Job Discussion Forums

[yamahuh]

Supposing that you earn an average wage for ESL teachers in Taiwan and pay average rent, utilities, food costs, entertainment etc what is a reasonable amount to expect to save per month?
I'm just looking for ballpark figures obviously.
On the mainland we earn average wages, pay no rent, minimal utilities and average food costs and can probably save about $1000 per month between us. I'm assuming that we could save more than this in Taiwan but I really don't know for sure...

It's not the only reason for us to come to Taiwan but it's part of the consideration.

[MomCat]

Quick question. In what country's currency is this $1000?

If we use USDs for comparison, an average wage in the Big Red might be between $800 and $900. If I had lived like a monk I might have been able to save $500 a month. I didn't and I couldn't.

Comparing my expendable income here, in Taiwan, to what it was in China I'd have to say it's less by the same proportion as how much less I "work" here. By "work" I don't just mean hours, I also mean the quality and quantity of the students.

Given the same standard of living, I would expect you'd be able to save about the same amount each month.

Cat

[yamahuh]

That would be Canajun dollars MomCat!!


I'm intrigued by your statement that your expendable income is less by the same proportion as how much less I "work" here. By "work" I don't just mean hours, I also mean the quality and quantity of the students

From everything I've seen on the job boards the working hours are generally more than the average in China and the class sizes are comparable for private language schools.

So (just to clarify) what you're saying is that if we make about $2000 or so Canajun per month each we should expect to be able to save about $1000 each or between us?

Just curious.

[MomCat]

Yamahuh thanks for the clarification.

Hopefully you'll hear from Big Wally, who is in a situation more like yours (sharing expenses).

I worked at two Colleges in China. 18-20 hours a week. The first one was a Government school with 50-70 students per class. The second was a private school with only 20 in a class. The first group of students were lazy and (I suspect) only semiliterate in their own language, the second group was lazy, rich and just killing time till Daddy gave them a job. I never had a class I really liked. They were tedious, mind numbing, teeth pulling, soul-sucking exercises in futility. (Well, maybe not always that bad.). (In fairness there were several individual students who managed to find their way out of the maze of apathy and locked-step thinking who were interesting, hardworking and a pleasure to spend time with.)

Here, in Taiwan, I teach adult classes most of which I truly enjoy. Even the ones that are less stimulating are worlds better than looking out at 70 faces waiting to tell you they go shopping yesterday.

So even though I work more hours here (24) I don't work as hard.

Cat