Job Discussion Forums

[EphemeralReal]

I apologize both to some people here and anyone I've offended. I've been under a lot of stress. I'd like to tell you, however, my situation and my debacle in Taiwan.

I'd come here in July. Things were rocky for a while and I expected this to be the norm. I'd come here on a visitors visa and nothing more.

That may've been foolish. I found a job quite quickly, however, and jumped right in. This job turned sour.

I then found a job at an elementary school, was told they'd give me an ARC, and worked there for over a month. It was a decent place. But then, in the end, they'd said they couldn't get me an ARC and wanted me to work there illegally. I said no. The employer, or supervisor, then cheated me on a few bucks.

I decided to head South in hopes of getting an ARC and nothing more. I had no idea, but a man had called me at the last minute and told me to come. I took the job, worked a couple of months there and eventually got my ARC. He then told me he wanted me to work at another private school, this time a high school. I said working for his school and correcting 500 papers and making tests was not compatible to my ideals of working here.

I also had no fridge, no washer(Am I going to buy these things and carry them with me if I can't trust the employer?) The tv broke and the hot water was but luke warm besides. I worked from 8:00am to 9:00p at night, drove a scooter for 25 miles to the school I'd originally signed for. But I had to catch a train in the morning to the highschool, then bike it for ten minutes to my place of work. I had very little time to make a decision as to whether or not I agreed about this job except in one way. The highschool was one of the worst jobs I'd ever had and many of the other teachers at my school agreed, so feigning indifference I'd reacted angrily towards the school in hopes I'd just be replaced, or even moreso, be free of this job.

But apparently the boss wanted me to continue working there and then said If you don't work for the highschool, we'll cancel your contract. I'd said I'd rather not work for you buddy( I'd thought he'd spread out the hours amongst us teachers and was carrying a heavy load.) We had over five teachers working here and there too, but he wanted me there for good. Then he said, because I'd disciplined the students to learn, that the school didn't want me and cancelled my contract. I had no idea I'd signed for this school, and suspected something fishy. Plus, I feel this job was in some ways illegal.

I say all this because to say that you can just pick and choose whatever job you wish, is not true. The contracts are usually not trustworthy, and I knew this. You get stuck in these jobs too, get abused of your workers' rights, and really have no options.

I know this quite well because I've worked elsewhere and never had had such a scenario. I'll be going back to Taipei and just eck out a living for now and wonder about how to approach this whole cultural clime. It makes me wonder too, how some of those here could be so positive about working in Taiwan and earning a decent living, since I really am a dedicated teacher and I'd come here with an open-mind. Yet there seems to be a beauracratic approach to teaching here that is at best, abuse of power, which makes me wonder how some of you have put up with things and succeeded.

I say this because I'm sure some of you are stalwart about your Western ideals. I know this is Asia, so don't misunderstand me. It's just this whole idea of being treated fairly that makes me wonder if human rights are of any conflict to you here or not.

Why am I saying all this? It's Sunday. But also, some come here expecting their voices to be heard and there seems to be a pro-Taiwan-teaching approach to things on this board, negating the realism Ephemeral knows makes what she said but transient. I do not mind this approach some of you have. But I think, too, that we have to be more realistic.

[DirtGuy]

Doesn't sound like you are a happy camper. I find your post interesting as I will be there in August and going through the whole job search thing. Am already familiar with the country from past visits and sometimes find the concept of "ethics" and "Taiwan" to be mutually exclusive.

I cannot help but wonder if working for one of the big schools isn't the best way for a "newbie" to get going. Have talked personally and read posts from employees of these places and most of them have gotten paid on time and had as many hours as they wanted. After all, depending on the particular franchise, these schools could not have gotten so big and attracted so many foreign teachers had they not done at least something right.

Random musings from my brain but would love to get some feedback on this idea.

[TaoyuanSteve]

Another thing for you remember, Dirt Guy, is you will (I'm assuming you are a degree holding native English speaker) qualify for legal residence and employment as an English teacher. The two people that together form the user Ephemeral are not native English speakers; rather they are people who speak it as their second language. They still have sought out teaching jobs for which they are not legally entitled to work in this country, and for a language that they have not mastered. This meant they worked for the sort of employer that would try to pass them off as native speakers simply because they are white. They worked illegally, for an employer acting illegally. They had problems as a result. In all likelihood, dirt guy, your experiences will not mirror theirs in any signifigant way.

[clark.w.griswald]

TS - I think that you may have been away as you seem to have missed something in the discussion. As Ki guessed a while ago, EphemeralReal is non-other than AKATDN, back in disguise.

Dirtguy - Your plan seems solid to me. It is difficult to suggest that coming here and working for one of the large chain schools when you first arrive would be a bad move. With a chain school you know that you've got a job when you arrive, you know that you're going to have enough hours and hence enough money, you know that you will get paid, and you know that you will be legal (or if you are semi-illegal, you know that you will be protected). In your second year you could either stay with them or use your local knowledge at that time to find something more suitable.

[TaoyuanSteve]

[clark.w.griswald]

Yes it has been proven as AKATDN outed himself in a rather obnoxious fashion. The thread in which he did this has since been removed by the moderators, and I can't fault them for their decision to do so as in typical AKATDN fashion the thread had nothing to with the rest of us and was just him talking to himself. The European couple that he was posting as under the name of Ephemereal were a figment of his imagination.

The funny thing is that the discussion that came from AKATDN playing silly-buggers and inventing fictional characters, has been more valuable for this board than everything else he has ever written combined. I agree with you TS, in that the value of the information contained in the discussion holds for others in that situation in the future.

[TaoyuanSteve]

Whoever AKATDN and Ephemeral really is surely needs psychiatric help. Ki has amazing powers of observation. I sensed a troll, but would not have guessed a return of AKATDN.