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marisak33
Joined: 04 Feb 2005
Posts: 6
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 Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:50 pm Post subject: taiwan or korea |
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after months of waiting i have just found out i did not get excepted to JET.  So with Japa out of the question I am now looking to Taiwan or S.Korea. basically i would like to save a lot of money (i have lots of bill, dept to pay in US). i have never been to asia, have never taught english, although I teach children how to ride horses (and hold a BA) I'm just wondering about pay, living expenses, and other things about taiwan and korea. like night life, weather, how foreigners are treated...all the + and - of the two countries. I'm hearing mixed messages about both countries and am very nervous about going to a place for a year and hating it. thailand sounds great, but the $ is not (and this is not the thailand forum) and japan was my ideal
any ideas? |
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matchstick_man
Joined: 21 May 2003
Posts: 244
Location: Taiwan
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| Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 3:50 am Post subject: |
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how much money will you take with you? Admittedly both will be awful with very little but Taiwan will be worse. In Korea the jobs usually pay airfare and accommodation. In Taiwan this is an exception.
Why is Japan out of the question? There are alternatives even there to the scheme you mentioned. |
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junkmail
Joined: 19 Dec 2004
Posts: 377
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| Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 3:58 am Post subject: |
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I fully agree with matchstick_man, not getting into JET doesn't rule out Japan at all. Most jobs in Korea pay return airfare and provide free housing but Korea also provides more stress for most people than Taiwan. Jobs in Korea pay around USD 1800.
You can try the http://www.pusanweb.com for Korea or just look at the posts on Dave's. Don't take a job with six days a week and be aware that vacations are a dirty word in Korea.
Actually, as an alternative to the JET program, you can try the EPIK program in Korea or the NET program in Hong Kong. |
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Aristotle
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1388
Location: Taiwan
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| Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 4:38 pm Post subject: |
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Korea and Taiwan are comparable in terms of working conditions and compensation. Taiwan is more polluted but the climate is more pleasant than Korea all around.
Japan is by far preferable to both Taiwan and Korea but the bar is a bit higher for foreign teachers.
From personal experience I can tell you that the JET program is over rated.
Good luck and please read this.
http://www.geocities.com/taiwanteacher2002/Success.html
A. |
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chi-chi-
Joined: 17 Jul 2004
Posts: 194
Location: In la-la land
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| Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2005 12:41 am Post subject: |
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I think that the Taiwanese are by far easier to live with than both the Koreans and the Japanese as far as nationalism, xenophobia, etc...if that helps.
Chi |
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marisak33
Joined: 04 Feb 2005
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2005 4:43 am Post subject: |
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| so..what alternatives to JET are there in japan? i tried aeon, and i heard nova sucks.... |
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wood
Joined: 13 Apr 2004
Posts: 202
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| Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2005 6:51 am Post subject: Re: taiwan or korea |
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| marisak33 wrote: |
after months of waiting i have just found out i did not get excepted to JET. So with Japa out of the question I am now looking to Taiwan or S.Korea. basically i would like to save a lot of money (i have lots of bill, dept to pay in US). i have never been to asia, have never taught english, although I teach children how to ride horses (and hold a BA) I'm just wondering about pay, living expenses, and other things about taiwan and korea. like night life, weather, how foreigners are treated...all the + and - of the two countries. I'm hearing mixed messages about both countries and am very nervous about going to a place for a year and hating it. thailand sounds great, but the $ is not (and this is not the thailand forum) and japan was my ideal
any ideas? |
You can make money in Japan without JET. Even with JET, however, I doubt you'd be able to save much. Korea is OK for saving money, but Seoul is nearly as expensive as Tokyo. Taiwan is probably the best for saving money, though I doubt you'd be saving 'lots of' money there.
Some advice, unsolicited as it may be: DON'T write anything like you just wrote above when applying for a job. I've received inquiries about job opportunities in my school written with the same lack of punctuation, mistakes in usage, etc.--and have deleted them immediately. You may have great potential as a teacher, but many potential employers may be put off by your writing. Is it really so difficult to capitalize?
Good luck. |
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Rice Paddy Daddy
Joined: 11 Jul 2004
Posts: 425
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2005 6:57 am Post subject: |
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nova can be a great way to get set up in Japan because they provide you with everything - even a loan if you need it.
that's how i got into japan. otherwise, if you don't get on with one of these big companies, it can be too expensive for most people.
NOVA - use them for everything you can.
GABBA
AEON
ECC
SHANE
BERLITZ
check them all out.
If you wanna make big money, work in Tokyo. Unlimited EFL teaching opportunities in Tokyo from kindies to privates and corporates to high schools and jr. colleges.
Wages are pretty high also - $78 per hour Canadian for on high school job I had. |
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jason_seeburn
Joined: 26 Apr 2003
Posts: 399
Location: Toronto
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| Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 8:17 am Post subject: Re: taiwan or korea |
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Last edited by jason_seeburn on Tue Jun 06, 2006 12:07 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Rice Paddy Daddy
Joined: 11 Jul 2004
Posts: 425
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2005 10:09 am Post subject: Re: taiwan or korea |
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| jason_seeburn wrote: |
| Go to taiwan. Palm trees. 80 degree weather year round in Kao. C*ckroaches as big as your hand. Easy life, no worries. Never gets cold. 3 harvests a year. Cheap appartments. No one knows who the government is, and no one cares. Attractive chinese girls, and they want to get with you. It is like going back to the womb, man. Lots of money for hardly any work. Taiwan is the place. Don't go anywhere else |
Nice summary, Seeburn.
