Job Discussion Forums

Rommel · Joined: 01 Apr 2006 Posts: 121

I've been teaching for over ten years (Thailand, Japan, Kuwait) and I'm seriously considering giving Thaiwan a try. Can anyone give me their thoughts about a first-timer in Taiwan?

What are the average salaries in Taiwan?
What are the students like? Administrators?
Do schools provide accomodation? What are apartments like?
What about bringing a wife and children over?
What are some schools that I should look into/stay away from?
Is there a nightlife to be found?
How are you treated by Taiwanese in social settings?

I appreciate your comments and suggestions.

clark.w.griswald · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 2056

Not to be mean, but my advice is that you do a bit of independant research before posting questions here that have been asked probably hundreds of times on this very forum before.

Someone on another forum likened Dave's to an online version of Bill Murray's 'Ground Hog Day' as the same questions and discussions get repeated over and over again.

Rommel, if you look at my posts on this forum you will see that I try to be as helpful as possible so I am not trying to be a dick. I just think that you will get more helpful advice if you spend some time looking through old threads here and then maybe come back with your understanding of how things are here. We can then point out any problems in the information you have found.

Aristotle · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1388 Location: Taiwan

Start in Taipei and bring a reasonable mount of start up money with you (2000US$) to cover the expenses when the inevitable "unusual and seldom" visa and work related problems happen. Plan on at least one visa run and have enough money to cover yourself if you can't find a job any time soon.
Get a multiple entry visa.

http://www.voy.com/113223/576.html

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=14475

http://www.taiwan-teachers.com/VISA.HTM

Timing and a little pre planning go a long way when it comes to getting what you want.

Teaching English in Taiwan

Don't be put off by the locals telling you boldfaced lies on a regular basis. It is part of their culture and traditions.

Please read this,
10 Steps to Success on Taiwan!
Good luck!
A.

stare · Joined: 23 Nov 2004 Posts: 31 Location: Taichung, Taiwan

You should also check out this web page

www.forumosa.com

Everything you could ever want to know, learn, find out about Taiwan is there.

As for salary usually they start around 60,000 NT Dollars and can go up depending on your experience.

Students well I could go on for days but you get the good, bad, and the ugly.
Administrators same as above.

Some schools provide or help with finding accomodation. Apartments can be nice to very bad. They are ussually all tile floors very few apartments have hardwood floors. Sometimes bathtubs are also hard to come by. Rent is cheap compared to what you would have to pay in North America. I have a 45 Ping apartment in Taichung and I pay 13000 NTD a month. 45 pings is about 1600 square feet. Bringing your wife a children should not be a problem (check forumosa for more info on this)
http://forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopic.php?t=28618&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=bringing+wife+children&&start=0

Schools to stay away from

Hess they are cheap and work you hard
Joy same as above
Kojen not sure why but a friend had a real bad experience with them

Good schools (I live in Taichung so this applies to Taichung only)
Leader
Washington
Wagor
Natural Way

Also check www.buxiban.com for a listing of good and bad schools in Taiwan and China.

Nightlife YES, YES, YES!!!!!!!! Except for the reall small cities

Taiwanese people are extremely friendly to foreigners. They will go out of their way to help you.

stare

twinkletoes · Joined: 05 Jan 2005 Posts: 76

tealit.com and taiwanho as well.

Rommel · Joined: 01 Apr 2006 Posts: 121

Thank you Aristotle, Stare, and Twinkletoes for your help.

Clark, sorry to waste your time. You obviously have better things to do than to respond to someone like myself who oviously didn't research his topic before posting....Oh, wait a minute, that's exactly what you did do! Embarassed

lumber Jack · Joined: 09 May 2005 Posts: 91 Location: UK/ROK

It's probably helpful if the resident know-all tells you off, it spurs other people to pitch in and be more helpful!

You're situation seems similar to mine Rommel, so I'm glad you asked the question and got such good responses. Checking out some of the links, it seems like its not always very easy to bring a Chinese or South-East Asian wife. My wife is Korean - hopefully that is OK...........

clark.w.griswald · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 2056

clark.w.griswald · Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 2056

twinkletoes · Joined: 05 Jan 2005 Posts: 76

Taiwan may be a small country, but... I can't even begin to anser your questions. What are apartments like in downtown Taipei or in a small farm town - uhhh, maybe you should look through apartment ads to answer that.

