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SOULTRAVELLER
Joined: 26 Aug 2004
Posts: 9
Location: Canada
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 Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2005 7:36 pm Post subject: 6 months in Taiwan? |
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Hey everyone,
Last year, I set off to Asia to teach english for 6 months with adventure as my main motivation. I started off in Vietnam, and eventually ended up teaching in southern China for about 4 months. It was a frickin' unbelievable experience. I have since returned to Canada, and now I'm thinking about heading to Taiwan to teach. This time, I have to think about saving some cash, as I'm returning to school in September. I have a B.A., TESL certificate, and some experience under my belt. What I want to know is, if I decided to come in January (and I have to make up my mind soon!), would it be possible to set up shop, get a semi-furnished appartment, have a decent lifestyle, and save a little cash on the side? How difficult is it to get a 6 month contract? In your opinion, is this realistic?
Thanks in advance for your advice. |
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Ki
Joined: 23 Jul 2004
Posts: 475
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| Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 12:49 am Post subject: |
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| It is difficult but not impossible. There are a couple of recruiters who specify in short term work. You will arrive just before Chinese New Year so there might not be much work until early feb. Most schools would also make you sign a contract with lots of penalty clauses making it difficulty/costly to leave early from a one year contract. |
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TaoyuanSteve
Joined: 05 Feb 2003
Posts: 1028
Location: Taoyuan
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| Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 2:24 am Post subject: |
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| It's going to depend on how badly a given school is in need of a teacher. Contracts here are normally one year in duration. I work for a school who has taken teachers for shorter durations, but can't guarantee all will do this. If there are lots of teachers looking for work, a school is naturally going to be inclined to take the one willing to stay longer. Saving money may be more difficult in the relatively short amount of time you plan to be here. Many don't save until after their first six months. However, as you know you won't be here long, you may not buy as much as a longer term teacher. You may be able to save in six months if live spartanly and don't buy a scooter or go out too much. You really can't do a year? |
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SOULTRAVELLER
Joined: 26 Aug 2004
Posts: 9
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 9:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks for the advice. I'm still not sure though if it is legal to only work 6 months. Is it not a condition of the ARC that the teacher must sign at least a 1 year contract? If so, that really sucks. You guys out there teaching must be pretty brave signing such a long term deal, considering all the variables. For the record, I have taught elsewhere in Asia without even a contract, just a handshake and it was excellent. But from what I've read, it sounds way too risky in Taiwan. What do you think? |
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clark.w.griswald
Joined: 06 Dec 2004
Posts: 2056
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| Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:47 pm Post subject: |
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| SOULTRAVELLER wrote: |
| I'm still not sure though if it is legal to only work 6 months. Is it not a condition of the ARC that the teacher must sign at least a 1 year contract? |
To my knowledge it is.
The CLA will expect a one year contract between the school and the teacher, and most reputable schools won't settle for anything less than 12 months. There are of course exceptions where good schools will hire short term to meet short term needs, but considering the questionable legality of such, I think it best to avoid even good schools that offer this kind of work. If the job doesn't come with an ARC withing about a month to six weeks of commencing work then you are likely working illegally.
| SOULTRAVELLER wrote: |
| For the record, I have taught elsewhere in Asia without even a contract, just a handshake and it was excellent. But from what I've read, it sounds way too risky in Taiwan. What do you think? |
I don't think that I am aware of a single case where a school deliberately set out to deceive a teacher through a contract.
Sure some schools put unreasonable or even illegal clauses in their contracts. Sometimes they do this as they genuinely don't realize what they are doing is not right, while at other times they are going to extremes to protect themselves. The very fact that these are written into the contract means that they are brought to your attention upfront and therefore I don't see that the school is trying to deceive you. It is the stuff that happens outside the contract that you need to worry about, and this would apply equally to someone with a contract as it would to someone without a contract.
I think that contracts do provide some level of protection for us as they give us a black and white platform from which to lodge complaints if things are not as presented. For this reason teachers need to be aware of what should and shouldn't be in a contract and avoid contracts that are not up to grade. |
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Ki
Joined: 23 Jul 2004
Posts: 475
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| Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 10:38 am Post subject: |
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Hmmmm,
Maybe we should attempt a list of this to be aware of in contracts. This to be very cautious about. Or is such a list already written somewhere out there in internet land? |
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clark.w.griswald
Joined: 06 Dec 2004
Posts: 2056
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| Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 11:22 am Post subject: |
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| Ki wrote: |
| Maybe we should attempt a list of this to be aware of in contracts. This to be very cautious about. Or is such a list already written somewhere out there in internet land? |
I have such a list in the works but any input that others may have would be welcome. |
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