Job Discussion Forums

[StayingPower]

How could the job I formerly had here, which many of you know of, be so contrary to the one I have now? We'll not tell you where, or why. But I will tell you this.

It-the new job-seems to indicate there are a lot of misconceptions and what I'd call 'dis-information' floating around out there, some of which are even coming across here. I say this for several reasons.

First, I think there's a brainwashing-mentality many want to display here. Not necessarily this board, but in the ESL community in Taiwan all together. One is not to rock the boat. Yet many jobs here are not up to par with what I've expected, both as a foreigner and as an experienced ESL teacher, and as a human being. I'd say, then, that if you feel there's something amiss, then speak out or move on.

Second, many that are so-called 'experienced' with Taiwan are not apt to give you positive feedback. You're on your own. Don't bend to the status quo here. The younger generation of workers here-I'm pushing older-and-something-are not aware of their plight. Hence the age limit for some jobs. I think that you have to beware, however, of a sort of abuse of your rights here in comparison to the ESL community elsewhere, something many that are fresh here will not be aware of nor stand up to verses money and security.

Third, there's disinformation, and the only one to depend on is your own ethical friend; yourself. A lot of what is 'accepted' here, the overwrought work environment, the lack of honest employers; belittlement of your contract, extra-duties not inherent therein; subjugation to all sorts of recrimminating employer resentments, ie, probation periods, evaluations and censoriousnessness in the workplace-CT exasperration; and much, much more, ARE NOT THE STATUS QUO HERE!

For those that are 'experienced', bemoaning the fact contrariwise in light of your 'expertise', and to those that come from high up on the ladder of chain schools with a bad rep, shame on you.

There are jobs out there that hold to the ESL community creed of a true contract: One Year.

[MomCat]

[Jamer]

I am an experienced teacher in Taiwan. All schools will screw over the foreign teachers or in other words they will violate the contract in their favor. While this view seems horribly negative and generalized, how bad the schools violate it is a different story. Some will violate at a great extent others at a miniscule extent. My school violated my contract, but the violation was so minor it was really no reason to complain, but the fact still remained they were still dishonest with me. I even remember when I landed in Taiwan for the first time foreigners telling me that in a few months eventually my employer would screw me and sure enough they did.

I swear to god, Taiwan needs to monopolize it's ESL industry because then it could better regulated and really the differences between schools are so minimal both in the teachers and curriculum. It would be a win/win situation for everyone-students, employers and teachers.

I'm also thinking of starting a group to boycott Taiwan as a place for teaching ESL. I don't think Taiwan is bad in fact I love my friends here, the land itself, food and quality of life, but the schools need to get their shit together and start respecting their highest asset-teachers. Additionally, the Taiwan government needs to realize that foreign English teachers are a critical asset to the economy and needs to make the visa process much more efficient and easier because it seems impossible to get a visa here. Pain is the greatest motivator for change-so is anybody with me?

Also, I always hear people say Korea and China are so bad. Well I've doing my research on Korea (not China) and I thus far can't find any truth to that statement. I mean yeah Koreans may be mean and cold, but so are Taiwanese. Hagwons may screw you over, but so will bushibans. So I really don't see the difference-Korea pays more maybe that's the difference.

[powderfinger303]

I have been in Taiwan for 2 years now and I have yet to find anyone who has been really screwed over by a buxiban. That�s not to say that no one has any complaints. Before coming to Taiwan, I was in Korea (albeit for a very short time) and I had not met anyone who had not been jerked around (at least a little bit) by their boss--I'm not kidding.

I don't quite agree that foreign teachers are a critical asset to the economy--at least not Western ones. In my opinion, many Western teachers are paid quite a lot more than their worth (relative to their contribution to the economy). A lot of the money paid to foreign teachers goes straight back to their home countries--a loss for Taiwan. Many other English speakers would be happy to work for much less as well--Filipinos for example.

[yamahuh]

I worked for more than two years in China and while it's true that employers there will try to 'push the envelope' from time to time in their favour I never had any problems that a well thought out argument couldn't resolve. Getting all bent out of shape never would work but a polite reminder or pointing out that 'that's not what I agreed to" worked wonders. I loved China but you've got to have a backbone or employers will demand and demand and keep right on demanding. I imagine it's the same here.
Right now I'm working for a buxiban in Taoyuan because I wanted to save a bit more cash than I could in China and experience a new place. Well, right off the bat I've got some issues with the terms of my employment i.e hours that may or may not materialise and expected money that (because I'm not getting enough hours) I'm not making.
Having said that I signed a contract that stated I would be given X hours until my ARC was issued and X hours following that.
The range pre-ARC was quite broad.
If I'd known it took as long as it does to get an ARC I may have had second thoughts but I didn't and right now they are not in violation of the contract but if the hours don't pick up once I get my residency I'm gonna have an issue.
Are they trying to screw me?
Nope, I just didn't ask enough questions before signing on the dotted line and that's the point I'm trying to make. If you know exactly what you are entitled to and what your employer is within his rights to demand of you as an employee then anything outside of those paramenters is open for debate. If you reach a compromise that benefits everyone; fair enough. If you choose not to go along with the request then once again, fair enough, but if you roll over and just accept things without questioning then you have nobody to blame but yourself when your employer continues to make unreasonable demands.

[StayingPower]

[trukesehammer]

As I once stated in another thread:

[psychedelic]

Hello Jamer,
Thanks for your posting. The biggest differences between So. Korea and Taiwan are the better pay,free housing and opportunity to save more cash in So. Korea,and the MUCH better Winter weather in Taiwan. I speak from experience. A Westerner mentioned that he thought Taiwan was just as xenophobic,etc. as South Korea. There are nice people in both country's..both native and Western. The Taiwanese have demonstrated to me a lesser degree of xenophobia,racism,general strangeness,nervous behavior,ill manners etc. overall than South Korea. Just my two cents worth. The Taiwanese are more sophisticated,while the Koreans are more backwards overall. I'm not even going to get into environmental concerns for both country's..air pollution,etc. I've also noticed much fewer Taiwanese smoke than So. Koreans.