Hows the nightlife WHERE? In Taipei? In a factory town?

My experiences with Taiwanese people is that they're warm and friendly and very tolerant of foreigners.

Students in one school are very different from students in another school. Each student is different from the next.

If any schools provide accomodation, I sure as hell don't want to live there.

Salary is all over the map. Why don't you browse job ads and see what you're qualified to do?

SanChong · Joined: 22 Nov 2005 Posts: 335

Ha, there hasn't been a lot of peace on this forum lately!

I can understand someone wanting to get the most updated information possible, as Rommel seems to want. However, a lot of those questions are very easily answered without asking on a forum (ie salaries).

I wouldn't want to scare anyone away from asking questions though! That's what this forum is for... so ask away!

To answer your questions, I think you will be happy with all the answers to your questions; Taiwan is a pretty positive and nice place to live. As long as you are a flexible and easygoing person (You will need a bit more patience here) you should be quite happy. However, it might be tough to bring a wife and kid over. It will be harder to make ends meet and schooling the child will be difficult. If you give us more information, we can likely better answer that question.

Either way, go easy on Clark. Overall, he is probably the most informative and accurate poster we have. He puts a lot of time into giving people helpful and accuracte answers...

Mr. Kalgukshi · Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 12:21 am Post subject: Advice

I've just deleted two postings for inappropriate language. If this continues, this thread will go bye-bye and sanctions will be imposed.

My advice is to stay on topic and avoid any use of inappropriate language or personal attacks in expressing your point of view.

Miyazaki · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 635 Location: My Father's Yacht

Hi, Rommel:

Your Quetsions:

1. What are the average salaries in Taiwan?
NT$ 50,000 - $70,000 a month. Up to NT$100,000 a month or over at some of the high end jobs

2. What are the students like?
Passive & unmotivated at the high school and university levels, don't like taking risks to communicate, very teacher-dependent, boring, not intrested in learning English, tired, over-worked. Adult professional Ss are passive and quiet and prefer a teacher-focused methodology but are more motivated since they're paying for their classes - they also like to do a lot of drilss / listen and repeat.

3. Administrators?
Will b.s. you if they can. Very manipulative. Concerned about money - not education at the buxiban level. Mangers and school staff are all about sales and will tell you explicitly "Make the students happy! - whatever you do!" Ask lots of questions.

The managers and staff are typically very unorganized and don't seem to know what they're doing tomorrow! They might not know simple things like - when you will be paid, how many hours a class is, if they have a teacher's book or audio CDs, when you will be paid, where the classroom is, etc. etc. You have to run down the list with staff and managers because often they won't tell you everything you should/need to know. i.e., I've accepted classes where I've been told that I would be paid NT$200 less than my regular wage but failed to ask about the salary prior to accepting the extrat over time classes. It was a different contract. Ask about housing, etc. People have been promised housing and ended up living with the Uncle of the school manager - stuff like that. You have to ask lots of questions - and they tend to be very unorganized.

4. Do schools provide accomodation? What are apartments like?
No, not typically - like in Korea. Some do, though - especially in the rural areas. You could get something for NT$10,000 a month in Taipei near the Taipei station but it won't be big.

5. What about bringing a wife and children over?
Don't know - but it is possible. She may not have work privileges if she wants to work though. I don't think you'll have a problem with a visa for them.

6. What are some schools that I should look into/stay away from?
Large chain schools are tough to work for - smaller private schools can be tough also - depends on the particular branch. Lots of negative press about KOJEN, HESS, BERLITZ and WALL STREET INSTITUTE OF ENGLISH. I'd avoid all of those schools, personally.

7. Is there a nightlife to be found?
Taipei City is boring. It just doesn't have much night life - it lacks diversity. Not a party town. Taiwanse are boring - they aren't party, drinking people. They like to "play computer" and "drink tea" - even the university students.

8. How are you treated by Taiwanese in social settings?
If you're Filipino, Thai or Black - then expect to be treated like a slave - like dirt. IF you're white and a native English speaker, they will tolerate you. They are very racist and shockingly open about it. Like some of the other posters above, they have been welcomed into their wives' families but they aren't Filipino or Thai.

SanChong · Joined: 22 Nov 2005 Posts: 335

Miyazaki wrote:

twinkletoes · Joined: 05 Jan 2005 Posts: 76