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rain dog
Joined: 23 Apr 2004
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2004 11:51 pm Post subject: where to go? |
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Hello,
i just decided to come over to asia to teach and this is my first post. i've narrowed it to japan or taiwan, two very different places I know, and I'm having a hard time choosing where to go despite doing some research. my situation is this: i'm 24, have a ba in Communication, no college debt, no real teaching experience (I did an americorps position at an elementary school tutoring, running school reading clubs, and lots of other stuff and now work at a library doing programs for kids), no travel experience (except up to canada - but being from wisconsin it wasn't that different  ) and play a little music. i'm doing this to see if i would like teaching, experience other cultures, travel, and hopefully save some money for grad school or a business adventure when/if i ever come back  . i have a cousin who taught in taiwan for 6 years who ended up moving to new york with his taiwanese wife. they would love it if i went there but i admit i'm a little intimidated by the reputation of it being polluted, hot, a crazy place to drive, and in general kind of a shady-er place to teach. i'm also much more familiar with japan's exported culture i.e. music, film, religion, food...
wherever i do go i'm really excited to teach, learn the language, meet people, etc...
so my questions are these - where might i - be happier? get a better teaching experience? be less culture-shocked? make more money? hear/play good music? also if i ended up wanting to go both places where would be the better place to start?
Thanks a bunch for any opinions! hope you're not annoyed at another question like this |
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khmerhit
Joined: 31 May 2003
Posts: 1874
Location: Reverse Culture Shock Unit
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| Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2004 3:35 am Post subject: |
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Rain Dog,
Think of the alternatives---why narrow it down so quickly?
I'll just say one more word, and that's
cambodia. try it and see. 
Ok-- five words.
plus three.
plus two.
plus two more...
plus three more....
that makes...
uh..
just a minute...
anyway---try it and see. what have you got to lose?
khmerhit |
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Gordon
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 5309
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2004 3:49 am Post subject: |
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| You'd probably like a bigger city in Japan. Without any travel experience overseas, you may have a harder time going w/out western goods and food. You could try Kobe, Fukuoka, Kyoto, Matsuyama to name a few. More choices of things to do there. I'm sure you'd have no trouble getting a job in a language school, especially teaching little kids. |
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Shaman
Joined: 06 Apr 2003
Posts: 446
Location: Hammertown
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| Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2004 10:28 am Post subject: Re: where to go? |
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| rain dog wrote: |
so my questions are these - where might i - be happier? get a better teaching experience? be less culture-shocked? make more money? hear/play good music? also if i ended up wanting to go both places where would be the better place to start?
Thanks a bunch for any opinions! hope you're not annoyed at another question like this |
In truth, some of these questions can be answered by you. You won't know until you're in the position. Do some research and draw up a list of Pros and Cons for each country. You seem to be leaning toward Japan, so I'd investigate that feeling more fully.
Good Luck.
Shaman |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2004 10:44 pm Post subject: Re: where to go? |
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| rain dog wrote: |
so my questions are these - where might i - be happier? get a better teaching experience? be less culture-shocked? make more money? hear/play good music? also if i ended up wanting to go both places where would be the better place to start?
Thanks a bunch for any opinions! hope you're not annoyed at another question like this |
Happy is a relative term and depends on the individual. there are happy teachers in each country becuase they are where they want to be and are doing what they want to do.
Better teaching experience? Better than what? What are you comparing it to? Many entry level positions are a bit of a shock for the average newbie, with long hours low pay and some schools have petty rules to live by. Whether you enjoy it or not depends on the job you get and how you deal with adversity, cultural differences, homesickness, loneliness, not being able to understand the language etc.
You will get culture shock where ever you go. that is what happens when you leave your own culture and societry and live in another one, whether you are in Beijing, Taiwan or Zimbabwe. You learn to deal with it when it happens, and you just go through it, not around it.
You can make good money in Japan, but you have to factor in cost of living, rent, your qualifications and what jobs you can get, how many hours you work. Basic paying position in japan is 250,000 yen a month for a 40 hour week or about $2300 a month. Works out at about $13-14 an hour.
You can probably save more in Korea but working conditions are less favorable in Korea and parts of China than Japan, and living costs and salaries are lower.
There is great local music in every country, with world class musicians here who sing in their own language and sell millions of records.
What kind of food do you like, which language appeals to you and which nationality appeals to you most? Where do you see yourself living? You will spend a lot of time in one culture so you may as well like the food, people and learning the language. |
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