Job Discussion Forums

[rayman]

Just curious. For those that have put in some hard yards in Indo - why did you give it the flick?

[wailing_imam]

I enjoyed my time working in Indonesia, but was happy to leave when the time came. I lived in Jakarta, a great city when you single, quite dull once you have a girlfriend.

One of the things that really got on my nerves was that Jakarta's such an unwalkable city. The only place you can walk comfortably is in shopping malls, and let's face it, they are seriously grating. It is a city for nightlife, but little else, other than sucking in exhaust fumes.

TEFL salaries in Indonesia are fairly poor.

Leaving the country is such a major hassle, meaning that many of the teachers working there are missing out on the opportunity to use the low-cost carriers to get out and about in Asia.

I love visiting Indonesia, but I have had my fill of living there as a TEFLer.

[Chester]

The 4am wake up from the mosque loud speakers. Alah!! on man I don't miss that! Infidel that I am.

[basiltherat]

in a nutshell ------ 1998. The economy and rupiah dived, prices rocketed, security nose-dived, any faith (of which we had very little in the first place) in the judicial, economic and social system evaporated and the escalating pollution and filth. That was enough for us. My wife says not much has changed. 'Flick' is a very apt word.
basil

[Winmarr]

I would have stayed there, but came back here to continue my studies. I was living happily in Bandung....

[Chester]

Another reason I left (amongst many) is that I became increasingly frustrated and negative about living in a dump like Jakarta, questioning my life and lifestyle "teaching" / entertaining and not making progress financially or in terms of self esteem and achievement, compared to having a real job and a real salary in a civilised country. I also was wary about re-adapting to a western job after doing 5 years ESL stuff in SE Asia and jumping back to reality.

If anyone is considering returning to a previous occupation after "teaching" esl, my advice would be to not leave it too long, because the world will leave you behind. Indonesia is getting further and further behind and you will be severely handicapped in terms of everything to do with being a productive employed person in a western country.

Also I love the Beef and BACON burgers at Hungry Jacks in Australia.

mmmmmmmmmm bacon....


I met a fair share of ESL teachers in Jakarta - great people with considerable experience and skill in other fields. After some time teaching they had lost the courage or finances to do anything other than teach english in jakarta.


having said that, I take my hat off to the ESL teachers who make a rewarding career of it.

I certainly couldnt look myself in the mirror in down-town Bintaro and say "Man, you've really made something of your life".


The bitterest pill is hard to swallow.....................

[wannaBguru]

great posting chester, thanks

[guruengerish]

Agree with all that Chester has to say, and more.

Yup, the 'speakers' at 4am were a pain in the rear end. Why did they ever switch from the traditional guy up in the tower?

In Malang, there is a mesjid every 300metres. The noise around 4am was incredible. Like they were trying to out-pray or out-scream the next guy.

In regard to bacon, I found it more and more difficult to obtain, along with other vital supplies such as vegemite and meusli. I mean there are some things that you've got to have! However, a monthly trip down to Surabaya solved that problem.

The only reason I left Yogya was the extremely low pay. It was durned hard trying to live on Rp3juta a month, and that was after I'd paid my rent a year in front. I know the locals survive on a lot less, but there is only so much rice I can eat in a day.

With almost three years away from the country, I'm starting to miss it; it will be a great place to return for a holiday.

[philbags]

hmm.. I've been missing it a lot recently ; just got back out to Asia again . Currently in Guangzhou , salaries are about the same -this part of china is probly a bit more into the 21st century than indo...
Actually what i miss is the lifestyle that i used to have.. but nevertheless I did leave - 7 months over the winter in prague , it was nice to be back in Europe after 3 years in the tropics ,saw some snow and medieval architecture, 3 months in England - just in time for the world cup - found out what a 'chav' is.
Personally for me the grass always seems to be greener someplace else
... plus that akbar sh8t really used to hack me off.

[TEAM_PAPUA]

I think someone already mentioned the impossibility of walking anywhere here in Jakarta. The freedom to walk around the city is something I do miss about China (also the fact that you normally live within walking distance of your school & you don't have to fight the traffic for an hour to have a beer and a meal).

I left Indonesia after 2 years because i just couldn't take it anymore - and by 'it' I mean EVERYTHING. The same happened after 2 years in China, and now I'm into the second year of my second tour of duty in Indonesia.

For me at least, I believe the biggest problem is not getting away from the country I am living/working in. I know from friends who go home every year that they feel much better about the whole situation - I guess I need a break to go home and get some perspective: Christmas dinner with my family, 2 weeks of BBC, and trying to come to terms with the PRICE of everything should make me appreciate the good things in Asia.

I also believe that 'culture shock' isn't a sudden thing which comes suddenly and then disappears as fast (as implied by the 'shock') - it's more like a cheese grater which slowly grates away at your mind, your heart and your spirit until there's nothing left - that's why the break away from Asia is important (at least I'll see if it works).

[Chester]

I also did a bit of esl when i went home. then i realised that it was a joke to do it in a western country. I had to try though. Until I found a real job. But being paid the equivalent of a "drive-thru-attendant" and not being different to millions of others here made me more determined to do better. I think many good esl teachers should be paid a lot more than they get, cause teaching is a specialised field i feel, but its such a corrupt business in Indonesia and so many teachers are naive or desperate or misled that the industry will always exploite them. even the serious Real teachers are being exploited. Ask yourself why do foreign employees in other fields get realistic salaries? because they demand it! and ESL teachers accept it. In indonesia there is nothing you can do to improve the pay scale, because any group initive is impossible in what is a disguised dictatorship and foreigners have less than zero rights and even less respect.
Homer simpson once said to Bart, "Boy, If you try something and you fail, it aint worth doing". But ESL dudes keep on keeping on. ,,,,,,Why?
Man the effort and ability deserves far greater rewards.
Except for Charles's case. He is a nob.
ROCK!

[Winmarr]

In a lot of cases it's probably because it's an easy field to get into, with minimal qualifications needed in some cases. If it was easy to get a proper job in Indonesia, I'd be there!

[TEAM_PAPUA]

[gugelhupf]

[happy_me]

WOW ! really?.... and this is news??? You mean there IS a reson that the 4 teachers i know of here make under 8 juta, and the expats make 70 juta+. And then there are the MA teachers on 30 juta. True we are here cus we want to be, so so true.