Job Discussion Forums

Bethany123 · Joined: 12 Jun 2005 Posts: 38 Location: Canada

i'm not asking about money related answers, i'm just asking what the difference between all these places as in their cultures, city life, etc. what are the main attractions of these places and what are their turnoffs?

and i was also wondering where i am legal to teach in asia since i do not have a bachelors degree in anything, but i do have the TESL certificate. if you would know about any of this, that would help a lot. thanks

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Jeez, you couldn't have made your question a bid more broad?

I can make it easier for you, though. Without a degree you are neither qualified to teach in Japan nor in Korea. Don't know about the other places. Both Japan and Korea require a bachelor's degree in order to get a 1-year working visa.

AndyH · Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 417

As far as cultural differences go, check the internet or your local library, or try to meet some people from those countries.
What country are you from? If you are from Canada or another Commonwealth country, you may be eligible for a working holiday visa, which would give you the right to seek part-time work as a teacher in Japan. You're options will be more limited, and you run a greater risk of being offered a job by one of the more "shadier" eikaiwas, however.
Good luck!

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Bethany,
I doubt that you are going to find many (any?) people who have lived and worked in all of those countries. Visiting as a tourist, maybe, but that won't give you an accurate representation of work culture.

Here's a web site that compares the work life in Taiwan, Korea, and Japan. Take it with a grain of salt. I find the Japan info is not always correct. Best I can do.
http://seamonkey.ed.asu.edu/~jonb/

If you are looking for main attractions, I suggest you visit www.lonelyplanet.com and go to the discussion forum there (Thorn Tree).

As for Japan, gee, main attractions include volcanoes and hot springs, temples and shrines, castles, and a million other things. Depends on what you call an attraction. JNTO has a web site that can help you there.

Doesn't matter much about Japan, though. as Jim has pointed out, without a degree you can't teach here. Exceptions include people on working holiday visas, dependent visas, spouse visas, student visas, and cultural visas. Even with the regular work visa, you don't need a bachelor's degree if you can prove 3 years of teaching experience.
http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/index.html

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

Bethany123 · Joined: 12 Jun 2005 Posts: 38 Location: Canada

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

Bozo Yoroshiku · Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2005 2:53 am Post subject:

Bozo Yoroshiku · Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2005 3:00 am Post subject: Re: student visa?

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

I dont want to come down on you either, but countries like Korea, Taiwan, Japan and the Chinese territory of Hong Kong require that you have a 4-year degree to obtain a work visa. With no degree you cant get a visa to work here, and therefore no one will hire you. You will be competing with people who have degrees, valid visas and teaching experience as well.

I will add that in many countries you are expected to pay your own airfare to get here and pay set up & accomodation costs. In Japan you are looking at a minimum of about $US2000-3000 plus airfare for the first two months before you see a paycheck. At 18 do you have that kind of money in the bank?

Zero Hero · Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 944

I've worked in China, HK, and am now again in Japan. It would certainly be interesting to find out if there was anyone who had worked in these three countries and Korea. As it happens, I plan on going to Seoul for a few years after a few here in Japan.

The three of the above I have worked in are all as different as chalk and cheese and each would require a tome to itself! There is no way you can expect anyone to attempt to sum up a contrast and comparison of the cultures of countries such as China, HK, Korea, and Japan in anything less than a thesis-size discussion! HK is a former British colony, a first world state, though is a SAR of China, which itself is a developing country (with 700 million farmers and a handful of US dollar millionaires). Japan has the second largest economy there is, and has one of the highest standards of living in the world, let alone Asia.

A poster above is correct as regards qualifications required for HK and Japan, and I understand he is correct about Korea, too. However, it is all beside the point, as, to be quite frank, all three are out of your league anyway. If I were you I'd go to Mainland China. Essentially, the only qualification required there is a pulse, and you might discover if TEFL is for you or not. If it is, then my advice would be to get yourself a four-year degree and a TEFL certificate with an observed teaching element (such as the CELTA), and some experience. That way you'll be able to work as a language instructor pretty much where you like, whether that be HK, Japan, or Korea.

Jon Taylor · Joined: 09 Mar 2005 Posts: 238 Location: Tokyo

'I dont want to come down on you either, but countries like Korea, Taiwan, Japan and the Chinese territory of Hong Kong require that you have a 4-year degree to obtain a work visa'

^^^^^

Most UK degrees are 3 years and carry exactly the same weight as the above stated 4 year degrees.

I have a joint US/UK passport and gained my bachelors degree in the UK.

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

Bozo Yoroshiku · Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2005 1:26 am Post subject:

poof · Joined: 23 May 2005 Posts: 161

I've worked in all the places you've listed PLUS Thailand.

For your situation, it would be hard to enter the Hong Kong, Japan or Korean market legally - especially without a uni major. Also, with your age - no offense - but you could struggle with being so young in such a work environment with older colleagues and bosses. China, especially, has a lot of challenges that you should really have some more life experiences before venturing into this region.

Much more preferable for you if you are really intent on gaining teaching experience in Asia, would be to try Thailand first. This has a much younger teacher's market. Many schools pick up travelers to work on short term contracts; the illegality of it seems less of a concern than in the countries you listed. There's lots of voluntary work available, too, if money is not an issue. You have more flexibility, and cheaper outlay, which may be pretty important!

If it's the teaching experience rather than the experience abroad that's of main concern, you'd be just as well to stick at home and work there, until you get the uni qualifications to enter other job markets. Quite honestly, in the long term, teaching experience abroad doesn't carry much weight back home.