You might just save yourself and others a whole lot of time by finding as much information for yourself as you can and then coming here for confirmation. Just a piece of friendly advice  |
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twinkletoes
Joined: 05 Jan 2005 Posts: 76
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Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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Why do you want to have a job before you come here?
Hostels are cheap here. You can stay in one while you look for a job.
You can also sublet an apartment - look on tealit.com to find one.
Are you really prepared to live in a town so small it doesn't even have a bar? So small that you can't even go on a date without the whole town knowing about it? If you are, go for it, but I'd do as much research as you can about the town you will be sent. And when I say research, I mean googling for the name of the town, looking at blogs, searching this and many other expat forums.
You get out of your job search what you're willing to put into it. If living in a small factory town with no nightlife or non-Taiwanese restaurants where the nearest grocery store is a 40 minute walk from your apartment suits you just as well as living near a beautiful beach or in a place with a thriving nightlife and tons of foreign cuisine, then go with a recruiter. Otherwise, get reasearchin, baby!
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SanChong
Joined: 22 Nov 2005 Posts: 335
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Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2006 7:41 pm Post subject: |
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A lot of people prefer to live in a smaller town in Taiwan. Just as lot of people would prefer not to live in New York City or Los Angeles.
Certainly, there are other factors involved in living in a smaller city in Taiwan. It is more isolating and you may not be surrounded by a lot of native English speakers.
However, it can also be a great way to get some real insight into local culture and learn the language, among many other reasons.
I started off living in a smaller area of Taiwan and I now live in Taipei. I like Taipei, but it's really similar in a lot of ways to Western cities. I've met a lot of people who teach at Hess, etc. in Taipei and Kaoshiung who have really experienced almost no Chinese culture. They have only Western friends, eat at western restaurants, go the same western bars every weekend. I'm in that world now, and while I enjoy it, I sometimes miss the slower pace of living in a smaller area and maybe coming into the city on the weekend.
As long as you are at a good school, working in a smaller area can be much more of an enriching and rewarding experience. You know what you will get in Taipei/ Kaoshiung/ Taichung. A big city with lots of westerners and things you can do back home. But, is that why you are coming halfway across the world? To do the things you do at home?
Depends on your perspective, everyone has different goals. Something to think about though.
By the way, working with a recruiter like Reach To Teach or Dewey doesn't mean that you will be in a smaller town. I've met a ton of teachers placed by Reach To Teach in Taipei and Kaoshiung. A recruiter just gives you more options, as long as you are signing a contract directly with the school. Just don't work with recruiters who have you sign a contract directly with them, as many others have pointed out. |
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twinkletoes
Joined: 05 Jan 2005 Posts: 76
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Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 4:06 pm Post subject: |
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I agree that there are a lot of great things about living in a small town, but you should research a lot of blogs written by people who live in small towns to know what you're getting youself into and see if you can handle it.
I have seen blogs written by people who live in small towns who are literally going crazy, and others who love it. In general, if you are half of a teaching couple and don't crave company with other expats, I think a small town would be very nice. Also, if your first priority is saving money, a small town is also ideal.
However, you have got to consider some other factors. Yes, you'll get more culture in a small town, but...
If you are single, you need to understand that your dating pool will be very, very small. Smaller than you think. A town of 100,000, might sound large, but when you consider what percentage of those people are married, elderly, children, or maried/taken, your dating pool shrinks. Plus, the people who seek out the company of expats generally hang together. You can think of going to a small town as kind of like attending a small high school. Everyone in your social network will most likely know each other, and they will not go away. You can't, *ahem", get away with anything, so to speak. I have heard an awful lot of stories from guys who went to a small town, thought they would try to date two different girls, and consequently were found out and branded as playboys, meaning their love was over and the local men held grudges against them. Not a good way to begin a year abroad. People WILL find out what you do. If you tell someone you are busy one night, you had best not be seen somewhere with someone else, etc.
However, if you are in a committed relationship or wanting to take a sabbatical from dating to nurse a broken heart or whatever, than a small town would be a great place for you. But you should take into consideration that your "reputation" will be something you are forced to think about a lot. Perhaps you can live with that and perhaps you can't.
I live in Taipei, and although there are a lot of expats here, my main social circle is Taiwanese. I have a boyfriend now, but when I first came here I dated a lot of guys (dating moves slowly in Taiwan, in general you won't get a kiss until the third date) and consequently was taken a lot of places and learned a lot about the culture that way. This would have not have been possible in a small town. I wonder if I would have learned as much about the culture as I would have if I were living in a small town afraid to do much more than chat with my students for fear of developing a bad reputation. I'm really not sure.
So, it all depends on what your priorites are and what you are willing to handle. I urge you to do serious thinking about this. Some people come to Taipei, hang out with only expats, and really don't learn very much at all. I don't associate with those kind of people, but I suppose they're learning more than if they'd stayed at home, so it's better than nothing. Some people go to small towns expecting to find culture and end up hiding out in their apartments a lot. They might be better off hanging with expats than nobody at all. You need to do some introspection, decide what you want to get out of your Taiwan experience, realistically decide how much you can handle, and then research a lot to make sure you're going to the best place for you. |
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SanChong
Joined: 22 Nov 2005 Posts: 335
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Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 8:43 pm Post subject: |
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Well said! Really, you can never go wrong with doing a lot of research and finding out what is best for you. You should always feel comfortable and confident in expressing (in a nice way) your goals and wishes to your Recruiters/school.
Overall, I do think that a good attitude is the most important thing. Don't expect Taiwan to be like your home country. Be flexible and you will have a good experience. I think that good experience can be in either a small town or a large city. There are also good compromises. A city like Taoyuan might be a good cross between large city and small town for a lot of people. |
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