Job Discussion Forums

[StayingPower]

Pardon me, but I have time. Right now my thinking is, how can so many people be sucked into teaching here without the realization that ESL jobs of better quality, ie., pay, treatment, and general welfare, don't but exist outside of Taiwan? Let's look at some comparisons say, between Taiwan and Korea, if you aren't already familiar.

Korea=Free airfare to and fro vs. Taiwan=zilch.
Korea=Paid holidays vs. Taiwan=zilch.
Korea=Free rent/accommodations vs. Taiwan=zilch(except on very rare occasions.)
Korea =one month's free bonus at end of contract vs. Taiwan=a mere pittance.
Korea=larger salaries for thirty hours of work vs. Taiwan=tight-wad salaries and unpaid overtime.
Korea=paid overtime beyone thirty hours vs. Taiwan=sayonara otherwise.
Korea=no CT's to sit in on your class vs. Korea=you're on your own.
Korea=no prabation period vs. Taiwan=a sixty day leeway.

So I must ask, why haven't others here come to know these disparities?

I come here, knowing the rift between the two, maybe even between Taiwan and Japan(though Japan doesn't offer any possibility to save money,) and can only form this conclusion.

There's a lot of lawlessness that attracts foreigners to Taiwan, a sort of amorality, which allows for a sort of grasp for greediness depicting a 'dog-eat-dog' reflection of what Asia isn't like, but which some believe is identifying, thereby losing all morals.

Then there's identifying with other aspects, some of which you may be careful of, like the damoclese's sword hanging over Taiwan's head as a result.

Sounds harsh, but really, this is just to inquire and to question what collective, mass-minded thinking some here may've forgotten was democracy's damoclese's sword, and one that is weighing over all our heads.

[Toe Save]

Korea is a country filled with xenophobic, misanthropic autocrats who dismiss you as a neccessary evil to further their plans of world domination.

Taiwan has friendly people who care about your well-being.

The chances of getting screwed by an unscrupulous boss: In Korea 50/50. In Taiwan, 10/90

I could go on, but you seem top have made up your mind. Korea's gain will certainly be Taiwan's loss.

Bon Voyage, erm...StayingPower.

[BigWally]

[SanChong]

Most of your comparisons are correct, but they don't all carry equal weight.

Also, as Toe Save pointed out, people are generally HAPPIER living and teaching in Taiwan than in Korea. This doesn't apply to everyone, but it certainly applies to the majority.

There is no question that most teachers will earn and save more money in Korea. However, it's also true that most teachers feel more comfortable and enjoy their life in Taiwan.

So, in many ways, it depends what your priorities are.

[teflmonkey]

The people who choose Taiwan over Korea either want to enjoy their time over their money, or specifically chose Taiwan over every other country that hires NSTs for any number of reasons, like for instance, I chose Taiwan because I specifically want to learn about Taiwan (and according to my principles, return the favor by teaching English to people who want/need to learn it).

So from what I've gathered reading this forum, the OP got fired from Hess during the probationary period. From the immaturity displayed in his behavior on this board, it's not hard to imagine why.

To return the immaturity: if you like Korea so much, go lurk on the Korea board. As Hess told you before you left for Taipei, the experience is yours, make the most of it.

[StayingPower]

[StayingPower]

[DirtGuy]

I'm not going to get into the middle of this but there is something I vaguely remember from a while back. Wasn't there some site somewhere (Was it Dave's?) that had a place to post complaints or bad schools just in Korea? I remember this simply because Korea was the only country that had a forum just for such matters. No other country had this. I think that says something about Korea but I'll leave that up to other people to decide what that meaning is.

OK, you can all go back to mud slinging again.''

DirtGuy

[teflmonkey]

[TaoyuanSteve]

I am growing tired of Stayingpower's projection of his own problems onto others.

Stayingpower, I suspect I have been in this industry a good while longer than you have; I'm well aware of what the average offers from various countries are. Anyone with an internet connection can see Korean job offers and what they include. It suffices to say, in Korea you will definitely work for these so-called "freebies." I've known too many people who've worked there to ever seriously contemplate moving there myself. But if a Korean job offer is what you need right now, then take one. In the mean time, please spare us the speculation as to why we all choose to live here. Just because you've been a failure here, doesn't mean we all are collectively.

[lou_la]

Quotes from StayingPower

[blateson]

Geez! Am I going to be the only person who is going to ring in with a little support for Staying?

Personally I find it far more worth my 'money' to log in and read something written by someone wanting to to "buck the system." There's plenty wrong with the system and the school in question as well.

If you find something wrong with StayingPower then fair enough, but I tell you what, I find it a total bore to read all these don't-rock-the-boat posts by you so-called long-timers that just keep logging in and wanting to keep things superficially "nice".

You guys with your jabs at StayingPower are lowering your own bar as well. It's the same high horse you accuse him of.

In the meantime, I prefer to read posts that challenge a corrupt and potentially abusive system, not irrational chit-chat that doesn't make sense.

[BigWally]

[blateson]

"I'm happily going to continue to play the 'role of arbiter' because its a lot more fun than being negative all the time. Don't you think?"

You do a good job posting but no, if someone is negative on a school or a country then it doesn't bother me. If that person did bother me then I think it would be my responsibility to either switch the channel or else outline where I think the person is wrong. Otherwise, all I see these forums as is a source of free, open public information, not as a place I need to go to keep things on a superficial level. Otherwise, good job posting.

[SanChong]

This thread has turned from a comparison on Korea and Taiwan to a kind of general philosophical conversation on forums!

I do see both sides on this one, but am more inclined to agree with Wally here.

It's FINE if someone wants to make a post describing an aspect of a school which they didn't like. However, it's not helpful to simply blindly accuse, you have to bring some kind of evidence and describe why you feel a certain way. It's not fair to simply rail on a school, or individual without offering evidence. That's unhelpful at best and slander at worst.

I think this forum has come a long way in the last two years in becoming a more friendly place. I think that's a very good thing and is why we have a lot more regular posters: It's a friendlier place where people don't feel they will be attacked for sharing their opinions.

I especially like how the blanket attacks on Taiwan have stopped. There has been a real culture shift in the way this forum works. I think people know it's not OK to say certain things and we all deserve some credit for that.

In sum: It's fine if people want to post their opinion about a particular experience they have had. No one faulted Staying Power for that. However, to continuously repeat the same negativity over and over, in thread after thread: That's a bit too much. Wally's generally a super friendly and jovial guy in these parts and has been a great addition to the forums. I can understand why he is annoyed at the tone that has been taken here.