Job Discussion Forums

[Kelly McCauley]

Hello!!!! I am a 22 year old Canadian girl hoping to leave for Asia this coming May. I have a B.A. and my TESL training.

I would reallyyyy lovee some suggestions on where to go!!! Im really open to any suggestions.. butttt...

This is what I�m looking for�in this order:

1) Safety (As I am planning on going solo�and my mother might have a heart attack.)
2) Income (Would like a fairly lucrative salary, with holidays- who wouldn't)
3) Sun and Beaches!!!!
4) Party City/Town

Am I being too picky???

I would REALLY appreciate ANY comments!!!

Thanks so much!
_________________
TINKS

[Dr_Zoidberg]

[Toe Save]

[Dr_Zoidberg]

[DirtGuy]

[dangerousapple]

To the OP, sorry, but I agree with Dr. Z. I understand that you want to have some fun and make some good cash, but jeez! The EFL profession here is considered a joke by many, partly because there are waaaay too many fresh college grads here looking for something to pay for their ecstasy and club habits. If you are just looking for a good time, why not go to Thailand or Cambodia?

I am sick of having to sift through piles of resumes from noobs demanding high salaries and vacation time, all because they have their 1-week TESL certificate or whatever.

Please think about what you plan to do. It might be just a good time for you, but those of us who choose to make this our profession don't like cleaning up the mistakes made by those just passing through.

[Toe Save]

First of all, comparing the OP to The Fink is completely unwarranted. He came in here throwing around unsubstantiated invective. The OP is asking for HELP! As her thread title indicates.

Clowns who worry about how they are personally perceived based on the actions of others really make me laugh. Good thing they are clowns and it is in their job description to make me laugh. As for Canadians' precious reputation, I have never been greeted with anything but smiles from local people when I tell them that I am Canadian. (6th year now) I do my job well and people "judge" me based on my actions. I often talk about reputations of countries iin my advanced classes and Canada always comes out on top. So give your fragile egos a rest there kids. People still like you, even if you aren't as funny as I am.

You guys take yourselves way too seriously. The buxiban babysitting business is looking for exactly this kind of person. If she shows up looking halfway decent, keeps her charges under control and doesn't moan and kvetch all day (as seems to be the wont of older, middle aged types), then why wouldn't you give her a job.

Dear OP,

Taipei is much safer than Canadian cities. Still, you, as a young woman must exercise all the caution you would anywhere else in the world.

There are jobs a plenty. There is cash a plenty as well. Work hard, make lots. Party hard, spend it all. I prefer to bust my ass and take lots of vacations. I don't go to pubs, clubs, etc as the majority of people you see are these aforementioned middle age loser drunks who get all uppity when someone even indicates other avenues of pleasure seeking.

And to the rest of you, get the broom handle out ya butts. Life is too short to take yourselves seriously, no matter what you do. Why bother taking your babysitting job even more seriously?

[flapjack]

In reverse order, I would say---
4)Taipei or any other city in TW are certainly not considered "Party Cities". On a global scale.
although there are many clubs and bars here. Try Barcelona!!!
3)Sun and beaches - there are beaches and sun here. But not the club med type or Thailand type. Sometimes hard to get to by public transport.
2)Salary/holidays- the salaries are pretty decent but working conditions can be tough at times. A lot depends on your tolerance level for pressure and control.
1) Safety- Safety here is ok,as far as international terrorism is concerned, hanging out very late at night in clubs could be dangerous,just as most places I suppose, the real danger comes from walking on the streets. There are lots of motorcycles and scooters, even on the sidewalks. According to National Geographic Taipei rates very high for traffic dangers.

Finally if you are looking for that romantic cool experience as a first time ESL Teacher and you dont have any heavy financial debts, I would suggest teaching in Thailand, perhaps in Bangkok(if you like big cities) or in northern thailand(more easygoing), southern thailand is having safety problems right now, so avoid that part. Spain, especially Barcelona is a great place to work, with great beahces, but its rather hard for non-EU citizens to get a work permit. good luck with your search and choose wisely.

[Dr_Zoidberg]

[Toe Save]

[Brooks138]

Yeah it's pretty ridiculous to tell a 22-year-old girl who's researching places to go and mentions a good night life to STAY HOME. That's so out of left field, unhelpful and curmudgeonesque I had to laugh. Name a 22 -year-old who doesn't care about partying. I'd have to check for a pulse.

For Kelly, you're qualified and trained, so don't listen to jaded tools. Taipei's got plenty of nightlife, but Thailand does have better beaches and is less conservative. But if you wanna save, Taiwan's one of the best places for TESL and saving in the world. Good luck and research well.

[furiousmilksheikali]

Dr Zoidberg,

Your comments were really not worth posting as they were rude, unhelpful and wrong! The OP's primary concern is not to be where the party is at as if you look at the list of priorities she quite clearly states that her concerns are in this order 1. Safety 2. Income 3. Beaches 4. Party town/city.

I don't know why you felt you had to respond as you did if you quite clearly didn't read or understand such simple English. I'll be charitable and assume you were too drunk to read it properly and not assume that you are illiterate (a dangerous condition for an English teacher) after all you clearly felt personally slighted when you responded this way.

[flapjack]

Hi Kelly,

I have have known many young women who hated starting out in Asia (of course not all) and truly loved Spain. I suppose Spain is a better playground for young women and asia is a better playground for young men. It's great you are checking things out. Keep going!

Sorry but I left out the holiday part. The biggest holiday is Chinese new years, about 2 weeks.

There are a few one day national holidays, that are paid and the occassional Typhoon hloiday, thats when a Typhoon makes near impossible to venture out of your domicile, even so most teachers relish them, as do students. Otherwise you will be working a lot and getting paid fairly well for it.

Spain has a huge amount of paid vacation time if you work for the right private school. From September to Christmas and New Years you will only be working 3 to 4 days a week sometimes 5 and spending loads of time on the beach if you live in or near Barcelona.

For the second semseter there are almost no holidays, but no one complains. It took about 7 months for me to get my EU Visa, which required a trip there and a signed contract, then back to my home country and applying for a visa at the nearest Spanish embassy.This was back in the year 2000. Things may have changed since then but If you have the stamina for making things work out it's well worth it!

[Dr_Zoidberg]

[mpan]

I'm with you Zoidy .... and screw the rest of you that dump on him. That means you Toe Save. I am not going to get into how many times I have had to clean up the mess some snott nozed little spoiled brat that has come here and run out after his or her first paycheck because they didn't think they would have to actually do any work. Covering the classes and getting all the other crap done because someone came here and just wanted to party does nothing but make my life miserable. I don't go to bars and don't party because they are all full of these infantile retards. They think they are screwing the "evil" laoban and givng him what he or she deserves and all they do is make the lives of their co-workers difficult. THe only time i have ever been ashamed to be Canadian has been in this country.