Job Discussion Forums

[mick_luna]

and hoping some interview appointments i've been attempting to line up materialize between now and then. Will check out lonely planet for cheap accomodation, and expat watering holes. Any recommendations? Can i buy you a beer and milk you for all of your secret expat lore (he says cunningly) ?
where do all the journos and creative types in Taipei hang out? is there a favoured drinking spot for FTs?
chin chin
Mick
www.portfolios.com/exotica
www.exotica.freeservers.com

[TaoyuanSteve]

Mick. Here's welcoming you to Taiwan. Now, please, consider resizing or removing your current avatar. It's wayyy too big and screws up the pages.

[TaoyuanSteve]

Thumbs up to you Mick, on your new avatar.

In Taipei, there are numerous expat and western-style eateries and pubs. Really no need to list them here as there so many. You are almost only limited by taste and budget. Taipei can be an exciting place. Good luck!

[wood]

[mick_luna]

Thank you, what i really really need right now is criticism of my avatar and grammar. Steve and Wood, is there any more minutiae you can find to nitpick about? There are some really helpful and kind people on this forum, but its always fascinating to see people here like you. Wouldn't you rather be tripping marathon runners on the final leg of a race, or criticizing the colour of swim trunks worn by Aculpulco cliff divers? That might be interesting, I can't see what interests you about picking holes in unemployed ESL teachers. I guess we just make such good targets, being vulnerable like that.

Let's see, somebody who just spent 1300 dollars on a flight to a foreign country, on the other side of the world, going in cold without contacts, and looking at supporting themselves without work for an indefinite period. Hmmmm, what can i do to make that situation better? Empathy is such a wonderful quality, and so so rare.

[BigWally]

Hey Mick...

Obviously you're going to be stressed, and I think wood was just trying to give you some constructive advice to help you out in your job search once you arrive. I know where you're coming from, I just arrived in Kaohsiung a week ago, and my head is spinning, but dont fret, because if you have some money saved up in your bank account you'll be fine.

If you can find cheap accomdations quickly you'll be good, because the food, drinks, and many other needs are cheap. For example, my first day I went out with the girlfriend and the "getting settled assistant" (for lack of a better title) from the school we'll be working for and we had this huge lunch of beef noodle soup, with a plate full of spinachy green veggies and a couple bottles of soda each, and the total bill converts to about $6CDN for all 3 of us.

Keep that skin nice and tough, because you're bound to run into something more difficult than a couple of tough posters on a message board in your journey. Just yesterday I ended up on my scooter about 45 minutes out of town before i realized i was going the wrong way...d'oh.

Taiwan is great!

Ganbei!

[mick_luna]

and yes, i do tend to be a little more fastidious about grammar in covering letters than on online forums. One is a way to communicate and trade information in a (ideally) timely and efficient manner, the other is a means of courting a prospective employer, hence the difference.

[mick_luna]

yes, you're right Big Wally, I just find it easier to be easygoing in some situations than others. This too shall pass.

[dangerousapple]

I think people are just trying to tell you to be on your toes. There are many, many people coming to look for teaching jobs now, and bosses have the luxury to be picky. Schools get a lot of resumes. Any resume that has mistakes is likely to get tossed, and any teacher with a lot of demands will get passed over. And never try to use flying to the other side of the world as a negotiation tactic. You will get absolutely no sympathy from anyone.

[TaoyuanSteve]

[Forumosa Maoman]

[Miyazaki]

[markholmes]

[Dr_Zoidberg]

Miyazaki is referring to wood using of the word pronunciation when he should clearly have used punctuation.

[markholmes]

That'll teach me to read posts thoroughly before replying.