Agree with it all except the Japan bit - Tokyo is the most lucrative place to teach EFL in all of Asia, if not the world. Jobs of all kinds, including non-teaching gigs, are everywhere.
I've never earned and saved as much money in Korea or Taiwan as I did living and teaching in Tokyo. |
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Aristotle
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1388
Location: Taiwan
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| Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2005 5:48 am Post subject: |
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| why would you want to go to japan? you make the minimum salary, everything costs like 200 times what it does in north america, serious overpopulation, you are a gajin for life, you are like a trained dog working. Why would you want to go to Korea? You are a non-human, not a person. A foreigner. Like a zoo beast..... |
Racism among the various populations in Asia is wide spread. Even in those that have lived or are even born in diffwerent countries . The Chinese and Koreans are two of the most racist groups on the planet. Both of them maintain race oriented segregation and subjugation laws as well as regulations in the same manner as Aparthied and the Nazi facism. It is a fact you have to accept but try to change if you want to be here.
I can tell you from personnel experience that the working and living conditions in Korea and Taiwan are almost identical with the exception of wages which seem to be on the increase in Korea and stagnating or even decreasing on Taiwan because of recent racially motivated government ban on ESL teaching by Non Chinese in schools on Taiwan.
Japan is by far the best place for foreign teachers in Asia. What most people fail to realize is that the Japanese tend to be honest and more straightforward in their relations where as the Chinese and Koreans tend to prescribe to the Confucius principles of lie, cheat and coerce.
I have to agree with Mr. Seeburn about the weather on Taiwan. One Korean winter was enough to send me south for the duration of my days in Asia.
Good luck,
A.
Last edited by Aristotle on Sat Jun 04, 2005 6:06 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Rice Paddy Daddy
Joined: 11 Jul 2004
Posts: 425
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2005 4:29 am Post subject: |
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| What most people fail to realize is that the Japanese tend to be honest and more straightforward in their relations where as the Chinese and Koreans tend to prescribe to the Confucius principles of lie, cheat and coerce. |
Yup. Compare the Korean and Japan forums and you don't see as much complaining about getting ripped off on the Japan forum.
It's largely because of the different laws in Korea and Japan. In Korea, problems stem from the schools being legally required to provide apartment and airfare and severance pay. Many Korean employers do not fulfill these obligations and a lot of teachers get screwed over.
Moreover, Korean employers are 'attached' to a teacher's visa status, unlike Japan, where your employer does not determine your visa status. Once you get your visa in Japan, it's good for 3 years and you can work anywhere you want, for multiple employers at one time and do non-english teaching work.
Korea is similar to Taiwan in this regard.
Japanese employers aren't requried to provide housing, airfare or severance pay.
Overall, the Japanese system is more progressive, well thoughout, conveneint, etc. and should be used as a model by Korea and Taiwan. |
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junkmail
Joined: 19 Dec 2004
Posts: 377
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| Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2005 12:49 pm Post subject: Re: taiwan or korea |
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| jason_seeburn wrote: |
| Why would you want to go to Korea? You are a non-human, not a person. A foreigner. Like a zoo beast. There to entertain. Work long hours for sh*t pay, work like 12 classes a day, 2.1 million won a month, cr*p appartment in the worst neighborhood shared with god knows what of life's cast aways and reprobate non fit in l*sers. Go to taiwan. Palm trees. 80 degree weather year round in Kao. C*ckroaches as big as your hand. Easy life, no worries. Never gets cold. 3 harvests a year. Cheap appartments. No one knows who the government is, and no one cares. Attractive chinese girls, and they want to get with you. It is like going back to the womb, man. Lots of money for hardly any work. Taiwan is the place. Don't go anywhere else. |
Is Taiwan better paid than Korea?
I work five hours per day in a block for 2 million Won per month ($1950). I know plenty of others doing similar gigs.
I've not yet taught in Taiwan, so I can't compare.
Anyway, when I finally get to Taiwan, it'll be for the climate and working conditions, not the money as such. |
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nasigoreng
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 41
Location: sailing the seas of cheese
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| Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2005 3:11 pm Post subject: What about the students? |
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How are the students in Japan?
In Taiwan the bushibans i worked for encouraged games. It made the kids happy and made the classtime go by quickly. Even if the kids were half asleep, you could get them to say something.
Now i'm working in Korea where games are forbidden. The Korean parents apparently don't accept using games to teach. The kids are really rude and disruptive and i gave up enforcing discipline a long time ago.
Can you play games with the kids in Japan? Are the kids disrespectful brats or will they actually shut up and learn something? |
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jason_seeburn
Joined: 26 Apr 2003
Posts: 399
Location: Toronto
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| Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2005 4:53 pm Post subject: |
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Last edited by jason_seeburn on Tue Jun 06, 2006 12:07 am; edited 1 time in total |
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