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What do you think of my arrival plan?

 
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fedsy



Joined: 01 Jul 2003
Posts: 5
PostPosted: Thu Oct 30, 2003 9:06 pm    Post subject: What do you think of my arrival plan? Reply with quote
Just trying to get some feedback on a strategy to land and get a job on the island. I will fly in to Tapei January 12th with a large backpack stuffed with all the essentials for a few weeks and a large duffle of extra stuff I will need over the year. I plan on stowing the duffle at the airport in a locker(possible?--other suggestions?) for a few weeks and making my way around the island via trains/buses and staying at guesthouses and hostels while I hand out resumes and applications. I plan on working my way down to Kaoshiung while I look for the job to get a feel for the Island and the cities. I won't see alot, but I should have time to tell wether an area is just not for me, and whether Taipei will be the best solution for me. I'll buy a pre-paid phone and make sure my number is on the resume so the shcools can contact me, if I move further south by the time they want to interview. I plan on stopping in each city for 2-3 days and getting into contact with as many schools as possible. Once I've been on the road for a few weeks, I might have a job, or I might have decided what city/area I truly want to look for a job in. Then, once I have an area decided upon, I hope to return to Taipei to pick up my Duffle full of extra clothes/games/shoes/toiletries/etc.

Sound good? Better ideas?

One other thing, how long doyou think it will take for the Tawain consulate in Chicago to process my Visa application? I know I need to get that started, and I hope I am not too late.


Thanks for your time
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jason_seeburn



Joined: 26 Apr 2003
Posts: 399
Location: Toronto
PostPosted: Fri Oct 31, 2003 1:09 am    Post subject: Re: What do you think of my arrival plan? Reply with quote
JS

Last edited by jason_seeburn on Tue Jun 06, 2006 2:55 pm; edited 1 time in total
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fedsy



Joined: 01 Jul 2003
Posts: 5
PostPosted: Fri Oct 31, 2003 2:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Well, I wasn't exactly sure how long the processing of a visa was going to take. If two to four weeks, then I have time. Not that I will wait, I'll send the app in on Monday. So, you don't think I'll make it down to Kaoshiung...heh, I'm loving the sound of this more and more.

I really do want to save some money in Taiwan. How much more do you think kaoshiung can offer me in that department? I know it depends on my ability to get the nt/hr, but I have heard that in Taichung, there are to many teachers and in Taipei the same, plus the cost of living is very high in taipei. So effectively, Taipei and Taichung may not work out. What is the nightlife like in Kaoshiung? How about the mountains/scenery? anything down there other than smog?

Thanks for any advice and help in advance.

Fedsy
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naturegirl321



Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
PostPosted: Sat Nov 01, 2003 1:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
How do you know where the language schools are? HOw do you find them if you don't speak the language?
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brian



Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 299
PostPosted: Sat Nov 01, 2003 3:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
naturegirl321 wrote:
How do you know where the language schools are? HOw do you find them if you don't speak the language?


Here's a start:

http://www.geocities.com/allhou/schoo.htm

And the school list for Kaoshiung:

http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Flats/7947/schookao.htm

Finding schools is easy - they're everywhere. They show off their English with English names such as 'Bla-blah American School' etc. so are not difficult to find.

The difficulty can be finding a good school. I agree with Jason's summation that you should get plenty of job offers. Sorting the good out from the bad will be the difficulty. Here's a brief list of tips, but search this board as there are plenty of others.

1. Don't accept a job that offers less than NTD530 per teaching hour. Doing so will only make it more difficult for the other teachers to follow as it makes this rate acceptable. NTD530 and up is what you should be aiming for, but don't get too greedy and expect to get NTD800 or the like if you havent really got anything to offer. Any offer for a newccmer of such a wage should be treated with suspicion as you generally need to have something to offer to get such a high rate.
2. Watch out for salary positions - not all bad, but take care that when you average out your hours at work that you are not earning too little. Also watch out to ensure that the maximum number of teaching hours are clearly stated in your contract. Extra hours can be taught for an extra fee.
3. Check that holidays and conditions are to your liking.
4. Speak with current teachers if at all possible.
5. I know that it hasnt been suggested before, but may be worth trying. Upon finding a job that you like and that is offering an ARC, ask the school for their name in Chinese so that you can check out that they are actually able to offer a visa. Too many teachers get promised this by small schools who fail to deliver leaving them vulnerable to deportation. Schools that are not actually able to offer an ARC will most likely retract the offer straight away, and you can ensure that the school you are going to work for can do this.

Aristotle - what do you think about 5. Would this be possible?

Anyway, all the best with your search.
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fedsy



Joined: 01 Jul 2003
Posts: 5
PostPosted: Sun Nov 02, 2003 4:11 pm    Post subject: where to find jobs Reply with quote
Form what I have read on the forums, I planned on picking up the english papers. I don't know for sure, but I assume there will be local papers in each city and I was planning on looking around for the English paper. I have heard that the schools advertise regularly in them. Is there a specific day of the week that adds like these come out, tho?

Alos, tealit has many jobs listed, so I will check them regularly, as well.

Thanks for Kaoshiung help.
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