Job Discussion Forums

gugelhupf · Joined: 24 Jan 2004 Posts: 575 Location: Jabotabek

Students of mine have been taking (or trying to take - such is connectivity) TOEFL tests with these guys and a couple have enrolled in an evening course.

I confess I know next to nothing about Inlingua other than they have their own 'method'.

Who and what are Inlingua? Has anyone worked for them here?

uilleannpiper · Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Posts: 107

There's an Inlingua pretty well opposite the school I teach at. DOn't know too much other than they hire local Indonesian teachers primarily; haven't heard of any expat teachers working for them.

Cheers,

UP

drgonzo · Joined: 03 Feb 2004 Posts: 82

I taught at Inlingua when it was in Mall Puri Indah, and then moved to it's own building at Pasar Puri.
I was contracted out to teach at a private high school though, so I didn't work too often at the language centre. The new building in Pasar Puri is brand-spanking new and very well equipped. Has a well stocked library, a computer room with all new computers, working AC's, etc..
Also, I had no problems what-so-ever with the management. The owner is often present too... and is a very rich Chinese Indonesia... owns a university too... what is it called? It's a Australian franchise university... can't remember the name now.
The thing about Inlingua is that they teach many languages there... not just English, so many of the 'expats' are from The Netherlands, Spain, France, Germany, etc... as they are teaching those languages.
All in all I had a positive experience with Inlingua... I recommend it. I will even dig out the HP number for the hiring person, Rusdah, if someone asks me nicely. Razz

Chester · Joined: 15 May 2004 Posts: 383 Location: Australia

I also did a few classes for Inlingua. Good syllabus. really good. facillities and support excellent. That was for busines people though, not other stuff.

voltaire · Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 7:34 am Post subject:

I talked to Inlingua's Rich Lady Boss once on the phone when I was on the verge of doing an office gig for them. She only wanted to give me Rp 120,000 an hour and bus fare (though she claimed it was taxi fare). Rp 120,000 is all right if a place is your sponsor as they can say they're also paying for your visa. As everyone knows the bare minimum for a private lesson in Jakarta these days is Rp 200,00 -the bare minimum-, and she wants to pay Rp 120,000 for the equivalent. She implied that she might have other work for me once I got srtarted with Inlingua, so I asked her if Inlingua takes care of sponsorship. She nonchalantly answered, "Oh, you can work on a tourist visa." Which is to say I would take all the risk and do all the work while she took all the profits. That was, as they say, that...

Chester · Joined: 15 May 2004 Posts: 383 Location: Australia

She tried that with me too.
A real piece of work she is, but very Indo-chinese - predictably tight ashed.
I got here rates up though.

It is an indicator though of what respect (or little ) such people have for foreign teachers.

I recall her asking me to teach TOEFL classes at 120 per hour. BUT she said, i would get 3 hours per session.

My mimimum rate was 200k for mornings and 300k afternoon and evenings. So she got someone else who did them for 100k per our.

Why can't people stand up for their rights? Are some ex-pats so destitute and desperate, or simply nieve? Very sad.

drgonzo · Joined: 03 Feb 2004 Posts: 82

All you had to do was bargain with them.
When they contacted me for work, I knew they needed someone badly so I negotiated my wage. When they offered me 150000rp per hour at first, I said "can you do better?". For the short time that I was working by the hour for them they paid me 200000rp per hour plus transport.
The contract they gave me (nearly 2 years ago now) was 11j a month, plus 1j a month for housing, plus 100000 a day (about 2j a month) for transport to the one external school I had to go to. My main role was teaching in a private high school. I had more holidays than working days, didn't have to give exams... nothing... a piece of piss. On my trip to Singapore to apply for the KITAS they gave me 1j for fiscal (even though I was only on a tourist visa), plus $150 singapore for spending money in addition to the $200 I had to pay to the agent - way more than enough for a day there. Then, when I left and even though I broke contract 3 months early, they still paid me fiscal even though fiscal wasn't being charged on an EPO anymore, they didn't charge me any fees to break my contract, and they said that I have to call them first if I come back to Indo - that they want to hire me again.

So... what it comes down to... is if the owner thinks you are worth the money, she will pay for you. Those that could market themselves and prove their worth can get a decent income there, if you don't bother bargaining or asking for what you deserve, then it's your own fault if you work for nothing.

voltaire · Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 5:28 am Post subject:

drgonzo · Joined: 03 Feb 2004 Posts: 82

I wonder how you can explain then, Voltaire, how the teacher they hired to replace me - a fella from Vancouver with only 6 months of teaching experience - managed to get even a better salary than mine? I think they gave him 12 million a month plus housing, plus transportation.
He showed up at least a month before I even left town and before the summer holidays for the school that we taught at, so I don't think that one was a 'right place at right time' scenario.
Is it possible something about you or your presentation rubbed her wrong and so she offered you a low wage? Maybe she just likes Canadians?